epoch game A Gotti Grandson Pleads Guilty to Covid Relief Fraud

Updated:2024-09-27 15:41    Views:179

The grandson of John Gotti, the infamous former boss of the Gambino crime family, pleaded guilty on Thursday to fraudulently collecting more than $1 million in Covid disaster relief loans, much of which he invested in cryptocurrency.

The grandson, Carmine G. Agnello Jr., 38, was arraigned on Thursday in a federal courthouse in Central Islip, Long Island, on charges of wire fraud. Mr. Agnello faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $2.2 million.

Breon S. Peace, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a statement that Mr. Agnello had “shamefully” used the pandemic “as an opportunity to line his pockets.”

On Thursday, Mr. Agnello appeared alert and solemn as he entered his plea in court, answering the judge in one-word answers. He stood beside his lawyer, James R. Froccaro Jr., wearing a blue checkered blazer and a white silk pocket square. His hair was pulled back in a bun, and he had a fading tan. He appeared anxious, until his mother, Victoria Gotti, arrived in court.

Advertisement

SKIP ADVERTISEMENT

Ms. Gotti sat behind her son in the gallery, wearing knee-high patent leather boots and carrying a Louis Vuitton bag. At one point, she wiped tears from her eyes. While being questioned by the judge, Nusrat Jahan Choudhury, about the bond, Ms. Gotti described her son as “my song.”

After the proceedingsepoch game, Mr. Agnello left the federal courthouse under a cloudy sky, declining to speak with reporters before driving off in a Mercedes Maybach.