Bonanno Bust: Feds continue decimation of Bonannos
The Brooklyn US Attorney's office unsealed a bombshell, 33-count indictment this morning charging 15 members of the Bonanno crime family with extortion, racketeering, bank fraud, drug trafficking and illegal gambling after a former boss dropped a dime on them, authorities said.
Among those busted include Joseph Sammartino, 55, also known as “Sammy,” who the feds claim is a Bonanno captain and member of the Bonanno ruling panel; Anthony "Scal" Sclafani, 63; Joseph "Joe Lefty" Loiacono, 64; Anthony "Little Anthony" Pipitone, 37; Frank "Big Frank" Pastore, 39; and Paul "Fat Paulie" Spina, 54.
The other men were identified as Manny Bana, 42; Peter DeFilippo, 47; Sebastian DeRosa, 66; Richard Lotito, 46; Frank DeRosa, 45; Vito Pipitone, 28; Joseph Spatola, 33; Frank Terzo, 24; and Natale Terzo, 52.
The men are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before Judge Marilyn D. Go in Brooklyn federal court.
The indictment announced today is the latest in an ongoing investigation that has resulted in the prosecution of more than 125 members and associates of the Bonanno crime family in Brooklyn.
Since 2002, four Bonanno family bosses or acting bosses -- Joseph Massino, Anthony Urso, Vincent Basciano and Michael Mancuso -- have all been convicted on racketeering and other charges, which included murder or murder conspiracy.
Federal prosecutors used information from Massino, who is a cooperating witness, turning on his fellow members after he was sent to prison.
If convicted, the men arrested today each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The latest indictment is the result of a lengthy investigation by the FBI, which involved recordings, cooperating witnesses and surveillance footage.
Federal prosecutors claim the men allegedly engaged in "mafia violence and intimidation."
The feds said that on one occasion when a loanshark victim fell behind in payments, Sclafani allegedly told him, “You’re lucky we don’t saw you in half and leave you in the woods,” referring to the woods near his home.
Sclafani also bragged he wouldn't get caught.
"I don't answer the door. I don't answer the phone," he said, according to the FBI. "So for [the feds] to get me, it's going to take a long time. ... If you want to prove I'm a member of organized crime, that's your business. Could you prove it? Then go prove it."
The recordings also captured Bonanno family members and associates discussing their involvement in a vicious stabbing assault of two individuals in 2004 in Whitestone, Queens.
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/brooklyn/feds_arrest_alleged_members_of_bonanno_DRCdC6wRpZBzNe9sLJDqpK
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