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La Cosa Nostra

Feds Bust Mob Scheme To Recruit Russian Strippers, Set Up Sham Marriages

Ryan J. Reilly | November 30, 2011, 2:54PM

Federal authorities on Wednesday arrested 20 people they say took part in a scheme to recruit women from Russia and eastern European countries to illegally work in strip clubs controlled by the Gambino and Bonanno crime families of La Cosa Nostra. Many of the defendants have also been charged with arranging for the women to enter into sham marriages with U.S. citizens.

Among the defendants are alleged mob figures with nicknames like "Old Man Willy," "Big Alex" and "The Walker." The strip clubs in questions -- which aren't specifically named in the charging documents -- are located in Queens and Long Island in New York.

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Topics: La Cosa Nostra, Mob Bust

Lucchese Family

Feds: Mafia Affiliates Took Over, Looted $12 Million From Texas Mortgage Company

Ryan J. Reilly | November 1, 2011, 2:55PM

Federal authorities charged Tuesday that affiliates of the La Cosa Nostra and Lucchese organized crime families gave a "new meaning" to the term "corporate takeover" when they looted a publicly traded mortgage company, with one member threatening that if someone were to "rat," their "wives will be f**ked... and your kids will be sold off as prostitutes."

Law enforcement officials charged 13 people -- including an alleged member and another associate of the Lucchese family -- on racketeering and related offenses in an alleged scheme to take over and loot the Texas-based FirstPlus Financial Group Inc. (FPFG) through extortion. Ten defendants are already in custody, one is expected to surrender and two are still at large.

Federal officials allege that Nicodemo S. Scarfo Jr. -- also known as "Nick Promo," "Mr. Apple" and Mr. Macintosh" -- became a "made" member of the Lucchese family after an attempt on his life in 1989. They say Lucchese family boss Vittorio Amuso, while in federal prison in Atlanta, arranged for Scarfo to become a member of the Lucchese family as a favor to former Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra boss Nicodemo D. Scarfo Sr. Both Amuso and Scarfo are named as unindicted co-conspirators in the case.