Agostino Abbatiello, a former student from Pennsylvania State University who is accused of leading a cocaine trafficking ring out of two fraternities, has been granted bail. A Pennsylvania judge set bail for Abbatiello, who called himself “the Godfather,” at $250,000 at a Wednesday hearing in nearby Bellefonte, despite prosecutors' claims that he threatened witnesses, according to local reports. Abbatiello’s lawyers called the allegation “outrageous,” WTAJ reported.
As part of the bail conditions, Abbatiello, a 24-year-old from Westbury, New York, can not have contact with witnesses and must live with his parents. Philip Masorti, a lawyer for Abbatiello, said he was “happy with the way things went today,” per CBS News Pittsburgh. "My client's gonna be posting bail soon." Abbatiello was one of 14 people, mostly college students, who were charged in connection with the drug ring bust.
He, along with Thomas Robinson, Mohammed Hurabi and Lars Zeepvat, face the most serious charges, including felony corrupt organizations, conspiracy and dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity. Abbatiello and Robinson, a 23-year-old from Churchill, Pennsylvania, were the main suppliers of the operation, which ran from 2023 to 2024, making regular trips to Philadelphia and New York for large amounts of cocaine, according to prosecutors. The cocaine was then allegedly cut and packaged, mainly at the Delta Upsilon and Sigma Chi fraternity houses, and distributed to Penn State students.
Abbatiello was a Sigma Chi brother and Robinson was a Delta Upsilon brother — both went to Penn State until 2024. Zeepvat, a 24-year-old from Mendham, New Jersey, who allegedly sold cocaine for Abbatiello, testified Wednesday that Abbatiello, whom he said called himself “the Godfather,” sold the drugs “for money and popularity,” CBS News reported. Robinson testified Wednesday that he and Hurabi, a 22-year-old from Secaucus, New Jersey, started buying drugs from Abbatiello by August 2023, interactions that were set up through Snapchat, WTAJ reported.
He and Haraibi then allegedly packaged and sold the drugs. The drug buys would continue until at least November 2024, with the last purchase costing $22,000, according to Robinson. Robinson said they only bought the drugs through Abbatiello and would mostly sell them to his fraternity brothers.
He also testified that he got other fraternity brothers, such as Zeepfat, to help sell the drugs. Paul Robinson, Robinson’s father and a prominent Pittsburgh attorney, was one of the 14 people charged in the case. He was charged with tampering with evidence and hindering the investigation.
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