Two More Defendants Plead Guilty in Manhattan Federal Court in Scheme to Exert Control Over the Waste-Hauling Industry
Twenty-One Defendants Have Now Pled Guilty in the Scheme
| U.S. Attorney’s OfficeJanuary 16, 2014 |
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Scott Fappiano and Anthony Bazzini pled guilty today in Manhattan federal court in connection with their roles in an illegal scheme to exert control over the commercial waste-hauling industry in the greater New York City metropolitan area and in parts of New Jersey. Fappiano and Bazzini, who were among 32 defendants charged in January 2013 in connection with the scheme, pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel. Fappiano and Bazzini are the 20th and 21st defendants to plead guilty in this matter.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said, “With today’s pleas, we have convicted nearly two-thirds of the defendants originally charged in this case, and we will not rest until all responsible for this scheme to control the waste-hauling industry in New York City and beyond are made to answer for their numerous crimes.”
According to the Indictment against Fappiano and Bazzini, other documents filed in Manhattan federal court, and statements made at related court proceedings:
Fappiano, who is an associate of the Gambino crime family, and Bazzini, who is a made member of the Gambino crime family, participated in a scheme, along with other members and associates of three different organized crime families of La Cosa Nostra (LCN)—the Genovese, Gambino, and Luchese crime families—to control various waste disposal businesses in the New York City metropolitan area and multiple counties in New Jersey. Members of the scheme engaged in various crimes including extortion, loansharking, mail and wire fraud, and stolen property offenses. As part of their involvement in the scheme, Fappiano and Bazzini made threats of bodily harm to a cooperating government witness (CW-1) who owned a waste hauling company in an effort to obtain payments from CW-1.
Fappiano, 52, of Staten Island, New York, pled guilty to one count of communicating a threat of bodily harm in interstate commerce and faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Fappiano is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Castel on May 8, 2014, at 10:30 a.m.
Bazzini, 54, of Glen Head, New York, pled guilty to one count of communicating a threat of bodily harm in interstate commerce and faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Bazzini is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Castel on May 8, 2014, at 11:30 a.m.
Two other defendants have also recently pled guilty in connection with this case. Anthony Cardinalle, 61, of Saddle River, New Jersey, pled guilty on December 20, 2013, before Judge Castel to participation in a racketeering conspiracy and participation in an extortion conspiracy. He faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 23, 2014, at 11:00 a.m. Charles Giustra, 52, of Staten Island, New York, pled guilty on December 23, 2013, before Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein to using a facility of interstate commerce in furtherance of a narcotics transaction. He faces a maximum sentence of eight years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon on March 25, 2014, at 4:00 p.m.
The charges against the remaining defendants are merely accusations, and these defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Mr. Bharara praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Westchester County Police Department.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian R. Blais, Natalie Lamarque, and Patrick Egan are in charge of the prosecution. Assistant United States Attorney Micah Smith of the Office’s Asset Forfeiture Unit is responsible for the forfeiture aspects of the case.
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