by Benito » Mon Sep 03, 2018 9:21 am
James Vincent Napoli, the reputed boss of the late Vito Genovese's Mafia family, was arrested yesterday and charged with operating the country's largest policy gambling operation with a yearly handle put at “hundreds of millions of dollars.”
The 63‐year‐old Mr. Napoli, who allegedly ran the vast operation from a bar in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, was seized along with eight other alleged members of the ring, including his son, James Vincent Napoli Jr., and a North Bergen, N.J., policeman.
The nine—all of whom were released on $50,000 bonds —were among 24 defendants indicted by a Federal grand jury in Brooklyn after a four‐year investigation by the Organized Crime Strike Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Two of those indicted were listed as fugitives after apparently eluding F.B.I. agents during yesterday's roundup, and the 13 others, evidently considered lesser figures, were sent notices asking them to surrender.
Wiretaps and other recording devices reportedly played an important role in the investigation despite what the indictment described as elaborate protective measures.
The indictment said the defendants had bribed police officers, changed locations of pollcy banks and offices reaularly, used telephones sparingly and frequently inspected the HiWay Lounge at 362 Metropolitan Avenue in Brooklyn to gauard against electronic surveillance.
The elder Mr. Napoli, who lives in a luxurious Kips Bay town house with an indoor pool, used the Williamsburg bar as a base of operations, according to the indictment, which referred to a number of conversations there that had apparently been recorded.
Despite the reference to payoffs to police officers, the indictment said their identities were not known to the grand jury. The alleged role of the North Bergen policeman, Frank Pinto, 37, was not specified either by the indictment or by law‐enforcement officials.
Beyond saying that the ring operated in all five boroughs, Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester Counties and New Jersey, authorities gave few details of the alleged operation or the investigation.
The indictment, however, outlined elaborate bookkeeping procedures allegedly used by Mr. Napoli to keep track of controllers runners and other workers. Mr. Napoli allegedly extended credit to his controllers and decided how the profits would be divided among subordinates designated by code on “policy slips, ribbons, master sheets and other records.”
Investigators would not say what had led them to start the investigation in 1971. But two men named as unindicted coconspirators by the grand jury John A. Lotierzo Jr. and Charles Guadio, were apparently the same men arrested in June. of that year and described by Strike Force officials as key members of a $12‐million‐ayear numbers ring centered in Brooklyn. It could not be learned whether they had cooperated with the investigator or whether there was another reason they were not indicted.
Mr. Lotierzo's father. John A. Lotierzo, of 211 North Sixth Street, Brooklyn, and Kenneth C. Rossi of Jersey City, were the two men listed as fugitives.
The elder Mr. Napoli has been considered one of the city's top Mafia leaders after he and Frank Tieri reportedly took over the old Vito Genovese “family” following the 1972 slaying of Thomas Eboli—described by law enforcement offficials as one of Mr. Napoli's closest associates.
Mr. Napoli, his 40‐year‐old son, who lives in North Bellmore, L. I., and Pasquale Macchirole, a 53‐year‐old reputed Genovese family captain, of 77‐03 Elliot Avenue, Maspeth, Queens, were arraigned together late yesterday afternoon before Judge Jacob Mishler.
In asking that a high bail be set, Fred Barlow, an assistant United States attorney, said the Government had made a secret recording of a conversation between the elder Mr. Napoli and Mr. Macchirole in which they allegedly discussed plans for getting out of town and disappearing if they ever felt the Government was about to move against them.
But after the three had pleaded not guilty, Judge Mishler set hail at $50,000, allowed the younger Mr. Napoli to sign a $50,000 personal recognizance bond and let his father and Mr. Macchirole pledge their homes as collateral. Mr. Napoli's lawyer said his client's house at 216 East 31st Street was worth “at least $150,000.”
The six other defendants, who were not represented by lawyers, were freed on $50,000 personal recognizance bonds and directed to appear for arraignment on May 16.
In addition to Mr. Pinto, they were Salvatore Annarumo, 41, of 250 East 38th Street, Brooklyn; Saverio Carrara, 53, of 73‐12 53d Road, Maspeth, Queens; Martin Anthony Casella, 58, of Secaucus, N. J.; Michael DeLuca, 56, of 21‐06 South Hoyt Avenue Astoria, Queens, and Sabato J. Vigorito, 57, of 58‐19 69th Street, Maspeth, Queens,
Two of the 13 defendants asked yesterday to surrender, John E. Carcia, 39, of 92‐12 215th Street, Queens Village, Queens, and Peter Frank Guido, 53, of Deer Park, L. I., were named in a separate indictment charging them with lying to the grand jury.
The others indicted but not yet arrested were the following:
Frank Altese, 48, of 1534 6th Street, Brooklyn.
Anthony Di Matteo, 42, of 68‐12 Central Avenue, Brooklyn.
Jerry O'Avanzo, 49, of 68‐22 78th Street, Middle Village, Queens.
Bario John Mascitti, 29, of 42‐07 47th Street, Long Island City, Queens.
Anthony Mascuzzio, 30, of Elmont, L. I.
Carmine Pirone, 48, of 356 Leonard Street, Brooklyn.
Henry John Radzewicz, 56, of Jersey City.
Rocco P. Ricciardi, 46, of 1653 Stephens Street, Ridgewood, Queens.
Luigi Scafidi, 52, of 1610–20 91st Street, Howand Beach, Queens.
Joseph Simonelli, 47, of 75‐06 Juniper Valley Road, Middle Village, Queens.
Robert Joseph Voulo, 27, of 86‐17 157th Avenue, Howard Beach, Queens.
https://www.nytimes.com/1975/05/08/arch ... ld-in.htmlJames Vincent Napoli, the reputed boss of the late Vito Genovese's Mafia family, was arrested yesterday and charged with operating the country's largest policy gambling operation with a yearly handle put at “hundreds of millions of dollars.”
The 63‐year‐old Mr. Napoli, who allegedly ran the vast operation from a bar in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, was seized along with eight other alleged members of the ring, including his son, James Vincent Napoli Jr., and a North Bergen, N.J., policeman.
The nine—all of whom were released on $50,000 bonds —were among 24 defendants indicted by a Federal grand jury in Brooklyn after a four‐year investigation by the Organized Crime Strike Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Two of those indicted were listed as fugitives after apparently eluding F.B.I. agents during yesterday's roundup, and the 13 others, evidently considered lesser figures, were sent notices asking them to surrender.
Wiretaps and other recording devices reportedly played an important role in the investigation despite what the indictment described as elaborate protective measures.
The indictment said the defendants had bribed police officers, changed locations of pollcy banks and offices reaularly, used telephones sparingly and frequently inspected the HiWay Lounge at 362 Metropolitan Avenue in Brooklyn to gauard against electronic surveillance.
The elder Mr. Napoli, who lives in a luxurious Kips Bay town house with an indoor pool, used the Williamsburg bar as a base of operations, according to the indictment, which referred to a number of conversations there that had apparently been recorded.
Despite the reference to payoffs to police officers, the indictment said their identities were not known to the grand jury. The alleged role of the North Bergen policeman, Frank Pinto, 37, was not specified either by the indictment or by law‐enforcement officials.
Beyond saying that the ring operated in all five boroughs, Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester Counties and New Jersey, authorities gave few details of the alleged operation or the investigation.
The indictment, however, outlined elaborate bookkeeping procedures allegedly used by Mr. Napoli to keep track of controllers runners and other workers. Mr. Napoli allegedly extended credit to his controllers and decided how the profits would be divided among subordinates designated by code on “policy slips, ribbons, master sheets and other records.”
Investigators would not say what had led them to start the investigation in 1971. But two men named as unindicted coconspirators by the grand jury John A. Lotierzo Jr. and Charles Guadio, were apparently the same men arrested in June. of that year and described by Strike Force officials as key members of a $12‐million‐ayear numbers ring centered in Brooklyn. It could not be learned whether they had cooperated with the investigator or whether there was another reason they were not indicted.
Mr. Lotierzo's father. John A. Lotierzo, of 211 North Sixth Street, Brooklyn, and Kenneth C. Rossi of Jersey City, were the two men listed as fugitives.
The elder Mr. Napoli has been considered one of the city's top Mafia leaders after he and Frank Tieri reportedly took over the old Vito Genovese “family” following the 1972 slaying of Thomas Eboli—described by law enforcement offficials as one of Mr. Napoli's closest associates.
Mr. Napoli, his 40‐year‐old son, who lives in North Bellmore, L. I., and Pasquale Macchirole, a 53‐year‐old reputed Genovese family captain, of 77‐03 Elliot Avenue, Maspeth, Queens, were arraigned together late yesterday afternoon before Judge Jacob Mishler.
In asking that a high bail be set, Fred Barlow, an assistant United States attorney, said the Government had made a secret recording of a conversation between the elder Mr. Napoli and Mr. Macchirole in which they allegedly discussed plans for getting out of town and disappearing if they ever felt the Government was about to move against them.
But after the three had pleaded not guilty, Judge Mishler set hail at $50,000, allowed the younger Mr. Napoli to sign a $50,000 personal recognizance bond and let his father and Mr. Macchirole pledge their homes as collateral. Mr. Napoli's lawyer said his client's house at 216 East 31st Street was worth “at least $150,000.”
The six other defendants, who were not represented by lawyers, were freed on $50,000 personal recognizance bonds and directed to appear for arraignment on May 16.
In addition to Mr. Pinto, they were Salvatore Annarumo, 41, of 250 East 38th Street, Brooklyn; Saverio Carrara, 53, of 73‐12 53d Road, Maspeth, Queens; Martin Anthony Casella, 58, of Secaucus, N. J.; Michael DeLuca, 56, of 21‐06 South Hoyt Avenue Astoria, Queens, and Sabato J. Vigorito, 57, of 58‐19 69th Street, Maspeth, Queens,
Two of the 13 defendants asked yesterday to surrender, John E. Carcia, 39, of 92‐12 215th Street, Queens Village, Queens, and Peter Frank Guido, 53, of Deer Park, L. I., were named in a separate indictment charging them with lying to the grand jury.
The others indicted but not yet arrested were the following:
Frank Altese, 48, of 1534 6th Street, Brooklyn.
Anthony Di Matteo, 42, of 68‐12 Central Avenue, Brooklyn.
Jerry O'Avanzo, 49, of 68‐22 78th Street, Middle Village, Queens.
Bario John Mascitti, 29, of 42‐07 47th Street, Long Island City, Queens.
Anthony Mascuzzio, 30, of Elmont, L. I.
Carmine Pirone, 48, of 356 Leonard Street, Brooklyn.
Henry John Radzewicz, 56, of Jersey City.
Rocco P. Ricciardi, 46, of 1653 Stephens Street, Ridgewood, Queens.
Luigi Scafidi, 52, of 1610–20 91st Street, Howand Beach, Queens.
Joseph Simonelli, 47, of 75‐06 Juniper Valley Road, Middle Village, Queens.
Robert Joseph Voulo, 27, of 86‐17 157th Avenue, Howard Beach, Queens.
https://www.nytimes.com/1975/05/08/archives/9-held-in-operation-of-big-policy-ring-2-linked-to-mafia-9-held-in.html