NEW ROCHELLE – Ten people have been indicted and arrested on charges stemming from the alleged operation of a loan sharking and gambling controlled by the Lucchese organized crime family.
The investigation, dubbed “Operation The Vig Is Up,” involved the alleged loan sharking and bookmaking activities of alleged Lucchese “made member” Dominick Capelli and alleged Lucchese “associates” or “non-made” crew members in Westchester and the Bronx.
The loan sharking operation is the largest such operation ever investigated by the New York State Attorney General’s Office with usurious interest payouts of over $1 million just during the one-year investigation.
Investigators uses wiretaps, covert surveillance cameras, a car bug, undercover police officers and hidden cameras to crack the case. Additional evidence came from warrant searches.
Charged with crimes of usury and promoting gambling were:
Dominick Capelli, 61, of New Rochelle
Robert Wagner, 59, of New Rochelle
Frank McKiernan, 53, of New Rochelle
Anthony Martino, 76, of Port Chester
Michael Wagner, 63, of the Bronx
Steve Murray, 49, of Bethel, CT
Seth Trustman, 36, of the Bronx
Richard Caccavale, 59, of Yorktown Heights
Jessica Bismark, 32, of New Rochelle
Robert Wagner, Jr. 33, of New Rochelle
The enterprise corruption charge alone carries a maximum of 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison.
Two related indictments were also filed in conjunction with the investigation. A separate bookmaking indictment charged Michael Lepore, 61, and Vincent Tardibuono, 41, both of New Rochelle with running an online bookmaking operation that generated over $1.5 million in annual wagers.
A related narcotics indictment was filed by the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office charging Lucien Cappello, 38, of New Rochelle, with seven counts each of criminal sale and possession of a controlled substance. If convicted, he faces 10 years in state prison and five years of post-release supervision.
