FILED: KINGS COUNTY CLERK 03/09/2023 04:54 PM
`NYSCEF DOC. NO. 18
`
`INDEX NO. 506662/2023
`
`RECEIVED NYSCEF: 03/09/2023
`
`SUPREME
`COUNTY
`
`COURT
`OF KINGS
`
`OF THE CITY
`
`OF NEW YORK
`
`COGENT
`RAPID
`
`WASTE
`
`SOLUTIONS,
`
`LLC.,
`
`and
`
`FUEL,
`
`LLC,
`
`-against-
`
`Plaintiffs,
`
`JOSEPH
`
`CARTING,
`and
`INC.,
`
`GRASSO,
`INC.,
`3KINGS
`
`STATEN
`ACCURATE
`
`CARTING,
`
`ISLAND
`CARTING,
`LLC,
`
`Defendants.
`
`X
`
`X
`
`JOSEPH
`
`GRASSO,
`
`being
`
`duly
`
`sworn,
`
`deposes
`
`and
`
`states:
`
`1.
`
`I am a Defendant
`
`in the
`
`above
`
`captioned
`
`proceeding.
`
`Index
`
`No.
`
`506662/2023
`
`IN SUPPORT
`AFFIDAVIT
`OF OPPOSITION
`TO
`ORDER TO SHOW
`CAUSE
`
`2.
`
`3.
`
`I am fully
`
`familiar
`
`with
`
`facts
`
`and
`
`circumstances
`
`hereinafter
`
`set
`
`forth.
`
`I oppose
`
`the
`
`Plaintiffs'
`
`application
`
`for
`
`a Temporary
`
`Restraining
`
`Order
`
`and
`
`Preliminary
`
`Injunction
`
`by Order
`
`to Show
`
`Cause
`
`as granting
`
`it would
`
`prevent
`
`me from
`
`earning
`
`a living
`
`the
`
`type
`
`of work
`
`done
`
`and would
`
`interfere
`
`with
`
`son's
`
`in
`
`only
`
`I have
`
`ever
`
`unfairly
`
`my
`
`businesses,
`
`too.
`
`4.
`
`I have
`
`been
`
`in the waste
`
`management
`
`business
`
`since
`
`2002,
`
`first
`
`as the
`
`owner
`
`of Staten
`
`Island
`
`Carting,
`
`then
`
`as an employee
`
`of GPB Waste
`
`NYC,
`
`LLC,
`
`and
`
`lastly
`
`as an employee
`
`of Cogent
`
`Waste
`
`Solutions,
`
`LLC (Cogent)
`
`from
`
`2019
`
`until
`
`January
`
`25,
`
`2023.
`
`Statement
`
`of Facts
`
`5. On December
`
`19, 2022,
`
`I was
`
`called
`
`at home
`
`on the
`
`telephone
`
`"Steve"
`
`by
`
`to meet
`
`him on
`
`Bloomingdale
`
`Road,
`
`because
`
`I was
`
`accused
`
`of
`
`stealing
`
`$10,00.00
`
`worth
`
`of material
`
`from
`
`a Cogent
`
`worksite
`
`on Industrial
`
`Loop
`
`in Staten
`
`Island.
`
`6.
`
`Upon
`
`infonnation
`
`and
`
`belief,
`
`"Steve"
`
`is a known
`
`member
`
`of organized
`
`crime.
`
`1 of 4
`
`

`

`FILED: KINGS COUNTY CLERK 03/09/2023 04:54 PM
`NYSCEF DOC. NO. 18
`
`INDEX NO. 506662/2023
`
`RECEIVED NYSCEF: 03/09/2023
`
`7.
`
`I agreed
`
`to meet
`
`because
`
`I
`
`felt my
`
`life would
`
`be in danger
`
`if
`
`I
`
`refused.
`
`8.
`
`The
`
`worksite
`
`was
`
`one
`
`that my
`
`son
`
`and
`
`I had worked
`
`at
`
`clearing
`
`refuse
`
`and
`
`scrap
`
`metal
`
`from.
`
`The
`
`property
`
`belonged
`
`to Cogent.
`
`9.
`
`After
`
`meeting
`
`with
`
`"Steve"
`
`on Bloomingdale
`
`Road,
`
`to
`
`clear
`
`up
`
`this
`
`false
`
`accusation,
`
`I
`
`agreed
`
`to meet
`
`with
`
`"Big
`
`John"
`
`at
`
`the Cigar
`
`Vault,
`
`a Cigar
`
`bar
`
`on Page
`
`Avenue
`
`in Staten
`
`Island.
`
`Jolm"
`
`10. Upon
`
`information
`
`and
`
`belief,
`
`"Big
`
`is a known
`
`member
`
`of organized
`
`crime.
`
`11. When
`
`I arrived
`
`at
`
`the Cigar
`
`Vault,
`
`"Big
`
`John"
`
`was
`
`there
`
`with
`
`an unidentified
`
`party.
`
`12. After
`
`some
`
`discussion,
`
`"Big
`
`John"
`
`claimed
`
`I stole
`
`air
`
`compressors
`
`and
`
`tools
`
`from
`
`Bobby
`
`Cipriano,
`
`another
`
`Cogent
`
`employee,
`
`when
`
`I cleared
`
`Cogent's
`
`property.
`
`I denied
`
`this
`
`and
`
`John"
`
`"Big
`
`said we would
`
`meet
`
`at
`
`the Cigar
`
`Vault
`
`the
`
`next morning
`
`with
`
`Bobby
`
`Cipriano.
`
`on December
`
`I met
`
`with
`
`Cipriano
`
`and
`
`John"
`
`13. About
`
`10am
`
`20,
`
`2022,
`
`Bobby
`
`"Big
`
`at
`
`the
`
`Cigar
`
`Vault.
`
`Cipriano
`
`demanded
`
`$10,000.00.
`
`I
`
`refused
`
`to comply.
`
`Cipriano
`
`then
`
`claimed
`
`that
`
`the
`
`compressors
`
`and
`
`tools
`
`he falsely
`
`accused
`
`me of stealing
`
`belonged
`
`to our
`
`boss Nino
`
`Tristani.
`
`I
`
`left within
`
`a half
`
`hour
`
`of
`
`this meeting
`
`at
`
`the Cigar
`
`Vault.
`
`On various
`
`occasions
`
`over
`
`the next month,
`
`I attempted
`
`to contactNino
`
`Tristani
`
`to tell
`
`him about
`
`these
`
`accusations
`
`and meetings.
`
`He
`
`avoided
`
`me constantly.
`
`He was
`
`never
`
`available
`
`to see me when
`
`I went
`
`to
`
`answer
`
`or call
`
`see him at 860 Humboldt
`
`Street
`
`in Brooklyn.
`
`He would
`
`not
`
`my phone
`
`calls
`
`me back.
`
`He
`
`did
`
`not
`
`respond
`
`to text messages
`
`or emails.
`
`14. Finally,
`
`on
`
`January
`
`7, 2023,
`
`Nino
`
`Tristani
`
`responded
`
`to
`
`a text message
`
`my
`
`son
`
`sent
`
`in
`
`which
`
`he told
`
`him that
`
`I was
`
`upset
`
`he wouldn't
`
`meet
`
`with me and
`
`that
`
`known
`
`organized
`
`crime
`
`members
`
`were
`
`accusing
`
`me of
`
`stealing
`
`from
`
`Nino's
`
`company.
`
`Nino
`
`Tristani
`
`then
`
`called me and I conferenced
`
`my son,
`
`John Grasso
`
`into
`
`the
`
`call. Nino
`
`told
`
`John
`
`that
`
`he didn't
`
`2
`
`2 of 4
`
`

`

`FILED: KINGS COUNTY CLERK 03/09/2023 04:54 PM
`NYSCEF DOC. NO. 18
`
`INDEX NO. 506662/2023
`
`RECEIVED NYSCEF: 03/09/2023
`
`want
`
`any
`
`text messages
`
`like
`
`the
`
`one
`
`that was
`
`sent
`
`to be sent
`
`again
`
`because
`
`it could
`
`cause
`
`problems
`
`with
`
`the Business
`
`Integrity
`
`Commission
`
`(BIC).
`
`15. A meeting
`
`was
`
`set up
`
`at 11 Ferry
`
`Street
`
`with
`
`Nino
`
`Tristani
`
`and
`
`I. When
`
`I arrived,
`
`I was
`
`surprised
`
`to find
`
`Nino
`
`there
`
`with
`
`the
`
`company
`
`attorney,
`
`Larry
`
`Schillinger.
`
`I asked
`
`Nino
`
`why
`
`the attorney
`
`was
`
`there.
`
`Tristani
`
`said
`
`that
`
`it was
`
`because
`
`of what
`
`I told
`
`him about
`
`Bobby
`
`that
`
`I should
`
`resign.
`
`I was
`
`shocked
`
`that
`
`he would
`
`Cipriano.
`
`Schillinger
`
`then
`
`suggest
`
`suggest
`
`such
`
`a thing
`
`and
`
`told
`
`him that.
`
`Schillinger
`
`then
`
`threatened
`
`to
`
`"hypothetically"
`
`inform
`
`the
`
`BIC
`
`that my
`
`son and
`
`I were
`
`trying
`
`to shake
`
`down
`
`Nino
`
`Tristani.
`
`I
`
`told
`
`Tristani
`
`I would
`
`not
`
`resign
`
`unless
`
`he gave me two
`
`year
`
`(2)
`
`salary
`
`up front.
`
`Tristani
`
`said
`
`that was
`
`unrealistic.
`
`We
`
`agreed
`
`to meet
`
`again
`
`on the
`
`following
`
`Thursday,
`
`January
`
`12, 2023,
`
`to resolve
`
`this.
`
`16. On that
`
`date we
`
`discussed
`
`the matter
`
`some more.
`
`I asked
`
`Tristani
`
`why
`
`I was
`
`being
`
`forced
`
`said
`
`out
`
`and Cipriano,
`
`who
`
`caused
`
`all
`
`this, was
`
`not. He
`
`that was
`
`a separate
`
`issue.
`
`I
`
`told
`
`him
`
`that
`
`he wasn't
`
`protecting
`
`me
`
`or
`
`the
`
`company
`
`by
`
`allowing
`
`Cipriano
`
`to
`
`continue
`
`his
`
`employment
`
`there. We agreed
`
`to meet
`
`yet
`
`again
`
`the
`
`next
`
`Thursday,
`
`January
`
`19, 2023,
`
`to
`
`resolve
`
`this
`
`issue.
`
`17. On that
`
`date,
`
`Tristani
`
`offered
`
`me $50,000
`
`on the spot
`
`plus
`
`$10,500.00
`
`a month
`
`for
`
`one
`
`year
`
`on the
`
`condition
`
`that
`
`I sign
`
`a non-compete
`
`agreement
`
`and
`
`a document
`
`that
`
`he had
`
`on hand
`
`which
`
`Tristani
`
`were
`
`disclaimed
`
`that Nino
`
`and Cogent's
`
`names
`
`ever
`
`brought
`
`up when
`
`I was
`
`approached
`
`by
`
`organized
`
`crime
`
`figures.
`
`He
`
`also
`
`demanded
`
`a text message
`
`from my
`
`son
`
`saying
`
`his
`
`text message
`
`about
`
`this
`
`on June
`
`7, 2022
`
`was
`
`in error.
`
`18.
`
`I
`
`refused
`
`and
`
`he took
`
`the
`
`documents
`
`back.
`
`On January
`
`25,
`
`2023
`
`I
`
`received
`
`a letter
`
`telling
`
`me I was
`
`fired
`
`for
`
`cause.
`
`19. This
`
`letter
`
`and
`
`this
`
`cause
`
`of
`
`action
`
`are
`
`pretextual.
`
`The
`
`real
`
`reason
`
`I was
`
`fired
`
`is what
`
`I
`
`3
`
`3 of 4
`
`

`

`FILED: KINGS COUNTY CLERK 03/09/2023 04:54 PM
`NYSCEF DOC. NO. 18
`
`INDEX NO. 506662/2023
`
`RECEIVED NYSCEF: 03/09/2023
`
`detailed
`
`in the
`
`foregoing
`
`paragraphs.
`
`20.
`
`I never
`
`solicited
`
`any
`
`of Cogent's
`
`customers
`
`to
`
`stop
`
`doing
`
`business
`
`with
`
`them
`
`or
`
`to
`
`do
`
`business
`
`with
`
`3Kings
`
`Carting,
`
`Accurate
`
`Carting,
`
`Staten
`
`Island
`
`Carting
`
`or
`
`any
`
`other
`
`business
`
`while
`
`I was
`
`employed
`
`by Cogent
`
`or any
`
`time
`
`thereafter.
`
`21, Furthermore,
`
`there
`
`was
`
`no Employment
`
`Agreement
`
`between
`
`Plaintiff,
`
`Cogent
`
`and myself,
`
`according
`
`to Cogent
`
`Managing
`
`Member
`
`Nino
`
`Tristani
`
`on
`
`or about
`
`March
`
`20,
`
`2020
`
`when
`
`he
`
`cited
`
`the Covid-19
`
`pandemic
`
`as a reason
`
`to
`
`unilaterally
`
`cut my
`
`$3,200.00
`
`per week
`
`salary
`
`to $2,200,00
`
`per week.
`
`22. The
`
`snowplow
`
`the Plaintiffs
`
`claim
`
`I converted
`
`is my
`
`personal
`
`property
`
`which
`
`I paid
`
`for
`
`from
`
`my
`
`own
`
`personal
`
`ftmds
`
`and
`
`was
`
`never
`
`the
`
`property
`
`of
`
`Cogent
`
`or
`
`any
`
`of
`
`its
`
`predecessors.
`
`23.
`
`I deny
`
`all
`
`the
`
`allegations
`
`the Plaintiffs
`
`have
`
`made
`
`against
`
`me and
`
`against
`
`all
`
`the
`
`other
`
`Defendants
`
`in this
`
`case.
`
`WHEREFORE,
`
`I respectfully
`
`request
`
`the
`
`Plaintiffs'
`
`request
`
`for
`
`a temporary
`
`restraining
`
`order
`
`and
`
`preliminary
`
`injunction
`
`be denied
`
`in its
`
`entirety.
`
`Dated:
`
`Staten
`March
`
`I
`
`land, New York
`, 2023
`
`tilis
`2023
`
`of
`
`Nota
`
`blj
`
`·-
`
`.
`
`O
`
`York
`
`PAOLl
`DELLt
`New
`State of
`EDWARD
`020E4957194
`Public,
`Richmond
`Notary
`No.
`Commissionexp.February
`Qualified in
`
`Cou
`24, 20
`
`4 of 4
`
`