Mafia Capo Arranged Hit on His Own Cousin

MANHATTAN (CN) - A federal jury on Monday found a captain in the Genovese family guilty Monday of several crimes, including a role in his cousin's murder. Angelo Prisco was convicted after a two-week trial. Prosecutors said Prisco was "made," or inducted, in the late 1970s. As a captain, he oversaw his own crew of soldiers and associates that operated in New York City and New Jersey.

Among the crimes of which he was convicted was arranging the murder of his first cousin, Angelo Sangiuolo, on an order from Vincent "The Chin" Gigante, then boss of the Genovese family. Prisco lured Sangiuolo to a social club in the Bronx, where he was shot and killed. Gigante thought Sangiuolo had stolen money from a member of the family.

Prisco also was convicted of conspiring to commit robberies with his crew from 1991 to 1992, and from 2003 to 2005.

In the first string of robberies, Prisco and his crew carjacked and robbed jewelry dealers transporting gold and jewelry from the Dominican Republic. Prisco bragged about the heists at his Bronx club, passing around a Dec. 13, 1991 Newsday article about the robberies.

Prisco also ordered multiple violent home invasions against people he thought would have cash. The victims were tied up and beaten in their homes.

He also was convicted of extorting people, including the owner of a Manhattan construction company. Members of Prisco's crew broke a glass coffeepot over the head of his business partner and threatened to cut off his fingers - and got the $50,000 the demanded.

Prisco, 69, was convicted of murder, racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, robbery, extortion, firearms crimes, property theft and operating an illegal gambling business.

He faces up to life in prison at his July 23 sentencing.

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