Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
PATRICIA ADAMS,
also known as "Pat,"
Defendant.
Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, duly appointed according to law and
acting as such.
Upon information and belief, on or about and between May 4,2017 and May
18,2017, both dates being approximate and inclusive, within the Eastern District of New
York and elsewhere, the defendant PATRICIA ADAMS, also known as "Pat," together with
others, did knowingly and intentionally use intimidation and threats toward another person,
to wit: Victim-1's father ("VF"), an individual whose identity is known to the undersigned
and is described more fully below, and did knowingly, intentionally and corruptly attempt to
persuade another person, to wit: VF, and did engage in misleading conduct toward another
person, to wit: VF, with intent to influence, delay and prevent the testimony of a person, to
wit: Victim-1, an individual whose identity is known to the undersigned and is described
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more fully below, in an official proceeding, to wit: a Federal bail revocation hearing relating
The source of your deponent's information and the grounds for his belief are
as follows:l
and have worked in this capacity for approximately a year and a half. Before that, I worked
as a police officer for approximately six years. I am currently assigned to an FBI squad that
investigates the Genovese, Bonanno and Colombo organized crime families of La Cosa
Nostra. During my tenure with the FBI, I have participated in organized crime investigations
that have utilized, among other investigative techniques, consensual recordings, physical
witnesses. Through my training, education, and experience, I have become familiar with
organized crime activities and efforts of persons involved in such activity to avoid detection
by law enforcement. I am familiar with the facts and circumstances set forth below from my
participation in the investigation, which includes, but is not limited to, my review of the
investigative file, my review of audio recordings and telephone records, interviews with
witnesses and conversations with other law enforcement officers involved in the
investigation.
I Because the purpose of this Complaint is to set forth only those facts necessary
to establish probable cause to arrest, I have not described all the relevant facts and
circumstances of which I am aware.
a
I. Backsround
2. Over approximately the last five years, a federal grand jury sitting in
the Eastern District of New York has been investigating the criminal activities of a Howard
Beach, Queens-based crew of the Bonanno organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra (the
indictment was unsealed charging ten members and associates of the Bonanno family with,
among other offenses, racketeering conspiracy (the "Indictment"). One of the defendants
named in the Indictment is Robert Pisani, who was charged with racketeering conspiracy, in
U.S.C. $$ 892(a) and 894(a). See United States v. Robert Pisani. et al., Criminal Docket No.
17 -r ss (DLr) (E.D.N.Y.).
Indictment before Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon. That same day, Pisani was released on
a $500,000 bond, co-signed by his wife, Jamie Pisani, and two friends (the "Bond"). The
Bond was also secured by two properties. As part of the conditions of his pre-trial release,
Magistrate Judge Scanlon ordered Pisani to remain on home confinement with GPS
monitoring with permission to work at two stores he operated. Magistrate Judge Scanlon
also ordered Pisani to abide by all the standard conditions of the Bond, which, among other
things, prohibited him from violating any federal, state or local law while on release.
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released by Magistrate Judge Scanlon, on May 4,2017, Robert Pisani was arrested by New
York City Police Department ("NYPD") detectives and charged in New York State Criminal
Court, Queens County, with (1) forcible touching, in violation of New York Penal Law
("NYPL") g 130.52(1); (2) sexual abuse in the third degree, in violation of NYPL $ 130.55;
and (3) harassment, in violation of NYPL 5 240.26(l). These new charges stemmed from an
incident alleged to have occurred on April 28,2017, in which Pisani sexually abused Victim-
1, an employee at All American Bagel and Barista Company, one of the stores Pisani
operates and was permitted to work at under the terms of his Bond. According to Victim-1,
on April 28,2017,without her consent and despite her protests, Pisani, among other things,
grabbed Victim-1's buttocks, snapped her bra-strap and placed her hand on his exposed
penis. Victim-1 also advised that Pisani had previously made sexually suggestive comments
toward her.
conditions of the Bond, on May 5,2077, the Pretrial Services Agency for the Eastern District
of New York ("Pretrial") requested a bail violation hearing. On May 8,2017, the United
States Attomey's Office for the Eastem District of New York (the "Office") filed a letter
moving the Honorable Chief Judge Dora L.Il,izarry to revoke Pisani's release on bond and
enter a permanent order of detention pending trial. The Offrce further sought an entry of a
default judgment against Pisani and his wife to permit the government to collect the
$500,000 owed through, among other sources, the entry ofjudgment and subsequent sale of
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Pisani's home.
defendant PATRICIA ADAMS is associated with the Bonanno family, including, among
others, Pisani and Ronald Giallanzo, who was also charged in the Indictment and is identified
has advised that as of February 2014, ADAMS owed money to individuals associated with
the Bonanno family due to her gambling habits, which resulted in losses of up to $1,500 per
week from sports betting and card games controlled by the Bonanno family. CW-1, who was
a Bonanno family associate around Giallanzo at the time, regularly met with ADAMS to
settle gambling debts, and Giallanzo accompanied CW-l on at least one occasion. CW-l
further advised that ADAMS played cards at a social club controlled by the Bonanno family
in Ozone Park, and that ADAMS also associated with Bonanno family associate and Pisani's
co-defendant Christopher Boothby at the social club. Finally, CW-1 advised that ADAMS is
telephone communications. Pisani's cellular phone was seized incident to his arrest and
searched pursuant to a court-ordered warrant. A review of the Pisani phone data shows: (1)
a cellular telephone associated with ADAMS (the "ADAMS Cell Phone") is listed under the
contact name "Forum Pat Adams," and (2) numerous text messages between Pisani and
ADAMS in which ADAMS's connection to Pisani is clear. For example, Pisani and
ADAMS discussed a restaurant venture that Pisani was helping ADAMS with, and the
correspondence between the two indicates that ADAMS views Pisani as a boss-like figure.
During one exchange, ADAMS describes her financial situation relatdd to her business,
writing, "sooner than later I have to choose between a gun or a bottle of Zatax [sic]." In
Rob, I don't know what to do. I feel like blowing my brains out.
I feel like I created something that was a huge succbss and now
it's all a waste[.] And I also feel like I got screwed on many
ends. I guess I was in over my head. But I want you to know I
know what you tried to do for me and I really appreciate it.
In another text, on March 24,2017, ADAMS told Pisani that she wanted to call someone
back about a potential business deal, but "I wanted to know if you think I should." When
Pisani directed ADAMS to wait, she responded, "it might not be a bad idea if I speak to him
eventually but I won't do anything without talking to 'the boss.' Hat [sic] would be you."
ADAMS left a voicemail for Pisani on March 25,2017 similarly expressing her desire for his
Hey Rob, it's Pat. Listen, I wanted to know if you heard from
Anthony yet because Mickey is calling, ya know. I don't know
what to say to this guy, and I don't want to answer the phone,
uh, you know, and and do anything wrong. So, let me know.
Thanks.
l
9. According to a website for "The Forum," it is a community newspaper
that covers the Howard Beach, Ozone Park, Broad Channel, Richmond Hill and Woodhaven
neighborhoods of Queens, New York. A search of The Forum news site foTADAMS reveals
that she has authored many articles and has also taken photographs. A search of The Forum
news site for "Pisani" reveals a number of positive articles written about Pisani and his
businesses. For example, an article authored by ADAMS on April 18, 2013, entitled "The
All American Dream (Come True)," included a photograph of Pisani and his family, and it
after Chief Judge lrizalry scheduled the Bail Revocation Hearing, and four days before the
Hearing-a cellular telephone number associated with Pisani called the ADAMS Cell Phone.
Telephone records also reveal that the following day, on or about May 13, 2017,the
ADAMS Cell Phone called a cellular telephone associated with Victim-1's father ("VF").
(VF had previously met ADAMS in the course of ADAMS's work as publisher of The
Forum.) VF has advised that ADAMS contacted him and asked to meet, but would not say
what she wanted to meet about. VF further advised that when asked. ADAMS stated that she
did not want to speak over the telephone or meet at VF's residence; she said, however, that
the meeting was "sort of'about Victim-1, VF's daughter. VF agreed to meet ADAMS at a
local Starbucks and decided to record the meeting with ADAMS, which lasted approximately
audio recording of ADAMS's May 14,20L7 meeting with VF,3 during the meeting with VF,
corruptly attempted to persuade VF to cause Victim-1 not to cooperate with federal law
enforcement in connection with Pisani's upcoming Bail Revocation Hearing. In sum and
substance, ADAMS threatened that if Victim-l cooperated with federal law enforcement and
testified at the Bail Revocation Hearing, ADAMS would humiliate Victim-l and disseminate
embarrassing information about Victim-1. ADAMS further stated that if Victim-l did not
cooperate with federal law enforcement, then ADAMS would not report an1'thing about the
story.
12. During the recording ADAMS made clear to VF that she was closely
associated with Pisani by referencing, among other things, a conversation with Pisani's
lawyer, her knowledge of Pisani's criminal case, her review of video recordings from inside
the deli showing Victim-1's actions after the alleged incident between Victim-l and Pisani
and her close relationship with Pisani. During one portion of the recording, ADAMS stated:
Let me put it to you this way: here's a guy . . . here's a guy out
of ten defendants who is the only one that stands a shot for
getting probation 'cause they have nothing on tape, they have
nothing on the phone, they have zero involvement - zero
involvement on him. They went back as far as 2012 - they have
nothing on him. Okay? Unfortunately for him, he gave
someone a job, one of the other defendants, and they
automatically associate. I had dinner with them on a regular
basis, I'm surprised I wasn't in the lineup. Okay? But he's the
only guy that stands a shot to get off. as per his lawver. Okay?
You think that a guy in the middle of being on the frying pan, in
3
All of the references to the transcript of the May 74,2017 meeting between
ADAMS and VF contained herein are in draft form and subject to revision.
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the fire, who knows that he's gotta watch every single thing and
behave like a perfect person. You think he's gonna try and get a
blow job? Common sense tells me, absolutely not.
Based upon my training, experience and participation in the investigation, I believe that
when ADAMS stated that "they" have nothing on tape, she meant that the federal
govemment did not have recordings of the defendant Pisani committing crimes. I further
believe that when ADAMS stated that "he" gave "someone" a job, ADAMS meant that
Pisani gave one of the other defendants a job at one of his businesses and that ADAMS
socialized with Pisani and his co-defendant ("I had dinner with them on a regular basis."). I
believe that when ADAMS stated "But he's the only guy that stands a shot to get off, as per
his lawyer," she was referring to statements made by Pisani's lawyer about Pisani's potential
exposure in his criminal racketeering case given the lack of recording evidence.
I'm telling you, and look, I have my own interest in the case.
My own association with the case. But I am in a positiol-['rn
being very honest-I am in a position wh
to expose the whole situation-if we get to that point. I'm
hoping that you and I during this conversation can find a way
not to reach that position. This-I don't know who got to your
daughter. I'm a very shrewd bettor. But I would bet that
somebody, very possibly, could have put her up to this, because
what they're looking to do is to not let him get off on the other
thing, he is the only defendant in that case that they have
absolutely this on. And they're looking, these feds, listen, one
day, they're your friend and they'll take you in, they'll tell your
daughter, "Oh [victim], you gotta help us, it's the right thing to
do, you gotta do this, we'll protect you." Let me tell you
something right now. Protect you? They will sell your ass out
quicker again and again, they are the worst scum of the earth.
The worst. I've had my own personal experience. I spent two
days and two nights in a filthy cell. I did nothing, nothing, but
they thought they were going to crack me. I'm not an idiot.
Definitely not. You wanna do something to me? Be my guest.
l0
I'm gonna get through it. But making a deal with them is
making a deal with the worst devil.
Based upon my training, experience and participation in the investigation, I believe that
when ADAMS stated that she had her own "interest" in the case, she was referring to her
relationship with the Bonanno family and Pisani. Indeed, in another part of the recording,
ADAMS stated, "I'm telling you that I know Rob (a reference to Pisani) and this is not his
character." I further believe that when ADAMS suggested that "somebody" "put her up to
this" and described "making a deal" with "the worst devil," she was trying to persuade VF
14. To fuither intimidate Victim-1 and scare VF's father about the potential
b "[I]fthey get her - and she signs these statements and she goes
up before the lawyers - they're going to shred her like they put
her through a Cuisinart."
c "It only matters once she crosses the threshold and signs the
paper that says she is going through with it- none of it matters
anymore."
e. "I won't hurt you, if you don't deserve - that's for my enemies.
I will not hurt you . . . but in the newspaper, thoroughly
thoroughly objective . . . For my good, for everybody's good -
ll
I'm hoping that she'll decide to drop it."
15. The defendant PATRICIA ADAMS also told VF that Victim-1 would
suffer publicly even if it was true that Pisani had sexually abused Victim-1:
a. "It's one big malicious circus, that is what it is, and there are no
winners, least of all her. She could be 100% right - he could
have unsnapped her bra, tried to push her head down, whatever,
she can't win. There are no winners. But like I said, completely
separate from the fact that personally, I don't know, I don't
believe that it happened."
ooNow
e. always when I look into someone other things come up
. . this person told me there's proof fVictim-1] was with
somebody . . . .[i]n the car, doing coke off the dashboard."
16. The defendant PATRICIA ADAMS also revealed that the purpose of
c. "Just talk to her, and give me abuzz.. . . And, like I said, if she
wants to talk to me I'11 be huppy to talk with her."
PATRICIA ADAMS repeatedly claimed that federal law enforcement officials were
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untrustworthy and would not protect Victirn- l. For instance, ADAMS stated, in relevant
part
a. "And they're looking, these feds. Listen: one day, they're your
friend and they'll take you in, they'll tell your daughter, 'Oh
[victim], you gotta help us, it's the right thing to do, you gotta
do this, we'll protect you.' Let me tell you something right
now. Protect you? They will sell your ass out quicker again
and again. They are the worst scum of the earth. The worst."
ADAMS also revealed that she was acting on behalf of the Bonanno family and not as a
neutral reporter. For instance, early in the conversation, ADAMS explained her motivation
for the meeting: "I have a personal, personal liability, personal. . . . And it's aside from the
fact of what I have to do with the newspaper. I'm on the verge of been trying to get
-I've
out for two years. But because of certain obligations, I'm forced to stay on. I'm kind of
under their . . . thumb." Based upon my training, experience and participation in the
investigation, I believe that ADAMS was likely describing her obligations to the Bonanno
19. Later, ADAMS recounted a conversation she had after Pisani was
arrested for the alleged sexual abuse, which was published in local newspapers and stated: "I
haven't written anything about it. . . It was The Post and The News. And when I got the
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phone call, [deeper voice] 'You better fucking fix this!' 'I better fix it? What are you? .. .
Hang on. You mind if I figure out what the fuck happened?' 'You got a week.' 'Thank you'
[noise hitting the table]. So then, I went into, uh, investigative mode and, you know." Based
upon my training, experience and participation in the investigation, I believe that when
ADAMS stated, "I got the phone call," she was referring to the phone call from Pisani to
Adams on May 12,2017, the day before ADAMS reached out to VF to arrange the meeting.
Thereafter, during the consensual recording, ADAMS reiterated that her own personal
interests are being served by trying to dissuade Victim-1 from cooperating against Pisani:
"Listen, I'm not making any mistake about the fact that I'm here to try and help myself . . .
I'm worried about this one, and who I have to answer to."
ADAMS initiated the meeting with him not out of a concem for Victim-1, but rather at the
behest of Pisani andlor someone associated with Pisani. VF further believed based on
ADAMS's conduct that she was, among other things, threatening reputational harm to
V. Conclusion
to my review of the May 14,2017 audio recording, among other sources of information, I
believe that on or about and between May 4,2017 ard May 18,2017, both dates being
approximate and inclusive, within the Eastern District of New York and elsewhere, the
defendant PATRICIA ADAMS, also known as "Pat," together with others, did knowingly
and intentionally use intimidation and threats toward another person, to wit: VF, and
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knowingly, intentionally and comrptly attempt to persuade another person, to wit: VF, with
intent to influence, delay and prevent the testimony of a person, to wit: Victim-1, in an
official proceeding, to wit: a Federal bail revocation hearing relating to Robert Pisani in the
issued for the defendant PATRICIA ADAMS, also known as "Pat," so that she may be dealt
with according to law. Furthernore, I respectfully request that this affidavit and any arrest
warrant be filed under seal to prevent ADAMS from fleeing or attempting to tamper with the
goveflrment' s investigation.
ANDREW CAMPBELL
Special Agent
Federal Bureau of Investigation
HONO V HRELSKY
TINITED STATES MAGI E
EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
AO 442 (Rev. I l/ll) ArrestWarrant
Defendant
)
TryM? T8
ARREST WARRANT
To: Any authorized law enforcement officer
yOU ARE COMMANDED to arrest and bring before a United States magistrate judge without unnecessary delay
who is accused of an offense or violation based on the following document filed with the court:
Date: 0811712017
/,M /
Issuing officer's
Return
This warrant was received on (date) , and the person was arrested on (date)
at (city and state)
Date:
Arresting fficer's signature
This second page contains personal identifiers provided for law-enforcement use only
and therefore should not be filed in court with the executed warrant unless under seal.
Name of defendant/offender :
Known aliases
Last known residence:
Prior addresses to which defendant/offender mav still have ties
Known family, friehds, and other associates (name, relation, address, phone number)l
_,r -
FBI nr-rmber:
Complete
\
l
Name and telephone numbers (office and cell) of pretrial services or probation officer (if applicabte)
Date of last contact with pretrial services or probation officer (if applicabte)