According to the Department of Justice:<\/p>\n
A superseding indictment was unsealed today against 15 defendants, including alleged members and associates of the South Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey-based criminal organization La Cosa Nostra (LCN), popularly known as the \u2018mafia\u2019 or \u2018mob.\u2019 \u00a0The superseding indictment charges various crimes including racketeering conspiracy, illegal gambling, loansharking, extortion, and drug trafficking.<\/p>\n
Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department\u2019s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and Special Agent in Charge Michael Driscoll of the FBI\u2019s Philadelphia Field Office made the announcement.<\/p>\n
The defendants charged in the seven-count superseding indictment are Steven Mazzone, aka \u201cStevie,\u201d 56; Domenic Grande, aka \u201cDom,\u201d \u201cMr. Hopkins,\u201d \u201cMr. Brown,\u201d and \u201cDom14,\u201d 41; Joseph Servidio, aka \u201cJoey Electric,\u201d 60; Salvatore Mazzone, aka \u201cSonny,\u201d 55; Joseph Malone, 70; Louis Barretta, aka \u201cLouie Sheep,\u201d 56; Victor DeLuca, aka \u201cBig Vic,\u201d 56; Kenneth Arabia, aka \u201cKenny,\u201d 67; Daniel Castelli, aka \u201cDanny,\u201d \u201cCozzy,\u201d aka \u201cButch,\u201d aka \u201cHarry,\u201d age 67; Carl Chianese, age 81; Anthony Gifoli, aka \u201cTony Meatballs,\u201d 72; John Romeo, 58; Daniel Malatesta, 75; Daniel Bucceroni, 66; and John Michael Payne, 33.<\/p>\n
According to court documents, the Philadelphia LCN is one of a number of LCN organized crime families based in various cities throughout the United States. \u00a0The purpose of the LCN in Philadelphia and elsewhere is to make money through the commission of various crimes, including illegal gambling, loansharking, drug trafficking, and extortion.<\/p>\n
Like other LCN families, the Philadelphia LCN is operated through a defined hierarchical structure, including a Boss, an Underboss (Steven Mazzone), and Captains (Grande), who oversee \u201ccrews\u201d consisting of \u201csoldiers\u201d and \u201cassociates.\u201d \u00a0As detailed in the superseding indictment, soldiers are members of the family who have been formally initiated through a ritual called a \u201cmaking ceremony,\u201d during which they swear allegiance to LCN above all else, take a vow of secrecy about the organization (the Code of Silence or \u201cOmerta\u201d), and agree to commit violence on behalf of the LCN if necessary. \u00a0After this ceremony, these men (who must be of 100 percent Italian ancestry) are then referred to as \u201cmade members\u201d of LCN. \u00a0Associates are men who engage in criminal activity on behalf of LCN but who have not been formally \u201cmade,\u201d either because they are up-and-coming and aspire to full membership, or because they are ineligible to be made because they lack fully Italian ancestry. \u00a0Made members and associates who break Omerta are looked upon unfavorably as \u201crats\u201d and may be targeted for death by other members of the group.<\/p>\n
As described in the superseding indictment, the Philadelphia LCN sought to use its reputation and influence to exercise control over criminal rackets like sports bookmaking and loansharking operating in Philadelphia and southern New Jersey, particularly Atlantic City. \u00a0During a period beginning in August 2015, 10 of the defendants allegedly conspired to conduct and participate in the affairs of the Philadelphia LCN through both a pattern of racketeering activity and through the collection of unlawful debts. \u00a0The remaining five defendants are charged with allegedly committing a variety of other offenses, including conducting an illegal gambling business, conspiracy to make extortionate extensions of credit, and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, in partnership with other members and associates of the Philadelphia LCN.<\/p>\n
As alleged in the superseding indictment, on Oct. 15, 2015, defendants Steven Mazzone, Grande, and Salvatore Mazzone participated in a \u201cmaking ceremony\u201d (as detailed above) in a South Philadelphia residence, during which several new soldiers were inducted into the Philadelphia LCN.\u00a0 The superseding indictment describes the various acts allegedly committed by the defendants and others as members of the group including the distribution of heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine and oxycodone pills; the disbursement and collection of tens of thousands of dollars of unlawful bookmaking and other debts \u2018owed\u2019 to the group at interest rates as high as 400 percent; and even an alleged conspiracy to kidnap or murder a drug dealer in order to protect the reputation of the Philadelphia LCN after the dealer sold members of the group fake drugs.<\/p>\n
The case is being investigated by the FBI\u2019s Philadelphia Field Office and Atlantic City Resident Agency with the assistance of the Philadelphia Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General. \u00a0The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Alexander Gottfried of the Criminal Division\u2019s Organized Crime and Gang Section Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Ortiz of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.<\/p>\n
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