Andrew Russo (crime boss)
 | This article's lead section contains information that is not included elsewhere in the article. (October 2024) |
Andrew Russo | |
|---|---|
 1996 mugshot of Andrew Russo | |
| Occupation | Crime boss |
| Organization | Colombo crime family |
| 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] 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.[2]
Criminal history
[edit]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.[3] The matter involved his attempt to contact a juror involved in the criminal trial of his son, Joseph.[4] He was previously romantically involved with an attorney who subsequently left him and testified to the attempted contact.[4]
In 2012, Russo pled guilty to federal racketeering charges related to his involvement in illegal gambling.[5]
Russo succeeded Alphonse Persico as boss of the Colombo crime family in 2019.
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
[edit]- ^ "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.
- ^ Fanelli, James (October 29, 2021). "The Mob Suffers Management Troubles". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
- ^ "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 0387365427.
- ^ "Thirty-Eight Defendants in Historic Colombo Family Case Plead Guilty" (Press release). New York: FBI. 2012-11-09. Retrieved 2024-10-19.
- ^ 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.