In July 2024, two men walked into his office holding guns, he testified with the help of a Mandarin interpreter. Pointing their weapons at his chest, the pair demanded money. He told them he had none. According to authorities, this was an old-fashioned shakedown carried out by the largest gang in the city, Pomona 12th Street. The Times is not identifying the witness over concerns about his safety.
While high-ranking federal and local officials proclaimed Tuesday's arrests as removing "the head of the hydra," a closer look at court and law enforcement records indicate that Nania is more of a mid-level manager than chief executive. The son of Sicilian immigrants, Nania is alleged to be an associate of the Mexican Mafia, an organization of about 140 men who hold sway over Latino gang members behind prison walls and in the streets of Southern California.
