According to reports, five members of the Genovese crime family were busted by the feds on racketeering charges tied to the shakedown of local unions.
The mobsters arrested included Vincent Esposito, Frank Cognetta, Frank Giovinco, Steven Arena and Vincent D’Acunto Jr. They have been accused of accepting illegal kickbacks and extortion according to court documents which also outlined the use of threats of physical violence and economic harm to keep everyone in line. The feds claim that union big-wigs paid annual tribute to the New York Mafia family or were subjected to these violent threats. They claim this mafia conspiracy has been ongoing since back in 2001 and ran through October of 2017.
According to the feds Esposito, Arena, and D’Acunto were taking annual cash payments from a labor union official in exchange for letting him keep his job. Cognetta was getting kickbacks in return for steering employee benefits plan funds from the Local 1-D of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union into specific annuity contract investments as stated in the NYDailynews report. He also got illegal payouts in exchange for appointing a specific financial advisor as an insurance broker. This bust shows the continuing efforts of Cosa Nostra to maintain their influence in local unions. The Genovese family often referred to as the “Ivy League” of organized crime has been involved in union corruption for decades despite the efforts of law enforcement.
Feds have def cut down on the amount of union corruption the mafia has profited on over the years but bust like this one prove the mob continues to find a way to get their hands in the cookie jars of various unions.
Not shocked that this was a Genovese family operation they have a knack for keeping rackets like this alive and profitable.
did you notice one of the mobsters is the ‘late great Vincent ‘chin’ Gigante’ son.. Esposito. maybe there will be a book in 20 years about bellomo’s era as family boss because we haven’t heard anything from him.
Yeah no shock that he is involved in Genovese family business. the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree I guess.
Legend has it, The Chin was heart-broken when Gotti Sr. told him that he was introducing his son (Jr.) into “the life. ” Ironically, Chin’s son is alive and well in “the life.”
that is true, I think he has 3 sons in total I don’t know what the other 2 are upto
I find it ironic that Chin got so pissed at Gotti for taking out a boss when he tried the same thing 28 years earlier.
dont think there will ever be another chin he was one of a kind and you cant blame other bosses how many guys are willing to pretend they are insane the guy used to walk through Greenwich Village in a bathrobe to trick the feds and he succeeded no normal person would go the lengths he went and thats why he was so successful he is probably the best mafia leader ever.
In this day and age no one lasts thats long on the streets these days bellomo hes not comparable with the chin he only in last couple of years took over as leader of that family when he got out in 08 he kept a very low profile and after his wife died he took a backseat. He has also spent most of the 90s and 2000s in prison then again he has been out for ten years now and is a multi-millionaire in legit businesses alone
and taking into consideration what the Genovese family have done in the past it could be someone else in charge and promoting the perception that bellomo is mob boss.. it is interesting
very true who really knows with that family maybe bellomo is not the real power who knows they have also had a very different leadership structure to most familys so its hard to tell who makes the decisions. Agreed though it is very interesting
Chin had a very nice NYC town house and a place in Tappan NJ
he had a nice house but nothing like bellomos place. Bellomo is a multi millionaire aswell legitmately he is big into real estate. He is also not wondering around in a bathrobe acting crazy they are very different types of people Bellomo came up with sammy black
it is a shame to see one of Vincent Gigante’s son get caught, after reading a book about ‘the chin’ I have grew a fondness and major respect for what he achieved and how he did it.. he was proper old school not bothered about the money or fame only bothered about power..
news came out, the feds have raided Vincent Esposito home and found 2 guns, 1 million in cash (which is incredible for someone who is not even a capo) AND!! a list of names who are made guys.. we do not know yet if it is the whole Genovese family or only mobsters paying tribute to Esposito ..
Most guys i would be surprised about the million in cash but the chin left them behind tens of millions and very good jobs have you seen this guys house its worth $12mil. Also i am not sure what his position is because the indictment keeps making mention to his “high ranking position” and that he had a number of guys doing whatever he said so if he was actually a soldier he is not your normal wiseguy. Its very hard to tell with that family
I saw that aswell that is big no no keeping that list remember how angry they got at junior gotti when they feds found the list he had kept. Problem is i think with a family as big as the Genovese family i mean they have 200+members and constantly changing as guys die and new guys getting inducted it must be hard to keep track on who is actually a made guy but it needs to be in secure place if your going to have one not in your house.
Who’s gonna be the first to rat in that bunch