La Cosa Nostra Member Pleads Guilty to Racketeering
WASHINGTON – In a major blow to the Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra, a member of the notorious crime family has pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy charges. Louis Fazzini, 45, of Caldwell, N.J., admitted to participating in a racketeering conspiracy involving illegal gambling and theft from an employee benefit plan.
At the plea hearing before U.S. District Judge Eduardo C. Robreno of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Fazzini pleaded guilty to conspiring to conduct and participate in the affairs of the Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra (LCN) Family through a pattern of racketeering activity. He admitted that, as a made member of the North Jersey crew of the Philadelphia LCN Family, he operated a sports bookmaking business and devised a fraudulent scheme to obtain health benefits through a ‘no-show’ job controlled by the LCN in furtherance of the racketeering conspiracy.
Fazzini’s sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 17, 2013. As part of his plea deal, Fazzini faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The guilty plea marks a significant development in the ongoing investigation into the Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra.
Fazzini was among 14 members and associates of the Philadelphia LCN Family charged with crimes involving racketeering conspiracy, extortion, loan sharking, illegal gambling, witness tampering and theft from an employee benefit plan in a third superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Philadelphia on July 25, 2012. The other defendants charged in the 52-count third superseding indictment included Philadelphia LCN Family Boss Joseph Ligambi, Philadelphia LCN Family Underboss Joseph Massimino, George Borgesi, Martin Angelina, Anthony Staino, Gaeton Lucibello, Damion Canalichio, Louis Barretta, Gary Battaglini, Robert Verrecchia, Eric Esposito, Robert Ranieri and Joseph Licata.
Lucibello pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy charges on Aug. 2, 2012, and was sentenced to 51 months in prison. Angelina pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy charges on Aug. 8, 2012, and was sentenced to 57 months in prison. Barretta also pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy charges on Sep. 5, 2012, and was sentenced to 33 months in prison.
The trial for Ligambi, Massimino, Borgesi, Staino, Canalichio, Battaglini and Licata is scheduled for Oct. 9, 2012. The trial for Verrecchia, Esposito and Ranieri has not yet been scheduled. Ligambi, Massimino, Borgesi, Canalichio and Fazzini are detained while awaiting trial. Staino, Battaglini, Verrecchia, Esposito and Ranieri are free on bond while awaiting trial.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney John S. Han of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank A. Labor III and Suzanne B. Ercole of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Valuable prosecutorial assistance was provided by the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General.
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