Mafia bust nets 127 suspected members of
organized crime in sweeping crackdown
BY John Marzulli AND Corky Siemaszko
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Updated: Thursday, January 20th 2011, 2:38 PM
Federal agents carried out the takedown in New York City, Long Island, New Jersey, Rhode Island and
Florida.
The feds staged a massive Mafia roundup Thursday, arresting 127 suspected gangsters from the city's
five mob families - along with hoods from New Jersey and Rhode Island - on charges ranging from
racketeering and extortion to murder.
Federal agents launched the largest one-day crackdown on organized crime in FBI history before
dawn.
By noon, the brig at Fort Hamilton was stuffed with members of the Genovese, Gambino, DeCavalcante,
Colombo, Bonanno and Lucchese families.
"Some of these men were involved in classic mob murders," said U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.
"Some were senseless murders."
In one case, said Holder, two of the owners of the Shamrock Bar in the Woodhaven section of Queens
were shot and killed in 1981 "over a spilled drink."
Suspected Gambino family capo Bartolemeo Vernace has been charged with killing the bar owners, John
D'Agnese, 22, and Richie Godkin, 35, the feds said.
Janice Fedarcyk, who heads the FBI's New York
office, said their year-long probe was aided by
turncoat mobsters more interested in cutting deals
than honoring the mob code.
"The vow of silence that is part of the oath of
'omerta' is more myth than reality today," she said.
Also among those nabbed were:
* Reputed Colombo capo Anthony Russo, who is
charged with the 1993 gangland killing of then-
underboss Joseph Scopo during the crime family's
civil war.
* Andrew (Mush) Russo, 76, alleged street boss of
Colombo Family.
**Richard Fusco, 74, alleged Colombo family
consigliere.
