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Sunday, November 6, 2016

L&B Spumoni Garden Murder

Michael Persico has once again managed to delay his sentencing until 2017.  He was supposed to be sentenced on November 1 for a case that has been going on since 2012.  Michael was facing a case that included two murders. He was able to negotiate a great deal that would give him a maximum of five years, but the guidelines call for 36-48 months in Federal custody.  

Michael has lived a charmed life, but he should hope that he does not end up like his father Carmine “The Snake” Persico. Carmine had ongoing trials for Federal hijacking starting in 1960 but he did not get sentenced until 1971.  

In other mafia news: Georgia Gigliotti and his son Angelo, who ran a large drug smuggling empire out of their Queens Cucina Modi Mod restaurant, were convicted this past July for transporting more than 50 kilos of cocaine from Costa Rica and possessing seven guns. They face 15-20 years each.  They worked with guys in the New York Families, they were part of the Ndrangheta which is the Calabrian organized crime group.

The wife Elena was not able to participate in the trial because the judge ordered her into a psychiatric hospital because of a mental condition.  Just this week she was ruled sane, so now she also faces trial.

L&B Spumoni Gardens Pizzeria is a world famous place that serves a Sicilian square upside down pizza.  I went there a number of times with friends even though I do not eat pizza.  
It made the news a couple of years ago because Colombo family associate Big Frank Guerra along with Frankie “Notch” Iannaci went to the Square Pizza on Staten Island and slapped around the owner Eugen Lombardo.  They claimed Eugene stole the recipe for the pizza from L&B Spumoni Garden.  It turned into a family beef when Eugene ran to Bonanno family soldier Anthony Calabrese for help.  

Colombo Capo Anthony Russo was called in for a sit down and it was agreed that Eugene would make a payment of 4,000 dollars and the beef would be over.  

This whole incident came to light after Anthony Russo flipped and testified during Big Frank's trial.

L&B was again in the news this year on June 30 when Louis Babarti, one of the owners, was gunned down outside his Brooklyn home.  He was carry a loaf of bread and $15,000 in cash when he was shot.  Law enforcement were unsure if it was a hit or robbery because the cash was not touched.

Big Frank is away for many years so why did the FBI take up this murder case when there are so many murders everyday?  Murder is not a federal crime.

This week the FBI arrested a man named Andres Fernandez, also known as Andy.  He does not seem to have any Mafia connections and he is a known drug addict.  
The affidavit and complaint for his arrest warrant was written by an FBI Special Agent Chance Adams who handles Mafia investigations. It claims that Andy was at L&B Spumoni Gardens early and then was waiting in the Brooklyn neighborhood for Babarti to come home.  They were able to trace him via his cell phone usage.  They also have him on video hiding behind a tree with a glove on and a pistol in his hand. They have him walking towards Babarti and then immediately after the shooting running to a white Acura and driving away.  They brought him in and he asked for a lawyer right away.

I am sure there is more to this story.  If he was going to rob him, then why just blast him and take nothing?



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