Agostino Abbatiello, dubbed Pablo Pledgescobar, is a 24-year-old Long Island resident and former Penn State accounting student. Abbatiello has emerged as the central figure in an alleged cocaine trafficking network that operated through off-campus fraternity houses at Pennsylvania State University.
Abbatiello surrendered to authorities on Tuesday and was denied bail after appearing in court on multiple felony charges. The felony charges included possession, conspiracy and corrupt organization offenses.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced charges against 14 people, alleging the operation distributed cocaine during 2023 and 2024. Prosecutors identified Abbatiello as one of the alleged leaders of a “coordinated and highly-profitable drug-trafficking crew” which included members of the Delta Upsilon and Sigma Chi fraternities.
Who is Agostino Abbatiello?
According to court documents cited by NBC New York, Abbatiello is from Westbury, New York, and studied accounting at Penn State.
{{/usCountry}}According to court documents cited by NBC New York, Abbatiello is from Westbury, New York, and studied accounting at Penn State.
{{/usCountry}}According to an attorney from SMB Law Group, Abbatiello's blog's “About Me” page described him as someone with a passion for numbers and accounting. Prosecutors have alleged that behind that public profile, he coordinated large-scale cocaine purchases and campus distribution.
Investigators have also alleged that Abbatiello and fellow defendant Thomas Robinson regularly traveled from State College to New York City and Philadelphia to obtain large quantities of cocaine. Authorities further said that the drugs that the duo transported were taken to fraternity houses, where members and pledges allegedly cut, packaged and distributed the narcotics to students.
One witness told investigators they paid Abbatiello more than $50,000 for cocaine supplies, according to charging documents cited by NBC New York.
Prosecutors alleged sales continued even after Abbatiello graduated from Penn State. Those allegations have not yet been tested in court.
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14 students charged in alleged drug network
Besides Abbatiello and Thomas Robinson, prosecutors charged Mohammed Hurabi and Lars Zeepvat with felony counts including corrupt organizations, conspiracy and dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activity. Robert Zanolla also faces felony conspiracy and related charges.
Eight additional students, namely, Liam Smith, Michael Brogno, Kaden Howe, Connor Hurleigh, Seth Beardsley, Kyle Ridpath, Daniel Price and Charles Wiseman, were charged with misdemeanor drug possession and paraphernalia.
Thomas Robinson's father, Paul Robinson, 59, was also charged with hiding drugs and cash in a safe and obstructing the investigation.