Six Genovese Organized Crime Family Defendants Plead Guilty To Racketeering

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the guilty pleas of four members and two associates of the Genovese Organized Crime Family to racketeering conspiracy.  Genovese Family associate THOMAS POLI pled guilty before United States District Judge John G. Koeltl on September 29, 2022, and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Koeltl on April 13, 2023.  Genovese Family Captain NICHOLAS CALISI, Solider JOHN CAMPANELLA, and associate MICHAEL POLI pled guilty before Judge Koeltl on February 8, 2023, and are scheduled to be sentenced by him on June 27, 2023.  Genovese Family Captain RALPH BALSAMO and Soldier MICHAEL MESSINA pled guilty before Judge Koeltl and are scheduled to be sentenced by him on June 28, 2023.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “We remain committed to protecting the people of the Southern District of New York from being preyed on by organized crime.  These pleas demonstrate that those who swear a lifetime allegiance to criminal organizations will be prosecuted, no matter their efforts to insulate themselves.”

According to the Superseding Indictment, the defendants’ statements when pleading guilty, and statements made in related court filings and proceedings:

The Genovese Organized Crime Family is part of a nationwide criminal organization known by various names, including “La Cosa Nostra” (“LCN”) and the “Mafia,” which operates through entities known as “Families.”

Like other LCN Families, the Genovese Organized Crime Family operates through groups of individuals known as “crews.”  Each “crew” has as its leader a person known as a “Captain” and consists of “made” members, known as “Soldiers.”  Soldiers are aided in their criminal endeavors by other trusted individuals, known as “associates,” who sometimes are referred to as “connected” or identified as “with” a Soldier or other member of the Family.  Associates participate in the various activities of the crew and its members.  In order for an associate to become a made member of the Family, the associate typically needs to demonstrate the ability to generate income for the Family and/or that the associate is capable of committing acts of violence.

A Captain is responsible for supervising the criminal activities of his crew, resolving disputes between and among members of the Family, resolving disputes between members of the Family and members of other Families and other criminal organizations, and providing Soldiers and associates with support and protection.  In return, the Captain typically receives a share of the illegal earnings of each of his crew’s Soldiers and associates.

At times relevant to the charges in the Superseding Indictment, NICHOLAS CALISI and RALPH BALSAMO were Captains in the Genovese Family, MICHAEL MESSINA and JOHN CAMPANELLA were Soldiers in the Genovese Family, and MICHAEL POLI and THOMAS POLI were associates of the Genovese Family.

Members of the Genovese Family, including CALISI, BALSAMO, MESSINA, and CAMPANELLA, and associates MICHAEL POLI and THOMAS POLI, engaged in extortionate extensions of credit, financing extortionate extensions of credit, collecting extensions of credit by extortion, extortion, operating illegal gambling businesses, and the transmission of gambling information.

A chart containing the ages, residency information, and the charges to which the defendants pled guilty, as well as the maximum penalties they face, is attached.  

The maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Office of the New York Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force and the Kings County District Attorney’s Office and thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its assistance in this investigation.

Defendant	Age	City Of Residence	Charges	Max Penalties
MICHAEL MESSINA	69	New Fairfield, CT	Racketeering conspiracy	20 years
NICHOLAS CALISI	63	Boca Raton, FL	Racketeering conspiracy	20 years
RALPH BALSAMO	51	Bronx, NY	Racketeering conspiracy	20 years
JOHN CAMPANELLA	47	Bronx, NY	Racketeering conspiracy	20 years
MICHAEL POLI	37	Hawthorne, NY	Racketeering conspiracy	20 years
THOMAS POLI	64	Bronx, NY	Racketeering conspiracy	20 years

Phyllis 'Tiz' Nastasio Fundraiser at Patsy's

 

Phyllis 'Tiz' Nastasio held a fundraiser for her 2023 City Council Campaign Thursday night at Patsy's located on Morris Park Avenue. City Council candidate Nastasio made no fancy speech that night but went around the room speaking to those who came individually.

Anthony Rivieccio (campaign manager for candidate Nastasio) called it a successful night even though he would have liked to see more people in the room, but he said that the important thing was that all who showed up were from the district which means all the money collected is eligible for matching funds of eight to one. 

Mr. Al D'Angelo dropped in to support Phyllis 'Tiz' Nastasio.

Frankie the Fireman as he is known at the Morris Park Community Association was also on hand to support Phyllis 'Tiz' Nastasio. 

The candidate, Phyllis 'Tiz' Nastasio with some of the ladies in attendance for her fundraiser. 

STATEMENT BY BRONX DISTRICT ATTORNEY DARCEL D. CLARK ON ALEXANDER WRIGHT FOUND UNFIT TO STAND TRIAL FOR THE ASSAULT OF NYC TRANSIT EMPLOYEE

 

Bronx Supreme Court Justice Connie Morales ruled that the defendant is not fit to stand trial on charges of second-degree Assault and third-degree Assault for allegedly attacking Anthony Nelson, a NYC Transit Authority employee in the Pelham Bay Park train station, slamming him to the ground causing broken bones, on August 11, 2022. 

Two court-appointed doctors examined the defendant and found him unfit to proceed to trial. Justice Morales remanded the defendant to a psychiatric facility until he is deemed fit to stand trial.