Joe Bruno on the Mob – Alleged Colombo Bigwig Thomas Farese Arrested

Even though the FBI has reportedly significantly lowered the number of agents assigned to Organized Crime, especially the Mafia, the Feds are still making a good number of arrests.

The latest alleged Colombo crime family member to bite the bullet is reputed Colombo consigliere Thomas Farese. Farese was recently arrested in the sunny state of Florida and charged with money laundering tied to his alleged loansharking business. Also arrested by the Feds, on the same charges, was alleged mob associate Pat Truglia. The Feds allege that Farese was bumped up to Colombo consigliere by alleged (there's that word again) street boss Andrew (Mush) Russo, after Russo was arrested last year.

As usual in these cases, there was a rat informant involved. Both Farese and Truglia were secretly taped while in Florida by former Colombo captain Reynold Maragni. Maragni was able to travel to Florida to perform this dirty deed, even though he was under federal indictment in New York, because he had permission from the government to visit his "doctors." Maragni was in the soup himself because he had recently been arrested for engaging in a little extortion racket.

Not only was Maragni active with his secret recordings in Florida, but also in New York City, where he was helping the Feds gather evidence in the 1999 killing of Colombo bigwig William "Wild Bill" Cutolo. While wearing a wire outside Macy's midtown department store, Maragni asked reputed Colombo soldier Vincent Manzo, "Was Tommy there or not there?" (Marangni was referring to alleged former acting boss Thomas (Tommy Shots) Gioeli.)

Manzo answered, "Tommy was there."

With all the organized crime figures turning canary, it's a wonder any wiseguy with a wise brain would say anything incriminating to his best friend, his brother, or even to his wife.

Yet they continue to talk and the Feds continue to arrest.

To be continued.

 

 The article below can be seen at:

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/t...

 

Thomas Farese is latest alleged Colombo mobster to be busted

Feds charge him with money laundering

By John Marzulli / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

 

 

The Colombo crime family keeps promoting gangsters and the FBI keeps knocking them down.

 

Reputed consigliere Thomas Farese is the latest casualty in the feds' war on the Colombos, arrested Thursday in Florida on money laundering charges.

 

Farese, 69, was elevated to the high-ranking crime post last year by jailed street boss Andrew (Mush) Russo, according to a complaint filed in Brooklyn Federal Court.

 

Farese and mob associate Pat Truglia were hit with charges of laundering money tied to loansharking rackets.

 

They were secretly taped in November by former capo Reynold Maragni who had permission from the government to travel to Florida to visit his doctors while under federal indictment in New York.

 

Farese and Truglia were ordered held without bail pending their extradition to Brooklyn.