2020-06-23 DOJ SDNY press_release 117 KB 4,440 chars

Genovese Crime Family Member Sentenced To Four Years In Prison For Racketeering Offenses

Caption: United States v. Frank Giovinco, et al.

summary

Frank Giovinco, a member of the Genovese Crime Family, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for racketeering and extortion conspiracy after extorting kickbacks from union investments, threatening union officials with violence, and demanding over $10,000 in annual tribute payments, as proven by audio recordings and trial evidence.

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Frank Giovinco was convicted on December 3, 2019, after a six-day trial for racketeering conspiracy and extortion conspiracy tied to the Genovese Crime Family’s control of two labor union chapters. He and co-conspirators extorted kickbacks from financial advisers and union officials, demanded over $10,000 annually in tribute from a union president, and threatened life violence when payments were withheld, using audio recordings to plan intimidation tactics like 'rattling cages' and 'holding feet to the fire.' In addition to 48 months in prison, Giovinco was sentenced to three years of supervised release, with the case prosecuted by the Southern District of New York and supported by the FBI, Department of Labor, and NYPD.

narrative

Frank Giovinco, a long-standing member of the Genovese Crime Family since the late 1990s, was sentenced to 48 months in prison on June 22, 2020, for racketeering conspiracy and extortion conspiracy related to his control over two local chapters of a labor union. Over years until 2017, he orchestrated schemes to siphon money from union investments by extorting kickbacks from financial advisers and union officials, including threatening life violence when payments were not made, as captured in audio recordings where he planned to 'rattle the cage' and 'hold feet to the fire.' He also extorted over $10,000 annually in tribute from a union president and sought to place a loyalist within the union to exert control and threaten the replacement of key officials. Giovinco participated in honest services fraud and bribery by manipulating union investment decisions in exchange for personal and mob profits. His conviction followed a six-day trial in December 2019 before Judge Jed S. Rakoff, with evidence including recorded threats, financial records, and testimony from cooperating witnesses. In addition to prison time, he received three years of supervised release. The case was investigated by the FBI, U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, NYPD, and prosecuted by the Southern District of New York’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit.

Enriched metadata

Scheme: racketeering (100%)
Court: Southern District of New York
Outcome: convicted · 2019-12-03
Victim loss: $10,000

Classified racketeering(confidence 100%). No EDGAR filing fingerprint (criminal/DOJ-side scheme). detection rule →

Extracted insights

Dollar amounts 1

$10K $10,000 $10K–$100K

Entities 3

person frank giovinco
person genovese crime family
person jed s. rakoff

Triples 10

Frank Giovinco was sentenced to 48 months in prison
Frank Giovinco was convicted on December 3, 2019
Jed S. Rakoff sentenced Frank Giovinco
Frank Giovinco extorted a financial adviser
Frank Giovinco extorted a labor union official
Frank Giovinco threatened Official-1's life
Frank Giovinco extorted a union president
Frank Giovinco was sentenced to three years of supervised release
Genovese Crime Family inserted Frank Giovinco
Frank Giovinco conspired with Genovese Crime Family members

View original DOJ press releasejustice.gov

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Press Release Genovese Crime Family Member Sentenced To Four Years In Prison For Racketeering Offenses Tuesday, June 23, 2020 Share FacebookLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. XLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. LinkedInLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. Email For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that FRANK GIOVINCO was sentenced yesterday to 48 months in prison for extortion conspiracy and participating in a racketeering conspiracy in connection with the Genovese Crime Family’s control of two local chapters of a labor union. GIOVINCO was convicted on December 3, 2019, following a six-day trial before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff, who also sentenced GIOVINCO. Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “For years, Frank Giovinco, as a member of the Genovese Crime Family, instilled fear in victims and perpetrated kickback schemes to tighten the Family’s stranglehold over two labor unions. For committing these crimes, Giovinco will now spend four years in prison.” According to the Indictment, evidence admitted at trial, court filings, and statements made in open court: La Cosa Nostra, also known as the “Mob” or the “Mafia,” operates through entities known as “Families.” The largest of the families operating in the New York City area is the Genovese Crime Family. In the early 1990s, GIOVINCO was inserted by the Genovese Crime Family into a scheme to control the waste carting industry in New York City, and as far back as the late-1990s, GIOVINCO was a member of the Genovese Crime Family. In more recent years, and continuing until 2017, GIOVINCO conspired with other members and associates of the Genovese Crime Family to commit a wide range of crimes to enrich themselves and the Genovese Crime Family, including multiple acts of extortion, honest services fraud, and bribery. GIOVINCO’s activity for the Genovese Crime Family was centered on two local chapters (the “Unions”) of a labor union. GIOVINCO participated in a host of schemes designed to manipulate and siphon money from the Unions for the benefit of the Genovese Crime Family. Among other things, GIOVINCO extorted a financial adviser (the “Adviser”) and a labor union official (“Official-1”) for a cut of commissions made from union investments. Audio recordings captured GIOVINCO planning to “rattle the cage” of a victim, and to have another victim’s “feet held to the fire.” When Official-1 failed to pay the commissions demanded by GIOVINCO and other members of the Genovese Crime Family, Official-1’s life was threatened by GIOVINCO and his co-conspirators. GIOVINCO further plotted to profit from union investments by paying kickbacks to Official-1 and others, in exchange for a cut of future commissions. GIOVINCO also participated in the long-running extortion of a union president (“Official-2”) for annual tribute payments of more than $10,000, and sought a job at the union for the purpose of exerting control over Official-1 on the Genovese Crime Family’s behalf, and threatening to replace Official-1. * * * In addition to the prison term, GIOVINCO, 52, of Syosset, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release. Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General and Office of Labor-Management Standards, the New York City Police Department, and the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly J. Ravener, Jason A. Richman, and Justin V. Rodriguez are in charge of the prosecution. Contact Jim Margolin, Nicholas Biase (212) 637-2600 Updated June 23, 2020 Topic Violent Crime Component USAO - New York, Southern Press Release Number: 20-132

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