Colombo crime family busted for union racketeering

The boss of the Colombo crime family Andrew 'Mush' Russo, 86, and his top two aides were busted on racketeering and extortion charges over their move to seize control of a local labor union. Russo is the family’s longtime boss. He took over the family from his imprisoned cousin Carmine Persico. Underboss Benjamin 'The Claw' Castellazzo and consigliere Ralph DiMatteo were among those arrested as the Colombos took a major hit. The 13 suspects also included four captains, including the nephew of boss Carmine (Junior) Persico, Richard Ferrara and Vincent Ricciardo.

Benjamin 'The Claw' Castellazzo

Capo Theodore "Teddy Boy" Persico

Colombo captain Theodore Persico Jr., one of the late mob boss’s nephews, was also arrested. Documents detail his plans to rise to head of the family once Russo stepped down. The Colombos first started the shakedown in 2001 of a construction union in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The family’s bosses became involved two years ago, with a view on turning the union into a mob-run operation. Family captain Vincent Ricciardo, 75, threatened to murder a construction union boss. Caught on tape, 'Vinny Unions' explained the mob’s plans for the union. “I’m gonna put an assistant administrator in there with youse, a legitimate guy,” he said.

Vincent 'Vinny Unions' Ricciardo.

“Youse are gonna have a trustee meeting, youse are gonna hire him as an assistant administrator, whatever the fuck you do, and he’s gonna call all the shots.”