New York Biased Against Food Vendors with Reputed Mob Ties?

Friends of ours: John Cagginao

A produce vendor with reputed mob ties has sued city regulators who banned him from a public food market on grounds that he lacks good character.

John Caggiano, a two-time felon indicted last year on charges he helped run a gambling ring at the Hunt's Point Market, argues in a suit filed in State Supreme Court in Manhattan that the city had let his C&S Wholesale Produce Inc. operate for years despite knowledge of his prior convictions and alleged ties to organized crime.

A city lawyer, Gabe Taussig, said yesterday he is confident a judge would uphold the rejection.

According to a city Law Department spokeswoman, Connie Pankratz, 161 businesses are registered to operate in wholesale markets regulated by the city. Caggiano's registration is one of four applications the city has denied since 2002.

Thanks to The Sun