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Massive mafia bust sees 46 gangsters including ‘Tugboat’, ‘Mustache Pat’ and ‘Harpo’ arrested in FBI swoop

Officers raid houses up and down US East Coast to bring in alleged crime syndicate members

A MASSIVE bust saw 46 alleged US mobsters -- some said to be members of New York’s biggest mafia families -- arrested on Thursday.

Alleged members of the Genoveses, Gambinos, Lucheses and Bonannos -- four of the New York mob's "five families" -- as well as alleged members of a Philadelphia family, were nabbed in an FBI swoop on suspects up and down the east coast.

Ralph 'Ralphie Sant' Santaniello, 49, of Longmeadow, Mass, was one of 46 men arrested in a massive, East-Coast-wide sting by FBI and local police Thursday. He is allegedly a member of the New York-based Genovese crime family
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Arrested ... Ralph 'Ralphie Sant' Santaniello, 49, was one of 46 men arrested in a massive sting by FBI and local police on ThursdayCredit: AP
Francesco 'Sammy Shark' Depergola, 60, also of Mass, was also taken in. Cops say they're members of the 'East Coast La Cosa Nostra Enterprise,' a pact between New York's Genovese, Gambino, Luchese and Bonanno crime families
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Cuffed ... Francesco 'Sammy Shark' Depergola, 60, is allegedly a member of the "East Coast La Cosa Nostra Enterprise", a pact between New York's Genovese, Gambino, Luchese and Bonanno crime familiesCredit: AP
'Boss': Joseph 'Skinny Joey' Merlino (pictured in 1995), 54, was among the 46 indicted suspects. He is believed to head up Philadelphia's mob operations, and is accused of leading the operation alongside the New York families
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'Boss' ... Joseph 'Skinny Joey' Merlino, 54, is believed to head up Philadelphia's mob operationsCredit: AP
alleged head of the Philadelphia mob who has repeatedly beat murder charges in past cases
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Evasive ... Merlino, the alleged head of the Philadelphia mob, has repeatedly beat murder charges in past casesCredit: AP:Associated Press

The gangster busts were carried out from Massachusetts to South Florida -- indicting them on charges including extortion, gun-running and assault.

With names that could have come straight out of Hollywood film Goodfellas some of those arrested included: Anthony "Tony the Wig" Vazzano, who is also known as "Muscles"; Pasquale Capolongo, whose nicknames include "Mustache Pat" and "Fish"; and Vincent 'Big Vinny' Terracciano.

John 'Tugboat' Tognino, 74, was linked to gambling
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Mugshot ... John 'Tugboat' Tognino, 74, was linked to gamblingCredit: Police Handout
Pasquale 'Mustache Pat' Capolongo, 67, is referred to as a 'longtime bookmaker'
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'Bookie' ... Pasquale 'Mustache Pat' Capolongo, 67, is referred to as a 'longtime bookmaker'Credit: Police Handout
Pasquale 'Patsy' Parrello (pictured in 2001), 72, is alleged to be one of the Enterprise's ringleaders, alongside Merlino
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'Boss' ... Pasquale 'Patsy' Parrello, 72, is alleged to be one of the Enterprise's ringleaders, alongside MerlinoCredit: Police Handout

The massive syndicate -- known as the "East Coast La Cosa Rostra Enterprise" -- was formed from a rare pact between the powerful families.

And in true gangster film style the multi-year probe featured an FBI agent inside the mob.

FBI assistant director-in-charge Diego Rodriguez said: “The indictment reads like an old-school Mafia novel… but the 40-plus arrests of mob associates, soldiers, capos and a boss show this isn’t fiction.”

Busted! Giovanni 'Johnny Cal' Calabrese, 53, was not among the 46 names but was nonetheless arrested in Springfield, Mass., and accused of conspiring with men with ties to the Genovese crime family AP PICTURE
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Busted ... Giovanni 'Johnny Cal' Calabrese, 53, was not among the 46 names but was arrested for alleged ties to crime enterpriseCredit: AP
Richard 'Richie' LaCava, 67, is accused of selling contraband cigarettes worth $3million
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'Contraband'... Richard 'Richie' LaCava, 67, is accused of selling smuggled cigarettes worth $3millionCredit: Police Handout

Agents recovered three handguns, a shotgun, gambling paraphernalia and more than $30,000 in cash.

An indictment in Manhattan federal court said the crime activities were mostly based in New York.

Mark 'Stymie' Maiuzzo (right), 37, allegedly set fire to a car owned by someone from a rival gambling syndicate
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'Fire-starter'... Mark 'Stymie' Maiuzzo, 37, allegedly set fire to a car owned by someone from a rival gambling syndicateCredit: Police Handout
ohn 'Johnny' Lembo, 50, is accused of acquiring a machine to duplicate credit cards
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'Forger'... John 'Johnny' Lembo, 50, is accused of acquiring a machine to duplicate credit cardsCredit: Police Handout
Anthony 'Harpo' DePalma, 70, was named as 'a member of the Enterprise'
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Locked up ... Anthony 'Harpo' DePalma, 70, was named as 'a member of the Enterprise'Credit: Police Handout
Wayne Kreisberg, 39, was linked to medical scams
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'The doc' ... Wayne Kreisberg, 39, was linked to medical scamsCredit: Police Handout

The bulk of those arrested were from the Genoveses and Lucheses families.

They reportedly included Pasquale 'Patsy' Parrello, 72, of the Genovese family and Eugene 'Rooster' Onofrio, 74, who along with Philadelphia mob boss Joseph 'Skinny Joey' Merlino, 54, “supervised and controlled members of the enterprise engaged in illegal schemes”, the indictment said.

Scene of the crime': According to the indictment, Pasquale 'Patsy' Parrello, one of the alleged leaders of the operation, had a panhandler beaten up outside 'Pasquale's Rigoletto Restaurant'
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'Scene of the crime' ... According to the indictment, Pasquale 'Patsy' Parrello, one of the alleged leaders of the operation, had a panhandler beaten up outside this restaurantCredit: Google Street View

The group also peddled more than $3m worth of untaxed cigarettes, officials said.

The mobsters used coded language when discussing criminal get-togethers and would meet at rest stops and restaurants along highways, it was claimed.

Accused: Richard Valentini, 51, of East Longmeadow, was also accused of conspiring with Santaniello, Calabrese and Depergola
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Accused ... Richard Valentini, 51, of East Longmeadow, was also accused of conspiring with Santaniello, Calabrese and DepergolaCredit: AP
'Loan shark' ... Gerald Daniele, 51 allegedly loaned $3,700 in cash to a person to pay off gambling losses and "punished" him when he didn't pay
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'Loan shark' ... Gerald Daniele, 51 allegedly loaned $3,700 in cash to a person to pay off gambling losses and "punished" him when he didn't payCredit: AP

However in thousands of hours of secret recordings by agents and an informant the alleged criminals spoke bluntly about their brutal dealings.

In one example Pasquale Parrello told three underlings to collect an unpaid gambling debt, with the chilling advice: “Choke him, actually choke the mother****** and tell him, ‘Listen to me. Next I’m not gonna stop choking. I’m going to kill you’.”

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