Posted on 06/13/2007 8:08:36 PM PDT by LNewman
A Los Angeles grocery chain entrepreneur was charged with running a lucrative criminal enterprise that orchestrated murders, bribed city officials, laundered money and aided drug traffickers, according to an indictment unsealed today.
George Torres, 50, who owns the Numero Uno grocery stores scattered throughout low-income parts of Los Angeles, was arrested Tuesday ... on charges of racketeering, violence in aid of racketeering, tax evasion and fraud.
...
If convicted, Torres could face more than 60 years in prison.
More than $100 million of the defendants' assets are subject to seizure.
Torres was the longtime business partner of Horacio Vignali, who gained national attention in 2001 when he enlisted a host of local law enforcement and elected officials -- including then-Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa and Sheriff Lee Baca -- to persuade President Clinton to pardon his cocaine-dealing son.
A subsequent congressional probe of Clinton's pardons turned up allegations by confidential informants that Vignali was allegedly involved in an enterprise, run by Torres, that distributed 100 kilograms of cocaine per month.
The indictment unsealed today does not include drug trafficking charges, and it does not implicate Vignali.
But it alleges a range of crimes--including three murders--over 20 years, and depicts a treacherous underworld where officials are bought off and scores are settled with mob-style violence.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
They don’t call it the Mexican Mafia for nothin’. This organized crime is a lot more pervasive than anything we’ve seen before, IMO. I don’t know anywhere that isn’t affected by it.
...Just another day in the glitz of L.A....
Someone remind me again: Who said crime doesn't pay?
The wages of sin are indeed rising!
Is it a coincidence that all these murderous thugs originated and still do business as practiced "South of the Border"
Just doing the jobs Tony Soprano won’t do.
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