N.J. Crime Family Indicted
Boss, 11 others charged
with murder and racketeering

By HELEN PETERSON
Daily News Staff Writer

racketeering indictment that strikes a heavy blow against a New Jersey mob family and its criminal activity in New York was announced yesterday by federal law enforcement officials.

The charges against the DeCavalcante crime family tie its leadership to five murders and eight murder conspiracies, as well as gambling, loansharking, labor extortion, obstruction of justice and securities frauds.

One of the killings supposedly was carried out as a favor to John Gotti, and three of the murder targets were among those arrested yesterday, according to authorities.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White said the case illustrates the DeCavalcante family's propensity for "hair-trigger violence," particularly against its members and associates.

Those charged include the clan's jailed boss, John Riggi, 75, as well as two alleged capos, Girolamo (Jimmy) Palermo, 62, and Charles Majuri, 59, who authorities said have served as acting bosses while Riggi does his time. Nine others also were charged.

Among the murder cases is the 1989 slaying of Staten Island man Frederick Weiss, who authorities said was killed as a favor to Gotti, the former Gambino crime family boss who is serving a life sentence.

Prosecutors said Gotti was concerned that Weiss, who had been arrested along with several Gambino members, was considering cooperating against the mob.

White said the DeCavalcante family's murder targets included stool pigeons, potential stoolies and even rivals in the clan.

New York FBI boss Barry Mawn said that although the DeCavalcantes were once viewed as one of the lesser families in the metropolitan area, they became stronger over the years by currying favor with New York's five crime families.

Mawn said the DeCavalcantes moved into New York territory to take advantage of a vacuum created by the successful prosecutions of New York mobsters. Also among the attractions were illegal profits in the securities industry.

"The DeCavalcante family plotted and committed killings on the streets of New York while at the same time attempting to make a killing on Wall Street," he said.

The indictment follows a three-year investigation by the White's office, the FBI and the Department of Labor's office of labor racketeering.

Riggi, the reputed boss of the DeCavalcante family for more than two decades, has been imprisoned since 1990 and was set to be released in two years, according to prosecutors.

He could now face life behind bars if convicted of the new charges.

The feds filed a separate civil forfeiture action against the defendants that seeks $20 million in damages, representing the proceeds from the alleged acts of racketeering.

Original Publication Date: 10/20/00

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