Feds plan to move Sandy victims into homes of convicted union officials
Some Hurricane Sandy victims could find themselves in new homes because of crooks who are cooling their heels in the Big House.
The feds are asking a judge to let New Yorkers who were left homeless by the killer storm move into several vacant Staten Island apartments owned by three corrupt ex-union officials.
The apartments are located in buildings set to be forfeited as ill-gotten gains from the former labor leaders’ decades-long shakedown scheme — but prosecutors say they should be rented out immediately “as a humanitarian measure.”
Court papers cite the “great need for temporary housing in light of the destruction on Staten Island caused by Hurricane Sandy.”
“Permitting the rental of the [apartments] . . . all of which have
power and are otherwise in move-in condition, would serve the local
community by providing additional temporary homes for displaced New
Yorkers,” Manhattan federal prosecutor Paul Monteleoni wrote.
The properties are owned by Anthony Fazio Sr., his son, Anthony Jr., and nephew, John Fazio, all imprisoned for extorting bribes from business owners who employed members of Local 348-S of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union.
According to the FBI, John Fazio also had mob ties that included regular, “face-to-face” meetings with reputed Genovese crime-family captain John Barbato, and phone conversations with Rita Gigante, daughter of the late Genovese boss Vincent “The Chin” Gigante.
The mob-tied kin amassed a real-estate portfolio of 12 rental properties, mostly two-family homes, in such neighborhoods as Eltingville, Great Kills and New Dorp Beach.
According to court papers, there are vacant apartments in at least six of them, all of which are currently going to waste and could be leased out by the US Marshals Service.
In addition to providing much-needed housing, the feds say the rental income would generate cash to help pay off a $2.5 million forfeiture order and another $2.5 million in restitution owed by the Fazios.
A spokesman for Manhattan U.S. Marshal Joseph Guccione said potential tenants would come from a FEMA list of displaced families, and that the leases would be set at “fair market value” based on the apartments’ rental history.All the deals would be on a month-to-month basis, and the Marshals Service “will run credit checks and verify employment of potential tenants,” court papers say. Several neighbors around the vacant apartments -- which have dark blue Marshals Service “No Trespassing” signs posted in their windows -- approved of the rental plan. ”I hope they allow people to move in. What are the poor people supposed to do, and where are they supposed to go?” said Pattie Pelligrino, who lives near one apartment at 19 Weed Ave. ”The government has been a huge help to us. I think this is amazing.” Angela Marronaro, who lives near three vacant apartments on Blaise Court, called it a “nice” idea. ”It’s really sad this time of year, with it being around the holidays,” she said. ”A lot of people are trying to rebuild.” Lawyers for the Fazios -- who are all locked up in the federal slammer in Fort Dix, N.J. -- have until tomorrow to respond to the feds’ proposal. A lawyer for Anthony Fazio Jr. declined to comment. Lawyers for his dad and cousin didn’t respond to inquiries.
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/staten_island/si_crook_houses_for_cane_homeless_V7y6CHzDhurgOdjj4pqRSL
The feds are asking a judge to let New Yorkers who were left homeless by the killer storm move into several vacant Staten Island apartments owned by three corrupt ex-union officials.
The apartments are located in buildings set to be forfeited as ill-gotten gains from the former labor leaders’ decades-long shakedown scheme — but prosecutors say they should be rented out immediately “as a humanitarian measure.”
Court papers cite the “great need for temporary housing in light of the destruction on Staten Island caused by Hurricane Sandy.”
The properties are owned by Anthony Fazio Sr., his son, Anthony Jr., and nephew, John Fazio, all imprisoned for extorting bribes from business owners who employed members of Local 348-S of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union.
According to the FBI, John Fazio also had mob ties that included regular, “face-to-face” meetings with reputed Genovese crime-family captain John Barbato, and phone conversations with Rita Gigante, daughter of the late Genovese boss Vincent “The Chin” Gigante.
The mob-tied kin amassed a real-estate portfolio of 12 rental properties, mostly two-family homes, in such neighborhoods as Eltingville, Great Kills and New Dorp Beach.
According to court papers, there are vacant apartments in at least six of them, all of which are currently going to waste and could be leased out by the US Marshals Service.
In addition to providing much-needed housing, the feds say the rental income would generate cash to help pay off a $2.5 million forfeiture order and another $2.5 million in restitution owed by the Fazios.
A spokesman for Manhattan U.S. Marshal Joseph Guccione said potential tenants would come from a FEMA list of displaced families, and that the leases would be set at “fair market value” based on the apartments’ rental history.All the deals would be on a month-to-month basis, and the Marshals Service “will run credit checks and verify employment of potential tenants,” court papers say. Several neighbors around the vacant apartments -- which have dark blue Marshals Service “No Trespassing” signs posted in their windows -- approved of the rental plan. ”I hope they allow people to move in. What are the poor people supposed to do, and where are they supposed to go?” said Pattie Pelligrino, who lives near one apartment at 19 Weed Ave. ”The government has been a huge help to us. I think this is amazing.” Angela Marronaro, who lives near three vacant apartments on Blaise Court, called it a “nice” idea. ”It’s really sad this time of year, with it being around the holidays,” she said. ”A lot of people are trying to rebuild.” Lawyers for the Fazios -- who are all locked up in the federal slammer in Fort Dix, N.J. -- have until tomorrow to respond to the feds’ proposal. A lawyer for Anthony Fazio Jr. declined to comment. Lawyers for his dad and cousin didn’t respond to inquiries.
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/staten_island/si_crook_houses_for_cane_homeless_V7y6CHzDhurgOdjj4pqRSL
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