A 52-year-old member of the Genovese Crime Family was sentenced to 48 months in prison for extortion conspiracy and participating in a racketeering conspiracy. Frank Giovinco was sentenced in connection with a conspiracy involving the Genovese Crime Family's control of two local chapters of a labor union.
"For years, Frank Giovinco, as a member of the Genovese Crime Family, instilled fear in victims and perpetrated kickback schemes to tighten the Family's stranglehold over two labor unions. For committing these crimes, Giovinco will now spend four years in prison," Acting US Attorney Audrey Strauss said.
A Member of The Mob
The La Cosa Nostra, commonly known as the 'Mafia' or the 'Mob', functions through organizations known as 'Families'. Genovese Crime Family is the largest of such families operating in the New York City Area.
Giovinco was placed by the crime family into a scheme to control the waste carting industry in New York City in the early 1990s. He was a member of the Genovese Crime Family as far back as the late-1990s.
Committing a Wide Range of Crimes
According to records, Giovinco, continuing until 2017, was involved in conspiracies with other associates and members of the crime family to carry out an extensive range of crimes. This included several cases of bribery, extortion, and honest services fraud.
Giovinco's role in the Genovese Crime Family's activities was centered around the local chapters of two labor unions. He also participated in a series of schemes formulated to manipulate and skim money from the Unions to benefit the family.
Targeting Unions Officials
The mob member also extorted a labor union official and a financial adviser for a portion of the commissions accrued on the union investments. According to audio recordings, Giovinco was also planning to intimidate and threaten the two victims. Failure on the part of the official to pay the demanded by Giovinco led to the threatening of the official's life by Giovinco and other members of the Genovese Crime Family.
In addition to this, Giovinco also hatched a plan to benefit from investments by the union through the payment of kickbacks to the said official and others in order to receive a cut from future commissions. He was involved in the prolonged extortion of a union president where he demanded an annual tribute of over $10,000. Giovinco also asked for a job at the union with the intention of applying pressure on the first official on behalf of the Genovese Crime Family.
