Reputed Colombo Mob Boss Among 14 Mobsters Cuffed in Racketeering, Extortion Bust

A number of high-ranking Colombo crime family members, including 87-year-old street boss Andrew “Mush“ Russo and an 87-year-old underboss, 83-year-old Benjamin “Benji“ Castellazo, were arrested early Tuesday by the NYPD and FBI in connection with a wide-ranging labor racketeering and extortion fraud scheme. The 19-count indictment unsealed later Tuesday in Brooklyn federal court charges a total of 14 defendants, including 10 members and associates of the Colombo crime family, with multiple schemes in a long-running effort to infiltrate and take control of a Queens-based labor union and its affiliated healthcare benefit program. They are also accused of conspiring to commit fraud in connection with workplace safety certifications. A Bonanno crime family solder has also been named in the case. Russo faces charges of racketeering, as does Castellazo and consigliere Ralph DiMatteo. Alleged Colombo crime family captains Theodore Perisco, Jr., Richard Ferrara and Vincent Ricciardo