Gambino Mafia Has Massive City Project Contracts In NYC

New York City, NY (AHN) - The integrity of a number of major infrastructure projects in New York City are now under question as evidence indicate the Gambino mafia, arrested Friday, had a large stake in infrastructure projects, both public and private sectors. The red light was the inclusion of Anthony Delvescovo in the indictment. Delvescovo was the director of tunnel operations for Schiavone Construction in New Jersey, which holds several government contracts in billions of dollars.

Among the projects being undertaken by Schiavone are a subway line and a new water tunnel.

Randy Mastro, an ex-federal prosecutor pointed to the link between the Italian mafia and the construction industry as a major construction industry problem. "It's like a rat infestation in the city... Somehow they reproduce and come back," Mastro told Newsday.

Another mobster Nicholas Calvo, was employed by Nacirema Industries involved in clearing Sept. 11 debris in New York. Calvo's employment with Nacirema had caused five carting companies subsidiaries included in the indictment banned from working with the city and hiring Calvo.

Aside from holding billion-dollar city project contracts, the mob was allegedly also engaged in extortion. Tape recordings by FBI informant Joseph Vollaro, owner of a trucking firm, confirmed Delvescovo and two others forced contractors like Vollare to pay them for the privilege of providing trucking services to Schiavone.

Toby Thacher, who used to be the inspector general of the School Construction Authority, said in the 1970s the mafia controlled the manufacture of concrete and window installation business, laid low in the 1980s and reemerged later in the trucking business.