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The sentencings were announced on Friday, Aug. 4 by US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams.
According to Williams, the six men were associated with the Genovese Organized Crime Family, part of a nationwide criminal organization known by various names such as "La Cosa Nostra" and the “Mafia."
Those sentenced included two "captains," who were responsible for supervising the criminal activities of their crews of "made" members known as "soldiers"; two "soldiers," who generated income for the crime family; and two "associates" who participate in various activities of the crew and its members but are not made members themselves.
The six defendants are:
- Nicholas Calisi, age 64, of Boca Raton, Florida, who served as a "captain" and was sentenced to two years in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit $40,000;
- Ralph Balsamo, age 52, of the Bronx, who served as a "captain" and was sentenced to 34 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit $20,000;
- Michael Messina, age 70, of New Fairfield, Connecticut, who served as a "soldier" and was sentenced to 18 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit $200,000;
- John Campanella, age 48, of the Bronx, who served as a "soldier" and was sentenced to 13 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit $40,000;
- Michael Poli, age 38, of Hawthorne, who served as an "associate" and was sentenced to 31 months in prison, three years of supervised release, ordered to forfeit $175,000, and ordered to pay a $15,000 fine;
- Thomas Poli, age 65, of the Bronx, served as an "associate" and was sentenced to 22 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit $200,000.
All six defendants were found guilty of engaging 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, federal officials said.
In a statement, Williams said members of La Cosa Nostra "prey on the public."
"These sentences demonstrate that those who seek to enrich themselves through allegiance to such organizations will face not only jail time but also real financial consequences," Williams added.
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