Mob turncoat describes fed 'torture'

During courtroom questioning last week, Mafia turncoat Michael "Mikey Scars" DiLeonardo described the pressure law enforcement agents put on him to testify against his underworld colleagues, according to a story by Stefanie Cohen of the New York Post.

DiLeonardo (right), a former captain in the Gambino Crime Family, revealed that he had been locked in a freezing cell and given uncooked or inedible food.

The informant said, however, that the "torture" did not prompt him to cooperate with authorities. He agreed to testify only after the Gambino organization turned its back on him and tried to manipulate his son, he said.

DiLeonardo was questioned in connection with Dominick "Skinny Dom" Pizzonia's trial for killing Thomas and Rosemarie Uva.

Related MobNews posts:

• Two to stand trial for Uva, Boccia slayings 04-10-07
• Gotti lawyers want to exclude Uva evidence from trial 06-28-06
• Gotti tapes link him & dad to Uva murders 06-23-06

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Joseph P. Macheca and the Birth of the American Mafia

by Thomas Hunt and Martha Macheca Sheldon

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Mob-linked firm works on Yankee stadium project

Interstate Industrial, a company with alleged ties to the Gambino Crime Family, is performing excavation and foundation work for the new Yankee Stadium, according to a story from WNBC in New York.

The company, owned by brothers Frank and Peter DiTommaso (left), has been ruled illegible to work on public projects in New York and in Atlantic City, NJ. The DiTommaso's have been indicted for perjury in connection with statements given during the investigation of former New York Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik. Last summer, Kerik admitted to illegally accepting $165,000 worth of renovations to his apartment from Interstate.

The New York Yankees is a private company and is not prevented from doing business with Interstate. While the ballclub is receiving $250 million in taxpayer funds for its news stadium, much of the remaining $1 billion price tag is coming directly from the team. Public funds are reportedly not being used for the excavation and foundation work.

Click to watch WNBC-TV video report

The DiTommasos have not been charged with any mob-related offense, and the brothers insist they are free of any underworld connections and innocent of any wrongdoing. Officials in New York and New Jersey have investigated Interstate for years.

The company has been named in the court testimony of former Gambino capo Michael "Mikey Scars" DiLeonardo as a cash contributor to the crime family. A brother-in-law of former Gambino bigshot Salvatore "Sammy Bull" Gravano previously owned a branch of the Interstate business - a transfer station in Rossville. The New York City Business Integrity Commission found in 2005 that the purchase of that transfer station was an effort to free Gambino members from government scrutiny while preserving underworld control there.

Related MobNews posts:

• NJ casino panel suspends DiTommaso license 08-03-06
• DiTommaso brothers indicted for perjury 07-19-06
• Kerik pleads guilty 07-02-06
• Kerik close to plea deal 06-29-06
• DiTommassos: Guilt by association 06-26-06
• Judge rules in favor of Interstate closure 06-02-06
• NY shuts down Interstate Materials 05-04-06

Feds arrest 13 alleged NY mobsters

Thirteen men, allegedly affiliated with New York's Gambino and Colombo crime families, were arrested by federal agents yesterday, according to a story by Stefanie Cohen of the New York Post. The men were named in two separate indictments in Brooklyn's federal court.

According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern Division of New York, one reputed Colombo Crime Family soldier, Michael Angelo Souza, 38, and ten alleged family associates were indicted for racketeering, robbery, assault, firearms possession, loansharking, gambling and narcotics distribution. An indictment stemming from the same investigation charges an alleged Albanian organized crime associate, Lulzim Kupa, 30, with marijuana distribution conspiracy.

The indictments concluded eight months of investigation, including electronic surveillance. Prosecutors say the overheard Souza plans to assault and possibly to murder a Bonanno Crime Family associate in Staten Island.

The ten named as Colombo associates were Anthony Souza, 42; Michael Bolino, 46; Nicholas Bruno, 31; Shelton Willis, 35; Emanuel Ruta, 41; Charles Fusco, 32; Donato DiCamillo, 38; Charles McClean, 33; Stuart Dugan, 30; and Michael Arminante, 33. Michael Souza, Bolino, Willis, McClean, Dugan and Kupa face possible life prison sentences if they are convicted of the charges against them. Maximum sentences against the other accused range from five years (Arminante) to 48 years (Anthony Souza).

Reputed Gambino Crime Family soldiers John "Johnny G" Gammarano, 65, and William "Billy" Scotto, 39, were charged with racketeering and securities fraud conspiracy, according to a separate U.S. Attorney's Office press release.

Federal prosecutors say Gammarano has been affiliated with the Gambino family since 1982 and at various times has held the rank of acting captain. The prosecutors charge that Scotto is also a "made" member of the crime family.

The two men are charged with stock-related frauds between 1995 and 2003, in addition to extortion conspiracy in connection with the frauds. Each faces a possible sentence of 45 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.

Gammarano's name was in the news in late August, when the court testimony of Michael "Mikey Scars" DiLeonardo indicated that John A. "Junior" Gotti became enraged at a group of underworld partners who he believed cheated him out of construction industry extortion money in the early 1990s. According to DiLeonardo, Gotti planned to murder capo Daniel Marino, soldier Gammarano and associate Joseph Watts. When the three men were unexpectedly accompanied by a number of friends to a Gotti-summoned sit-down, Gotti called off the hit, DiLeonardo testified. DiLeonardo made the statements during Gotti's racketeering trial. Gotti was released after a jury could not reach a verdict on the charges against him.

See also:
Gotti ratted on targets of botched hit 09-01-2006