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Genovese Crime Family Associate and Two Brothers Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court

U.S. Attorney’s Office May 25, 2010
  • Southern District of New York (212) 637-2600

PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that FELICE MASULLO, an associate who was proposed to be a Soldier in the Genovese Organized Crime Family (the "Genovese Famiy"), and two of his brothers, ANGELO MASULLO and ANTHONY MASULLO, were sentenced today to prison sentences of 41 months, seven months, and one year and a day, respectively, by United States District Judge RICHARD J. HOLWELL, for criminal conduct related to the Genovese Family.

According to the Superseding Indictment, the Information to which the defendants pleaded guilty, other documents filed in this case, and statements made in court:

FELICE MASULLO was an up-and-coming associate in the Genovese Family, and had been proposed to be a made Soldier in the Genovese Family. FELICE MASULLO was a member of co-defendant ANTHONY PALUMBO's crew and functioned, in part, as PALUMBO's driver, accompanying him to meetings and delivering messages between PALUMBO and other members and associates of the Genovese Family. In furtherance of the Genovese Family's criminal endeavors, FELICE MASULLO operated a loansharking and gambling business, and also financed the purchase of distribution quantities of cocaine by a confidential informant. In connection with his criminal businesses, FELICE MASULLO relied on the assistance of two of his brothers, ANGELO MASULLO and ANTHONY MASULLO, who, among other things, collected cash payments from loansharking victims and gamblers. FELICE MASULLO, ANTHONY MASULLO, and ANGELO MASULLO operated these illegal businesses out of a restaurant they operated together in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, New York.

FELICE MASULLO, 38, ANTHONY MASULLO, 35, and ANGELO MASULLO, 40, pleaded guilty on November 6, 2009, before United States Magistrate Judge THEODORE H. KATZ, to a Superseding Information. In connection with his plea, FELICE MASULLO admitted that he participated in the affairs of a racketeering enterprise, the Genovese Family, through his participation in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, an extortion conspiracy, and a conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business. ANTHONY MASULLO and ANGELO MASULLO also pleaded guilty to participating in an extortion conspiracy.

Six other defendants charged in the Indictment have previously pleaded guilty: DANIEL LEO, JOSEPH LEO, VINCENT COTONA, CHARLES SALZANO, PATSY AVERSA, and ARTHUR BOLAND.

DANIEL LEO, the former Acting Boss of the Genovese Family, and his nephew, JOSEPH LEO, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and participation in the affairs of the Genovese Family through a pattern of racketeering activity, including loansharking and illegal gambling offenses. On March 23, 2010, Judge HOLWELL sentenced DANIEL LEO to 18 months in prison and ordered him to forfeit $1.3 million as the proceeds of the Genovese Family's illegal gambling business. His sentence was ordered to run consecutively to his 60-month sentence based on his conviction in Manhattan federal court on extortion charges in October 2007. The following day, Judge HOLWELL sentenced JOSEPH LEO to 12 months in prison and ordered him to forfeit $200,000 as the proceeds of the Genovese Family's illegal gambling business. JOSEPH LEO's sentence was ordered to run consecutively to his 46-month sentence based on his conviction in Manhattan federal court on extortion charges in October 2007.

VINCENT COTONA pleaded guilty on March 3, 2010, before United States Magistrate Judge JAMES C. FRANCIS IV, to a Superseding Information that charged COTONA with knowingly receiving the proceeds of extortion. On March 25, 2010, Judge HOLWELL sentenced COTONA to 10 months in prison, with four months ordered to run consecutively to his 24-month sentence for money laundering conspiracy arising from his January 22, 2008, conviction in New Jersey federal court.

CHARLES SALZANO pleaded guilty on March 5, 2010, before Judge FRANCIS, to a Superseding Information that charged SALZANO with knowingly receiving the proceeds of extortion and operating an illegal gambling business. SALZANO is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge HOLWELL on June 9, 2010, and faces a maximum possible sentence of eight years in prison and a maximum fine of $500,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. SALZANO recently completed a 37-month prison sentence based on his prior conviction in Manhattan federal court on extortion charges in September 2007.

ARTHUR BOLAND pleaded guilty on February 19, 2010, before United States Magistrate Judge KEVIN NATHANIEL FOX to loansharking, and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge HOLWELL on May 21, 2010. BOLAND faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. At the time of his plea, BOLAND agreed to forfeit $20,000 as the illegal proceeds of his loansharking offense.

PATSY AVERSA pleaded guilty on April 9, 2010, before United States Magistrate Judge ANDREW J. PECK to tax evasion, and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge HOLWELL on July 8, 2010. AVERSA faces a maximum possible sentence of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $100,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.

Mr. BHARARA praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Police Department in this investigation.

This case is being handled by the Office's Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys AVI WEITZMAN, DAVID B. MASSEY, BRIAN JACOBS, and JASON HERNANDEZ are in charge of the prosecutions.

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