Alleged Drug Kingpin Ran 'Wall Street-Worthy' Operation in Washington Square Park, Court Hears
A former associate testified in federal court about the alleged intricate structure of a drug market operated by John Livigni, accused of overseeing sales linked to two deaths.
A drug kingpin allegedly orchestrated a sophisticated operation in New York City's Washington Square Park, generating nearly $40,000 a month by employing workers on set shifts and a larger number of managers, according to testimony in Manhattan federal court.
Justin Barry, a former associate, described the alleged inner workings of the open-air drug market, identifying John Livigni as the individual responsible for the park's persistent drug issues. Livigni is accused of peddling heroin, fentanyl, and crack cocaine and is charged in connection with two drug-related deaths that occurred over a six-month span in 2025.
One of the alleged victims was an 18-year-old from Colorado who had recently moved to New York for a Broadway-linked internship program. Barry testified that Livigni headed a crew known as the "Yellow Bag Boys," a name derived from the yellow packaging used for crack cocaine sold around the park.
Federal prosecutors have indicted Livigni, along with 18 others, labeling him the "leader" of a ring that allegedly distributed drugs for over two decades. Barry, who began working for Livigni in July 2023 and has since pleaded guilty in a state drug case, detailed the operational hierarchy. The crew, also known as WSP Enterprise, was structured with "workers" who conducted hand-to-hand drug exchanges and "managers" who supervised them. Workers could earn up to $500 daily, working six to seven days a week, while managers, paid approximately $800 weekly, were kept at a distance from direct transactions.
The operation reportedly ran in three shifts—morning, evening, and overnight—with each shift staffed by one worker and two managers. Evidence presented in court included drug packages seized during Barry's arrest in 2025, which featured color-coded baggies. Yellow bags contained crack cocaine, with an estimated five to six packs sold per shift, amounting to about $1,800 in weekly sales from this drug alone. Heroin and fentanyl, packaged in light-blue envelopes, were reportedly the most lucrative, generating up to $7,000 in weekly sales.
Prosecutors claim the organization distributed millions of doses of opioids, including fentanyl and heroin, along with crack cocaine, which have been linked to at least 65 overdoses in the park since 2020. Livigni faces a potential life sentence if convicted of conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death. The trial is scheduled to continue.
