New York- Joseph Caridi, one of the highest ranking members of the Genovese crime family, has been sentenced to eight years behind bars and ordered to pay over a half-million dollars after being convicted in U.S. District Court of racketeering and tax evasion charges.

Caridi’s conviction, according to investigators, was the result of an investigation that began in October 2001 by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, Suffolk County Police and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, as well as New York City law enforcement agencies.

Caridi’s portfolio included the extortion of a Freeport restaurant and trafficking of cocaine, Ecstasy and Vicodin, which were primarily sold through bars they owned in Staten Island, as well as running a bookmaking operation that took in an average of $2,000 a day.

A lot of the activity orchestrated by the crime family outlined in the 30-count indictment against Caridi and others bled into Suffolk County from the more lucrative New York City area since many of the criminals lived here or visited here often and were comfortable and familiar with the territory.

According to authorities, the proliferation of topless dance clubs further east on Long Island and in Suffolk County proved fruitful for the crime family, as it would order dancers to pay protection and also demand a cut of the profits from the clubs.

Caridi & Co. would go into places that were established, would strongarm their way in and extort the business, according to Federal authorities. Typically the crime family looked to take monies from the sale of drinks in the club, as well as protection money for the dancers.

Caridi acted as a “Consigliere” who reported to the Luchese family “underboss,” who in turn reported to the family “boss,” the indictment states. For monitoring the captains, soldiers and associates of the family, Caridi would receive a cut of the illegal profits, the indictment states. The activities ranged from the extortion of strip clubs, to street-level drug trafficking, extortion, illegal gambling operations and loan sharking.
The family also maintained an offshore betting line, which was located in Costa Rica and could be reached via a toll-free number.

In addition to jail time, Caridi was ordered to forfeit nearly $400,000 and pay the IRS $223,381 in back taxes, according to authorities.