Ten Luchese Mobsters Rounded Up Tonight in Big Loansharking Bust: "Operation The Vig Is Up"
Ten members of the Luchese crime family in the Bronx and Westchester County were arrested by the New York Attorney General's Office tonight (March 27) on charges stemming from a gambling-loan sharking operation that had nearly 50 "clients." Clients dropped off cash at McKiernan’s Lawton Street Tavern in New Rochelle, N.Y. The investigation was dubbed "Operation The Vig Is Up." Loanshark victims were required to make weekly, high interest “vig” payments, either by directly paying individual defendants, or by dropping off cash payments at two businesses: McKiernan's Lawton Street Tavern or smoke shop The Glass Room. Both storefronts are located in New Rochelle, New York. Dominick Capelli, a "made member" of the Luchese family, allegedly ran the loan-sharking operation. Investigators used wiretaps, search warrants, undercover police officers, and hidden cameras to build up enough evidence and identify more than 47 distinct loan...