9 alleged mobsters held over bloody family war

updated 1:30 p.m. ET June 4, 2008

NEW YORK - Nine suspected mobsters, including a reputed acting Colombo boss, have been arrested as part of a takedown of the organized crime family, federal authorities said Wednesday.

In addition to the arrests, including one in Los Angeles, authorities are charging other suspects already behind bars.

Three of the defendants are accused of four homicides dating back to the early 1990s. One of those cases was a double homicide, part of a bloody war between two factions within the Colombo family, authorities said.

It’s the second splashy mob case in a week in New York City.

Last Thursday, a reputed Gambino family capo — on the run for nearly four months — strolled up to the FBI’s office and surrendered on charges he ordered a decades-old gangland hit that took an innocent bystander’s life.

Nicholas “Little Nick” Corozzo, who authorities say was a one-time crony of notorious mob boss John Gotti, was ordered held without bail after pleading not guilty to racketeering, extortion and murder charges.

Those charges were part of a sprawling federal case against the once-mighty Gambinos.

Corozzo had fled his Long Island home in early February amid a massive pre-dawn roundup of 62 people named in the case.

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