Mobster gets nine years for bilking ADT out of $6m

MIAMI--A captain of the Gambino Organized Crime Family, who helped a former ADT vice president and three others bilk ADT out of more than $6 million as part of a real estate fraud, will serve nine years in federal prison for his crimes. Vincent Artuso was sentenced, along with three other Gambino Crime Family members, Dec. 15 by U.S. District Judge Donald Middlebrooks.

ADT will also receive its real estate back as part of as much as $23 million in restitution payments.

Artuso and three other individuals - his son, John Vincent Artuso, Gregory Orr and Philip Edward Forgione - were convicted of 41 separate charges, including RICO conspiracy, Oct. 3. William Larry Horton, former vice president of planning and implementation for ADT, pled guilty previously. In late October, he received 30 months in jail, a lesser sentence because he cooperated with the prosecution.

According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Florida, Artuso “supervised and directed” the others “in the commission of various fraud against ADT.”

Ann Lindstrom, director of communications for ADT said, “We are pleased with the recent sentencing by U.S. District Judge Donald Middlebrooks related to the charges that involved a real estate scam against ADT. ADT cooperated with prosecutors in the case and is happy to be getting our properties back as part of the restitution.”

ADT had directed Horton to “sell several ADT office buildings across the country and lease back the property for the company,” according to the release. Horton sold four of ADT's office buildings - “multi-million dollar properties” - to the Artusos, Orr and Forgione at “far below market value and then immediately leased them back to ADT at a cost substantially above fair market value.” ADT was unaware that Horton was partners with the Artusos, Orr and Forgione.

The lease payments were made by ADT to a limited liability company “that was formed by the defendants to conceal Horton and the others' ownership.” Over the course of five years “millions of dollars of lease payments made by ADT were divided among the defendants … in excess of $11 million in a period of five years.”

The scheme unraveled when the FBI noted money being transferred from a known mobster in New York.John Vincent Artuso received 108 months in jail and was ordered to pay $6 million in restitution; Orr received 87 months and $6 million in restitution; Forgione received 78 months and $5 million in restitution.