Six Genovese Wiseguys, Associates Plead Guilty To Racketeering; Face 20 Years Apiece
Four members and two associates of the Genovese crime family have now pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced on Thursday, February 9.
Genovese Family associate THOMAS POLI pled guilty before United States District Judge John G. Koeltl on September 29, 2022, and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Koeltl on April 13, 2023.
Genovese Family Captain NICHOLAS CALISI, Solider JOHN CAMPANELLA, and associate MICHAEL POLI pled guilty before Judge Koeltl on February 8, 2023, and are scheduled to be sentenced by him on June 27, 2023.
Genovese Family Captain RALPH BALSAMO and Soldier MICHAEL MESSINA pled guilty before Judge Koeltl on February 9 and are scheduled to be sentenced by him on June 28, 2023.
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| Genovese associate Thomas Poli. |
Genovese Family associate THOMAS POLI pled guilty before United States District Judge John G. Koeltl on September 29, 2022, and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Koeltl on April 13, 2023.
Genovese Family Captain NICHOLAS CALISI, Solider JOHN CAMPANELLA, and associate MICHAEL POLI pled guilty before Judge Koeltl on February 8, 2023, and are scheduled to be sentenced by him on June 27, 2023.
Genovese Family Captain RALPH BALSAMO and Soldier MICHAEL MESSINA pled guilty before Judge Koeltl on February 9 and are scheduled to be sentenced by him on June 28, 2023.
Each faces up to 20 years in prison, according to a media release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. (Curiously, the media release doesn't include a single alleged nickname for any one of the defendants.)
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “We remain committed to protecting the people of the Southern District of New York from being preyed on by organized crime. (Thursday's) pleas demonstrate that those who swear a lifetime allegiance to criminal organizations will be prosecuted, no matter their efforts to insulate themselves.”
According to the Superseding Indictment, the defendants’ statements when pleading guilty, and statements made in related court filings and proceedings:
Members of the Genovese Family, including CALISI, BALSAMO, MESSINA, and CAMPANELLA, and associates MICHAEL POLI and THOMAS POLI, engaged in extortionate extensions of credit, financing extortionate extensions of credit, collecting extensions of credit by extortion, extortion, operating illegal gambling businesses, and the transmission of gambling information.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “We remain committed to protecting the people of the Southern District of New York from being preyed on by organized crime. (Thursday's) pleas demonstrate that those who swear a lifetime allegiance to criminal organizations will be prosecuted, no matter their efforts to insulate themselves.”
According to the Superseding Indictment, the defendants’ statements when pleading guilty, and statements made in related court filings and proceedings:
Members of the Genovese Family, including CALISI, BALSAMO, MESSINA, and CAMPANELLA, and associates MICHAEL POLI and THOMAS POLI, engaged in extortionate extensions of credit, financing extortionate extensions of credit, collecting extensions of credit by extortion, extortion, operating illegal gambling businesses, and the transmission of gambling information.
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| Reputed Genovese capo Ralph Balsamo. |
The six were pinched in April 2022 when a superseding indictment was unsealed charging the six with racketeering.
At the time of the arrests, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “From extortion to illegal gambling, the Mafia continues to find ways to prey on others to fill its coffers. Our office and our law enforcement partners remain committed to putting organized crime out of business.”
New York State Attorney General Letitia James said: “For years, members of the Genovese crime family have terrorized New York communities with violence and illegal businesses. These individuals allegedly made their money through illegal gambling and loan sharking — saddling victims with incredible debt that they cannot repay. Today’s indictment makes clear that we will continue to root out organized crime wherever it exists, and I thank U.S. Attorney Damian Williams and Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez for their partnership in taking down these criminal enterprises.”
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said: “Organized crime, and the illegal conduct that flows from its activities, remain a problem in Brooklyn and beyond. My Office is committed to continue working together with our law enforcement partners to investigate these criminal organizations, as we’ve done in this case. I thank the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the New York State Office of the Attorney General for their partnership and cooperation.”
At the time of the arrests, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “From extortion to illegal gambling, the Mafia continues to find ways to prey on others to fill its coffers. Our office and our law enforcement partners remain committed to putting organized crime out of business.”
New York State Attorney General Letitia James said: “For years, members of the Genovese crime family have terrorized New York communities with violence and illegal businesses. These individuals allegedly made their money through illegal gambling and loan sharking — saddling victims with incredible debt that they cannot repay. Today’s indictment makes clear that we will continue to root out organized crime wherever it exists, and I thank U.S. Attorney Damian Williams and Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez for their partnership in taking down these criminal enterprises.”
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said: “Organized crime, and the illegal conduct that flows from its activities, remain a problem in Brooklyn and beyond. My Office is committed to continue working together with our law enforcement partners to investigate these criminal organizations, as we’ve done in this case. I thank the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the New York State Office of the Attorney General for their partnership and cooperation.”
Defendant
Age
City Of Residence
Charges
Max Penalties
MICHAEL MESSINA
69
New Fairfield, CT
Racketeering conspiracy
20 years
NICHOLAS CALISI
63
Boca Raton, FL
Racketeering conspiracy
20 years
RALPH BALSAMO
51
Bronx, NY
Racketeering conspiracy
20 years
JOHN CAMPANELLA
47
Bronx, NY
Racketeering conspiracy
20 years
MICHAEL POLI
37
Hawthorne, NY
Racketeering conspiracy
20 years
THOMAS POLI
64
Bronx, NY
Racketeering conspiracy
20 years
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