Another son of legendary mob boss Carmine “The Snake” Persico is set to start a prison sentence for his mob ties. Michael Persico is set to join his father Carmine and his brother Alphonse “Allie Boy” Persico behind bars after his sentencing on February 28th baring any postponements. Michael was believed by many to be the good son of the family steering clear of his dads mafia business. But the feds have had a different opinion insisting Michael has long been involved in Colombo crime family business but was smart enough to not become an actual member of the mafia as his father and brother did. Although Persico and his lawyer claim he is simply a victim of profiling being targeted by feds because of his family name but he is simply an honest businessman.

“Michael Persico”

But the feds claim that there is plenty of evidence that hints to Michael’s involvement in the Colombo family. Legendary Colombo captain John “Sonny” Franzese was once caught on tape by an undercover informant praising the approach to the mob lifestyle used by Michael Persico saying “He don’t have to be a goodfella, he is doing different kind of work”. That along with information from former Colombo mobsters turned rat including alleged capo Carmine Sessa indicated there was also an illegal side to Michael’s legitimate businessman public profile. Sessa said Michael supplied his brother Alphonse with 100 thousand dollars to help the Persico faction in the 1990′s during the deadly Colombo family civil war.
 

Sessa also says a meeting took place on th eve of the war at the Persico family compound in Saugerties involving high level Colombo family leaders with one of the Colombo hierarchy John Staluppi showing up in a helicopter. Also at this meeting was alleged Capo turned government witness John Pate who claims Michael and Alphonse discussed how to kill the leader of the rival faction Victor “Little Vic” Orena. This information along with other aspects lead to Michael Persico being charged with racketeering and multiple murders included in a sweeping indictment back in 2010. But the young Persico was able to cut a deal with the feds in 2012 just before his trial was set to begin.
 

The plea deal is a sweet one for Persico as he only had to plead guilty to loan-sharking charges instead of racketeering or murder. Instead of facing life in prison at trial Michael now will be facing a sentence of only 37-46 months. The deal did include a condition that his cousin Theodore Persico an alleged mob capo in Colombo family had to also plead guilty and agree to a plea deal which he did and is now facing a sentence of 12 years. Michael and his lawyer were also able to sweeten the pot some by having an agreement added to plea deal that feds could not seek future prosecution for any of previous charges including the murders and racketeering. Seems as if both Michael and Theodore both got plea deals they couldn’t refuse.

Back in the mid-1980′s a plot was formed by then Sicilian mafia boss of bosses Toto “The Beast” Riina to assassinate the former mayor of New York Rudy Giuliani. At the time Giuliani was working as a federal prosecutor focusing his efforts on taking down the New York mafia as well as forging close links with anti-mafia prosecutors in Italy including Giovanni Falcone. Falcone along with fellow Italian anti-mafia prosecutor Paolo Borsellino were assassinated on orders from Rinna by a massive bomb attacks just in 1992. Now according to claims by a mafia “pentito” or supergrass named Rosario Naimo who was a made man in Cosa Nostra or the Sicilian mafia but lived for years in the United States Riina wanted Giuliani to suffer the same fate as his Italian counterparts.

“Toto Riina”

Naimo claims that he was ordered by Riina to pass along a message to the Gambino crime family asking them to help assassinate Giuliani for his aggressive investigations into the mafia. These claims by Naimo seem to corroborate claims made by Giuliani himself that the mafia had put out a $800,000 contract on his head. Giuliani while doing an interview on the Oprah Winfrey channel last year said he was aware that the mafia contract had be issued during his first year as mayor because of his work as a U.S. Attorney. He also claimed that after getting a conviction of a certain New York mafia boss for 100 years he also had a contract out for his death worth $400,000. Giuliani joked that he felt kind of bad that the price for killing him had went down in value from 800k to 400k.

“Rudy Giuliani”

These claims by Naimo are very possible because the Sicilian mafia has long held close ties to the Gambino family which still remain in place today. Toto Riina was finally captured by Italian authorities and was convicted for the murders of Falcone and Borsellino among other mafia crimes and has been in prison since 1993. But even from prison he continues to make threats against current Italian anti-mafia prosecutors getting caught on a secret wiretap talking about have them slaughtered like tuna. The American mafia has long held the belief that the killing of such important officials like Giuliani was bad for business and perhaps this was part of the reason why the hit against him was never carried out.

Defense team for reputed Lucchese crime family soldier Nicodemo Scarfo Jr and associate Salvatore Pelullo in the FirstPlus Financial racketeering trial went on the offensive. Prosecutors claim that Scarfo the son of former Philadelphia mob boss Nicodemo “Little Nicky” Scarfo along with Pelullo headed a hostile mob takeover of the financial service company looting millions of dollars from it. They claimed in the indictment that Pelullo back in 2007 acquired and created companies as part of the scheme to take over FirstPlus Financial and defraud the companies investors. But defense attorney’s attacked the prosecutions allegations using the testimony from one of the governments own key witnesses who offered an insight into the take over from the witness stand.

“Nicky Scarfo jr and Sal Pelullo”

Key witness Cory Leshner a lawyer who prosecutors claimed worked for Scarfo and Pelullo at FirstPlus handling day to day operations that included managing credit and bank accounts used to conceal the money being pilfered by the mafia. Leshner facing a possible 100 yeas in prison decided to cut a deal with prosecutors and testify against the reputed mobsters in return for a plea deal of only five years in prison for his crimes. But while testifying Leshner claimed that Pelullo launched the businesses included in the governments indictment before he even knew that the FirstPlus Financial firm even existed.
 

Defense lawyers attacked this part of Leshners testimony claiming that it contradicted the governments theory and allegations that Pelullo created these companies as tools to use for taking over FirstPlus. It is still unclear how this will play into the juries assessment of the indictment as a whole but it is a interesting twist in what is a very complicated case. Little Nicky Scarfo and former Lucchese family boss Vittorio “Vic” Amuso were both identified pre-trial as unindicted co-conspirators in the case and it is believed that money from the scam benefited the Lucchese family of the New York Mafia as well as the Scarfo’s.

Former Colombo crime family rat Reynold Maragni who received a soft sentence for crimes he committed while working as an informant wants yet another break. The mobster was doing his part for the feds making secret recording of his fellow New York mafia pals while he continued his criminal activities including collecting loan shark debts. He was charged with extortion, marijuana trafficking, and money laundering but because of his cooperation he received only a 4 month sentence over the maximum of up to five years which with time served only amounted to 45 days in prison. Now Maragni wants another break as payment for his help and wants to be given a pass on the 45 days jail term or be allowed to serve it on weekends and or at home.

“Reynold Maragni”

The former mobster who is now in witness protection programs claims he may lose his job described only as a management position if he has to go to jail for an extended period of time like 45 days. Like the minimal sentence of only 4 months for his crimes which Brooklyn Federal Judge Kiyo Matsumoto called “fairly modest” he still wants more. He supplied evidence linking former Colombo family acting boss Thomas “Tommy Shots” Gioeli among others to the 1999 murder of fellow mobster William “Wild Bill” Cutolo. But his work on the witness stand ended up being quite a train wreck for the feds.
 

Maragni took the stand as a key witness for the feds against Colombo family mobster Tommy Gioeli and associate Francis “BF” Guerra on two separate occasions. In both cases the trials ended in disastrous verdicts for the prosecution with both gangsters being acquitted of the murder charges against them. His work on the stand was so ineffective that the feds decided to fire him as a witness and not use him for a third mafia trial in which he was supposed to be a key witness in.
 

Considering his lackluster testimony and fact that he continued to break the law even after agreeing to cooperate why should he catch yet another break. It sure seems that he has gotten more breaks then he deserved already.

Former Bonanno crime family associate Hector Pagan took stand as the governments key witness against mafia wannabes Richard Riccardi and Luigi Grasso. Riccardi and Grasso are on trial for the murder of James Donovan a check cashier during a 2010 robbery of an auto body shop. Pagan has already admitted to being part of the robbery and firing the fatal shots that killed Donovan and is now testifying as part of his deal with the government. The ex-husband of “Mob Wives” star Renee Graziano was believed to have turned rat back in 2011 agreeing to wear a wire secretly recording conversations with his former father-in-law and Bonanno family capo Anthony Graziano among other family leaders.

“Hector Pagan”

During his testimony in Brooklyn Federal Court on Tuesday Pagan revealed that he has actually became a government witness all the way back in 2006. He said that he cut a deal back then with the government to take the focus off of him and he also pocketed $15,000 in exchange for the information he supplied. It is unclear as to what kind of information he supplied the feds with about the Bonanno family those five years before agreeing to wear a wire against his father-in-law and others in 2011. But his cooperation is once again paying dividens as he testifies in the present murder case in which he was the shooter.
 

If found guilty of their parts in the robbery and murder that netted them each $50,000 dollars Grasso and Riccardi are both facing life in prison.

Former Genovese crime family capo turned rat Anthony “Bingy” Arillotta was sentenced to only 99 months in prison for mafia crimes including two murders and three attempted murders among others. He was charged with the murders of former Massachusetts mob boss Adolfo Bruno and mob associate Gary Westerman back in 2003. After cozying up to New York mob leaders and the 2003 murder of his one time mentor Arillotta formerly became a made member of the Genovese family and took over the mob families Springfield operations. Then in 2010 he was arrested and charged with both murder of Bruno and Westerman and other crimes and almost immediately began cooperating with the feds.

“Anthony Arillotta”

Arillotta agreed to a plea deal and became a cooperating witness against his mafia cohorts. He supplied the feds with the location of Gary Westerman’s remains and exposed the entire Bruno murder plot. He would go on to testify at two separate trials sending two of his former crew along with former New York Mafia based acting Genovese family boss Arthur “Artie” Nigro and loan shark Emilio Fusco to prison. He has been labeled as one of the best mafia informants ever by federal prosecutors.
 

With time served the 47 year old wiseguy will now only serve an additional four years in prison for all of his treacherous crimes. He was also slapped with a $2 million dollar forfeiture as part of his sentencing. Facing a life sentence for his crimes after his 2010 arrest it seems that cooperating and becoming a rat has once again paid off handsomely for another mobster.

Thomas “Tommy Shots” Gioeli the former acting boss of the Colombo crime family was sentenced to 18 years in prison for multiple murder and racketeering conspiracy raps. Back in 2012 Gioeli was convicted of plotting gangland hits against rivals John Minerva and Frank Marasa along with a single charge of orchestrating violence against rivals to gain power. But the New York mafia leader was some how acquitted on several murder charges and avoided a probable life sentence. Although his lawyers argued before sentencing asking for leniency saying at the age of 61 a long term sentence would be equal to a life sentence.

“Thomas Gioeli”

Gioeli was cleared on murder charges which included the mafia hit on former NYPD cop Ralph Dols back in 1997 , who was killed because he married to ex-wife of former Colombo family consigliere Joel “Joe Waverly” Cacace. Tommy Shots along with fellow Colombo mobster Dino Saracino were also acquitted for the 1995 execution of mob associate Richard Greaves and the murder of former Colombo family underboss William “Wild Bill” Cutolo.
 

The mobsters attorney Adam Perlmutter argued that his client was not what the prosecution made him out to be as he read excerpts from letters of support which presented him as a lovable grandparent and community pillar. Perlmutter also noted that his client had already been behind bars for six years since he was charged with his crimes and no other punishment in his eyes was necessary.
 

But prosecutors reminded Judge Brian Cogan that the aging wiseguy has led a long and frightening criminal career and had spent more then a decade as a leading figure in the mafia. They labeled the crimes he committed on bahalf of organized crime as vicious and pointed out it took a vicious person to carry them out and he should receive the maximum of twenty years under the sentencing guidelines.

Feds have charged five individuals with alleged links to the Colombo crime family for their roles in a scheme to defraud New York’s Newspaper and Mail Deliverers Union. As part of the scheme the men were attempting to secure a union card and job for Benjamin Castellazzo Jr according to the feds.  Benjamin Junior is the son of reputed Colombo family underboss Benjamin Castellazzo and was charged along with Colombo family associate Rocco Miragla, a one time Daily News forman, Glenn LaChance and Rocco Giangregorio, business agent for NMDU, and Anthony Turzio, and El Diario employee. All five of the men were arrested and have been charged with mail fraud conspiracy and were scheduled to appear in federal court in Brooklyn.

“Benjamin Castellazzo”

The Newspaper and Mail Deliverers union has long standing mafia ties and these arrest show that it is still subject to mob influences said United States Attorney Loretta Lynch. The NMDU was once headed by Douglas LaChance who was indicted back in the 80′s and convicted on 124 counts of racketeering and extortion tied to the shaking down of distributors. According to Alphonse D’Arco former Lucchese family acting boss turned rat LaChance was so out of control back then the New York mafia families considered whacking him.
 

The feds continue to battle the mafia and its control and influence in several unions through out New York and New Jersey. Even though many unions have been deemed free of current mob influence cases such as this one prove otherwise and although it may not be as iron clad and wide ranging as it was in past it remains a viable source of mob profits.

Seems that alleged Bonanno crime family acting boss Thomas “Tommy D” DiFiore believes family captain Vincent Asaro is responsible for his recent arrest. In court documents filed by DiFiore’s lawyer requesting bail he blames the big-mouthed Bonanno family captain directly for dragging him into the recent convictions. Vincent and his son Jerome are facing charges including arson, murder, and their parts in the legendary Lufthansa heist while DiFiore is charged with a single count of extortion. The extortion charge against DiFiore stems from a secretly recorded conversation between Vincent and a mob rat which has caused the unrest in the Bonanno family ranks.

“Thomas Di Fiore”

Vincent Asaro was captured on a secret wiretap during a conversation with his cousin Gaspare “Gary” Valenti who had turned rat and was wearing a wire talking about a mafia payoff. He said to his cousin that “Tommy” took a $15,000 cut from a loan shark payoff of $40,000 that he had received. Asaro always says “He took 15 grand, i want to kill the mother******” on the recording according to court documents. Federal prosecutors claim that the “Tommy” mentioned by Asaro on the tape is Thomas DiFiore and that he hold the ranks of acting boss in the Bonanno family.
 

Defense lawyer Steve Zissou claims that even if the prosecution could get a jury to believe that the “Tommy” Asaro mentions is indeed his client there is no reason to believe that anything Asaro said was even truthful while calling him a lying degenerate gambler. During his argument for bail he also made the argument that the case could include years of pre-trial motions by the government and defense for the Asaros part of the case while his clients trial could start quicker and would not take long so it was unfair to keep him imprisoned for that extended time period.
 

DiFiore has been in prison since he was arrested back on January 23rd of this year. He is facing a possible sentence of up to 20 years if convicted of extortion. Zissou also mentioned that several other high ranking New York mafia members had previously been granted bail facing worse charges then his client. But the judge wasn’t buying the defenses argument and ruled the government had substantial evidence that DiFiore was named as acting boss of the Bonanno family back in 2012 and was the highest ranking Bonanno mobster on the streets at the time of his arrest giving him power over the mob family making him a danger to the community. He denied the wiseguys bail request.

Longtime Gambino crime family solider Oreste “Ernie Boy” Abbamonte has been sentenced to five years in prison for extortion of a local contractor. The 65 year old wiseguy agreed to a plea deal after being charged with the $1.2 million dollar shake down from 2006 through 2011. According to the prosecution he forced Deca Development a Long Island based company to pay his car payments , mortgage, and travel expenses eventually driving the company out of business. Abbamonte’s criminal and mafia career goes back decades with his first arrest back in 1962 at age of only fourteen years old and he has spent 26 of the last 32 years of his life behind bars.

“Oreste “Ernie Boy” Abbamonte (left), Nicky DiPietro, and John Carneglia”

Judge Arthur Spatt even commented that he was amazed at the amount of crimes Ernie Boy had committed considering he has been in prison for so much of his criminal career. Even with such an extensive rap sheet it didn’t stop lawyers for Abbamonte from requesting a shorter sentence then his plea deal agreement of 60 months. Citing the wiseguys age and various health problems as reasons as to why he should be sentenced to less then the maximum. The 88 year old Judge said “You have got to be kidding me” referring to his age saying in his view 65 was not old calling Oreste a “spring chicken”.
 

Prosecutors recited the mobsters long criminal past including previous drug convictions among many others calling him a feared member of the Gambino family of the New York mafia. They also argued that his age and health problems didn’t stop him from committing the crimes. Judge Spatt agreed and sentenced Abbamonte to the maximum of five years and he will now be eligible for release in July of 2016. Although he may face up to two more years behind bars for committing crimes while on lifetime parole from his previous drug convictions.

Back in 1989 Nicodemo S. Scarfo also known as “Nicky Jr” was shot several times by a masked gunman in an attempted mafia hit in South Philadelphia. Nicky Jr’s father Nicodemo “Little Nicky” Scarfo ran the Philly mob from 1982 until 1988 when he was convicted of racketeering including multiple counts of murder. The mob hit was believed to be a part of an ongoing internal war for control of the Philadelphia Mafia between then boss Little Nicky Scarfo and Salvatore “Chuckie” Merlino after Scarfo’s went to prison. Nicky Jr was shot a total of 8 times as he sat having dinner at Dante’s & Luigi’s restaurant but some how survived the violent attack. The hit has gone unsolved for years although tons of speculation has continued through the years about who the shooter was that night. Many in and around mob circles believed that it was Joseph “Skinny Joey” Merlino who pulled the trigger that night on orders from his father Salvatore Merlino.

“Nicky Scarfo Jr”

Joey Merlino has always denied having any involvement in the botched mob hit and he was never charged even though many believed it was him. Until now no one officially had ever pointed the finger at Merlino as being the shooter at least no one in a position of authority. But at the ongoing trial of Nicky Scarfo Jr for his involvement in the illegal take over of FirstPlus Financial former FBI agent Kenneth Terracciano fingered Merlino as the shooter while on the witness stand. Terracciano was giving the jury a run down of mafia structure and rules when he told jurors he believed that it was Joey Merlino who had tried to kill Nicky Jr back in 1989 on orders from his father Salvatore.

“Joey Merlino”

After the attempt on his life Nicky Jr was sent to New Jersey by his father under the protection of the Lucchese crime family. It is alleged that later on the younger Scarfo officially became a member of the Lucchese family of the New York Mafia and that the illegal takeover of FirstPlus was part of a mafia ploy.

Alicia DiMichele the wife of alleged Colombo crime family enforcer Edward “Tall Guy” Garofalo, Jr. has resigned from the hit reality TV series “Mob Wives”. The sexy reality star also withdrew her guilty plea on embezzling charges after the restitution payment was rejected by the presiding judge. The old plea deal called for DiMichele to pay restitution of $20,000 to Teamsters Local 282 union from which DiMichele was part of a scam using a trucking company owned by Garofalo to embezzle union funds. Prosecutors and lawyers for DiMichele agreed on the amount but legal counsel representing the union claims the amount owed to the benefit fund was closer to $2.8 million and should include 18% interest.

“Alicia DiMichele”

Husband Edward Garofalo Jr. plead guilty to murder conspiracy which he received seven years in prison for but not embezzlement which means DiMichele would be on hook for any amount owed. Sources confirmed that DiMichele submitted her resignation to “Mob Wives” weeks ago seemingly in an effort to clean up her image. Defense lawyers expect to reach a new plea deal with prosecutors which will satisfy the government with out Alicia on the hook for the full $2 million dollar restitution.
 

Under the original plea deal DiMichele was also facing up to six months in prison and could still be facing prison time with a new plea deal. Alicia was pulling in $8,000 an episode from Mob Wives show and she is the owner of Addiction Boutique in New Jersey which prosecutors argue makes her viable to pay off a substantial fine and restitution.

Dino “Little Dino” Saracino was sentenced to 50 years in prison by Federal Judge Brian Cogan. Saracino was believed to have earned his button (introduction into the mafia) by carrying out the 1997 mob hit on NYPD police officer Ralph Dols. Prosecutors alleged that the hit was ordered by Joel Cacace the former boss of the Colombo crime family because he was jealous that Dols had married his ex-wife. Former Colombo family acting boss Thomas Gioeli was charged along with Cacace and Saracino for the Dols murder but separate juries acquitted all three mobsters. Even with the acquittal Saracino was still hit with a maximum sentence for his other mafia related crimes.

“Dino Saracino”

Saracino was caught on a secret wiretap talking to a mob associate saying that he could do a 20 year sentence and walk out of prison with a smile. Judge Cogan using that statement from Saracino said the idea of him emerging from prison with more respect for the law then when he went in was a lost cause. For the 41 year old wiseguy the 50 years will pretty much amount to a life sentence.
 

Judge Cogan said it seemed like what Saracino mainly wanted out of his life was to be a member of the New York Mafia and he had obtained that goal. Little Dino made commented to the judge that he hoped the same sentence would be given to Dino Calabro and Joseph Competiello. Both Calabro and Competiello were fellow mobsters until they turned rat and testified against Saracino.

Carmine “Papa Smurf” Franco a reputed mobster in the Genovese crime family of the New York Mafia is facing 27 to 33 months in prison although some are pushing for a much lighter sentence. As part of a plea deal with the feds Franco admitted to being a key player in a mobbed up trash business scheme that involved multiple New York Mafia families. Various mafia families banded together to clean up from the trash business in New York using strong arm tactics to take illegal control of legitimate companies. Franco had previously been banned from the New Jersey trash business because of past criminal convictions associated with the mob and admitted he ran his piece of the latest operation from Rockland, NY. The plea deal agreed to last November also called for a prison sentence from 27 to 33 months and a forfeiture of 2.5 million dollars.

“Carmine Franco”

Now Papa Smurf is rallying support for a non-prison sentence of just community service because of his advanced age and medical health along with his changed lifestyle. Lawyers for Franco claim he has a laundry list of health problems that would be difficult for him to receive proper care for in prison. They also list him as the primary care giver for his elderly and ill wife, Mary. Along with these request filed by his lawyers Franco is also receiving support from other sources including that of a local priest.
 

Lady of Grace Church Rev. Peter Sticco claims Franco has been a regular at the church since his arrest and even offered to become a full time volunteer there doing maintenance work. Rev. Sticco also claims that Franco was instrumental in the decorating of the Church last December and has been involved in other charitable things associated with the church. He assured the judge that Franco would continue to do much more of this type of charitable work for the church if he was allowed to stay out of prison.
 

Over a dozen letters of support for Franco were sent in which also included one from former New Jersey state Sen. Henry McNamara. Because of Franco’s advanced age and health problems a sentence of community service and not prison seemed warranted according to McNamara. In the letter McNamara said that based on his personal knowledge of Carmine and the Franco family for over 30 years he had not had any occasions in which he experienced any untrustworthy side of any of them. McNamara also confided that he had used Franco for help during his political career as a resource to assist in fact finding before drafting certain legislation having to do with solid waste industry which saved significant tax payers dollars.
 

Papa Smurf is set to be sentenced for his latest mafia related crimes on May 15.

Francesco Fiordino a former Bonanno crime family mobster turned rat has admitted to being involved in illegal gambling and debt collections for people he owed money while testifying for prosecutors in murder trial of Gambino crime family capo Bartolomeo “Bobby” Vernace. Prosecutors now fear that these illegal activities could very well put their conviction of Vernace in jeopardy. Fiordino decided to cut a deal with the government after being convicted of murder back in 2008 and was considered by the feds to be a seasoned rat by time he testified against Vernace in 2013. The former mobster was scared he may be whacked for money he owed and admitted his crimes to his handlers in the Brooklyn U.S. attorney’s and U.S. Marshalls offices.

“Bartolomeo Vernace (center)”

Bartolomeo Vernace was convicted of a pair of murders back in 1981 which was allegedly sparked by a spilled drink. He had already beaten the case at a state trial so it was considered a big win for the feds getting him convicted in federal court. Fiordino helped the feds prove that the murders back in 1981 helped to enhance Bartolomelo’s standing inside of the Gambino family. By 2013 he had allegedly become a very high ranking member of the New York mafia family once serving on a ruling panel for the Gambino’s.
 

Charles Carnesi and Joseph DiBenedetto defense lawyers for Bartolomelo have already filed court documents requesting a new trial or at least an evidentiary hearing. Seems that the mob turncoat who was rewarded for his cooperation and claimed to be totally at peace with his decision to turn rat because he no longer had to lie and pretend anymore wasn’t telling the whole story.

Carmine Avellino a reputed captain in the Lucchese crime family has been charged with sending mob goons to assault a non paying deadbeat. Prosecutors claim that brothers Daniel Capra and Michael Capra alleged Lucchese family associates were sent to collect money and assault a 70 year old victim back in 2010. According to court documents the victim was slacking off on payments from a $100,00 loan he got from the mobster. Both of the Capra brothers were arrested last year for their parts in the mob beat down. Avellino also now 70 years old has long been a member of the Lucchese family of the New York mafia and has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

“Daniel Capra and Michael Capra “

Avellino was charged back in the 1990′s with the mob hits of garbage carters Donald Barstow and Robert Kubecka of Long Island as part of a Lucchese family extortion scheme. He eventually plead guilty to racketeering and received a ten year sentence. Scott Lemon a defense attorney for Avellino asked why it took prosecutors over four years to bring these charges against his client as he entered his non-guilty plea.
 

Brother Salvatore Avellino a reputed Lucchese family member himself was also seen at the court arraignment chatting with FBI agents.

Carmine Avellino a reputed captain in the Lucchese crime family is out on bail after being indicted on extortion charges. The 70 year old alleged wiseguy was released on Monday after one of his daughters posted up her $1 Million dollar home as bail. Avellino is charged with sending a pair of fellow Lucchese family wiseguys Michael and Daniel Carpa to beat an elderly man who was late making payments on a $100,00 loan. Both Carpa brothers were also charged with extortion last year and are now also awaiting trial.

“Carmine Avellino (center)”

Prosecutors argued against letting Avellino out on bail saying that the alleged mobster was a danger to the community. Eventually Assistant U.S. Attorney Celia Cohen consented to his release after his daughter agreed to put her house up as bail. He was released under a strict 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. curfew and will be required to wear an electronic monitoring device.
 

Authorities claim that Carmine has been a long time member of the Lucchese family along with his brother Salvatore Avellino an alleged soldier in the same New York Mafia family. A trial date has yet to be announced.

Bartolomeo “Bobby” Versace has been sentenced to life in prison plus 10 years for the murder of two Queens bar owners back in 1981. A captain in the Gambino crime family and once a member of the families ruling panel Versace has a long and violent past inside the mafia. Prosecutors claimed that the murders of John D’Agnese and Richard Godkin back in 1981 when Versace was but a mafia associate helped to up his standing with in the crime family. Back in the 1990′s Bartolomeo was able to beat the rap during a state trial back in the 1990′s but his violent past has finally caught up to him.

“Bobby Vernace”

Defense lawyers in the case filed motions to have the case thrown out after it was discovered that the key witness in the trial for the prosecution Francesco Fiordilino was committing crimes while inside the witness protection program. But the Judge said that the defendant would not have been acquitted even if the jury had known about the evidence against Fiordilino and lowered the boom on Versace with a max sentence.
 

Michael Vernace the brother of Bobby Glasses as he is also known on streets stormed out of the courthouse calling the judge a piece of s— and that the sentence was a travesty. Vernace defense attorneys Joseph DiBenedetto and Charles Carnesi said that they plan to appeal.

Anthony “Mama’s Boy” Zoccolillo may have failed at his attempt to become an actor on his reality TV show “Mama’s Boy” but his work as a government snitch has been a success. He has now added two more to his stats as his undercover work for feds has forced long time Genovese crime family mobster Pasquale “Uncle Patty” Falcetti and another mob associate to plead guilty to federal loansharking charges. Falcetti owned up to loaning Zoccolillo the sum of $34,000 back in 2010 for which he collected 2 points a week in vig (interest) on from Mama’s boy until April of last year. At that point Zoccolillo taped Uncle Patty discussing the loan and the terms of it being repaid.

“Anthony Zoccolillo”

Although Falcetti pleaded guilty to making the loan he still insisted that he never threatened the Mama’s boy with bodily injury for not repaying the debt. He claims the only threat he made was to ruin Zoccolillo’s reputation in the neighborhood by letting everyone know he was a deadbeat. Assistant U.S. attorney Peter Skinner objected saying that his client could testify that he was threatened with physical harm if he did not pay back the loan. A tactic often used by mobsters to insure repayment of high juice loans.
 

After some back and forth as to the criminal means at which were used to force repayment of the loan both sides agreed that there was an intent to harass and or threaten to alarm another person. Falcetti is now facing between 27 and 33 months in prison for his crimes when he is sentenced in July.

Theodore “Teddy” Persico Jr has been sentenced to 12 years behind bars for ordering a hit on a mafia rival. Persico a Colombo crime family capo plead guilty to murder conspiracy for ordering the hit on fellow mobster Joseph Scopo back in 1993 while he attended his grandmothers wake at a Brooklyn funeral home. Scopo was a leading member of a break away faction lead by Vittorio “Little Vic” Orena battling the Persico faction for control of the mob family during a bloody civil war. Teddy was actually out on a prison furlough to attend the wake of his grandmother when he green lighted the hit.

“Teddy Persico Jr”

Fellow Colombo family mobster turned rat Anthony Russo testified that Persico sat down at the chapel and after saying a prayer for his grandmother passed along the orders signing off on Scopo’s death warrant. The conversation between Persico and three mob associates which took place just out of earshot of the correction officers accompanying him. Russo outlined the entire event for the feds.
 

Russo said Teddy told him and his other mob associates that you have to go after Joey (Scopo), to end this war we have to get Joey he is a target. Then a few months later at the door of his Queens home Scopo was gunned down by a Colombo family hit team effectively putting an end to the Colombo civil war. The feds claim that Teddy is on a short list of candidates to take control of the Colombo family upon the death of his uncle and current boss Carmine “The Snake” Persico.