BOSTON HERALD
Investigators seized $40,000 from a secret ``hide`` inside reputed
bookmaker Arthur Gianelli`s Lynnfield mansion but lost the race to his
wife`s bank account when she cleared out $65,000 yesterday morning,
according to federal prosecutors. Mary Ann Gianelli drained the New
Hampshire account at ``eight minutes after 8 a.m.`` following her
husband`s arrest Thursday night on arson and extortion charges,
Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred Wyshak told a judge yesterday. Wyshak said
the cash is subject to federal forfeiture. Gianelli attorney Richard
Egbert said the government has no hold on the money because prosecutors
never sought a forfeiture order. ``The account in question belongs to
Mrs. Gianelli,`` Egbert told the court. Mary Ann`s sister is Liz
Connolly, the wife of convicted racketeer John J. Connolly Jr., the
former FBI agent who handled killer informants James ``Whitey`` Bulger
and Stephen ``The Rifleman `` Flemmi. The two families live
side-by-side on a Lynnfield cul-de-sac. State police, Drug Enforcement
Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents who
raided Gianelli`s sprawling home Thursday and in March found meticulous
gambling ledgers, sources said. ``He didn`t miss a beat,`` one source
said. ``There`s no doubt they had a racket going - him , Connolly,
Bulger and Flemmi.`` Arthur Gianelli, 47, and three associates are
being held without bail on charges stemming from Gianelli`s alleged bid
to become the biggest dog in the Canine Corporation. The company owns
Big Dog bars in North Reading and Saugus. Investigators believe
Gianelli had visions of turning the Route 1 bar into an off-shore
betting parlor, according to a source. ``This is a hostile takeover
attempt in every sense of the word,`` attorney Michael McCarthy, who
represents Big Dog shareholders suing Gianelli, said yesterday. The
indictment unsealed yesterday in federal court claims Gianelli, Dennis
Albertelli, 52, of Stow; Frank Iacaboni, 60, of Leominster; and former
Hell`s Angel Deeb Homsi, 44, of Arlington, all conspired to firebomb
the North Reading Big Dog at 178 Main St. on Nov. 13, 2003. Wiretaps on
Nov. 2, 2003, caught Gianelli apparently expressing concern for staff
staying late that night. ``Gotta make sure nobody is in there, you
know,`` Gianelli said, according to the indictment. Investigators
believe four other Boston-area arson fires are related to Gianelli`s
bid to pressure Big Dog owners into handing over their shares. Two of
those fires occurred at the Sports Grill on Canal Street and at Big
Lou`s in Revere, according to a source. Iacaboni and Homsi were
allegedly caught on tape picking the fire bugs to light the Big Dog
fire. The dirty work was derailed when police listening to wiretaps
waited at the bar and immediately doused the flames. Sean Slater, 47,
of Brooklyn and Michael McCormack, 42, of Arlington were arrested that
night and are still awaiting a federal trial.
