Alleged Mobster’s Trial Extended to Next Year, Because of His Poor Health

By: Michelle Ayr

 

On Thursday, Nicholas Angelo Santora was to have a hearing regarding his suspected association with the Bonanno organized crime family, at the New York County Criminal Court in Manhattan, with Judge Mark Dwyer.

The alleged minor-boss of the crime family has been charged with perjury and enterprise corruption, for being allegedly involved in activities such as illegal gambling and drug trafficking, as well as lying in a court hearing while under oath, to the benefit of other mobsters with the Bonanno family.

One of those mobsters was Vito Badamo, who pled guilty to pursuing enterprise corruption, allowing him to avoid trial. Santora followed in the tracks of Badamo and pled guilty for the same crimes, with his punishment being four and eight years in Rikers Island. In 2017, he was quoted on SILive as saying, “I did what I did. I took responsibility for what I did. I want to get on with my life, what’s left of it.”

Because of the poor condition of his health, Nicholas Santora, known as “Nicky Cigars,” was unable to attend his hearing today and is currently in a hospital bed in Nassau County. The 75-year-old has been getting professional help dealing with head injuries allegedly caused by New York City Department of Corrections officers.

“My father sustained multiple head injuries. I watched him deteriorate literally,” his daughter Gina Santora told Newsday in a telephone interview.

On top of the charges against him, authorities said on Thursday that the Staten Island native and mobster is now also accused of operating a gambling company illegally in Connecticut.

“Although, the federal crime took place in a different state, Connecticut still falls under the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, making those crimes available for punishment in New York,” Judge Dwyer said.

There to defend Nicholas Santora was his attorney, Michael J. Alber, who spoke on behalf of the defendant privately to Justice Mark Dwyer. Alber then agreed to an extension of time for when the defendant would have to show up in court. “The lifespan of this trial has been immensely prolonged,” Alber said.

The trial dates back to 2012, when Nicholas Santora was first accused of being a Mafia underboss, who would control illegal gambling and loan shark operations between March, 2010 and February, 2012. In 2012, Santora was convicted of  extortionate extending of credit, giving him 20 months in jail. Since 2013, Nicholas Santora has been held without bail under criminal enterprise laws.

The next hearing is anticipated to be held in January of 2019.