Zak Failla
A longtime member of the Genovese Crime Family from Long Island has been convicted of conspiring to commit extortion and racketeering offenses following a six-day trial.
Frank Giovinco, 52, of Syosset, was convicted on Tuesday, Dec. 3, after being found responsible for acts involving extortion, honest services fraud, and unlawful kickback payments related to the Genovese Crime Family’s control of two local chapters of a labor union.
Giovinco was first inserted into the Genovese Crime Family in the 1990s as part of a scheme to control the waste carting industry throughout New York City, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District Geoffrey Berman said.
According to Berman, until 2017, Giovinco and other members of the Genovese Crime Family committed “a wide range of crimes to enrich themselves and the Genovese Crime Family, including multiple acts of extortion, honest services fraud, and bribery.”
in schemes to manipulate and siphon money from the unions. As part of the scheme, Giovinco was found guilty of extorting a financial adviser and union official for a cut of commissions made on union investments.
According to Berman, audio recordings captured Giovinco planning to “rattle the cage” of a victim, and to have the other’s “feet held to the fire.” When the union official failed to pay a commission, his life was threatened by Giovinco and other members of the Genovese Crime Family. Giovinco also extorted “tribute payments” of more than $10,000 annually.
Giovinco was found guilty of one count each of racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to commit extortion. When he is sentenced on March 11 next year, Giovinco will face up to 20 years in prison.
“For years, Frank Giovinco, as a member of the Genovese Crime Family, instilled fear in victims and propagated kickback schemes to tighten the Family’s stranglehold over two labor unions,” Berman said. “Now, a jury has held Giovinco accountable for his crimes.”