Bonanno mobster Skinny Santoro denied parole

Bonanno mobster Skinny Santoro denied parole

  July 16, 2017    Dapper_Don

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An alleged Staten Island mobster with ties to the Bonanno crime family was denied parole earlier this month, according to a law enforcement source.
Anthony "Skinny" Santoro, who recently pleaded guilty to attempted enterprise corruption, is next eligible for parole in December 2018, said the source.
In April, the Great Kills man was sentenced to four to eight years in prison, but since he has been incarcerated since his July 2013 arrest, he became eligible for parole on July 3.
As part of his plea, he has also waived an appeal and will pay approximately $45,900 in forfeiture.
"I did what I did. I took responsibility for what I did," Santoro told the judge during his sentencing April in Manhattan Supreme Court. "I want to get on with my life, what's left of it."
Santoro and his co-defendants -- Vito Badamo, Nicholas Santora and Ernest Aiello -- were accused of enterprise corruption, including loansharking, gambling and drug dealing, after authorities reportedly busted an alleged Bonanno nine-man crew in July 2013.
The quartet was also charged with attempted grand larceny in the second degree, while Santoro, Badamo and Santora were facing an additional charge of first-degree criminal usury.
Badamo and Aiello have also pleaded guilty, while Santora's case is still pending, according to the source. He is due back in court Sept. 15.
The defendants were on trial for three months in Manhattan Supreme Court last year, but it ended in a mistrial due to juror dissonance.
After one of the jurors was dismissed from the panel and another asked off the panel before Supreme Court Justice Mark Dwyer declared a mistrial.
Prosecutors said Santoro was a key player in the Bonanno family's gambling operation, allegedly setting the prices for drugs and deciding on opening and freezing gambling accounts.
The bulk of the state's case against him was the information intercepted from a series of wiretap calls, which implicate him using mob slang referring to illegal drug and gambling activities.
Santoro still has a pending federal case after pleading guilty to operating an illegal gambling business as part of a local Bonanno crime crew in Connecticut. In 2013, he was sentenced to eight months and arrested in the Manhattan case before he could serve that time.

http://www.silive.com/news/2017/07/allged_staten_island_bonanno_m.html

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Staten Island based Bonanno family mobster admits to committing crimes

Staten Island based Bonanno family mobster admits to committing crimes

  April 10, 2017    Dapper_Don

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After nearly four years in prison, the alleged Bonanno mobster from Staten Island said he's ready to move on.
"I did what I did. I took responsibility for what I did," Anthony "Skinny" Santoro told the judge during his sentencing Monday in a Manhattan court. "I want to get on with my life, what's left of it."
Santoro, 52, of Great Kills, was sentenced to four to eight years in state prison after pleading guilty to attempted enterprise and admitting his activities were done as part of a criminal enterprise.
He has been incarcerated since July 2013, and that time will count towards his sentence.
As part of the plea deal, has also waived an appeal and will pay approximately $45,900 in forfeiture.
Santoro and his three co-defendants -- Vito Badamo, Nicholas Santora and Ernest Aiello -- were accused of enterprise corruption, including loansharking, gambling and drug dealing, after authorities reportedly busted an alleged Bonanno nine-man crew in July 2013.
The quartet was also charged with attempted grand larceny in the second degree, while Santoro, Badamo and Santora were facing an additional charge of first-degree criminal usury.
Badamo and Aiello also took plea deals, while Santora's case is still pending.
In his allocution statement, Santoro admitted to participating in a pattern of criminal activity that included loansharking, gambling and drug dealing from March 2010 to June 2013.
Santoro also said he possessed more than five firearms and acted as the "agent" or "sheetholder" in the illegal gambling operation by overseeing bettors, collecting money and monitoring online gambling accounts.
"He made threats to debtors and possessed seven firearms with hundreds of rounds of ammunition," said prosecutor David Stuart. "This defendant was involved in all the criminal activities."
Santoro also admitted to possessing boxes of Viagra and Cialis pills, and unlawfully selling each pill from $5 to $20.
The plea deals came weeks before the defendants were scheduled for a second trial.
FIRST TRIAL
After a nearly three-month trial last year, the case ended in a mistrial in May due to juror dissension.
Supreme Court Justice Mark Dwyer granted the defense's request for a mistrial after juror No. 9 told the court the rest of the jury was not considering his opinions, and felt they were only worried about getting a guilty verdict.
"I can't go on at this point," the juror told the court. "They're not listening to me. I can no longer sit there and listen to them anymore. I want to make sure what I render is just, not just because we don't want to be here anymore or we've been here for three months."
The shocking development came after Dwyer dismissed juror No. 1 from the jury  based on the panel's concern that he wasn't able to hear any of the wiretap calls played during deliberations.
A few jurors sent a note to the judge alleging that juror No. 1 said he was unable to hear the calls and refused to use the transcript binders for fear they were tampered with. The binders, the judge instructed the jury, are not evidence.
"It's a little bit frustrating because we're trying our hardest," one of the jurors said.
"He was able to hear just fine," juror No. 9 said. "He just kept getting attacked and they didn't like his responses."
However, when asked if he was able to follow the evidence, juror No. 1 said, "Yes."
But two jurors who spoke to the Advance after the trial contend the two weren't always so harmonious.
"Throughout the process, juror No. 9 claimed he did not share the same opinions as juror No. 1 so we were surprised when he stated he could not continue deliberating after juror No. 1's dismissal," the two panelists said in a statement to the Advance last May.
Prosecutors said Santoro was a key player in the Bonanno family's gambling operation, allegedly setting the prices for drugs and deciding on opening and freezing gambling accounts.
The bulk of the state's case against him was the information intercepted from a series of wiretap calls, which implicate him using mob slang referring to illegal drug and gambling activities.
Santoro still has a pending federal case after pleading guilty to operating an illegal gambling business as part of a local Bonanno crime crew in Connecticut. In 2013, he was sentenced to eight months and arrested in the Manhattan case before he could serve that time.

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/04/i_did_what_i_did_sayd_alleged.html

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Bonanno mobsters plead guilty to involvement in enterprise

Bonanno mobsters plead guilty to involvement in enterprise

  April 09, 2017    Dapper_Don

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After nearly four years in prison and a mistrial last year, an alleged Staten Island Bonanno mobster has admitted to his role in the crime family's enterprise.
Anthony "Skinny" Santoro, 52, of Great Kills, recently pleaded guilty to attempted enterprise corruption and must admit it was done in connection with a criminal enterprise, according to a law enforcement source.
As part of the plea, Santoro, who has been incarcerated since July 2013, is facing  four to eight years in state prison when he is sentenced Monday in Manhattan Supreme Court, said the source.
He has also waived an appeal and will pay approximately $45,900 in forfeiture.
Santoro and his three co-defendants -- Vito Badamo, Nicholas Santora and Ernest Aiello -- were accused of enterprise corruption, including loansharking, gambling and drug dealing, after authorities reportedly busted an alleged Bonanno nine-man crew in July 2013.
The quartet was also charged with attempted grand larceny in the second degree, while Santoro, Badamo and Santora were facing an additional charge of first-degree criminal usury.
Badamo and Aiello have also pleaded guilty, while Santora's case is still pending, according to the source.
Badamo pleaded guilty to attempted enterprise corruption and must admit it was done in connection with a criminal enterprise, waived appeal and will pay $40,000 in forfeiture.
He is facing three and half to seven years in state prison when he is sentenced May 18.
Aiello pleaded guilty to promoting gambling in the first degree and must admit it was done in connection with a criminal enterprise, waived appeal and will pay approximately $30,000 in forfeiture, said the source.
He is promised a sentence of two to four years in state prison.

Anthony "Skinny" Santoro, the alleged Staten Island Bonanno mobster, has been portrayed with these conflicting -- yet fascinating -- personalities.

FIRST TRIAL
After a nearly three-month trial last year, the case ended in a mistrial in May due to juror dissension.
Supreme Court Justice Mark Dwyer granted the defense's request for a mistrial after juror No. 9 told the court the rest of the jury was not considering his opinions, and felt they were only worried about getting a guilty verdict.
"I can't go on at this point," the juror told the court. "They're not listening to me. I can no longer sit there and listen to them anymore. I want to make sure what I render is just, not just because we don't want to be here anymore or we've been here for three months."
The shocking development came after Dwyer dismissed juror No. 1 from the jury  based on the panel's concern that he wasn't able to hear any of the wiretap calls played during deliberations.
A few jurors sent a note to the judge alleging that juror No. 1 said he was unable to hear the calls and refused to use the transcript binders for fear they were tampered with. The binders, the judge instructed the jury, are not evidence.
"It's a little bit frustrating because we're trying our hardest," one of the jurors said.
"He was able to hear just fine," juror No. 9 said. "He just kept getting attacked and they didn't like his responses."
However, when asked if he was able to follow the evidence, juror No. 1 said, "Yes."
But two jurors who spoke to the Advance after the trial contend the two weren't always so harmonious.
"Throughout the process, juror No. 9 claimed he did not share the same opinions as juror No. 1, so we were surprised when he stated he could not continue deliberating after juror No. 1's dismissal," the two panelists said in a statement to the Advance last May.

Judge declared mistrial amid juror dissension.

Prosecutors said Santoro was a key player in the Bonanno family's gambling operation, allegedly setting the prices for drugs and deciding on opening and freezing gambling accounts.
The bulk of the state's case against him was the information intercepted from a series of wiretap calls, which implicate him using mob slang referring to illegal drug and gambling activities.
Santoro still has a pending federal case after pleading guilty to operating an illegal gambling business as part of a local Bonanno crime crew in Connecticut. In 2013, he was sentenced to eight months and arrested in the Manhattan case before he could serve that time.

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/04/skinny_santoro_an_alleged_stat.html

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Retrial set for Staten Island Bonanno mobster Skinny Santoro

Retrial set for Staten Island Bonanno mobster Skinny Santoro

  February 05, 2017    Dapper_Don

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An alleged Staten Island Bonanno mobster will be tried again in April, almost a year after a judge ordered a mistrial in his case.
Anthony "Skinny" Santoro, of Great Kills, and his three co-defendants -- Vito Badamo, Nicholas Santora and Ernest Aiello -- are accused of enterprise corruption, including loansharking, gambling and drug dealing, after authorities reportedly busted an alleged Bonanno nine-man crew in July 2013.
The quartet is also charged with attempted grand larceny in the second degree, while Santoro, Badamo and Santora are facing an additional charge of first-degree criminal usury.
The trial is set to begin April 10 in Manhattan Supreme Court, said a spokeswoman for the district attorney's office.
After a three-month trial last year, the case ended in a mistrial in May due to juror dissension.
Supreme Court Justice Mark Dwyer granted the defense's request for a mistrial after one of the jurors told the court the rest of the jury was not considering his opinions, and felt they were only worried about getting a guilty verdict.
"I can't go on at this point," the juror told the court. "They're not listening to me. I can no longer sit there and listen to them anymore. I want to make sure what I render is just, not just because we don't want to be here anymore or we've been here for three months."
The shocking development came after Dwyer dismissed juror No. 1 from the jury  based on the panel's concern that he wasn't able to hear any of the wiretap calls played during deliberations.
A few jurors sent a note to the judge alleging that juror No. 1 said he was unable to hear the calls and refused to use the transcript binders for fear they were tampered with. The binders, the judge instructed the jury, are not evidence.
"It's a little bit frustrating because we're trying our hardest," one of the jurors said.
"He was able to hear just fine," juror No. 9 said. "He just kept getting attacked and they didn't like his responses."
However, when asked if he was able to follow the evidence, juror No. 1 said, "Yes."
But two jurors who spoke the Advance after the trial contend the two weren't always so harmonious.
"Throughout the process, juror No. 9 claimed he did not share the same opinions as juror No. 1, so we were surprised when he stated he could not continue deliberating after juror No. 1's dismissal," the two panelists said in a statement to the Advance last May.
Prosecutors say Santoro, who has been incarcerated for more than three years and is being held at a Manhattan facility, was a key player in the Bonanno family's gambling operation, allegedly setting the prices for drugs and deciding on opening and freezing gambling accounts.
The bulk of the state's case against him is the information intercepted from a series of wiretap calls, which implicate him using mob slang referring to illegal drug and gambling activities.
Santoro still has a pending federal case after pleading guilty to operating an illegal gambling business as part of a local Bonanno crime crew in Connecticut. In 2013, he was sentenced to eight months and arrested in the Manhattan case before he could serve that time.

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/01/staten_island_mobster.html

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Bonanno mobsters complain about restrictive bail conditions

Bonanno mobsters complain about restrictive bail conditions

  August 09, 2016    Dapper_Don

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You can have your cannoli but you can't eat it too.

Alleged mafiosi Vito Badamo, 53, and Ernest Aiello, 36, have concerns about a judge's order that bars them from commiserating with fellow goombahs and whether it could prevent them from going to get a bite to eat.

Lawyers for the pair argued Tuesday that their clients — who were freed after a mistrial on enterprise corruption and other charges in May — wouldn't know which paisans to avoid under the vague prohibition that prosecutors pushed for.

Lawyer Joseph Donatelli said prosecutors asked that his client stay away from mobbed-up people and places, but failed to specify who they think is a gangster in the defendants' circle of Italian-American pals.

"Who is an organized crime member?" Donatelli asked during a hearing in Manhattan Supreme Court.

Donatelli noted that Aiello is a regular at old school Italian bakery Fortunato Brothers Cafe in Williamsburg.

"My client frequents a pastry shop," said Donatelli, who owns DeStefano's steakhouse nearby.

Vito Badamo is seen after Tuesday's hearing in State Supreme Court.

Justice Mark Dwyer said that quickly stopping in to buy a bite and heading out is no big deal.

"If he walks in and buys a zeppole and walks out that's okay," the judge said, but it could be problematic "if he walks in and has a conversation for an hour."

Dwyer added that Badamo could politely say ciao to old pals with a reputation as long as he keeps moving.

"If he's walking down the street and sees an old friend, he can say ‘hi’ and end the conversation," the judge said.

Aiello lawyer Stacey Richman had asked for a list of prohibited contacts from prosecutors, challenging the overbroad request and called it a "dangerous restriction."

"The people do not give us a list as to who may be a mob affiliate," Richman said after the hearing.Lawyers for the alleged gangsters worry that a stop at Fortuanto Brothers Cafe in Williamsburg for a bite could violate the judge's orders. The cafe is an old school Italian bakery.

"The people define pretty much everyone and every place as mob-related."

Richman said that even a McDonald's was made into a "mob locale" at the first trial.

Badamo and Aiello, alleged members of the Bonanno crime family, are charged in an extortion, gambling, loansharking and prescription pill peddling scheme along with alleged boss Nicholas "Nicky Cigars" Santora, 73, and Anthony "Skinny" Santoro, 52.

Santora, who is wheelchair-bound, is still being held on $1 million bond and Santoro is behind bars on $500,000 bail.

They all face a maximum of 25 years behind bars though some of the lesser counts were dismissed against Aiello.

Jury discord and scheduling problems left them without a panel of 12 to deliberate after a lengthy trial.

A new trial date has not yet been set.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/judge-orders-alleged-bonanno-gangsters-vague-article-1.2744744

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Bail set for Bonanno mobsters after mistrial

Bail set for Bonanno mobsters after mistrial

  May 11, 2016    Dapper_Don

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It’s about "effing" time.

Bail was set for four Bonanno "bad boys" who have been behind bars for three years in light of Tuesday’s mistrial, as a Manhattan prosecutor fought their release by disclosing that colorful insults and threats from jail were hurled his way.

Heavy-set hothead Anthony "Skinny" Santoro was recorded on a jail phone calling Assistant District Attorney Gary Galperin a "j--k off" and letting loose on what he'd like to do to his courtroom foe, the prosecutor said.

Santoro said he "would like to see this prosecutor on fire" and "see this prosecutor burn to death," Galperin continued, as laughter erupted around the courtroom during the three hour conference Wednesday.

The oversized joker also griped that "this whole court process is an 'effing' fiasco” and referred to Justice Melissa Jackson was an "effing b--ch."

Jackson oversaw pre-trial dealings in the case and was the judge who originally denied bail to the accused mafia goons.

Galperin used the verbal attacks it to beef up his argument that Santoro and his alleged associates are a dangerous crowd and should be kept behind bars.

"This all shows his contempt for court," Galperin argued in an effort to keep the foursome behind bars without bail pending a verdict.

Santoro, 52, along with alleged captain Nicholas "Nicky Cigars" Santora, 73: Ernest Aiello, 36: and Vito Badamo, 53, will face a second trial likely in the fall after deliberations derailed Tuesday.

The judge set bail at $500,000 bond and $250,000 cash for all the men with the exception of Nicholas Santora. His bail was set by the judge at $1 million bond and $500,000 cash.

Badamo similarly ripped Galperin in jail calls.

Anthony “Skinny” Santoro could be free on bail despite his big mouth.

Inmates are warned that all calls are recorded so it's likely they knew that Galperin would one day hear their conversations.

Badamo also called Galperin a "j--k off" and whined that the case against him is "a scam," according to the ADA's account.

Badamo's words "should not give the court any comfort in entertaining anything less than remand," Galperin said.

They have been remanded since their arrest on an enterprise corruption indictment in 2013.

Santoro's lawyer Adam Konta said the men sitting in front of Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Mark Dwyer would not go anywhere except home.

“The only islands they're running to are Staten and Long," Konta argued.

The case was adjourned to June 23 to discuss the next trial. All four are charged with enterprise corruption, the top count, which carries a maximum of 25 years behind bars.

They could also face far less significant sentences if convicted and they all have three years of time served credit.

Dwyer declared a mistrial Tuesday after jury shenanigans and scheduling conflicts left him without 12 panelists who were able to serve.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/bail-set-bonanno-goons-potty-mouthed-courtroom-antics-article-1.2633230

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Mistrial granted against the Bonanno crime family

Mistrial granted against the Bonanno crime family

  May 10, 2016    Dapper_Don

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After almost three years, a nearly three-month trial and eight days of deliberations, the case against four Bonanno mob suspects ended in a mistrial Tuesday in state Supreme Court in Manhattan.
"I think it's unfortunate that it ended this way," said defense attorney Adam Konta, who represents Anthony "Skinny" Santoro, the Great Kills man accused of being part of the Bonanno crime family.
Supreme Court Justice Mark Dwyer granted the defense's request for a mistrial after juror No. 9 told the court the rest of the jury was not considering his opinions, and felt they were only worried about getting a guilty plea.
"I can't go on at this point," the juror told the court. "They're not listening to me. I can no longer sit there and listen to them anymore. I want to make sure what I render is just, not just because we don't want to be here anymore or we've been here for three months."
The shocking development came after Dwyer dismissed juror No. 1 from the jury  based on the panel's concern that he wasn't able to hear any of the wiretap calls played during deliberations.
A few jurors sent a note to the judge alleging that juror No. 1 said he was unable to hear the calls and refused to use the transcript binders for fear they were tampered with. The binders, the judge instructed the jury, are not evidence.
Dwyer brought in each juror individually to specifically ask about juror No. 1.   Several expressed their concerns that he indeed said he couldn't hear the recordings.
"It's a little bit frustrating because we're trying our hardest," one of the jurors said.
"He was able to hear just fine," juror No. 9 said. "He just kept getting attacked and they didn't like his responses."
However, when asked if he was able to follow the evidence, juror No. 1 said, "Yes."
After the dismissal, juror No. 9 asked to speak to the court and said he was "pissed" juror No. 1 was dismissed, and added that the two of them were ganged up on because they disagreed with the rest of the jury.
"We were in the minority on this," juror No. 9 said. "We've been getting attacked on stupid things because we don't see eye to eye. It's not guilty until proven innocent, it's innocent until proven guilty."

Anthony "Skinny" Santoro, the alleged Staten Island Bonanno mobster, has been portrayed with these conflicting -- yet fascinating -- personalities.

Santoro, 52, and his alleged Bonanno co-defendants -- Vito Badamo, 53, Nicholas Santora, 73, and Ernest Aiello, 36, -- are accused of enterprise corruption, including loansharking, gambling and drug dealing, after authorities reportedly busted the family's nine-man crew in July 2013.
The defendants were charged with enterprise corruption, grand larceny in the second-degree and first-degree criminal usury.
There will be a conference Wednesday to determine how the case will proceed. The defense is expected to ask for bail. The defendants have been incarcerated for nearly three years.
The prosecution can retry the case, make a plea deal or dismiss the charges, but intends to redo the trial.
"The inability of one juror to continue deliberating is not a reflection on the overall strength of the case," said Joan Vollero, director of communications for the Manhattan district attorney's office. "We thank the jury members for their service, and expect to notify the court tomorrow of our intention to retry the case."
"There was no real evidence 'Skinny' was part of the crew of the Bonanno family," Konta said. "I look forward to continue fighting for 'Skinny.' "
Santoro, however, has a pending federal case after pleading guilty to operating an illegal gambling business as part of a local Bonanno crime crew in Connecticut. In 2013, he was sentenced to eight months and arrested in the Manhattan case before he could serve that time.
The three years he spent in prison does not count toward that sentence, Konta said.
A few of Santoro's family members, who have been in court every day during deliberations, left the courtroom in tears.

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/05/judge_grants_mistrial_in_bonan.html

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Who is Skinny Santoro from the Bonanno crime family?

Who is Skinny Santoro from the Bonanno crime family?

  May 01, 2016    Dapper_Don

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On one side, prosecutors say he's a violent Bonanno mob enforcer caught on wiretap threatening people with hatchets and bullets.
His close ones, however, describe a good-hearted, incredibly funny man with a soft side and bit of a loose tongue -- or, how he more aptly puts it, a rough and tough cream puff. Anthony "Skinny" Santoro, 52, of Great Kills, has been portrayed with these conflicting — yet fascinating — personalities during his nearly three-month trial in state Supreme Court in Manhattan.
So, who's the real "Skinny?"
"He's not the guy made out in the papers," said one of Santoro's relatives who wished to remain anonymous. "He's a good man with a good heart. He doesn't have a bad bone in his body.
"I hope to have him home very soon."
Santoro and his three co-defendants -- Vito Badamo, 53, Nicholas Santora, 73, and Ernest Aiello, 36 -- are anxiously awaiting a verdict, with jury deliberations set to resume on Monday. The quartet is accused of enterprise corruption, including loansharking, gambling and drug dealing after authorities say they busted a nine-man Bonanno crew in July 2013.
THE SAGA BEGINS
Almost three years ago, Santoro was sipping his coffee on a summer morning when the cops came knocking at his residence. He quietly and respectfully placed his hands in front so he could be handcuffed and taken into custody, according to a source close to the defendant.
From that day, the family feels, he was denied bail for a non-violent crime and railroaded for being Italian.
"They were targeted because they're Italians," the relative added. "I really believe that. Nobody got hurt. Nobody was killed. That mafia doesn't exist anymore.
"This should've been resolved three years ago. They gave him a bad deal. They stomped all over his rights."
Prosecutors say Santoro was a key player in the Bonanno family's gambling operation, allegedly setting the prices for drugs and deciding on opening and freezing gambling accounts.
The bulk of the state's case against him is the information intercepted from a series of wiretap calls, which implicate him using mob slang referring to illegal drug and gambling activities.
The first time Santoro got to hear those wiretapped recordings against him was during the trial, a source with knowledge of the case said.
In the most salacious call, Santoro says, "I'm gonna split his f------ head open with a hatchet, to be honest with you."
"Biz, I'll put two holes in his f------ forehead, I'll double tap his forehead right now. I will go right now put two holes in his head. He'll be one dead young punk. I'll leave him in the street right now. I'll shoot him right now, right this minute. I'll take a shower and shave just to go shoot him."
The police raid that netted cash, marijuana and seven firearms from his girlfriend's Tanglewood Drive home only added to the Hollywood mobster stereotype.
Except nobody got "whacked."
"He's got a big mouth and he yells a lot, but he doesn't mean anything by it," the family member said. "He's all talk. Look, he's a gambler, but he didn't do the other things they said he did."
Santoro's lawyer, Adam Konta, argued his client was a broke hustler, and not a violent gangster. He also believes it was unfair Santoro was denied bail, despite the state's lack of evidence that he was a flight risk or a danger to society.
"A lot of men in this situation would have broken down, but not 'Skinny,' " Konta said in a statement to the Advance. "He has remained focused on the jury seeing this case for what it is – an unsuccessful attempt to make him a member of the Bonanno crime family.
"Throughout this lengthy trial, he has kept his head up and can always be counted on for a smile or a joke – not because he isn't taking the case seriously, but because he is a positive person who is trying to make the best out of an unnecessarily long and stressful situation."
PENDING FEDERAL CASE
Even if Santoro is found not guilty in the Manhattan case, the Staten Island man is still likely going to prison in connection with a federal gambling case in Connecticut.
In 2013, before his arrest in this current case, Santoro pleaded guilty to operating an illegal gambling business as part of a local Bonanno crime crew in Connecticut, and was sentenced to eight months in prison, said attorney Tim Parlatore, who represents Santoro in the federal case.
The betting lasted more than 30 days and netted a gross revenue of $2,000 a day, court records show. But Santoro, court documents say, actually lost money on the bets.
Santoro's sense of humor shines through during a witty exchange with the judge during his plea hearing, where he jokingly asks her if she wants to make a bet, according to court transcripts:

Judge: Do you know the amount of money wagered by the person you referred?

Santoro: No. I wouldn't have any idea of that. I don't even know how much money I got in my pocket right now, to be honest with you.

Judge: Why don't you know that?

Santoro: I don't pay attention to that.

Santoro: Do you know how much money you have in your purse, your honor?

Judge: Roughly, yes.

Santoro: Exactly?

Judge: Not exactly.

Santoro: Oh, okay.

Judge: Do you have some sense of how much money you have in your pocket?

Santoro: Yeah, I have, your honor.

Judge: How much money do you think you have?

Santoro: I don't know, a few hundred, I guess.

Judge: A few hundred?

Santoro: You want to bet? I'm only kidding. I'm only kidding.
A bit later in the transcripts, Santoro amusingly warns the judge not to place bets with his co-defendants busted in the Connecticut case.
"Oh, God. You're a card," the judge replied to his friendly suggestion.
"He's the funniest client I've ever had," said Parlatore, who has known Santoro for years. "He's just naturally funny."
BIGGEST GAMBLE YET
After refusing to make a plea deal, Santoro is betting the jury will find him innocent.
If convicted, he could face up to 25 years in prison.
After months of testimony, the jury deliberated for two days before a week-long adjournment.
The panel was charged with the different elements constituting enterprise corruption, grand larceny in the second degree and first-degree criminal usury.
Santoro is also charged with criminal possession of a weapon and criminal sale of a firerarm.
The case, the defense claims, hinges on venue.
The defense argues Manhattan was not the proper jurisdiction for the trial considering most of the alleged criminal acts happened in other boroughs, including Brooklyn and Staten Island.
During their brief discussions, the panel had several questions about venue, including if they had to be unanimous in making that determination. The judge instructed them that they needed to be in agreement.
"It's been a long, long couple of months; the waiting and the waiting has been hard for the families," the family member said. "It's been more than enough already."

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/04/the_real_skinny_on_skinny_sant.html

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Jury yet to reach verdict in trial of Bonanno crime family

Jury yet to reach verdict in trial of Bonanno crime family

  April 23, 2016    Dapper_Don

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The jury in the Bonanno mob trial did not reach a verdict Thursday, and deliberations were adjourned to May 2.
Anthony "Skinny" Santoro, 52, of Great Kills, and his alleged Bonanno co-defendants -- Vito Badamo, 53, Nicholas Santora, 73, and Ernest Aiello, 36 -- are accused of enterprise corruption, including loansharking, gambling and drug dealing after authorities say they busted the family's nine-man crew in July 2013.
The panel, which began deliberating Wednesday afternoon, again asked to hear several calls regarding union and insurance deals as they relate to the loansharking element. They also asked to see a video that allegedly shows an undercover officer involved in a money exchange.
The jurors also had questions pertaining to venue.
On Wednesday, they asked the court to read back testimony of one of the prosecution's key witnesses involved in the alleged loansharking operation.
The panel was charged Wednesday morning with the different elements constituting enterprise corruption, grand larceny in the second degree and first-degree criminal usury.
Santoro is also charged with criminal possession of a weapon and criminal sale of a firerarm. Authorities recovered seven guns from his Tanglewood Drive home in Great Kills in 2012, the prosecution said.
The state claims Santora, who is nicknamed "Captain Crunch," is the crime family's alleged ringleader. The prosecution says he was in charge of an Internet gambling site, sold prescription drugs, such as oxycodone and Viagra, on the black market, and the other three defendants were his underlings.

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/04/no_verdict_in_bonanno_mob_tria.html#incart_river_index

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Bonanno crime family trial goes to the jury

Bonanno crime family trial goes to the jury

  April 23, 2016    Dapper_Don

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After a nearly three-month trial, the jury in the Bonanno crime family trial began deliberations Wednesday, but did not reach a verdict.
Anthony "Skinny" Santoro, 52, of Great Kills, and his alleged Bonanno co-defendants --Vito Badamo, 53, Nicholas Santora, 73, and Ernest Aiello, 36 -- are accused of enterprise corruption, including loansharking, gambling and drug dealing after authorities say they busted the family's nine-man crew in July 2013.
The panel was charged Wednesday morning with the different elements constituting enterprise corruption, grand larceny in the second degree and first-degree criminal usury.
Santoro is also charged with criminal possession of a weapon and criminal sale of a firerarm. Authorities recovered seven guns from his Tanglewood Drive home in Great Kills in 2012, the prosecution said.
Then jury began deliberations in the afternoon, and asked the court to read back testimony of one of the prosecution's key witnesses involved in the alleged loansharking operation.
The jury will resume deliberations Thursday.
The state claims Santora, who is nicknamed "Captain Crunch," is the crime family's alleged ringleader. The prosecution says he was in charge of an Internet gambling site, sold prescription drugs, such as oxycodone and Viagra, on the black market, and the other three defendants were his underlings.

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/04/jury_deliberations_begin_in_bo.html#incart_river_home

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Defense lawyer says Bonanno soldier is a broke hustler

Defense lawyer says Bonanno soldier is a broke hustler

  April 23, 2016    Dapper_Don

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Anthony "Skinny" Santoro, his lawyer claims, was a broke hustler, and not the violent, money-making mobster the state has portrayed.
The Great Kills man undertook various failed business ventures, but none of them were used to benefit the Bonanno crime family, said his defense attorney, Adam Konta, during his summation Monday in Manhattan Supreme Court.
Santoro, 52, and his co-defendants -- Nicholas Santora, 73, Vito Badamo, 53, and Ernest Aiello, 36 -- are on trial for enterprise corruption, including loansharking, gambling and drug dealing after authorities say they busted a nine-man Bonanno crew in July 2013.
"Skinny is a hustler, but he wasn't good at it," Konta told the jury. "There is no evidence these businesses were used to further the Bonanno crime family. This has been a flawed investigation that has led to a flawed case.
"They didn't prove their case -- not even close."
Konta challenged the jury to hold the prosecution to what it promised during its opening arguments before the two-and-a-half month trial began, before rattling off what he perceives to be the state's missteps.
The prosecution claims the Staten Island man was involved in extortion and loansharking, gambling, drugs and guns, but they failed to prove Santoro's connection to any of these criminal activities, his lawyer said.
First, in regard to the loansharking, the state claims Santoro was a Bonanno soldier under Aiello and Badamo and helped collect money from loansharking victims, and a share of the cash flowed up through the crime family hierarchy and into alleged Bonanno boss Santora's hands.
But despite the years-long NYPD investigation and piles of surveillance and wiretapped recordings, Konta said, the prosecution only produced a blurry picture of Santoro and Badamo allegedly exchanging money and two questionable phone calls.
But one detective testified that he couldn't say if in fact the defendants were exchanging money in the surveillance photo.
"Where's the money?" Konta asked. "Where are the payments."
"The prosecution said they would show you a strict hierarchy within the family," Konta added. "Where's the proof? It's in the D.A.'s very vivid imagination.
"There is zero evidence. There was no money exchanged. That's a real problem."
In regard to gambling, Santoro, Konta claims, was constantly complaining about being broke and tried his hand at construction, real estate and ran a gambling site in Costa Rica, where gambling is legal.
The state argues that same site was used to make illegal sports bets.
During the trial, prosecutors played several wire-tapped phone recordings allegedly connecting Santoro to gambling and drugs.
The NYPD, the state said in the beginning of the trial, found 300,000 Cialis and Viagra pills during the search of Santoro's Tanglewood Drive home in Great Kills, but really only found 24 pills, his lawyer maintained.
The lead detective on the case admitted to making several erroneous conclusions about code words used for the prescription pills and drugs and the nicknames for the alleged crime family members, Konta claimed.
"There is no objective evidence, just speculation," the attorney said. "We've heard a lot of wrong conclusions about this case."
Guns and violence
In one phone call from September 2011, Santoro allegedly threatens someone who owes the organization money.
"'I'm gonna split his head with a hatchet,'" Konta says Santoro says on the tape. "'I will put two holes in his head. I will shoot him right now. I'll take a shower and shave and I'll go shoot him.'"
Konta, however, maintains his client was blowing off steam, and there was no proof of the alleged violence.
"The prosecution wanted you to believe these incidents happened," the lawyer said. "But not one person testified that Skinny tried to hurt them."
During the search of Santoro's home, the cops also seized seven guns, $45,000 in cash and several pounds of marijuana, police said.
But four of the guns were found in a rental apartment in the Tanglewood Drive home, which belongs to Santoro's girlfriend, Konta said. Also, a detective testified he didn't know if any of the items, including the guns, recovered from the home belonged to Santoro or if they were used in criminal activity.
"This case wasn't sexy like the movies," the lawyer said. "There was no violence and no money. There were no victims and no threats.
"This case has been like watching children putting puzzle pieces into spots that don't work. The pieces just don't fit."
Summations continue Tuesday and the jury should begin deliberations Wednesday.

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/04/post_1379.html#incart_river_index

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Cops find thousands of rounds of ammunition in Bonanno moster's home

Cops find thousands of rounds of ammunition in Bonanno moster's home

  April 07, 2016    Dapper_Don

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A reputed mobster got an early-morning visit from an NYPD squad that rummaged through his home and found socks stuffed with guns, tons of cash and thousands of live ammunition rounds, prosecutors allege.

NYPD Det. Gilberto Vazquez outlined the items recovered in the search of alleged Bonanno associate Nicholas Bernhard's Rockland County home and his connection to the four defendants during his testimony in the Bonanno mob family trial Wednesday in Manhattan Supreme Court.
The alleged Bonanno crime family members – Anthony "Skinny" Santoro, 52, of Great Kills, Nicholas Santora, 73, Vito Badamo and Ernest Aiello, 36 - are charged with enterprise corruption, including extortion, gambling, drug dealing and loansharking.
They, along with Bernhard, were busted in July 2013. Bernhard later took a plea deal, prosecutors said.
The state claims the crew helped Bernhard become president of Teamsters Union Local 917, and he then used his position to assist in the enterprise's loansharking and gambling operations. Union members, the prosecution says, allegedly borrowed money from and placed bets with the Bonanno crime family.
Vazquez was a member of the 10-man group that raided Bernhard's home in the early morning hours.
After a nine-hour search, authorities recovered 20 handguns, including revolvers and pistols, nine magazines, brass knuckles, paperwork with dates, dollar amounts and initials, $170,370 in cash and 130 savings bonds with a face value of more than $39,000 with Bernhard's name on them from the single-family home on Terrace Avenue, the cop said.
"There was thousands of live rounds of ammunition," Vazquez testified.
Some of the guns, the detective said, were concealed in socks and canvass bags and were seized from safes in the master bedroom closet and in the basement.
In the home office, police found one photo of Bernhard and Santoro and another picture of Santoro, Badamo and Bernhard was found in the bedroom nightstand, according to the cop.
Vazquez arrested Bernhard the same day the other defendants were rounded up, and as he was walking him to a holding cell in a Brooklyn precinct, Bernhard had a little message for the detective.
"Bernhard told me, 'I hope you're taking care of my guns and I want my $170,000 back,'" Vazquez testified.
Badamo, Aiello and Santoro were already in the cell, and when Bernhard arrived, he hugged Badamo and Santoro, the cop said.
"'This is a friend of mine,'" Vazquez said Badamo told Aiello when introducing him to Bernhard.
Vazquez said "friend of mine" is reference to an LCN associate, or La Cosa Nostra, an organized crime family.
TAINTED SEARCH
On cross-examination, Badamo's attorney, Joseph Donatelli, scrutinized the execution of the search.
The defense claims the guns were registered and still had the serial numbers, which would allow the police to trace an owner.
But they didn't.
"We didn't run raps," Vazquez admitted.
Donatelli argued the detective tainted the guns when he didn't use gloves to recover the weapons.
"You contaminated these guns," the lawyer said.
Vazquez agreed.
"The house was clean so I didn't need to wear gloves," the cop testified. "Even if the guns were legally obtained, we'd take it away regardless because it's part of the investigation.
"But I can't say if they belong to Nicholas Bernhard."
The La Cosa Nostra reference, Donatelli argued, is a common saying.
"Have you ever used that term, detective?" the lawyer asked.
"I have," Vazquez said. "It was a cool thing to hear."
Vazquez previously testified about surveillance he conducted on Badamo, including a meeting with Santoro at a Bayside diner, but the defense argued the detective never saw Badamo engaged in any wrongdoing.
"I observed no criminal activity," Vazquez admitted.
The state claims Santora is the crime family's ringleader, and he was in charge of an Internet gambling site, sold prescription drugs, such as oxycodone and Viagra, on the black market, and the other three defendants were his underlings.
Santora, who cops say is nicknamed "Captain Crunch," inspired the character played by the late Bruno Kirby in the 1997 film "Donnie Brasco."
Testimony resumes Thursday morning.

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/04/thousands_of_live_ammunition_f.html#incart_river_home

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Feds claim cash from crimes flowed to Bonanno captain

Feds claim cash from crimes flowed to Bonanno captain

  April 03, 2016    Dapper_Don

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The money flowed up to the "old boss."
Any proceeds from gambling and loansharking activities eventually made its way through the Bonanno crime family hierarchy and landed in alleged mob boss Nicholas Santora's hands, the prosecution claimed during the Bonanno mob trial Tuesday in Manhattan Supreme Court.
Santora, 73, along with three alleged Bonanno gangsters -- Anthony "Skinny" Santoro, 52, of Great Kills, Vito Badamo, 53, and Ernest Aiello, 36 -- are on trial for enterprise corruption, including loansharking, gambling and drug dealing. They were busted in July 2013.
Detective Angelo Barone testified that Santoro and Badamo would take care of collecting money from the alleged illegal activities before giving it to "Captain Crunch" or "iron boss," which were Santora's nicknames.
"The money goes up," the detective testified. "Santoro collects the money, gives it to Badamo and a piece goes to Santora."
The state claims Santora is the crime family's ringleader. The prosecution says he was in charge of an Internet gambling site, sold prescription drugs, such as oxycodone and Viagra, on the black market, and the other three defendants were his underlings.
In a series of audio recordings, texts and surveillance, Santoro and Badamo were caught either talking about the gambling debt owed to them or exchanging money during their alleged meetings, Barone said.
In one recording, Santoro says he will take Badamo to the house of the man who owes them cash and in another wire tapped call Santoro refers to "iron," which is a mob reference to cash, the prosecution alleges.
In another conversation, Santoro and Badamo discuss taking care of the situation before it got to "front street."
"That means they wanted to take care of it before Santora got involved," Barone said.
Michael Alber, Santora's attorney, questioned Barone's analysis of the evidence and how he determined the money flow went to his client.
"Did you see anyone give Santora money?" Alber asked.
"No," Barone replied.
"When you recovered all materials from all the search warrants at the respective houses, did you see any reference to "Captain Crunch" in any of the documents you recovered?" Alber asked the detective.
"No," Barone said.
Santora, Alber also argued, is not shown in any government surveillance.
Badamo's attorney, Joseph Donatelli, said the state recovered no evidence of gambling activity when they searched his client's home and car.
"You believed you would find evidence?" Donatelli asked Barone.
"I was incorrect," the detective replied.
But, Badamo, nicknamed "Uncle Chap," was recorded talking to another Bonanno associate, Dominick Siano, about the raid.
"Uncle Chap, we got big problems," Siano says on the tape. "They got my computer, It shows I went onto the site (the alleged illegal Internet gambling site the Bonanno's ran.)
"Who else was hit by the search warrants?" Badamo asks.
Badamo's reply, the prosecution says, proves he knew about the illegal gambling site.
Testimony resumes Wednesday morning.

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/03/prosecution_claims_cash_flowed.html

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Judge denies ailing Bonanno captain's request for home confinement

Judge denies ailing Bonanno captain's request for home confinement

  March 26, 2016    Dapper_Don

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Supreme Court Justice Mark Dwyer this week denied alleged Bonanno crime boss Nicholas Santora's release on home confinement, according to a spokeswoman for the Manhattan district attorney's office.
Santora, along with his three alleged Bonanno associates -- Anthony "Skinny" Santoro, 52, of Great Kills, Vito Badamo, 53, and Ernest Aiello, 36 -- are currently on trial in Manhattan Supreme Court for enterprise corruption, including loansharking, gambling and drug dealing, after they were busted in July 2013.
Santora's attorney, Michael Alber, had previously asked the court for bail and home confinement after the 73-year-old's family noticed a deterioration in his health.
Santora, who has been incarcerated for almost three years, was transferred to Bellevue Hospital two weeks ago before Dwyer heard medical testimony and made an official ruling.

Nicholas Santora in file photo from 2007.  

Last week, two medical experts testified about the mob defendant's condition and, specifically, his history of falls and whether that has led to a traumatic brain injury.
Dr. Alan Engelman, the expert for the prosecution, examined Santora, and found him to be alert, aware, engaging, focused and even jovial. He also noted that there were no signs of concussive injuries from the falls.
"He was good-humored- he made some jokes," Engelman said. "His mental status was normal. His memory was normal. There is no evidence of psychiatric impairment or cognitive impairment. He has not hurt himself irreversibly due to the falls — at least not to his brain."
Engelman had recommended Santora remain at Bellevue Hospital.
During court proceedings last week, Alber claimed his client has a myriad of symptoms, including trouble concentrating in court, dizziness, blurred vision and poor nutrition.
Santora has had at least a dozen falls, including two recently, the lawyer said. Just last week, he claimed, Santora fell while at Bellevue and was found face down. A couple of months ago, the defendant flipped out of his wheelchair during a Department of Corrections transfer.
Dr. Jason Chamikles, a family practitioner, testified for the defense after examining Santora earlier this month. It was his opinion, he said, that the defendant had a "possibility of traumatic brain injury based on the falls."
"Each fall can worsen the condition," Chamikles said. "The risk of each concussion can cause possibility of brain injury. The falls have persisted despite location -- including Bellevue."
The state claims Santora, who is nicknamed "Captain Crunch," is the crime family's alleged ringleader. The prosecution says he was in charge of an Internet gambling site, sold prescription drugs, such as oxycodone and Viagra, on the black market, and the other three defendants were his underlings.
Santora inspired the character played by the late Bruno Kirby in the 1997 film "Donnie Brasco."

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/03/judge_denies_alleged_bonnano_c.html

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Judge to decide on ailing Bonanno captain's request for home confinement

Judge to decide on ailing Bonanno captain's request for home confinement

  March 19, 2016    Dapper_Don

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Supreme Court Justice Mark Dwyer could decide on Monday if alleged Bonnano crime boss Nicholas Santora will be released on home confinement, the judge said during proceedings Thursday in Manhattan Supreme Court.

Nicholas Santora seen here in 2007. 

 

Santora, who has been incarcerated for almost three years on enterprise corruption charges, was transferred to Bellevue Hospital last week.
The defendant, along with his three alleged Bonanno associates -- Anthony "Skinny" Santoro, 52, of Great Kills, Vito Badamo, 53, and Ernest Aiello, 36 -- are on trial for enterprise corruption after they were busted in July 2013.
Santora's attorney, Michael Alber, had previously asked the court for bail and home confinement after the 73-year-old's family noticed a deterioration in his health.
During a hearing Thursday, two medical experts testified about the mob defendant's condition and, specifically, his history of falls and whether that has led to a traumatic brain injury.
Dr. Alan Engelman, the expert for the prosecution, examined Santora last week, and found him to be alert, aware, engaging, focused and even jovial. He also noted that there were no signs of concussive injuries from the falls.
"He was good-humored- he made some jokes," Engelman said. "His mental status was normal. His memory was normal. There is no evidence of psychiatric impairment or cognitive impairment. He has not hurt himself irreversibly due to the falls — at least not to his brain."
The defense argues otherwise. Alber claims his client has a myriad of symptoms, including trouble concentrating in court, dizziness, blurred vision and poor nutrition.
Santora has had  at least a dozen falls, including two recently. This week, the lawyer said, Santora fell while at Bellevue and was found face down. A couple of months ago, the defendant flipped out of his wheelchair during a Department of Corrections transfer.
Dr. Jason Chamikles, a family practitioner, testified for the defense after examining Santora earlier this month. It was his opinion, he said, that the defendant had a "possibility of traumatic brain injury based on the falls."
"Each fall can worsen the condition," Chamikles said. "The risk of each concussion can cause possibility of brain injury. The falls have persisted despite location- including Bellevue."
The state claims Santora, who is nicknamed "Captain Crunch," is the crime family's alleged ringleader. The prosecution says he was in charge of an Internet gambling site, sold prescription drugs, such as oxycodone and Viagra, on the black market, and the other three defendants were his underlings.
Santora inspired the character played by the late Bruno Kirby in the 1997 film "Donnie Brasco."
Testimony resumes Monday.

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/03/judge_to_decide_if_alleged_bon.html

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Bonanno mobster secretly recorded talking about crime and selling sex pills

Bonanno mobster secretly recorded talking about crime and selling sex pills

  March 19, 2016    Dapper_Don

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A Staten Island man with alleged ties to the Bonnano crime family was recorded making references to a union local and the sale of prescription sex pills, both of which are connected to illegal activity within the organized crime crew, prosecutors charge.

Anthony "Skinny" Santoro, 52, of Great Kills, is accused of using his position within the Bonanno organization to promote one of his crew, Nicholas Bernhard, to president of Teamsters Union Local 917, which Bernhard then used to assist in the enterprise's loansharking and gambling operations, according to the indictment.

Union members, the state claims, allegedly borrowed money from and placed bets with the Bonanno crime family.

"If I get caught doing this, I'm gonna have a problem with my job," Bernhard says in audio recording from 2011 played during the Bonnano crime family trial Thursday in Manhattan Supreme Court.

Santoro and his three co-defendants - Nicholas Santora, 73, Vito Badamo and Ernest Aiello, 36 - are charged with enterprise corruption, including extortion, gambling, drug dealing and loansharking.

In a June 2011 recording, Santoro and Richard Sinde, another alleged Bonnano associate, are heard discussing the sale of 300,000 Viagra and Cialis pills, NYPD Det. Angelo Barone testified.

According to the indictment, the crew conspired to sell the medications for between $5 and $20 a tablet. Two dozen manufacturer-boxed tablets of Viagra were recovered from Santoro's Staten Island home, police said.

In his testimony Wednesday, Barone said Santoro was recorded several times using code words and phrases referencing illegal drugs and gambling activities.

Before Thursday's testimony, Supreme Court Justice Mark Dwyer signed an order allowing Santora, who is confined to a wheelchair, to be transported to Bellevue Hospital until he makes his final bail ruling.

Michael Alber, Santora's lawyer, had previously asked the court to release his client on bail and restrict him to home confinement. But the prosecution and the defense couldn't agree on a bail amount.

The defendants were busted in July 2013 when authorities sought to dismantle the nine-man Bonanno family crew, which allegedly included Bernhard and Sindae.

The state claims Santora, the crime family's reputed ringleader, was in charge of an Internet gambling site, sold prescription drugs, such as oxycodone and Viagra, on the black market, and the other three defendants were his associates.

Santora, who authorities call the "Captain" or "Capo," inspired the character played by the late Bruno Kirby in the 1997 film "Donnie Brasco."

Testimony resumes Friday.

The trial began in early February and is expected to last until at least April.

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/03/alleged_si_mobster_recorded_ta.html

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Witness testifies his former friend became a made man in the Bonanno crime family

Witness testifies his former friend became a made man in the Bonanno crime family

  March 05, 2016    Dapper_Don

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A self-proclaimed mob associate ratted out a neighborhood buddy by alleging the man was "straightened out," that is, inducted, by the mob.
Anthony Zoccolillo, a witness for the prosecution in the Bonnano organized crime trial, detailed his lawless lifestyle before he turned informant for the federal government "out of the goodness of (his) heart" during his testimony Tuesday in Manhattan Supreme Court.
"I felt it was the right thing to do," he said about his decision to testify.
Four alleged Bonanno crime family members – Anthony "Skinny" Santoro, 52, of Great Kills, Nicholas Santora, 73, Vito Badamo, 53, and Ernest Aiello, 36 - are charged with enterprise corruption, including gambling and loansharking.
Zoccolillo claims Aiello, who he was tight with back in their days in the Bronx, was "straightened out," referring to mafia slang for being inducted into a crime family.
"He was promoted in the organization," he testified regarding Aiello.
Zoccolillo claims he's had hundreds of conversations with Aiello, and testified the defendant was one of the people who taught him how to package marijuana and sent him money for pot.
He also claimed he and the defendant had managed several illegal betting sheets, and identified Aiello on audio recordings discussing illegal gambling activities.
Aiello, the witness claimed, bought several scrambled cellphones from Canada that were unable to be tapped or traced because he feared being caught.
"He was paranoid about law enforcement," Zoccolillo said.
In February 2013, Zoccolillo was arrested by the FBI and charged with distributing marijuana, running an illegal gambling operation and selling and distributing oxycodone.
He pleaded guilty and immediately decided to cooperate with the government, he said. He was facing a mandatory minimum of 30 years, but was released on time served, which was about 17 months.
"I wore a wire and put my life on the line every day," he testified. "I cooperated because of the stress of my life, the people I was hanging around with and the possibility of getting killed."
He went into witness protection, and the feds helped him relocate and changed his identity, he said. He and his mother still receive aid from the government, officials said.
But, the defense claims, he's more like a wannabe mobster.
On cross-examination, defense attorney Stacey Richman sought to shred his credibility, and portrayed him as a schemer, liar and opportunist who was only looking to help himself.
In the early 2000's, Zoccolillo went to Amsterdam and secured 20,000 oxycodone pills before he was busted at Newark Airport, the defense said. He pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to 33 months. As part of his plea, he signed a release that he wouldn't be involved in other illegal activities.
But his crime spree continued, the defense alleges.
Zoccolillo then went to California to open a mortgage business, but when it failed he and two others ran a rental scam, the defense claims. He put up fake online ads and took money from renters, he admitted.
After returning to the Bronx, the defense attorney said, he sold marijuana and pills to a violent Albanian gang.
"Your word is no good with the court," Richman said. "You lied to innocent people to get what you wanted."
The defendants were busted in July 2013 when authorities sought to dismantle the nine-man Bonanno family crew.
The state claims Santora, the crime family's alleged ringleader, was in charge of an Internet gambling site, sold prescription drugs, such as oxycodone and Viagra, on the black market, and the other three defendants were his associates.
Santora, who entered the courtroom in a wheelchair, inspired the character played by the late Bruno Kirby in the 1997 film "Donnie Brasco."
Testimony resumes Wednesday morning.
The trial began in early February and is expected to last until at least April.

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/03/witness_claims_his_buddy_was_s.html

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