Feds, Victoria Gotti fight for real estate

NEW YORK, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- Victoria Gotti, daughter of the late mob boss John Gotti, battled her ex-husband and the federal government over real estate during a hearing in New York.

The turf she is fighting for are 14 pieces of real estate, the New York Post reported. A prosecutor in federal court in Brooklyn said that the government hopes for a quick sale of the property to avoid tax liens.

The government argues that the properties are forfeit to pay the $10 million Carmine Agnello owes as part of a 2001 racketeering plea bargain. Agnello, now out of prison and living in Ohio, was not in court but says that the sale of his car shredding company should have covered the forfeiture, the Daily News reported.

The city of New York appears to be lurking in the background.

"Mr. Agnello didn't like to pay taxes," said Edwin Newman, the federal government lawyer. "No one in this case likes to pay their bills. The government is struggling to stop the bleeding."