Stephen Depiro a reputed soldier in the Genovese crime family has been sentenced to 41 months in prison on racketeering charges for his role in a mob Christmas tribute scheme.
According to prosecutors Depiro ran the mob business on the New Jersey waterfront for over a decade. New Jersey dockworkers who were part of Local 1235 of the International Longshoremen’s Association were extorted for Christmas payments made to the mafia.
“Stephen Depiro“
The feds say the payments to the New York mafia came out of annual bonuses that dockworkers received based on quantity of containers that moved through Port Newark and Port Elizabeth yearly. It shows the widespread influence of organized crime on the New Jersey docks said Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Mahajan. He is this long time mafia practice and mob influence at the ports is what forced many to divert their cargo to other parts cause Port Newark to no longer be the thriving hub it once was.
Nunzio LaGrasso a former unions boss and alleged Genovese family associate was sentenced last week to 28 months in prison for his role in the mafia Christmas tribute racket. Genovese family capo Michael Coppola was also convicted for his part in the scheme and back in 2009 and is currently serving a 16 year prison sentence.
