Anthony Romanello, Extortionate Collection of Credit, New York 2024

Brooklyn, NY – In a brazen display of violence, Anthony Romanello, also known as ‘Rom,’ has been convicted of extortionate collection of credit and conspiracy to commit the same in connection with a gambling debt. Romanello, 86, of Franklin Square, New York, faces up to 40 years in prison when sentenced.

This conviction comes after a one-week trial before United States District Judge Eric R. Komitee. Romanello’s accomplice, Joseph Celso, 50, of Queens, New York, was convicted of conspiracy to commit extortionate collection of credit and faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced.

According to court records, Romanello, Celso, and co-defendant Luan Bexheti conspired to use extortionate means to collect an unpaid gambling debt owed by a relative from March 2017 to June 2017. Romanello and Celso used threats and violence in repeated attempts to collect the debt. On the third time, Romanello punched the victim in the face at a restaurant in Manhattan.

The victim reported the assault to the New York City Police Department, but Celso warned the victim’s brother that if the victim did not drop the charge, ‘things would get ugly.’ The victim subsequently withdrew the complaint.

Luan Bexheti, 51, of Queens, New York, pleaded guilty in October 2023 to extortionate collection of credit conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section, with Assistant United States Attorneys Dana Rehnquist, Irisa Chen, and Rebecca Schuman leading the prosecution.

This verdict is a testament to the rule of law and demonstrates that violent and brazen conduct will not be tolerated. U.S. Attorney Breon Peace commended the jury for holding the defendants accountable for their crimes. The defendants’ violent actions were a clear attempt to intimidate and extort a family member, and it is essential that they face justice for their actions.

The Organized Crime and Gangs Section has been instrumental in bringing these defendants to justice, and we commend their efforts in this case. The FBI’s New York Field Office has also played a crucial role in this investigation, and we appreciate their tireless efforts to bring these perpetrators to justice.

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