 Soon after the fire, a mob associate approached the company owners and informed them that they would have to pay a "mob tax" to sell the bootleg gasoline.In September 1996, Pagano and Palumbo were indicted on charges of defrauding the government of $77 million in tax revenues.In September 1999, Pagano pleaded guilty to motor fuel tax evasion and was sentenced to 105 months in prison.