Judge sends succesful Gambino car salesman back to prison
A BROOKLYN judge put the brakes on a mobster’s stellar career as a car salesman Monday, refusing to keep him out of jail so he can continue to hawk Infiniti vehicles.
Reputed Gambino associate Michael Scarpaci, who pleaded guilty to a $20 million security scam, failed in his audacious effort to stay free through the end of the year.
He was sentenced almost a year ago and was already allowed twice to postpone the beginning of his incarceration.
But his third time wasn’t the charm.
Federal Judge Jack Weinstein was unmoved by pleas from the salesman’s boss, who wrote how the defendant helps the Long Island Infiniti dealership break sales records.
“Mr. Scarpaci has been a great benefit to his workplace,” defense lawyer Joseph Corozzo added as he implored the veteran jurist during a brief hearing.
“Motion denied,” Weinstein said sharply. “He had ample time.”
The lawyer then made one more suggestion: What if his client could keep working under house arrest and then start serving hard time?
“No,” answered the judge.
A resigned Scarpaci, 36, thanked Weinstein and left court without comment.
He “has accepted responsibility, and he’s ready to serve his sentence,” Corozzo said. “He was just asking for a little more time.”
The recovering alcoholic and drug addict admitted to running a con that convinced more than 1,000 victims to invest in a Wall Street firm called Gryphon Holdings — even using a phony review from billionaire George Soros to tout the firm.
But the whole operation was a racket that was run out of a boiler room in a Staten Island strip mall.
Scarpaci was sentenced last September to 25 months behind bars. After counting time served and a period in a halfway house, he realistically has to do only seven to nine months in prison, said his lawyer.
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/park-bumper-prison-wiseguy-gambino-car-salesman-jail-20-million-scam-article-1.1140878#ixzz24DwVwXk6
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