People that think loansharks are cuddly little teddybears trying to make an honest wage better get away from home a little more often. I've personally witnessed one beating and the aftermath of another.
BTW, one of the clowns in the Borgata bust lost 50K at a blackjack table and grabbed the dealer by the shirt and threatened his family. Whoever sticks up for these lowlifes must not have very high values.
The indictment charges that from Jan. 1, 1994 through Nov. 22, 2002, the defendants used extortion, threats of physical violence and actual violence to enforce the collection of usurious loan payments. The investigation documented that numerous individuals or ‘clients’ of the loansharking operation were required to make dozens of loan payments totaling thousands of dollars above and beyond the initial loan. The indictment charges that payments in excess of 50 percent interest were demanded from the victims.
http://www.state.nj.us/lps/dcj/relea...licomo1220.htm
The defendants GIGLIO, FISHER, SPITALE, DACUNTO, GARCIA, PALMIERI, LAFORTE, and STOCCO are charged with a loansharking conspiracy, marked by violence and threats. GARCIA, for example, bragged to GIGLIO about threatening a debtor: “I went there . . . I smacked him right in front of all his f___n’ friends, 40 guys in the club . . . I smacked him and I dragged him out by the hair and put the thing to his face . . .”
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nye/pr/2006/2006Dec21.html
In a conversation in early 1984 between Cafaro and one "Pete," Cafaro states that he told Frankie Salerno to "get a hold of this kid [that owes him money] and bring him to me. He wants to be a wise guy. He told the guy he wants to bet from a thousand to $2500 and he thinks he ain't going to pay? I'll knock his f-----g brains in." Later on, Pete tells Cafaro: "I put up with him Fish. I came and I gave him a beating." Cafaro replies: "Good he deserves it." Pete says: "I gave him a beating. He was all full of blood. His f-----g face was all marked. Every f-----g shot I gave him, [**13] he had a lump like this, cuts here, cuts there; ah, I, he ain't got no face." Cafaro replies: "Yeah, you banged him up good, f--k him." T. 41.
http://www.thelaborers.net/court_cas...1986-04-02.htm