NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Indicted Gambino Crime Family Associate Benito DiZenzo denied he is an Associate of the Gambino Crime Family, in an exclusive interview with Talk of the Sound.
“I don’t know those guys,” said DiZenzo. “I only worked at CWC for 3 years.”
DiZenzo and his co-conspirators pleaded guilty to charges contained in a Federal indictment that the Gambinos “carried out fraudulent schemes to infiltrate the construction industry and earn millions of dollars in criminal proceeds, in part through their operation of a carpentry company, CWC Contracting Corp.”
READ: BUH-BYE BENNY: New Rochelle Hood Benito DiZenzo Facing 20 Years in Federal Prison
DiZenzo, 54, of New Rochelle, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York earlier this month.
In a statement announcing DiZenzo’s conviction, the U.S. Department of Justice said DiZenzo was facing 20 years in prison.
In a meeting on January 18th, requested by DiZenzo, this reporter met with DiZenzo and his attorney James Monteleon.
DiZenzo requested the meeting because he claimed reporting in Talk of the Sound, based on press statements issued by the U.S. Department of Justice, were false.
The DOJ stated that DiZenzo was facing 20 years in prison which DiZenzo denied.
Monteleon provided a list of what he said he negotiated with the DOJ:
Benny was charged with 4 counts:
COUNT ONE(RACKETEERING CONSPIRACY)
COUNT TEN (CONSPIRACY TO MAKE FALSE STATEMENTS)
COUNT SIXTEEN (WIRE FRAUD CONSPIRACY CC #1)
COUNT EIGHTEEN (WIRE FRAUD CONSPIRACY CC #2 RXR)
At sentencing counts 1, 10, and 16 will be dismissed.
“During the plea hearing Benny admitted to providing materials for construction at a White Plains gym for the benefit of an employee of CC#2 (CWC Contracting Corp.) that was billed to an unrelated CC#2 construction project (Larkin Place, an RXR Project in Yonkers, NY).
Despite a published Federal transcript to the contrary, DiZenzo said he put up only the property he co-owns at 711 Old Plank Road in Greenville, NY as surety on a $500,000 bond. He acknowledged family members signed a surety but did not pledge any property towards the bond.
As to the charges, Monteleon said that under a negotiated plea deal, the U.S. Attorney agreed to drop the racketeering charge which under Federal sentencing guidelines reduces the maximum sentence to 10 years. Two other charges were dropped leaving only Wire Fraud — Conspiracy.
The Wire Fraud — Conspiracy charge relates to communication via text message regarding moving material from one job (Larkin Place/RXR) to another (a gym). The judge will determine the value of the material. If the judge decides the value is $40,000 or more any sentence would be increased; less than $40,000 it would be decreased.
As previously reported by Talk of the Sound:
Between approximately December 2018 and June 2019 the defendants VINCENT FIORE and BENITO DIZENZO together with others, paid bribes and kickbacks to employees of a construction development company (Construction Company #2) the identity of which is known to the Grand Jury, which served as among other things, the developer of a project in Yonkers, New York on which CWC worked. For example, during this period, the defendants VINCENT FIORE and BENITO DIZENZO provided free labor and materials at a location in White Plains, New York which became a business associated with an employee of Construction Company #2 in exchange for, among other things, the employee’s assistance in approving change orders.
Monteleone indicated a sentence of more like 6-12 months or 4-10 months is likely, possibly a bit more or even as low as probation with no prison time.
On the OSHA charge — obtaining an OSHA card by paying bribes, DiZenzo produced what he said a valid OSHA card claiming he did not need to illicitly obtain an OSHA card because he had one.
Monteleone said he listened to over 1,000 wiretaps, that there are only 5 that involve DiZenzo, claiming that DiZenzo’s phone was never tapped.
DiZenzo said he did not have an extensive criminal record as was reported in other media outlets.
Monteleon said there was no sentencing date yet as DiZenzo had to be evaluated by the Probation Department first.
The U.S. Department of Justice for the Eastern District of New York did not respond to emails seeking comment.
Look at what Congress gets away with, when reading the first article they made this man sound like Public Enemy Number One. Now after reading the true charges this is ridiculous when he’s being made out to be.
No idea what “true charges” are but the first article is the DOJ version and the second article is Benny’s version.
You are free to believe whomever you like.
As a former prosecutor and retired defense attorney, I can attest to the fact the US Attorney’s Office and the FBI grossly overcharge on minimal, if any, evidence. Their tactics would make Mother Theresa take a plea. Go to trial and face 20 years or take this plea. That’s what Americans face daily. Anyone paying attention the last 4 years could not deny the literal criminal behavior of the DOJ. We all know what minority communities face from state and local prosecutors. There is not much difference at the Federal level. Agents and prosecutors educated beyond their intelligence who are just waiting to go into private practice or politics. They love welding power and unlimited resources on American citizens. The lesson is to read an indictment as mostly fiction. A large percentage of what you read would never hold up. When faced with a huge legal bill and a long sentence, you take a plea.
You do realize that Benny admitted what he did and pleaded guilty, right?