Hollywood Goodfella-mob sweep on Staten Island

Suspects in mob sweep led to arraignments Major mob bust nets 22, including 2 Island business owners. Alleged Gambino capo Carmine Scianda, 57, of Eltingville, who co-owns three popular Top Tomato stores with his family, ran the operation which loaned victims money at exorbitant rates, prosecutors charge. The cash allegedly was fronted by Benedetto (Benny) Casale of Todt Hill, owner of Bulls Head-based Casale Tile.

Victims were threatened with violence if they didn't pay, said authorities.

The pair were among 22 people arrested, including 11 borough residents, for a series of wide-ranging schemes that also included a reputed Luchese crime family loan-sharking and bookmaking operation run out of the Night Gallery, a New Dorp bar.

Click here for a press release from Cuomo's office detailing the charges.

Here is video of the key suspects being led to their arraignment this morning.

Suspects in mob sweep led to arraignments http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/11/22_arrested_in_mob_sweep_on_st.html

Hollywood Goodfella: Los Angeles Times review : “A Prophet”

Genre is powerful, especially in the hands of as gifted a filmmaker as France's Jacques Audiard. His new film, the masterful "A Prophet," is an answered prayer for those who believe that revitalizing classic forms with contemporary attitudes makes for the most compelling kind of cinema.

Part prison film, part crime story, part intense personal drama, this all-consuming narrative with the power and drive of a Formula One racer has been something of a phenomenon since it took the grand jury prize at Cannes last year. A "Sight & Sound" poll of 60 critics worldwide named it the best film of 2009, it's one of the five foreign-language film Oscar nominees, it took Britain's prestigious BAFTA award in that category and, with 13 nominations overall, it's a prohibitive favorite to win the Cesar, France's Oscar, for best picture