A former New York detective has been convicted of lying to the FBI to protect the Bonanno crime family’s gambling operations. Hector Rosario, 51, a former Nassau County police detective, was found guilty Wednesday in Brooklyn federal court after aiding the mob in a turf war against the rival Genovese family.
Prosecutors revealed Rosario even staged a fake police raid to help the Bonannos maintain control of an underground gambling den. When questioned by the FBI in 2020, he denied knowing about the mafia’s operations… a lie that led to his conviction.
Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly condemned Rosario’s betrayal, saying he cared more about “lining his pockets with Bonanno money” than enforcing the law. U.S. Attorney John Durham called him a “corrupt detective” who chose the mob over public duty.
Rosario was fired in 2022 and was among nine people charged in the gambling ring bust. His conviction highlights the mafia’s continued influence and the consequences of corruption within law enforcement.
