Staten Island, NY – A complex web of waste management companies and their principals were brought to justice in 1991 following a lengthy federal investigation into illegal dumping and racketeering activities. A & A Land Development, along with its associated entities and key figures Anthony Vulpis and Angelo Paccione, were convicted on multiple counts, exposing a scheme to operate an illegal landfill and defraud the public.
The case, originating with a 1989 indictment, revealed a sprawling enterprise involving A & A Land Development, August Recycling, New York Environmental Contractors, National/Stage Carting, Rosedale Carting, and Vulpis Brothers, Ltd. These companies, all operating in the New York metropolitan area, were allegedly used to funnel construction debris, trash, asbestos, and even medical waste to an unpermitted landfill. The indictment further named Fred E. Weiss of W&W Properties, a real estate firm involved in the land development aspect of the operation.
Prosecutors argued that Paccione and Vulpis orchestrated the scheme, leveraging their control over multiple waste hauling and disposal companies to maximize profits while flouting environmental regulations. John McDonald, a principal at New York Environmental and employee of August and National/Stage, was later added to the indictment, accused of participating in the racketeering and mail fraud aspects of the operation. The enterprise allegedly used fraudulent invoices, permits, and mailings to conceal the illegal dumping and maintain the flow of waste to the illicit landfill.
The investigation took a dark turn in September 1989 when Fred E. Weiss was brutally murdered in an ambush shooting outside his Staten Island apartment. While the connection to the landfill case was never definitively proven in court, the timing of the murder raised suspicions and further underscored the dangerous environment surrounding the enterprise. The trial, which commenced in March 1990, presented a mountain of evidence detailing the coordinated efforts to operate the illegal landfill and conceal its activities.
After a months-long trial, a federal jury found Anthony Vulpis, Angelo Paccione, and the seven affiliated companies, including A & A Land Development, guilty of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and conspiracy. McDonald and his company were found guilty of mail fraud. The penalties were substantial: Angelo Paccione received a 151-month prison sentence (suspended from a potential 604 months), along with three years of probation upon release and a $400 special assessment. A & A Land Development and Vulpis Brothers, Ltd. were each fined a staggering $22,000,000, in addition to a $1,400 special assessment.
The court also mandated that Paccione, Vulpis, and McDonald forfeit their positions and any involvement with the defendant companies, effectively dismantling the illegal enterprise. The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of unchecked environmental crime and the lengths to which individuals will go to prioritize profit over public safety and environmental protection.
Key Facts
- Defendants: A & A Land Development, Anthony Vulpis, Angelo Paccione, Fred E. Weiss, John McDonald, and associated companies.
- Location: Staten Island and Brooklyn, New York.
- Crime: Racketeering, conspiracy, and mail fraud related to the operation of an illegal landfill.
- Statutes Violated: 18 U.S.C. 1341 (Mail Fraud), 18 U.S.C. 1962(d) & 1963 (RICO Racketeering), 18 U.S.C. 1961 (RICO Enterprise Participation).
- Penalties: Paccione – 151 months imprisonment, $400 assessment; A & A Land Development & Vulpis Bros. – $22,000,000 fines + $1,400 assessments; Forfeiture of positions within the companies.
- Notable Event: The murder of Fred E. Weiss during the course of the investigation.
Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database
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