A Portuguese man has been detained in the American state of New Jersey on charges of being part of an elaborate money-laundering scheme for the Italian mafia.
Abel Rodrigues, originally from the Minho region in northern Portugal, has been charged with first-degree racketeering, first-degree money laundering, conspiracy, operating an unlicensed cheque-cashing facility and filing fraudulent tax returns.
According to the US Attorney General, it is believed 52-year old Rodrigues, using his Portucale restaurant in the Ironbound district as a front, assisted in laundering over 400 million dollars of the mob’s money over the past four years.
Rodrigues’ Brazilian wife Flor Miranda, office manager of the Tri-State Check Cashing Company, was also detained in the operation.
He now faces between 10 and 20 years in jail if found guilty of extortion and money laundering and that sentence could increase if it accumulates with other sentences.
According to the accusation, which was made public on Tuesday afternoon, “Many customers cashed cheques at Portucale Restaurant”, owned by Rodrigues, “to launder money, hide income or obtain cash for ‘under-the-table’ payrolls because Abel Rodrigues allegedly did not ask for any identification and would not file proper ‘currency transaction reports,’ or CTRs, for any cheques or combination of cheques exceeding $10,000, as required by federal law.”
Tri-State Check Cashing provided the cash disbursed at Portucale Restaurant.
For his services Rodrigues reportedly charged three percent commission, which over four years generated a profit of nine million dollars, or around seven million euros.
He kept one percent of the commission and gave the rest to Domenick Pucillo, who ran Tri-State Check Cashing.
In total, Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman announced, seven alleged members and associates of the New York-based Genovese organised crime family were arrested on Tuesday as part of ‘Operation Fistful’, and one more is sought on an arrest warrant on first-degree racketeering charges for allegedly reaping millions of dollars in criminal profits in New Jersey through loan-sharking, unlicensed cheque cashing, gambling and money laundering, including laundering of proceeds from narcotics trafficking.
Three other alleged associates were charged by summons, bringing the total number charged to 11.
Pucillo and the other associates charged, including Rodrigues, are believed to be part of a New Jersey crew operating under the supervision and control of two alleged ‘made’ members of the Genovese crime family; Charles ‘Chuckie’ Tuzzo, 80, of Bayside, New York, a Genovese ‘Capo’, and Vito Alberti, 55, of New Providence, New Jersey, a Genovese ‘soldier’ – who answer to the Genovese hierarchy in New York.
Tuzzo, Alberti and Pucillo were among the seven men who were arrested on Tuesday morning.
“We charge that this crew of the Genovese crime family was up to many of the Mafia’s old tricks in New Jersey, including loan-sharking and illegal gambling, to the tune of millions of dollars,” said Acting Attorney General Hoffman.
“History teaches us that as long as demand exists for illegal loans, illicit gambling, drugs, and other black-market goods and services, organised crime is going to turn a profit by preying on society. Our message to the Mafia is that as long as they do, we’re going to be here to send them to prison”, he said.
Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice said: “This case illustrates that the Mafia has evolved and learned to exploit sophisticated financial systems to hide and launder the proceeds of traditional street crimes such as loan-sharking and illegal gambling.
“Through it all, as always, the Mafia makes its money largely through the ever-present threat of violence. This case demonstrates that, as much as the Mafia may change its criminal tactics, we will work tirelessly to remain one step ahead and root out their corrosive influence”, she added.
New Jersey Commissioner Michael Murphy, of the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor, reflected: “This case presents yet another instance of the Waterfront Commission’s concerted efforts with its law enforcement partners to disrupt the influence of organised crime in the metropolitan area.
“The Genovese Crime Family has historically exerted its influence on the Port of New Jersey. Disruption of its profits from gambling, loan-sharking and money laundering weaken that family’s grip.”
On its website, the Portucale is described as “a family-owned and run restaurant serving authentic regional Portuguese food” and says: “We hope that you will have an incredible dining experience. Come join our family for dinner!”