Forget Mary Jane, when it comes to pot personifications the name of the moment is "Karen Wright." Mere months after 35 pounds of cocaine were accidentally dropped off at the U.N. the feds intercepted two packages on their way to the offices of St. Martin's Press containing 11 pounds of pot. The drugs were destined for a person by the name of "Karen Wright," which seems to be the nom de dealer of somebody at the Macmillan subsidiary. more ›

On the heels of reports that the feds are investigating City Comptroller John Liu's questionable campaign finances, now the NY Times reports a man who has raised money for Liu has been arrested for fraud: "The charges against the man, Xing Wu Pan, do not mention Mr. Liu, but say that Mr. Pan served as a bundler — or person who gathers donations from a group of contributors — for a citywide candidate in New York for the 2013 election. A person briefed on the matter said the candidate was Mr. Liu." more ›

According to Mayor Bloomberg the NYPD "has lots of capabilities you don't know about and you won't know about," but when it comes to shooting down planes commissioner Ray Kelly has admitted the best they can realistically hope to shoot down is an anthrax-laden crop duster. But that doesn't mean the city is defenseless against hijacked jets! Stashed somewhere within Manhattan, feds have, "Heat-seeking firepower with the ability to strike a jet traveling in excess of 400 mph and up to 11,000 feet in the air." Oh...good? more ›

Nearly two years after Bernard Madoff confessed to running a massive Ponzi scheme, the feds are still arresting his associates. The FBI announced, "Joann 'Jodi' Crupi was arrested...this morning at her residence in New Jersey, and Annette Bongiorno was also arrested at her home in Florida." According to the Post, "Crupi handled investor funds and kept track of the firm's daily cash balance while Bongiorno was an office supervisor who allegedly sent out phony account statements." Bongiorno, who worked for Madoff for 40 years, has previously been targeted by the feds for "her $1.4 million Manhassett home, $1.1 million in bank accounts, an $862,000 Boca Raton, Fla., condo, and three cars worth a combined $340,000." more ›

Yesterday, the federal authorities raided an alleged Garment District boiler room operation and arrested a suspected member of the Bonnano crime family and six others. According to the Wall Street Journal, Anthony Guarino, an alleged Bonanno foot soldier, "was accused of masterminding an alleged 10-year investment scam that hoodwinked mostly elderly investors out of more than $12 million." And another man arrested was "formerly employed by the Securities and Exchange Commission." more ›

The Gambino crime family takedown yesterday led to numerous charges of criminal activity and sex trafficking, but one thing it did not bring was a rat—though not for lack of trying. The feds approached one of the indicted men, soldier Onofrio "Noel" Modica, 46, last week before the bust (as he was walking to his physical therapist) and tried to get him to turn on his compatriots. But he refused and was arrested on Tuesday. Modica's lawyer claims that the feds are getting back at him for not cooperating. more ›

WABC 7 reports, "Investigators executed a search warrant at Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada, Jr.'s non profit this morning, searching for evidence in several ongoing investigations into the Bronx Democrat. Eyewitness News is told law enforcement officials descended on the Soundview Health Center on White Plains Road at 7 a.m. Investigators from multiple agencies  including the FBI, IRS, and Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's office -- immediately began bringing out boxes of evidence." Investigators are apparently looking for signs of wire and mail fraud. Yesterday, Cuomo filed a suit against Espada, accusing him of siphoning $14 million from Soundview for himself and his family. We expect an outraged comment from Espada shortly. more ›

Following Gov. Paterson's controversial selection of Aqueduct Entertainment Group to operate video slot machines at the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, federal prosecutors have reportedly seized records related to the politically-connected winning bidder. Investigators are researching ties between Aqueduct Entertainment Group and a Queens nonprofit, which was last in the news for allegedly fleecing Hurricane Katrina victims out of money raised on their behalf. more ›

John Gotti Jr., on trial yet again (he's been tried three times before, each time ending in mistrials) for murder and drug trafficking charges, was defended by his mother yesterday. Victoria Gotti, widow of the Teflon Don, unleashed torrent of words at her son's pretrial hearing. She yelled, "Excuse me, your honor, may I speak? I am his mother!" to which the judge said no. But that didn't stop her: She shouted "How do you feel about perjury?" "Why don't you just hang him now?" "The government is suborning perjury. This trial is rigged," "They're trying to kill him before trial. These are the good guys? God help us!" and that the feds were "fighting like little b----es, instead of men." Unsurprising, the judge ended the hearing. In spite of being in jail, Junior told his lawyer he was feeling good, though his lawyer pointed out Gotti needs treatment for kidney stones. Curtis Sliwa, Guardian Angels founder who was the target of a hit, told the Daily News, "I'd be more than happy to break up his kidney stones with a nice therapeutic massage." more ›

[Update Below] Sixpoint Craft Ales' most popular limited-edition brew, the "Hop Obama," dropped out of existence last month, with the last known kegs tapped on Inauguration Day. Most beer barons assumed that the Red Hook brewery had stopped producing it because it was always planned for a limited run, and while that is correct, today Brownstoner reveals there was a bit more to the story: The Federal Government actually came to Red Hook and ordered Sixpoint owners not produce anymore "Hop Obama." more ›

Former State Senate majority leader Joseph Bruno was indicted on 8 counts yesterday for allegedly taking in $3.2 million in "consulting fees" that were actually payments from various parties who wanted the once powerful legislator's influence. Bruno, who spent 32 years in the State Senate, 13 of them as Majority Leader, said the FBI had conducted "a three-year fishing expedition that smells really, really bad and it really stinks," and vowed, "After being hounded for three years, I am being indicted on a prosecutor’s sleight of hand. I’ve been a fighter. And I don’t plan on changing now.” more ›

Yesterday, the Westbury, Long Island office of the Railroad Retirement Board was was raided by federal agents who are investigating possible fraud in disability payments to Long Island Rail Road retirees. While the NY Times recently detailed how 90-97% of LIRR employees were applying for--and receiving--disability benefits upon retirement since 2000, it turns out the feds had been investigating the situation for the past six months. more ›

Police have arrested a bank teller for helping an NYPD rookie pull off two robberies at the East Village bank last year. Christina Dasrath admitted to cops that she received a portion of the $118,000 taken. more ›

NYPD rookie Christian Torres has been charged in robbing an East Village Sovereign Bank branch twice. The law enforcement officer who held a second "job" as a felonious stickup man was initially arrested after robbing a Pennsylvania bank of $113,000. more ›

This morning, federal agents have arrested over 50 members of the Gambino, Genovese and Bonanno crime families in New York City, New Jersey, and Long Island. Authorities are calling this the "biggest mafia bust in more than 20 years." more ›