They’re taking a whack at coming clear.
Gambino crime household capo Joseph “Joe Brooklyn” Lanni and 6 of his fellow wiseguys copped responsible pleas Friday for violently attempting to take over the Large Apple’s rubbish enterprise.
“I knew that agreeing to do that was in opposition to the legislation,” Lanni flatly stated, apparently studying a boilerplate definition of racketeering throughout his plea in Brooklyn federal court docket.
Lanni, 54, who additionally goes by the mafia moniker “Mommino,” headed a sprawling racketeering enterprise participating in extortion, witness retaliation and different crimes — with an audacious bid to place the town’s trash and demolition trade below its thumb, federal prosecutors stated.
The pleas comply with a probe from the Japanese District of New York feds that led to a 16-count indictment in 2023.
An ensuing takedown, together with arrests in Italy, rounded up a crew of Gambino made males and associates with nicknames corresponding to “Vinny Slick,” “Uncle Ciccio,” “Twin” and “Fifi.”
Made man Diego “Danny” Tantillo, 50, wore flashy silver sun shades within the courtroom as he pleaded responsible to costs associated to extorting a New York Metropolis-area carting enterprise.
Tantillo menacingly threatened the enterprise’ proprietor with a metallic baseball bat, demanding month-to-month funds, court docket papers state.
When the proprietor stopped making funds, Tantillo’s males set fireplace to the person’s entrance steps, let air out of the tires of his vehicles and even threatened to chop him in half, the paperwork allege.
One mobster — Francesco “Uncle Ciccio” Vicari, 64, who additionally pleaded responsible Friday — “acted just like the ‘Final of the Samurai’” as he picked up a knife and instructed an affiliate to bisect the hapless proprietor, a wiretap revealed.
“Get this axe and also you make him – two,” he allegedly stated.
Tantillo, who additionally allegedly organized a hammer assault on one other demolition firm’s worker, obtained at the very least $4 million in funds from his ill-gotten schemes — and dutifully “kicked up” the proceeds to Lanni, prosecutors stated.
Lanni was additionally implicated, however not charged, together with Vincent “Vinny Slick” Minsquero, 38, in a wild fracas in a Toms River, New Jersey restaurant in September 2023, court docket paperwork allege.
The mobbed-up pair bought in an argument with one other patron, prompting the restaurant’s employees to ask them to go away.
Minsquero broken a portray and punched wall, whereas Lanni stated he would “burn this place down with you in it,” court docket papers state.
Minutes after making the menace, Lanni purchased a crimson gasoline container, walked to a pump and tried to fill it earlier than Minsquero wrested it from him, the paperwork reveal.
Nonetheless fuming, Lanni referred to as the restaurant 39 occasions — with one threatening name being captured on Toms River cop’s physique digital camera.
“Apologize to me,” Lanni might be heard saying, the paperwork state, earlier than he repeated, “Beg for my forgiveness. Beg for my forgiveness. Beg for my forgiveness . . . Beg. Beg. Beg for my forgiveness. Beg. Beg. Beg for my forgiveness. Say, ‘I’m sorry, Joe.’”
The ordeal didn’t finish there — two males got here again to the restaurant round midnight, punched the proprietor within the head, put a knife to his neck and threatened to kill him, court docket papers state.
The proprietor’s partner was additionally knocked to the bottom and beat by the 2 males.
“Get this axe and also you make him – two.”
Decide Frederic Block, a joke-cracking wiseguy of the standup comedy selection, instructed Lanni he confronted a sentencing vary between 6.5 and eight years, earlier than implying the last word jail bit might be shorter.
“You’re placing your life in my fingers,” the choose stated, earlier than deadpanning, “I’m speaking actual avenue discuss to you.
“You’re prepared to roll the cube?”
“Sure, your honor,” Lanni replied.
