Ex-Genovese boss, 12 cohorts charged with shake downs

BY Thomas Zambito
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Wednesday, February 4th 2009, 9:03 PM

An ex-Genovese crime family boss and a dozen others were charged Wednesday with taking over several businesses and shaking down owners of bartending schools in Manhattan and Jersey City.

The feds say Daniel (The Lion) Leo got longtime Genovese soldier and acting capo Anthony Palumbo, 59, and his henchmen to take over a Jersey City business after the owner fell behind on a loansharking debt.

And they say Genovese associate Thomas Tassiello, 61, took over a Manhattan bar after its owner failed to keep up with weekly interest payments on a $100,000 loan.

Leo, 67, was sentenced to a five-year prison term in February 2008 after he pleaded guilty to shaking down the owner of a livery cab business and an illegal gambling business. He took over as acting boss in 2005.

Palumbo's driver Felice Massullo, 37, and his brothers Anthony, 33, and Angelo, 39, are accused of trafficking in crack cocaine, loansharking and running an illegal gambling business.