It's the second time this month that Brooklyn federal prosecutors have hit a top gangster with loansharking charges on the eve of his release from prison. It's also the second time the feds have used the strategy against Persico.

After 15 months in prison on a gun rap, Persico was set to walk out yesterday. Instead he'll be in the dock today before Judge Reena Raggi facing charges that he was part of a loansharking conspiracy with unnamed associates from 1993 to October, 1999.

If convicted, the 46-year-old gangster would face up to 20 years in prison.

But those charges are just the beginning of the onslaught against the

handsome, college-educated son (left) of the crime family's jailed-for-the-rest-of-his-life boss, Carmine (Junior) Persico, (right) sources say.

With information from Paciello, and evidence from other sources, assistant U.S. attorneys Amy Walsh and John Kroger are planning to upgrade the charges, possibly as high as murder, before the case gets to trial, sources said.

Persico is suspected in the killing of Colombo underboss William (Wild Bill) Cutolo, who disappeared in May, 1999, a few days before his 50th birthday. His remains have never been found, but his family and the feds have both said they believe he is dead.

Five months later, the FBI raided a Brooklyn apartment used by Persico looking for a cell phone and other evidence that could link him to Cutolo's death. It is unclear what they found, but they did uncover financial records and hit him with loansharking charges, which were later dropped.

Before Cutolo was killed, Paciello, who owned several South Beach clubs frequented by beautiful people like the Material Girl and former girlfriend Sofia Vergara, was paying tribute to Cutolo, money that subsequently went to Persico, sources said.

Estimates of Paciello's payments range from $10,000 a week to $10,000 a month. In 1999, Paciello was observed by FBI agents introducing Persico to a Florida police officer who was working undercover posing as a rogue cop, according to court records. Arrested on racketeering and murder charges as part of a

Today, prosecutors Walsh and Kroger will seek to detain Persico without bail as a danger to the community and someone who is likely to flee, sources said.

"I don't think they have any evidence of Allie Persico's involvement in any loansharking," said Persico's lawyer Barry Levin, who will oppose his client's detention. "They have no evidence at all. They have done this strictly to harass him and keep in jail while they continue to investigate him."

In May, 1993, as Persico was about to be released from prison after a seven year stretch, he was indicted and held without bail for trial on racketeering and murder charges that stemmed from the bloody 1991-1993 Colombo war in which 12 people were killed.

In August 1994, some 15 months later, Persico was acquitted of all charges.

Look for Levin to push for a speedy trial and for the feds to up the ante with more serious charges before the case gets to trial.

(Editor's note: Photos of Chris Paciello with Madonna and Sofia Vergara courtesy of John Roca.)