A Sands Point cardiologist with a practice in Great Neck who conspired to seriously injure a rival doctor was sentenced to five years in prison with five years of post-release supervision on Jan. 31, according Nassau County District Attorney (NCDA) Madeline Singas. The sentence will also lead to the suspension of his medical license and his DEA-prescribing privileges.
Anthony Moschetto, 56, plead guilty on Oct. 25 to a 77-count indictment, including one count each of first-degree criminal possession of a weapon, criminal sale of a prescription for a control substance, third-degree arson and fourth-degree conspiracy.
The judge issued orders of protection for two victims and will order that all of the defendant’s weapons be destroyed.
“Working with our law enforcement partners, we stopped this plot which could have seriously injured or killed an innocent man, we shut down an illegal pill distribution scheme and halted the trafficking of illegal assault weapons,” said Singas. “This defendant was once a respected doctor, but he destroyed his reputation with this despicable, and potentially deadly, plot against a fellow doctor.”
Singas said that the scheme was discovered when an undercover police investigation involving the purchase of Oxycodone pills led to the undercover purchases of two fully loaded assault weapons, as well as the seller’s pursuit of dynamite for the purpose of blowing up a property.
“The Nassau County Police dedicated numerous resources to the investigation of this complex plot,” said Nassau County Commissioner of Police Thomas Krumpter.
During the course of the investigation, which started in Dec. 2014, it was discovered that the assault weapons and prescriptions for the pills were originally acquired and transferred to the seller by Moschetto. The defendant sought to pay for the assault of a fellow cardiologist as well as the arson of his office, partially through the illegal transfer of prescriptions and weapons.
The investigation included six undercover drug buys from the seller, during which time, drugs sold to undercover detectives included 410 Oxycodone pills.
“DEA’s investigations have led to uncovering heinous crimes but never a wannabe Mafioso in a doctor’s jacket,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge James Hunt. “By working with the Nassau County Police Department and the Nassau County District Attorney, a deviant scheme was found out and the mastermind identified, arrested and sentenced.”
During the fourth buy, on Feb. 10, 2015, an undercover detective purchased one Israeli Military Industries brand Uzi 9-mm semi-automatic assault weapon with a 25-round magazine, one Norinco brand SKS 7.62 x 39 mm semi-automatic assault weapon with a 30-round magazine and ammunition.
During the second buy, on Jan. 22, 2015, the seller informed the undercover detective that he needed dynamite to blow up a building. During the sixth buy, on March 12, 2015, the seller said he no longer needed dynamite because
he had a friend set fire to the building.
During one of the undercover drug buys, a conversation ensued about a Feb. 25, 2015, arson that detectives were able to link to Moschetto. The arson damaged but did not destroy the office of the fellow cardiologist, whose relationship with Moschetto had soured due to a professional dispute.
As the investigation progressed, Moschetto gave blank prescriptions and cash as payments. Moschetto also asked for the assault of his victim’s wife if she was present during the primary assault.
The execution of search warrants on April 14, 2015, led to the discovery of a cache of weapons in the doctor’s Sands Point home, many of which were found in a hidden basement room revealed via a switch-activated, moving bookshelf. The defendant was arrested that day.
Moschetto admitted in court to providing money for the arson and assault, how and where it should take place, details on the intended victims whereabouts and to possessing more than 10 illegal weapons. In a recorded conversation, the defendant said, “I think if you put him in the hospital for a few months I think we are done. If he’s stupid enough to come out after that then you’ll make more money ’cause then you have to kill him.”
Read “Grand Jury Returns 77-Count Indictment For GN Cardiologist.”
