""I knew that agreeing to do this was against the law," Lanni flatly said, apparently reading a boilerplate definition of racketeering during his plea in Brooklyn federal court. Lanni, 54, who also goes by the mafia moniker "Mommino," headed a sprawling racketeering enterprise engaging in extortion, witness retaliation and other crimes - with an audacious bid to put the city's trash and demolition industry under its thumb, federal prosecutors said."
"Made man Diego "Danny" Tantillo, 50, wore flashy silver sunglasses in the courtroom as he pleaded guilty to charges related to extorting a New York City-area carting business. Tantillo menacingly threatened the business' owner with a metal baseball bat, demanding monthly payments, court papers state. When the owner stopped making payments, Tantillo's men set fire to the man's front steps, let air out of the tires of his trucks and even threatened to cut him in half, the documents allege."
"The pleas follow a probe from the Eastern District of New York feds that led to a 16-count indictment in 2023. An ensuing takedown, including arrests in Italy, rounded up a crew of Gambino made men and associates with nicknames such as "Vinny Slick," "Uncle Ciccio," "Twin" and "Fifi." One mobster - Francesco "Uncle Ciccio" Vicari, 64, who also pleaded guilty Friday - "acted like the 'Last of the Samurai'" as he picked up a knife and told an associate to bisect the hapless owner, a wiretap revealed. "Get this axe and you make him - two," he allegedly said."
Joseph "Joe Brooklyn" Lanni led a racketeering enterprise that used extortion, witness retaliation, and violence to target New York City's trash and demolition industries. Lanni and six associates pleaded guilty following a 2023, 16-count indictment stemming from an Eastern District of New York probe and an ensuing takedown that included arrests in Italy. Made men and associates used metal bats, arson, tire slashing, threats of dismemberment, and wiretapped knife threats to coerce monthly payments and control carting and demolition companies. Diego "Danny" Tantillo allegedly extorted a carting business and arranged assaults while receiving millions from illegal payments.
Read at New York Post
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