May 2, 2008 2:05 pm US/Eastern
"Big Cheese" Indicted In Big Dig Sting
BOSTON (AP) ―
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Carmen DiNunzio (file photo)
CBS
The reputed underboss of the New England mob and two other men were arrested Friday on charges they attempted to bribe a state official to win a lucrative Big Dig contract.
U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan said Carmen DiNunzio -- known as "the Cheese Man" or "The Big Cheese" -- Anthony D'Amore, 55, of Revere and Andrew Marino, 42, of Chelsea were caught in an undercover FBI bribery sting that began two years ago.
Read Indictment (pdf)
Read Detention Affidavit (pdf)
The men allegedly tried to pay off an FBI agent -- who was posing as a Massachusetts Highway Department inspector -- to secure a contract to provide 300,000 cubic yards of loam to the Big Dig.
"This investigation should act as a reminder to anyone bidding on publicly funded projects ... that we will vigorously pursue anyone who seeks to bribe a public official," Sullivan said at a news conference.
"It is incumbent on us to ensure that bidding processes are fair and above board," he said.
Prosecutors say DiNunzio, 50, of Boston has been underboss in the New England branch of the Mafia since 2004, while D'Amore and Marino are associated with the Mafia. They were scheduled for their initial court appearance Friday afternoon.
According to court documents, the investigation began in May 2006 when a witness working with the FBI recorded conversations with DiNunzio and D'Amore about the proposed deal for the loam -- soil composed of sand, silt, manure and clay.
The men allegedly discussed bribing a Mass Highway inspector they knew as "Mike" to ensure they would win the $6 million contract.
That fall, the three men allegedly agreed to pay the man $15,000 and 5 percent of revenue from the contract in exchange for his assurances they'd get the deal. They gave him the money during a September 2006 meeting, according to court documents.
Friday's arrests raised questions about whether the New England branch of the Mafia, known as La Cosa Nostra, is still healthy, despite numerous arrests of high ranking figures in recent decades.
DiNunzio already is awaiting trial on separate gambling and extortion charges after a December 2006 indictment in Essex County.
Warren Bamford, special agent in charge of the FBI's Boston office, said the organization was thriving in New England.
"We believe that the LCN is still alive and well ... and we are going to continue to pursue those organizations," he said.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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