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Authorities Arrest 11 Alleged Members Of 'Thriving' Gambino Crime Family
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Dec 6, 2019
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Court documents
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Dec 6, 2019
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Federal authorities have arrested eleven alleged members of the Gambino crime family on a stack of bribery, fraud and extortion charges—including ordering one victim to pay up or get his teeth knocked out.
Andrew Campos, the 50-year-old reputed captain of the crime family, was among those busted in the major mob crackdown, which went down in the Bronx and Westchester on Thursday. Court papers show how Campos, his partner Richard Martino, and a host of underlings allegedly dispensed bribes, kickbacks and violent threats while under FBI surveillance.
“The Gambino members arrested in this case ran the gamut of criminal activity," FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William Sweeney said in a statement. "Everything from the usual thuggish behavior of beating people up, forcing people to take the fall for their crimes, all the way to defrauding the federal government."
Much of that alleged criminal activity has taken place at the Gambino's World Trade Center-adjacent construction company, CWC Contracting Corp., prosecutors claimed.
In one instance detailed in the indictment, Vincent Fiore, a loyal alleged Gambino foot soldier, was allegedly caught on wiretap threatening someone who owed Campos $100,000: "When you get punched in the face and your teeth get knocked out . . . you're not going to laugh no more, okay?"
The records also shed new light into how the infamous crime syndicate reacted to the slaying of Frank "Franky Boy" Cali, the Gambino boss who was gunned down on a residential street outside his Staten Island home this past March.
According to the indictment, the mob family organized a "clandestine meeting" at an undisclosed location in the borough to regroup days after the killing. Fiore allegedly called Cali's death "a good thing," since it meant that Campos, his direct supervisor, would rise in rank.
Prosecutors in that case have not linked the fatal shooting to Cali's mafia ties. The alleged killer is a QAnon conspiracy theorist and avowed Trump supporter, but does not appear to be involved in mafia dealings. Following the death, Fiore was allegedly heard speculating that the motive could be "relating to a woman."
Despite the death of their capo, the Gambino clan is believed to be "thriving." According to the criminal complaint, "this investigation makes clear that the Gambino family is thriving, earning millions of dollars through various forms of fraud, bribery, money laundering and extortion, particularly in the construction industry, and distributes these illicit proceeds to other members and associates of La Cosa Nostra."
In addition to Campos, Martino and Fiore, authorities also arrested Mark Kocaj (aka "Chippy"), Frank Tarul (aka "Bones"), John Simonlacaj (aka "Smiley"), Benito DiZenzo (aka "Benny"), James Ciaccia, George Campos, Renato Barca Jr., and Michael Tarul—all of them alleged Gambino family soldiers and associates.
They were arraigned in Brooklyn Federal Court on Thursday afternoon.
Tagged
john gotti
gambino
la cosa nostra
gambino crime family
Jake Offenhartz
Jake Offenhartz is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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