The alleged kingpin of the Penn State drug scandal was a “loudmouth” on the all-boys Catholic faculty he attended, sources instructed The Put up.
Agostino Abbatiello was taught religion, self-discipline and neighborhood on the $19,000-a-year Chaminade Excessive College in Mineola, New York — however his classmates declare he was already pushing boundaries along with his habits whereas a teen.
“I might all the time see him getting in some type of hassle as a result of he was all the time on the sting,” a classmate in the identical homeroom as Abbatiello, recognized to friends as “Auggie,” instructed The Put up.
“Auggie was not this harmless boy. He had this group of, like, 10 boys who would hand around in parks after faculty and go to accommodate events.
“There have been rumors a few of that crowd had been consuming underage, some individuals had faux IDs, that type of factor.”
Abbatiello, 24, now stands accused of being ringleader of a cocaine dealing operation throughout two off-campus fraternities at Penn State, the place he was allegedly often called “The Godfather” throughout his time on the college.
The information has shocked graduates of the ultra-competitive all-boys Catholic establishment the place he beforehand studied, which prides itself on “forming younger males of character and objective.”
Nonetheless, away from day by day prayers, confession and neighborhood volunteer work Abbatiello made a mark earlier than graduating in 2020.
“He was a jokester, all the time in search of consideration. He’d go round making noises, calling individuals names and doing his finest to make individuals chortle when the trainer turned their backs”
Abbatiello appeared in court docket final Wednesday the place his “excellent good friend” Lars Zeepvat, one other Penn State graduate charged as a part of the identical scheme, testified the Lengthy Island native purchased giant quantities of medicine from a seller named “RJ” who he knew from highschool.
“First time he bought from RJ it was essentially the most we’ve ever seen and it was 100 grams,” Zeepvat instructed the Centre County Courthouse. “Individuals had been enamored with how a lot it was.”
“Abbatiello introduced again the coke the primary time he went to New York and put it on the social room [at the] frat home,” he stated.
The sources who spoke to The Put up stated they didn’t know who “RJ” is. Abbatiello’s lawyer, his dad and mom, Chaminade Excessive College and Penn State didn’t reply to calls and requests for remark from The Put up.
A month earlier than Abbatiello turned himself in to Pennsylvania police on August 18, his youthful brother, Sebastiano Abbatiello, additionally discovered himself in cuffs charged with cocaine possession.
The 20-year-old, who adopted his sibling to check at $45,000-a-year Penn State, was discovered with two grams of cocaine and a rolled-up greenback invoice by Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Fee officers, in line with a possible trigger affidavit.
Sebastiano was stopped by waterways conservation officers on Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir when the rental boat he was allegedly working collided with one other and made a loud ‘bang’, the doc states. Cops claimed the 12-person vessel was overloaded.
Sebastiano’s driver’s license was present in his pockets alongside a plastic dishevelled.
“Sgt Lauer requested [Sebastiano] what was within the clear plastic dishevelled present in his pockets, Abbatiello responded ‘cocaine’,” the affidavit states.
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The officers additionally claimed they discovered one other empty plastic bag with a white powder residue labeled “keep excessive”.
He was charged with misdemeanor counts of working a ship below the affect, possession of a managed substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. His preliminary listening to is scheduled for October 14.
Sebastiano attended the identical Catholic faculty as his brother and graduated in 2024 earlier than heading to Penn State.
The pair grew up in rich Lengthy Island neighborhood Westbury with their dad and mom Mario and Danielle Abbatiello. Their father has owned a paving and building enterprise since 1984.
“I knew he was from a well-off household who lived in a pleasant neighborhood so I suppose it’s stunning to those who he has discovered himself in as a lot hassle as he’s in,” his former classmate stated.
Abbatiello is accused of main the cocaine operation at Penn State and allegedly began dealing medicine to change into “standard.”
He gave away free coke at afterparties, blew money on a brand new wardrobe and acquired “a $5,000 bong” after raking in money, Zeepvat instructed court docket.
Abbatiello was launched Wednesday on a $250,000 secured bond after he was locked up with out bail for every week for failing to show himself in when prosecutors initially required.
