The same threats that mobsters traditionally use for taking over restaurants and liquor stores also worked on a white-collar business, federal prosecutors say.
A Philadelphia/South Jersey-area mob has been charged with taking over a Texas mortgage company through intimidation, and looting it for its assets, according to the Courier-Post.
Police have arrested Nicodemo S. Scarfo Jr. (an alleged member of the Lucchese organized crime family) and Salvatore Pelullo (an associate of the Lucchese and Philadelphia Cosa Nostra, according to law enforcement authorities).
Officials also have been scouring South Jersey for other members of the group who live in Medford, Galloway, Atlantic City and Ocean City. Other associates are believed to be in or around Ambler, Berwyn and West Reading, Pa., as well as Chappaqua, N.Y.; Irving, Texas; Miami and Houston.
Prosecutors say Scarfo, Palullo and others began taking over the board of FirstPlus Financial Group in April 2007, by threatening its managers.
Once they had control, the group allegedly siphoned funds from FirstPlus to companies in New Jersey and Pennsylvania — dummy corporations that merely laundered the money, the indictment stated.
The group allegedly pulled more than $12 million out of the company.
