Gambling, blackmail, drug-pushing and money laundering-these were the crimes committed by the Bonanno mob family.
On Tuesday, nine members of the family were charged for various kinds of what the prosecutors called "old-school mob activity," including online gambling and pill dealing.
Over the span of two years, authorities have been investigating one crew of the family, consisting of a captain, two capos, a soldier and a handful of associates-two of them were union members for an International Brotherhood of Teamsters group, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. told the Associated Press.
"The 158-page indictment demonstrates that organized crime is still operating in New York City and has its hooks into the labor movement," Vance explained.
He also mentioned that prosecutors have been so successful in their endeavors to stamp out these kinds of mob families that it seems like they have largely been removed from the crime world.
"Many mistakenly believe that the mob has disappeared entirely except if you watch HBO," he said. "But we know, in fact, this is not the case."
According to the Manhattan prosecutors involved in the case, the group of Bonanno men, which includes the ex-president of Local 917, used their positions of clout within the union to move drugs, money and other criminal materials through. Employing fellow members of the union, the crew used coworkers as clients for their various undertakings.
They also were charged with illegal gun possession. Two more members were slapped with perjury charges, according to the Associated Press.
Seven of the nine suspects pled not guilty in court on Tuesday. Their lawyers insisted their hands were clean of the charges, and that they would make bail.
The Bonannos are one of five New York City families of La Cosa Nostra, the Italian mob.
Ex-Bonanno boss Joseph Massino grew to be one of the most powerful members of NYC's organized crime families. He was the highest-ranking member to ever get on the witness stand for the government, during a trial in which he snitched on associate and fellow mob member Vincent Basciano.
Basciano subsequently received two life terms for his crimes.
