Details Unveiled in Penn State Fraternity Cocaine Operation

BELLEFONTE, Pa. – In a Pennsylvania courthouse, former Penn State fraternity member Thomas Robinson testified about his involvement in a cocaine operation. The operation, allegedly running through fraternities near the campus, involved buying and selling cocaine in quantities that increased over time.

Robinson’s testimony occurred during preliminary hearings for several defendants, including Agostino Abbatiello, Mohammed Huraibi, Paul Robinson, Thomas Robinson, and Robert Zanolla. These individuals are part of a group of 14 people facing charges related to this scheme.

According to charging documents from the Pennsylvania attorney general’s office, a hierarchy of suppliers, distributors, and fraternity members allegedly managed the collection, packaging, and delivery of cocaine. Prosecutors claim the drugs came from locations such as Philadelphia, New York, and Long Island, then sold to Penn State students.

“The allegations have yet to be proven at trial, and all involved parties maintain their innocence unless found guilty,” said defense attorney Philip Masorti.

Robinson recounted his initial purchase of approximately 100 grams of cocaine costing around $4,000. This purchase took place through interactions with Abbatiello in 2023. Robinson, a former Delta Upsilon fraternity member, faces felony charges for his role in the drug operation. He admitted storing the cocaine in his fraternity room, breaking it down into half-gram bags, and selling them for about $80 each.

Additional transactions involved larger quantities, culminating with purchases of approximately 1 kilogram of cocaine. Robinson stated he bought directly from Abbatiello via Snapchat messaging, which disappeared after 24 hours. In March 2024, Robinson testified about purchasing 500 grams for $22,000 from Abbatiello.

Both Robinson and Huraibi were Delta Upsilon members. Huraibi testified about their joint plan to buy cocaine in bulk for resale. They first acquired 100 grams from Abbatiello in August 2023 for around $4,000. Later purchases included 250 grams for $10,000. Initially packaging the cocaine themselves, they later enlisted fraternity pledges to assist.

The complaints name other fraternity members as contributors to the operation, supporting activities like packaging, delivery, and procurement. Michael Brogno Jr. faced accusations of packaging and delivering drugs under Robinson’s direction.

A former Sigma Chi member, Lars Zeepvat, described Abbatiello’s transition from personal cocaine use to business-oriented sales. He testified about Abbatiello allegedly keeping cocaine in fraternity houses and apartments where students used it. Zeepvat also recounted a substantial delivery of about 400 grams of cocaine to Delta Upsilon in 2024.

In a separate hearing, Ryan Matson discussed retrieving a hidden safe post-Thomas Robinson’s arrest. Matson claimed Paul Robinson guided him to recover the safe and urged him to keep quiet about it. Matson admitted initially withholding information from investigators to protect Thomas Robinson.

Detective Donald Paul testified about seizing the safe, which contained cocaine, marijuana, a handgun, and Adderall pills. Thomas Robinson later informed investigators the safe moved to Matson’s apartment contained 100 grams of cocaine and between $5,000 and $10,000 cash.

Paul Robinson’s attorney challenged evidence regarding the safe’s contents, questioning Robinson’s knowledge of its contents. Nonetheless, the judge ruled sufficient grounds to proceed with charges against Paul Robinson regarding evidence tampering and interference with a police investigation.

Abbatiello, described as the leading dealer in the operation, received $250,000 secured bail, having previously been held without bail. His attorney expressed satisfaction with the proceedings, anticipating his client would post bail soon.