A multi-year investigation by the feds targeting the Genovese crime family has led charges against 18 individuals.
Among those charged in the unsealed superseding indictment were Genovese family soldiers Steven Pastore and Robert DeBello and mafia associates Salvatore Delligatti and Ryan Ellis. The investigation targeted racketeering activities by members and associates of the New York Mafia family. Charges include racketeering conspiracy, attempted murder, murder conspiracy, extortion conspiracy, and illegal gambling among others.
According to the press release that accompanied the indictment DeBello in his capacity of a Genovese family soldier “reported directly to a Genovese Family captain, often at a social club in lower Manhattan from at least in or about 2008 until 2016.” The defendants alleged to be soldiers and associates of the Cosa Nostra family conspired to participate in the criminal affairs of the Genovese family through a pattern of racketeering activities according to the indictment.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said “With today’s charges, we strike an important blow against the Genovese Crime Family. Whether you are an old school made member of the mob or a young street criminal looking to join it, the message today is clear: the life of a mobster is a dead-end street that ends nowhere good.” NYPD Commissioner Bratton William J. Bratton said: “The mafia may be diminished, but it’s not dead, and it requires our continued vigilance.” The FBI , NYPD, and Nassau County Police said they remain committed to working together to continue to dismantle organized crime enterprises like the mafia.
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Diego Rodriguez said: “The crimes of extortion for so-called ‘protection,’ illegal gambling businesses, and conspiracy to commit murder are woven into the history of organized crime families, but so are the federal racketeering charges that wise guys face after committing those criminal activities.” Other defendants charged include other defendants charged are the following: Luigi Romano, Bertram Duke, Tryone McCullum, Marcus Grant, Sharif Brown, Luigi Caminiti, Scott Jacobson, Frank Celso, Joseph Tedesco, Michael Vigorito, Mick Sokol, Spyro Antonakopoulos, Michael Karnbach and Jonathan DeSimone.
According to reports, 17 of those charged are in custody including 13 which were arrested earlier today. The press release containing more detailed information about the indictment cand be found here.
