Primo Cassarino
Encyclopedia
Primo Cassarino is a New York mobster who became an enforcer for Gambino crime family
, and extorted money from actor Steven Seagal
.
, Italy
, Cassarino was the son of a longshoreman. His cousin is Gambino soldier Mario Cassarino. As a young man, Primo Cassarino joined the Gambino family and eventually became a made man
, or full member. Cassarino belonged to Gambino capo Anthony "Sonny" Ciccone
's crew, soon becoming the leading "bagman" and extortionist on the Staten Island, New York waterfront. Casserino's legitimate job was as a sanitation worker for the New York Department of Sanitation. In 1991, Casserino was injured falling off a garbage truck. Over the next 15 years, he was involved in litigation with the City for a special disability pension.
Cassarino's own lawyer once observed that his client had "the foulest mouth in Brooklyn." At one point, law enforcement recorded Cassarino berating a debtor who was late on a loan payment:
In 1997, Ciccone started receiving extortion payments from Carmine Ragucci, a leader of the Conservative Party of New York State and a terminal owner. It quickly became Cassarino's job to transfer these payments from Ragucci to Ciccone. In April, 2001, Cassarino was tasked with delivering cash payments from Ciccone to Gambino boss Peter Gotti
. The two mobsters would meet on a street in the Howard Beach neighborhood of Brooklyn
.
, who had recently terminated a business partnership with Julius Nasso, a Staten Island movie producer who was friends with Ciccone. Allegedly at Nasso's request, Cassarino and other crew members picked up Seagal by car to bring him to a meeting with Ciccone. Cassarino had these comments about Seagal refusing to sit in the front seat:
At the meeting, Ciccone bluntly told Seagal that he had a choice of making four promised movies with Nasso or paying Nasso a penalty of $150,000 per movie. If Seagal refused, Ciccone would kill him. Seagal, who later claimed that he brought a handgun to the meeting, was able to stall Ciccone and escape the meeting unharmed.
were convicted of labor racketeering, extortion
, and 63 other counts under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
. Seagal testified for the prosecution about the mobsters' extortion attempt.
In August 2004, Cassarino received an 11½-year prison sentence. At his sentencing, Cassarino said that the mob life was finished. He begged his children to continue with their education and make decent lives for themselves. Soon after his sentencing, Cassarino became a government witness in hopes of reducing his sentence. In 2005, Cassarino testified for the prosecution in the trial of Genovese crime family
capo Lawrence Ricci
.
Gambino crime family
The Gambino crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The group is named after Carlo Gambino, boss of the family at the time of the McClellan hearings in 1963...
, and extorted money from actor Steven Seagal
Steven Seagal
Steven Frederic Seagal is an American action film star, producer, writer, martial artist, guitarist and reserve deputy sheriff. A 7th-dan black belt in Aikido, Seagal began his adult life as an Aikido instructor in Japan...
.
Foulest mouth in Brooklyn
Born in 1956 to first generation immigrants from SicilySicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Cassarino was the son of a longshoreman. His cousin is Gambino soldier Mario Cassarino. As a young man, Primo Cassarino joined the Gambino family and eventually became a made man
Made man
A made man, also known as a Mafioso , made guy, man of honor, or uomo d'onore , is someone who has been officially inducted into the Sicilian or American Mafia . They may also be referred to by some as a goodfella or wiseguy...
, or full member. Cassarino belonged to Gambino capo Anthony "Sonny" Ciccone
Anthony Ciccone
Anthony "Sonny" Ciccone is a New York mobster and a captain of the Gambino crime family.Anthony was born to Sebastian and Gelsamina Piccolla from Pacentro, Italy. He was one of three brothers including Joseph and Salvatore, and two sisters, Anna and Margaret. He is the brother-in-law of mobster...
's crew, soon becoming the leading "bagman" and extortionist on the Staten Island, New York waterfront. Casserino's legitimate job was as a sanitation worker for the New York Department of Sanitation. In 1991, Casserino was injured falling off a garbage truck. Over the next 15 years, he was involved in litigation with the City for a special disability pension.
Cassarino's own lawyer once observed that his client had "the foulest mouth in Brooklyn." At one point, law enforcement recorded Cassarino berating a debtor who was late on a loan payment:
"a greaseball [bleeping bleep]. . . . You're a greaseball no good [bleeper]. . . . You're a [bleeping] slimy [bleeper] . . . . You better hope I don't see your [bleeping] face . . .
In 1997, Ciccone started receiving extortion payments from Carmine Ragucci, a leader of the Conservative Party of New York State and a terminal owner. It quickly became Cassarino's job to transfer these payments from Ragucci to Ciccone. In April, 2001, Cassarino was tasked with delivering cash payments from Ciccone to Gambino boss Peter Gotti
Peter Gotti
Peter Gotti, also known as "One Eyed Pete", "Petey Boy", "One Eye" , is a New York mobster who is the former boss of the Gambino crime family and the older brother of deceased Gambino boss John Gotti.-Background:...
. The two mobsters would meet on a street in the Howard Beach neighborhood of Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
.
Steven Seagal
In January 2001, Cassarino participated in an extortion attempt against actor Steven SeagalSteven Seagal
Steven Frederic Seagal is an American action film star, producer, writer, martial artist, guitarist and reserve deputy sheriff. A 7th-dan black belt in Aikido, Seagal began his adult life as an Aikido instructor in Japan...
, who had recently terminated a business partnership with Julius Nasso, a Staten Island movie producer who was friends with Ciccone. Allegedly at Nasso's request, Cassarino and other crew members picked up Seagal by car to bring him to a meeting with Ciccone. Cassarino had these comments about Seagal refusing to sit in the front seat:
"How the [expletive] do you put him in the back, he's six-foot-what, five? He didn't want nobody to shoot him in the [expletive] head. If he was sitting in the front, I'm right behind him."
At the meeting, Ciccone bluntly told Seagal that he had a choice of making four promised movies with Nasso or paying Nasso a penalty of $150,000 per movie. If Seagal refused, Ciccone would kill him. Seagal, who later claimed that he brought a handgun to the meeting, was able to stall Ciccone and escape the meeting unharmed.
Conviction
On March 17, 2003, Cassarino, Peter Gotti, Ciccone, and Richard V. GottiRichard V. Gotti
Richard V. Gotti is a capo in the Gambino crime family.Richard was born in 1942 to John Gotti, Sr. and his wife Fannie. Richard's brothers included deceased Gambino boss John Gotti, capo Gene Gotti, current boss Peter, and Vincent Gotti. Richard has a son, Richard G. Gotti, who also belongs to...
were convicted of labor racketeering, extortion
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
, and 63 other counts under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, commonly referred to as the RICO Act or simply RICO, is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization...
. Seagal testified for the prosecution about the mobsters' extortion attempt.
In August 2004, Cassarino received an 11½-year prison sentence. At his sentencing, Cassarino said that the mob life was finished. He begged his children to continue with their education and make decent lives for themselves. Soon after his sentencing, Cassarino became a government witness in hopes of reducing his sentence. In 2005, Cassarino testified for the prosecution in the trial of Genovese crime family
Genovese crime family
The Genovese crime family , is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The Genovese crime family has been nicknamed the "Ivy League" and "Rolls Royce" of organized crime...
capo Lawrence Ricci
Lawrence Ricci
Lawrence A. Ricci was a reputed Genovese crime family caporegime.Officially a dairy products salesman, Ricci was allegedly a major mob figure. In 1979, Ricci was sentenced to prison for attempting to extort $4,800 from a Parsippany, New Jersey restaurant owner.In February 2005, Ricci was charged...
.