Biography traces mob's birth to New Orleans

A recently released biography points to 19th Century New Orleans as the birthplace of the American Mafia, according to a book review by Scott Deitche published by Blogcritics magazine.

Deep Water: Joseph P. Macheca and the Birth of the American Mafia "is a worthy addition to the organized crime canon and the greater body of books on Civil War-era America," Deitche wrote. Deitche praised the book's attention to detail: "You can practically smell the fetid air of the New Orleans waterfront."

Deep Water states that Macheca, a Confederate Army veteran and a pioneer of Gulf commerce, organized and financed a series of New Orleans gangs, including one that became the first lasting Mafia foothold in the United States. The authors suggest that Macheca did so in service of a corrupt Democratic machine. They argue that the 1890 assassination of New Orleans Police Chief David Hennessy and the 1891 Crescent City Lynchings of 11 Italian Americans unconvicted of any crime were also products of the same political corruption.

The largest lynching in American history was "more a calculated hit than a random act of mob violence," Deitche wrote.

See also:

• Deep Water website: www.jpmacheca.com

Secrets: Mistress testifies against Marcello

Connie Marcello, longtime mistress of Chicago Outfit boss James Marcello, continued to accept thousands of dollars each month from her beau though she secretly testified against him before a grand jury in March 2005, according to a story by Steve Warmbir of the Chicago Sun Times.

Connie Marcello, who legally changed her name to Marcello though she and James Marcello never married, testified in the Family Secrets trial last week. She noted that the mob boss paid for her suburban home, took care of her $15,000 gambling debt and provided her with up to $5,000 per month.

Also last week:

• Michelle Spilotro, daughter of Michael Spilotro (right) who was executed by the Outfit in 1986, said James Marcello called for her father on the day he disappeared. She said she recognized Marcello's voice.


• Dr. John Pless, a forensic pathologist, described the autopsies of Anthony and Michael Spilotro, according to a story by Kelli Conkey of Medill Reports. He noted that the decomposing bodies had been dug up in an Indiana cornfield after being dead at least a week. Dr. Pless said there was no evidence that the men had been buried alive but he could not rule it out. He said they were likely beaten to death. Michael suffered a broken nose, head and neck injuries. Asphyxia - lack of oxygen - was attributed to his right lung being almost entirely filled with blood. Anthony died of head, neck and chest injuries, in addition to asphyxia.


• Ann Spilotro, wife of Michael, testified that her husband understood that he was in trouble with the mob in the weeks leading up to his June 1986 murder, according to an AP story published by ABC7 in Chicago. Michael and his brother Anthony were lured to a Bensenville basement, were killed there and were buried in Indiana.

Italian police arrest Mafia bigshot

Franco Franzese, 43, believed to be a key aide to Sicilian Mafia bosses, has been arrested by Italian police in Palermo, according to a Reuters news story.

Franzese has been listed by the Italian Interior Ministry as one of Italy's most dangerous criminals. He is believed to have served as an aide to Salvatore Lo Piccolo, reputedly one of the Mafia's most powerful current bosses.

Joey Leo charged with extortion

FBI electronic surveillance resulted in Joey Leo, nephew of reputed Genovese Crime Family boss Daniel "The Lion" Leo, being charged with extortion July 24, according to a story by Kati Cornell of the New York Post.

Agents placed a listening device in Joey Leo's car and tapped his cellphone after failing in wiretapping attempts directed against Daniel Leo (right). As a result, they obtained portions of conversations related to mob business between Daniel Leo and his nephew. Some of the conversations related to extortion of a taxi business between 2002 and 2006. Joey Leo is held without bail.

Authorities believe Daniel Leo quietly succeeded Vincent "The Chin" Gigante as Genovese boss. He was charged May 30 with four counts of extortion. He pleaded not guilty but was held without bail. Leo was first mentioned as Genovese boss in December of 2006. Authorities cautioned at the time that the Genovese clan was notorious for screening its actual bosses through the use of front men.

Basciano convicted of Santoro killing

Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano, 47, former boss of the Bonanno Crime Family, was found guilty today of the February 2001 racketeering murder of mobster Frank Santoro, according to an AP story published by the International Herald Tribune.

Basciano faces possible life in prison when sentenced. No sentencing date has been set. Basciano is already doing time for last year's racketeering conviction. The jury in last year's trial deadlocked on a charge related to the Santoro killing.

Basciano reportedly ordered a hit on Santoro because he heard that Santoro planned to kidnap one of Basciano's children for ransom.

Limone, others, to split $101 million

Peter Limone, Joseph Salvati and the families of two other men falsely convicted of murder will split a $101.8 million cash award, according to a story by Pam Belluck of the New York Times.

The two other men, Henry Tameleo and Louis Greco, died while in prison. Limone served 33 years in prison before he was released. Salvati was jailed for 30 years. According to the July 26 decision of Judge Nancy Gertner, Limone (right) will receive $26 million and Salvati (left) will receive $29 million. The Tameleo estate will receive $13 million, and the Greco estate will receive $28 million. Family members of the falsely imprisoned men will also receive money.

The four men, who were linked with the New England Mafia, were convicted in 1968 of the March 12, 1965, murder of a low-level mobster Edward Deegan. Much of the evidence was supplied by Joseph "the Animal" Barboza. According to federal records, the FBI knew at the time that Barboza was testifying falsely in order to protect the real killer, Vincent Flemmi, an FBI informant.

Limone, Tameleo and Greco were initially sentenced to death for the murder they did not commit. The State of Massachusetts subsequently eliminated its death penalty.

It took 30 years for the FBI coverup to become known. In 2001, the federal government released FBI memos revealing the Barboza perjury.

Judge Gertner has been considering the case since January. She initially promised a decision by late March or early April.

See also: Limone, et al., v. United States court documents.

Related MobNews posts:

• Decision on Limone suit expected by late March 03-06-2007
• Limone testifies in $100M lawsuit 01-06-2007
• FBI 'knew all along they were not guilty' 12-22-2006
• Dukakis testifies in Limone lawsuit 12-14-2006
• DiNunzio released on $20K cash bail 12-05-2006
• Mass. police arrest DiNunzio 12-02-2006
• Salvati, Limone sue FBI for 1960s frameup 08-19-2006
• Attorney: FBI responsible for mob hit 06-30-2006
• Agent had 'Whitey' concerns in '81 06-14-2006
• FBI 'condoned' crimes, gang hits 06-07-2006

Vegas gambler introduced ref to mob

Peter Ruggieri, 38, once convicted of running an illegal sports gambling operation in Las Vegas, introduced former NBA referee Tim Donaghy (right) to mob-connected gamblers, according to a story by Jana Winter, Samuel Goldsmith and Chuck Bennett of the New York Post. The Post specifically mentioned the New York-based Gambino Crime Family.

Law enforcement and the NBA are investigating charges that Donaghy influenced the outcome of professional basketball games on which he and others had placed bets. Officials allege that Donaghy went into debt and fell under the influence of organized crime figures.

Ruggieri is reportedly from Glen Mills, PA, a short distance from the hometown of Donaghy and his friend James Battista. Ruggieri and Battista, now 42, later moved to homes just over a mile apart in Las Vegas.

A Donaghy friend told the newspaper that Ruggieri was Donaghy's connection to mob gamblers. Ruggieri once worked as a bagman for an illegal sports bookmaking operation in Las Vegas. He was convicted of wire fraud in 2002 for taking bets from bookies in New Jersey and New York City.

Battista has faced some minor charges, including gambling, but has never been convicted of a serious offense, the newspaper reported.

Secrets: Nick Calabrese concludes testimony

After five days of testimony in Chicago's Family Secrets trial, Nicholas Calabrese was excused from the witness stand yesterday, according to a story by Jeff Coen of the Chicago Tribune.

Calabrese, 64, a mob turncoat and brother of defendant Frank Calabrese Sr., was cross-examined all day Monday. He stuck by his earlier testimony tying defendant James Marcello to violent gang crimes in the 1980s.

During direct examination last week, Calabrese described the murder of Nicholas D'Andrea in 1981 and the 1986 killings of Emil Vaci and brothers Anthony and Michael Spilotro. He claimed that Marcello drove him and other gangsters to a Bensenville home, where the Spilotros were beaten to death.

Anthony "the Ant" Spilotro had served as a monitor for Outfit investments in Las Vegas, but he violated underworld directives. When cornered by angry Outfit associates, Anthony Spilotro's final words were "Can I say a prayer?" according to Calabrese. At that moment, the brothers were rushed, beaten and strangled.

Under cross-examination, he was unable to specifically name Anthony Spilotro's killer. Calabrese said he and the late Louie "the Mooch" Eboli tackled Michael Spilotro, and he had his back to Anthony Spilotro at the critical moment.

Texas raids net 121 gangsters

Federal and local law enforcement agents made 121 arrests in raids against north Texas street gangs yesterday, according to an AP story published in the Los Angeles Chronicle.

Some of those arrested are being processed for deportation. Others face criminal charges. Members of 27 street gangs - including the Mexican Mafia, MS-13, the Latin Kings and the Asian Boyz - were rounded up.

Bellomo gets just one more year

Liborio "Barney" Bellomo, one-time boss of the Genovese Crime Family, will serve just one additional year in prison, according to a story by Kati Cornell of the New York Post.

A racketeering-murder case that could have called for the death penalty fell apart when witness memories suddenly failed and evidence was lost from a storage room. Prosecutors reached a plea deal with Bellomo on a charge of cheating a Bronx carting company out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. They dropped a charge relating to the 1998 mob hit on Ralph Coppola.

Bellomo acknowledged once serving as acting boss of the Genovese Family. He claimed, however, that he found religion in prison and has severed his connections with the Mob.

Federal Judge Lewis Kaplan sentenced Bellomo on Monday to 41 months in prison on the fraud charge. All but one year will be served concurrent with his existing sentence. Bellomo went into jail 11 years ago for racketeering. He had been scheduled for release in August 2008.

Judge tried to launder money for mob

David Gross, 45, a former Nassau County NY judge, faces 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine after his mid-July admission that he attempted to launder money for the mob, according to a story by WNBC-TV in New York.

Gross admitted on July 13 that he agreed to launder $400,000 in proceeds of a jewelry robbery. At the time the deal was set up, he did not know that he was talking to an undercover FBI agent.

Gross teamed with Nicholas Gruttadauria, an alleged member of the Genovese Crime Family, to generate false invoices through a Freeport restaurant that would cover the illegal income. Gross was to keep 20 percent of all laundered cash for himself.

Gruttadauria also pleaded guilty in the case.

Feds heard of mob plot against chief justice

The FBI in the early 1980s warned leaders of Mafia crime families in seven U.S. cities in to avoid involvement in an apparent plot to murder Warren Burger, chief justice of the Supreme Court, according to an Associated Press story by Lara Jakes Jordan.

A confidential informant told the FBI of the plot he overheard in 1979 while in prison with members of three Mafia families. The mobsters reportedly also planned to assassinate a federal judge in New Jersey. The Burea alerted Chief Justice Burger to the report and advised the heads of crime families that they were aware of the plot. (Burger died of natural causes in 1995.)

According to an FBI memo dated Dec. 18, 1981, the plotters were Phillip "Rusty" Rastelli, (right) boss of the Bonanno Crime Family; Joseph Gambino, a lieutenant in the Gambino Crime Family; and Frank Cotroni, boss of a crime family in Montreal, Canada. The three mob bigshots were jailed at the time in the federal penitentiary in Lewisburg, PA.

The memo was sent from the FBI's Seattle field office.

FBI investigates NBA referee Donaghy

Law enforcement agencies including the FBI are investigating whether veteran National Basketball League referee Tim Donaghy influenced the outcome of games he or his associates wagered on, according to a story by Alan Schwarz and William K. Rashbaum of the New York Times.

A source directly involved with the case told news reporters that Donaghy (left) had been betting on games with a mob-connected bookie and fell into debt. He then came under the influence of an organized crime figure. The FBI is looking into whether Donaghy then cooperated with the criminal by making calls that affected the outcome of games. The Bureau is specifically focusing on 10-15 games of the 60 Donaghy officiated since December 2006.

NBA Commissioner David Stern released this statement: "We would like to assure our fans that no amount of effort, time or personnel is being spared to assist in this investigation, to bring to justice an individual who has betrayed the most sacred trust in professional sports, and to take the necessary steps to protect against this ever happening again." Stern said the league would hold a press conference on the matter next week.

Donaghy is expected to turn himself over to authorities next week. Other arrests could follow. The investigation began more than a year ago, according to a column by Murray Weiss in the New York Post.

Former lieutenant testifies against Basciano

Nicholas "P.J." Pisciotti, a former lieutenant in the Bonanno Crime Family, testified in the racketeering-murder trial of his former boss Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano (right) last week, according to a story by John Marzulli of the New York Daily News.

Pisciotti, 37, a mob turncoat, spoke about the 2001 murder of Frank Santoro. He also described the events that caused him to turn his back on his former associates and his underworld oath. According to Pisciotti, he looked to his superiors for backing when Genovese Crime Family associates brought felony assault charges against him. Pisciotti hoped that back-channel conversations could cause the charges to be dropped. However, he later learned that Bonanno leaders Nicholas Santora and Anthony Rabito refused to intercede.

Basciano had a bit of a fashion emergency on Thursday, according to another Daily News story. Out of fresh dress shirts, Basciano showed up at trial wearing a t-shirt under his suit jacket and complaining that he was uncomfortable about it. Judge Nicholas Garaufis lent the former mob boss his own spare blue dress shirt and yellow tie. While it wasn't quite the quality that "Gorgeous" is used to, he seemed pleased.

Hartford's Tedesco dies at 84

Daniel Tedesco, longtime operator of a numbers game in Hartford, CT, died this week at the age of 84, according to a story by Edmund H. Mahony of the Hartford Courant.

Tedesco, reputedly linked to the New England Mafia Family based in Providence RI, ran his gambling racket from Tunnel Variety on Main Street. Some law enforcement officials believe he figured out a way to rig the "second-chance drawings" of the Connecticut State Lottery back in the 1970s. He was never charged with that offense.

Known as "the Fat Man," he was allegedly involved in stealing guns from the Colt armory and in dealing in other stolen property. Tedesco reportedly denied any involvement with organized crime and called the gun charge a "frame-up."

The Courant story details many of Tedesco's kind-hearted and generous contributions to the needy of the community.

Tedesco served some time in prison in the 1990s when he refused to identify for the FBI the source of an underworld loan he obtained. He was jailed on a contempt charge.

In recent years, Tedesco's gambling ventures became small-time affairs, as the region's gamblers looked to Connecticut's Indian casinos for action. He was a resident of the Newington Nursing Home at the time of his death on Thursday.