Retired Camorrista Considers American Mafia's Sad Fate
Mr. DeLucca, who wrote a series of articles for me months ago, is back. He contacted me and to my surprise had no intention of writing, he was just being cordial, a lost art in America. I asked him if he'd write some more articles and told him that people had emailed me for some time after he'd stopped writing for this website. He was quite surprised, so he said he'd think about it. Then, this morning, I just got this story from him. I gave it a quick edit -- how I wish I had someone to give all my writing "a quick edit" -- and here it is, hot off the presses as they used to say. When reading DeLucca forget about what is truth and what is not - that's not a cop out; the point is you have to just give yourself over to an artist painting a picture for you of America's Cosa Nostra as seen through the eyes of an Italian steeped in the old world traditions and culture. I see DeLucca's work as a reflection of America itself, with echoes of both the good and the bad. Who is Mr. DeLucca? For one thing he is a writer. What else matters here?
My dear friend, Eddie, has allowed me to write some articles about some past events.
After smoking my cigar and finishing a cold bottle of vino rosso (nights are hot and humid right now), I'm starting to think. 'America' is a land of opportunities, if you have the brains for it. Hundreds of years ago, illiterate immigrants from southern Italia were able to take most of the good rackets over here, in the land of opportunity. With brains, balls, and their ability to organize things, heaven was the limit.
Now here´s my thought. What would happen if big numbers of Neapolitan wiseguys decide to move to the East Coast? Or better. Imagine you are captain of a certain crew and you decide to bring down guys that you know won't rat because they are not little girls afraid of doing heavy prison time. These guys, the ones called in, come from homes that were far worse than any living conditions inside a prison. And these guys won´t miss their flat screen TVs, videogames and whore girlfriends. They don't show off, either, these guys. They keep things quiet. And they are as loyal as pitbulls.
Now here´s my thought. What would happen if big numbers of Neapolitan wiseguys decide to move to the East Coast? Or better. Imagine you are captain of a certain crew and you decide to bring down guys that you know won't rat because they are not little girls afraid of doing heavy prison time. These guys, the ones called in, come from homes that were far worse than any living conditions inside a prison. And these guys won´t miss their flat screen TVs, videogames and whore girlfriends. They don't show off, either, these guys. They keep things quiet. And they are as loyal as pitbulls.
Sure, certain guys like Carmine Galante played the game; Tony Soprano (in fiction) enjoyed the benefits. But consider what the current American LCN is going through: Most of the guys rat, some of them can't point to Italy on a map; others are junkies and others are pure psychos (they can come in handy sometimes, don't get me wrong, but they are usually terrible at earning and boring to be around.)
In critical moments, you need reliable workers.
There is a war in Montreal right now, and Rizzutto could use some good people.Are there any Camorristi up in French Canadá? I don't know. Am I in Canadá? Couldn't say...
So, you want to build up your offensive and defensive firepower so you bring one guy from Naples. He becomes your personal bodyguard. While you sleep at night in your bed, you feel safe, because he is keeping an eye on you, patrolling your home, your neighborhood, your city, your world. He makes sure you are ok; when you have il espresso a la domenica mattina, he watches as you sip it.
He, in fact, handles your agenda for the whole week. This guy knows how to use a Beretta, a .38, an M-16 and a Mini-Uzi. And he won´t freeze when asked to do work. Any family needs good workers to survive.
After a while, you bring in two more, young Neapolitans about to get made in Naples, but you can make them much more rapidly in the New World. They have the credentials all real Camorristi have: they have spent years in jail, they never talk, no matter what they are offered, they have made their bones and, perhaps most importantly, they respect authority.
You now have three loyal and solid guys you can use in any way, shape or form: You need them to collect, forget about it; you need to send a message, forget about it; you need somebody to watch your wife and kids? Forget about it. You need guys to know how to keep silent when is required? Forget about it..... guys from southern Italy understand the culture of silence like New Yorkers understand baseball.
And by the end of the year you have a little crew of five to eight guys. Now, if you are fluent in Italian or one of its dialects, you can have total privacy with your guys. Right? It would be like a family inside a family.
And by the end of the year you have a little crew of five to eight guys. Now, if you are fluent in Italian or one of its dialects, you can have total privacy with your guys. Right? It would be like a family inside a family.
Remember, I´m just thinking out loud.
You don't have to imitate Carmine Galante and attract so much negativity toward you. But you can be a regular guy, share what you make with your crew and be certain that you have reliable people around you. It would make it harder for them to attack you, believe me, and if your family goes to war? Forget about it. You have your own Navy Seal team.
You don't have to imitate Carmine Galante and attract so much negativity toward you. But you can be a regular guy, share what you make with your crew and be certain that you have reliable people around you. It would make it harder for them to attack you, believe me, and if your family goes to war? Forget about it. You have your own Navy Seal team.
I am smoking my cigar and drinking Sambuca now, thinking. If I were to come out of retirement, where would I find guys who have the balls to take what they want but at the same time, also have the brains to follow the rules?
Seems sometimes it is a question of one or the other.
But not in Naples. Never in Naples.
This guy makes it out to seem like there are no rats in naples. these neapolitans would sell you their mother for the right price.
ReplyDeleteNot that this is related to this story but I have heard Mafia bosses in NY are importing guys over from Sicily to supplement their losses in manpower. I'd bet money the Gambinos at least are doing it. I've decided to go back to the beginning and study the birth of organized crime in Italy - trace it upward from the roots and see how the US mob is related. I already learned some surprises, including the "great deception" that allowed the Sicilian mob to grow and prosper. It involved the duality of what the word "mafia" as Sicilians defined it.
ReplyDeletewhat the word "mafia" MEANT as...
DeleteEd would you mind elaborating on what you "heard"? I could see the Gambino family maybe possibly bringing in some guys from Sicily, cousins and whatnot since the Sicilian faction has assumed control but the genovese family...no, the lucchese family...no, the colombos...hahahaaa and finally the Bonannos who have actually done this on a large scale and it backfired on them or at least on he who did the importing but now the top bonanno guys are americans. So what bosses are you speaking of???????
DeleteI "heard" through emails readers send me and a retired detective I touch base with. Also there are comments on this blog that say it. I hear the same thing from different sources who don't know each other I consider it a likely trend. Unless you are a made guy how could you answer yes or no categorically regarding any family about anything??
DeletePoint taken in regards to the categorical no. Historically the Genovese, Colombo & Lucchese families haven't had a sicilian faction like the Gambino's or Bonanno's. It's hard for me to believe the Genovese or Lucchese family is importing and making sicilians, I could be wrong but I doubt it.
DeleteLet me say that although I may be argumentative often I really enjoy the blog, keep up the good work and don't get upset when I breaka you balls.
Thanks! I appreciate that you spend time here and comment - I read all the comments to try to get a handle on what people are thinking, maybe find story ideas etc. And only the death threats upset me!
DeleteJust for the sake of having a good conversation.
DeleteNow a days in Naples, some clans (can´t say which) are bringing guys from Russia, Ukrania, Poland.... specially former military guys. In Camorra clans, not all clans have a ritual ´to make you´. It does not exists just like in America and if it does, is not that ellaborated. Only sicilians and Camorra clans that copied the sicilians during the time of Coutolo ´make their members´.
Anyhow, you can have guys (at the level of associattes in the US) but, with a lot of experience (according to what you need).
Can´t you do that in America? Instead of getting associattes that you have to teach them everything, let´s asume, you bring guys from Naples with experience and you don´t ´have to make them´.
Naples guys, If they can make money, lots of it and do work, they are more tan happy to do so wherever. You can bring some guys, keep them on the side and using for whatever you want.
Does this sounds crazy? Not all, is happening.
It's very hard to compare Italy and USA because the US government is much more effective at fighting the Mafia then the Italian government. There is a lot less collusion between our gov and cosa nostra then say the italian government and sicilian mafia.
DeleteIf you brought naples guys here they would eventually want or insist on being made. It's the highest honor they can give you and if you do the work and take the risks and your italian why would you not want it? the button gives you access to make more money and isnt that the bottom line here?
You are thinking like a sicilian.... and that is ok.
DeleteBut again, in Naples the idea of getting made does not exist for every clan. And if it does, is diferent. You cannot demand what you don´t know exists or, never fully understood.
Is like me. I´m a retired camorrista, lots of years in the Camorra, lots of wars like you have no idea, lots of good work done and it is not until now (since I am in the new world) that I came to know the ´getting made´ issue like you are arguing.
Nobody in Naples really wants to copy sicilians. That is my point, getting made would force me to do a sicilian thing.
You have to remember my anoymous friend, that there are even now, regional tensions and predjudice amont sicilians and napoletane, even wars against the Cosa Nostra and the Camorra, in the early 1900´s in America and in the 80´s and 90´s in Italy. I was part of one.
So getting made in the way you argue, you call it an honor, I see it as a sicilian thing.
I assumme there are a lot of associattes that bring lots of money and they are not 100%italian. I think they can understand the issue of not getting made. I´m sure that while the books were close, some heavy associattes brought lots of money and did good work, never receiving the oath. I believe it can be the same situacion with guys from the Camorra.
But maybe I´m all wrong since I´m just an amateur of American La Cosa Nostra.
Mafia is something inside all sicilians a certain swagger and distain for authority. Mafia isnt an actual organization but rather an expression of sicilian culture. That horseshit passed as truth for decades!!
ReplyDeleteExactamundo! How can you connect a well earned cultural distrust of authority et al with an organization expressly designed for criminal activity and murder. The mob coopted a national sentiment and hid behind it for centuries.
Deletethe Genovese family is the most powerful family in the US and are old school with very few turncoats over the years
ReplyDeletethe American mafia in my opinion is going through a resurgence, at least 3 of the families have made new members in the last 3 years and at least 3 of the families have official bosses on the street crea [lucchese] bellomo [Genovese] cefalu [Gambino] and mancuso [bonnano] that leaves only the Colombo family who r in a mess because of costent in fighting , also the feds have downsized the number of agents targeting organised crime . in my opinion the future looks bright for the mob
ReplyDeleteI agree - read my "Resurgence" story.
DeleteWhile things do look bleak for the Colombo family several former captains and members of previous administrations have been released or are set to be released from prisons in the coming months, such as Andy Russo, Richie Fusco, Dennis DeLucia & Teddy Persico Sr. The family will be regaining leadership lost through recent prosecutions.
DeleteHey Dom I'm just curious as to your labeling of Bellomo as the Genovese boss. While he is certainly a possible candidate I have not been aware of any official confirmation from any reputable sources as to Barneys true leadership position. Are you speculating or are you simply in the know?
Deletei dont think anyone would argur that bellomo is the undisputed king of new York , as for the colombos they do have important members being released capo Michael uvino is also due out in the next year or 2 . it wont make much difference as long as persico is in charge , he has been in prison 25 years and in my opinion is doing the family more harm than good . the colombos r more like a blood family than any other mafia family , there all loyal to persico he needs to step down for the good of the family like vic amuso did
ReplyDeleteBeen watching documentaries about Italian Organized Crime. Don't believe in what criminals do, but if we had the old guard of the Costra Nostra back we might be safer on our city streets. They were not indiscriminate killers like these ghetto gangs are. "Civilians" had nothing to fear from the "mafia" as long as you didn't interfere. Maybe our cities would be safer..... maybe
DeleteIf you actually believe "civilians" had or have nothing to fear from the mafia your kidding yourself. You ever hear of the word EXTORTION? They do it to "civilians" for a living.
DeleteInteresting point of view in the article, but very flawed. As you bring foreigners to the U.S. in small numbers they would immediately be identified to authorities by "dry snitches" within each crew. They wouldn't last long and their next generation would be as Americanized as anyone currently in the streets. Additionally, since there is no trust of higher ups that used to exist; no one wants to go "on record" with activities, which will ultimately lead to chaotic crime instead of the organized kind. In truth, everything has its time, and the time for traditional organized crime in the U.S. has come and gone. R.I.P.
ReplyDeletewww.SonnysMobCafe.com
So true. Knew this siggy (Sicilian) who was on the fringes, came to Brooklyn via Canada; within his first week in Brooklyn authorities were already at his apartment, which was on my block, questioning him about doing time in Venezuela for narcotics and letting him know they know who he was; the guy went back to Villabate, Sicily, after a year and a half in the states.
ReplyDeleteSicilian with no balls. So, the cops came, big deal. The cops in Venezuela, the cops in México, the cops in Colombia, the cops -even in Naples- shoot first, ask questions later. In some places like México and Naples you have the army (using US drones and US weapons) doing narcotics task. I know that, because I have work in all those places.
DeleteHe got scared just because, they came and gave him a hard time? In America you can always twist the system in your favor....even if you are illegal!
My friends, I cannot believe you find it so hard to believe that you can plant your flag, shake the system, make some good money in this country.
Precisley. Camorra is used to work in chaotic crime type. That´s the difference. We can think outside the box, unlike in America where you need a guide-book on how to do everything.
ReplyDeleteHey Corazza Di Lucca,
ReplyDeleteI have a question about old Neapolitan traditions. I used to know
one of Vincent "Chin" Gigante's cummares. She told me that on Friday nights the Chin would have a banquet for his crew and their girlfriends on Sullivan street across the street from his club. The table would be set up with all kinds of Italian food, but no one was allowed to touch or drink anything until the Chin got there
and was seated. The reason I ask is because my nonno (1898-1955) from Torre Del Greco, Napoli, used to do the same thing with his eight children. I appreciate your response and thank you in advance.
Anonymous-Old School
My anonymous ´old school´ friend.
ReplyDeleteThat is not an old Neapolitan tradition. That is, old-school education my friend, education with values. Something that is lost this days. The table is set and younger ones will just sit down before the older ones. In my days, I will have my face hit with whatever was at hand.
In my house, as poor as I was, the few food we had, we could not start eating before our dad was in the table. ´Paternal authority´, just like in the army, nobody starts to eat until the superiors says is time. In the French Foreign Legion, is costume to ´sing´ before eat and the superior general will give the order ´allez´ when you are allowed to sit down and eat.
Same thing for the Borgatta. Is like standing up when somebody elder enters the room to greet you.
Another example. Have you see in American movies how everybody kisses the godfather ring? Well, in Spanish and Italian culture, you greet your dad by kissing his ring as a sign of obedience and submission. It goes the same in the Life, you always kiss your capo, the capo does not kiss you: He gets 2 kisses, he is the power.
I have stayed in the new world for almost 2 months. Those values are lost in this part of the world, and I can see why they are lost in the Life.
You cannot be faithful, you cannot be respectphul of good old traditions in your personal life, you would not be able to do the right thing in within the Life.
This is very true. Years ago when we had strong Italo-American vicinati (neighborhoods), the local capo would pass along the word who to
Deletevote for judge or local politician and the people would obey without
question. Learning English and going to universities changed
these neighborhoods. But years ago the Borgata would also help
these people. For example, my friend's family had a pizzeria and
they had to pay weekly protection in downtown Brooklyn. This was
in the 1950's during Anastasia's time. When the kids got older, the Borgata
got all the sons jobs on the waterfront which was and still is a great job to have with many benefits. Today's younger Italian-American gangster don't operate this way. It's all about money, money, and money. I don't know if this is the case in Europe today. From what I've seen and read about Napoli, it is very wild. A lot of Americans think that the Mexicans are going to take the drug trade over globally. I don't think this is true. I remember the Colombians thought they could go to Europe without dealing with the Italians in the 1980's and all their drugs were seized and some of their people were arrested immediately. Mexicans trying set up shop in Spain were recently all arrested. I hear that Spain is a Camorra stronghold. They call it Costa Nostra among themselves. Although Mexicans are Spanish speakers, I think Spain rather deal with Italians than Mexicans, being that all of Europe view the Americas as baby countries. Eventually the United States will have a president with balls and they will invade Mexico like they did with Noriega in Panama and the situation will change, I think.
Anonymous-Old School
Mexicans hold Chicago as their own. From an hypothetical point of view, since I´m retired, I would not start dealing drus in the Chicago área with out the permission of the Mexican Cartels. They are brutal, even worst than Pablo Escobar.
ReplyDeleteNapoli is very wild, is a constant state of war that would make Hobbes be proud. Probably, that is why some Clans have operated happily side by side with Mexican Cartels knowing that they are as violent. My clan, the Casalesi, never liked Mexicans but the Russo Clan and the Nouvoletta Clan had strong ties with the Gulf Cartel in the late 90´s. They made millions. We, we lost money and we enter a war. The Clans that operated in the ´Costa Nostra´ (mainly the Barcelona area) were called ´the Spaniards´. They wanted to separate from the Clans in Naples and they created the second Camorra war. I was involved in that war too, with those trying to set the record straight with the separatist.
It was crazy my friend. I have heard about the mafia wars in the US, the Luchese war, the Colombo war but the second Camorra war left more than 3,000 dead people. It was hell 24 hrs a day.
Now a days, although no internal wars, Camorra is allowing Russians, Nigerians, Ukranians and Albanese to operated in Naples as part of the clans and they are violent animals. If you don´t pay the ´pizzo´ (protection) they kill you right away and take your buisiness. In my days, it was about hurting but not killing where the money comes from. You wanted to squeeeze 1,2,4,...10 at least the poor bastard.
People in Calabria is said, is working side by side with Mexican Cartels and they are doing very well so I heard.
Conclussion: The more trasnational the think gets to be, is all about making a quick buck and less about principles. Sometimes in order to protect principles you have to we able to sacrifice some money. That is, old school thinking and that my friend, that way of thinking you can say: R.I.P.