Mob associate busted in LI prostitution ring involving cop, teacher
Long Island prosecutors are seeking to seize a $1.2 million home on Fire Island from Frank Saggio, the alleged boss of a prostitution ring that operated two brothels across Suffolk County. The luxurious beachfront property is at the center of a $1.96 million civil forfeiture case against Saggio, a 60-year-old convicted felon with ties to the mafia.
Saggio, who claimed to have worked for all five major New York families, is accused of running the illegal enterprise with the help of a cop and a gym teacher. The Ocean Beach home was allegedly purchased using proceeds from a brothel in Holbrook, which was part of the illicit operation.
In October, Saggio, along with his mistress Dana Ciardullo, gym teacher Steven Arey, and veteran cop George Trimigliozzi, were arrested on a 58-count indictment that included charges of enterprise corruption and promoting prostitution. The arrests shocked the community, with Suffolk DA Ray Tierney expressing disappointment over the involvement of public servants in criminal activities.
According to court records, Saggio operated the brothels from October 2019 to June 2024. Trimigliozzi and Arey managed the American Girls Spa location in Holbrook, while Ciardullo oversaw the West Babylon establishment within an adult store called Tunnel of Love.
Prostitutes working at the brothels were allegedly forced to sign “leases” for their rooms and charged exorbitant fees without receiving any payment for their services. The operation used a shell company named after the Holbrook brothel’s address to disguise illegal payments as rent, with Saggio’s wife listed as the company’s sole officer as a front.
In a suspicious series of transactions, Saggio sold the Holbrook property for $1.2 million in July 2022 and quickly purchased a $1.25 million beach house at 24 Bungalow Walk. Prosecutors believe this move was part of a money laundering scheme to conceal funds from the brothel.
Despite the ongoing legal battle to reclaim the Fire Island home, Saggio, Ciardullo, Trimigliozzi, and Arey continue to face criminal charges related to the prostitution ring. All four have maintained their innocence and pleaded not guilty in court.
The case highlights the complex web of criminal activities that can infiltrate even seemingly idyllic communities like Fire Island, shedding light on the dark underbelly of organized crime and corruption.
