Feature Articles

May 7, 2001

Florida Updates

By Scott M. Deitche

Inspired by John Touhy's Round Up The Usual Suspects.

News and updates on mob activity from the Sunshine State

January 13, 2001

St. Petersburg police raided a pool hall at 2315 28^th St N, after observing a dice game and other illegal gambling on the premises. The owner of the hall, Chantho Sounthala, was charged with bookmaking and running a gambling house. The pool hall is a reputed hangout for Vietnamese gangsters in the Tampa Bay area.

January 25, 2001

The NFL commissioner shot down rumors that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were being sold by Malcolm Glazer to Ed DeBartolo Jr. DeBartolo�s father, developer Ed Sr. was tied to gangland figures from Meyer Lansky to Santo Trafficante Jr. DeBartolo Jr. recently testified at the racketeering trial of former Louisiana governor Ed Edwards. Ed Jr. now lives in Tampa and is close friends with Tampa mayor Dick Greco.

January 26-28, 2001

Mons Venus, Tampa�s most famous strip club, stayed open for the entire weekend to cater to the slew of big spenders and NFL players in town for the Super Bowl. The club was raided a number of times over the past six months after Tampa passed a law banning lap dancing at Tampa�s numerous strip clubs. Joe Redner is the owner of Mons Venus and the Tanga Lounge. You can read about Joe and his mentor Pat Matassini in my feature article "King of the Tampa Strip Clubs."

February 1, 2001

The U.S. government unsealed the details of Lebo R. Mancuso Jr.�s guilty plea. Mancuso pled guilty in a Tampa courtroom back in July, to two counts of mail fraud in return for a leniency recommendation. He was ordered to pay restitution of $1.16 million. Mancuso was an associate of Salvadore "Sammy" Marcello, brother of the late New Orleans crime boss Carlos Marcello. Mancuso was arrested with Marcello in 1988 for money laundering. He helped Marcello launder millions in drug profits.

Scott Deitche can be reached at scottyyz@earthlink.net

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