February 4, 2020 — Western Massachusetts mob-affiliate Talal (Big T) Soffan was sentenced this week to two and a half years in federal prison for credit card and bank fraud. More than a decade ago, the Lebanese wiseguy took a pinch in Springfield for racketeering-related offenses and received probation.
Soffan, 46, pleaded guilty last year in U.S. District Court to ripping off a half-million bucks in fraudulent credit card expenses, lying when filling out forms to acquire a small business loan and then spreading the nearly $600,000 in expenses over 27 different credit cards and bank accounts. The original $35,000 loan was used to open a trash dumpster business called All Waste Management, Inc. According to his plea, he also rigged bids in acquiring bank contracts to repair and maintenance foreclosed upon homes in a real estate management business he owned.
Back in 2005, Soffan was busted alongside then Springfield mob capo Anthony (Bingy) Arillotta for collecting underworld debts. Arillotta, 50, went on to become a government witness and testify against leaders of the Genovese crime family out of New York.
The Springfield mob crew has always been a wing of the Genovese clan. Albert (The Animal) Calvanese, another former Arillotta enforcer, allegedly succeeded Arillotta as crew boss. Calvanese, 57, did a prison stint for loansharking from his days working under Arillotta in a case where he beat a debtor by slamming their head in a car door.
The post Time To Pay The Piper: Springfield (MA) Mobster Hit With Prison Time In Fraud Case appeared first on The Gangster Report.