THIRTEEN INDICTED FOR RACKETEERING

Boston, MA... A second Superseding Indictment was unsealed today charging Arthur Gianelli, his wife Mary Ann Gianelli, Philip Puopolo, Stephen Russo, a/k/a "Moon," and nine others with racketeering and related offenses.

United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett; Colonel Mark Delaney, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Douglas A. Bricker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation; Glenn N. Anderson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Kenneth W. Kaiser, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced the unsealing of a 520-count Second Superseding Indictment charging thirteen individuals with Racketeering, Money Laundering, Operating Illegal Gambling Businesses, Use of Wire Communication Facilities, Extortion, Loansharking, Arson, and Interstate Travel in Aid of Racketeering.

Named in the Second Superseding Indictment are:

1) ARTHUR GIANELLI, age 49, of 420 Main Street, Lynnfield, MA;

2) JOSEPH YERARDI, JR, age 52, of 43 Upham Street, West Newton, MA;

3) DENNIS ALBERTELLI, age 53, of 151 Hudson Road, Stow, MA;

4) SALVATORE RAMASCI A/K/A "LEFTY," age 50, of 48 Pleasant Street, Stoneham, MA;

5) RANDY ALBERTELLI, age 27, of 151 Hudson Road, Stow, MA;

6) GISELE ALBERTELLI, age 51, of 151 Hudson Road, Stow, MA;

7) RAFIA FEGHI A/K/A RAFIA YERARDI, age 59, of 405b Dedham Street, Newton, MA;
8) FRANK IACABONI, age 62, of 640 Union Street, Leominster, MA;

9) ENEYDA GONZALEZ RODRIGUEZ, a Venezuelan national who resides in San Jose, Costa Rica;

10) MICHAEL PINIALIS, A/K/A "MAX," age 48, an American who resides in San Jose, Costa Rica;

11) MARY ANN GIANELLI, age 49, 420 Main Street, Lynnfield, MA;

12) PHILIP PUOPOLO, age 50, 350 Revere Beach, Revere, MA; and

13) STEPHEN RUSSO, A/K/A "MOON," age 25 Central Avenue, Revere, MA.

Three defendants who were charged in a prior Indictment in this case -- TONY DANIELS A/K/A "SONNY," DEEB HOMSI, and TODD WESTERMAN - previously entered guilty pleas and are awaiting sentence.

The original Indictment in this case, returned in January 2005, charged GIANELLI, DENNIS ALBERTELLI, IACABONI and HOMSI with arson and other offenses related to their alleged attempt to extort the owners of The Canine Entertainment Corporation which operated The Big Dog Sports Grille in Lynnfield, Massachusetts. Two other individuals, Sean Slater, age 47, of 10 Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn, New York and Michael McCormack, age 42, of 207 Crosby Street, Arlington, Massachusetts were indicted in April 2004 in connection with the arson. McCormack pled guilty to the arson charges on April 4, 2005. Charges against Slater are still pending.

A First Superseding Indictment, returned in April 2005, incorporated the original charges and also alleged that GIANELLI led a racketeering enterprise that engaged in illegal gambling activities, money laundering, extortion, and other related criminal activities. In particular, the First Superseding Indictment alleged that the enterprise engaged in illegal gambling activities on behalf of convicted racketeer JOSEPH YERARDI, JR. who had been incarcerated since 1995 and was recently released from federal prison. It is alleged that some of the proceeds of the enterprise's illegal activities were funneled to YERARDI while he was in prison and to YERARDI's wife RAFIA FEGHI a/k/a RAFIA YERARDI. The First Superseding Indictment also alleged that the defendants engaged in numerous money laundering schemes including the investment of the enterprise's illicit proceeds in several legitimate businesses.

One of the features of the First Superseding Indictment was the inclusion of allegations that the enterprise used an offshore gambling office in San Jose, Costa Rica. It was alleged that customers of the enterprise's sports betting business were able to place bets over the Internet and through the use of a toll-free telephone number.
Also among other charges in the First Superseding Indictment were allegations that GIANELLI attempted to gain control of two other Massachusetts businesses through extortion. These businesses were McCarthy's Bar and Grille located at 903 Boylston Street in Boston, and Clarke's Turn of the Century Saloon located in Faneuil Hall.

The Second Superseding Indictment, which was unsealed today, incorporates all of the previous charges, and adds defendants MARY ANN GIANELLI, PUOPOLO, RUSSO and PINIALIS. They are all charged with racketeering, as well as other offenses.

In addition, today's Second Superseding Indictment adds the charge of using an arson fire to commit the federal felony of extortion against defendants ARTHUR GIANELLI, ALBERTELLI, and IACABONI. The Second Superseding Indictment also adds loansharking charges against ARTHUR GIANELLI and PUOPOLO, and charges MARY ANN GIANELLI with money laundering, signing false federal income tax returns and illegally structuring cash transactions to evade federal reporting requirements.

Defendants MARY ANN GIANELLI, PUOPOLO and RUSSO were arrested today on the Second Superseding Indictment and were arraigned in Federal District Court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joyce London Alexander. PUOPOLO was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for September 27, 2006 at 2:00 p.m. MARY ANN GIANELLI and RUSSO were released today on $100,000 unsecured bonds.

If convicted, each of the defendants faces a maximum sentence of 20 years' incarceration on each of the racketeering, extortion, money laundering, and Travel Act charges; and 5 years' incarceration on each of the gambling and conspiracy charges. The arson charges carry a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years and a maximum of 20 years' incarceration. The charge of using fire to commit extortion carries an additional 10 year mandatory prison term that must be served consecutive to any other sentences imposed. Additionally, each count also carries a 3 year term of supervised release and fines up to $250,000. Furthermore, numerous assets of the defendants are alleged to be subject to forfeiture to the United States.

The case is being investigated by the Massachusetts State Police, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from Essex County District Attorney Blodgett's Office and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Fred M. Wyshak, Jr. and Michael L. Tabak in Sullivan's Organized Crime Strike Force Unit.

The details in the Second Superseding Indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Press Contact: Samantha Martin, (617) 748-3139