Mobster sentenced in gambling, loan-sharking operation

Louis Fazzini
Louis Fazzini
Louis FazziniGALLERY: Louis Fazzini
By Sam Wood, PHILLY.COM
Posted: February 26, 2013

A North Jersey mobster, who admitted to participating in the affairs of Philadelphia's La Cosa Nostra, was sentenced today to a 55 month term in federal prison.

Louis "Big Lou" Fazzini, 45, pleaded guilty in October to a racketeering conspiracy charge linked to a mob-controlled gambling and loan-sharking operation.

A self-described "made" member of the mob, Fazzini, of Caldwell, operated a sports bookmaking business and ran a social club in northern New Jersey where illegal gambling on card and dice games occurred regularly. In addition, he devised a scheme to get health benefits through a "no show" job at a trash hauler controlled by the Philly mob.

Fazzini was convicted of similar charges in 1999 in Newark and sentenced to 48 months in prison.

In recognition of his loyalty to the mob, Fazzini was formally initiated into the Philadelphia mob with Joseph Ligambi presiding over Fazzini's making ceremony. In a conversation recorded by federal investigators, Fazzini recounted the ceremony:

"When I got straightened out, you either knew you were getting straightened out (meaning initiated) or you're getting clipped (meaning murdered). One of the f..ing two."

Fazzini told the story about how Ligambi could not get blood out of Fazzini's finger with a pin during the ceremony, so he used the ceremonial knife and "the f..ing blood splashed all over his shirt, my shirt...," according to court documents.

Federal authorities previously described Fazzini as a key operative for Joseph "Scoops" Licata, a capo who headed the Philadelphia crime family's Newark-area operations.

Contact Sam Wood at 215-854-2796, @samwoodiii or samwood@phillynews.com.

 

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