A New York city chef and business owner who was known as a caring individual who gave back to his community has instead been arrested for running a drug operation out of his own restaurant, reportedly using his supposed generosity with addicts in the area as a cover.
Ettore Mazzei, the owner of Chez Vous Catering and Edgewater Hall on Staten Island, has previously been honored for helping drug addicts become clean and stay out of jail, but now police say this was just a front for his operation in which he allegedly supplied addicts with drugs and in some cases, had them pay off their drug debt by working it off.
Mazzei was taken into custody Tuesday night after law enforcement sources said friends reported he was telling people that he was planning to leave town. The restaurateur was initially charged with 15 counts of possession.
Now, Mazzei has been indicted on 61 counts, and police have also arrested close to 20 other people who they say were working for Mazzei. Though the prosecution says Mazzei is the “mastermind” behind the operation.
According to prosecutors, the defendants sold 20 grams of heroin, 461 grams of cocaine, and 140 Suboxone Strips to undercover officers over fourteen months beginning in March 2023.
During the past year, there have been 150 deaths by overdose on Staten Island, according to police. Though it is not clear how many of these can be linked to Mazzei.
“This gentleman is posing himself as someone who is looking to steer drug-addicted and people who are addicted to narcotics to rehab but nobody really knows he’s the one supplying the drugs to these people to keep them addicted,” NYPD Deputy Inspector at Detective Borough Staten Island Scott Weisberg said.
The prosecution has also pointed out recent acts of violence that have occurred in and around Mazzei’s Stapleton-based properties, including two shootings and an armed home invasion.
The restaurant owner is also allegedly connected to multiple deaths by drug overdose that took place on Staten Island, as reported by legal officials.
Mazzei’s attorney has not yet commented on the charges. According to the Da’s office, his bail was set at $3 million in cash or a $5 million bond.
