(IntegrityTimes.com) – In a public statement on Wednesday June 5, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the arrests and indictments of 17 people connected to the infamous Gambino crime family.
The 84 charges were related to illegal gambling and loansharking operations. They included charges for enterprise corruption, first and second-degree criminal usury, and first-degree promotion of gambling. James commented that these gambling and loansharking schemes are among the oldest rackets in the mafia’s playbook.
Many of the people who were arrested were known associates of the Gambino crime family. Some were known as Gambino soldiers such as 39-year-old Anthony Cinque, 53-year-old John Matera and 56-year-old John LaForte. Other alleged associates of the Gambino criminal organization arrested were 41-year-old Daniel Bogan, 58-year-old Edward LaForte, 61-year-old Giulio Pomponio and 66-year-old Frederick Falcone Sr. An alleged associate of the Colombo crime family, 49-year-old Charles Fusco was also indicted.
The Gambino crime family refers to a powerful and influential organized crime syndicate founded in the early 20th century by Sicilian-born Carlo Gambino. It is one of the five major Italian American Mafia families known to operate for generations in and around New York City. While arrests and incarceration of many key figures in these old crime families may have hampered them, they are all still active. According to statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Italian Mafia, collectively known as La Cosa Nostra, generates around $100 billion annually worldwide through their various criminal enterprises.
These 17 recent arrests were part of an ongoing investigation in which authorities used wiretaps, covert surveillance and offshore gambling site warrants. Paul Weinstein, New York Waterfront commissioner commented in a public statement that this case is a reminder that organized crime does continue to operate in New York.
The New York State Attorney General’s Office mentioned that gamblers who have fallen into debt remain key targets for illegal loansharking. Over the years, many people have been financially ruined by involvement in Mafia-run schemes. James stated that while organized crime may still be a problem in New York, with these arrests they are putting several members of the Gambino family “out of business”.
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