Arrests in NY, induction ceremony taped

[Laurentian]

RCMP GTA CFSEU and its policing partners land a tremendous blow to organized crime in Canada

Among the arrested is Domenico Violi, son of the late Paolo Violi, from Hamilton.

A Canada Wide warrant has been issued against Giuseppe, brother of Domenico, also from Hamilton.

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/news/2017/ ... -canada?re

[Slumpy]

the Violi's left MTL after Paolo's death? I wonder if this has anything to do with the Musitano drama.

[Laurentian]

the Violi's left MTL after Paolo's death? I wonder if this has anything to do with the Musitano drama.

Could be. But personally I dont think it is the case.

[felice]

Well, let's see those names

[felice]

Paul Semplice, Gambino soldier
Damiano Zummo, Bonanno acting captain
Paul Ragusa, Gambino associate

[Snakes]

https://www.newsday.com/news/new-york/m ... 1.14873268

Brooklyn federal prosecutors on Thursday unsealed indictments of two alleged Long Island mobsters on drug and money laundering charges in a case that includes what’s believed to be the first-ever secret audio and video recording of an induction ceremony for one of New York’s five families.

“The reason why we’re here is from this day forward, you’re gonna be an official member of the Bonanno family,” says accused acting captain Damiano Zummo, 44, of Roslyn Heights, according to a transcript. “It’s already . . . from this guy, this guy, this guy, everybody approved it, so from this day forward, you’re a member of the Bonanno family. Congratulations.”

The recording, the government said, was made in Canada by an informant, identified as “CW-1,” who was being inducted. It doesn’t include a “blood oath” of Mafia movie lore, but Zummo describes the inductee as a “friend of ours,” names higher-ups he’ll be under and warns at the end that loyalty is expected.

“You’re gonna be in our regime,” Zummo says. “You only answer to the Bonanno family.”

Zummo and alleged Bonanno associate Salvatore Russo, 45, of Bellmore, are charged with selling more than a kilogram of cocaine inside a Manhattan gelato store, and Zummo is accused of laundering $250,000.

The transcript of the induction ceremony is included in a memo seeking to detain Zummo without bail. He and Russo are expected to appear Thursday afternoon in Brooklyn federal court.

Acting Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Bridget Rohde said in a statement that the recordings reflect how far law enforcement has penetrated mob operations.

“Today’s arrests send a powerful message,” she said. “The recording of a secret induction ceremony is an extraordinary achievement for law enforcement and deals a significant blow to La Cosa Nostra.”

In addition to Zummo and Russo, prosecutors also released indictments of two alleged Gambino mobsters — Paul Semplice, 54, and Paul Ragusa, 46, both of Brooklyn — on loansharking and firearms charges, and announced the roundup of nine other alleged organized crime members in Canada.

The coordinated operation was the result of a two-year investigation.

[Clark]

Pictures of the Violi brothers:

https://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2017 ... rests.html

[Bklyn21]

The United States Department of Justice
Eastern District of New York
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Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Eastern District of New York
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, November 9, 2017
Members and Associates of Gambino and Bonanno Organized Crime Families Arrested in Coordinated U.S.-Canadian Takedown

Defendants Charged in Brooklyn Federal Court with Drug Trafficking, Loansharking and Firearms Offenses

Earlier today, three indictments were unsealed in United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York charging four defendants with narcotics trafficking, loansharking and firearms offenses. The defendants—Damiano Zummo, an acting captain in the Bonanno crime family; Salvatore Russo, an associate of the Bonanno crime family; Paul Semplice, a member of the Gambino crime family; and Paul Ragusa, an associate of the Bonanno and Gambino crime families—were arrested yesterday and are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Cheryl L. Pollak at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn. In a coordinated operation, Canadian law enforcement authorities today arrested nine organized crime members and associates in Canada, including members of the Todaro organized crime family, who are charged with, among other crimes, narcotics trafficking.

Bridget M. Rohde, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the charges.

“Today’s arrests send a powerful message that this Office and our law enforcement partners here and abroad are committed to dismantling organized crime groups wherever they are located — whether local or international in scope,” stated Acting United States Attorney Rohde. “The recording of a secret induction ceremony is an extraordinary achievement for law enforcement and deals a significant blow to La Cosa Nostra.” Ms. Rohde praised the exceptional investigative efforts of the FBI, and extended special thanks to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the New York City Police Department (NYPD). Ms. Rohde also expressed her thanks to the Office’s law enforcement partners in Canada, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the GTA Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit Public Prosecution Service of Canada, Ontario Regional Office.

“Criminal enterprises, both national and international, contribute to the breakdown of a lawful society,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “And yet, the allure of this gangland culture is often embraced and glamorized in movies and on television, where the threats posed to our economic and national security are seldom displayed. Dismantling and disrupting major international and national organized criminal enterprises is a longstanding area of FBI expertise, which is significantly enhanced through collaboration with our law enforcement partners and our Canadian partners. While we have more work to do, this operation is a giant step in the right direction.”

The coordinated investigation lasted more than two years and revealed criminal activity spanning the United States and Canada. As detailed in court filings, in 2015, one of the defendants sponsored a confidential informant to become a full-fledged member of the Bonanno crime family and as part of the investigation, law enforcement secretly video- and audio-recorded the induction ceremony, which occurred in Canada.

As detailed in the indictment and other court filings, Zummo, an acting captain in the Bonanno crime family, engaged in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy with Bonanno associate Salvatore Russo and others introduced by the confidential informant. In one transaction, on September 14, 2017, Zummo and Russo sold over a kilogram of cocaine inside a Manhattan gelato store. Zummo is also charged with laundering over $250,000 in cash by providing business checks issued to a fictitious consulting company that purported to bill the company for consulting services. Zummo took a fee of approximately 10 percent for each money laundering transaction.

As also detailed in the indictments and other court filings, Semplice, a member of the Gambino crime family, is charged with conducting a loansharking scheme in which he and others extended extortionate loans with interest rates of up to 54% per year. The alleged scheme generated thousands of dollars per week for Semplice and others. Paul Ragusa, a long-standing associate of the Bonanno and Gambino organized crime families, is charged with being a felon in possession of nine firearms, including three automatic assault rifles and one silencer. As alleged, Ragusa transported the firearms in exchange for $2,000 in cash.

If convicted, Zummo and Russo each face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment; Semplice faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment on each of three loansharking charges; and Ragusa faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment under the Armed Career Criminal Act.

The charges in the indictments are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys M. Kristin Mace, Tanya Hajjar and Drew Rolle are in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendants:

DAMIANO ZUMMO
Age: 44
Residence: Roslyn Heights, New York

SALVATORE RUSSO
Age: 45
Residence: Bellmore, New York

PAUL SEMPLICE
Age: 54
Residence: Brooklyn, New York

PAUL RAGUSA
Age: 46
Residence: Brooklyn, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket Nos. 17-CR-601 (ENV); 17-CR-612 (PKC); and 17-CR-613 (PKC)

Attachment(s):
Download Semplice Indictment .pdf
Download Zummo and Russo Indictment .pdf
Download Ragusa Indictment .pdf
Topic(s):
Drug Trafficking
Firearms Offenses
Component(s):
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
USAO - New York, Eastern
Contact:
John Marzulli Tyler Daniels United States Attorney’s Office (718) 254-6323
Updated November 9, 2017

[Bklyn21]

I wonder who the TODARO crime family they refer to is ? Is this the Buffalo family or someone else ?

[SonnyBlackstein]

Holy shit.

Please please please release the recordings.

Huge.

13 years since Massino rolled and the B's were finally getting a semblance of cred back. Gone now. Brasco 2.0.
The other families will shun the B's now. If not from 'commission' edict.

[Dwalin2014]

Is it the 3rd ceremony ever taped? After the Patriarca family one under Raymond Jr and the Philadelphia one under Tony Piccolo, when he was acting for Scarfo?

[Lupara]

Holy shit.

Please please please release the recordings.

Huge.

13 years since Massino rolled and the B's were finally getting a semblance of cred back. Gone now. Brasco 2.0.
The other families will shun the B's now. If not from 'commission' edict.

But what do you think of the fact they still induct guys in Canada?

Who'd have thought...

[Lupara]

Exciting!

[johnny_scootch]

Are you sure the guy being inducted/ CW is from Canada?

An acting captain inducting a soldier in Canada without the full ceremony. Fishy. Any indication other made men were present during the half assed ceremony?

[Lupara]

The guy being inducted/CW is from Canada???


Also it's odd you have an acting captain 'inducting' a soldier and also they didn't do a full ceremony. We'd have to assume there were other made guys there right?

You can read it in the article. It states the induction happened in Canada. I doubt they would go all the way up there just for shits and giggles..