Feds arrest 10 alleged members of Bonanno crime family

Federal agents early Tuesday rounded up 10 reputed members and associates of the Bonanno crime family, including one from Long Island, on racketeering conspiracy charges in the latest effort by investigators to mop up the mob group and grab its assets, officials said.

Among those arrested were Ronald Giallanzo, the nephew of Bonanno crime family captain Vincent Asaro, 82, and allegedly an acting captain in the crime family.

Asaro was acquitted in November 2015 of charges related to the infamous nearly $6 million Lufthansa heist at Kennedy Airport in 1978, but he was arrested last week on a separate federal arson charge.

Also charged in the federal indictment Tuesday were Nicholas “Pudgie” Festa, 36, of Oceanside, and Howard Beach residents Michael Palmaccio, 45, and Michael Padavona, 48. All three were identified in court papers as soldiers in the crime family.

The charges in the indictment included 30 acts of racketeering, including one count of attempted murder in 2006, as well as numerous loan-sharking and illegal gambling charges. It also included allegations of arson, narcotics and robbery conspiracy.

The attempted murder charge involves a crime family dispute with a drug dealer identified as “John Doe # 5” who was shot and wounded in 2006.

One of the defendants, Robert Tanico, 49, of Queens, was accused of lying during his federal grand jury testimony. He will be arraigned Wednesday. The indictment also charged a total of 37 separate counts of overt acts.

The charges show that La Cosa Nostra is still present in the community, acting Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Bridget Rohde said in a statement.

Giallanzo, 46, a man with a significant criminal record, is depicted in the indictment and a government detention letter as a major player in the Bonanno family. The warrant for Giallanzo’s arrest was based on him violating his supervised release in a different case.

He has been a member of the crime family for almost 20 years and has held the rank of acting captain since 2014, court papers stated.

Giallanzo is alleged to have had over $3 million in loan shark money out on the street and allegedly used Festa to manage some of his portfolio of loans, which pulled in $10,000 a week in interest, according to court papers.

Although Giallanzo reported little income, his loan-sharking and gambling operations pumped out enough money that he was able to spend millions to purchase and design a “gargantuan” house on 86th Street, court papers stated. Prosecutors said the huge house was a reminder to his Howard Beach neighbors of Giallanzo’s wealth and power.

If Giallanzo is convicted, prosecutors said in the indictment that they will try to seize his home. Court records show they also want to seize the home of Festa in Oceanside and the Howard Beach properties of Padovona and Palmaccio, court records show.

Giallanzo was ordered held without bail by a magistrate, while Festa, Palmaccio and Padavona were ordered held without bail at their arraignments Tuesday in Brooklyn federal district court.

By Anthony M. DeStefano

tony.destefano@newsday.comtonynewsday

Anthony M. DeStefano has been a reporter for Newsday since 1986 and covers law enforcement, criminal justice and legal affairs from its New York City offices.