Updated news on the Gambino, Genovese, Bonanno, Lucchese and Colombo Organized Crime Families of New York City.

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Genovese family soldier charged in bid rigging scheme


An alleged Staten Island mobster and another man are accused of colluding to fix construction bids for a luxury apartment building in Brooklyn, authorities said.

Christopher Chierchio, 49, a reputed soldier in the Genovese organized crime family, and Anthony Milohnic, 43, of Long Island, have been charged with felony agreement, arrangement, or combination in restraint of trade or competition, the attorney general announced Thursday.

Chierchio also is charged with criminal tax fraud for allegedly evading $94,094 in personal income tax, officials said.

"We have zero tolerance for crooks who try to game the system to line their pockets," said Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman. "We'll continue to work with our partners in law enforcement to crack down on bid-rigging, tax fraud, and all other forms of corruption."

Authorities allege the defendants schemed to ensure there was a lack of competition for the plumbing, sprinkler and HVAC bids for a new luxury residential building at 613 Baltic St. in Brooklyn.

The investigation included information from court-authorized wiretaps, the execution of search warrants and the review of financial records.

The indictments filed in Manhattan Supreme Court were part of a previous joint investigation, "Operation Shark Bait," which led to the indictment and arrest of 13 defendants for enterprise corruption in Brooklyn, authorities said.

The probe was conducted by the Organized Crime Task Force, in collaboration with the New York City Police Department's Criminal Enterprise Investigations Section, the New York City Department of Investigations, the United States Department of Labor - Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations, and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.

"Bid-rigging undercuts fairness and equality in the contracting process," DOI Commissioner Mark Peters said. "DOI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to expose and stop this type of pernicious corruption."

http://www.silive.com/news/2018/03/alleged_staten_island_mobster.html


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