We value your privacy

We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, serve personalized ads or content, and analyze our traffic. By clicking "Accept All", you consent to our use of cookies.

Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Friday, May 23, 2025
Beyond the Crime Scene
  • Home
  • News
  • True Crime Stories
  • Videos
  • Podcast
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • True Crime Stories
  • Videos
  • Podcast
No Result
View All Result
Beyond the Crime Scene
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Reputed Mafioso Anthony Romanello convicted in NYC extort case

by
December 12, 2023
in News
0
Reputed Mafioso Anthony Romanello convicted in NYC extort case
190
SHARES
1.5k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter



An 86-year-old reputed capo in the Genovese crime family was convicted of extortion charges by a Brooklyn federal jury Monday after hours of testimony surrounding a punch he landed to the jaw of a steakhouse owner.

The weeklong trial of Anthony “Rom” Romanello included shocking surveillance footage capturing the elderly alleged Mafioso socking restaurateur Shuqeri “Bruno” Selimaj with a right-handed jab at Selimaj’s since-shuttered eatery Lincoln Square Steak on May 11, 2017.

Prosecutors said the punch stemmed from $86,000 in unpaid failed bets accrued by Selimaj’s nephew, Tony, and another relative — a gambling debt Romanello had been sent to collect from the restauranteur.

“What am I gonna say? Nothing — I really did nothing,” a stunned Romanello insisted outside the courtroom Monday.

Jurors returned with a guilty verdict against Romanello on two counts of extortion after beginning deliberations at around 2:45 p.m. Thursday.

He faces up to 40 years behind bars at his sentencing at a later date prosecutors have said.

Prosecutors argued that both Romanello and co-defendant Joseph Celso, who was convicted of the top count, should be held behind bars until their sentencing hearings — leaving family members and supporters of the reputed mobsters shocked.

“He’s 86 years old!” whispered one court onlooker.

Romanello’s lawyer, Jerry McMahon, had tried to convince jurors that his client only punched Selimaj because he had insulted him.

“He didn’t punch Bruno to collect a gambling debt,” McMahon insisted during his opening statements. “Bruno told him that he was a washed-up Italian, that he had no balls, that he was nothing.

Elderly reputed Genovese capo Anthony “Rom” Romanello is seen on surveillance video socking a steakhouse owner in an alleged extortion plot. Obtained by NY Post

“He punched him, that 86-year-old guy sitting there, he punched him because Bruno insulted him to his face.”

Jurors were shown the 55-second recording during the trial when the accused aging alleged mobster delivered the jab to the restaurateur’s jaw.

In the clip, Romanello can be seen standing next to who Selimaj identified as Mike Regan, an Irish bookie, who allegedly grabbed Selimaj’s jacket threateningly after the punch is thrown.

Anthony Romanello only hit Shuqeri “Bruno” Selimaj because he was called a “washed-up Italian,” according to Romanello’s lawyer. Gabriella Bass

McMahon has repeatedly downplayed Romanello’s haymaker throughout the trial, often saying that the old reputed wiseguy “punches like a girl” and that he had simply been the victim of Selimaj’s bullying antics.

“If he wasn’t Italian, there would be no issue,” McMahon said during closing arguments Thursday. “But because an Italian steps in, it’s Mafia.”

McMahon also proclaimed that Romanello’s right hook is “the most investigated one-punch in the history of one-punches.”

Following the verdict Monday, McMahon said Brooklyn Federal Court Judge Eric Komitee — whom he sparred with over evidence throughout the trial — had made it “virtually impossible” to defend Romanello by allowing the jury to hear that his client was Italian and in the Mafia.

“That should have never been allowed. That’s an invitation,” he said. “The jury is going to hear, ‘He’s Italian. He’s in the Mafia. He’s trying to collect a gambling debt. Oh, of course, it’s extortion!’ Allowing that evidence is a crucial thing.”

Surveillance footage caught on tape the defendant’s right hook, which his lawyer dismissed as “the most investigated one-punch in the history of one-punches.” Obtained by NY Post

Prosecutors had argued that Romanello paid Selimaj three visits, including the day of the attack, threatening him so he would pay off his relatives’ debt.

Selimaj testified that on the night of the punch, he told the alleged mobster that he would only be willing to pay the part of the debt owed by his nephew — a $6,000 tab — and added he wouldn’t pay his nephew’s brother-in-law’s $80,000.

The restaurateur said an enraged Romanello kept telling him that he would “like to punch [me]” — before he was socked at his restaurant in front of staff and patrons.

Shuqeri “Bruno” Selimaj says he was the victim of a Mafia assault. Gabriella Bass

Selimaj filed a police report that night – but he ended up retracting it within 24 hours after his brother relayed an allegedly veiled threatening message from Celso, a reputed Genovese soldier, saying that it would be a bad idea to go through with the complaint, the former eatery owner testified.

In a later written statement with the NYPD, Selimaj claimed Romanello had a “few drinks” and that the fight between the pair — who had been acquaintances for 30 years — had been a “misunderstanding between me and him.”

But Selimaj ended up testifying that what he wrote in the statement was “not true” — and that he only told cops that because he was afraid of the consequences from the alleged Queens mobster.

Romanello was visiting Selimaj at Selimaj’s establishment Lincoln Square Steak, accompanied by Irish bookie Mike Regan, when the incident occurred. Obtained by NY Post

“I was afraid this Mafia guy was going to hurt me, [hurt] my nephew,” he told prosecutors.

His brother, Shemsi “Nino” Selimaj, also a restaurateur who appeared as himself in the 2019 movie “Uncut Gems” with Adam Sandler, testified later in the trial that he interpreted Celso’s threats to be real warnings.

Shemsi said Celso told him that if Romanello was arrested, “somebody is going to pay the price,” he testified.

Reputed Genovese soldier Joseph Celso is also accused of extortion and then of later allegedly threatening Selimaj to retract a police report over the punching. Gabriella Bass

Brooklyn federal prosecutor Rebecca Schuman described to the jury how Celso — who also faced an obstruction of justice count — allegedly sent the threat to Selimaj to get the police report dropped.

He eventually got Selimaj to fork over the $6,000 debt of his nephew and the remaining $80,000, which was sent to alleged Genovese associate and wannabe Albanian film star Luan Bexheti, prosecutors said.

Celso was convicted Monday of one of the extortion counts, but found not guilty of the second and of the obstruction charge.

Bexheti, who once appeared in a movie called “Albanian Gangster,” pleaded guilty in the case Oct. 4.

Joseph Marrone, Celso’s lawyer, has maintained that Celso didn’t have a part in the extortion scheme — and even questioned whether the two alleged Genovese associates were even in the Mafia because had they been, the restaurant would have been “torn up” if it was the real Mafia.

“If the real Mafia was there, there wouldn’t have given a sh-t about a camera being there,” Marrone said in his closing arguments.

McMahon said that he plans to appeal Romanello’s conviction because he “didn’t get a fair trial.”

The judge will decide whether to remand the alleged wiseguy pair into custody at a hearing Tuesday morning.



Source link

Related articles

Rapist out on parole nabbed for savagely beating NYC mom unconscious

Rapist out on parole nabbed for savagely beating NYC mom unconscious

May 23, 2025

Love Beyond Bars: Larry and Gloria’s Story in Pictures

May 23, 2025
Tags: brooklyn federal courtcrimeextortiongenovese familymafiaMetromobtrials
Share76Tweet48
Previous Post

How to save our universities, must-asks for Zelensky and other commentary

Next Post

Teen shot multiple times in broad-daylight NYC attack: cops

Related Posts

Rapist out on parole nabbed for savagely beating NYC mom unconscious

Rapist out on parole nabbed for savagely beating NYC mom unconscious

by
May 23, 2025
0

A convicted rapist was in custody Friday for savagely beating unconscious a mom on Randall’s island — having called 911...

Love Beyond Bars: Larry and Gloria’s Story in Pictures

by
May 23, 2025
0

The love story of Larry Moses and Gloria Armour began over a decade before the wrongful conviction that stole nearly...

Tattooed influencer Luna Abrahao repeatedly stabbed on livestream after dumping boyfriend

Tattooed influencer Luna Abrahao repeatedly stabbed on livestream after dumping boyfriend

by
May 23, 2025
0

A tattooed beauty influencer was stabbed nine times while livestreaming after breaking up with her boyfriend, who is now being...

Arlo Willner, son of late-night 'TV royalty,' sports black eye in court after late-night NYC bar brawl

Arlo Willner, son of late-night ‘TV royalty,’ sports black eye in court after late-night NYC bar brawl

by
May 23, 2025
0

Nepo brat Arlo Willner, the 20-year-old offspring of late-night TV royalty, sported a nasty black eye in Manhattan court Thursday...

Scissor-wielding, well-dressed woman punches, stabs man taking photos on NYC street in broad daylight: cops

Scissor-wielding, well-dressed woman punches, stabs man taking photos on NYC street in broad daylight: cops

by
May 23, 2025
0

She is definitely not ready for her close-up. A stylish woman in heels and a leather jacket used scissors to...

Load More
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
The horrifying rape, torture murder of eight-year-old Nurin Jazlin Jazimin : True Crime Diva

The horrifying rape, torture murder of eight-year-old Nurin Jazlin Jazimin : True Crime Diva

May 29, 2023
Drunk driver who killed mother and son blamed the victims, phone calls with father reveal

Drunk driver who killed mother and son blamed the victims, phone calls with father reveal

September 22, 2024
Mackenzie Shirilla

Father of Mackenzie Shirilla’s boyfriend doesn’t support life sentence

August 20, 2023
Karen Styles: map of where a deer hunter found her body

The 1994 murder of Karen Styles

May 9, 2023
The Murder of Latanisha Carmichael – TRUE CRIME REPORT

The Murder of Latanisha Carmichael – TRUE CRIME REPORT

June 7, 2023
The Unsolved Murder of Karina Holmer – TRUE CRIME REPORT

The Unsolved Murder of Karina Holmer – TRUE CRIME REPORT

September 3, 2023
The tragic story of solo traveler Emma Kelty

The tragic story of solo traveler Emma Kelty

May 15, 2023
Karen Styles: map of where a deer hunter found her body

The 1994 murder of Karen Styles

0
Dwane Roy Dreher: photo of his 2nd wife, Lois Genzler Dreher at 16 years old

The 1955 disappearance of U.S. Navy veteran Dwane Roy Dreher

0
Alta Braun: professional photo taken when she was about 4 years old.

The 1917 unsolved murder of Alta Marie Braun

0
Vacation Nightmare: The gruesome murder of Janice Pietropola and Lynn Seethaler

Vacation Nightmare: The gruesome murder of Janice Pietropola and Lynn Seethaler

0
Kristi Nikle: photo of suspect Floyd Tapson

The 1996 disappearance of Kristi Nikle

0
Frank and Tessie Pozar: photo of their son, Frank Pozar, Jr.

Motel Mystery: What happened to Frank and Tessie Pozar?

0
Evil on The Road Part 4: Desmond Joseph Runstedler

Evil on The Road Part 4: Desmond Joseph Runstedler

0
Rapist out on parole nabbed for savagely beating NYC mom unconscious

Rapist out on parole nabbed for savagely beating NYC mom unconscious

May 23, 2025

Love Beyond Bars: Larry and Gloria’s Story in Pictures

May 23, 2025
Tattooed influencer Luna Abrahao repeatedly stabbed on livestream after dumping boyfriend

Tattooed influencer Luna Abrahao repeatedly stabbed on livestream after dumping boyfriend

May 23, 2025
Arlo Willner, son of late-night 'TV royalty,' sports black eye in court after late-night NYC bar brawl

Arlo Willner, son of late-night ‘TV royalty,’ sports black eye in court after late-night NYC bar brawl

May 23, 2025
Scissor-wielding, well-dressed woman punches, stabs man taking photos on NYC street in broad daylight: cops

Scissor-wielding, well-dressed woman punches, stabs man taking photos on NYC street in broad daylight: cops

May 23, 2025
The White House, a white, multi-story building with columns and a flag on top, is visible between an out-of-focus rainbow-colored flag held up by protesters and an out-of-focus blue, pink and white flag.

Is Trump’s Gender Care Ban for Trans Prisoners Unconstitutional?

May 23, 2025
The thief ripped off a $500,000 painting, titled "City Gleaners" by T.F. Chen, from a home in Tottenville, Staten Island, authorities said.

Cultured crook breaks window of Staten Island home, steals $500K painting: cops

May 22, 2025
Beyond the Crime Scene with Bee Astronaut

Categories

  • Featured
  • News
  • Podcast
  • True Crime Stories
  • Videos

Legal Pages

  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookie Privacy Policy
  • California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)
  • DMCA

© 2023 All right reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • True Crime Stories
  • Videos
  • Podcast

© 2023 All right reserved.