A reputed Gambino associate with Bonanno ties. One of the guys he had his hooks into paid $300,000 over 11 years in usurious interest.

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/art...ion-2176977.php

Borrowing money from a mob loanshark to support his gambling and drug habits? Something tells me this guy isn't much of a long term thinker.

$300,000 on a $10,000 loan?

That's hard to believe. But if you bleed a guy that much, of course he's going to rat you out. If it's true, it's greed that will put Melia away, plain and simple.

But there's something about this case that seems a bit off to me. The witness is a real lowlife, no question about that. And far be it from me to defend any of these criminal scumbags, but for the record, Melia's son didn't do anything I wouldn't have done to a guy who held my elderly father captive at gunpoint.

That's $300,000 in vig over a decade, right? Math was never my strong subject but I think that comes out to about $600 in interest a week. 6% is pretty steep.

I cant believe the guy was stupid enough to actually admit his role in the robbery to the Melia's. What did he think would happen?

That witness against him will also be testifying about Melia's claims that he attempted to car-bomb a person in the 80's and supposedly also turned down the opportunity to be made by the Gambino's (??? Would any of these mutts really do that? They spend most of their lives trying to get into that secret boys club, and when they dont, make out like they had the chance but turned it down)

Although the article states that in 06 he was imprisoned on racketeering charges and was accused as a "member of" the Gambino's, but they may very well have meant as an associate, as its what most sources seem to claim.

And Melia pleads out in an apparent last minute deal...

http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-loan-shark-0920-20110919-8,0,4172298.story

You guys are dumb the rat borrowed about 150 G's and shelled out 300 G's back to Melia.