ID: 'So Successful … It’s Criminal'

By Ed Scarpo
Investigation Discovery launches eight new true-crime series and renews 23 for the 2011-12 season, including "Nothing Personal," about murders caused by hitmen. Detail available here, on TV by the Numbers.

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Who Fat Andy Loved; John Gotti's Other Side: Anthony Ruggiano Junior, Part FOUR

By Ed Scarpo
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In the 1960s and 1970s, Anthony (Fat Andy) Ruggiano had one of the biggest crews in the Gambino family, and he wanted to keep it that way.


He had had around 70-75 guys in his crew, and out of all of them, Andy wanted to straighten out only one, Nicky Corozzo.

Fat Andy "didn’t want to make anybody his equal at one point," said Anthony Junior. "He had a big crew with him and he liked it that way. He wound up being right."

Andy and Anthony (Tony Lee) Guerrieri even got into an argument over Fat Andy's reluctance to make any of his guys.

Tony Lee had wanted to put Anthony (Tony Pep) Trentacosta up to be straightened out with Nicky. Fat Andy prevailed, however, and they both decided that only Nicky would get made.

Once Andy proposed Nicky, Nicky went out of his way to express his gratitude to Ruggiano.

"After my father proposed Nicky, Nicky went to my father's house to see him every day."






So Fat Andy wasn't pleased to learn that Gene Gotti had been…
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In The Street Robbing, Pillaging, Plundering: Anthony Ruggiano Jr. Interview, Part Three

By Ed Scarpo
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"I’d like find out what he says about John Alite. I just don't know what to think as there's so many contradictory opinions on him; it'd be nice hear his thoughts and input."

This story focuses on Anthony Ruggiano Jr., John Alite, and John Junior....The next installment will address multiple comments....

When John Alite played Little League, his coach was Albert Ruggiano, the younger brother of Anthony Junior, though the Ruggiano-Alite relationship went back another generation, Anthony Junior recently told us.

Anthony Junior, 66, didn't pop up out of nowhere, actually. A longtime Gambino associate (he came close, so damn close to being made!), he defected in 2006 and testified in several trials against mobsters including Gambino capo Dominick (Skinny Dom) Pizzonia and powerful Gambino boss Bartolomeo (Bobby Glasses) Vernace, and Gambino wiseguy Charles Carneglia. He also gave testimony against Bonanno capo Vincent Asaro. Anthony Ruggiano Junior's charges i…
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ALL GUILTY: Lucchese Trial Ends With Convictions On Murder, Racketeering, Other Crimes

By Ed Scarpo
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After a six-week jury trial, Matthew Madonna, Steven L. Crea, Christopher Londonio, and Terence Caldwell were convicted Friday of murder, conspiracy to commit racketeering, and other felonies. Fifteen other defendants previously pled guilty to related charges.


U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “The violent and disturbing acts of these four organized crime figures included the brutal murder of associate Michael Meldish.

Fittingly, all four defendants have been found guilty of their heinous acts of fraud, extortion, and murder on the six-year anniversary of Meldish’s death. Thanks to the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and NYPD, we will continue our commitment to making organized crime a thing of a bygone era.”

According to the evidence presented at trial, and other court documents:

Until his arrest in this case, Madonna was the Acting Boss of the Luchese Family of La Cosa Nostra, one of the “Five Families” that constitute the Mafia in the New York City area.

In 2013, Mad…
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Atlantic City-Based Wiseguy Who Copped To Dealing Meth Sentenced

By Ed Scarpo
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A Philadelphia Mafia member who is based in Atlantic City, New Jersey, was sentenced on Thursday to 12.5 years in prison for selling around half a pound of crystal methamphetamine.
He also had staged a fake robbery of a New Jersey pawnshop to perpetrate an insurance fraud, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Salvatore (Sam) Piccolo, 68, of Atlantic City, a member of the Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra organized crime family, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler earlier this year to distributing methamphetamine and one count of wire fraud. Judge Kugler imposed the sentence in Camden federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Piccolo distributed quantities of crystal methamphetamine to FBI undercover agents on three separate occasions between June 2017 and September 2017. On one occasion, he sold the undercover agent approximately four ounces of crystal methamphetamine in a restaurant parking lot in Sicklerville, New Jer…
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Sheeran's Daughter: 'My Father Killed Jimmy Hoffa'

By Ed Scarpo
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When Frank Sheeran got the order to assassinate his mentor, Jimmy Hoffa, he knew he had no choice, he allegedly once said.

It was a case of kill on command or die for disobedience.



The disappearance of Teamsters union leader Hoffa 36 years ago remains one of America's most enduring mysteries. To this day, no one knows where his body ended up or what was done to it.

And if not for Sheeran's Catholic guilt at the end of his life and a tenacious former prosecutor turned crime writer, the story of how Hoffa died would never have been known either. So posits I Heard You Paint Houses, a true-crime memoir about Sheeran, aka The Irishman.
Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro are set to bring Sheeran's extraordinary life to the big screen.
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Who Really Killed Tommy Two-Guns DeSimone?

By Ed Scarpo
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It's one of gangland's most high-profile, enigmatic hits -- and the identity of the killer has been debated for decades.

Thomas "Tommy Two-Guns" DeSimone killed a made member of the Mafia -- and for that, among other things, he was killed in what's been described as a classic setup. The truth is, we know very little about this murder, including who pulled the trigger. (Or fired up the chainsaw, depending on who you believe). DeSimone disappeared, meaning there's zero evidence as to how he was killed; in fact, it can't be said with absolute certainty that he was killed.

Still, he was killed. Guys like him don't just disappear into thin air. They'd never leave New York because everything they want -- a certain lifestyle, basically -- is in New York and cannot be duplicated anywhere else. At the same time, there's no shortage of answers as to who and the why. Answers sell books and films, etc. There's reason to fabricate information.

It's…
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Bonanno Boss Mikey Nose Mancuso Makes "Scary" Appearance At Luchese Murder Trial

By Ed Scarpo
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What kind of gangster poses his elderly grandma with his dope? What kind of idiot is behind the camera?-- Gang Land News






NOTE: 1.) We believe we have found a source who was close to Michael Meldish for a time and who knows all about the Meldish brothers and the Purple Gang... 2.) Anthony Ruggiano Jr. was off yesterday, and we may occasionally interrupt that ongoing series to cover other stories...

A "shocking" photograph taken by turncoat witness Anthony Zoccolillo inspired the media to return to the Michael Meldish murder trial. (And we weren’t far behind.)

Zoccolillo flipped and gave the FBI more than 4,000 photos he had snapped. He testified that there was “20 or so pounds” of marijuana in those bags. The woman in the picture is Luchese soldier Vinny Bruno's grandmother who, according to Gang Land, wrote a letter to the sentencing judge to advocate for a lighter sentence for Bruno.

The photo was taken sometime before reputed Lucchese wiseguy Vincent Bruno was sent upri…
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