The Mafia's Worst-Kept Secret?
Gerard “Gerry” Chilli |
A longtime source told us he found himself recalling a list of suspicious things about the guy we refer to as "the mole" after he read the story.
He called it "the worst-kept secret" in the New York Mafia.
In particular, he recalled a Bonanno Christmas party at Long Island's Harbor Club in the early 1990s. (It was once owned by "Junior" Gotti but the Bonanno family had taken over, according to the source). The crime family treated the holiday affair with the secrecy of an induction ceremony.
That means it was top secret. Guys didn't know the party's location. They were told to show up at various diners and other nondescript places -- where they were picked up and driven to the location, which no one knew about beforehand except for a handful of the crime family's top guys.
Our source can't recall the exact year but said it took place before Massino's release or while he was on parole. To his knowledge it has never been written about. We did some research and found quite a few reports regarding Bonanno Christmas parties, but nothing about this one.
"I know people don't believe anything unless it's written about in all the books," our source said. "Believe me, there is lots of things not written about in the books."
One report did catch our eye. Agents from three federal agencies conducted the raid.
The 2011 party was held in Brooklyn, as Jerry Capeci reported in a story called DEA Grinches Spoil Bonanno Family Christmas Party:
"Just as the crowd - it included three Bonanno wiseguys - began to unwind, a gaggle of shotgun-toting party poopers armed also with search warrants arrived at the Bensonhurst storefront. The Grinches didn't even bother to wear red for the occasion; They had on dark blue jackets with big white letters "DEA" across their backs."
"Announcing a raid, the federal drug agents announced a raid, and herded the partygoers out into the cold night for two hours. The suspects - for the most part, elderly men with no prior arrests - were lined up and searched. Their cell phones were taken and later returned. No drugs were seized. ...
"The circumstances surrounding the 7:30 p.m., December 15 raid at the three-room club are shrouded in mystery and intrigue..."
The party we refer to was busted as well. But first there was drinking and merriment -- and strippers.
The mobster we still won't name was at the party -- one of the guys driven there. He had his eye on a stripper and wanted to get to know her more "intimately." His natural charm didn't do the trick, however, so he sought Jerry Asaro -- Vincent's son -- to talk to the woman. Asaro wouldn't do his cohort that favor.
"We don't act like pimps," the source told us. "He asked Jerry Asaro to hook him up and she wasn't interested. He made an issue out of it."
The guy then disappeared for about an hour.
"He said he needed to go outside for something," our source said. "I was standing right next to him. I remember it. He went outside to make a phone call or something."
Next thing the guys knew, not long after he returned, the Feds were outside taking pictures. And then they busted the party. "A couple of guys got violated.
"Now, how did the Feds find out about that meeting?"
The "mole" is a "notorious brokester who doesn't pay anybody." He also said the guy had once gone out West to start up a business, only it failed and he returned.
The "mole" and Nicky "Mouth" Santora both "beat a [Colombo gangster] out of $100,000."
They met "Big Lou" for dinner the night he died. Our source isn't claiming the two mobsters had anything to do with the death; he's saying they took advantage of the situation.
Now we are not saying anything about Nicky Mouth, who has been held without bail for trial. It's just that both the "mole" and Nicky Mouth at some point in time partnered up on some level, according to our source. The Colombo gangster died on the night he happened to have dinner with Santora and friend.
Santora and the other guy then unveiled the story that they'd paid "Big Lou" the $100,000 that they owed him. They couldn't prove it, of course. But then they didn't have to. Nobody could disprove it, either.
Joe Massino didn't care for either of them, the source said. "He called them both broken down valises."
But of the two, Massino preferred to deal with the other guy -- meaning not Nicky Mouth.
"Joe disliked Nicky and [the mole]. But [the mole] was the smarter of the two."
This guy has a history of meeting Bonanno members who get violated. He was there when NYPD detectives observed that suspicious meeting with John Palazzolo in the parking lot of a Queens diner.
He was there when Gerard “Gerry” Chilli was violated. According to our source, he picked Chili up at the airport in December 2013 when the capo arrived in New York from Florida. Chilli was busted as was another made member of the family: Peter Lovaglio.
"He's bobbing and weaving through everything," our source said of the guy. "Nothing touches him."
"He lives off a bullshit reputation. He pretends to be a tough guy, but he never did a fucking thing."
"Not doing a fucking thing" has only one meaning in gangland.
"He was a backup guy one or two times, supposedly."
Our source also mentioned the murder of Russell Mauro. He was robbed and killed -- but there was another factor, too.
"They were afraid of Russell. He was a dangerous guy."
Mauro is not well-known today but was a major junk dealer and a known Mafia shooter.
Mauro personally shot and killed Carmine Galante. He was the one who shot Lilo's eye out.
PS: Gerry Chilli never trusted the guy who drove him from the airport after his bust.
ANTHONY RABITO
ReplyDeleteDo ya think the feds are knocking on his door today?? "Eh-em, uh, mr. Rabito, we think it's time for you to move".......
ReplyDeleterabito couldn't have been at that xmis party in 2011 cause he was either in jail or on surpervised release so much so that the papers gave him front page+pics and more on the places he couldn't go to eat or be around aton of wiseguys. and when that guy big lou came up from florida to where the wire on guys people knew rite away he wasn't surposed to be around felons red flags, they also knew he flipped and told him go back to florida. also came out in the papers rabito picked up chilli at the airport and that's why he was violated it was in all the papers so I don't know where this is going but it sounds like someone got a hard on for rabito. didnt he go on trial in the 80tys with santoro and lefty for the 3 capo hit and was found not guilty. he did a lot of time for the drugs anyway,
ReplyDeleteRabito is an 81 year old man who has served loads of time over the years. Absolute bullshit. Source probably stirring.
ReplyDeleteFINALLY!!! It's Anthony Rabito.He's the one that picked up Gerry at the airport when they violated him! Rabito WAS NOT in Jail in 2011! He got out right before Nicky did in 2009. Nicky got out July 2nd. I met with him on July 7th, Rabito was already out. It doesn't matter that Rabito was on supervised release. He was still seeing guys around, especially in Queens. He will be CW1 in this particular case I know it.
ReplyDeleteDamn Ed! This is great! Rabito will spill the beans on so many people. Nicky is in hot water, sitting there in Manhattan. That "F---" in Middle Village is going to get pinched once and for all.
Don't ever really recall Rabito being mentioned as a brokester but Capeci did say he had closed a failed restaurant in Vegas so there's that piece as well. He was even tabbed by Massino as a caretaker boss for a bit - See State of the Mob article by Capeci. But again, end of the day at this point it's another strike against a group that is already floundering. Not like it's a mole in the Genovese clan.
ReplyDeleteAnyone ever read American desparado about Jon Roberts, who worked for the columbians in fla in the seventies and eighties? His real was riccobono I think he and his uncle was chillii, I think....
ReplyDeleteI dont know much about NY wise guys but if it is.nt him he.s marked man now and Nicky the mouths name being thrown around is.nt good for him either. Rabito Santoro and TJ Graz. These guys can.t be to happy there names are out there like this but from what im gathering the young crews could friggin care less one less antique to deal with.Lol Philly
ReplyDeleteReminds me when everyone thought Big Ron was talking in Philly but the difference here these broke dicks could.nt make the money he did. He had his hands in everthing gambling 'drugs' whores' hijacking' extortion. And thats not counting what he was making from the feds. He workef for John Stanfa Ralph Natale and Skinny Joey Merlino. But Greed got the best of them thats whst he countef on. Have no idea what Santoro Graziano Or Rabito could.ve brought to the table. Philly
ReplyDeleteRabito is the one who picked up chilli at the airport but I may have to agree with some of the comments below. If he was really a rat he wouldn't have did jail time plus if he was really a mole why would he have the feds bust every one he meets. He would be obvious to other mobsters that he was a rat and he would be done.
ReplyDeleteI've seen too many times already mention of these guys being 'marked'. On the level, I gotta clear up a thing or two. Lets begin with Santora. Santora's cousin (on their mother's side), a Genovese assoc. in Queens provided details of a couple of murders to his girl thinking she would keep mum about it. Santora knew about it but made the mistake of acknowledging both murders, including the disposal of one victim in Queens. The Feds haven't found the location yet.
ReplyDeleteWhen Santora was sent up for the 2 yrs in 2012, his judge, Carol Amon, received correspondence and "who-knows-what" and sent it to the US Attorney's Office. At the end of Santora's short stint, right before he's to be release to go home, they indicted him. This time, as everybody knows, he's got the 299 charges. When the other Bonanno boneheads receive their plea deals, Santora's is worse. The leverage they had this time, was the murders. The DA's Office probed him. Santora has lived his entire life in NY. He's not going anywhere by choice. He has told people that he will not move away and will never go into WitSec. Whether he was joking or not, he talked too much to various people and implied that one of the victim's were buried under a swimming pool in Queens.
Rabito, who is more closely blood related to that associate than Santora, is also a good candidate to provide the whereabouts of one vicimte and the "who did it" about the other, which was the murder of James Delio, Sr. also of the Genovese family. The murder of Delio has not been solved and the other was not known about to law enforcement until 2011, five months before Santora went away.
You forgot, "...if it hadn't been for those meddling kids on Cosa Nostra News!" LOL
ReplyDeleteI've seen too many times already, mention of these guys being 'marked'. On the level, I gotta clear up a thing or two because they did it to themselves. Lets begin with Santora. Santora's cousin (on their mother's side, whose maiden name is Delio), a Genovese assoc. in Queens whose father was a high-ranking guy with the Genovese, murdered in 1978, provided details of a couple of murders to his girl thinking she would keep mum about it. Santora also knew about it but made the mistake of acknowledging both murders to the girl, including the disposal of one victim in Queens. The Feds haven't found the location yet.
ReplyDeleteWhen Santora was sent up for the 2 yrs in 2012, his judge, Carol Amon, received correspondence and "who-knows-what" and sent it to the US Attorney's Office. At the end of Santora's short stint, right before he's to be release to go home, they indicted him. This time, as everybody knows, he's got the 299 charges. When the other Bonanno boneheads receive their plea deals, Santora's is worse. The leverage they had this time, was the murders. The DA's Office probed him. Santora has lived his entire life in NY. He's not going anywhere by choice. He has told people that he will not move away and will never go into WitSec. Whether he was joking or not, he talked too much to various people and implied that one of the victim's were buried under a swimming pool in Queens.
Rabito, who is more closely blood related to that associate than Santora, is also a good candidate to provide the whereabouts of one victim and the "who did it" about the other, which was the murder of James Delio, Sr. also of the Genovese family. His murder was retaliation for his "setting up" up his own Uncle's murder in March, 1978. The murder of Delio has not been solved and the other was not known about to law enforcement until 2011, five months before Santora went away. Delio's son, also named James aka "Jamie" got out of prison in March 2012. It was brought to his attention in detail but his cousin denied any involvement. Santora and Rabito can confirm it. That's a fact.
Ed plz delete that duplicate entry below. When I delete my comment it re-posts as 'guest' - a glitch with Disqus.
ReplyDeleteI wish Dom (DC) would weigh in on this topic
ReplyDeleteHey guys I'm from Bomontes area ...I know all the guys you're speaking about very well...the story with this mauro was that he went to the club in long island city to meet Jon p big Louie and discuss the strangling of Palazollo and the Lian to Jon p..and he was ambushed when he walked in... I also heard the mauro was no slouch ,he s the shooter who shot lillio s eye out not bruno indelicato..so they were not taking chances ..he was shoot in kneecap first as he entered the club ,he went down and they unloaded on him .. I heard he went there carrying a gun ..which is a no no..the guys I heard it from was the "Neighborhood guys -- there Was jimmy the general...big Barry. Jon p..big Louie ...dont know who else assisted...it turned out that 3 of the four cooperated with government.. So the real story has been documented in f b i files ... Simple. who ever was in on the murder..in any way shape or form is known...listen thru the many years of hanging around bamontes there was a thousand story's told at the bar ...there is a saying if the walls had ears...Jesus with those two guys anything is possible...never talk about a murder once its done because its like doing it over all over again.. ..Especially if the walls have EARS.. THX URS TRULEY ..NICK THE BATTLER...
ReplyDeleteTHIS IS FOR WHOEVER ED'S SOURCE IS:
ReplyDeleteDo you know anything about the murders of James Delio, Sr. (almost 3 decades ago) that was done in retaliation for setting up Genovese Underboss Pasquale "Patty Mack" Macchirole. His son, Anthony was in on the planning and from what HE said, he left because the Genovese family told him to leave for 2 wks while they hit Delio. A source close to his father said, however, that he did not leave. In fact, they said he was the shooter.
The other murder was the Puerto Rican guy that stabbed Macchirole during a fight at his cousin, VJ's wedding (also approx. 3 decades ago). Below in my comments, I mentioned who he spoke to and the details provided by Nicky Santora on that guy. He also actually told his girl the name of the guy but said he was not to one that shot him and blamed members of the Genovese family, including a relative of the late Joe Brancato. The same source as before confirmed that he was the shooter in that one as well. They never found his body. Nicky said he believed they buried him and later moved him. He implied he was buried under a swimming pool in Queens.
Can you provide any info on these 2?
THAT BOOK IS TERRIBLE.
ReplyDeleteEd you really think that there were strippers at that xmis party in 2011. the DEA broke it up at 730pm, what time did he say it started. I would think the strippers wouldn't come to a club till atleast after 10pm. 730 waking up didn't do there blow yet. you want to be a great writer did you personaly confirm these sources, or will this be like rolling stone rape article 6months later sorry. theres a fbi file somewhere tony mirra and al walker were inducted by galante December of 75 around xmis. a mole is a rat so is a C.I. so this source is saying this guy is a modern day greg scarpa the biggest rat maybe ever. keeo writing i'll keep reading but this might fizzle out bad.
ReplyDeleteIs this the Chilli from Graniteville Staten Island where even the cops on patrol knew that guy couldn't be trusted?
ReplyDeleteListen jerry came from Madison st ..his father had a bar in the neighborhood..as well as jerry for many years ...leftyguns s club was west of jerry s ,he never liked lefty more did he trusted him ..jerry was a one man family ..he was a lone wolf ...never went for big family get together s or dinner ...he was never a ass licker or a brownnose ..he was not a team player ,i remember when they shelved him for abusing Joe watts he was so happy ...he ran to Miami and didn't t speak to no one ,he made a ton of money when he was shelved... He would never send something upstairs.... Especially when other members were paying tribute to become and keep their captainships ..that was not jerry ...he came to the bonanno s when he smacked a made guy in bananas outside of Lefty's club ... The bonanno s wanted to kill ..he was loosely around the genovese guys on Madison st ..bit didn't t go to bat for him because the never listen to any one ..so because jerry was from the fish market and had a buissness there he went .to a guy called Lil moe presinzano...more went to bat and jerry was then with the bonanno s and got made there,what I am saying is how did jerry take and jump in with two hands with all these big mouth scoundrel s ..he was tuff caple and never spoke buissnes with very few people...he need this like a hole in head ... Lil moe below .. I ll bet he gives the captain tittle and go back under the radar...he hates rates ..and it looks like the banannad are in tested ...a good man old school ..good luck
ReplyDelete.
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Not the 2011 party. The earlier one.
ReplyDeleteThis was a great read Ed. Had any more correspondence with this man?
ReplyDeleteLOL! One of my personal favorites....Not for a long while....Glad you liked it! It was info I had for an interview that never actually panned out....but I had enough to put this together...
ReplyDelete