White Collar Crime News

New York City Mafia Members Indicted for Murder February 17, 2010

Just when you thought that you’d seen the last of the mafia in New York City the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York  has announced the unsealing in federal court earlier today of a 13-count Indictment charging ARTHUR NIGRO, the former Acting Boss of the Genovese Organized Crime Family, and ANTHONY ARILLOTTA, a made member of the Genovese Organized Crime Family, with various racketeering crimes, including the 2003 murder of ADOLFO BRUNO. In addition, the Indictment charges Genovese Organized Crime Family member STEVE ALFISI with racketeering, and MARCOS CAIO, JAMES COUMOUTSOS, and GEORGE COUMOUTSOS with participating with ALFISI in an illegal gambling operation.

According to an Indictment unsealed earlier today in Manhattan Federal Court:

NIGRO, ARILLOTTA, and ALFISI are all made members of the Genovese Organized Crime Family, and NIGRO served for a time as the Acting Boss of the Genovese Family. In November 2003, in their capacities within the Genovese Organized Crime Family, NIGRO and ARILLOTTA murdered ADOLFO BRUNO in order to maintain and increase their position in the Genovese Organized Crime Family, as well as to prevent BRUNO from providing information to law enforcement about crimes committed by members of the Genovese Organized Crime Family. NIGRO and ARILLOTTA are also charged with multiple extortions and other racketeering crimes in their capacities with the Genovese Organized Crime Family.

The Indictment also charges ALFISI with racketeering for his conduct with the Genovese Organized Crime Family including the operation of an illegal gambling business in New York along with co-defendants CAIO, JAMES COUMOUTSOS, and GEORGE COUMOUTSOS.

NIGRO, 65, and JAMES COUMOUTSOS, 47, both from Bronx, New York, are currently incarcerated on federal and state charges, respectively. ARILLOTTA, 41, was arrested this morning in his hometown of Springfield, Massachusetts. ALFISI, 45, CAIO, 39, both from Bronx, New York, and GEORGE COUMOUTSOS, 42, of Eastchester, New York, were arrested this morning and are expected to be presented this afternoon in Manhattan federal Court.

This case took seven years to indict which makes you wonder what new evidence came up now.  Seems like someone flipped recently.