Following his fresh extradition from Italy convicted loanshark Emilio Fusco pleaded guilty yesterday at his arraignment in a Manhattan federal court to charges involving the 2003 murders of Genovese capo Adolfo Bruno and mob associate Gary Westerman in Springfield, MA as reported by Stephanie Barry for The Republican. As Fusco fought the extradition proceedings in Italy he missed the racketeering trial at which his three co-defendants, including reputed onetime Genovese acting boss Arthur Nigro, were convicted last month. The government's evidence in that case rested largely on the testimony of flipped gangsters including Genovese capos Anthony "Bingy" Arillotta and Felix Tranghese, and given their effectiveness on the stand one wonders whether Fusco will join them in the witness protection program rather than trying to beat them at trial. You know, if you can't beat them, join them. Fusco's lawyer, William Aronwald, says "that rumors swirling around his client's predicted cooperation as a government witness are false."
