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Cops Suspect Mob Shakedown In Lucali Owner's Stabbing
By
Jaya Saxena
Published Apr 17, 2011
Modified Apr 17, 2011
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By
Jaya Saxena
Published Apr 17, 2011
Modified Apr 17, 2011
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Both ex-con Benny Geritano and Lucali's Pizza owner Mark Iacono have been charged with assault after a knife fight on Friday left them both in the hospital, and right now neither of them are speaking to police about how the fight started. One possibility is that Geritano, an associate of the Genovese mob, was trying to make Iacono pay up. “One motive being looked at is the possibility he was trying to shake down the owner for a slice of the business,” one official told the Times.
Locals say Iacono ran Lucali's with a mob-like flair as well, with a mobster on payroll and checks being cut from the owner's personal account. The business had come under federal surveillance recently because they believed mobster Dominick Dionisio was hired as a family favor. However, both sides are saying the other started the fight. One source told the Daily News, "Benny has a screw loose and goes off. But his job was to collect his half brother's loans," but Benny said yesterday, "I didn't do anything. I'm the victim here."
When asked about the possibility of a mob connection, Iacono said, "A mob hit? No. Who said that?" However, he did have hopeful words for fans of Lucali's Pizza: "Tell everyone I'll be back making pizza soon."
Tagged
benny geritano
felony assault
Genovese
knife fight
lucali's pizza
mark iacono
mob
Jaya Saxena
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