Who is Agostino Abbatiello? Accused mastermind of Penn State cocaine ring surrenders

A Long Island man accused of running a college cocaine pipeline behind fraternity house doors at Penn State University surrendered to authorities on Tuesday.

Agostino Abbatiello, of Westbury, New York, appeared before a judge on multiple felony charges, including possession and conspiracy. He was denied bail. One witness said, according to court documents, that he paid Abbatiello more than $50,000 to supply drugs.

The 24-year-old was an accounting student with a passion for numbers, according to his "About Me" page. A woman unloading groceries into the Westbury home would not answer any questions on Tuesday.

The so-called "ring leader" of the PSU cocaine-trafficking ring was charged alongside 13 other defendants this week for alleged drug activity in 2023 and 2024.

According to the Pennsylvania attorney general, Abbatiello and another defendant, Thomas Robinson, would travel from campus to New York City and Philadelphia "for large quantities of cocaine." The men would return to the Delta Upsilon and Sigma Chi off-campus frat houses where the drugs would be cut and packaged by fraternity brothers and pledges, before being distributed to students, officials allege.

 
“This was a coordinated and highly-profitable drug-trafficking crew revolving around two senior members of the fraternities, other fraternity brothers, and pledges,” Attorney General Dave Sunday said in announcing the charges.

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In all, 14 people were charged in the drug operation with all but one being Penn State University students at or around the time of the alleged conduct. At least four of those charged are current students.

“We did not hear of any drug packaging happening on Penn State’s campus,” Sunday said. “Again, the packaging happened at off-campus fraternity houses. And the actual drug dealing was largely from friend to friend, fraternity brother to fraternity brother, acquaintance to acquaintance and at fraternity houses and/or during parties or social engagements.”

Abbatiello, Robinson and two other students — identified as Mohammed Hurabi and Lars Zeepvat — were charged with felony corrupt organizations, conspiracy, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity and other related offenses.

Huraibi’s mother opened the door of the family home in Secaucus but didn’t want to discuss her son’s arrest. No one answered the door of the Zeepvat home in Mendham.

Pam Teal, who's known the Huraibi family for years, said she was in shock to hear of the allegations."Everything that neighbors do, they are perfect, they are wonderful people. I just heard about this this morning and I am devastated," Teal said.

A fifth student, Robert Zanolla, was charged with felony conspiracy, criminal use of communication facility and other related misdemeanors.

Eight other students, Liam Smith, Michael Brogno, Kaden Howe, Connor Hurleigh, Seth Beardsley, Kyle Ridpath, Daniel Price and Charles Wiseman, were charged with misdemeanor counts of drug possession and paraphernalia.

The lone non-Penn State student who was charged was identified as Paul Robinson, the father of Thomas Robinson, Sunday said. According to investigators, Paul Robinson, 59, is accused of concealing evidence by stashing drugs and cash in a safe. He is also accused of obstructing the investigation.

In a statement, Penn State said Delta Upsilon was placed on interim suspension. Penn State also said that Sigma Chi is not a recognized organization and that it operates outside of the university’s support and oversight.

Michael J. Church, Sigma Chi's executive director, said in a statement to NBC News that the alleged conduct "is an egregious violation of our values" and all three members charged have been suspended pending the investigation. Church also said the chapter has been placed "on interim suspension of all operations while we determine whether these allegations reflect individual conduct or organized chapter activity."