Cosa Nostra News

From  Radar Online , we get another "Mob Wives" exclusive, courtesy of Ramona Rizzo, who picks up where Karen left off ... This is a systematic attack by two members of the cast who are defending Love -- either a.) out of loyalty, b.) to boost their street "creds" or c.) to keep the drama alive between seasons -- we can't tell which. Oh, and one of Jenn Graziano's useful idiots is saying that the creator/queen of the reality show is denying these stories (and that I should quit the "coattail-riding"). We give this useful idiot the single-finger salute! Season three of Mob Wives ended with a drama-filled reunion show, but castmate Ramona Rizzo claims certain parts were “conveniently” edited out, and RadarOnline.com has all the exclusive details of what was missed — including accusations of racism and homophobia! According to Ramona, Carla Facciolo — who got into it withLove Majewski, causing her to be fired from the show and uninvited f

From Cleveland.com : Joe Gallo at court in 1976 -- when else would someone be wearing a jacket that looked like that??? From his small business in Orange, Joseph Gallo ascended to the top of the Cleveland Mafia family and helped oversee a $15 million-a-year drug ring that killed seven people. Gallo, a mob captain to boss Angelo "Big Ange" Lonardo, died April 3 in a federal prison medical center in Springfield, Mo., a spokesman said. He was 75. A cause of death was not released, and Gallo's immediate family could not be reached. Thirty years ago, the city's mob wars played out daily on the front page, as bombings, indictments and slayings became routine. Today, the mob's story is written in the obituaries of its soldiers who ordered the executions and demanded payment. "He was a very strong person," said James Willis, an attorney who knew Gallo well but did not represent him. "He was definitely a standup guy. He was very well respected

Well, the other shoe has finally dropped and we finally know what happened -- or at least what Karen Gravano told her pals at  Radar Online  in an "exclusive" interview. Love Majewski was both fired and uninvited to the reunion show taping because Carla Facciolo threatened to sue the network over a cat fight the two women had -- according to the celebrity gossip site, which seems to be Karen's preferred venue of choice for scoops. “I think Love wasn’t invited because Carla pretty much spoke to VH1 about not showing up if Love was invited,” Karen told Radar.

Real Talk with Love Majewski from Mob Wives (EXCLUSIVE interview)

Love Majewski wasn't there in body, but she was certainly there in spirit, hovering over the set like a shadow, growing and shrinking, whirling about to touch different mob wives as if tugging at their soul to gain purchase. And she did a few times -- primarily with Karen and Ramona, and to a lesser degree, Renee. Love's dusky spirit wasn't able to get anywhere near Drita and Carla, and even Big Ang. Some pretty basic deductions can be made about the behind the scenes machinations that led to Love being tossed out on her ass. Having finally watched the reunion late last night I was able to spend occasional idle moments at work mulling over who said what. ("Mob Wives" took the zest from my day; I stayed up so late watching it, I was exhausted at my workstation, gulping down vat after vat of espresso-laced coffee staring at the computer screen bleary-eyed, as I am doing now at my home office. I am going to slip into a coma as soon as I finish dinner.)

"English" Shaun From Phoenix New Times : "Sammy the Bull had the name, and his ride on the ecstasy merry-go-round made headlines around the nation when the former hit man was arrested. The drug, and the rave scene that favored it, had sprung up seemingly out of nowhere. The quantities of pills he brought into the Valley at the time were unheard of. But law enforcement sources now agree that while Gravano had muscle and flash, he was no English Shaun. Gravano lacked Shaun's intelligence, organization, and diverse array of products, they say. They also claim that Attwood easily moved millions of dollars' worth of meth, ecstasy, pharmaceuticals and marijuana through parties and raves in the Valley over the past few years, and they are careful to qualify that estimate as conservative. English Shaun was bigger, in other words, than Sammy the Bull ." Fresh from NatGeo , we present the trailer for Locked-Up Abroad "Raving Arizona," which will air

Joe "Waverly" Cacace, back in the day. Joel “Joe Waverly” Cacace , former acting boss of the Colombo family, no longer need concern himself about being put to death by the state. Cacace is charged with putting a contract on  Officer Ralph Dols  after the cop married his, Cacace's, ex-wife. Dols was off duty when he was gunned down outside his home in Brooklyn in 1997. Earlier this week, the feds took the death penalty off the table, as per an announcement by US Attorney General Eric Holder, who "issued the course-reversing directive -- made public today -- without citing a rationale for his shift," according to the New York Post. However, the decision may have something to do with the fact that Team America already tried to pin the murder of Dols on Thomas “Tommy Shots” Gioeli and Dino Saracino in an earlier trial, and both men were cleared, a fact that Cacace's attorneys no doubt would get a lot of mileage out of during Cacace's upcoming t

Dr. Drew Pinsky is to host Mob Wives reunion -- in the name of god, why? Occasionally, I find a blog story and have to gasp -- it's like the author had read my mind and took the time to put my very own thoughts on paper. As I mentioned below, why the hell is Dr. Drew hosting the reality show Mob Wives' reunion?  From  Jezebel: "Dr. Drew will be hosting the Mob Wives Season 3 reunion. Something about that just seems ridiculous. What purpose does it serve to have a board-certified internist rehash a season's worth of gossipy bullshit and infighting that occurs on shows like this? (The job was previously held by talk show host Wendy Williams and comedian Joy Behar.) Maybe Dr. Drew's increasingly ubiquitous presence in pop culture—which has always been rationalized by the pretense of medical expertise, however flimsy—has finally become inexcusable. "Let's review how this was a long time coming... " READ THE COMPLETE STORY

Regarding the VH1 Sneak Peek video clip below: Right off the bat, Karen surrounds us with her sheer dimension as she sinks solidly into full-blown shock-and-awe psycho mode. She proclaims to Carla -- victim of her wrath -- from right out of the clear blue: " You should respect me ." These girls still don't know the meaning of the word "respect." (And what the hell is Dr. Drew doing there? Ratings game that rough?) From this brief clip, it appears Carla says something about Ramona's dad -- regular readers of this blog know how great the feud is between Ramona and her father, a Gambino capo; probably the only reason Ramona is on "Mob Wives" and still able to breathe sweet precious air is because she has cleverly managed to avoid mentioning her father in any way, shape or form. She was able to deflect attention away from daddy by using dear, departed grandpa -- Lefty Two-Guns, aka HorseCock, aka Benjamin Ruggiero -- to fill her personal mob qu

"Blow it out yer ass... I didn't steal nothin!" Where was Paulie Gaultieri when this happened? From  KTXL FOX40 : BUTTE COUNTY- The Butte County Sheriff’s Office says a recent, $200,000 walnut theft is linked to an organized crime ring out of southern California. Investigators say the walnuts were stolen Feb. 28 from the Gold State Nut Company in Biggs, Calif. The business were sending the nuts to a buyer, but say they were never delivered. Throughout the investigation, detectives served warrants and followed up on leads in Glendale, Lodi and Van Nuys. Investigators say they’ve learned the walnut theft is just one of several cargo thefts done by the same group. Law enforcement and the Butte County Farm Bureau will meet May 15 to discuss how to prevent similar thefts in the future. Read more: http://fox40.com/2013/04/17/200000-walnut-theft-linked-to-organized-crime-ring/#ixzz2QrXnyZQy

Think la cosa nostra was involved somehow? From  NY1 : FBI agents were seen searching a Madison Avenue art gallery Tuesday that authorities suspect may have been used to launder money linked to Russian organized crime. The scheme was focused on high-stakes poker games attended by professional athletes, Hollywood celebrities and Wall Street titans, federal authorities say. The FBI arrested people in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles as part of the investigation, but are looking for three more. Authorities are now asking for the public's help tracking down 40-year-old Abraham Mosseri, 49-year-old William Edler and 45-year-old Donald McCalmont. They avoided arrest and are now wanted as fugitives. "The charges stem from illegal gambling businesses to money laundering and extortion," said Belle Chen of the FBI Criminal Division. "This group, this organization conducted high-stakes poker games, which were attended by millionaires and billionaires international

From the  NYPOST.com : 1999  - COMMON MAN: Bartolomeo Vernace (at left in  each photo) was snapped at multiple Mafia funerals. The pix are evidence in his Brooklyn double-murder trial. Dozens of surveillance photos showing New York mobsters hobnobbing at a succession of funerals spanning two decades are key evidence in the Mafia double-murder trial of a Gambino capo in Brooklyn federal court. The “15 Funerals and Two Stiffs” twist in the trial of Bartolomeo “Bobby Glasses” Vernace is intended to convince jurors the mob boss was not merely paying his respects — but also actively engaged in Mafia business when he consorted with other wiseguys at the send-offs. The feds are trying to prove that the 1981 murder of Queens tavern owners Richard Godkin and John D’Agnese was part of the Gambinos’ racketeering activities — and not just a barroom shooting that began with a spilled drink.

"The first time I discussed business with members of Sammy the Bull’s crew, I brought along one of the notorious Rossetti Brothers, who also worked security for me." --Shaun Attwood, "Hard Time" Shaun Attwood is a Brit who came to America, Arizona specifically, to seek his fortune and ended up getting busted for selling drugs. He spent a couple of years in one of America’s toughest jails—the one run by who else but the self-described toughest sheriff in America, Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County. Mobsters, Aryan skinheads, bikers, transvestites and assorted other colorful criminals would soon count among his friends. You probably don't know Shaun unless you have come across his superb blog, Jon's Jail Journal , where he detailed his experiences while on the inside. May 1, 2011, marked the American debut of his book, "Hard Time: Life with Sheriff Joe Arpaio in America's Toughest Jail ." The excerpt below involves how he brushed

Barto Vernacet From  NY Daily News : A FEDERAL prosecutor urged jurors to "stand up" against fear of the Mafia and convict Gambino capo Bartolomeo Vernace of gunning down two men in a Queens bar more than 30 years ago. During closing arguments Monday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin Mace reminded the panel that bartender Patrick Sullivan had feared for his life but finally came forward to help the feds to make a murder-in-aid of racketeering case against the longtime gangster. "Nothing short of terror reigns in a community when three men walk into a bar, shoot two men over a spilled drink then walk out and continue their lives," Mace said. "The defendant believed he could get away with murder." Vernace's accomplices also beat the rap after witnesses, including Sullivan, recanted their identifications of the killers. "The violence, the fear, the lies must stop," Mace said Monday in Brooklyn Federal Court.

NOTE: A little birdie told me there's more to Love's mysterious busted hand than we were told... something about her going on a rampage at an event not part of the "Mob Wives" episode. Well, Love Majewski is no longer on "Mob Wives," it seems. Unless there is an elaborate hoax going on, the season three finale is Love's swan song on the show. She's been fired and based on tweets I have seen flowing on Twitter from the lady herself it would seem there is some sort of non-disclosure agreement which would prevent her from discussing too much about the split publicly... Still, this has become a social media event, as has so much of "Mob Wives"... Love looks better in photos... The big question is, why is she gone? I don't know why -- but I could guess. It could be as obvious as some of us think, or not. But based on my 20 years of experience in corporate America, I can say it is likely one of the following reasons: 1. She

Prison, coupled with Graves' disease, appears to have taken its toll on the former Gambino underboss-turned-informant who helped put John Gotti away for the rest of the one-time Dapper Don's days...

And another dialogue from Mr. DeLucca, our foreign correspondent, in which he describes why the Italians tend to take violence to a far deeper level than is known to happen in the U.S. Is he writing fact or fiction? You decide... Antonio Bardellino, first Casalesi boss. An anonymous comment in my previous article questioned me about Roberto Saviano. Saviano is the infamous Italian journalist who revealed a lot about the power dynamics and economic capabilities of the Camorra. And, in particular, of the Casalesi Clan. Anyway, in the book, camorristi are presented as brutal, blood-lovers, savage animals who would not have any old-fashioned Christian consideration for the life of women, children, senior citizens and pets. The anonymous reader of the blog asked me "what did I think about that?" Well... honestly, our anonymous friend is on to something... Roy DeMeo ran a workhorse crew for the Gambino family. Before I give my opinion I want to make clear

Jodi the blond, before the first-degree murder of ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander. I have been following the case of that psycho Jodi Arias for some time -- those of you who don't know of her, she has nothing to do with the mob (although she would've had a great career as one of Anastasia's hitters back in the days of Murder Inc.), but is a figure whom I think many of you will find interesting nevertheless; she is now on trial for murdering her boyfriend on June 4, 2008, at his home in Mesa, Arizona, stabbing him 29 times, slitting his throat, and a shooting him in the head. I found this story about Jodi on a blog I had never before heard of, Prinniefied.com -- and wanted to pass it on to you all to read. [Note: This is how you backlink to a story, Ms. Mob Wives Freeish Info!] From Prinniefied.com , written by Paula Uruburu, author of American Eve: Jodi's new look: a jury is watching now, you know. Forgive me but I couldn’t resist. I borrowed my ti

From Mafialifeblog.com : In the midst of all the bullshit going on with my family’s Mob Candy brand. Renee Graziano is still putting out, and promoting her own attempt at a Mob Candy line of jewelry, clothing, and shoes on VH1′s Mob Wives TV show. A while back before the episode aired, she did a few interviews on TV, radio, and the internet mentioning her plans to push a Mob Candy brand. Of course, I completely flew off my rocker, and had a lot to say on my blog. You could read what I wrote here . The problem is, while I was ranting about how fucked up Renee was, I threw Jenn Graziano in the mud, and said a few things that i need to stand corrected on. Spoke to Jenn for a bit this week, when she texted me concerned about a few details in the blog I wrote. what i thought was going to turn into a heated argument actually was a very respectful constructive one. I called her so we could discus things further. Even though we disagreed on many issues, she managed to explain how she wil

Why do I write this blog? I have been asking myself that for some time now, truth be told. I love to write, have a deep interest in the mob. It seemed to make sense at the time... but I think, what if I had put all that time and effort into writing a novel or screenplay -- some kind of property I could try to sell. Instead I find myself a dartboard; any anonymous idiot can fling a dart at me, insult me, attack the messanger and not the message. What annoys me are the anonymous comments written by those who I believe I can identify... then I feel betrayal ... I don't know... this may well be the last post ever to appear on this blog. I don't know... Maybe not. Blogging is a compulsion -- almost an addiction, I guess you could say. So maybe I won't be able to stop. Guess we shall find out... Actually, I made my decision... Please click the "continued" link...