Uniontown lawyer accused of orchestrating scheme to 'clean' drug money, for a fee

A tip to an FBI hotline launched an eight-month investigation by the state police organized crime unit that ended this week with a Uniontown lawyer being accused of offering to launder drug money for clients.

Authorities on Thursday arrested Tancredi Calabrese, 32, who is charged with dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activities, criminal attempt to deal in the proceeds of unlawful activities, unsworn falsification to authorities and tampering with public records. He is free on $50,000 unsecured bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled Feb. 26.

No one answered the phone Friday at Calabrese’s law office. His attorney, Thomas Shaffer of Uniontown, could not be reached for comment.

The investigation began in June after the FBI received a tip about Calabrese’s alleged activity, Trooper Craig Yauch reported in court documents.

“This source related that he hired Calabrese to represent him for a misdemeanor disorderly conduct violation. During the consultation, Calabrese never discussed the source’s case, but instead spoke about how he can wash the source’s money or ‘clean’ it and not pay taxes,” Yauch reported.

The source told investigators that Calabrese told him that he launders money for many clients who are large-scale narcotics dealers and “that he only takes a 10% fee and will hold the client’s money until such time as the client requests a draw.”

In October, state police used a confidential informant to contact Calabrese about starting a business and laundering money, Yauch said. The informant initially told Calabrese that he needed to put money acquired through cocaine sales in a safe place, investigators said.

The pair discussed establishing the business M&M Custom Decks, investigators reported.

“When the (confidential informant) inquired about fees … Calabrese’s response was, ‘committing a crime is $10,000-$20,000 for me to take the step,’” Yauch wrote in court records. “Calabrese continued to explain how the (informant) can avoid taxes and asked if he washed any of his money. He told the (informant) not to use the casino to wash his money and to change cell phones routinely.”

Through a series of meetings, Calabrese and the informant set up a corporation with the undercover agent serving as the owner, court papers stated.

Throughout the numerous meetings, wiretaps of phone conversations disclosed Calabrese kept seeking assurances that the informant was not working for police “because he has a lot at stake,” Yauch reported.

In December and January, Calabrese and an undercover trooper took additional steps to set up the business, including establishing an employer identification number and bylaws to open a bank account, police said.

Calabrese’s LinkedIn profile states that he graduated from Penn State University in 2009 with a marketing degree before going to law school at Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Fla.

He operated out of Calabrese Legal Services on East Main Street to set up the fictitious business to launder the money, state police said.

“The first question asked by Calabrese was to confirm from the (informant) that the (undercover agent) was just a front for the business. The (informant) agreed, and Calabrese stated that it’s up to him that everything is in place and the (undercover trooper) can just sign her name,” Yauch wrote in court documents. “They also discussed a business plan that explains suppliers, crews and expense. Calabrese said, ‘It will all look 100% legit.’”

A few days later, Calabrese completed other paperwork and instructed the undercover agent to open the bank account, investigators said.

State police searched his office on Jan. 28 using a warrant issued through a statewide investigative grand jury.

“Calabrese acknowledged that he was aware that (informant’s) money for the business formation was from a narcotics trafficker and the business was going to be utilized to launder money,” Yauch reported. “Calabrese stated that the informant was his only client that he has established a business to launder money.”