Mobsters Charged In WTC Extortion Scheme

Prepare to be shocked, readers: The feds have charged eight members of the Colombo crime family with extortion, racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, and embezzlement of union benefit funds in connection with construction at the World Trade Center site. Yes, in addition to a lack of progress at the site, there's mob activity.

You can read the press release about the indictment here, but basically the U.S. Attorney's office claims that a Colombo crime family-controlled trucking company, All Around, tried to use kickbacks to get a subcontract with Testa, a demolition company already working at the site as well as Newtown Creek. Of course, once the deal was made, "Colombo family associates threatened Testa employees when Testa failed to pay All Around on the timetable set by the crime family." In fact, a Colombo crime family associate was heard saying that Testa employees were "shakin' in their boots over us" while another said, "You want me to yoke the guy up and hit him over the f--- ing head with a coffee pot?"

The Daily News calls one of the defendants, Michael Persico, a "prince" of the Colombo family, as he's the "son of Colombo boss Carmine (The Snake) Persico and brother of ex-acting boss Alphonse (Allie Boy) Persico, both jailed for life." Plus, he was "dressed in a blue, crushed-velvet sport coat and jeans" when he pleaded not guilty.