John J. Durham, United States lawyer for the Oriental District of New York and Leslie R. Backschies, Acting Deputy Director in charge, Federal Office of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), said.
“Today’s sentence punishes Ragano’s blatant contempt for the law, even under the supervision of the court for crimes erased in the federal courthouse,” said US prosecutor Durham. “This prosecution represents the unshakable commitment of my office to fight against the mafia in our district.”
“Despite the previous arrests and detention, John Ragano tormented his victim to make weekly payments of exorbitant loans and the humiliating methods applied when he is confronted with resistance,” said the deputy director of the FBI in charge of back coating. “His actions reflected his apathy to the criminal justice system when he repeatedly tried to extort his victims in the midst of active legal proceedings.
At the beginning of 2021, the defendant Ragano lent $ 150,000 in cash to the victim and forced the victim to make interest payments of around $ 1,800 per week. These payments have not reduced the main loan by $ 150,000. On September 14, 2021, Ragano was arrested as part of the exorbital loan to the victim, as well as separate diets to make marijuana traffic and commit fraud. After the release of Ragano on deposit of the metropolitan detention center in December 2021, he continued to try to receive the victim’s $ 150,000 loan when he was under preliminary surveillance. He did so by approaching the victim in person during conferences of status held at the federal courthouse and by directing another person (individual # 1) to contact the victim. On November 28, 2022, Ragano pleaded guilty to conspired to issue the exorbital loan to the victim. However, in 2023, despite his previous guilty plea, his supervision of the in progress court and his sentence at 57 months’ imprisonment as part of his previous plea of guilt to the loan of 2021, Ragano continued to extort the victim to perceive payments on the 2021 loan, which led to a subsequent act of reduction for an exorbitant collection of credibility and harassment witness.
As the trial in October 2024 of Ragano proved, on March 25, 2023, the victim recorded a meeting with the individual No. 1, who explained that Ragano wanted the total amount of the loan reimbursed and that “nobody is looking for anyone to injure himself”. A week later, on March 31, 2023, the individual No. 1 told the victim that Ragano was “a little upset” that the loan was underway. On July 5, 2023, the victim went to a second-hand car caps where Ragano worked to discuss the loan. With the knowledge of Ragano, the victim recorded the meeting. The victim told Ragano that he was going to stop repaying the loan. Ragano accused the victim of cooperating with the government and asked for him to withdraw all his clothes. Ragano said: “Okay, so remove your F -King S – now my man. Remove your F – King pants right now, I see, I want to see.” On the insistence of Ragano, the victim complined and removed all his clothes. At that time, two men from the company approached Ragano, one of which had metal tools. Ragano then asked the victim to pay the money that the defendant believed he was due, saying to him: “You owe me my f — King of money, let’s see how you will do when I get out.” Although he was forced to undress, the victim has always been able to record the confrontation, including the farewell words of Ragano, “I will see you when I come out of the hard to cook … Don’t forget that I know where you are now.”
The government’s case is processed by the organized crime section and the office gangs. Deputy Prosecutors of the United States Devon Lash and Andrew D. Reich are in charge of the accusation with the help of the specialist in parajurists Kristina Kim. The assistant prosecutor of the United States Tanisha Payne of the office recovery section of the office manages confiscation issues.
The accused::
John Ragano (also known as “Bazoo”)
Age: 62
Franklin Square, Long Island
Edny file n ° 24-CR-50 (HG)
https://www.justice.gov/usaoo-edny/pr/bonanno-crime-family-soldier-phare-37-months-imprisonment-extoreclection-collection
