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Showing posts from June, 2011

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Mob Wives Finale: Drita, Karen and the Chapter One Plot Device

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I am a professional editor for a financial media company's online platform -- but for most of my 22-year career I have been a reporter/writer. I am writing a novel on the side; most professional journalists -- and mobsters, it seems -- want to write a book, fiction or otherwise, sell it, make a half a million, sell the movie rights, snatch up the other half of the million, and spend the rest of our lives living comfortably and writing. I can't tell you how many times I have given a chapter or short story to a friend to read; I can't tell you how many writer friends have handed me something to read -- one friend gave me a script hundreds of pages long. I couldn't make it past the title page of that one, as I recall. The truth is, it is a pain in the ass to read someone's work. Nine times out of 10, you have to tell them the work sucks, is nowhere near publishable.

Wannabe Mobster who stabbed Pizza Maker Calls Iacono a 'Great Guy'

A dopey mob wanna-be said yesterday he carved up a famous pizza maker over 'family issues' - but all is forgiven, writes the New York Daily News . Battista (Benny) Geritano, who the FBI says is a suspect in four old murders, claims he was acting in self-defense when he stabbed Mark Iacono, owner of Lucali pizzeria, in a bloody April 15 street fight. Both men were arrested, but the charges were dropped because neither wanted to go before a grand jury. READ REST We already covered this on June 22:  http://cosa-nostra- news.blogspot.com/2011/06/knife-fight-ends-in-draw-happily.html

Whitey's Woman: Loyal to the End

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From an early age, Catherine Elizabeth Greig knew the life of a moll. By about 20, she had married a Boston firefighter named Bobby McGonagle, joining a family with close ties to a gang that was part of the Irish mafia in their South Boston neighborhood. Violence and shootouts were not uncommon as gangs warred for control of the rackets, reports the  New York Times.com . Greig was arrested with Bulger in California. The poodles were, too. McGonagle was wounded in a gunfight in 1969. One of his brothers was killed that same year, and another in 1974. McGonagle blamed   James (Whitey) Bulger , a member of a rival gang, for both murders. McGonagle and Ms. Greig divorced a few years later, and she became involved with Bulger, more than 20 years her senior. "It was a sign, perhaps, that if she could overlook his possible involvement in the deaths of her two brothers-in-law, she could overlook a lot more," the article added. READ REST: Greig Remained Loyal to the End of Li

Like ‘Whitey’ Bulger and ‘The Departed’ - Real-Life Gangsters Are Gold for Filmmakers

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Many top gangster films today rely on real mafia men in order to make their characters more believable and realistic, writes IrishCentral . Specifically, the films, “The Departed,” “Lord of War,” “Donnie Brasco,” “Public Enemies,” and “Goodfellas” based their protagonists on major racketeers throughout the 20th century. Here’s a description of men some of these films were based on. [Note: some clips include profanity; The Departed does so quite heavily.] 1. “The Departed”- James “Whitey” Bulger Jack Nicholson plays the character of Frank Costello, who runs a mob in South Boston. According to Imdb.com , while an undercover cop is “assigned to infiltrate the mob syndicate... a hardened young criminal who has infiltrated the state police as an informer for the syndicate is rising to a position of power...” The mob that Frank Costello was running in the movie was based on Bulger's real-life gang, the Winter Hill Gang. 2. “Lord of War”- Viktor Bout Nicolas Cage plays an illegal

Forgotten Mafia Catalog Sells at Auction for About $11G

"It was an unlikely — and coveted — find: a thick United States government file discovered on the backseat of a New York City taxi, its pages containing mug shots, criminal associates and "favorite hangouts" of over 800 Mafia members during the 1950s and early 1960s. Such notorious figures as Carlo 'Don Carlo' Gambino, Meyer Lansky and Salvatore 'Lucky Luciano' Lucania each had their own entries. So reports  CBS News . Nearly 20 years after it was found inside the yellow cab by a passenger, the 3-inch thick, three-ring binder stamped 'Mafia' and 'United States Treasury Department Bureau of Narcotics' was sold at Bonhams New York on Wednesday for $10,980. The file, sold by James Finkle, a retired undersheriff from Essex County, N.J., was compiled sometime between 1957 and 1962 by the Bureau of Narcotics, an early iteration of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Why Whitey Topped FBI Most-Wanted List

"A 16-year manhunt that led the Federal Bureau of Investigation across oceans and across the United States finally ended this week with the arrest of Boston mob kingpin Whitey Bulger in Santa Monica, Calif.," reports the CSMonitor.com . "Although Mr. Bulger occupied a place near Osama bin Laden on America's most-wanted list, he wasn't a big household name outside his home state. Efforts to publicize the FBI hunt – including a new national media campaign highlighting photos of Bulger's girlfriend – were a key factor enabling authorities to catch up with him Wednesday night. "Bulger and companion Catherine Greig were living in a three-story, 28-unit apartment building in the coastal community near Los Angeles, blocks from the beach. The arrest was based on a tip prompted by the TV ads, an FBI official in the city said.

A Refresher in Mob Terminology

For readers who need to brush up on their Mafia terminology, here is "All the mob-related terms you've heard, but were afraid to ask about," writes  WWLP.com , providing a wealth of words and their definitions in alphabetical order. Associate - A person who is not a made member of a crime family, but still works for them. Boss - The leader of an organized crime family. The top guy. Borgata - A criminal gang. An Italian term referring to an organized crime family. Example: The Gambino Family is one of the five borgata's in New York. It's also a Sicilian term for a hamlet. Button Man - A made member, or official member of an organized crime family. Getting ones 'button' means you are inducted into the family. Capo Regime - aka 'Capo.' The Captain of a crime family. This person falls under the Boss, Underboss and Consigliere, but is a ranking member of the family that controls several made members and associates that are under him."

FBI: ‘Whitey’ Bulger Arrested

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Top Ten fugitive James “Whitey” Bulger was arrested thanks to a tip from the public—just days after a new media campaign was announced to help locate the gangster who had been on the run for 16 years, reports the  FBI . 16 years a lamaster.... Bulger, who once ran South Boston’s violent Winter Hill Gang and was wanted for his role in 19 murders, was arrested with his longtime companion Catherine Greig Wednesday night in Santa Monica, California, by agents of the FBI's Violent Crimes Task Force. “Although there are those who doubted our resolve, it never wavered," said Boston Special Agent in ChargeRichard DesLauriers. "We followed every lead, we explored every possibility, and when those leads ran out we did not sit back and wait for the phone to ring. The result is we have captured one of the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, a man notorious in Boston and around the world for the very serious crimes he is alleged to have committed." The FBI has

Memphis Top Cop: Organized Crime Unit Will Not Shut Down

Police director Tony Armstrong cleared the air about a report he's shutting down the Organized Crime Unit, reported WREG.com . In other words, he's not doing what the Feds did in New York, the home and breeding ground for the Mafia: They significantly reduced the size of their OC squads. "There are rumors I'm shutting down OCU as a whole, which is a false rumor," explained Armstrong. "Organized crime is still up and running. There are some rumors I'm shutting down the undercover program and that's also false." What director Armstrong says he is doing is reassigning some OCU officers. Many of whom he says have worked undercover their entire careers. "We do have some undercover officers coming to the end of their assignments they'll be assigned to uniform patrol." Armstrong wouldn't give specifics or numbers...but says safety won't be compromised and some of those officers could end up in his community policing detail

Retired Mobster on Life in 'the Life'

COSA NOSTRA NEWS EXCLUSIVE Interview with former mobster regarding day-to-day life; Sonny Girard spent nearly 30 years involved with La Cosa Nostra Sonny Girard was raised in the Red Hook and Navy Yard sections of South Brooklyn: Mob Country. He has spent the greater part of his adult life a respected associate of organized crime. His heydey ran from the mid 1960s to early 1990s. Sonny was characterized by the New York Post as "...a middle echelon member" of one of New York's five mob families. Eventually convicted later racketeering, under the R.I.C.O. Organized Crime Statute, by Rudy Giuliani's office, and sentenced to seven years in Federal Prison, Sonny Girard served the max, using his time to write the first of his three novels, "Blood of Our Fathers," which was published by Pocket/Simon & Schuster. Sonny can be seen on various television and radio shows and print interviews in the U.S., Canada, and Italy. His appearances and interviews in

Knife Fight Ends in a Draw, Happily

A Friday afternoon in April. A celebrated pizza chef and a mobster, acquaintances from the neighborhood, were slashing each other bloody on the streets of Brooklyn. Smith Street to be precise. Some say it was over a woman, that the chef was dating the ex-girlfriend of the mobster. The fight occurred outside Joe’s Superette deli in Carroll Gardens, a few blocks from Lucali on Henry Street, where pizza chef Mark Iacono sweated on a daily basis over his wood-burning oven, for years drawing rave reviews for his pizzas. Iacono suffered significant blood loss on that Friday in April, as did Batista "Benny" Geritano. The police charged both men with attempted murder and other crimes. They declined, however, to testify against each other. Each man walked away from court yesterday, when the Brooklyn district attorney had to dismiss all charges.

Caught on Video: Mob Associate Botches Hit, Is Offed by Police

The son of a high-profile Luchese mobster bungled a hit on another mob associate and was then himself shot to death in what is likely a case of “suicide by cop.” Dramatic surveillance footage was released today showing the botched hit Tuesday when Carl Lastorino, 45, who sources say is affiliated with a Luchese crew, fired a .38 caliber at connected merchant Peter Argentina, 49, at his tire shop on Linden Blvd. in East New York. Lastorino was the son of Frank Lastorino Sr., a murderous, high-profile capo and consigliere with the Lucheses who killed at least one rival mobster, planned the murders of several others, and even attempted a takeover of his own crime family. He was locked up by the feds in the 1990s, sources said. Specifically, he was sent to federal prison in 1993 for conspiracy to commit murder, sources said in a New York Daily News report. Although his brother is also a Luchese wiseguy, Carl Lastorino was not a made member of the mob, and police do not believe the

Cosa Nostra News Poll: Majority 'Enjoy' VH1's Mob Wives

Despite a flurry of negative comments, a majority of Cosa Nostra News readers who took part in a recent poll requesting how they felt about the hit VH1 show Mob Wives indicate they enjoy the show. Of the 180 poll participants, who could vote only once, and anyone could take part in the poll, 140, or 77% said, "Yes," they enjoy the show. At the same time, 36, or 20%, said no, they do not enjoy the show. Four respondents, or 2%, or a bit confused it would seem, being unable to form an opinion about the show. Bottom line -- despite all the haters out there, most readers of this site enjoy Mob Wives, which gives us a stamp of approval of sorts in that we have been giving it so much cyber space.

Mob Wives – Episode 9 Update via Vh1 Blog

"At their next meet-up, Karen presents Drita with the first chapter of her book and Drita pulls a 180," writes  Vh1 Blog . "It makes sense for her to want to protect her kids from anything in there about Lee, but Drita refuses to even read the thing. She gets more and more agitated as time goes on, finally telling Carla that the book is a betrayal. "'I was the only person there for her when everybody hated her f—ng face,' she says. 'I still think in my head that I should have smashed her face against the granite.'" "It doesn’t stop there (God bless Drita’s angry rants, we learn more creative ways to talk smack about people thanks to her). She says of the situation, and the fact that Karen was with Lee, “Someone from twenty years ago that he banged is definitely not coming into my life and giving me a f—ing headache…I absolutely do not trust Karen.”

Capone's Gun to Be Auctioned in London

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Scarface's piece could grab more than 80 large. "A handgun once owned by notorious gangster 'Al' Capone will be going up for sale at a London auction this week," reports the NYTimes.com . Christie's auction house says that the Colt .38 revolver is expected to sell for 50,000 pounds ($80,899) to 70,000 pounds ($113,258). The gun is being sold by an unidentified private collector, according to the auction house. It says the gun was manufactured in 1929 — by coincidence, the same year of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, in which seven people were murdered slain during clashes in Chicago between Capone's gang and a rival gang. The pistol will be sold along with an original letter from Madeleine Capone Morichetti, the widow of Al Capone's brother Ralph, confirming the gun "previously belonged to and was only used by Al Capone while he was alive." "The gun will go under the hammer on Wednesday," writes the  NYTimes.com .

Capeci Rebuff: Trial proceedings transcript to remain sealed

"A federal appellate court in New York has rebuffed the efforts of a journalist to unseal a transcript of unspecified, closed court proceedings in a high-profile criminal trial," according to The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press . The U.S. Court of Appeals in New York City (2nd Cir.) held in early June that journalist Jerry Capeci could not get access to a transcript from a part of the fraud trial of Milana Murcia. Capeci, who operates the website Gang Land News, was covering the trial when he learned that the court had sealed a transcript of a closed proceeding held earlier in the trial, according to a brief submitted on his behalf in the case. He sent a letter asking the trial court to unseal the transcript, but the court refused. The court also sealed the filings by the parties on the matter, as well as the opinion denying the order.

Assemblyman Under Fire for ‘Tony Soprano’ Comment

"A state assemblyman from Irvine is under fire from the National Italian-American Foundation for opposing a bill as a  Tony Soprano  insurance deal, and then apologizing "to all Italians who are not members of the Mafia and engaged in insurance scams,” reports  SWRNN.com . Assemblyman Don Wagner, R-Irvine, defended his remarks as a sincere apology, but nearly came to blows with Assemblyman Warren Furutani, D-Gardena, over the alleged slur. The exchange was telecast on the California Channel and posted on Youtube. The video showed other Assembly members physically separating the two on the floor of the Assembly last Wednesday. The leader of the western branch of the National Italian-American Foundation, Jeffrey M. Carpaccio, told the San Francisco Chronicle that the Orange County Republican’s comments were “shocking” and “reinforced a negative generalization about an entire community.”"

EW: Gotti Film Retitled

Gotti: Three Generations has undergone a slight makeover: The film, which stars John Travolta and is set to be directed by Barry Levinson, will now be titled Gotti: In the Shadow of My Father , a rep for the movie confirms to EW . Gotti centers on three generations of the infamous Gotti crime family, and boasts a big-name cast. Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, Lindsay Lohan, and Travolta’s wife Kelly Preston join  the Pulp Fiction actor in the film, which will be written by Levinson and James Toback ( Bugsy ). Edit. Note: Both titles stink... We are, however, impressed with the announced cast...

Organized Crime Hits Almost All Retailers

Of the 129 retail companies surveyed by the National Retail Federation (NRF) this year, nearly all (94.5%) have been the victim of organized retail crime in the past 12 months. Data from the “2011 Retail Organized Crime Survey” indicates this is a 6% increase from 89.5% of retailers that were victimized from May 2009-May 2010. READ REPORT: Organized Crime Hits Almost All Retailers

Judge Sought to Scare Associate Out of the Mob

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Micali's back tattoo was captured for posterity after his arrest. Federal Judge Sterling Johnson Jr. seemingly took a 39-year-old Gambino associate under his wing, for a moment, anyway. The judge warned Gambino associate John Micali that if he didn't stick to the straight and narrow from now on, he'd find himself six feet underground. ( Mobsters die, though these days, it's usually via natural causes .) Classified as a repeat offender, Micali was then sentenced to one year in federal prison for violating federal probation, and two additional two years for stealing Blackberry Storm and Apple iPhones at JFK Airport. The devices, which ranged in price from $100 to $300, were bound for Asia. Micali, called "dumbfella" in some reports, was pinched for swiping a shipment of smartphones and replacing the cargo with diapers. The Feds built a case against Micali by tapping his own smartphone. The total score could have allowed the young gangste

'Mob Wives' Exclusive: Spin-Off Could Expand to Miami, Las Vegas or Chicago

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"The 'Mob Wives' are looking to expand their operation," writes   TheWrap TV . "A spin-off of the VH1 hit isn't a go yet, but talks are underway to launch a new show in one of several cities with, shall we say, family connections. " 'There are conversations right now going on about a "Mob Wives" extension, absolutely,' " Ben Silverman, whose Electus studio executive produces the show with The Weinstein Company, told TheWrap. "The mob is everywhere and so are their wives.' " Mob Wives' Exclusive: Spin-Off Could Expand to Miami, Las Vegas or Chicago

Mobster Will Testify for Knox

Five serving prisoners, including a convicted Mafia mobster, are to testify to Amanda Knox's innocence as part of her appeal, reports the London Evening Standard . They will attend court in Perugia, Italy, under armed guard, after a judge ruled they could be heard. READ REST: Mobster and child-killer will testify for Knox | News

Gangster to Provide Jailed American Student Amanda Knox With Alibi

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Amanda Knox, jailed -- many believe unjustly -- for the brutal murder of her British roommate. Both girls were attending college in Italy, in the town of Perugia, when the crime was committed. A Mafia gangster is to appear in court in Italy in a bid to clear Amanda Knox , it was revealed yesterday. Said gangster likely is a turncoat, as he is going to state it was his own brother, a fugitive, who committed the murder of Brit Meredith Kercher. "Convicted mobster Luciano Aviello is among five inmates being allowed to speak on behalf of the 23-year-old American," reports The Sun . "She was jailed 18 months ago for the murder of Brit student Meredith Kercher, 21 - found with her throat cut in her bedroom in a house she shared with Knox in Perugia, Italy. "Knox is serving 26 years for the murder. But Aviello insists it was his fugitive brother Antonio who committed the crime. He claims he murdered Meredith, of Coulsdon, Surrey, after she disturbed him during a b

Shargel Defends Gotti in the 'Good Old Days'

Gerald Shargel has on his website a video clip of him giving his closing statement in one of the John Gotti RICO trials in the late 1980s . (You need to click on "History," go along the timeline to 1990 and click on the "play video" over the image of Gotti.) The fix was in -- and Gotti knew he'd be found not guilty. But watch this video and see the defense attorney in action. The Gambinos may have wasted some money with that payoff; Shargel just may have pulled it off. Elegant and intelligent, Shargel could use the force of argument as opposed to stomping around the courtroom, yelling and slam-dunking phonebook-thick indictments into garbage pails a la Bruce "the Bull" Cutler. According to Wikipedia , Shargel (born 1944) is a high-profile defense attorney based in New York City who has been a member of the New York Bar since 1969. He has garnered attention as both a trial and appellate lawyer, representing white-collar clients and ordinary crim

Reports Examine Trends in Organized Retail Crime

A survey of 129 retailers conducted by the National Retail Federation estimates that organized retail crime (ORC) losses cost retailers about $37 billion last year, up from $34 billion in 2009, reports Security Management . But a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on ORC , prepared for the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, and also released this week, takes issue with the industry's estimate of the size of the problem, saying that "it remains difficult to extrapolate ORC estimates to the retail industry as a whole from a limited sample of respondents." However, the GAO does not disagree that "ORC is a multibillion dollar issue that affects retailers and consumers nationwide." READ REST: Two Reports Examine Trends in Organized Retail Crime | Security Management

VH1 Greenlights New Season for Mob Wives

VH1 has ordered a second series of its newest hit series “Mob Wives,” which averaged 1.3 million total viewers for its premiere episodes during its first five weeks on the air, reports JohnJohnSaidIt.com . "Our viewers have connected passionately with these women and their unique, authentic stories... We’re very happy to be able continue those storylines,” said Jeff Olde, Executive Vice President of Original Programming & Production, VH1. READ MORE: VH1 Greenlights New Fall Season For Mob Wives

Death Penalty, San Gennaro Discussed By Mob Candy on Mafia Talk Radio Show

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"Plenty of times, the prosecutor on a mobster's case tries to push for the death penalty, but almost every single time, they never get their way. There have been a few cases in the news lately about this, and so we take the topic on," writes the Mob Candy Mafialife blog . "On this week's Mafia Talk Radio, we discuss how we feel about the concept in general. Should mobsters be getting the death penalty for what they do, when they get caught? "And, did you know the pressure has gotten thick for the people behind the San Gennaro Festival in Little Italy, and the 18th Ave Feast in Brooklyn? Looks like you will not be seeing any mob shirts, or tribute to the mob entertainment in any way. It seems the Italian American special interest groups are strong arming with the usual tacts, and putting a stop to it. This show we discuss how we feel about that. Especially since we are opening up a new cafe on 18th avenue this year, called ‘Mob Candy Cafe’. "And, d

Police: ATM Skimmer Has Organized Crime Ties

A Seattle man has been charged with four counts of identity theft after police say he used information skimmed from Chase bank ATM machines; prosecutors say the suspect has ties to organized crime rings operating in Washington and other states," writes Seattle PI.com. READ REST: Man arrested for ATM skimming has crime-ring ties - seattlepi.com

What Caused Agent Cuts After Big FBI Mob Bust?

Earlier this year, the FBI made an unprecedented bust, reports an article on Top Secret Writer by Dennis Dufrene. The Bureau, along with the NYPD, conducted a massive raid that resulted in the FBI mob busts of 127 known mobsters and included 16 indictments. The FBI and the NYPD held a press conference to somewhat boast about this operation. And boast they should. The Federal charges ranged from illegal gambling to extortion, racketing, narcotics trafficking and even murder. It was an FBI mob bust that law enforcement could be proud of. However, barely six weeks after the historic bust, the FBI began cutting the number of agents in its organized crime units by 25%. This move has left many law enforcement officials and citizens asking…why? Poorly Timed Budget Cuts? The official reason from the FBI for making this move is budget cuts.

'Goodfella' Henry Hill Star of Tonight's 'Locked Up Abroad'

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Henry Hill can be seen tonight on the Nat Geo channel in 'Locked Up Abroad.' Usually it's a young woman or man visiting some tropical paradise who gets caught with their hand in the cookie jar, only they are reaching for heroin or coke or some other narcotic, not chocolate chips. But tonight "Locked Up Abroad" (tonight meaning Wednesday, June 8 at 10PM ET on National Geographic Channel) focuses on a former mobster/turned informant who needs no introduction, but we will name him: Henry Hill star of books and a damn good award-winning film. “The wise guys had a certain code of ethics that they had to follow. Drugs was like the big no-no. There was only two outcomes: either death or incarceration for the rest of your natural life. Drugs was my downfall ... it’s a scourge and a curse and it almost cost me my life," Henry Hill said in a press release for the episode he is in, which we found on the website Monsters and Critics .

FBI: Mafia Plotted to Smear Kennedys Using Sinatra and Monroe

Mafia bosses planned to “compromise” Bobby and Edward Kennedy at a New York party in a plot involving Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe, according to FBI documents reports the Canada Free Press . An FBI statement accompanying the release of the papers said: “[The file] contains report of a rumor from an informant suggesting that elements of the Mafia wanted to attack the character of Edward and Robert Kennedy and their brother-in-law Peter Lawford by working through associates of Frank Sinatra to compromise them at a New York party. Both Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe were to be involved.” Mafia plot to smear Kennedys using Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe

Vito Rizzuto's Montreal Mansion for Sale

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Rizzuto's Montreal Mansion carries a nearly $2 million price tag, though we don't know if that's U.S. or Canadian dollars. The home of reputed Mafia kingpin Vito Rizzuto is up for sale, reports CBC News. The pricetag — $1.995 million. Rizzuto is currently living in a U.S. prison, where he is completing a 10-year sentence for racketeering. His lavish, custom-built stone home has four bedrooms, five bathrooms and double Thermador ovens. The home is custom-built with granite floors. The real estate listing says it also has elegant granite floors gracing a large entrance. The home is registered in Rizzuto's wife's name. The real-estate listing says Rizzuto's home is perfect for raising a family and entertaining. The home is in a neighbourhood nicknamed Mafia row because of the clutch of mansions the Rizzuto clan has built there. Family patriarch Nicolo Rizzuto also lived on the street, as did Vito's brother-in-law Paolo Renda. Renda vanished

Crime Pays for Jennifer Graziano

It wasn't until the fourth grade that Jennifer Graziano, creator and executive producer of the VH1 reality series "Mob Wives," suspected that her father, Anthony Graziano, might be in an unusual line of work, r eports the Los Angeles Times . "The teacher was going around the class, and everybody was reciting what their parents did for a living," Graziano, now 38, recalls. "I was like … 'I don't know what my father does.' And I didn't. I really didn't." Graziano may have been in the dark about her father's alleged Mafia connections — according to prosecutors, he was for years the consigliere of New York's Bonanno crime family and is currently in prison — but these days Graziano has not only accepted her family's checkered past, she's used it to make the leap into a career as a television producer. "Mob Wives," which concludes its first season June 26, follows four tough-talking, telegenic Staten Isla

Mob Killer Loved His Mom

 "He was a cold-blooded killer convicted of carrying out four murders for the Gambino crime family, but former Howard Beach resident Charles Carneglia also had a soft spot for his mother, according to a new book written by a New York Newsday court reporter who covered Carneglia’s racketeering trial for the daily paper, reads a review of the book Mob Killer on Your Nabe.com . “Mob Killer: The Bloody Rampage of Charlie Carneglia, Mafia Hit Man,” published by Kensington Publishing, details Carneglia’s connections to the mob underworld, including John Gotti Sr., the late Gambino don. “They saw him as the last of an era — the old Ozone Park crew that Gotti had and he was the last loyalist,” said author Anthony M. DeStefano, pointing out Carneglia did not turn on any of his fellow mobsters even as they betrayed him, leading to his arrest during a mob sweep in February 2008 that picked up 138 reputed mafioso. READ REST:  Mob hit man harbored soft spot for his Ozone Park mom: Book

Investigation Discovery to Debut 'I Married a Mobster'

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"If after your wedding, Colombo, Luchese, and Franzese are names in your new family, then having in-laws with baggage has a whole new meaning," reads the tagline for a new show coming from Investigation Discovery, called I Married a Mobster (the success of Mob Wives no doubt caught someone's attention). The show "provides an insider's perspective into the reality of New York mafia families from the first-person point-of-view of the Mrs. I Married a Mobster sits down with women and family members who lived the fast-paced lifestyle on the inside of organized crime. "Each woman shares the wild ride from how her relationship blossomed to the realities of living the high life and her family's eventual downfall as authorities locked up her loved ones, and maybe even her." Narrated and executive produced by Lorraine Bracco, who starred in both Goodfellas and The Sopranos, I Married a Mobster launches on Wednesday, July 13 at 10:30 p.m. ET, wit

'Gangster Squad,' About Mobster Cohen and the Cops Who Hunted Him

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LA gangster Mickey Cohen,circa 1940s. Crash actor Michael Pena has joined the all-star cast of Gangster Squad , a crime drama set in 1940s Los Angeles, writes the Hollywood Reporter, according to  Reuters . The Warner Bros. project centers on how, amid corruption and chaos, the LAPD created a unit called the Gangster Squad to keep the East Coast mafia out of the city. It is based on a seven-part Los Angeles Times article. Josh Brolin stars as John O'Mara, one of the few cops not on the payroll of gangster Mickey Cohen, being portrayed by Sean Penn. Ryan Gosling, meanwhile, will play Sgt. Jerry Wooters, a good cop who loves the bachelor life. Director: Ruben Fleischer ; Writer: Will Beall (adaptation) Meyer Harris "Mickey" Cohen (born Sept. 4, 1913, in Brooklyn , New York City  – died, July 29, 1976 in Los Angeles ) was a gangster based in Los Angeles and part of the Jewish Mafia ; he also had strong ties to the American Mafia from the 1930s through 1960s. Acc

Report: Sliwa Accused of 'Italio-phobic' Racism in TV Appearance

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Curtis Sliwa, leader/founder of the Guardian Angels. Guardian Angels leader Curtis Sliwa "has exposed himself as a racist during his weekly appearance on a New York City cable news show last Friday," argues an article on The Right Perspective . During NY1′s weekly Political Rundown, Sliwa also launched into "Italio-phobic stereotypes when discussing Governor Cuomo’s ethics push, donning a Godfather-like hat and implying that the mafia runs New York politics. Sliwa has made trashing Italians a staple of his career." Sliwa "donned a sombrero and waved Mexican flags while yelling in a bad Mexican accent, 'Andale andale!,' 'I can be Viva Zapata, too!' and, 'Oh, no, Señor Cuomo, we love you because you love the banditos, don’t you, you gringo?... eh?' " Political Rundown co-host, and El Diario-La Prensa editor-in-chief, Gerson Borrero "looked down and hung his head while Sliwa went on. 'You make a fool and mockery of

FBI Releases Bank Crime & Robbery Stats for Q1 2011

There were 1,092 reported violations of the Federal Bank Robbery and Incidental Crimes Statue during the first quarter of 2011, a decrease from the 1,183 reported violations in the same quarter of 2010. There were 1,081 robberies, nine burglaries, two larcenies, and one extortion of financial institutions reported between Jan. 1, 2011, and March 31, 2011. Highlights of the report: Loot was taken in 88 percent of the incidents, totaling more than $7.5 million. Of the loot taken, 20 percent of it was recovered -- more than $1.7 million was recovered and returned to financial institutions. Bank crimes most frequently occurred on Friday, most frequently between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Acts of violence were committed in 4 percent of the incidents, resulting in 24 injuries, three deaths and 18 persons taken hostage. Demand notes were the most common modus operandi used, closely followed by oral demands. Most violations occurred in the Western region of the U.S., with 353 reported

With OTB Gone, Mob Bookies Positioned for Big Payoff

Looking for a sure thing at Saturday's 143rd running of the Belmont Stakes? writes the New York Daily News . Bet on organized crime and illegal bookies to win, place and show a bigger profit at the first Belmont since Off Track Betting shuttered its 54 New York City betting parlors in December. "Where there is money to be made, the mob is most certainly there," one veteran Bonanno family soldier said of the chance to cash in on the Triple Crown race. "They were taking bets when OTB was operating," he continued. "And I'd bet — no pun intended — that they have been taking bets on this race for weeks now." READ REST

'Mob Wife' Drita May Put Hot Pics for Hubby Into Calendar

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Mob Wives star Drita D’Avanzo shared some more of her recent modeling photos on Facebook , including a number of revealing bikini pictures... According to one of her comments, the photo shoot was for an upcoming calendar, according to StarCasm.net , which added "exactly what Drita said:" Thnks everyone…and yes this photographer for those who asked is in Brooklyn 86st…. I will have a calander coming out soon…that. Imreally excited for…xoxo                                                                           From Drita's photo shoot (courtesy of Facebook; let's hear it for social media!). A Drita calendar may be in the works, we are told.

Judge on Mafia Trial Wants Ethics Inquiry

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Judge Garaufis Eastern District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis is referring to the First Department disciplinary committee the testimony of two witnesses in the trial of Vincent Basciano, reports the New York Law Journal . According to said testimony, the three lawyers in question had disclosed the dining habits of a federal prosecutor, which could have resulted "in injury or murder of a law enforcement officer." Judge Garaufis said he was "extremely troubled" by the testimony. In his statement following a recent proceeding at trial, the judge said, "I am not saying or concluding" that the testimony of the two witnesses, both members of organized crime families, were true, "but I think they require some investigation,'" the Law Journal reports. READ REST: NY Judge on Mafia Trial Wants Ethics Inquiry - New York Law Journal

Commission Warning: Proposed Gambling Expansion Into Chicago Will Attract 'The Outfit'

The Chicago Crime Commission is warning Gov. Pat Quinn that if he signs the gambling expansion legislation now on his desk, organized crime will be involved, according to CBS Chicago . As WBBM Newsradio 780′s Mike Krauser reports, Crime Commission chairman J.R. Davis says it is beyond his comprehension that the Illinois House and Senate both passed the bill, which he calls “dangerous.” “Federal prosecutors,” he says, “should plan for a constant stream of federal corruption indictments against government officials, gambling operators and members of the Crime Syndicate.” Davis notes that the bill creates the Chicago Casino Development Authority, separate from the Illinois Gaming board, which, he says, is known for its integrity. He adds that the move essentially puts Chicago gaming in untested and most likely politically-connected hands. AUDIO of Newsradio 780′s Mike Krauser's report (scroll down page for it) READ REST OF STORY

Ex-Nun Attorney General Writes 'The Family,' a Mob Musical

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Don Marco, died in 1984 of natural causes -- Christ,  whatta  mug on the guy! Barely two minutes into an interview, Arlene Violet tosses off a sentence that quite possibly has never been uttered before by a librettist in the entire history of the American musical theater, writes  The Boston Globe . “When I was attorney general, I prosecuted a lot of mob guys.’’ Not your typical showbiz resume, to say the least. But then there has been nothing typical about Violet’s life: from her 23 years as a nun, to her election in 1984 as the first female attorney general in the United States, to her stint as a fiery talk-show host, to her current project: “The Family,’’ which is summed up in its subtitle: “A Musical About the Mob.’’ She has also written a book about her law-enforcement career, "The Mob and Me." According to Arlene Violet, numerous characters in “The Family’’ were inspired by real-life figures , such as Don Marco (see above right). Following the old adage to writ

Intelligence-Led Policing Strategy Strives to Proactively Stop Crime

Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco was an officer in Fairfax, Va., in 2001, when terrorists crashed an airliner into the Pentagon, reports the  St. Petersburg Times . The images and emotions of 9/11 never left Nocco, who announced last week that he's taking the Sheriff's Office in a new direction. He plans to implement a method called "intelligence-led policing," an approach that has gained steam since the terrorist attacks. It focuses on agencies gathering intelligence and sharing that information within their departments and with other local, state and federal agencies. It's part homeland security, but also a method of tracking and taking down organized crime. For instance, one county might have two convenience store robberies. A bordering county might have had a rash of four. In intelligence-led policing, these agencies would share information to help catch the crook. The idea is that criminals don't respect or care about county or city lines and that law enforcem

Era Ends With Closing of Elaine's, Owned by "First Woman Mafia Don"

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The food was considered awful, the decor described as "dingy" but "underworld" luminaries ate there, a Billy Joel song immortalized the eatery, and bestselling authors included the place in countless novels. The former Manhattan institution was owned by Elaine Kaufman, who reputedly thought nothing of punching customers or throwing out tourists. Yet Elaine’s restaurant in New York’s upper East Side was always jam packed. Celebrities, writers, high-powered executives and Mafiosi were among her regulars.

La Cosa Nostra Marketing Firm... ?

What the hell is this all about? ... Cosa Nostra of Marketing . It's a market research firm that compares itself to the Mafia... but why? How? Maybe someone watched one too many episodes of The Sopranos .

Mob Wife Renee To Launch Jail Mail Inc. Online Site

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"Renee didn’t need to look any further than her own life for the inspiration behind her new business venture “Jail Mail,” according to a story in the  National Enquirer . The 41-year-old mafia princess – daughter of imprisoned mobster Anthony Graziano – is launching a greeting-card service that will "make it easier for people to send letters to their loved ones in prison." At the jailmailinc.com website, which is expected to launch in June, customers will be able to purchase customized stationery that can include uploaded personal pictures and get help with their letter-writing. The company will also store important dates like inmates’ birthdays and anniversaries in their database to make sure no major life event goes unnoticed, according to the Enquirer story. The website is live now, but the business has not yet launched. The site has this logo and details: