Genovese mobster pleads guilty to federal gambling charge
A reputed member of the Genovese organized crime family from Staten Island, who was among 46 alleged wise guys arrested and charged with racketeering and other crimes, has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of conducting an illegal gambling business.
Manhattan federal prosecutors announced the arrests and charges against Alex Conigliaro, 56, and his co-defendants in August of last year.
The defendants, federal officials said then, were alleged leaders, members and associates of the Genovese, Gambino, Lucchese, Bonanno and Philadelphia Organized Crime Families of La Cosa Nostra ("LCN"). They allegedly operated in various East Coast locations, from Massachusetts to Florida.
Conigliaro was accused of trying to extort a victim in February 2012.
The man was working as a bookmaker and had accounts with a co-defendant John "Tugboat" Tognino, who worked under Conigliaro, alleged authorities.
Conigliaro had suspected the victim was allowing professional bettors to place wagers, and as a result, Conigliaro was on the hook for about $400,000 to the winning bettors, federal officials alleged.
A Genovese capo summoned the man to a Bronx restaurant. There, Conigliaro, the capo, and another alleged mobster confronted the man in a small room in the basement, threatening and intimidating him, alleged authorities.
Conigliraro ultimately refused to pay the money he owed, officials said.
In pleading guilty to conducting an illegal gambling business, Conigliaro admitted to supervising and financing an illegal bookmaking and sports-betting operation between 2011 and 2014, court records show.
The business involved at least five people, remained in continuous operation for more than 30 days and pulled in $2,000 in a single day, said court papers.
Conigliaro will be sentenced Oct. 26 in Manhattan federal court.
The sentencing range is eight to 14 months behind bars, according to court papers; however, the judge is not bound to it.
In view of the reduced charges and Conigliaro's compliance with his bail conditions, a judge recently authorized the removal of the defendant's electronic monitoring ankle bracelet and lifted a curfew against him, court records said.
Conigliaro previously beat extortion and illegal gambling charges in an unrelated case.
In 2004, a Manhattan federal court jury acquitted him of running an illegal gambling business with the help of five others, which raked in gross revenues of $2,000 in a single day, Advance records show.
Conigliaro's lawyer in the current case could not immediately be reached for comment.
http://www.silive.com/news/2017/06/reputed_mobster_from_staten_is_1.html
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