WCNYH

FORMER LONGSHOREMEN SUPERVISOR SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR EXTORTION CONSPIRACY INVOLVING CHRISTMASTIME TRIBUTE PAYMENTS

December 10, 2014

           A former longshoremen supervisor was sentenced to 8 months in prison today for conspiring to extort others in Local 1235 of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) for Christmastime tribute payments.

           Michael Nicolosi, 46, of Staten Island, New York, a former supervisor on the New Jersey piers – previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to conspiring to extort Christmastime tributes from the union members. Judge Cecchi imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

           According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Nicolosi admitted that he and others conspired to compel tribute payments from ILA union members, who made the payments based on actual and threatened force, violence and fear. The timing of the extortions typically coincided with the receipt by certain ILA members of “Container Royalty Fund” checks, a form of year-end compensation. Charges are still pending against three defendants in the superseding indictment, including a racketeering conspiracy charge against Stephen Depiro, 59, of Kenilworth, New Jersey – a soldier in the Genovese organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra (Genovese family). Since at least 2005, Depiro has managed the Genovese family’s control over the New Jersey waterfront – including the nearly three-decades-long extortion of port workers in ILA Local 1, ILA Local 1235 and ILA Local 1478. Members of the Genovese family, including Depiro, are charged with conspiring to collect tribute payments from New Jersey port workers at Christmastime each year through their corrupt influence over union officials, including the last three presidents of Local 1235.

           In addition to the prison term, Judge Cecchi sentenced Nicolosi to 4 months of home detention and two years of supervised release.