US federal agents have arrested more than 100 suspected mobsters in a crackdown on New York's five mafia crime families.
The FBI said most of the arrests were made this morning. Many were in Brooklyn, but they occurred throughout New York City, in New Jersey and New England. Charges include murder, extortion and drug trafficking.
The arrests were the result of multiple investigations. Federal investigations aided by turncoats have decimated the families' ranks in recent years and resulted in lengthy prison terms for several leaders.
A federal judge in Brooklyn sentenced John "Sonny" Franzese, 93, to eight years in prison last Friday for extorting Manhattan strip clubs and a pizzeria on Long Island.
Federal prosecutors had sought at least 12 years' jail for the underboss of the Colombo crime family. An FBI agent testifed that Franzese bragged about killing 60 people over the years and once contemplated putting out a hit on his own son for co-operating with the government.
In October, the mafia turncoat Salvatore Vitale was sentenced to time served after federal prosecutors praised his betrayal of his crime syndicate – and after he apologised to the families of his victims. Authorities said he had a hand in at least 11 murders, including that of a fellow gangster.
An assistant US attorney, Greg Andres, said Vitale's evidence, provided after his arrest in 2003, helped decimate the once-fearsome Bonanno organised crime family,.
"The mafia today is weaker because of his co-operation," Andres said. "Mr Vitale provided lead after lead … The results speak for themselves."