Indictments are sealed for one and one reason only. Keeping everything secret from everyone - i.e., co-conspirators that havent yet been arrested (let alone charged). Also, if informants were used, the mob guys still on the outside will often know from the allegations in the indictment the identities of the informants (e.g., Louie Chopsticks was the only other person aware of the specifics of certain day). This is particularly troubling (for Mr. Chopsticks if he is still on the street acting as informant)
Terrorism indictments are 99.5% of the time sealed. Organized crime and street gang cases are as well.
"Goodfellas don't sue goodfellas. . . . Goodfellas kill goodfellas." ~ Salvatore Profaci in bugged NJ mob lawyer Sal Avena's office
“This was the Volkswagen of racketeering charges” ~ Def. Attorney Ed Jacobs, Jr.
"Meanwhile, I got the uncle who wants me out of the way.... Great family, aren't they? This is what it's all about." ~Louis "Bent-Finger Louie" Monacello
"It was a wholesale annihilation.... How many times do they want to be beat? Because I'm frankly getting tired of it. They went fishing for Joe Ligambi, and the jury gave them Gary Battaglini.” ~ Def Atty Christopher Warren
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