A Great Neck cardiologist pleaded not guilty today following a grand jury’s 77-count indictment against him for allegedly contracting hitmen to kill a competing doctor in a muder-for-hire conspiracy that included the sale of assault weapons, arson, and criminal sale of prescription drugs, Acting District Attorney Madeline Singas announced.
Dr. Anthony Moschetto, 55, of Sands Point, faces various charges including first-degree criminal possession of a weapon, four counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, four counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, and second-degree conspiracy.
“The defendant was a respected member of the community, caring for patients in Nassau County, but allegedly he had a sinister side and ordered the death of a rival cardiologist,” Singas said. “Working with our partners in the NCPD and DEA, we were able to break up this complex murder-for-hire plot before someone got killed.”
Moschetto, who is due back in court on Dec. 9, faces up to 25 years in jail if convicted on the top charge of first-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a B violent felony, Singas said.
County prosecutors said they had been investigating a high frequency of Oxycodone prescriptions Moschetto had been writing when they discovered a link between the cardiologist and an unsolved arson plot in Great Neck in February.
Following Moschetto’s arrest in April, investigators discovered a weapons cache of more than 100 illegal guns and various knives, swords, axes and a hand grenade in a secret room in his home that was controlled by a switch-activated bookshelf, prosecutors said.
Singas said some of the weapons found by investigators were illegal, but Moschetto did own some legal weapons.
The investigation began following various drug purchases by undercover Nassau County Police and Drug Enforcement Agency officers that were then linked to Moschetto, prosecutors said.
As the deals progressed, prosecutors said, officers began purchasing weapons, and during a sale on Jan. 22, the seller requested dynamite needed to blow up a building. Weeks later, the seller said the dynamite was no longer needed because fire was set to the building instead.
Moschetto is accused of hiring co-defendants James Chmela, 43, and James Kalamaras, 41, to burn down Heart Diagnostic Imaging, at 38 Northern Blvd. in Great Neck, on Feb. 25
Moschetto once worked at the practice with Dr. Martin Handler, who Moschetto allegedly tried to have killed.
Singas said the two “had a business dispute, a professional dispute that ultimately caused him to want to hurt him.”
During one of the undercover drug buys, a conversation was had about the February arson that detectives were subsequently able to link to Moschetto.
Moschetto also set up an assault and later a murder agreement of Handler to an undercover detective, offering $5,000 for the assault and more than $20,000 for murder, prosecutors said. The plot was expected to be executed sometime in May.
Kalamaras was indicted in April on charges of third-degree arson, third-degree burglary, and second-degree criminal mischief. He faces a maximum life sentence.
Chmela was indicted in April and faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of the top charge of felony second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
He is currently in “Waive to Grand Jury” status and no future court date is available, according to the DA’s office.
Singas said Moschetto was giving blank prescriptions and prescription pads as payments.
“Certainly it was used for payment so that he could pay for the murder-of-hire,” she said. “But he was selling prescription pads and prescriptions and trafficking in weapons before that.”
A DEA official said Moschetto had been selling prescription pads “for years” prior to the investigation.
Singas said Moschetto still had his license to practice medicine, The Office of Professional Medical Conduct handles the revoking of licenses, she noted.
Singas said a felony conviction would automatically revoke his license.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney George Smit and Deputy Bureau Chief Anne Donnelly, who works in Singas’ Organized Crime and Rackets Bureau.
Efforts to reach Kevin Keating, the attorney representing Moschetto, were unavailing.
