07:31
21 Aug
Hector Rosario
The FBI have busted open a Mafia syndicate in New York, with nine members and associates of the Genovese and Bonanno organized crime families charged with racketeering and running illegal gambling operations, while a detective took bribes to look the other way.
Goodfellas movie in real-life
The gang members indicted in a Brooklyn federal court this week reads like a Goodfellas’ “wiseguys” character list, the defendants named as Joseph “Joe the Fish” Macario, Salvatore “Sal the Shoemaker” Rubino, Carmelo Polito, Anthony “Little Anthony” Pipitone, Vito Pipitone, Joseph “Joe the Box” Rutigliano, Mark Feuer and Agostino Gabriele.
Anthony “Little Anthony” Pipitone, is described as “a captain and soldier in the Bonanno organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra” with Carmelo Polito, an “acting captain in the Genovese organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra”.
The rest are footsoldiers or associates of the respective crime families, who have been accused of racketeering, illegal gambling, money laundering conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and related offenses.
“Today’s arrests of members from two La Cosa Nostra crime families demonstrate that the Mafia continues to pollute our communities with illegal gambling, extortion, and violence while using our financial system in service to their criminal schemes,” stated United States Attorney Peace. District Attorney Donnelly stated:
“These violent criminal organizations operated secret underground gambling parlors in local commercial establishments, generating substantial amounts of money in back rooms while families unknowingly shopped and ate mere feet away.”
Illegal poker games and corrupt cop
One of the clandestine gambling dens was used to host illegal poker machines and traditional card games that brought in more than $10,000 per week for the crime family. coalition, according to the prosecution.
The crime syndicate was allegedly aided in their illegal activities by a local detective, with ADA Peace revealing:
“Even more disturbing is the shameful conduct of a detective who betrayed his oath of office and the honest men and women of the Nassau County Police Department when he allegedly aligned himself with criminals.”
Donnelly added:
“These Mafia figures were assisted by a sworn member of law enforcement, who helped these gambling dens to thrive by offering police raids on competing clubs.”
The NCPD detective, named as Hector Rosario, was allegedly bribed in exchange for offering to arrange police raids of competing gambling locations. He has been charged with obstructing a grand jury investigation and lying to the FBI.
The indictments revealed that the criminal gang “tried to hide their criminal activity by operating from behind the cover of a coffee bar, a soccer club, and a shoe repair shop. The illegal gambling locations include the La Nazionale Soccer Club, and Glendale Sports Club in Queens, with others spread across the city.
“Sleeping with the fishes” threat
In another incident related in court, Genovese capo Carmelo Polito was said to have sent a threatening message to a gambler who owed the family money:
“Tell him I’m going to put him under the fucking bridge.”
Eight of the named defendants were arrested last Tuesday, but Joseph “Joe the Box” Rutigliano remains at large.
ADA Donnelly said of the multiple arrests:
“The Mafia has brought untold violence and extortion into our neighborhoods for decades, even threatening the life of an individual as part of this case. This indictment sends a strong message that we are committed to rooting out corruption and organized crime.”
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