Pair named in 3rd federal indictment aimed at mafia

Pair named in 3rd federal indictment aimed at mafia


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A boxing trainer and a Los Angeles clothing retailer-record promoter have been named in a third federal grand jury indictment targeting alleged associates of the Los Angeles family of the


Mafia, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday. Joseph Mangiapani, co-trainer for bantamweight boxer Mike (The Bounty) Hunter who is managed by actor James Caan, is charged with hiring two


alleged mob associates to make arrangements to assault a former business associate of Venice clothing retailer Mark Kreiner. Kreiner, president of Off My Back, a clothing company with


outlets in Venice and West Los Angeles, was arrested Tuesday and released on $10,000 bond. Also arrested on the indictment was Clyde David Tracy, 53, of San Diego, identified as the man


Mangiapani hired to carry out the attack. Both Tracy and Mangiapani, a Canoga Park resident, have ties to the Los Angeles crime syndicate, said Richard Stavin of the U.S. Justice


Department’s Organized Crime Strike Force. Negotiations for the alleged assault were conducted through the same two informants that provided the basis for the indictments earlier this month


of 15 Mafia members and associates, including reputed crime family leader John Peter Milano. Kreiner, 33, is accused of hiring Mangiapani to help him obtain more lucrative buyout terms from


two former partners in a pop music production company, Highrise Entertainment Corp., identified as Lawrence Leal and Mike Lushka. “Basically, Lushka and Leal were threatened that if they


didn’t give Kreiner better terms, some harm might befall them,” Stavin said. The two men signed the agreement, but a week later, Leal called Kreiner from his Dallas office and attempted to


back out of the deal. At that point, according to the indictment, Kreiner called Mangiapani, who contacted two key associates of the Los Angeles crime family, who in turn gave Tracy $1,000


and Leal’s name and address in Dallas. “Tracy traveled to Dallas with another individual who we believe to be his son, tracked Leal down at his place of employment, got him in the parking


lot and basically told him, if we can track you down here, we can track you down anywhere,” Stavin said. At that point, he said, Leal was beaten. Arraignment for Kreiner and his


co-defendants is set for June 21. MORE TO READ