Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 23, 1994 TAG: 9407210019
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RON BROWN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Vittorio "Victor" Cucci was named in an 11-count federal indictment returned by a grand jury in Roanoke last week.
Prosecutors allege that Cucci and his wife, Janet, structured financial transactions in a way to avoid detection by the Internal Revenue Service.
The government alleges that the Cuccis conspired with others to make withdrawals of more than $10,000 from banks in a way that those withdrawals would not be reported to IRS.
Federal law requires that any bank withdrawal of more than $10,000 be reported to IRS.
The government said the Cucci transactions took place between March 1990 and July 1991.
The government charges that the Cuccis cashed multiple checks at separate financial institutions to circumvent the law.
Prosecutors say that the Cuccis also attempted to persuade banks not to file the required paperwork and threatened to quit doing business with the banks if they did.
If convicted, the Cuccis could face 47 years in prison and a $2.75 million fine.
A judge sentenced Victor Cucci to 14 years in prison after he was convicted in January 1992 in an attempted conspiracy to import cocaine.
During the trial, Cucci's attorney said there was no question his client helped arrange a $60,000 cocaine shipment in 1991 from New York to West Virginia. But he argued that Cucci was illegally entrapped by police using an overeager drug dealer as an informant.
Cucci ran several businesses in Covington, including a pizza parlor, floral shop and auto dealership.
Cucci said the government was bent on proving he was involved with the Mafia simply because he is a Sicilian immigrant who made money.
by CNB