The head and head of the famous New York criminal family in Colombo were among more than a dozen people arrested Tuesday morning in connection with allegations of corruption and health fraud, Fox News reported.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office on Tuesday announced the indictment of 14 people, including “the entire Colombo organized crime family administration,” in connection with charges such as fraud, money laundering and extortion, officials said. . Among those arrested are Colombo crime boss Andrew “Mush” Russo, bassist Benjamin “Benji” Castellazzo, the family counselor and several captains. John Ragano, an alleged welder of the Bonnano family, was also captured in the morning bust.
The charges come from an alleged “long-term effort by the crime family to infiltrate and take control of a Queens-based union” and its health benefits program, and an alleged conspiracy to “commit fraud in connection with workplace safety certifications,” the press release says.
Of the 14 people charged, 12 were arrested Tuesday in New York and New Jersey, and another was picked up in North Carolina, officials said. The number 14 person, consigliere Colombo Ralph DiMatteo, was wanted from the afternoon.
The charges against them range from hiring labor to handing out loans, conspiracy, fraud and drug trafficking, officials said.
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The Colombo administration and family captains used extortion and threats to control the ranks of a union in Queens, New York, according to the indictment. As such, efforts to extort the Colombo crime family caused the union to make decisions that would benefit the family.
At least two of the family members have been receiving “a share” of the salary of a senior union official since about 2001, “threatening to hurt [him] and his family.
“Under the leadership of the Colombo criminal family leadership, in late 2019, defendants expanded the extortion effort to force John Doe # 1 and others from the Labor Union and their affiliated health fund to make decisions that they would benefit the Colombo crime family, including forcing them to select vendors for contracts that were associated with the Colombo crime family, ”the indictment alleges. “Defendants attempted to divert more than $ 10,000 a month from Health Fund assets to the Colombo criminal family administration.”
An example included in the indictment includes details of a phone call recorded on June 21, 2021.
The alleged captain of the Colombo crime family, Vincent Ricciardo, “threatened to kill John Doe # 1 if he did not meet Vincent Ricciardo’s demands,” the statement said.
According to authorities, Ricciardo said John Doe # 1 knows, “I’ll put him on the ground right in front of his wife and children, right in front of his house, laugh whatever you want, I’m not afraid to go into prison, let me tell you something, to prove a point? I would shoot him in front of his wife and children, call the police, f – k let me go, how long do you think I will last equally? “
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In a different case involving an independent victim, “John Doe # 2,” some of the defendants tried to extend and collect extorted loans of more than $ 250,000, with a 1.5% interest rate paid weekly. and did not diminish the due principle, authorities said.
Russo, 87, is the eldest of 14 defendants, followed by Castellazzo, who is 83. The youngest, Joseph Bellantoni, is 39. Each of the arrested men is expected to appear in court on Tuesday afternoon.