Politics

Gambino family Mafia crackdown: 16 arrests by New York feds and Italian authorities

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Dan Mangan@_DanMangan
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Key Points
  • Sixteen defendants were arrested in New York and Italy on charges related to Mafia activities, authorities said.
  • The defendants in Brooklyn included alleged members and associates of the Gambino organized crime family.
  • Prosecutors said the New York defendants committed extortion, assault, arson and crimes related to unions in an attempt to dominate the city's demolition and carting sectors.
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York stands in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on Jan. 18, 2019.
Drew Angerer | Getty Images

Federal prosecutors in New York on Wednesday announced the arrests of 10 men allegedly belonging to or associated with the Gambino Mafia family, as well as the arrests in Italy of six other alleged organized crime members and associates.

The defendants in Brooklyn federal court are accused of a racketeering conspiracy that allegedly involved "violent extortions, assaults, arson, and union-related crimes," the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York said.

Prosecutors said the Brooklyn defendants, who are charged in a 16-count indictment, committed those crimes as part of an effort to dominate New York's carting and demolition industries.

The Gambinos are one of New York's five Cosa Nostra organized crime cliques. It previously was led by the late notorious boss John Gotti, who died in a federal prison in Missouri in 2002.

The defendants arrested in New York on Wednesday included the alleged Gambino captain Joseph "Joe Brooklyn" Lanni.

Prosecutors said the arrests were part of a coordinated operation with Italian law enforcement, who arrested the six defendants in Italy on charges that include mafia association and related offenses.

One defendant remains at large in that case.

Prosecutors said the other defendants in Brooklyn include: "Diego 'Danny' Tantillo, Angelo Gradilone, also known as 'Fifi,' and James LaForte, alleged Gambino soldiers, Vito Rappa, alleged U.S.-based Sicilian Mafia member and Gambino associate, Francesco Vicari, also known as 'Uncle Ciccio,' alleged U.S.-based Sicilian Mafia associate and Gambino associate, and Salvatore DiLorenzo, Robert Brooke, Kyle Johnson, also known as 'Twin,' and Vincent Minsquero, also known as 'Vinny Slick,' alleged Gambino associates."

This is breaking news. Check back for updates.

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