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Nearly 130 Arrested In FBI's Biggest Mafia Bust EVER
By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 20, 2011
Modified Jan 20, 2011
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By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 20, 2011
Modified Jan 20, 2011
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Federal agents and members of local law enforcement agencies were very busy this morning, as they arrested almost 130 organized crime members in New York City and other cities. The FBI says it was the "largest nationally coordinated organized crime takedown in the Bureau’s history," with members of "New York’s infamous Five Families—the Bonanno, Colombo, Gambino, Genovese, and Luchese crime organizations—rounded up along with members of the New Jersery-based DeCavalcante family and New England Mafia to face charges including murder, drug trafficking, arson, loan sharking, illegal gambling, witness tampering, labor racketeering, and extortion."
You can read copies of the indictments, but here are a few of the mob nicknames mentioned: Whiney, Tony Bagels, Mousey, The Vet, Brooklyn, Lumpy, Fatty, Fats, Nooch, Junior Lollipops, The Fan, Baby Fat, Jack the Whack, Fat Larry, Louie Ices, Baby Shacks, The Professor, Vinny Carwash, Johnny Bandana, Jello.
The FBI says, "Some 500 FBI personnel—along with about 200 local, state, and other federal law enforcement officers—took part, including key agencies such as the New York Police Department and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. By 11 a.m., more than 110 of the 127 subjects charged had been taken into custody." Janice Fedaryck, assistant director in charge of the NY field office, said, "The notion that today's mob families are more genteel and less violent than in the past is put to lie by the charges contained in the indictments unsealed today. Even more of a myth is the notion that the mob is a thing of the past; that La Cosa Nostra is a shadow of its former self." (However, some note that the FBI has claimed similar victories over the Mafia in the past.)
Tagged
bonanno
colombo
decavalcante
fbi
gambino
Genovese
la cosa nostra
lucchese
mafia
mob
organized crime
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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