Opinion ID: 1212404
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Funding for Eppolito's Script-Writing Ventures

Text: Eppolito's name had not previously been mentioned by the authorities to Corso, who, by that time, had been wearing a wire for a year and a half. Dibari said he hoped Corso could help to raise money for the production of a movie written by Eppolito; Corso consulted FBI Special Agent Kevin Sheehan. Sheehan instructed Corso to tell Dibari that Corso had no interest in meeting Eppolito because Eppolito was a cop. A week or 10 days later, John Frate and Mike Frate arranged to meet with Corso. At that meeting, they handed him an envelope containing Eppolito's screenplay, called Murder at Youngstown. Corso told the Frates that he was hesitant to meet with Eppolito because Eppolito was a cop. Corso testified that in response, Mike Fr[ate] said that he understood my concern, but that Corso shouldn't worry because Lou was one of us.... (Tr. 1565.) Corso reported this meeting to Sheehan; a few days later, Sheehan gave approval for Corso to meet with Eppolito. Thereafter John Frate took Corso to meet Eppolito at Eppolito's home. Frate attended some of the ensuing meetings, as he wanted to be a part of the whole process of funding the movie. (Tr. 1445.) During the next few months, Corso met with Eppolito more than 20 times. As Corso continued to wear a wire, most of his conversations with Eppolitoand later with both Eppolito and Caracappawere recorded; at least one of the meetings with Eppolito was held in Corso's office, in which the FBI had installed recording equipment and hidden cameras. An early meeting of Corso, Eppolito, and John Frate to discuss funding for Murder at Youngstownfor which Eppolito said he needed $5 millionwas attended by one of Corso's clients who controlled a public company. The client suggested that his company could merge with Eppolito's film company and raise money through a public offering of stock. Eppolito was favorably disposed to that suggestion and said he would want some of his friends to receive stock in the offering; one of them was Caracappa. Corso was introduced to Caracappa at the end of January 2005. He attended several dinner meetings with Eppolito and Caracappa and noted that the relationship between Eppolito and Caracappa appeared to be very close. Corso testified that at one such meeting, Caracappa told Corso he trusted Corso, and that if he didn't trust [Corso, Corso] wouldn't be there and... wouldn't be meeting with Lou. (Tr. 1637.) Eppolito was also involved in other attempts to earn money. In addition to seeking $5 million to fund Murder at Youngstown, Eppolito told Corso he was willing to write a screenplay for or about anyone who would pay him $75,000; when Eppolito sold the screenplay, he would pay the investor 50 percent of all profits. When Corso asked if Eppolito cared what a potential investor did for a living or where the money came from, Eppolito responded, `[n]o, I don't give a fuck about nothing' (Tr. 1621); and, without Corso's having made any mention of narcotics trafficking ( see id. at 1621-22), Eppolito said that an investor could be the biggest drug dealer ... in the U.S. [, Eppolito] didn't care, so long as Eppolito did not have to transport the drugs ( id. at 1621; see also id. at 1622 (Eppolito said, `[s]eventy-five comes in a fucking shoebox [ i.e., in cash], that is fine with me, I don't care, I had people given [sic] me money before')). In December 2004, Corso, on instructions from Sheehan, told Eppolito that Corso had lined up an investor who would send $75,000 for Eppolito to write a script and to send the investor 50 percent of whatever profit resulted from its sale. Corso told Eppolito that the money was narcotics proceeds from Florida; Eppolito indicated that he did not care. Corso told Eppolito that the money might be coming from somebody in the Mafia (Tr. 1618); Eppolito indicated that he did not care. Eppolito said, `I got people from the Gambino family that call me all of the time. [They say, y]ou know, Louie, we got money, you know[;] I says it's not a question about your money, it's you don't have enough to make the movie.' (Tr. 1624.) Eppolito said Mike Frate had given him $25,000 in a cardboard box in cash for a partial investment in [a] $75,000 script. (Tr. 1617-18.) Eppolito also said he would have no objection if an investor in such a script did not use his real name in signing their contract. `He could sign it John Wayne'.... `I don't care what name he uses.' (Tr. 1627-28.) Corso also told Eppolito that in order to avoid the filing of currency transaction reports, federally required for wire transfers of $10,000 or more, the $75,000 would be wired in installments of less than $10,000. Eventually, wire transfers totaling $14,000 were made to Eppolito's account. Although Eppolito was initially unconcerned about the investment's fragmentation, he became irritated at the slow pace of its arrival, saying. `[a] re they in Florida. Why didn't he send a guy with a car [.] I would haveI would have flown there and drove back.' (Tr. 1640.)