|
|
|
|
|
Recent Mafia Developments Archive
|
|
8-5-99 (ABC NewsWire) Execution on Schedule - (JEFFERSON CITY) -- A September first execution date has been set for the man convicted in a car bombing linked to organize crime. David Leisure has been sentenced to die for the 1980 bombing of James Michaels' car. Prosecutors say Leisure used a radio-controlled device to blow up the vehicle. Police believe the incident occurred over a struggle for control of St. Louis' organized crime. [more] ******* 7-31-99 Alfred Mauriello, 72 was sentented to 15 years in Federal Prison for his role in the Jan 1997 murder of "Fat Herbie" Blitzstein, a Chicago/Vegas mobster and former associate of "Tony The Ant" Spilotro, who was portrayed in the movie Casino. Mauriello pleaded guilty in April to accepting $10,000 from Peter Caruso [who died in January.] for Blitzstein's murder.He than admitted to paying 2 other men, Antone Davi and Richard Friedman money to kill Blitzstein. ******* New Jersey 7-20-99 9 of Cop�s 11 Convictions Overturned A three-judge panel overturned nine of eleven convictions against a New York City cop accused of sabotaging a government investigation into the mob. The officer, Vincent Davis was �excited beyond belief�. He was accused of relaying information to the stepson of Luchesse capo Joseph Giampa about the informant activities of Richard Sabol. Sabol has previously dated Davis�s wife. Davis learned that Sabol, who was serving a twenty year drug sentence, was being used by the feds to infiltrate the New Jersey based crew of Joseph Giampa. After authorities found out about Davis�s leaking of the informant�s identity, they shut down the operation, which targeted a warehouse in New Jersey that housed stolen cars, guns, and other merchandise. Authorities were able to get racketeering indictments against Giampa and six others. The panel of judges found that Davis �acted like and obsessed person, not a corrupt police officer.� ******* New Jersey - July 20, 1999 Jailed Boston mob boss Ralph Natale pleaded not guilty to a six-count indictment charging him and five associates with authorizing the distribution of four pounds of methamphetamine and accepting money in return for the drug transactions. Natale was arrested on parole violations in 1998 and was expected to be released this fall. He remains incarcerated on the new charges. On June 28, Natale and acting boss Joey Merlino were indicted in separate cases using tape-recorded conversations made by capo-turned-snitch Ronald Previte, his longtime friend. Also charged in the methamphetamine were Anthony Viesti, 67, his son-in-law Robert Constantine, 42, and Constantine's brother, Thomas, 39; Ray Rubeo, 46, and John Santilli, 70. ******* New York, 7-16-99 Charges against Robert Vernace, an alleged soldier in the Gambino crime family have been dismissed in the 1981 murder of 2 men in a Queens bar. Vernace was indicted in Nov 1998 for the April 1981 murders but charges were dropped because the length of time and failure of due process rights. ******* 7-16-99 Ex-Cop Released Vincent Davis, a former New York City police officer left a federal prison recently on a $100,000 bond, after the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered his release. Davis was convicted in March 1998 on charges that he told targets of a mob investigation that one of their key associates was an informant. His lawyer argued before the panel the judge had failed to instruct jurors that alcohol might have impaired Davis during crucial meetings with reputed mobsters. Prosecutors charged that Davis' actions collapsed an undercover sting operation in 1994 in which agents used career felon Richie Sabol to bait Lucchese crime family members to sell stolen cars, guns, and gambling machines from a Cliffside Park, New Jersey warehouse. Sabol was serving a 20-year sentence in Georgia on drug charges when U.S. Customs agents arranged his transfer to the Morris County Jail so that he could help in a sting of reputed Lucchese mobster Joe Giampa. Davis informed Giampa's stepson, Gennaro Vittorio, that Sabol was a federal informant. This prompted authorities to shut down the operation to protect the lives of Sabol and the agents who handled him. However, prosecutors had gained enough evidence to obtain racketeering convictions against Giampa, John "Johnny Hooks" Capra of Closter, and five other reputed mobsters. Davis, an 11-year veteran of the New York police force, lost his job because of the leak. At the trial, Davis admitted to telling Vittorio, but said he had no idea that customs agents were using Sabol in a sting. Davis testified that he wanted to strain relations between Sabol, who had dated Davis' ex-wife, and the mob faction headed by Giampa. Davis testified that he fabricated news of the federal probe as a "ruse" to get enough information about Sabol to have him put back in prison. The appeals panel will rule to reverse his conviction and/or order a new trial. ******* 7-15-99 Reputed Philadelphia mob boss Joey Merlino, 37, has hired a top legal gun to assist with his defense. Merlino has hired Edwin Jacobs Jr., considered one of the best criminal lawyers in New Jersey. Jacobs will work with Joseph Santaguida, who has represented Merlino for years. Merlino was one of 11 alleged mobsters arrested in June. He and four alleged associates from the Boston area were charged in a cocaine conspiracy case. Reputed mob leader Ralph Natale, 68, and five others were charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamines. The cases were built on conversations recorded by Ronald Previte, an alleged capo in the Natale-Merlino crime family, who had been secretly working for the feds for more than two years, according to investigators. July 13, 1999 Cleveland, Ohio Mahoning County Sheriff Philip Chance was convicted of all 5 counts in his racketeering trial today in Federal Court.The jury returned the verdict after about 6 hours of deliberations. Chance, 49, county sheriff since taking office in 1997 was convicted of racketeering, corruption, obstruction and the extortion of Youngstown businessman Bruce Zoldan. When sentenced on October 7, Chance faces up to 85 years in prison on all counts, but under federal sentencing guidelines he is expected to face much less time. Chance is expected to resign from his office as sheriff in the next few days. A replacement will be picked by the Mahoning County Democratic party. Possible replacements to finish the term of office include Randall Wellington, a former Youngstown police chief and David Allen a member of the Mahoning County Drug Task Force. Chance will remain under home confinement until his sentencing. Among those who testified against Sheriff Chance were Lenny Strollo former mob boss of Youngstown, Charles O'nesti a former aide to Congressman James Traficant, John Chicase a one time friend of Chance, Lawrence "Jeep" Garono and Bruce Zoldan. All but Zoldan have been convicted of crimes and agreed to cooperated with the government. Chance took the witness stand in his own defense. Reports from the media said Chance was relaxed and cool under questioning from assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Morford but his testimony did little to sway the jury. In the last 2 years since the massive December 1997 federal indictment of Lenny Strollo and what became known as the Strollo "enterprise" up to 50 people have been convicted or pleaded guitly to a variety of charges including murder, racketeering, corruption and gambling. Mahoning County prosecutor Paul Gains said today more indictments are possible and U.S. Attorney Morford said the federal government will remain vigilant in their efforts in the Mahoning Valley. Charles Molino ******* July 9, 1999 New York, New York The sentencing for John A. "Junior" Gotti has recently turned into a bad soap opera. First Junior has not been able to raise the $1 million he is supposed to forfeit as part of his sentence. In fact the prosecutors say all they have of it is $82,000. Second, the prosecutors released public transcripts of conversations between Junior's imprisoned father, his sister Victoria Gotti Agnello, and Uncle Peter Gotti. The transcripts clearly show the jailed Dapper Don's displeasure with his son's actions. The embarrassing information was criticized by Junior's lawyer, Gerald Shargel who urged Judge Barrington Parker to reprimand the prosecutors for releasing it. Junior angrily chastised the press for only printing certain statements from the transcripts. "You don't even look," Junior pointed out. "Don't just print what they give you." The bottom line here the old man is spending life in prison pretty much based on the fact that he couldn't keep his mouth shut. His comments made above the Ravenite proved embarrassing and caused Sammy Gravano to move right in to protective custody, which in turn spelled doom for the former "Teflon Don." Now, even in prison, John Gotti has not mastered the art of "omerta," and is still creating problems for the family. As for Junior's sentencing, Judge Parker has given him until September 3 to get his financial affairs together. Allan May ******* July 8, 1999 Bonnano tells the story of the Mafia's decline By George Anastasia BOUND BY HONOR; by Bill Bonnano; St. Martin's, $24.95, 279 pages. Mafia buffs and Kennedy conspiracy theorists should be lining up for this treatise on the demise of the American Mafia. The book is told from the perspective of a son of a Mafia don, and focuses primarily on the Bannana war of the 1960's . Bonnano claims the Kennedy assasination was a mob hit masterminded by New Orleans and Miami mob figures, and the amazing claim that Johnny Roselli, Chicago mafioso was the prime hitman. Bonnano further goes on to say if the powerful Mafia Commision was still active at the time, they would not have sanctioned the hit, which had negative repercussions for the mob in America. "Everything we were about wa based on cooperation not confrontation. Our power was based on handshakes and payoffs, not guns and clandestine plots." Bonnano notes. Bonnano tells of a Mafia-centric universe that he was brought up in. Where loyalty to his mob boss father and the crime family was more important than any other relationship, including his wife. He does not apologize, and writes longingly of a better time when honor and loyalty were the cornerstones of the Mafia. Scott M. Deitche July 3, 1999 Youngstown, Ohio (June 28) The federal racketeering trial of Mahoning County Sheriff Phil Chance is set to begin this week in Cleveland. The charges against Chance, who was elected and took office in 1997 include bribery, extortion and obstruction. The trial is expected to take 2 to 3 weeks. Chance, 47, remains the County Sheriff, however he has been stripped of his sidearm and has been wearing a electronic monitoring devce since his indictment and bail hearing in February. The government has a number of people lined up to testify against Sheriff Chance. They include former Youngstown mob boss Lenny Strollo, now a cooperating witness since pleading guilty to racketeering charges in February. Strollo will testify that he gave Chance both in person and through others money to fiance his campaign and also after he was elected. Another government witness is Charles O'Nesti, a former aide to Congressman James A.Traficant of Poland Ohio. O'Nesti has been described as a bagman or courier for Strollo, he has also pleaded guilty to charges and remains to be sentenced. Other witnesses who may be called include area businessman Bruce Zoldan and John Chicase a former County chief of detectives who was hired by Chance. Chicase pleaded guilty to charges in the same February indictment as Sheriff Chance. Chance has remained confident and has strongly denied all charges leveled against him. He said he was anxious to confront his accusers and get the trial over with. His defense team may try to offset damaging testimony from Strollo and the other cooperating witnesses by countering that they are working to reduce the amount of time off their sentences. Also the defense lawyers may try and show that Chance has lived up to his campaign pledge to reduce crime in the county. The case is being heard before Judge Kathleen O'Malley. Charles Molino ********** July 1, 1999 Philadelphia, PA Reputed mob boss Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino and ten other men were indicted on drug conspiracy charges that involved a three state operation. Merlino was charged with conspiracy to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine that allegedly took place in Boston, Ma. Four Boston area men who have ties to organized crime in that city, Robert Luisi Jr, Shawn D. Vetere, Thomas M. Miller and Robert Carrozza Jr were also charged. In a separate indictment from a federal grand jury in Camden N.J. Ralph Natale, reputed to be a former Philadelphia mob boss and 5 men including his son in law Robert Constantine were indicted on conspiracy to distribute the drug methamphetamine. Natale at present is in federal prison on parole violations. Both indictments come after a lengthy F.B.I. undercover investigation in Philadelphia, New Jersey and Boston. As in many recent organized crime cases the government has made use of a confidential witness or a "C.W." The use of "C.W.'s has come under fire of late because while still co-operating with law enforcement the C.W. still may be engaging in criminal activities of his own. The co-operating witness in this case is said to be Ron Previte, a former Philadelphia city cop turned bad guy. Previte resigned from the police force in the late 1970s and began a association with John Stanfa another mob boss and a bitter rival of Joey Merlino. Atfer Stanfa went to prison Previte who was said to control much of the illegal gambling in South Jersey began a crminal association with Merlino and Natale, while providing information to the F.B.I. If convicted Ralph Natale,68, faces a mandatory 20 year sentence. Merlino,37, if convicted faces a mandatory 10 year prison sentence. Since the March 1980 gangland murder of longtime crime boss Angelo Bruno Philadelphia has gone through a long succession of mob boss. Charles Molino ********** June 25, 1999 Lewisburg, PA Gaeteno Polidoro, former member of a South Philadelphia drug gang died yesterday of an apparent drug overdose in Lewisburg Pa., Federal Penitentiary, where he was serving two life sentences. Polidoro was convicted of conspiracy to kill alleged Philadelphia Mafia boss Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino. Polidoro had a history of drug problems. His death has triggered an investigation into drug dealing inside the prison. "It's really tragic," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert K. Gordon. "It shows that lifestyle doesn't take you anyplace." ******************* June 17, 1999 New York On Wednesday Federal officials announced the indictment of 85 people including members of several different organized crime groups in stock markets schemes that bilked investors out of more than 100 million dollars. Thousands of unwary investors, ranging from very wealthly to those much less so lost money through unscrupulous brokers. The scheme usually involved a group of swindlers who would buy stocks of small companies and than induce corrupt brokers to market them aggressively. Once the market share price rises they sell, leaving legitmate investors with hugh losses. Organized crime groups have become very active in such schemes, since many of the traditional "rackets" have in recent years been denied them by law enforcement and government agencies. Among those indicted with ties to organized crime are Dominick Dionisio and Enrico Locascio, both of Staten Island N.Y. and reputed to have ties to the Colombo family. Yakov Slavin of Brooklyn a alleged associate of the Russian crime group called Bor. Also in Tampa, Fla indicted were 5 men including a reputed capo in the DeCavalcante {N.J.} family, Philip C. Abramo and his brother in law Louis Consalvo, said to be a alleged soldier in the family. Most of those arraigned in Brooklyn N.Y. are expected to be released on bail in the $200,000. to 2 million dollar range. ************** June 17, 1999 Chicago Thomas J. Maloney,74 a former Cook County, Illinois judge and now a federal inmate testified this week in a court hearing requested by two men he sent to death row 18 years ago. Maloney, is in his sixth year of a 15 year sentence and remains the only judge cnvicted of fixing murder cases. The 2 men, William Bracy and Roger Collins contend that in 1981 Maloney sentenced them to death so he could deflect attention from other cases he had fixed. The men are seeking a new trial. As a defense attorney before becoming a judge in 1977, Maloney represented clients with ties to organized crime. When asked about these clients at the hearing, speaking against the advise of his lawyer he gave a rambling, evasive answer. Maloney also denied taking bribes as a judge or paying out bribes while a attorney. He contends he is in prison as a result of a government frame up. A spokesman for the governent declined to say if they will hit Maloney with perjury charges. New Jersey May 28th, 1999 Daniel Provenzano, 36, a reputed associate of New York's Genovese Mafia family, and seven alleged associates from New Jersey were indicted Wednesday on charges of using kidnappings, murder threats and beatings, to extort $1.5 million from a dozen victims. The 44-count state indictment alleges that Provenzano, 36, of Upper Saddle River, ran a racketeering enterprise for several years through a former printing business, employing associates who terrorized victims into handing over money. Provenzano, called the indictment "ridiculous" and vowed to beat it. It's an absolute [expletive] joke, and I'm going to tear it apart," Provenzano said. "What racketeering enterprise? It was a legitimate printing company, and they were legitimate debts. I never assaulted anybody to collect a debt." Provenzano, who has made millions in the printing business, has insisted he is not a racketeer and said he has spent more than a decade pursuing his ambition to become an actor and producer. Provenzano is the nephew of Anthony "Tony Pro" Provenzano, the former Teamsters leader and suspect in the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa. New York, May 27th, 1999 The bodies of Giovanni Ligammari, 60, and his 37-year-old son, Pietro, were found in the elder Ligammari's home. Both had apparently hanged themselves, authorities said. Investigators said that they have no idea what prompted the father and son to take their own lives. They left no note. Ligammari was arrested in 1984 in connection with the infamous Pizza Connection international heroin trafficking case. He was convicted in 1987 of helping finance the operation in which the Sicilian Mafia funneled heroin to the United States through the cover of pizza parlors in New York and New Jersey. Ligammari was sentenced to 15 years and served eight. Frank Lucianna, the Hackensack lawyer who represented him said the Mafia figure had been fighting depression after emerging from prison "a broken man." April 2 1999 New York: John Gotti Jr. will be returning to jail, at his request, to await trial for racketeering. Gotti attorneys said their client is unable to make weekly payments of $4,500 for a 24-hour security guard, which was imposed as one of many restrictions on his $10-million bail package. Gotti's sister Victoria had been making the payments. Jury selection in the trial is set to begin on April 8th. From Al Guart and the New York Post Mar 19 1999 By AL GUART GOTTI RAT A street-level drug dealer from Queens with a rap sheet for fraud is set to testify that John A. ``Junior�� Gotti worked him over before stealing guns, drugs and cash, The Post has learned. Jenaro Colon, 36, is expected to testify at Gotti�s upcoming racketeering trial that the reputed mob heir and an unnamed accomplice broke into his Queens apartment and demanded drugs and money ``at gunpoint and knifepoint�� in October 1996. Gotti and his accomplice then bound Colon and another alleged victim with tape before making off with four guns, two kilograms of cocaine and $4,000 in cash, Colon claimed. Prosecutors charge Gotti pulled off the robbery to get back money co-defendant Vincent Zollo had loaned to Colon. Zollo had been buying cocaine from Colon for personal, sources said. The feds caught Colon on tape arranging to deliver cocaine to Zollo and also taped him ``literally begging�� Zollo for a loan, sources said. Zollo complied on Oct. 2, 1996, withdrawing $21,000 from his construction firm�s bank account, the indictment charged. But Gotti�s lawyers will be out to destroy Colon�s credibility, questioning why his allegations surfaced 14-months after his Feb. 14, 1998 arrest in Queens for possession and sale of narcotics. Colon, who was a predicate felon, was facing up to 25 years behind bars on the charges when he accused Gotti of the robbery, claiming he only recognized Gotti as his assailant after seeing news photographs. ``Maybe he�s the only person in Howard Beach that didn�t know what John Gotti looked like,�� a source close to Gotti quipped. The Queens District Attorney�s office, which let Colon plead to a misdemeanor charge and pay a fine, conditionally discharged the case last May 21, a spokeswoman said. Gotti�s lawyers will also grill Colon about his 1987 conviction for drunk driving and a 1989 Florida conviction for lying on a drivers license application. In the Florida case, Colon was caught lying when he claimed his New York license was not suspended as a result of the earlier DWI conviction. Colon received an 18 month probation sentence in July 1989, authorities said. Colon will also be questioned about a 1991 felony conviction for getting caught using a stolen credit card at a Queens store. In that case, he also received a conditional discharge. Gotti, 35, faces trial next month on racketeering, extortion and robbery charges. Mar 12 1999 By AL GUART GOTTI UPDATE The feds dropped phone card charges from the racketeering case against John A. ``Junior'' Gotti on Thursday, Mar. 11. That part of the case is falling apart as federal authorities in Atlanta are investigating MCI for fraud. ``The defense has shared with us substantial concerns regarding at least one victim of the alleged fraud as well as other information that focuses on certain aspects of the government's theory,'' Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew McCarthy wrote in a Mar. 11 letter to the judge informing him the charges against Gotti would be dropped. By AL GUART DONS SEPARATED EXCLUSIVE!!! Federal prison officials have their hands full keeping reputed Mafia bosses Vincent ``Chin�� Gigante and John ``Dapper Don�� Gotti separated during visiting days, The Post has learned. Gigante, reputed head of the Genovese crime family, and Gotti, alleged boss of the Gambinos, are both under physicians� care at the 1,000-inmate U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Mo. ``They can�t have any contact,�� Gigante�s daughter, Yolanda said. ``They can�t even be in the same room together.�� Yolanda Gigante said her family visits her father every Thursday and Friday and that on at least one occasion, Gotti�s family has been forced to wait outside the prison because the two dons can�t share the only visiting room. ``The Gotti�s couldn�t come in because we were there,�� Yolanda Gigante said. Gigante, 70, known for wandering lower Manhattan in a bathrobe and muttering to himself incoherently, suffers from dementia and heart ailments. He was sent to Springfield last January, after a 1997 conviction on murder conspiracy and racketeering charges, officials said. Gotti, 58, was sent to there last Sept. 1 to undergo throat cancer surgery and recently completed 36 radiation treatments. Gotti�s arrival at the facility, which once housed the Birdman of Alcatraz and is now home to blind terror sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, left prison officials scurrying to keep the two mob chieftains apart to prevent them from hatching any plots together or threatening to kill one another over past gripes, sources said. The two dons also do not eat in the prison�s dining hall. Dan Dunne, a spokesman for the federal Bureau of Prisons, declined to discuss whether Gotti and Gigante are kept away from each other. ``We�ll take whatever steps are necessary to ensure the safety of inmates and the security of our institutions,�� Dunne said. In 1997, Gotti�s loose lips helped convict Gigante when a jury heard the Dapper Don on a 1990 tape saying Gigante offered to help him discredit Genovese turncoat Vincent ``Fish�� Cafaro. ``The `Chin� sent us word,�� Gotti told Salvatore ``Sammy Bull�� Gravano in an apartment above The Ravenite social club in Little Italy. ``About that `Fish� was gonna come in, maybe testify in my case.�� Gotti went on to discuss how Gigante referred him to a lawyer who would provide information that could be used to discredit Cafaro at trial. Cafaro testified about Gotti�s alleged role in the hit of a union official and Gotti beat the rap. But the tapes lingered on and didn�t help Gigante fight allegations that he was Genovese boss. And Gigante allegedly sanctioned a 1990 plot to kill Gotti to avenge the murder of late Gambino boss Paul ``Big Paul�� Castellano.�� The scheme called for using a bomb to make the hit look like it was carried out by the Sicilian Mafia, according to testimony from mob rat Alphonso ``Little Al�� D�Arco. By AL GUART GOTTI JR. The judge in the racketeering case against John A. ``Junior�� Gotti yesterday ordered a hearing to find out whether probers broke into a Queens basement before getting a warrant. White Plains federal judge Barrington Parker, Jr. set a hearing for Mar. 9 to find out whether crucial evidence - $385,000 in cash, three guns and a so-called Mafia promotion list will be allowed into the case. ``All parties should be prepared to address the basement search issue,�� Parker wrote in a one-page letter. The items were seized in a Feb. 2, 1997 search of the basement of 106-31 101st Ave. Probers from the state Organized Crime Task Force testified last year that they found a combination lock ``punched out�� and a keyed lock was ``unemployed�� when they arrived. The testimony aroused suspicion they conducted an illegal ``sneak and peak�� before obtaining a warrant and OCTF probers will likely be called to testify about the matter. Gotti, 35, faces trial on racketeering, extortion and fraud charges next month.
Moved from Page 2 on Mar 22 1999
Today I was able to attend a few hours of the cross-examination of
Strollo by the attorneys for the three remaining defendants. I arrived
in the courts building just as a handcuffed Strollo, surrounded by a
half-dozen F.B.I. agents and U.S. Marshals, was being led into Judge
Kathleen O'Malley's courtroom. Lenny Strollo was dressed in a crisp,
black suit and modest gray and black print tie . The morning began with
a ten-minute sidebar discussion. Annoying static, operated by Judge
O'Malley, played over the speakers, at just enough volume to prevent
strained ears from picking up the conversation. Strollo stared at the
ground most of this time in a contemplative mood, with his chin resting
in his hand. At the defendants' table, former Strollo lieutenant Bernard
"Bernie the Jew" Altschuler, dressed in black pants, a gray sport coat
and sporty, royal-blue tie, waved to a late-arriving friend or family
member. Co-defendants Lavance Turnage and Jeffrey Riddle spoke
intermittently with each other and their attorneys.
During cross-examination by the three defense attorneys, Strollo held
his ground against lines of questioning designed to damage his
credibility and thus weaken his testimony.
My ears perked up when the name Danny Greene was mentioned, along with
the infamous Cleveland-Pittsburgh mob war, sparked by Danny's 1977
murder. Greene name surfaced during discussion of the three Carabbia
Brothers - Mahoning racketeers loyal to the Cleveland mob, and one of
whom was convicted in the bombing murder of Greene. Strollo explained
that the conflict was not between whole mob families, but was local -
between opposing crews. Strollo admitted to making the phonecall to set
up Charlie Carabbia for murder by the Pittsburgh faction who were upset
with his disrespectful behavior.
In a tactic that has become standard defense in trials featuring Mafia
turncoats, Altshuler attorney Mark Jurcovac repeatedly tried grilling
Strollo and his decision to trade mob secrets for leniency. In a cocky
and disdainful tone, Jurcovac repeatedly taunted "you're a real smart
businessman, Mr. Strollo, aren't you?" When he finally gave the fallen
capo a chance to answer, Strollo replied, "not that smart - I'm here."
This most sigificant O.C. trial in the mobbed up Mahoning Valley of Ohio
continues and no doubt information being obtained from Strollo by the
F.B.I. will result in additional indictments down the road. Visit the
AmericanMafia.com Forum and this section for updates.
Rick Porrello
END Moved from Page 2 on Mar 22 1999 --- February 2 1999 --- --- February 1 1999 --- Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincent Heinz was just removed from the John Gotti Jr. prosecution team. The shocking and rare move came after Heinz admitted having contacts with the media, in violation of office policy.
Probers for the Justice Department's Office of Professional
Responsibility have grilled prosecutors, N.Y.P.D. detectives, federal
agents and secretaries about press reports that were released last June
revealing secret information contained in a second Gotti indictment. The
reports named new defendants and alleged that Junior Gotti robbed a drug
dealer at gunpoint.
Gotti, 34, is charged with extortion of the Scores topless club, a phone
scam, and running the Gambino La Cosa Nostra. --- January 28 1999 --- The soap opera trial of Columbo Crime Family boss Andrew Russo came to an end Tuesday, January 26 in a Brooklyn courtroom. Russo, 64, was convicted of jury tampering in a scheme to contact an alternate juror who was involved in the 1994 racketeering trial of Russo�s son Joseph (JoJo). Dennis Hickey, a Long Island trash hauler, was also convicted of helping another witness evade a grand jury subpoena. During the trial, Russo�s ex-lover, Dorothy Fiorenza, grabbed headlines while testifying for three days about their love affair, and her helping Russo pass messages to his imprisoned son. Both men face up to ten years in prison. Allan May --- January 25 1999 --- Rosario Spatola, a 60-year-old Sicilian Mafia fugitive was arrested last week in New York. Spatola, a relative of the late mob boss Carlo Gambino, was wanted in Italy for exporting 100 kilograms of heroin to New York in 1979 and 1980. He fled Palermo and lived in New York, working at the Pronto Construction Co. and keeping a low profile. In June, Spatola was tried in absentia in Palermo, convicted and sentenced to 13 years in prison and $80,000 fines. Source: Al Guart and the New York Post
--- Januray 21 1999 --- --- January 7 1999 --- John "Junior" Gotti is out of jail awaiting a racketeering trial. His release was secured by a $10-million bond. He is confined to home and visitors are limited to family members. Gotti spent Christmas Eve with his wife, their three children, his mother, sisters Angela and Victoria, and their families. On Thanksgiving, federal prosecutors refused to let Victoria's husband, Carmine Agnello visit. The Feds believed 36-year-old Agnello is a Gambino Crime Family associate. Gotti attorneys filed an appeal and after legal arguments, the prosecutors agreed to let Agnello spend Christmas Eve at the Gotti home. From the New York Post Moved from Page 2 on January 25, 1999 --- January 1 1999 --- New York: John Gotti Jr. was released in October from jail on $10 million bond. Gotti had been held since January of 1998 when he was indicted for being the alleged street boss of New York's Gambino Mafia family. Gotti Jr. will wear a monitoring bracelet on his ankle to assure that he does not leave his house except to meet with his attorneys. Additionally, his phone will be tapped. The F.B.I. believes the Gambino crime group is still run by John Gotti Sr., the "Dapper Don" who is serving a life sentence. Las Vegas: Southern California Mafia underboss Carmen Milano and 16 other Los Angeles and Buffalo mobsters were charged in February in a 101-count racketeering indictment. Bobby Siller, F.B.I. Special Agent in Charge in Las Vegas said," there was an attempt by the Los Angles mob to infiltrate Las Vegas..." Milano, 68 and a disbarred attorney, is the brother of Peter Milano, the boss of the L.A. mob. The Milanos are sons of the late Anthony "The Old Man" Milano, former Cleveland Mafia consigliere. Several of the indicted California racketeers have already agreed to cooperate with the F.B.I., trading information for leniency. The investigation dubbed "Button Down," picked up speed with the 1997 murder of Vegas crime figure Herbert "Fat Herbie" Blitzstein. Blitzstein was a lieutenant of Chicago mob enforcer Tony Spilotro, who was stationed out west to protect various "skimming" or casino profits theft operations controlled by the Mafia. Spilotro was murdered in 1986. The story of the Las Vegas skimming racket is told in the movie Casino, starring Joe Pesci who portrays the role of Spilotro, and Robert Deniro who plays the role of Lefty Rosenthal, the mob's "inside" man. The movie is based on the book of the same name, authored by Nicholas Pileggi. "We're not finished yet", Agent Siller declared. "Operation Button Down's sole purpose is to deliver a knockout blow. I think we have delivered a severe blow to the Los Angeles Mafia." Youngstown: On December 11, 1997, Lenny Strollo, along with 29 others, was indicted for various gambling operations and conspiring to murder former Youngstown racketeer Ernie Biondillo. Strollo is reputed to be the most recent Pittsburgh Mafia member in charge of the Youngstown/Warren, Ohio rackets. Biondillo, a competitor of Strollo was killed during a daylight ambush in 1996. Information provided to the F.B.I. revealed that Strollo lieutenant Bernie "the Jew" Altshuler paid four black drug dealers $35,000 to carry out the hit. For decades, the Youngstown/Warren area has been plagued by heavy infiltration from both the Cleveland and Pittsburgh La Cosa Nostra families. After a bombing war with mob foe Danny Greene, the Cleveland Mafia fell from power, and the Youngstown/Warren rackets were controlled almost exclusively by the Pittsburgh mob. Strollo's trial is set to begin in the winter of 1998. |
|
AmericanMafia.com
Copyright © 1999 PLR International
|