By Antonio Antenucci
An elderly reputed Mafioso from
Long Island has been busted for ordering the beat-down of a 70-year-old man
over an unpaid loan, authorities said Tuesday.
Carmine Avellino — also 70 and
a reputed captain in the Lucchese crime family — was caught on wire taps and
surveillance videos directing two mob-tied brothers to assault the old man and
another unidentified guy over the $100,000 loan, according to court papers.
Avellino — who was arrested at
home Monday night — pleaded not guilty to the extortion charges at his Brooklyn
federal court arraignment.
His lawyer noted outside court
that the alleged beat-down occurred in 2010.
“These allegations go back
almost four years. What took them so long to bring this case against Carmine?”
said the lawyer, Scott Leemon. “He wasn’t arrested when his co-defendants
were.”
The siblings who allegedly
carried out the beating — Michael and Daniel Capra — had already been arrested
in September.
Avellino’s bail hearing is set
for Monday. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
He and his brother, Salvatore,
also a reputed Lucchese capo, were indicted in 1994 along with six others in
the death of two Long Island garbagemen. Carmine served 10 1/2 years in prison
in the case.