Charges range from gambling to racketeering to murder
By JONATHAN DIENST
The FBI calls it the biggest mafia round-up in New York history. More than 100 suspected mobsters were arrested this morning in connection with numerous federal investigations into New York area mob groups as first reported on NBCNewYork.com.
FBI agents along with NYPD and State Police officers, and US Marshals conducted raids that began
in the early morning hours.
In total, in total, 127 people were charged in 16 indictments unsealed today in four districts in New York, New Jersey and Rhode Island, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced at a news briefing this morning.
Federal charges range from illegal gambling and racketeering to extortion, narcotics trafficking and murder, said Holder, who flew to New York from Washington to discuss the historic bust.
"This is one of the largest single-day operations against the mafia in the FBI's history, both in terms of the number of defendants arrested and charged and the scope of the criminal activity that is alleged," Holder said.
Law-enforcement officials said members and associates of all five New York mafia families - as well as New Jersey's DeCavalcante family - are among those arrested.
The arrest operations, executed by more than 800 federal, state and local law-enforcement officials, stretch across the tri-state area with many of the suspects being processed in Brooklyn.
Holder says the charges cover decades worth of offenses, including hits to eliminate perceived rivals, a killing during a botched robbery and a double shooting in a barroom dispute over a spilled drink.
Authorities say the investigation was aided by informants who recorded thousands of conversations by suspected mobsters.
"Today's arrests mark an important and encouraging step forward in disrupting La Cosa Nostra's operations, but the reality is that our battle against organized crime enterprises is far from over," Holder said. "This is an ongoing effort, and it must and will remain a top priority for all of us in law enforcement."
U.S. Attorneys Loretta Lynch, Preet Bharara along with FBI New York Director Janice Fedarcyk and NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly were also on hand for the announcement.
With more than 120 arrests, officials said the charges this day surpass the large 2008 mafia raids where 80-plus suspected members of organized crime were charged.
At that time, John 'Jackie the Nose' D'Amico and other reputed leaders of the Gambino crime family were targeted in the U.S. while Italian authorities conducted simultaneous raids on mafia groups there.
FBI officials have said organized crime is still active in New York's construction industry. Labor union corruption, loansharking and gambling among the other schemes run by the mob.
FBI officials did officially confirm the arrests.
"Early this morning FBI Agents along with our law enforcement partners began arresting over 100 organized crime members for various criminal charges," said Diego Rodriguez of the FBI New York office. "Additional information will be available at the U.S. Attorney's offices later today."
Officials said significant leaders and associates of the Gambino, Genovese, Lucchese, Bonanno, Colombo and DeCavalcante families among those being arrested.
Meanwhile, the reputed leader of New England's Patriarca crime family has been arrested in Florida, and at least one other alleged mob associate has been picked up in Rhode Island as part of the FBI crackdown on organized crime in the Northeast.
The U.S. Attorney's office in Providence says Luigi Manocchio was arrested Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale. A newly unsealed indictment accuses Manocchio, the alleged head of the Patriarca crime family, of collecting protection payments from owners of strip clubs.
Also arrested was Thomas Iafrate, who worked as a bookkeeper for Providence strip clubs. Prosecutors allege he set aside money for Manocchio.
Iafrate is expected to appear in U.S. District Court in Providence later on Thursday.
The U.S. Attorney's office would not say if there were other Rhode Island arrests.
Source : http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local-beat/Huge-NY-Mafia-Bust-FBI-Rounding-Up-100-Mobsters-114266444.html
