Prostitute thought to be connected to death of Cipriani chef charged with causing overdose death of another man: officials
NEW YORK — The woman who was arrested in connection to the deaths of three men in Queens, thought to include a well-known Manhattan chef, is being arraigned in connection to the fatal overdose of another man.
Angelina Barini, 41, is expected in federal court on Thursday on charges of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine that resulted in the August 5 death of a 60-year-old College Point, Queens man.
The victim was a retired postal worker, a law enforcement source said.
Barini, who police say is a prostitute, has been linked to the deaths of three men in Queens, officials said. The men were found dead on July 4 at the Airway Inn at LaGuardia, July 11 at the Crown Motor Inn in Woodside and Aug. 21 at the Kamway Lodge in Elmhurst.
One of those men is believed to be Cipriani chef Andrea Zamperoni.
Zamperoni was not named in the initial complaint, though several details match the case involving him — including his age, the dates he disappeared and was found dead, and the location where his body was found.
“Every life lost to the opioid crisis is of the utmost importance to this Office and our law enforcement partners, and we will work relentlessly to uncover the evidence proving who is responsible for each opioid death,” said US Attorney Richard Donoghue.
This would be the fourth overdose death linked to Barini. If convicted, she faces 20 years to life in prison.