Joseph Agosto
Described by the Eighth Circuit as the Government's principal witness in the Tropicana skimming trial, and by a Senate subcommittee staff summary of FBI affidavits as the Kansas City "outfit" principal management agent in Las Vegas.
- Aliases
- Joe Agosto, Joseph Vincent Agosto
- Role
- "Kansas City 'outfit' principal management agent in Las Vegas," in a Senate subcommittee staff summary of FBI affidavits (1980)
- Rights
- Biography on this page is limited to what the cited federal records state.
On the record
- 1975 — United States v. DeLuna, 763 F.2d 897 (8th Cir. 1985), in its account of the Government's evidence: "Agosto purchased the Folies Bergere, the successful floor show at the Tropicana, and used this as a base to acquire influence over casino operations," and "Agosto, a convicted felon, knew he could never be licensed by the Nevada gaming authorities."
- 8 August 1978 — A Senate subcommittee staff member's summary of an FBI affidavit says Agosto, "who was the Kansas City 'outfit' principal management agent in Las Vegas," telephoned Carl "Tuffy" DeLuna on August 8, 1978 and discussed payments due to the Central States Pension Fund and the physical assets of the Stardust Casino (Senate hearings, 1980).
- 1985 — United States v. DeLuna: "Agosto, now deceased, was the government's principal witness against the other defendants."
- 8 October 1987 — United States v. Cerone, 830 F.2d 938 (8th Cir. 1987), lists "the residences of Carl DeLuna, Anthony Civella, Joe Agosto, and Anthony Chiavola, Sr." among the places under court-authorized electronic surveillance between March 1978 and May 1980.
This page is limited to the Eighth Circuit’s opinions and a Senate subcommittee’s hearing record. The Eighth Circuit describes Agosto as “now deceased.” The role line below is a staff member’s summary of FBI affidavits. It is a statement of the Government’s evidence and not a court finding. The Eighth Circuit’s own words about him are set out in the events. The installment dates of his testimony are printed in the opinion without a year, and the opinion gives no date of death.
Records
itemUnited States v. DeLuna, 763 F.2d 897 (8th Cir. 1985)Eighth Circuit opinion of May 10, 1985 affirming the Western District of Missouri convictions of Carl DeLuna, Carl Civella, and three others for skimming money from the Tropicana Hotel and Country Club in Las Vegas and carrying it to Kansas City.itemUnited States v. Thomas, 759 F.2d 659 (8th Cir. 1985)Eighth Circuit opinion of April 11, 1985 holding that the 1983 Argent Corporation indictment did not charge the same offense as the earlier Tropicana case, with the court's account of FBI surveillance aimed at hidden interests in Las Vegas casinos.itemUnited States v. Cerone, 830 F.2d 938 (8th Cir. 1987)Eighth Circuit opinion of October 8, 1987 affirming the Kansas City convictions of Aiuppa, Cerone, Lombardo, LaPietra, and Rockman for skimming the Stardust and Fremont casinos in Las Vegas.itemSenate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Central States Pension Fund hearings (1980)Hearings of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, August 25-26 and September 29-30, 1980, on the Labor Department's investigation of the Teamsters Central States Pension Fund, including a staff summary of FBI affidavits on Kansas City and hidden interests in Las Vegas casinos.