Former Genovese Family Acting Boss and Two Associates Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court to Life in Prison for Multiple Murders, Racketeering, and Extortion

PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ARTHUR NIGRO, the former acting boss of the Genovese organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra (the “Genovese Family”), and Genovese Family associates FOTIOS GEAS and TY GEAS were each sentenced to life in prison today in Manhattan federal court. All three defendants were convicted at trial in April 2011 of various crimes, including multiple murders, attempted murder, multiple murder conspiracies, racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, multiple extortions, and loansharking. The defendants were sentenced by U.S. District Judge P. KEVIN CASTEL.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney PREET BHARARA said: “The catalogue of vicious and lethal crimes committed by these three defendants provides a stark reminder of the lengths to which the mob will go to protect their turf and exact revenge. With today’s sentences, these men will now be put out of the mafia’s ugly and violent business for life.”

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 Family. As acting boss, he supervised the Genovese Family’s operations in the Bronx, New York and Springfield, Massachusetts, among other places. FOTIOS GEAS and TY GEAS were Genovese Family associates in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The defendants were convicted in Manhattan federal court of the November 23, 2003, murder of Adolfo Bruno, a captain in the Genovese organized crime family, in Springfield, Massachusetts. NIGRO ordered the hit in order to increase his power and position in the Genovese Family, and to punish Bruno for speaking with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. FOTIOS GEAS and TY GEAS planned the Bruno murder, and ultimately enlisted the person who killed him.

FOTIOS GEAS and TY GEAS also were convicted of the November 4, 2003, murder of Gary Westerman in Agawam, Massachusetts. The defendants shot and killed Westerman, who they believed to be cooperating with the Massachusetts State Police, and buried his body in the woods, where it remained until April 2010, when the FBI found and exhumed Westerman’s remains.

All three defendants were also convicted of the attempted murder of Frank Dadabo, which NIGRO had ordered because of a union-related dispute. On May 19, 2003, TY GEAS shot Dadabo nine times on a Bronx street. FOTIOS GEAS helped plan 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, who the defendants believed was cooperating with law enforcement. FOTIOS GEAS and TY GEAS were also convicted of conspiring to murder Guiseppe Manzi. The Manzi murder was planned to eliminate the leader of a rival criminal faction in Springfield.

Judge CASTEL also ordered NIGRO to forfeit $234,000, FOTIOS GEAS to forfeit $120,000, and TY GEAS to forfeit $135,000.

Mr. BHARARA praised the work of the FBI’s New York Field Office and the FBI’s Springfield, Massachusetts, Resident Agency. He also thanked the U.S. 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.

The case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys ELIE HONIG and DANIEL S. GOLDMAN are in charge of the prosecution.