10 members of reputed Bonanno crime family charged in alleged loansharking operation
03/28/2017 2:28 pm PDT
By Alyssa Zauderer, WPIX
NEW YORK -- (WPIX) -- Ten members of the reputed Bonanno crime family were charged in an alleged loansharking operation and various crimes spanning nearly two decades.
The U.S. Attorney's Office unsealed a 37-count indictment charging the members and associates with racketeering conspiracy, including predicate acts of murder conspiracy, attempted murder, extortion, illegal gambling, robbery conspiracy, arson conspiracy, narcotics distribution conspiracy and obstruction of justice conspiracy.
Police arrested the defendants Tuesday morning.
The defendants include Ronald “Ronnie G.” Giallanzo, an acting captain in the Bonanno family, Michael Padavona, Michael Palmaccio and Nicholas “Pudgie” Festa, soldiers in the Bonanno family, and Christopher “Bald Chris” Boothby, Evan “The Jew” Greenberg, Richard Heck, Michael Hintze, Robert “Chippy” or “Chip” Tanico, and Robert Pisani, associates of the Bonanno family.
Giallanzo, 46, is the nephew of reputed mobster Vincent Asaro. Asaro was arrested for his alleged involvement in the 1978 Lufthansa cargo heist. He was later acquitted on all charges after prosecutors acknowledged that he did not participate in the robbery.
The indictment states that the defendants accumulated over $26 million through loansharking, illegal gambling, robbery and extortion.
"The defendants are alleged to have amassed a fortune in ill-gotten gains," said Acting United States Attorney Bridget M. Rohde.
The indictment relates to alleged criminal activities between Jan. 1998 and Mar. 2017. Investigators believe the majority of the alleged crimes happened in Howard Beach, Queens.
Investigators gathered evidence during the long-term investigation into the organized crime family.
According to the indictment, Giallanzo conducted a "lucrative loansharking operation" and provided money to several of the other defendants.
Giallanzo and his associates allegedly used threats and physical violence to collect debt owed to them.
FULL STORY: 10 members of reputed Bonanno crime family charged in alleged loansharking operation - WPIX
