

Federal prosecutor: Rockaway resident is mobster charged with extortion

4:09 PM, Feb. 10, 2013  |  Comments
  • Filed Under

A Rockaway resident, who police say is an organized crime associate, is facing an extortion charge for allegedly threatening a man over a debt.

Stefano Mazzola, a 68-yera-old former Passiac police officer, is charged in a complaint with one count of using extortion to collect or attempt to collect a debt and to punish a person for non-repayment of a debt.

Mazzola appeared in federal court in Newark Friday before U. S. Magistrate Judge Madeline Cox Arleo and was ordered to be detained.

According to the criminal complaint from U S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman:

In 2012, the victim obtained a loan of $30,000 from an individual, who subsequently transferred the loan to Mazzola. The victim periodically made payments on the loan to Mazzola. In late 2012, Mazzola began to threaten that if the victim did not repay the loan, he would physically harm the victim.

The victim made a number of consensually recorded phone calls to Mazzola, during which Mazzola threatened the victim. During a phone call on Jan. 17, Mazzola acknowledged that an individual had transferred the loan to him, stating: "He gave me that debt, I've paid out $20-something-thousand, if not more, for him."

Later in the conversation, Mazzola threatened the victim. "Let me explain something to ya, and I really mean this, and I don't care who is listening to my phone or not, if I want to do something to ya, I don't give a (expletive) if you give me a million dollars. If I'm looking to hurt ya, I'll take the money and still hurt ya. It has nothing to do with it," Mazzola said.

On another call that occurred on Jan. 23, the victim told Mazzola: "You know you're gonna get paid."

In response, Mazzola said : "You say you know I'm gonna get paid, I don't believe nothing. .. If I write it off in my head, it doesn't matter. Because I'm a firm believer in time. ... But listen, I know what I'm gonna do. 'Cause it doesn't matter to me. It don't matter whether it's now or ten years from now. It don't matter. You don't understand. You just don't know me. I don't give a (expletive) if an agent is listening."

The charge of extortionate collection of a debt is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's office.

Real Deals



User Photos More Photos | Submit



Sign up for home delivery today

Facebook Activity

Most Commented