Mafia raids: FBI crack down on Cosa Nostra in New York, Miami, Sicily
U.S. and Italian prosecutors have variously indicted and/or arrested twenty-six defendants in Miami, FL, New York, NY and Palermo, Sicily on drug trafficking, attempted murder, money laundering, obstruction of justice, extortion and other charges following a two-year investigation as reported by Stephen Brown for Independent Online. Three arrests have been made in Miami, three in New York and North Carolina, and the rest in Italy. The New York indictment involves "a father and his two sons who operated a trucking company," and they are charged with bankruptcy fraud charges as reported by The Associated Press: "They are accused of hiding assets after the company went bankrupt, said authorities, alleging that the father is a soldier in the U.S.-based Gambino crime family." The arrests in Palermo allegedly targeted the Santa Maria di Gesu clan from Cosa Nostra or the Sicilian Mafia, and its reputed "leaders Gioacchino and Giampaolo Corso, who are brothers, were arrested" as reported by the Telegraph. The U.S. Attorney's Office will be holding a press conference with Italian authorities at 1:00 pm to discuss the indictment in greater detail as reported by NBC Miami.
UPDATE:
Tom Hays from The Associated Press reports more details on the New York indictment:
UPDATE:
Tom Hays from The Associated Press reports more details on the New York indictment:
The FBI arrested a reputed Gambino solider Wednesday on charges he provided protection for a Sicilian mobster operating in Florida — part of an international sweep aimed at further crippling the storied crime family and disrupting its ties to the Italian mob. Wiretaps show that Gaetano Napoli Sr. had a "close relationship" with Roberto Settineri, a suspected member of the Sicilian Mafia facing charges in Florida and Italy, federal prosecutors said. They said Napoli helped settle a dispute last year between Settineri and members of the Colombo crime family. Napoli and a son, Gaetano Napoli Jr., were arrested Wednesday in North Carolina on extortion, bankruptcy fraud and other charges contained in an indictment unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn. A second son named in the indictment, Thomas Napoli, was arrested in New York and was to be arraigned later in the day.
John Marzulli from the Daily News further reports on the indictment against Napoli:
Napoli Sr. filed for bankruptcy protection for Napoli & Sons Meat in West Babylon last fall and falsely claimed the equipment in the store was leased, according to court papers. "Far from 'leasing' the equipment, Napoli sold some of it for approximately $100,000...and rented additional equipment to a third party," Assistant U.S. Attorney Cristina Posa stated in court papers. FBI agents videotaped his sons moving a 500-pound meat grinder, fork lifts and industrial-sized meat packing equipment to the buyer, Posa said. Making matters worse, Napoli Sr. allegedly coached a witness on how to testify before the grand jury investigating the bankruptcy fraud. "Do not tell volunteer to nobody nothing...One f------ word out of the way and we're all s--- f-----," Napoli Sr. told the unidentified witness. While Napoli Sr. was falsely claiming he had no assets, he owed $300,000 to creditors like Bank of America, Jack's Eggs and various meat wholesalers, according to court papers.United States Attorney's Office (E.D.N.Y.) Press Release
Jay Weaver from The Miami Herald reports more details on the Miami indictment:
Roberto Settineri, 41, and Daniel Dromerhauser, 39, of Miami, were arrested Wednesday and charged with conspiracy, money laundering and obstruction as a result of the federal sting operation. A third suspect named in the indictment, Enrique Ros, 33, of Pembroke Pines, is at large. In another indictment, Settineri's associate, Antonio Tricamo, was charged with laundering more than $1 million in drug profits, trafficking in 250,000 contraband cigarettes and marriage fraud. Tricamo, 37, of Miami, was also arrested Wednesday.
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