Gangland 1/6/22

[Dr031718]

New Jersey Taps Pal Of ILA Boss For Waterfront Commission

Gang Land Exclusive!Harold DaggettNew Jersey has officially told New York it wants out of the Waterfront Commission. But just to make sure the Commission doesn't launch some new secret investigation, it has chosen a Garden State businessman who is an old pal of the Commission's main antagonist, International Longshoremen's Association president Harold Daggett, to be its Commissioner on the bi-state agency.

Neither of those seemingly important details came up Tuesday at the first 2022 meeting of the beleaguered Commission, which will remain in existence for about 80 more days, unless New York Governor Hochul, who has allegedly been examining the issue for months, moves to block New Jersey's move.

The U.S. Attorney in Manhattan, the U.S. Department of Labor, and FBI supervisors in New York and Newark have all written letters stressing the important role the Commission plays in combatting mob activity at the ports in both states, and why it should continue its work. But those weren't mentioned either. And neither was the call by Assemblywoman Amy Paulin that Hochul "take all steps necessary" to keep the 67-year-old waterfront watchdog in business.

In a surreal 10-minute long session, the Commission approved a handful of decisions by Administrative Law Judges that had nothing to do with the mob. The first one, by ALJ Cataldo Fazio, seemed to set the stage for a quick meeting where the elephant in the room would be ignored by all and nary a dissenting word would be uttered by anyone.

Kathy HochulIn his ruling, Fazio rejected the longshoreman's application of Harry Kyreakedes, an ex-cop who had pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of a friend — a longshoreman — when Kyreakedes crashed his car into a tree while he was drunk hours after they had begun drinking on New Year's Day in 2017. He had served three years, and was remorseful, but the "undisputed evidence" of his conviction of a "high felony," Fazio ruled, meant that his "presence" on the waterfront would be "a danger to the public peace" and his application should be denied. More on that later.

"I agree with the recommendation," said Joseph Sanzari the newly appointed New Jersey commissioner in his first official act in his new $48,000 a year part-time job. Sanzari, the owner of a Hackensack-based construction company, also agreed with every other recommendation that Commission officials made.

Sanzari is a longtime friend of Daggett, the controversial and powerful ILA official who was identified as a longtime associate of the Genovese crime family in a 2004 labor racketeering case but acquitted at trial the following year of all charges. Daggett, 75, was elected to his third four year term as ILA president in 2019 at the ILA convention in Hollywood Florida.

As the keynote speaker at that convention, Sanzari told cheering ILA members that he was an honorary member of ILA Local 1804-1, the union's largest and most powerful local, which Daggett headed before he was elected ILA president. "I'm proud of that," Sanzari said, noting that he carried his honorary membership card in his wallet.

Joseph SanzariLast month, despite the Garden State's long-stated position, now officially approved by the U.S. Supreme Court, to withdraw from the bi-state-agency, Governor Murphy named Sanzari to replace former Morris County prosecutor Michael Murphy as the state's commissioner because the ex-prosecutor had undisclosed "conflict" issues.

A spokesman for the Governor, Michael Zhadanovsky, told NJ.com reporter Tom Sherman that Sanzari's "friendship with Daggett" was not a concern and that the state was placing him on the Commission, even though it is formally withdrawing from the panel. Officially, the 90-day clock began running on December 27, when New Jersey notified New York, the Commission, and Congress, of its intentions.

"Sanzari is a prominent New Jerseyan and longtime philanthropist who we know will serve the state's interests with integrity in the transition from the Waterfront Commission," Zhadanovsky said.

Sanzari did not respond to a call for comment about his first Waterfront Commission meeting, and Gang Land was unable to reach Paulin, or anyone from the office of either Governor, or the Waterfront Commission who would talk about Tuesday's meeting or discuss what to expect during the next 80 days, which according to Gang Land's count, runs out on March 27.

Gov Phil Murphy & Dennis DaggettLast year, acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss wrote that the Commission provided her office the "invaluable intelligence, evidence, and investigative assistance" needed for "the vigorous prosecution of organized crime to eliminate labor racketeering and the victimization of legitimate union members and Port businesses."

A joint letter from the FBI in Newark and New York noted that "organized crime does not respect state boundaries" and that "over the past decade" the Waterfront Commission "has been instrumental" in "investigations and prosecutions of criminal conduct" by the Genovese and Gambino families on the docks in New York and New Jersey.

And in an all-encompassing letter, Department of Labor Inspector General Michael Mikulka wrote that the investigative work by his agency, the FBI and the Commission "has shown that the waterfront harbors of New York and New Jersey, as well as the ILA, have long been plagued by extortion, thievery, and fraud schemes."

In most of the "numerous successful prosecutions involving the ILA and organized crime" in federal courts in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Newark, "the Waterfront Commission has been a key investigative partner and has provided valued insight and intelligence," Mikulka wrote.

At the same time, Mikulka wrote, the Commission "worked independently to break the cycle of corruption at the waterfront harbors of New York and New Jersey by putting an end to the ILA's stronghold on who gets hired and what jobs and training employees can receive once employed."

"The Waterfront Commission has been successful in making daily hiring and training fairer by requiring seniority and equal access," Mikulka continued. "This has stymied organized crime's control over the waterfront harbors of New York and New Jersey, allowing their criminal enterprise less access and influence over key employment positions."

Audrey StraussIronically, in Gang Land's view, the first matter on the agenda at Tuesday's meeting, in which ex Rockland County cop Kyreakedes was denied the right to work as a maintenance man on the docks, seemed to back up the complaint that many lawyers have expressed to Gang Land that the deck is unfairly stacked against any applicant that the Commission wants to keep off the piers.

Kyreakedes, 32, has no ties to the mob. He pleaded guilty to driving while drunk and killing a good friend, had served his time, had never been disciplined for any infraction before January 2, 2017, and had led an admirable life before and after that "awful" night that he got drunk, crashed his car, and his friend Isaac Ward died as a result, according to the evidence before the ALJ.

Kyreakedes, who opted to handle the hearing pro se, without an attorney, was grilled pretty thoroughly about his arrest, conviction, and his entire life by senior Commission counsel Gabriel McKeen, without being caught in any questionable answers.

Last year, he stated in what was essentially a job interview, that four months after getting out of prison, where he had "created (and chaired) an Alcoholics Anonymous chapter," he decided to apply for a job at the same place where not only his friend Isaac had worked but where his own brother and several other friends work.

Harry Kyreakedes "I know my actions that night were awful," Kyreakedes said. "But you know, they were truly an aberration. And they're really not indicative of how I conducted myself prior to that night. I consumed probably double what I would consume, you know, on a social night of being out and drinking."

"Since that incident," he continued, "since that very day that I woke up and was told that Isaac passed away, I've completely dedicated my, my, my life, I guess, or my energies, into changing my life. I've been sober for four years, over four years now."

In prison, Kyreakedes continued, "I shared my story, every chance I got. Look, there's no human way of fixing what I did, and bringing Isaac back. But the only way I'm able to live with myself now, is not by just staying on my path; that's easy, right?"

"How could I drink personally after what happened," he said. "That night was a result of drinking. So, my whole focus now and the only way I know how to make things right is to live my life, not only live my life in the best manner that I can, but also to try to help people and, maybe impart my lessons that I learned onto them before they make a similar mistake."

"I feel I've done that since that day, and I plan and hope to continue doing so you know, for the rest of my days," said Kyreakedes.

"But I do plan, or hope to, you know, be able to speak to both Academy classes of new police recruits and to high school students," he continued. "My hope is to share my story. And, you know, maybe if it can resonate with one or two people in that room, they can avoid ending up in a similar situation to my own."

Serbian-American Organized Crime Gang Boss Bites The Bullet; Pleads Guilty To Gun Charges

Mileta MiljanicMileta (Michael Michael) Miljanic, the reputed leader of a Serbian-American organized crime gang known as Grupo Amerika has agreed to take a sweet plea deal from Brooklyn federal prosecutors to a federal weapons charge, one that he hopes will lead to a "time served" sentence and a return to his Queens home, Gang Land has learned.

Miljanic, 62, who was arrested on gun charges last year when agents found a semi-automatic pistol on his night table when they searched his Ridgewood Queens apartment and dozens of other locations in a wide-ranging probe of construction industry rackets, has a host of reasons for taking the plea.

For one, he's been locked up in the rancid Metropolitan Detention Center for the past 10 months. For another he's apparently given up waiting for federal prosecutors in Manhattan to hit him with labor racketeering charges in their long-running probe of construction industry rackets involving the Gambino crime family.

Judge LaShann Dearcy HallLast week, Miljanic's attorneys, who had earlier noted the time he had spent behind bars in "deplorable conditions" at the Metropolitan Detention Center and sought bail pending his sentencing in May, asked for an expedited ruling because Michael Michael, who suffers from high blood pressure, had just tested positive for COVID.

Attorney Thomas Mirigliano asserted that Miljanic "has been very ill over the last few days" and remained "in quarantine" without receiving "any medical care whatsoever," and asked Brooklyn Federal Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall for an "expedited review" of Miljanic's "application for bail pending sentencing."

As of yesterday, DeArcy Hall, who ordered the government to respond by January 10 to Mirigliano's initial December 15 court filing seeking his release on bail, has not responded to last week's request.

In his first motion, the lawyer argued that the "harsh" conditions Miljanic endured at the MDC during the Covid pandemic had "far exceeded the normal loss of liberty" of pretrial detention and "warrant(ed) the Court's consideration" of bail before sentencing even if the judge were to sentence him to the high end of his plea deal — 16 months.

Thomas MiriglianoMirigliano noted that "circumstances have changed" since February when Miljanic was remanded as a dangerous ex-con and a flight risk based on unsubstantiated government allegations. The lawyer argued that key evidence of that was prosecutors Kayla Bensing and Victor Zapana going along with a plea agreement calling for 16 months at most for a crime with a statutory maximum of 10 years.

"Under these circumstances, the risk of flight is virtually non-existent" and "Miljanic is not a physical danger to any one person or the community at large," Mirigliano wrote, noting that "the Government does not contend that he is."

"Indeed," the lawyer continued, "Miljanic is not alleged to have committed any acts of violence in the instant case, nor has he ever been accused of committing any prior acts of alleged violence in the past."

His client's links to violence and labor racketeering with powerful Gambino capo Louis Filippelli were alleged by Manhattan federal prosecutors in a December 2020 filing in their case regarding James Cahill, a former plumbers union official and NY State Building and Construction Trades Council leader awaiting trial on racketeering and bribe receiving.

Louis FilippelliIn the document, which described Miljanic as the "leader of a Serbian organized crime family called Group Amerika/Grupo Amerika," Cahill is quoted as telling an informer that Miljanic and Filippelli had become fast friends after the union boss had gotten the Gambino wiseguy "to intervene to address a death threat" against a Cahill nephew by Miljanic's gang.

"So what does Louis do?" Cahill is quoted as telling the wired-up snitch, "He goes partners with Michael Michael in the construction business, and they're happy as pigs in shit."

Those allegations have not led to any charges against Filippelli, Miljanic or anyone else though. And eight of Michael Michael's friends and relatives have agreed to sign a $1 million bond, secured by $900,000 in property to back up his claim that he will behave himself and show up for his sentencing.

In addition, lawyer Mirigliano wrote, Miljanic will give up his passport, waive his right to contest extradition from Serbia, agree to "home detention with GPS monitoring" and any other terms that "the Court may deem appropriate" that will enable Michael Michael to return to his Ridgewood Queens apartment and Rada, his wife of 40 years.

Judge Sets An August Trial Date In The $100 Million Lottery Winners Ripoff

Frangesco RussoAt least his grandfather is no longer detained behind bars with him at the COVID-plagued Metropolitan Detention Center where Frangesco (Frankie) Russo has been cooling his heels since August of 2020. Grandpa Russo, a.k.a Andrew (Mush) Russo, the ailing 87-year-old boss of the beleaguered Colombo crime family, was ordered released and is at home in Glen Head.

That's about the only good thing that Frankie Russo can possibly point to since he was arrested and detained at the MDC for stealing $100 million from three lottery winners along with a Genovese mobster, a former securities broker and a self-described "Lottery Lawyer" who were all released on bail to await trial that is now slated to begin in August.

Sources say things are so bad for Russo that even though he decided months ago that there's no way he can win at trial — his court-appointed attorney didn't bother filing any pre-trial motions — he's been unable to negotiate a guilty plea deal that he can live with. That's because he won't cooperate with the feds, like his admitted partner in crime, onetime securities broker and horse owner Francis (Frank) Smookler, did last March.

Francis SmooklerSources say Smookler, who stated when he pleaded guilty in open court that he faces up to 14 years in prison, has a cooperation deal with the Brooklyn U.S. Attorney's office that calls for him to testify at any trial of the defendants in return for a recommendation of leniency for his own involvement in the lottery ripoff, and for an extortion scheme that Russo was allegedly part of.

While the money from the three lottery winner-victims — they won a $1.5 billion Mega Millions lottery, a $245 million Powerball jackpot, and a $150 million jackpot — was allegedly rolling in, Russo had good feelings about the former securities broker, according to transcripts of taped talks the FBI picked up in May of 2020.

"Smook," Genovese wiseguy Christopher Chierchio told Russo during a discussion on May 27, 2020. "I love dealing with (him.) I have no problem (with him.) He's a realist. He's understanding."

"I'm not worried about Smookler," said Russo. "He'll be my brother until the day I die," he said, adding, incorrectly, it turned out, "I assure you Smookler's going nowhere. He's staying with us."

Jason KurlandA day earlier, in a discussion between the two Franks, Russo told Smookler he "like(d) that caveat that we have, it's the not norm. People expect us to be a certain way and when they see us operate, they're like what the . . . 'That was Smookler and Russo? What just happened?' I like that mystique about it, you know."

"I get it," said Smookler.

And while Russo's two remaining codefendants, Chierchio and "Lottery Lawyer" Jason (Jay) Kurland, are certainly not fans of Smookler these days, they also don't want anything to do with Russo.

In court Tuesday, Kurland and Chierchio didn't seem too happy about going to trial with each other either, probably because each defense lawyer is most likely going to blame the codefendant for any crimes that may have occurred during the 18 or so months when the Lottery winners were fleeced.

During the session before Brooklyn Federal Judge Nicholas Garaufis, lawyers for Chierchio and Kurland each tried to convince the judge to sever his client from any trial involving Russo, because like Smookler, Russo is accused of violence — the crime of extortion — and their lawyers say that his tape-recorded violent tendencies would prejudice their clients.

Russo's attorney, Florian Miedel, attended the session, but Russo didn't. Miedel didn't say why he failed to file any pre-trial motions, but he told Gang Land not to read too much into his client's absence. "He's not participating because the MDC is currently not producing detainees to court, at least not from quarantine units," said Miedel, adding that he waived his client's appearance.

[Southshore88]

Thanks for posting

[Wiseguy]

New Jersey has officially told New York it wants out of the Waterfront Commission. But just to make sure the Commission doesn't launch some new secret investigation, it has chosen a Garden State businessman who is an old pal of the Commission's main antagonist, International Longshoremen's Association president Harold Daggett, to be its Commissioner on the bi-state agency.

New Jersey officials: We think we can police our own waterfront without the Waterfront Commission. And to prove it, we're selecting a buddy of the mobbed-up ILA president as our Commissioner.

[TommyNoto]

This is a win for the Westside

The old days are gone but they have a alot of business / influence there with the unions, pension funds, container service (huge right now) and trucking + loansharking , gambling and stock scams that looks poised to grow.

Port Newark is operating very well and stealing a lot of business from other ports (CA) with strong turn around times that puts them at the top of efficiency / $ savers chain for shippers . I kind of think everyone is on the same business side here to make port Newark the port of choice for North America as everyone benefits, especially metro area

[Tonyd621]

This is a win for the Westside

The old days are gone but they have a alot of business / influence there with the unions, pension funds, container service (huge right now) and trucking + loansharking , gambling and stock scams that looks poised to grow.

Port Newark is operating very well and stealing a lot of business from other ports (CA) with strong turn around times that puts them at the top of efficiency / $ savers chain for shippers . I kind of think everyone is on the same business side here to make port Newark the port of choice for North America as everyone benefits, especially metro area

It's about money. Not just in the mob. But everywhere else. When people say the mob lacks of violence. They dnt need it. They have politicians now who agree with their business sense.

[SonnyBlackstein]

New Jersey officials: We think we can police our own waterfront without the Waterfront Commission. And to prove it, we're selecting a buddy of the mobbed-up ILA president as our Commissioner.

Cat. Guard cream.

Thanks for the post Doc!

[Dr031718]

Found the part about Miljanic giving up waiting on the construction charges to drop. The Camuso/Filipili probe has been going on for years and there may not be a whole,lot there if they have not brought charges yet

[Tonyd621]

Found the part about Miljanic giving up waiting on the construction charges to drop. The Camuso/Filipili probe has been going on for years and there may not be a whole,lot there if they have not brought charges yet

Got to believe they got nothing on Fillipelli now.

[TommyNoto]

This is a win for the Westside

The old days are gone but they have a alot of business / influence there with the unions, pension funds, container service (huge right now) and trucking + loansharking , gambling and stock scams that looks poised to grow.

Port Newark is operating very well and stealing a lot of business from other ports (CA) with strong turn around times that puts them at the top of efficiency / $ savers chain for shippers . I kind of think everyone is on the same business side here to make port Newark the port of choice for North America as everyone benefits, especially metro area

It's about money. Not just in the mob. But everywhere else. When people say the mob lacks of violence. They dnt need it. They have politicians now who agree with their business sense.

Yep , a lot of this stems from the big strike which showed everyone they can shut down east coast commerce if they want

[Rocco]

Funny about Port Newark because Mike Coppola is getting out this year lol I believe he will succeed Tino as Capo of that crew.

[Tonyd621]

Funny about Port Newark because Mike Coppola is getting out this year lol I believe he will succeed Tino as Capo of that crew.

He's at at RRM

1
Name: MICHAEL COPPOLA
Register Number: 00386-050
Age: 75
Race: White
Sex: Male
Release Date: 10/20/2023
Located At: RRM New York

[JohnnyS]

Coppola has been out for about a year now.

[TommyNoto]

Funny about Port Newark because Mike Coppola is getting out this year lol I believe he will succeed Tino as Capo of that crew.

I wonder how that plays out ? those NJ port crews are such a mystery. Tremendous respect for how they handle biz

Probably 3+ crews there ? But I really have no idea. Coppola , Devita and 116th. Tuzzio crew also had check cashing business which is a big $ maker today for the port crews plus the WS has valuable trucking interests/rights. IMO it’s pretty incredible such an area exists today and looks to be getting stronger.

[Rocco]

Funny about Port Newark because Mike Coppola is getting out this year lol I believe he will succeed Tino as Capo of that crew.

He's at at RRM

1
Name: MICHAEL COPPOLA
Register Number: 00386-050
Age: 75
Race: White
Sex: Male
Release Date: 10/20/2023
Located At: RRM New York

yeah he is in a halfway house right now in NY. But he is trying to get released early due to Covid and health issues(real or fake lol) But allot of guys succeed in getting released early and I expect him to be released in 2022. I think DePiro will continue to be his front capo since he will be on paper for a while. Prior to him going on the lam. DePiro was attached to Coppola's hip. His right hand man along with his step son.

[Tonyd621]

Funny about Port Newark because Mike Coppola is getting out this year lol I believe he will succeed Tino as Capo of that crew.

He's at at RRM

1
Name: MICHAEL COPPOLA
Register Number: 00386-050
Age: 75
Race: White
Sex: Male
Release Date: 10/20/2023
Located At: RRM New York

yeah he is in a halfway house right now in NY. But he is trying to get released early due to Covid and health issues(real or fake lol) But allot of guys succeed in getting released early and I expect him to be released in 2022. I think DePiro will continue to be his front capo since he will be on paper for a while. Prior to him going on the lam. DePiro was attached to Coppola's hip. His right hand man along with his step son.

That's a long time to be at a halfway house,no? Over 2 years