Persico control of Colombo clan may be over

With Carmine "the Snake" Persico now 25 years into a life prison sentence and his son Alphonse "Allie Boy" Persico just starting his own life sentence, the Persicos' control over the Colombo Crime Family may be at an end, suggests a story by John Marzulli of the New York Daily News.

Carmine Persico has long called the shots in the Colombo organization, according to authorities. Since his imprisonment for murder and racketeering, Alphonse Persico has been an acting boss of the clan, battling rivals on his father's behalf. Alphonse Persico was sentenced to life on Friday, after being convicted of murdering former Colombo underboss William "Wild Bill" Cutolo.

The Persico branch of the underworld organization came out on top after a bloody 1991 civil war against a faction loyal to Vittorio Orena. With Carmine and Alphone Persico locked away for good, remnants of the Orena faction might move to take control of the organization.

Two Persico relatives could have something to say about that, according to the Daily News story. Reputed crime family soldier Theodore Persico, a cousin of Alphonse, recently was released from prison. Carmine's cousin, Andrew Russo, is reputed to be a lieutenant in the organization.

Allie Boy Persico sentenced to life in prison

Alphonse "Allie Boy" Persico, 55, was sentenced yesterday to life in prison without parole for ordering the 1999 murder of underworld rival William "Wild Bill" Cutolo, according to a story by John Marzulli of the New York Daily News.

"The defendant was born into 'the life,' and like his father, Carmine Persico, will spend the rest of his life in prison," said federal Judge Joanna Seybert at sentencing.

In 2007, Alphonse Persico (left) was convicted of ordering the death of Cutolo, leader of a rival faction within the Colombo Crime Family. Codefendant Jackie DeRoss, 71, was also convicted of involvement in the murder and was also sentenced to life in prison. The Persico and Cutolo factions warred for control of the crime family in 1991, shortly after boss Carmine Persico's 1986 conviction for racketeering and murder.

Cutolo disappeared in 1999. His remains were not discovered until last fall.

Racketeer indicted for murder of NYPD cop

Joel Cacace, former acting boss of the Colombo Crime Family, has been indicted for the 1997 murder of off-duty New York Police Officer Ralph Dols, according to a story by John Marzulli of the New York Daily News.

Cacace is currently serving a 20-year prison sentcned for racketeering and conspiring to murder a U.S. prosecutor.

Dols was linked to the Colombo clan through his marriage to Kimberly Kennaugh. Kennaugh was Cacace's ex-girlfriend. She also was the ex-wife of Colombo Crime Family soldier Enrico Carini. Dols, just 28 and the father of three children, was shot five times on his way home from work on Aug. 25, 1997. At the time, then-Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said the killing had been well planned and had been performed "execution-style."

Dino Calabro and Dino Saracino are also charged in the Dols killing, according to the Daily News.

Thomas "Tommy Shots" Gioeli, reputed to be the current boss of the Colombo family, has been indicted for participating in the 1999 killing of William "Wild Bill" Cutolo. The victim's remains were discovered buried at a site in Farmingdale NY. Former acting boss Alphonse "Allie Boy" Persico was convicted of participating in that killing.

Prosecutors credit information supplied by Colombo soldier Joseph "Joey Caves" Competiello for helping to solve the old murder cases.

FBI identifies Cutolo's remains

A body pulled from the ground in a wooded area of Farmingdale, Long Island, has been identified as that of William Cutolo Sr., according to a story published by the New York Times.

FBI agents matched distinctive features of the remains with those of Cutolo, a Colombo Crime Family underboss who has been missing and presumed dead since 1999. The agents used dental records and noted that the body was missing the tip of its right middle finger, a match for Cutolo.

Last year, reputed Colombo big shots Alphonse Persico and John DeRoss were convicted of involvement in Cutolo's murder. Their legal defense included an argument that Cutolo might still be alive.

FBI diggers find apparent human corpse

FBI agents digging at a site in Farmingdale, Long Island, have found what appears to be a human corpse wrapped in a tarp, according to stories by John Marzulli and Leo Standora of the New York Daily News and by the New York Times.

The discovery was made Monday afternoon, when agents expanded a dig area they had searched last week. The site was a wooded area near a Frank Avenue industrial complex. The remains were taken to the New York City medical examiner's office.

Authorities believe the body may be that of William Cutolo (right), a high-ranking member of the Colombo Crime Family who disappeared on his way to 1999 meeting with acting boss Alphonse Persico. Persico was convicted last year of ordering Cutolo's murder.

The FBI indicated that informant Joseph "Joey Caves" Competiello told them of a mob burial ground in East Farmingdale. The Bureau believes two other missing men - Carmine Gargano and Richard Greaves - may also be buried there.

Mob burial ground on Long Island?

The FBI will not discuss details but acknowledges that it is digging in two areas of Farmingdale, Long Island NY, in an effort to find the remains of mob victims, according to a story published in the New York Times.

A law enforcement source said one of the bodies sought was that of William Cutolo Sr. (right), missing since 1999. Alphonse Persico and John DeRoss, reputed leaders in the Colombo Crime Family, were convicted last year of causing Cutolo's death.

A report by WABC-TV in New York indicated that local homicide detectives and members of the New York medical examiner's office were on hand at the dig locations. Excavation is taking place at a Farmingdale industrial complex, which was built nine years ago, and at a section of woods nearby. The areas have been roped off and designated as crime scenes.

Allie Persico could get new trial

Alphonse "Allie Boy" Persico (left), the Colombo Crime Family boss convicted late last year of ordering the death of William "Wild Bill" Cutolo, could be given a new trial, according to a story by John Marzulli of the New York Daily News.

The new trial is under consideration because a key prosecution witness might have lied. Cutolo's widow, Marguerite Cutolo, testified that federal agents allowed her to keep $1.6 million in cash that her husband, the Colombo Family underboss, stashed around their Staten Island NY home.

There appears to be no official documentation supporting her claim about the money. If prosecutors are unable to resolve the discrepancy, a new trial might be ordered.

Jury convicts Persico of 1999 'hit'

A federal jury in Brooklyn yesterday convicted Alphonse "Allie Boy" Persico (right), reputed boss of the Colombo Crime Family, of ordering the 1999 killing of underboss William "Wild Bill" Cutolo, according to a story by John Marzulli of the New York Daily News.

Persico, 53, and codefendant John "Jackie" DeRoss, were found guilty of conspiring to eliminate Cutolo in an effort to consolidate their power within the crime family. The Colombo clan had gone through a bloody civil war in the 1990s. Factions reportedly reached a cease-fire agreement, but Cutolo was a casualty of a lingering grudge.

Persico and DeRoss were found not guilty of charges related to the killing of crime family soldier Joseph Campanella.


Cutolo (left) was last seen on May 26, 1999. He was reportedly on his way to meet Persico in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Persico and DeRoss were first tried in connection with his assumed murder last year. That trial resulted in a hung jury.


For this year's trial U.S. Attorneys brought Cutolo's wife Marguerite to the stand. She directly accused Persico of causing her husband's death and refuted defense theories that Cutolo ran off with a fortune and was in hiding. Marguerite had been in the witness protection program since 2001.


"My husband never ran away," she said from the witness stand. "I'm appearing here for my husband, for his death."

Prosecutors provided bits of evidence indicating that Cutolo was killed and that his body was dumped off a boat at sea.

Like his father, former Colombo boss Carmine "the Snake" Persico, now 74 and serving a life sentence for racketeering, Alphonse Persico is expected to spend the rest of his days behind bars.

DeVecchio could be called as witness for Persico

The former FBI supervisor recently cleared of charges relating to Colombo Crime Family murders could soon be called as a witness in the defense of accused Mafia murderer Alphonse "Allie Boy" Persico (right), according to a story by John Marzulli of the New York Daily News.

State charges against Lindley DeVecchio were dropped last month when credibility issues were raised about a key prosecution witness.

Persico, son of reputed Colombo boss Carmine "the Snake" Persico, is on trial once again for allegedly ordering the 1999 murder of underworld rival William "Wild Bill" Cutolo. A trial on the same charge last year resulted in a hung jury.

Persico's defense attorney Sarita Kedia reportedly wants to call DeVecchio (left) to the stand to testify about events in the early-1990s Colombo Family civil war. DeVecchio was an FBI handler for informer and Colombo bigshot Gregory "the Grim Reaper" Scarpa Sr.

Wife testifies against Cutolo's accused killers

Marguerite Cutolo took the witness stand last week to point an accusing finger at reputed Colombo Crime Family boss Alphonse "Allie Boy" Persico (right), according to a story by John Marzulli and Corky Siemaszko of the New York Daily News.

Mrs. Cutolo stepped out of the witness protection program in order to testify in the retrial of Persico and former Colombo underboss John DeRoss for the murder of her husband, William "Wild Bill" Cutolo. She had entered witness protection in 2001.

On the stand last week, she stated that her husband was on his way to meet Persico in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, on May 26, 1999, when she last saw him. Cutolo has been missing since that date and is presumed dead.

On cross examination, defense attorneys suggested that William Cutolo is still alive and that the Cutolos have hidden as much as $2.7 million in loanshark earnings. Mrs. Cutolo admitted to possessing $1.65 million in cash at the time of her husband's disappearance. She said government officials were aware of the money and allowed her to keep it to take care of her children.

She denied the defense assertion that William Cutolo remains alive, according to a story by Selim Algar of the New York Post. "My husband never ran away," she said. "...I'm appearing here for my husband, for his death."

Mrs. Cutolo did not testify when Persico and DeRoss were first tried for the murder last year. That trial ended in a hung jury.

Prosecutors charge that Persico waited six years after a ceasefire in a bloody Colombo Crime Family civil war to eliminate his rival for power, William Cutolo (left). "The Colombo war never really ended, at least not in the minds of men like Alphonse Persico," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Goldberg said in his opening statement on Nov. 6.

Defense attorney Sarita Kedia countered, "There is not a single piece of evidence to prove to you that Billy Cutolo is even dead."