A notorious figure in the New England La Cosa Nostra was sentenced to 9 years in federal prison for his role in a massive extortion scheme that wrung millions from the state’s adult entertainment industry.
Edward ‘Eddy’ Lato, 65, of Providence, R.I., admitted to participating in the racketeering and extortion conspiracy that demanded and received between $800,000 and $1.5 million in ‘protection’ payments from several adult entertainment businesses in Rhode Island from 1995 to 2009.
Lato also confessed to conspiring with others to extort $25,000 from a Rhode Island car salesman and his wife by using implied threats of violence.
The extortion racketeering scheme was uncovered by the FBI, Rhode Island State Police and the Providence Police Department, who launched a probe into the activities of the New England La Cosa Nostra.
Lato was charged alongside eight others, with seven of the defendants pleading guilty and facing lengthy prison sentences. Former NELCN underboss Luigi Manocchio was sentenced to 5.5 years in federal prison in May 2012.
U.S. District Judge William E. Smith handed down Lato’s 108-month sentence, which will be followed by three years of supervised release upon his completion of the prison term.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Ferland and Trial Attorney Sam Nazzaro of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section prosecuted the case, which marked a major blow to the New England La Cosa Nostra.
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Key Facts
- State: Rhode Island
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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