Staten Island residents sentenced for New Jersey construction fraud
Besides their bloodlines, a Staten Island man and his 75-year-old uncle have something else in common: They're both convicted criminals in New Jersey.
Anselmo Genovese, 44, was sentenced yesterday to three years' probation, including eight months of home confinement for paying bribes in a scam involving a high-rise construction project in Jersey City.
His uncle, Vincenzo Genovese, who New Jersey federal prosecutors said illegally collected pension benefits while working under another man's name, is slated to be sentenced later today.
According to the office of Paul J. Fishman, U.S. attorney for the district of New Jersey, the schemes involving the Genoveses, both borough residents, and four other defendants centered on a construction site at 77 Hudson St.
Both Genoveses worked for 160 Broadway Concrete, a sub-contractor.
In 2007, Anselmo Genovese, Broadway Concrete's project manager, paid $8,000 in bribes to a then-business manager of Laborers' International Union of North America Local 325, said prosecutors. The payments let Broadway Concrete hire non-Local 325 workers and skirt certain benefits contributions, court papers stated.
Anselmo Genovese, also known as "Sammy," pleaded guilty in December in New Jersey federal court to two counts of making unlawful labor payments, said prosecutors.
"The sentence was very fair and we're pleased with the result," said Gerald L. Shargel, Anselmo Genovese's Manhattan-based lawyer.
Vincenzo Genovese, who is known as "Uncle Vinnie," was employed at the site in 2007 and 2008.
He and another defendant, Rocco Mazzaferro, 64, of Brooklyn, arranged for Genovese to work under Mazzaferro's name, prosecutors said.
Both men illegally benefited.
Mazzaferro received more than $78,000 in salary and medical and vacation benefits, even though he never laid a brick, said prosecutors. By masking his employment, Genovese received more than $9,200 in pension benefits to which he wasn't entitled, authorities said.
In November, Vincenzo Genovese pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to embezzle pension funds and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, said prosecutors. Mazzaferro pleaded guilty then to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, said prosecutors.
The two defendants have agreed to reimburse the employer, 160 Broadway Concrete, and the Local 780 Benefits Funds a total of $87,000, prosecutors said. Mazzaferro is slated for sentencing in September.
Prosecutors did not release Genovese's street address.
Three other defendants -- Pasquale and Janeen Zinna of Hackettstown, N.J., and Manhattan resident Eric Haynberg -- were sentenced last month.
Pasquale Zinna, 44, who was Broadway Concrete's project superintendent, was sentenced to six months behind bars and six months of home confinement. He pleaded guilty in December to Social Security disability fraud and structuring financial transactions.
Prosecutors said he hid his employment to illegally receive Social Security disability benefits.
His wife, 43, admitted in December that she had filed a false joint federal income tax return in 2007 with her husband, said prosecutors. She was sentenced to two years' probation and 100 hours of community service.
The couple also paid $101,753 in restitution to the Social Security Administration and forfeited $98,000, said prosecutors.
According to online federal court records, the final defendant, Eric Haynberg, 46, of Manhattan, was sentenced last month to three years' probation and fined $2,000 for his role in the wire fraud committed by Vincenzo Genovese and Mazzaferro.
http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/07/staten_island_men_sentenced_in.html
Anselmo Genovese, 44, was sentenced yesterday to three years' probation, including eight months of home confinement for paying bribes in a scam involving a high-rise construction project in Jersey City.
His uncle, Vincenzo Genovese, who New Jersey federal prosecutors said illegally collected pension benefits while working under another man's name, is slated to be sentenced later today.
According to the office of Paul J. Fishman, U.S. attorney for the district of New Jersey, the schemes involving the Genoveses, both borough residents, and four other defendants centered on a construction site at 77 Hudson St.
Both Genoveses worked for 160 Broadway Concrete, a sub-contractor.
In 2007, Anselmo Genovese, Broadway Concrete's project manager, paid $8,000 in bribes to a then-business manager of Laborers' International Union of North America Local 325, said prosecutors. The payments let Broadway Concrete hire non-Local 325 workers and skirt certain benefits contributions, court papers stated.
Anselmo Genovese, also known as "Sammy," pleaded guilty in December in New Jersey federal court to two counts of making unlawful labor payments, said prosecutors.
"The sentence was very fair and we're pleased with the result," said Gerald L. Shargel, Anselmo Genovese's Manhattan-based lawyer.
Vincenzo Genovese, who is known as "Uncle Vinnie," was employed at the site in 2007 and 2008.
He and another defendant, Rocco Mazzaferro, 64, of Brooklyn, arranged for Genovese to work under Mazzaferro's name, prosecutors said.
Both men illegally benefited.
Mazzaferro received more than $78,000 in salary and medical and vacation benefits, even though he never laid a brick, said prosecutors. By masking his employment, Genovese received more than $9,200 in pension benefits to which he wasn't entitled, authorities said.
In November, Vincenzo Genovese pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to embezzle pension funds and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, said prosecutors. Mazzaferro pleaded guilty then to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, said prosecutors.
The two defendants have agreed to reimburse the employer, 160 Broadway Concrete, and the Local 780 Benefits Funds a total of $87,000, prosecutors said. Mazzaferro is slated for sentencing in September.
Prosecutors did not release Genovese's street address.
Three other defendants -- Pasquale and Janeen Zinna of Hackettstown, N.J., and Manhattan resident Eric Haynberg -- were sentenced last month.
Pasquale Zinna, 44, who was Broadway Concrete's project superintendent, was sentenced to six months behind bars and six months of home confinement. He pleaded guilty in December to Social Security disability fraud and structuring financial transactions.
Prosecutors said he hid his employment to illegally receive Social Security disability benefits.
His wife, 43, admitted in December that she had filed a false joint federal income tax return in 2007 with her husband, said prosecutors. She was sentenced to two years' probation and 100 hours of community service.
The couple also paid $101,753 in restitution to the Social Security Administration and forfeited $98,000, said prosecutors.
According to online federal court records, the final defendant, Eric Haynberg, 46, of Manhattan, was sentenced last month to three years' probation and fined $2,000 for his role in the wire fraud committed by Vincenzo Genovese and Mazzaferro.
http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/07/staten_island_men_sentenced_in.html
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