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Friday, March 29, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Feds Seize Alleged Mafia Property

BROOKLYN (CN) - In a complaint replete with Mafia slang and a quotation allegedly recorded by a wired snitch, the United States has seized a building on the Sunrise Highway in Babylon, N.Y., and a 2006 Mercedes Benz, allegedly the fruit of illegal gambling by the Colombo crime family.

According to the federal complaint, Michael Uvino, "a captain within the Colombo Family," met with a confidential source, who was wired by the FBI, and told him that although the seized property putatively was owned by "William Paca Home Association, Lodge 2189, Sons of Italy, Uvino identified himself as the owner of the defendant property and discussed the gambling that he ran there. Specifically, while referring to the defendant property, Uvino stated, 'I put mine (the social club) I own, we own that building, the Sons of Italy. I got the protection of the charter, I got a liquor license there. I spoke to somebody who said it's gonna be tough to pinch us because of that. Now we're a national organization, so they say it's gonna be tough to get a warrant to come in and raid the place.'" (Parentheses in complaint.)

This is one of several such conversations allegedly recorded by the confidential source, who was working with the FBI.

The complaint states that Uvino, now a Mafia "captain," had previously been a "soldier" and an "associate." It adds: "Uvino is acting as a captain in place of Colombo Family soldier Vincent Ricciardo, who was incarcerated during the time periods referenced in this Verified Complaint."

Members of Mafia "crews" also are "referred to as 'soldiers,' 'friends of ours,' 'good fellow' and 'buttons,' as well as associates of the Colombo Family," according to the complaint.

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