Thursday, December 11, 2014

Galati Asks For Court-Appointed Lawyer

By George Anastasia
For Bigtrial.net

Ron Galati's broke.

The South Philadelphia auto body shop owner accused to orchestrating a $5 million insurance  scam told a judge this morning that he does not have the money to pay for a lawyer in either of the two pending criminal trials he is facing in Common Pleas Court.

"Exactly right," Galati said when Judge Jeffrey Minehart asked if he could not afford to hire an attorney for either the insurance fraud conspiracy case or a murder-for-hire case in which he is a defendant.

Assistant District Attorney Dawn Holtz said her office believes Galati has the financial ability to retain private counsel.

"He may not be able to afford the best attorney in the land," Holtz said during a brief hearing before Minehart. But she said her office believes Galati has assets and that "the City of Philadelphia and the taxpayers of Philadelphia should not be paying" his legal bills.

Minehart set a Jan. 8 hearing date on the financial question. Holtz said her office would offer evidence showing that Galati can afford an attorney.

That hearing will come one day after Galati is scheduled to be sentenced in federal court in Camden for his conviction earlier this year in a separate murder-for-hire case. He is facing from 30 years to life. Galati's lawyer in that case, Anthony Voci, has withdrawn as counsel in the pending cases, citing Galati's inability to pay. 

Galati, 63, has been held without bail since his arrest over a year ago. Currently an inmate at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility, he appeared in court today dressed in a green-and-white checked shirt and baggy slacks.

"It looks like something they got off the bottom of the clothes pile," Galati's son, Ron Jr., said as his father was led into the courtroom by an armed court marshal.

The younger Galati, who owns the body shop that authorities say was the nerve center for the insurance fraud scheme, said his father does not have any money and that the District Attorney's Office was continuing to target him by raising the financial issue.

"What do they want him to do, represent himself?" Galati Jr. asked before today's hearing began. "That would be a show."

Later, he said, "There's no money. There's no cash hidden under the floor boards. He's entitled to a lawyer. That's all he's asking for."

"We need to delve into his income and assets," Holtz said in brief comments to Minehart before the judge set the hearing date.

Galati told the judge he has a monthly Social Security stipend of $1,100 and that he also collects about $1,000-a-month rent on a vacant lot that he owns in South Philadelphia. Authorities have alleged that Galati cashed checks for more than $1 million while orchestrating the insurance scam.

The case involves nearly three dozen defendants, including Galati's wife and his son, Ron Jr.

"There is no money," Galati Jr. said again as he left the 11th floor courtroom. "Family members and friends lent us money for the last trial."

That trial ended with a federal jury finding Galati Sr. guilty of hiring two hit men to murder the then boyfriend of his estranged daughter Tiffany. The boyfriend, Andrew Tuono, survived the shooting which occurred outside his Atlantic City home last December.

Tuono, Tiffany Galati, the two hit men and a third conspirator testified for the prosecution in that case.

The hit men and their co-conspirator, all of whom have cut cooperating deals with the government and have pled guilty, are also witnesses in the murder-for-hire case now pending in Common Pleas Court.

In that case, Galati is charged with offering the shooters $20,000 to gun down two rival auto body shop operators -- a father and son -- whom he believed were cooperating with authorities in the insurance fraud investigation.

The potential targets closed their business before the hits could be carried out, according to authorities. Both were, in fact, cooperating against Galati in the insurance fraud case.

George Anastasia can be reached at George@bigtrial.net.

29 comments

  1. Yo cuz, give me a nickel on the Rams tonite

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. BILLY OR CHRIS U HAVE THAT COVERED?

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  2. The people wasting money are the prosecutors office let him plea the other two cases and be done with it give him his 30 yrs altogether and say good bye.

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    1. I think the Galatis will be asking their business partner mob boss Joe Ligambi for some help with legal fees! NOW We All Know Uncle Joe won't give up a dime even though Galati could put him away for 10 to 20 year's!!!!

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    2. You never no Uncle Joe is Makin his Christmas collections from da bookmakers!

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  3. Da boss will be gone maybe in a cell in the end we no he is goin to hell.

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  4. They gots notin on uncle Joe wits this ins fraud all da players have been arrested.Gets over its boys he.s stayin on the street as consigliere.

    Only guys who can hurt Uncle Joe is nicodemo who has proved he.s stands up so far and the other is non other than BGB himself and u know he.s stand up.

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    Replies
    1. Yes Uncle Joe ordered Nicodemo to Murder Johnny Gongs, drive Lance to kill Long John, help George Borgesi murder and fry Ralph Mazzuca not to mention approve the Gino DiPietro hit. U no what your right Uncle Joe will be around! !!!!

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    2. Roger took the hit on the kidnapper Ralph the drug dealer Mazzuca get over it and being u know so much about the other hits why arent u volunteering this
      info oh ya hear say. Unless somebody turns from uncle Joes crew or Joeys there not going any where for murder.

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    3. Ralph got hit in 95 when Uncle joe was going time.

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  5. How.s the Boss doing with his new Restaurant.

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  6. Hey Johnny or stevie is there enough money in the Christmas tree and commissary fund for a christmas party at chickie and pete.s

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  7. IF HE BE HAVIN DA CASH DEY SAY HE BE HAVIN, DAY GOTZ TO PROVE IT. MY BET BE ON HE NOT SHOWWIN ANY MONEY SO DEY GONNA GIVE HILM A MOUTHPIECE. WHOEVER BE CASHIN A MILLION IN CHEKS HAS DA MONEY. DAT BIZ BELONG TO YOUNG BUCK JR, SO HE BE CASHIN OR MOM GALATI BE CASHIN. FEEL ME?

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  8. When u really think about it who gives a ratt ass he.s now a lifer in the State correctional system lets move on who.s next? U feelin me Bro.

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  9. I AINT TRYIN TO CODEM NO MAN U FEEL ME? IM JUST TRYIN TO SAY THAT IF DER BE A MILLION DOLLARZ IN CHECKS THAT WHOEVER DONE SIGNED DEM IS HOLDIN DA CASH FEEL ME?

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    Replies
    1. Hear the feds are looking at Ligambis wife for that.

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  10. First off, its not about being broke you idiots!! Its about who really has the money to pay a lawyer or lawyers for three separate cases? I don't know anyone with $$$ like that. Second, The DA's office really thinks its unfair to have the taxpayers pay for the trial. Well, should we really get into how much taxpayer money is being wasted in their bullshit investigations. All the money, time and resources that are being wasted on that. And not just on Galati's case, but every other case they investigate. No one told them to indict 40 people.. They did this and its the biggest waste of money on an investigation I've ever seen.

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    1. Oh yeah he had is daughters boyfriend shot while she was there and she put the prick away for life! Galati also was going to have the Rayos killed and after going to jail in the 90s he is running the same insurance fraud scams over 20 year's later, and now has his wife, son and alot of his friends in trouble.

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  11. also,, The DA's office thinks we are all stupid. When you indict that many people, how could you expect them all to be able to afford attorneys for a projected month long trial?? The answer is.. you don't expect them to!! you expect most of them to plea out on some bullshit deal so they don't have to pay anyone or go to trial. Its what they do.. That was the whole idea behind this case. Its almost like a cattle drive. They are forcing the cattle to go in the direction they want them to go.

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  12. George A -Why do you refer to Ron Galati, Sr. as the owner of American Collision? ("South Philadelphia auto body shop owner accused...") Clearly, you seem to understand that Ron Galati, Jr. has always been the only owner of American Collision, ("The younger Galati, who owns the body shop..."). That's what is wrong with reporting today. Ron Sr. does not own the body shop, yet you refer to him in that manner?

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    1. Listen Jerkoff the world knows that it's in his sons name because he's a felon, and has had his wig head up Mob boss Joe Ligambis ass for years so Uncle Joe got a piece of everything and shut the fuck up! you sound like an Asshole! !

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    2. Being a felon does not preclude you from owning a business. Wise up and go back and play with your imaginary friends.

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  13. who gives a ratts ass abot the wigDecember 16, 2014 at 12:50 PM

    Ok all 6 u
    Sentence this Mother F---er lets move on to Nicodemo trial Galati trial isnt gonna hurt Uncle Joe.

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  14. If they had anything on uncle Joe wit Ronny the wig they would.ve locked his old ass up already. The big picture here is the informant the feds turned yrs ago. Now he.s the key along with?

    ReplyDelete

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