Former Acting Boss of Genovese Family and Two Associates Convicted in Manhattan Federal Court for Multiple Murders, Racketeering, and Extortion

PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ARTHUR NIGRO, former acting boss of the Genovese organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra; and FOTIOS GEAS and TY GEAS, associates of the Genovese organized crime family, were convicted today after a three-week jury trial of various crimes, including multiple murders, attempted murder, murder conspiracies, racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, extortion, and loansharking. All three defendants were convicted for their participation in the November 2003 murder of Adolfo Bruno in Springfield, Massachusetts. FOTIOS GEAS and TY GEAS also were convicted of the November 2003 murder of Gary Westerman in Agawam, Massachusetts.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney PREET BHARARA said: “The jury’s swift verdict in this case takes some very dangerous men off the streets—men who clearly did not think twice about killing anyone who got in their way. Today’s verdict makes it clear that those who so flagrantly and repeatedly violate the law will be punished.”

According to the trial evidence and other documents filed in the case:

In the early 2000s, NIGRO rose to the position of acting boss of the Genovese organized crime family. As acting boss, NIGRO supervised and oversaw the Genovese Family’s operations in the Bronx, New York and Springfield, Massachusetts, among other places, where he profited from the criminal activities of Genovese Family soldiers and associates. FOTIOS GEAS and TY GEAS were Genovese Family associates in Springfield, Massachusetts.

On November 23, 2003, Adolfo Bruno, a captain in the Genovese organized crime family, was gunned down in downtown Springfield, Massachusetts, on orders from NIGRO. NIGRO ordered the hit to increase his power and position in the Genovese Family, and to punish Bruno for having spoken with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. FOTIOS GEAS and TY GEAS planned the Bruno murder, and ultimately enlisted a shooter to kill Bruno.

On November 4, 2003, FOTIOS GEAS and TY GEAS shot and killed Gary Westerman in Agawam, Massachusetts, because they believed Westerman was cooperating with the Massachusetts State Police. The defendants buried Westerman’s body in the woods, where it remained until April 2010, when the FBI excavated the hole in connection with the investigation in this case and found Westerman’s remains.

All three defendants were also convicted of the attempted murder of Frank Dadabo. NIGRO ordered the murder because of a union-related dispute they had been having. Acting on NIGRO’s orders, on May 19, 2003, TY GEAS approached Dadabo on a street in the Bronx and shot him nine times. FOTIOS GEAS helped planned the hit, and drove the getaway car. Despite being shot nine times, Dadabo survived.

All three defendants were also convicted of conspiring to murder Louis Santos, and FOTIOS GEAS and TY GEAS were convicted of conspiring to murder Guiseppe Manzi. The Manzi murder was planned to eliminate the leader of a rival criminal faction in Springfield, while the Santos murder was planned because the defendants believed that Santos was cooperating with law enforcement.

NIGRO, FOTIOS GEAS, and TY GEAS all face mandatory sentences of life in prison. Sentencing has been scheduled for June 23, 2011.

Mr. BHARARA praised the work of the FBI’s New York Field Office and the FBI’s Springfield, Massachusetts, Resident Agency. Mr. BHARARA also thanked the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts; the Massachusetts State Police; the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office; the Springfield Police Department; and the New York City Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys MARK LANPHER, ELIE HONIG, and DANIEL GOLDMAN are in charge of the prosecution.