ELIZABETH, N.J., May 23 — From his base on a work site underneath the Goethals Bridge, a member of the Gambino crime family gained influence in the affairs of two state unions, ran gambling rings in northern New Jersey and New York and collected a salary from a no-show construction job, prosecutors said yesterday.þþThe man, Andrew Merola, 40, was arrested on Monday during a vehicle stop in East Hanover, N.J., where he lives, the authorities said. He faces charges including being a leader of organized crime, racketeering and theft by extortion. Two union officials were also arrested this week, along with more than 20 other people who prosecutors said played roles in Mr. Merola’s various criminal schemes.þþThe investigation into the activities of Mr. Merola and his confederates lasted about a year, and started after the New Jersey State Police began looking into gambling operations in central New Jersey, said Theodore J. Romankow, the Union County prosecutor, who announced the arrests Wednesday afternoon. The arrests came during raids on Monday by more than 200 officers, from the state police, Mr. Romankow’s office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies.þþThe authorities said that Mr. Merola, working with associates, inserted himself into the financial affairs of two unions: Local 825 of the International Union of Operating Engineers, based in Springfield, which Mr. Merola belonged to, prosecutors said; and Local 1153 of the Laborers’ International Union of North America, based in Newark.þþWorking with a member of the rival Luchese family, Mr. Merola solicited a $20,000 bribe from a construction company that did not want to hire workers from Local 825, the authorities said. Another associate of Mr. Merola approved pay raises and was involved in other employment matters regarding workers in Local 1153, they said.þþ“Pay scales were increased for people who didn’t deserve it,” Mr. Romankow said. “People had worked there for many years, and they were on a lower scale.”þþA call to the president of Local 825 was not immediately returned on Wednesday. Michael Urgola, the business manager of Local 1153, reached on his cell phone, refused to comment on the case. þþMr. Merola, who legally changed his name from Andrew Knapik when he became a “made man” in the Gambino family a few years ago, also ran a gambling ring, according to Mr. Romankow. Prosecutors said the ring was supervised by two of his lieutenants: Ralph Cicalese, a former investigator in the Essex County prosecutor’s office, who was convicted in 1989 of protecting a drug dealer in exchange for drugs, money and other valuables; and Kyle Ragusa, who prosecutors said joined Mr. Merola’s organization in February, a day after he was released from prison, having served time for shooting a man.þþProsecutors said Mr. Merola and his lieutenants used a Web site called Topbettors.com in their operations, but they did not detail exactly how the site was used. The site bills itself as an offshore facilitator of betting operations, providing “an offshore call center and accounting services” for land-based sports wagering interests. A man who answered a phone number listed on the Web site and who would identify himself only as Frank said no one was available to comment immediately.þþThe gambling operations led to loan-sharking, the authorities said, and Mr. Merola, using two enforcers, “resorted to violence or threats of violence to collect his debts,” according to a statement released by prosecutors.þþAs he conducted his schemes, Mr. Merola did not mind cooperating with members of the rival Luchese crime family, the authorities said. Martin Taccetta, whom prosecutors called a Luchese member, cooperated in several ventures with Mr. Merola, and shared the bribe from the construction company, according to prosecutors. Mr. Taccetta also faces charges including racketeering.þþAs Andrew Knapik, Mr. Merola served almost four years in prison in the 1990s on charges including theft by deception and distribution of a controlled substance.þþ
Source: NY Times
