Italian criminal organization grows in Australia

A report issued recently by the Italian Parliament indicates that the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta criminal society is blossoming "down under" in Australia. The Australian branch of the society, similar to the Sicilian Mafia but located in the southern region of the Italian mainland, is believed to be a key player in a global cocaine trafficking operation worth over $34 billion.

The report names several 'Ndrangheta families established in Australia, including the Sergi, Barbaro, Perre and Papalia clans. The groups reportedly arrived in the country in the 1930s. Their presence was a press sensation in the 1970s with the assassination of Donald Mackay, who was an anti-drug crusader.

Despite the Italian document, the Australian Crime Commission stands by a 1995 report by the Australian National Crime Authority, which stated that organized criminal activity was on the decline.

Peter Gotti asks for reduced sentence

Citing medical concerns, convicted racketeer Peter Gotti has asked a Brooklyn federal judge to reduce his prison term, according to a story by John Marzulli of the New York Daily News.

Gotti (right), 68, former acting boss of the Gambino Crime Family, was sentenced to 112 months for racketeering and money-laundering. Judge Frederic Block explained that he considered Gotti's physical condition when he sentenced him in 2004. Block is considering the request.

It is not clear how a reduction in the sentence will help Gotti. He is serving a concurrent 25-year sentence imposed by a Manhattan federal court. That term will not expire until after the ex-gang boss's 92nd birthday.

Bulgarian novelist executed

Georgi Stoev, author of novels depicting the activities of the Bulgarian underworld, was shot to death in front of Pliska Hotel in downtown Sofia on April 7, according to stories by novinite.com and news.bg.

Stoev (right) was shot in the right temple just after midday, according to authorities. The slug passed through the front of his head, exiting through his left temple. He was taken to Pirogov hospital in critical condition. He later died of his injuries. Two masked men are believed responsible for the apparent gangland execution.

The author claimed he had first-hand knowledge of Bulgarian organized crime as a former member. He indicated that his novels contained true events from the lives and careers of gang bosses. One of those bosses, Mladen Mihalev, a.k.a. Madzho (left), has agreed to be interrogated over the Stoev killing. Authorities plan to call on other underworld figures mentioned in Stoev's books.

Stoev authored a series of books titled, "BG Godfather."

The European Union has been concerned for years over Bulgaria's apparent inability to deal with rampant organized crime. Many dozens of gangland executions have occurred in public places in recent years without convictions. Before admission into the Union, Bulgaria was harshly criticized for its failure to bring a single known crime boss to justice.

This month, two senior police officials were arrested for abuse of power and revealing state secrets to crime bosses. Opposition legislators have charged that the Bulgarian Socialist government has close ties to organized crime. The London Times has called for an end to European Union funds for Bulgaria until the nation takes decisive action against crime and official corruption.

NJ rounds up 45 linked to Genovese Family

New Jersey State Police, the East Rutherford NJ Police Department and other law enforcement agencies have rounded up 45 people accused of gambling and drug distribution and believed to be operating in concert with the Genovese Crime Family, according to a story by Mark J. Bonamo of the Hackensack Chronicle. The arrests were made in raids beginning early in the morning of March 25.

Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli indicated at a press conference that the leaders of the group were Genovese associates. He named the following men as leaders:

• Mark Iafelice, 49, of Edgewater;
• Brian DiGuilmi, 48, of Emerson;
• James W. Skinner, 69, of Allenwood;
• James J. Skinner (James W.'s son), 40, of Hazlet.

According to Molinelli, the arrests were the result of an investigation that began in August 2007 with an informant's description of a gambling enterprise in and around Bergen County. The gambling ring, which made use of an offshore "wire room" in the Dominican Republic, is believed to have generated $1 million a month. During the raids, police seized $5 million, at least five pounds of marijuana and five vehicles.

Italian underworld blamed for tainted wine, cheese

Italian authorities have linked the production of tainted and possibly poisonous wines with the Sacra Corona Unita underworld organization, according to a story by the AFP press service.

At least 70 million liters of the wine, selling at an inexpensive price of about $3 a bottle, are believed to have been contaminated with acid, manure and other fertilizers. Twenty wine companies are being investigated. Two companies based in Taranto, Italy, and believed to be controlled by Sacra Corona Unita appear to have been the main source of the tainted drink.

Recently Italian officials had to remove mozzarella cheese from the market when dioxin levels were detected. Authorities theorize that the buffalo milk cheese was contaminated through a Camorra-related buildup of trash around the Naples area of Italy.

Judge: JoJo Corozzo needs a new lawyer

Brooklyn federal Judge Jack Weinstein decided March 27 that reputed Gambino Crime Family consigliere Joseph "JoJo" Corozzo cannot be represented at trial by his lawyer son, according to a story by John Marzulli of the New York Daily News.

Weinstein heard testimony from Salvatore Romano, a former Mafia associate, before he disqualified Joseph Corozzo Jr. from serving as his father's counsel in an upcoming racketeering trial. Many expected to hear additional testimony from Lewis Kasman, who had been like an adopted son to late Gambino boss John J. Gotti before flipping to the side of law enforcement. However, Weinstein made that unnecessary.

'Gorgeous' goes away for life

Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano, former boss of the Bonanno Crime Family, was sentenced Monday to life in prison for the Dec. 14, 2001, murder of underworld rival Frank Santoro, according to stories by John Marzulli of the New York Daily News and the Associated Press.

Basciano (right) was convicted of the Santoro shotgun slaying last July. The killing was one of the racketeering charges first brought against him in 2006. A federal jury convicted him of racketeering, attempted murder and gambling but deadlocked on the murder charge. U.S. Attorneys decided to retry him on that charge.

Basciano's attorneys are appealing the conviction, arguing that the prosecution's case was built upon false information supplied by mob turncoat Dominick Cicale. Things could still get worse for the former crime boss. He could face the death penalty in an upcoming trial for allegedly ordering the murder of Randolph Pizzolo.

Basciano became acting boss of the Bonanno clan after boss Joseph Massino was indicted for racketeering. A federal judge imposed a life sentence on Massino in 2005. Facing the possibility of a death sentence for his role in underworld murders, Massino aided prosecutors in their efforts to acquire evidence against Basciano. Massino recorded his prison conversations with Basciano.

Six defendants prepare for Montreal Mafia trial

Court officials in Canada have set aside two weeks in September for pretrial motions in the racketeering case against six reputed leaders of the Montreal Mafia, according to a story by the Canwest News Service. The six men have opted for trial by a judge alone.

More than 100 people were arrested in Project Colisee in November 2006. Government attention has focused on six big shots, including 83-year-old Nicolo Rizzuto (left), father of jailed mob boss Vito Rizzuto. Vito is serving time in the United States for participating in three 1981 murders.

Gotti family insider Kasman set to testify

Lewis Kasman, 51, is scheduled to testify tomorrow in a hearing related to racketeering charges against reputed Gambino Crime Family consigliere Joseph Corozzo Sr., according to stories by John Marzulli of the New York Daily News and Alan Feuer of the New York Times. Kasman (right) was a Gambino insider, considered to be the adopted son of the family's late boss John J. Gotti.

The hearing is to determine whether Corozzo Sr. should be permitted to use his son Joseph Corozzo Jr. as his defense counsel in an upcoming racketeering trial. Prosecutors indicated that Kasman will testify about his knowledge of Corozzo criminal activity.

Kasman could not become a "made" member of the Mafia because he is not Italian. Still officials note he was very close to John Gotti and to a number of members of the Gambino Family. Kasman reportedly taped his conversations with racketeers beginning in 2005 and has provided additional information to federal investigators.

Corozzo Sr. was named, along with scores of other defendants, in a recent federal indictment against alleged leaders, members and associates of the Gambino organization. Prosecutors say he is the consigliere, or third in command, of the organization. They have accused the younger Mr. Corozzo of serving as house counsel to the crime family. Corozzo Jr. is not facing charges in connection with the racketeering case.

'Nose' broke: D'Amico can't pay lawyer

John "Jackie Nose" D'Amico cannot pay his attorney, according to a story by John Marzulli of the New York Daily News.

Yesterday, attorney Robert Blossner told a Brooklyn federal judge, "He's been unable in any manner at all to meet any financial obligations to me."

Investigators say D'Amico, acting boss of the Gambino Crime Family, is a longtime gambler and could be out of cash. D'Amico might be eligible for a public defender as he faces charges of racketeering and extortion.

'Ndrangheta grabs government funds online

The 'ndrangheta criminal society of Italy's Calabria region is believed responsible for the recent online theft of Italian government funds. Italian police say the money was transfered from a government bank account to Bologna and then to Egypt. The theft was noticed six weeks ago but officials kept it secret as police investigated. Authorities believe someone aided the theft by providing government security passwords.

Marcello sent away for 8 and a half years

U.S. District Judge James Zagel has sentenced Chicago mobster Michael Marcello to eight and a half years in prison, according to reports by Steve Warmbir of the Chicago Sun Times and Azam Ahmed of the Chicago Tribune.

Marcello, 57-year-old brother of Chicago Outfit big shot James Marcello, pleaded guilty to federal racketeering charges in advance of the Family Secrets trial in which his brother was convicted. He acknowledged paying witness Nicholas Calabrese $4,000 a month to keep quiet about unsolved gangland murders. Calabrese eventually became the featured witness in the Family Secrets case.

Judge Zagel said emotional pleas by Marcello family members convinced him to trim some months off the sentence of more than nine years in prison he was planning to impose.

According to federal prosecutors, Michael Marcello operated a lucrative video poker machine racket and delivered orders for his imprisoned brother.

Obesity gets Mafia suspect out of prison

A Palermo court has moved alleged Sicilian Mafia member Salvatore Ferranti, 36, from prison to house arrest because he was simply too fat, according to published reports. Ferranti was moved from prison to prison since taken into custody last August, but none of the institutions could accommodate him. He was attended around the clock by guards who aided him in performing his bodily functions, the reports said.

Chris Colombo gets a year for gambling racket

A federal judge in New York has sentenced admitted gambler Chris Colombo, son of the late crime boss Joseph Colombo, to a year and a day in prison, according to a story by Oliver Mackson of the Times Herald-Record.

Colombo, 46, will begin his sentence in June, after his daughter's first birthday. His attorney asked for a sentence of probation. Prosecutors called for the maximum of 27 months. Possibly fearing a repeat of Colombo's HBO semi-reality series "House Arrest," in which Colombo allowed TV cameras to watch him as he was confined and wearing a monitoring device, Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald decided to give him time behind bars.

IRS releases records from Capone tax case

The Internal Revenue Service is granting access to documents related to the successful prosecution of Chicago's Prohibition Era ganglord Al Capone, according to an announcement on the IRS.gov website.

Records were released after a Freedom of Information request for a copy of Special Agent Frank Wilson's report to Elmer Irey triggered a review of the Capone case files. IRS officials reviewed the documents for compliance with confidentiality requirements and decided that the reports could be made available to the public "principally because Capone never filed a tax return."

The website includes five documents:

• Letter dated July 8, 1931.
• Letter dated March 27, 1931.
• Letter dated April 8, 1931.
• Summary Report dated Dec. 21, 1933.
• Report Excerpt Related to Capone.