Brooklyn jury convicts two men in violent extortion scheme over gambling debt

December 12, 2023 Robert Abruzzese, Courthouse Editor

U.S. Attorney Breon Peace, who announced the guilty verdicts in a violent extortion scheme over a gambling debt involving two men in Brooklyn.
Photo: U.S. Dept. of Justice

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Anthony Romanello and Joseph Celso were found guilty of extortion-related charges by a federal jury in Brooklyn on Monday. The conviction, announced by United States Attorney Breon Peace and FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge James Smith, followed a one-week trial before United States District Judge Eric R. Komitee.

Romanello, 86, of Franklin Square, New York, was convicted of extortionate collection of credit and conspiracy to commit the same, while Celso, 50, of Queens, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit extortionate collection of credit.

Romanello now faces up to 40 years in prison and Celso up to 20 years at sentencing.

The trial revealed that between March and June 2017, Romanello, Celso and co-defendant Luan Bexheti conspired to collect a gambling debt from a victim, referred to as John Doe #2, and a family member. In their attempts to collect the debt, they targeted John Doe #1, a relative of John Doe #2, using threats and violence.

The confrontation escalated to a physical assault when Romanello, accompanied by Celso, punched John Doe #1 in the face at his restaurant in Manhattan after he refused to pay the full amount demanded.

Following the assault, Celso warned John Doe #2 that the situation would “get ugly” if John Doe #1 did not withdraw his complaint against Romanello with the NYPD. Fearing further violence, John Doe #1 subsequently withdrew his complaint.

Luan Bexheti, the third defendant in the case, previously pleaded guilty to extortionate collection of credit conspiracy in October 2023 and is currently awaiting sentencing.