Andrew Russo (crime boss)
Andrew Russo | |
|---|---|
1996 mugshot of Andrew Russo | |
| Born | August 9, 1934 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | April 18, 2022 (aged 87) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Crime boss |
| Years active | 1950s–2022 |
| Organization | Colombo crime family |
| Predecessor | Carmine Persico |
| Successor | Theodore N. "Skinny Teddy" Persico Jr. |
| Criminal charge | Racketeering, Jury tampering |
Andrew Russo (August 9, 1934 — April 18, 2022), sometimes known as Andy Mush, was a boss of the Colombo crime family.[1]
Criminal history
Russo was acting boss of the Colombo crime family from 1994 to 1996, when he was imprisoned.
Russo was convicted of jury tampering in 1999.[2] The matter involved his attempt to contact a juror involved in the criminal trial of his son, Joseph.[3] He was previously romantically involved with an attorney who subsequently left him and testified to the attempted contact.[3]
In 2012, Russo pled guilty to federal racketeering charges related to his involvement in illegal gambling.[4]
Russo succeeded Alphonse Persico as boss of the Colombo crime family in 2019. According to a former FBI special agent interviewed by the Wall Street Journal, Russo mismanaged the organization by micromanaging subordinates and trying to hold onto leadership past his prime.[5]
In September 2021, the United States Department of Justice indicted Russo on multiple racketeering charges related to an alleged scheme to infiltrate a labor union.[6] He was released the following month on a $10 million bond and died in 2022, before trial.[7]
References
- ^ "14 Defendants Indicted, Including the Entire Administration of the Colombo Organized Crime Family". U.S. Department of Justice. 18 March 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ "Alleged Mob Boss Guilty in Jury Tamper". New York Daily News. 27 January 1999. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
- ^ a b Fiandaca, Giovanni (2007). Women and the Mafia: Female Roles in Organized Crime Structures. Springer. p. 263. ISBN 978-0387365428.
- ^ "Thirty-Eight Defendants in Historic Colombo Family Case Plead Guilty" (Press release). New York: FBI. 2012-11-09. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
- ^ Fanelli, James (October 29, 2021). "The Mob Suffers Management Troubles". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
- ^ O’Brien, Rebecca Davis (15 September 2021). "Colombo Family Crime Boss and 12 Others Are Arrested, Prosecutors Say". New York Times. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
- ^ Atmonavage, Joe (9 March 2022). "N.J. mobster accused of leading union takeover attempt to be released on $1.6M bond". nj.com. Retrieved 18 March 2024.