"The government threw around a lot of allegations," he said. His lawyer, Alan Futerfas of Manhattan, Friday said he's rarely dealt with a case in which such a long list of serious charges were proven false. Misseri passed two lie detector tests his lawyer said proved he had nothing to do with the murder and arson, and the government ultimately dropped the charges, court papers show. He pleaded guilty to a single count of money laundering conspiracy related to the sale of what the government contended were nonexistent pay telephone routes. "This is about a guy who befriended certain people and wound up in their web of lies," Misseri said. But as the case neared trial, the charges against him largely disintegrated. In a 2000 indictment against him and 10 others, Misseri was accused by federal prosecutors of directing the "Galasso-Misseri crew" of the Colombo organized crime family. 11 attacks, including feeding responders, blood drives and benefits. "I've come a long way since then." Letters from the governors of several states thanked him for efforts in the aftermath of the Sept. Misseri said the case against him, which initially involved murder and arson charges - allegations that were later recanted and dropped - is behind him. He concurred Rescue Ink has "always been about redemption." He also is managing partner in two related for-profit Rescue Ink entities. In an interview Friday, Misseri said he has "taken a step back" from the group because of a busy schedule running a catering company, though he said he remains active in animal rights issues and "independent" rescues. "This is a story about redemption, not only for the animals but also these guys," said National Geographic Channel spokesman Chris Albert. National Geographic Channel, which airs "Rescue Ink Unleashed," said it is aware of and has never tried to hide the sometimes checkered histories of a few members of Rescue Ink, including two (Misseri and Joe Panzarella) who federal officials once accused of having ties to organized crime. Some 20 dogs were found buried in the woman's yard. The group made headlines last week after members were escorted out by police for interrupting a pet-store news conference to charge that the Suffolk County SPCA mishandled the case of a Selden woman charged with animal cruelty. Robert Misseri, 40, has alternately been described as the executive director, organizer, dispatcher, CEO and principal of the Long Beach-based group of motorcycle-riding animal lovers, who investigate and not-so-gently persuade people they say are abusive pet owners into changing their ways. One of the founding members of Rescue Ink, the tattooed biker group whose "in-your-face" approach to quelling animal abuse is the subject of a cable TV show and a book, pleaded guilty in 2002 to a money-laundering charge and served most of a 3-year jail sentence.
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