A prominent Bay Ridge civic leader was arrested earlier this month for his alleged role in an international gun-smuggling, drug-trafficking, and money-laundering ring.
Dominick Ali stepped down as treasurer of the Bay Ridge Community Council the morning of his arrest in a federal sweep on Feb. 11 that netted him and six other New Yorkers for their alleged connection to the “ ‘Ndrangheta,” a powerful organized crime outfit based in Calabria, Italy.
Ali is accused of agreeing to help launder $500,000 that an undercover agent told him was the spoils of running guns and selling illegal drugs, with the help of a bank employee and a man the Justice Department claims is connected with both the ‘Ndrangheta and the Gambino crime family.
Unlike Ali, the alleged ‘Ndrangheta associate faces further charges of actually participating in the illegal transportation and sale of cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and firearms between Europe and North and South America, as part of a larger attempt to get the Calabrian criminal organization a foothold in the United States. United States embassy documents leaked in 2011 described the ‘Ndrangheta as one of the wealthiest and most powerful criminal syndicates in the world, thanks to its domination of the cocaine trade, and said that it controls almost every aspect of Calabrian society.
The Feds described Ali — who works as a realtor — as a man of means and a flight risk.
“Dominick Ali has significant resources, which he drew upon in the course of the money laundering scheme,” said the Justice Department in its brief.
Ali is out on a $1 million bond signed by him and his wife, Renee Dorsa, who also put up $50,000 in cash.
Ali officially resigned his position as Bay Ridge Community Council treasurer the day of his arrest. Ali became treasurer for the Bay Ridge Community Council in 2013 and his wife was elected president of the 63-year-old confederation of civic groups in 2012.
Ali’s attorney, Arthur Aidala, did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
