LawFuel Legal Announcement Service –
LEV L. DASSIN, Acting United States Attorney for the
Southern District of New York, JOSEPH DEMAREST, Assistant
Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau
of Investigation (“FBI”), and RAYMOND W. KELLY, Police
Commissioner of the City of New York (“NYPD”), announced the
unsealing today of a 38-count Indictment (the “LEO Indictment”)
against 12 defendants, including DANIEL LEO, former Acting Boss,
and various members and associates of the Genovese Organized
Crime Family of La Cosa Nostra. The LEO Indictment charges the
defendants with racketeering and other offenses, including
violent extortions of individuals and businesses, loansharking,
narcotics trafficking, and operation of illegal gambling
businesses.
Also announced was the unsealing of a second Indictment
(the “TASSIELLO Indictment”), charging Genovese associate THOMAS
TASSIELLO, a/k/a “Tommy,” with racketeering, extortion, and other
charges. Shortly after TASSIELLO’s arrest today, FBI agents
executed a search warrant at the New Jersey residence of ANDY
GERARDO, a member of the Genovese Organized Crime Family, which
was used by members and associates of the Genovese Organized
Crime Family in connection with their illegal activities.
ANTHONY PALUMBO, ROCCO PETROZZA, PATSY AVERSA, JOSEPH
PETULLO, and ARTHUR BOLAND, and THOMAS TASSIELLO were arrested
this morning at their homes by members of the Joint Organized
Crime Task Force, which includes agents of the FBI and detectives
of the NYPD. FELICE MASULLO, ANTHONY MASULLO, and ANGELO MASULLO
are expected to surrender today in Magistrate Court. DANIEL LEO,
CHARLES SALZANO, JOSEPH LEO, and VINCENT COTONA are already in
federal custody on other charges.
According to the LEO Indictment, unsealed today in
Manhattan federal court:
DANIEL LEO, CHARLES SALZANO, ROCCO PETROZZA, FELICE
MASULLO, PATSY AVERSA, VINCENT COTONA, JOSEPH LEO, JOSEPH
PETULLO, ANTHONY MASULLO, and ANGELO MASULLO participated in
racketeering offenses related to the affairs of the Genovese
Organized Crime Family. DANIEL LEO served as Acting Boss of the
Genovese Family beginning in approximately 2005; during the time
he served as Acting Boss, he supervised racketeering crimes of
his own “crew” of Genovese Family members and associates,
including Soldier CHARLES SALZANO and associates JOSEPH LEO and
ARTHUR BOLAND. SALZANO and JOSEPH LEO are charged with various
racketeering offenses, including loansharking and operation of an
illegal gambling business.
Additional charges against defendants named in the
Indictment include making and collecting extortionate loans to
small business owners and other individuals, including owners and
operators of bartending schools in New York City and New Jersey,
and threatening victims with physical harm if they did not repay
the loans.
In 2006, DANIEL LEO placed long-time Soldier and Acting
Capo ANTHONY PALUMBO in charge of the New Jersey operations of
the Genovese Family. PALUMBO and other New Jersey-based Family
members and associates under his supervision, including his
driver FELICE MASULLO and Soldier ROCCO PETROZZA, are charged
with, among other offenses, forcibly taking over a small business
in Jersey City, New Jersey to collect payment on a loanshark
loan. PETROZZA and associates PATSY AVERSA, VINCENT COTONA, and
JOSEPH PETULLO are charged with extortion of the owners and
operators of this same business.
FELICE MASULLO — who served as PALUMBO’s driver and
was proposed as a member of the Genovese Family –- is charged
with his brothers, ANTHONY MASULLO and ANGELO MASULLO, with
racketeering offenses including the trafficking of cocaine and
crack cocaine, loansharking, and operating an illegal sportsbetting
business.
The following table summarizes the charges in the LEO
Indictment:
Count Charge Defendant Maximum Penalty
1 Racketeering
DANIEL LEO
CHARLES SALZANO
ROCCO PETROZZA
FELICE MASULLO
PATSY AVERSA
VINCENT COTONA
JOSEPH LEO
JOSEPH PETULLO
ANTHONY MASULLO
ANGELO MASULLO
20 yrs. in prison; 3 years
supervised release;
criminal forfeiture of
proceeds; fine 2x the
amount of criminal
proceeds
2 Racketeering Conspiracy
DANIEL LEO
CHARLES SALZANO
ROCCO PETROZZA
FELICE MASULLO
PATSY AVERSA
VINCENT COTONA
JOSEPH LEO
JOSEPH PETULLO
ANTHONY MASULLO
ANGELO MASULLO
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 3 years supervised release; criminal forfeiture of
proceeds; fine 2x the amount of criminal proceeds
3 Racketeering Conspiracy
ANTHONY PALUMBO
ROCCO PATROZZA
FELICE MASULLO
PATSY AVERSA
VINCENT COTONA
JOSEPH PETULLO
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 3 years supervised release; criminal forfeiture of proceeds; fine 2x the amount of criminal proceeds
4 Extortionate Extensions of Credit
(Victim-1)
VINCENT COTONA 20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs.
supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the gain or loss from the
offense
5 Conspiracy to Use Extortionate Means to Collect Extensions of
Credit
(Victim-1)
PATSY AVERSA
VINCENT COTONA
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs. supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the gain or loss from the
offense
6 Use of Extortionate Means to Collect Extensions of Credit
(Victim-1)
PATSY AVERSA
VINCENT COTONA
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs. supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the gain or loss from the
offense
7 Extortionate Extensions of Credit
(Victim-2)
JOSEPH PETULLO
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs. supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the gain or loss from the
offense
8 Conspiracy to Make Extortionate Extensions of Credit
(Victims-1,2)
Maximum Penalty:
JOSEPH PETULLO
PATSY AVERSA
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs. supervised release; $250,000 fine or twice the
gain or loss from the offense
9 Extortionate Extensions of Credit
(Victims-1,2)
JOSEPH PETULLO
PATSY AVERSA
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs. supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the gain or loss from the
offense
10 Extortionate Extensions of Credit
(Victim-2)
ROCCO PETROZZA
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs. supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the gain or loss from the
offense
11 Conspiracy to Make
Extortionate Extensions of Credit
(Victims-1,2)
ROCCO PETROZZA
PATSY AVERSA
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs. supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the gain or loss from the
offense
12 Conspiracy to Use Extortionate Means to
Collect Extensions of Credit
(Victims-1,2)
ROCCO PETROZZA
PATSY AVERSA
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs. supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the
gain or loss from the offence
13 Conspiracy to Commit Extortion
(Victims-1,2)
ANTHONY PALUMBO
ROCCO PETROZZA
FELICE MASULLO
PATSY AVERSA
VINCENT COTONA
JOSEPH PETULLO
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 3 yrs. supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the gain or loss from the
offense
14 Extortion
(Victims-1,2)
ANTHONY PALUMBO
ROCCO PETROZZA
FELICE MASULLO
PATSY AVERSA
VINCENT COTONA
JOSEPH PETULLO
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 3 yrs. supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the
gain or loss from the
offense
15 Conspiracy to Use Extortionate Means to
Collect Extensions of Credit
(Victims-1,2)
ANTHONY PALUMBO
ROCCO PETROZZA
FELICE MASULLO
PATSY AVERSA
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs. supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the gain or loss from the
offense
16 Use of Extortionate
Means to Collect Extensions of Credit
(Victims-1,2)
ANTHONY PALUMBO
ROCCO PETROZZA
FELICE MASULLO
PATSY AVERSA
VINCENT COTONA
JOSEPH PETULLO
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs. supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the gain or loss from the
offense
17 Use of Extortionate Means to Collect
Extensions of Credit
(Victim-3)
CHARLES SALZANO
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs. supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the
gain or loss from the offense
18 Conspiracy to Use Extortionate Means to
Collect Extensions of
Credit
(Victim-4)
DANIEL LEO
JOSEPH LEO
ARTHUR BOLAND
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs. supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the gain or loss from the
offense
19 Use of Extortionate
Means to Collect
Extensions of Credit
(Victim-4)
DANIEL LEO
JOSEPH LEO
ARTHUR BOLAND
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs.
supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the
gain or loss from the
offense
20 Extortionate
Extensions of Credit
(Victim-5)
JOSEPH LEO
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs.
supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the
gain or loss from the
offense
21 Use of Extortionate
Means to Collect
Extensions of Credit
(Victim-5)
JOSEPH LEO
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs.
supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the
gain or loss from the
offense
22 Conspiracy to Make
Extortionate
Extensions of Credit
(Victim-6)
DANIEL LEO
JOSEPH LEO
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs.
supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the
gain or loss from the
offense
23 Extortionate
Extensions of Credit
(Victim-6)
DANIEL LEO
JOSEPH LEO
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs.
supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the
gain or loss from the
offense
24 Conspiracy to Make
Extortionate
Extensions of Credit
(Victim-7)
DANIEL LEO
JOSEPH LEO
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs.
supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the
gain or loss from the
offense
25 Extortionate
Extensions of Credit
(Victim-7)
DANIEL LEO
JOSEPH LEO
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs.
supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the
ggain or loss from the
offense
26 Conspiracy to Use
Extortionate Means to
Collect an Extension
of Credit
(Victim-7)
DANIEL LEO
JOSEPH LEO
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs.
supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the
gain or loss from the
offense
27 Use of Extortionate
Means to Collect an
Extension of Credit
(Victim-7)
DANIEL LEO
JOSEPH LEO
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs.
supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the
gain or loss from the
offense
28 Conspiracy to Make
Extortionate
Extensions of Credit
(Victim-8)
FELICE MASULLO
ANGELO MASULLO
ANTHONY MASULLO
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs.
supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the
gain or loss from the
offense
29 Extortionate
Extensions of Credit
(Victim-8)
FELICE MASULLO
ANGELO MASULLO
ANTHONY MASULLO
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs.
supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the
gain or loss from the
offense
30 Financing Extortionate
Loans
(Victim-8)
FELICE MASULLO
ANGELO MASULLO
ANTHONY MASULLO
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs.
supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the
gain or loss from the
offense
31 Conspiracy to Use
Extortionate Means to
Collect Extensions of
Credit
(Victim-8)
FELICE MASULLO
ANGELO MASULLO
ANTHONY MASULLO
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs.
supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the
gain or loss from the
offense
32 Use of Extortionate
Means to Collect
Extensions of Credit
(Victim-8)
FELICE MASULLO
ANGELO MASULLO
ANTHONY MASULLO
Maximum Penalty:
20 yrs. in prison; 5 yrs.
supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the
gain or loss from the
offense
33 Narcotics Conspiracy FELICE MASULLO
ANGELO MASULLO
ANTHONY MASULLO
Maximum Penalty:
Life in prison; life
supervised release; $4
million fine or twice the
gain or loss from the
offense
34 Narcotics Conspiracy FELICE MASULLO
ANGELO MASULLO
Maximum Penalty:
Life in prison; life
supervised release; $4
million fine or twice the
gain or loss from the
offense
35 Operation of an
Illegal Gambling
Business
DANIEL LEO
CHARLES SALZANO
JOSEPH LEO
Maximum Penalty:
5 yrs. In prison; 3 yrs.
Supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the
gain or loss from the
offense
36 Conspiracy to Operate
an Illegal Gambling
Business
DANIEL LEO
CHARLES SALZANO
JOSEPH LEO
Maximum Penalty:
5 yrs. In prison; 3 yrs.
Supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the
gain or loss from the
offense
37 Operation of an
Illegal Gambling
Business
FELICE MASULLO
ANGELLO MASULLO
ANTHONY MASULLO
Maximum Penalty:
5 yrs. In prison; 3 yrs.
Supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the
gain or loss from the
offense
38 Conspiracy to Operate
an Illegal Gambling
Business
FELICE MASULLO
ANGELO MASULLO
ANTHONY MASULLO
Maximum Penalty:
5 yrs. In prison; 3 yrs.
Supervised release;
$250,000 fine or twice the
gain or loss from the
offense
PALUMBO, 59, resides in New York, New York.
PETROZZA, 49, resides in Pompton Lakes, New Jersey.
FELICE MASULLO, 37, resides in Brooklyn, New York.
AVERSA, 67, resides in Wood Ridge, New Jersey.
PETULLO, 30, resides in Fairfield, New Jersey.
ANTHONY MASULLO, 33, resides in Middle Village, New York.
ANGELO MASULLO, 39, resides in Maspeth, New York.
BOLAND, 62, resides in White Plains, New York.
According to the TASSIELLO Indictment, unsealed today
in Manhattan federal court:
Beginning in at least 2004, through the date of the
Indictment, the defendant, THOMAS TASSIELLO, a/k/a “Tommy,” used
his status as an associate of the Genovese Organized Crime Family
to make a string of extortionate loans to Manhattan-based small
business owners and to threaten them with physical violence and
other harm when they failed to make prompt repayment of their
loans. In one instance, TASSIELLO took ownership interest in a
Manhattan bar after its owner did not keep up with weekly
interest payments on a series of loans totaling approximately
$100,000.
After TASSIELLO became aware of a federal investigation
into his loansharking operation, he instructed his victims to
provide false and misleading information to a federal grand jury
and special agents of the FBI.
TASSIELLO is also charged with the operation of an
illegal gambling business which engaged in sports bookmaking and
illegal lottery schemes, and the transportation across state
lines of stolen property.
TASSIELLO is charged with two counts of racketeering,
six counts of conspiracy to make and collect extortionate loans,
one count of interstate transportation of stolen property, and
one count of operating an unlawful gambling business. If
convicted of all the charges contained in the Indictment,
TASSIELLO, 61, of New York, New York, faces a maximum sentence of
70 years in prison.
All of the defendants who were arrested today are
expected to be presented this afternoon before a United States
Magistrate Judge. DANIEL LEO, CHARLES SALZANO, JOSEPH LEO, and
VINCENT COTONA are expected to be arraigned on Wednesday,
February 11, 2009, at noon.
Mr. DASSIN praised the work of the Joint Organized
Crime Task Force in the investigation, and added that the
investigation is continuing.
Assistant United States Attorneys DAVID B. MASSEY, AVI
WEITZMAN, JOHN T. ZACH, and STEVE KWOK are in charge of the
prosecutions.
The charges contained in the Indictments are merely
accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and
until proven guilty.
09-019 ###
