United States v. Dominic Phillip Brooklier, Samuel Orlando Sciortino, Louis Tom Dragna, Michael Rizzitello, and Jack Locicero

Appellants are members of La Cosa Nostra, a secret national organization engaged in a wide range of racketeering activities, including murder, extortion, gambling, and loansharking. They appeal their convictions for violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) statute, 18 U.S.C. § 1962 and the Hobbs Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1951(a) and 2.

At a seven-week trial, the government showed that beginning in 1972, members of the Los Angeles “family” extorted money from pornographers and bookmakers. Among their targets were Sam Farkas, Theodore Gaswirth, and Reuben Sturman. They also…