Opinion ID: 574315
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Crosby Extortion.

Text: 5 Billy Crosby operated a construction contracting business. In 1980, Crosby hired a part-time mechanic, Charlie Alfano, who introduced Crosby to Timpani. Timpani would come by the workplace to visit Alfano and the two would talk about getting work for Crosby. Crosby attended Alfano's wedding, where he met Riggi. Riggi told Crosby that he could get him a substantial amount of work, but that arrangements would have to be made through Timpani. 6 In late 1980, an agreement was reached pursuant to which Crosby would pay a five percent commission to Timpani and a ten percent commission to Riggi for work directed to Crosby. Crosby was told to put Timpani on the payroll, which he did, although Timpani did not work regular hours. Crosby was indirectly threatened a number of times, leading him to believe that he could not disassociate himself from his new acquaintances without putting himself in jeopardy. 7 Crosby intermittently performed construction work on the homes of Riggi and his family without full, and in some cases any, compensation. The record indicates that Riggi and his associates slowly took control of Crosby's business. Although Crosby came to be accepted by Riggi, Alfano and Timpani, he was afraid of them. His fear was well founded: Timpani told him that once he was in with them, there was no getting out. The only way out, Timpani told Crosby, was to be dumped in the bay with his feet encased in concrete. 8 In 1982, at Riggi's direction, Crosby explored placing a bid on a contracting job. When one of the architects demanded a new Cadillac from Crosby, he went to the FBI and agreed to wear a recording device and have one installed in his office. The architect was not associated with Riggi or Timpani, but Crosby recorded his conversations with Riggi and Timpani as well. The resulting recordings corroborate Crosby's testimony that Riggi and Timpani dominated him. Crosby continued to make payoffs to Riggi and Timpani through 1985. Both Riggi and Timpani were convicted of extorting Crosby under the Hobbs Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1951, 1952. 9