One-time War Hero Turned Mob Enforcer Faces Life in Prison

By Ed Scarpo
Sam Volpendesto was once a war hero, but now, age 87, he faces the possibility of spending his final years behind bars, reports the BostonHerald.com.

At Volpendesto's upcoming sentencing for the 2003 bombing of a Chicago-area video poker company, prosecutors painted him as an Outfit enforcer with a reputation for wielding baseball bats and an interest in watching another mobster stuff body parts through a meat grinder.

"His defense attorneys, however, hope to turn back the clock to World War II, when Volpendesto won a Bronze Star for helping to save fellow sailors trapped inside a crippled destroyer," reports BostonHerald.com.

Read complete article: War hero turned mob thug faces ’life sentence’ - BostonHerald.com

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

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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."






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ALL GUILTY: Lucchese Trial Ends With Convictions On Murder, Racketeering, Other Crimes

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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.

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In The Street Robbing, Pillaging, Plundering: Anthony Ruggiano Jr. Interview, Part Three

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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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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.

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



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By Ed Scarpo
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"There are two more members that are talking,"from Joe Valachi's autobiography, as quoted by journalist Jack Anderson in an article published in 1963.



Before Anthony Ruggiano (Senior, aka Fat Andy) could get made in 1953, his name had to go around to the other New York families to solicit any possible objections.

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For this, the previous story, and the rest in this series, we are using information provided to us by Anthony Ruggiano Jr. In the next installment Anthony will address your comments...

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