Members of Mafia family plead guilty to extortion

WORCESTER, Mass. — Two members of the mob family La Costa Nostra pleaded guilty in Worcester federal court Monday to charges related to extortion.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said that Ralph Santaniello, 50, and Giovanni Calabrese, 54, allegedly were involved in several illegal business activities in Springfield, including loansharking, extortion, illegal gambling and collection of unlawful debts. Using their relationship with the Genovese La Costra Nostra, Santaniello and Calabrese implied threats of murder and physical to scare their victims, said the U.S. Attorney's office.

Their crimes date back to 2013, according to the Justice Department, when Santaniello, Calabrese and their associates Francesco Depergola and Richard Valentini allegedly tried to extort money from a Springfield businessman. Santaniello is accused of assaulting the man and threatening to "cut off his head and bury his body" if he didn't comply. The businessman paid $20,000 to them over four months to protect himself, said the U.S. Attorney's office.

Santaniello and Calabrese also allegedly threatened someone who their associate, Gerald Daniele, had given a loan to in 2015.

Both men along, with their associates, were arrested and charged in August 2016.

La Costa Nostra has been in the U.S. since the late 1920s, and was one of the most powerful Mafia networks in the country.  The Genovese side of the family in particular was once considered the most powerful organized crime family, with its associates engaging in murder, drug trafficking, extortion, loansharking and other crimes, according to the FBI. 

Santaniello and Calabrese each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by threats or violence; one count of interference with commerce by threats or violence – aiding and abetting; one count of conspiracy to use extortionate means to collect extensions of credit; and one count of using extortionate means to collect extensions of credit – aiding and abetting.

The judge scheduled their sentencings for the end of January.

Cox Media Group