Philadelphia Mafia Underboss Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison
Steven Mazzone, the underboss of the Philadelphia mafia family, was sentenced to 5 years in prison for conspiring to participate in the affairs of a racketeering enterprise.
According to court documents, Mazzone, 59, of Philadelphia, directed a vast network of criminal activity that spanned Philadelphia and parts of New Jersey. As the underboss, Mazzone set rules for LCN members and associates in the Philadelphia mafia and collected profits from illegal activity that was siphoned upward through the LCN command structure.
The investigation utilized court-ordered wiretap interceptions of cell phones used by LCN members and associates to conduct illegal sports betting and loansharking in the Philadelphia area. The wiretap evidence established that Mazzone financed high-interest loans to customers of the sportsbook who were unable to pay their debts, resulting in the collection of loans with interest rates as high as 264%.
LCN members and associates made threatened debtors who did not pay with violence, including one threat to make a victim “disappear” for nonpayment on a loan.
“Even though the Philadelphia mob has been weakened over the decades due in large part to persistent law enforcement, the LCN and its criminal activities are still very much a problem and are damaging the communities in which it operates,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Mazzone had previously committed similar offenses in Philadelphia over 20 years ago as an inducted member in the Philadelphia mafia. In 2000, Mazzone was convicted of conspiracy to commit racketeering and illegal sports bookmaking.
Related Federal Cases
- Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra Capo Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy · New Jersey
- Bloods Leaders Admit Racketeering Conspiracy · Pennsylvania
- Zaire Dickerson, ‘Tarzan,’ Charged in Newark Drug Conspiracy · Maryland
- Rollin’ 60s Gang Member Gets 14.8 Years for Racketeering, Carjacking Spree · New Jersey
- Made Member Guilty of Racketeering · New Jersey
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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