Nicola Assisi and his son Patrick were both captured by Brazilian federal authorities in Sao Paulo according to reports.

They are known as top international drug traffickers for the Calabrian Mafia also known as the Ndrangheta. They have both been convicted of international drug trafficking. Nicola was sentenced to 14 years in prison before going on the run and had remained at large for more than two decades. The father and son duo were captured at a beach settlement on the Sao Paulo coast an area considered to be under the control of the Primer Comando da Capital narcos group. An early morning raid of a highly secured luxurious house on Praia Grande was conducted after a long and extensive surveillance operation.

Authorities recovered multiple weapons, millions of euros in cash, and various false IDs along with Argentinian and Brasilian passports. During the press conference following the arrest, authorities said they also plan to look into the possibility that the duo was aided by corrupt officials. They said they believe the mobsters have been based in Brazil for several years now. In 2014 Nicola was arrested in Portugal but was somehow able to escape the country before being extradited. Since then authorities in multiple countries have been on the lookout for them.

A recent seizure of a ton of cocaine in Santos along with several others was part of the massive drug ring controlled by the Italian mafia organization according to the Brazilian federal police. Carabinieri was able to use communications the Assisi’s were having the Ndrangheta back in Italy to help in their capture. Nicola Assisi and his son will be extradited back to Italy and finally answer for their crimes. New reports estimate the Ndrangheta now controls approximately 40% of the global cocaine trade.

The post Top Ndrangheta cocaine broker Nicola Assisi captured in Sao Paulo appeared first on About The Mafia.

We take a look back at some historic news footage of Chicago mafia soldier and enforcer Anthony Spilotro.

He became a made member of the mafia in Chicago at age 25. Tony was known for his violent and brutal tendencies which helped him rise through the ranks of the mafia. Even though he was only 5’5″ tall he was considered a heavyweight within the organization for years. In the early 1970s, he was sent by Outfit boss Tony “Joe Batters” Accardo to Las Vegas to replace mobster Marshall Caifano. He was tasked with protecting the mob’s secret interests in the casinos. It was known as the skim and it was worth millions to the Outfit bosses and other Cosa Nostra mobsters. But Spilotro was a wiseguy through and through and it wasn’t long before he was into other criminal activities in Vegas that led to problems with both law enforcement and his mob superiors.

“Anthony (The Ant) Spilotro”

Chicago mob leaders wanted to keep a low profile in the Windy City and especially in Las Vegas. Instead, he put together a burglary crew known as the Hole in the Wall Gang which pulled various high profile jobs in Sin City. He and his crew operated out of the Gold Rush pawnshop that he opened as a front to help fence their stolen property. It was definitely not what the bosses had in mind when they sent him out there. He maintained such a high profile that he eventually made his way into the infamous Las Vegas Black Book.

Even though he was indicted multiple times for various crimes including murder he proved to have a knack for beating these cases. But eventually, his luck would run out and he and his brother Michael Spilotro had become a problem for the Chicago Outfit. In 1986 they were called back to the midwest to answer for what had transpired in Vegas. The bodies of Anthony Spilotro and his brother were eventually found in an Indiana cornfield. They were badly beaten and it was clear that the Outfit bosses had enough and made an example out of them.

Today when most people hear the name Tony Spilotro the Martin Scorsese hit mafia movie “Casino” is probably what most often comes to mind. Joe Pesci played the role of character Nicholas “Nicky” Santoro which was based on Spilotro’s life and career. But the actual mobster himself was certainly real enough.

The post Mafia history: Historic news footage of Anthony Spilotro and the Chicago Outfit appeared first on About The Mafia.

They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree and that may be the case when it comes to Vincent Esposito the son of infamous mafia boss Vincent “The Chin” Gigante.

The Genovese crime family scion recently plead guilty to a racketeering conspiracy charge as part of a plea deal. According to the feds, the 51-year-old mobster was part of a long-running New York Mafia labor union extortion scheme. More details surrounding the extortion scheme were laid out in a previous article here at About The Mafia. The details of the plea agreement called for him to serve between 24 to 30 months behind bars and for him to forfeit $3.8 million. Vincent’s dad just about made a career of getting over on the feds cruising the streets of Greenwich Village in his “Oddfather” role and now he hopes it’s his turn to get over on them.

“Vincent Esposito”

He was scheduled to be sentenced on Friday although that may be delayed. According to prosecutors, Esposito is trying to use for 3.8 million dollar forfeiture as an excuse for added leniency according to a NY Post report. Manhattan prosecutors said in recently filed court documents that “Esposito essentially seeks to buy his way out of a prison sentence. Esposito must be judged by this Court for his own conduct, without regard to his payment of forfeiture.”

Esposito’s attorneys have also filed motions downplaying the severity of his crimes and claim his time under house arrest should be punishment enough. Prosecutors fired back saying He’s been under house arrest at his multi-million dollar Upper East Side townhouse, in the company and care of his mothers and sisters. Living in one’s own home, surrounded by loved ones, can hardly qualify as just punishment for these offenses. It seems like Vincent may not be quite as crafty as his old man when it comes to dealing with the government but he’s trying.

The Probation Office has recommended a sentence of 18 months noting the fact that he had no criminal history and had a slight health condition known as an enlarged aorta. It seems certain that the defense will push for an even lighter sentence. But prosecutors want the judge to stick to the conditions of the plea agreement sentencing Esposito to the 24-30 months. They feel the sentence is just considering that his criminal conduct lasted for over a decade.

It remains unclear as to exactly what standing Esposito has within the Cosa Nostra family. But some aspects of the investigation point to him being involved on various levels. In previously filed court documents the feds referred to him as a “high-ranking and influential member of the Genovese Family”.

UPDATE:  Vincent Esposito has been sentenced to two years in prison!

The post Genovese mobster Vincent Esposito is trying to get over on the feds at sentencing appeared first on About The Mafia.

The FBI and Italian authorities launched a major Mafia raid dubbed “New Connection” targeting the Inzerillo crime family based in Palermo and New York’s Gambino crime family.

A total of 19 alleged mobsters and associates were arrested in the joint operation on Wednesday. Among those arrested was Tommy Gambino a high ranking member of the Gambino Family. Inzerillo clan members Giovanni Buscemi, Francesco Inzerillo, and Tommaso Inzerillo among others were busted along with the mayor of the province of Palermo town of Torretta Salvatore Gambino. Buscemi is the alleged acting boss of the Inzerillo clan according to reports. Police said in a statement that the operation shed new light on the connection between the Sicilian Mafia in Palermo and the New York Mafia namely the Gambino Family.

“Thomas Gambino”

The links between the two mafia families were sustained on the American side by former Gambino family leader Francesco “Franky Boy” Cali and Tommy Gambino among others. Cali was gunned down outside of his home in Staten Island back in March. Decades ago the powerful Inzerillo clan lost a bloody battle with the Sicilian boss of bosses Salvatore “Toto” Riina. Clan leader Salvatore Inzerillo was murdered and the Inzerillo crime family was decimated.

“Tommaso Inzerillo” (right)

Survivors Tommaso and Francesco Inzerillo fled to the United States in exile. Multiple family ties between the Inzerillo’s and the Gambino’s made them natural allies. With the backing of the powerful Gambino family, they returned to Sicily in the early 2000s intent to bring the Inzerillo clan back to power. According to authorities they have indeed reconstructed their stronghold in Palermo.

The alleged mafia bosses and underlings are charged with mafia association, aggravated extortion, and fraud. Authorities claim they have infiltrated a wide range of businesses including wholesale food supplies, gambling outlets, and online betting. The Cosa Nostra clan seemed well on its way to reclaiming its influence and territory.

The post Tommy Gambino among those arrested in major Mafia bust against Cosa Nostra in Palermo and the Gambino Family in New York appeared first on About The Mafia.

York Regional Police Organized Crime and Intelligence Bureau targeted the Figliomeni Crime Family in the latest Mafia raid.

According to the official YRP Press Release “Project Sindacato” the investigation into the Figliomeni Family began back in 2018. It focused on the clan’s money laundering, loan sharking and illegal gaming operations. Intelligence gathered during the investigation indicated the mafia families current boss was Angelo Figliomeni. Multiple search warrants were executed across Vaughan and the Greater Toronto Area leading to the arrest of nine people and seizure of more than $35 million dollars in offense-related property and proceeds. Among the assets seized were 27 mafia owned homes and 23 high-end luxury vehicles. Police said the group was laundering proceeds of crimes at casinos throughout Ontario sometimes “cleaning” between $30,000 and $50,000 per night at various locations.

The Figliomeni Crime Family is believed to be part of the powerful Siderno Group that operates throughout Canada. The Siderno Group based out of the Greater Toronto Area allegedly includes the Coluccio, Tavernese, DeMaria, Figliomeni, Ruso, and Commisso crime families. Leaders of the group are believed to be based both in Canada and Calabria. The Siderno Group is one of the more powerful and influential members of the mafia in Canada. The Ndrangeta linked organization is known to be involved in the global cocaine business and money laundering.

Chief Eric Jolliffe said, “These arrests signify the fall of power for the most significant ‘Ndrangheta crime family operating in York Region.” The bust is the “largest organized crime operation” in the history of the York Regional Police. Canadian investigators also worked closely with Italian State Police to execute warrants in Calabria targeting the powerful Commisso clan based out of Siderno. According to reports, there was 14 arrest made in Calabria.

The Ndrangheta has become the most powerful mafia family in Italy and continues to expand its territories in other countries including Canada.

The post Figliomeni Crime Family targeted by Canadian authorities in latest mafia raids appeared first on About The Mafia.

Mikey Nose Mancuso, the boss of the Bonanno crime family has been back on the streets since March and seems to be firmly in charge.

In a surprising move, Mancuso has reportedly shelved former acting boss Joseph (Joe C) Cammarano and consigliere John (Porky) Zancocchio. Both Cammarano and Zancocchio were acquitted of racketeering charges in March just a day after Mancuso was released from a halfway house. But the trial strategy used to get the mobsters off the hook didn’t sit well with Mancuso according to a Gangland News report. Defense attorney John Meringolo pointed to the fact that several alleged wiseguys other than his client had allegedly served as the families consigliere from 2012-2018. Meringolo mocked the idea that his client was the current consigliere saying during his opening remarks “This is like musical consiglieres.”

“Joseph Cammarano and John (Porky) Zancocchio”

It seems there was evidence that pointed to the possibility of multiple mobsters including Vincent (Vinny TV) Badalamenti, Anthony Rabito, and Simone Esposito holding the rank of consigliere within that time frame. “So you shake your head, and you’re going to say, ‘I thought Vinny TV was the consigliere for life.’ And then, Pete Lovaglio is going to say: ‘Well there was a consigliere for a day.’ Then the government is going to say, ‘John Zancocchio, he was the consigliere.’ This is like musical consiglieres. Musical consiglieres. That’s what we’re going to see here.” said Meringolo.

But Michael Mancuso was not amused at the fact that this defense made it seem like he consistently switched consiglieres like underwear. Multiple sources said that Mikey Nose was so hot that he even shelved Joe C’s father-in-law Vito Grimaldi and brother-in-law Joseph Grimaldi. Both mobsters were capos and part of the families Sicilian faction. The Cosa Nostra boss blamed all four mobsters for allowing what he considered to be a demeaning trial strategy to be used. But there may be more to this move than just Mancuso being hot under the collar about a defense strategy that proved to be quite effective. He may have simply been looking for a convenient excuse to install a more loyal administration.

Mancuso originally wanted veteran wiseguy and loyalist John Palazzolo to take over as acting boss in 2015 after Thomas DiFiore was hit with racketeering charges. But the feds stepped in and sent Palazzolo back to prison on a parole violation. This left Mikey Nose Mancuso short on alternative and he reluctantly went along with promoting Joe C to official underboss and acting street boss. Cammarano is the son of former Bonanno family leader Joseph (Joe Saunders) Cammarano and has close ties to the families Sicilian faction giving him some standing within the family. Mancuso never really seemed to think that Cammarano was thrilled with the fact that he had become the boss of the family.

The rift between the two seemingly escalated in 2017 when prosecutors claimed Cammarano had held a meeting with the families captions. During the meeting, they allegedly voted to name Joe C. as the families official boss and Zancocchio consigliere. Turncoat mobster Thomas Carrube would testify later that a vote likely took place after taping another Bonanno mobster saying it was meaningless. Which seems to be the case as Mancuso clearly still has control of the New York Mafia family. The NYPD’s Organized Crime Investigation Division had gathered information indicating that Palazzolo had agreed to rebuff any emerging movement by Cammarano and his cohorts to take over control of the family before he was sent back to prison.

There was even taped talks between turncoat mobster Carrube and Vinny Badalamenti about a potential Bonanno family feud erupting with Cammarano, Zancocchio, and captain Joseph Sabella on one side, and Mancuso, Vinny TV and Carrube on the other. So it seems that Mikey Nose Mancuso wanted to make it clear that he held the reigns and was the power at the top of the NY mafia family. This also allowed him to install 82-year-old Palazzolo into the families new administration as he had previously wanted to do. According to the report a panel of wiseguy which likely includes Badalamenti has been put in place to assist Palazzolo in his new role.

Cammarano and the other wiseguys that were shelved have been stripped of all wiseguy privileges and responsibilities and more importantly their lucrative rackets. It will be interesting to see if this move causes any friction within the family. It’s unlikely that a power struggle would erupt as Mancuso seems to have enough loyalist on the streets to squash any kind of uprising. Plus a violent internal mafia war would certainly wouldn’t be beneficial to anyone involved.

The post Bonanno boss Mikey Nose Mancuso puts the families acting boss and consigliere on the Shelf appeared first on About The Mafia.

Joseph Sabella a captain in the Bonanno crime family has been sentenced to a little more than seven years behind bars.

The 54-year-old mobster seems to have gotten the soft end of the suggested federal sentencing guidelines after pleading guilty to racketeering conspiracy. He was busted last year along with former acting street boss Joseph “Joe C” Cammarano and consigliere John Zancocchio among others on racketeering and extortion charges. Cammarano and Zancocchio opted to go to trial and were acquitted on all charges in a surprising upset over the feds. Sabella admitted to being a made man in the Bonanno family and that he had engaged in numerous racketeering acts. Judge Alvin Hellerstein said during the sentencing hearing “You were involved more extensively as a captain, as a leader, and you have to take responsibility as a captain to your family.”

Joseph “Joe Valet” Sabella

According to the feds, Sabella operated as a soldier and then a captain within the New York Mafia family between 2012 and 2018. He engaged in various mafia related activities including extortion, fraud, and physical assault according to a federal press release. He played a role in the long term extortion of a New York based demolition company that brought thousands of dollars a year into the Cosa Nostra family. He also teamed up with Zancocchio and another Bonanno mobster in the beat down of a Staten Island strip club owner. The beat down lead to them taking control of the victim’s interest in the strip club along with an illegal loansharking and gambling business.

Sabella has been ordered to surrender to a South Carolina prison on August 27th according to court documents. It seems the Bonanno family is undergoing a bit of a shake-up of late. According to a previous About the Mafia report recently released Bonanno boss Michael Mancuso shelved Cammarano and Zancocchio along with two other captains. Now that Joseph Sabella will be off the streets for an extended period of time the crime families ranks have seemingly taken a bit of a hit. It will be interesting to see how things play out after the dust settles.

The post Bonanno crime family captain Joseph Sabella sentenced appeared first on About The Mafia.

It looks like another bizarre twist in the ongoing Hamilton Mafia war took place on Monday.

Authorities now believe a hit a run car crash may have been an attempt to kill a Musitano crime family associate who is believed to act as both driver and bodyguard. The crash took place right in front of Pat Musitano’s home on St. Clair Boulevard. The 76-year-old driver of a Buick described as a “family friend” was backing into the driveway of Pat’s home. According to the police he was apparently spooked by something he saw. He then quickly accelerated and hit a Mercedes on the street traveling southbound head-on causing damage to both vehicles but only minor injuries. Two of three men inside the Mercedes were seen fleeing the scene on foot.

The police obtained a general description of the men which were said to be black and between the ages of 25-30. According to a Toronto Sun report the Mercedes had been spotted in the area of the Musitano home for some time. The driver of the Mercedes a 25-year-old Montreal man was later arrested for failing to remain at the crash and conspiracy to commit murder. He was later released due to a lack of evidence according to police. Det. Sgt. Peter Thom said that authorities are not getting any cooperation from any of the parties involved.

The investigation into the incident is still ongoing as authorities try to gather more evidence. It is unclear as to whether or not Pat Musitano was at the residence when the incident took place. Pat has been laying low since the failed mafia hit on him in April. If this is the latest move by Musitano rivals then there may still be more violence to come as the Hamilton Mafia war continues. Whoever is behind the attacks on the Musitano family there seems to be a clear goal in mind and that is to take Pat out along with anyone else willing to stand with him. From the information so far it certainly seems possible that this was a failed hit.

The post Car crash may be the latest strike in ongoing Hamilton Mafia war? appeared first on About The Mafia.

The Siderno Group is a consortium of Ndrangheta clans from in and around the Italian mafia stronghold of Siderno.

They are one of the most powerful groups within the Calabrian mafia. The Ndrangheta clans of Siderno have a very strong presence in other countries including Canada and Australia. The Toronto area branch of the Siderno Group made up of approximately seven clans has seemingly grown in power in recent years according to new information obtained from Project Sindacato. The operation ran by York police’s new anti-Mafia taskforce targeted the Figliomeni crime family. The Figliomeni clan is part of the Siderno’s Toronto based consortium. During the investigation, police were shocked to learn that a shift in the Siderno Group’s power structure had taken place.

The Siderno Group in Canada is controlled by a local board of directors called the “camera di controllo” which loosely translates to the chamber of control. These local boards of control can also be found in other parts of the world that the Ndrangheta has expanded into. The local leadership groups were all believed to be subservient to a central leadership body in Calabria known as the “il Crimine di Siderno.” Police now believe the strength of the Toronto Siderno group has become so powerful that it now rivals that of the mother clans in Italy.

Italian authorities said, “The Canadian board can have influence over the “entire ’Ndrangheta” according to a terrific new National Post report by Adrian Humphreys. In recently filed court documents they went on to say “The governing body of the Siderno branch no longer operates only in Calabria, transmitting orders abroad, but also does so directly on Canadian soil, to give it a more effective and efficient command structure.”

This separation of power may make the Siderno Group even stronger. With a parallel leadership group in place in both countries, they would be protected against major arrests targeting either. If authorities were able to target the bosses in either Italy or Canada the organization would continue with business as usual with top-level leadership still in place. This certainly shows that the mobsters in Toronto are much more powerful than previous estimations.

Authorities were able to uncover this new shift in power through wiretaps associated with Project Sindacato. The murder of a powerful Ndrangheta clan leader in Italy named Carmelo “Nino” Muià was the first domino to fall. His brother Vincenzo Muià took control of the mafia clan and wanted revenge. This led him and a close associate to Toronto where he met with Angelo Figliomeni and Cosimo Figliomeni. Angelo was identified as the boss of the Figliomeni family by York police.

He came to Toronto in search of proof and advice on the repercussions of moving against those he suspected. Unfortunately for him, his trip to Canada came at a very bad time. Anti-Mafia police were right in the middle of their investigation targeting the very people he was there to consult with. The police had live wiretaps in play and were able to record multiple conversations. These meetings and conversation revealed a lot including this new look into the inner working of the powerful Siderno Group. For more details, you can reference the entire piece by Mr. Humphreys over at Canada’s National Post.

The post Toronto branch of the Ndrangheta’s Siderno Group has grown in power appeared first on About The Mafia.

Anthony Arillotta was the leader of the Springfield, Massachusetts crew of New York’s Genovese crime family.

Until he was arrested in 2010 and decided to turn on his Mafia pals and become a cooperating witness for the feds. He admitted to his role in the murder of former Springfield boss Adolfo Bruno and mob associate Gary Westerman. He took the stand and exposed the Bruno murder plot along with various other mob-related crimes incriminating members of his old crew and former Genovese family acting boss Arthur “Artie” Nigro. Arillotta finished up his eight-year prison sentence and decided that he didn’t need federal protection so he opted out of the witness protection program.

“Anthony Arillotta”

The mob turncoat had put several of his fellow mobsters behind bars yet in a bold move decided to return to the Springfield area in 2017. He had broken one of the longest-standing rules of Cosa Nostra. In years past he would have been marked for death but when it comes to the New York Mafia times have definitely changed. Anthony Arillotta is yet another example of the fact that the American Mafia doesn’t kill rats anymore.

Arillotta found himself back in the hands of law enforcement recently after an altercation with a family member according to a recent report. The former mob hitman was charged with assaulting a female family member over a dispute involving a sick dog. The arrest report stated that Arillotta “picked up a full carton of Lemonade” and threw it at the victim. The 50-year-old pleaded not guilty and was released $500 on bail. The feds former star witness can’t seem to stay out of trouble.

The post Genovese family turncoat Anthony Arillotta charged with assault appeared first on About The Mafia.

The Irishman Trailer is the first full length look into the upcoming movie.

When it comes to mafia movies it doesn’t get much better than Martin Scorsese so The Irishman is sure to be on plenty watch lists. The new movie features a star-studded cast that includes Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci. This hit trio are veterans when it comes to movies about the mafia and to date have never disappointed. The Irishman tells the story of Frank ‘The Irishman’ Sheeran based on the Charles Brandt book I Heard You Paint Houses. The movie is set to hit theaters this fall according to the trailer and will also be available to stream for free on Netflix.

De Niro is going to be playing the role of former union official and alleged mob hitman Frank Sheeran. Pesci is playing the role of former Bufalino crime family boss Russell Bufalino. Pacino takes on the role of former Teamster boss Jimmy Hoffa. It seems like some great fits as far as casting goes and well when its Scorsese it has a knack for coming outright.

Here is the movies official Teaser Trailer #1 which was just recently released. While Sheeran’s versions of what happened to Hoffa is somewhat controversial it should make for a very interesting movie. Hoffa’s disappearance is still one of the most debated unsolves mysteries in history. As far as 2019 mafia movies go this is pretty much the one that most people have been waiting to see.

Hopefully, there will be an official release date issued as to when it’s going to be available on Netflix. It will definitely be on a whole lot of watch lists. But for now, check out The Irishman trailer below for a little glimpse into what’s to come.

The post The Irishman Trailer: Recently released full trailer appeared first on About The Mafia.

Former labor leader and Chicago Outfit mobster John Matassa Jr is headed to federal prison.

He pled guilty back in February to a federal felony charge of embezzlement. According to the details of his plea agreement he was facing up to 21 months behind bars. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly sentenced the Chicago Mafia wiseguy to six months in federal prison along with an additional six months of house arrest. According to investigators the 68-year-old mobster is a made member of the mafia and has been associated with some of the Chicago mob’s most notorious figures. During the historic Family Secrets trial, turncoat mobster Nicholas Calabrese testified that Matassa was part of the Outfit’s Rush Street crew that was headed by captain Vince Solano.

John “Pudgy” Matassa

According to the 10-count indictment filed back in 2017 Matassa had his wife put on the union payroll in a do-nothing job. He then lowered his own salary so he could qualify for early retirement benefits from the Social Security Administration’s Old-Age Insurance program. He also spent thousands of dollars in union cash on things for himself including cellphones, restaurant meals, gas, car washes, and more according to court records. Along with his six-month prison sentence he has also been ordered to pay back $66,500 in restitution to the union and Social Security Administration.

Matassa’s attorney tried to make a case for probation citing his client’s various health problems including chronic heart disease, morbid obesity, diabetes, and vertigo. According to the defense, it was his poor health that led to his wife having to step in and help him with his union duties. He was a one-man show for the union handling everything from managing grievances, negotiating contracts and benefits and being on call morning and night, seven days a week. Matassa also known as “Pudgy” even insinuated that prosecutors only targeted him because of his name. But the judge wasn’t buying it according to the Chicago Tribune report.

In fact, his alleged ties to the mafia in Chicago were never even mentioned in any of the filing associated with the embezzlement case. Prosecutors even made a note that he had no criminal history. Although this wasn’t the first time John Matassa Jr had problems with a union job. He was kicked out as president of the Laborers Union Chicago local over his alleged extensive ties to organized crime back in the 1990s. While mobsters and union corruption aren’t exactly unusual mafia news it had been a while since a case had surfaced in Chicago.

The post Chicago Outfit mobster John Matassa Jr sentenced to federal prison appeared first on About The Mafia.

We take a look back into Mafia History with this historical interview with former mob boss Joe Bonanno.

This 1983 interview is one of the more interesting to date with a leading member of the New York Mafia. Joe was the head of the powerful Cosa Nostra family for thirty years and was a member of the Mafia’s ruling panel known as the Commission. The self-proclaimed Man of Honor was 78 years old and said to be in poor health when he agreed to do this public 60 Minutes interview. He was on a mission to prove that even though he was the head of a NY Mafia family that he wasn’t the criminal the feds made him out to be. The interview takes place in Bonanno’s home in Arizona where he was accompanied by his three kids which included former mobster Bill Bonanno.

“Joseph Bonanno”

The former head of the Bonanno crime family talks about his family and various aspects of his life within the Mafia. He is questioned about his associations with various other mobsters including Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, Vito Genovese, Meyer Lansky, and others. He claims that even though he and mobsters like Luciano came up through the mob ranks at the same time they were very different. According to Bonanno his Sicilian based traditions and philosophy differed from those of the American style mobsters.

Joe Bonanno said that he made money through traditional mob rackets like gambling and bootlegging avoiding things like drug trafficking and prostitution. He claims that while the head of the Bonanno family those under him were not allowed to deal in narcotics, prostitution, or murder for hire. He goes on to talk about the New York Mafia Commission, his kidnapping, and the Bonanno family mafia war. Joe Bonanno will always be one of the leading names when it comes to the history of the American Mafia. This historic interview if you haven’t already as it is certainly worth a watch!

The post Mafia History: Historic interview and footage of Mob boss Joe Bonanno appeared first on About The Mafia.

Italian authorities carried out raids they described as “Canadian Ndrangheta Connection 2” against the Mafia in Southern Italy on Friday morning.

Twenty-eight alleged mobsters were charged with various crimes including many residents from the Greater Toronto Area. Italian police said those charged were among the top management of the Figliomeni family and the Muia crime family of the Ndrangheta. According to Italian authorities, the arrests were part of an operation against “crimes of transnational and armed Mafia association, port and illegal possession of weapons, fraudulent transfer of values, abusive exercise of credit, usury and personal facilitation.” This was the second phase of Project Sindicato which took down leading members of the Figliomeni crime family from Canada and Italy earlier this year.

“Canadian Ndrangheta Connection 2”

According to the York Regional Police, the Figliomeni family was the most significant Ndrangheta crime family operating in York Region. The eighteen-month long investigation led to multiple arrests and the seizure of millions of dollars in assets. York Regional Police Chief Eric Jolliffe said following the arrests “We have dismantled the financial structure of this organized crime operation, both here and in Italy.” Among those arrested was Angelo Figliomeni the alleged head of the Calabrian mafia linked organization.

Among the GTA residents charged in the latest raid were Francesco Commisso the alleged head of the local Ndrangheta in Siderno and a Canadian arm, Angelo (Angelino) Figliomeni, Rocco Remo Commisso, Giuseppe (Joe) De Maria, Michelangelo Archina, Antonio Figliomeni, Cosimo Figiomeni, and Luigi Bishop. Others arrested included Vincenzo Muià a leading figure in the Muia clan, Giuseppe Gregoraci, and Michele Carabetta.

Fausto Lamporelli of the Italian state police said in a previous news conference that “The criminal organization known as the ’Ndrangheta knows no boundaries, It has no political or physical boundaries. They are a very powerful and violent group.” The Ndrangheta in Canada which operates mainly out of the Greater Toronto Area has become one of the countries most powerful criminal organizations.

The post Canadian Ndrangheta Connection 2 mafia raids target Calabrian mobsters from Italy and Canada appeared first on About The Mafia.

On this episode of Mob Talk Sitdown, the guys talk about Joey Merlino getting out of prison early and other current Philadelphia mafia news.

According to Mob experts, George Anastasia and Dave Schratwieser the new justice reform formula is helping Skinny Joey get out of prison sooner than expected. He was scheduled for release in July of 2020 but he will instead be heading to a halfway house in October as per the latest reports. He may also still get credit for four months of time served for a parole violation if his current appeal breaks his way. If so he could be out and back on the streets even sooner. It seems like the decision Merlino made (which seemed like a no brainer at the time) to finally take a plea deal is working out even better than he expected.

“Mob Talk Sitdown”

The guys also look into the recent plea agreement the feds made with mob turncoat Anthony Persiano. He was the rat involved in the South Jersey drug case that took down Philly mafia soldier Joseph Servidio and others. A big mafia birthday bash for former mob boss Joseph Ligambi. It seems like Uncle Joe is at least semi-retired and acting only as a sort of consigliere for the Cosa Nostra family. At 80 years of age, it seems like the longtime mobster picked a good time to step away.

According to reports Philly Mob Captain Marty Angelina received a grand jury subpoena tied to an assault that took place over twenty years ago. We have been hearing rumors for some time about an ongoing grand jury investigation geared toward a new case against members and associates of the organized crime family. It’s still unclear as to whether or not this is part of those proceedings or not. Check out the new Mob Talk Sitdown video below for more!

Be sure to give the guys a follow on Youtube to stay up on the latest Mafia News outta the City of Brotherly Love!

The post Mob Talk Sitdown: Joey Merlino out of prison early, Grand Jury Subpoena, and more appeared first on About The Mafia.

The Hamilton home of Musitano family boss Pat Musitano has been put up for sale.

Many are left wondering if this is a sign that the Musitano crime family era has come to an end. The Musitanos have seemingly been on the losing end of an ongoing mafia war for control of the local underworld. Pat’s brother Angelo Musitano was shot to death outside in the driveway of his Waterdown home back in 2017. In June of that same year, Pat’s home on St. Clair Blvd was hit with a spray of bullets in an apparent attempt on his life. In April of 2019, Pat barely survived being shot multiple times in a mafia hit outside of his lawyer’s office in Mississauga. Then in July, a head-on car crash outside of the home that injured a Musitano family friend had signs that it may have been yet another attempt to take Pat out.

“Pat Musitano home/remax.ca”

It is still unclear as to what rivals are behind the bloody attacks on the Hamilton mafia family. The Musitanos were one of three Italian mafia families that emerged in the Hamilton area. They were able to take control of the local mafia in the 1990s with the backing of Montreal’s powerful Rizzuto crime family. But as is often the case when it comes to the mafia their rise to the top was violent and bloody leaving them with their share of enemies. In 2000 both Pat and Angelo were sentenced to 10 years in prison for murder conspiracy after taking out members of the competition.

By 2006 the brothers were back on the streets and firmly yet quietly in control of local territory. That is until September of 2015 when Pat’s vehicle was set on fire at his home in an apparent arson attack. This would turn out to be the opening act of what is now a clear move to take down the Musitano family. The bloody Montreal mafia war and the death of longtime boss Vito Rizzuto have taken its toll crippling the once-powerful Rizzuto family. With their allies in Montreal weak and rebuilding the Musitano crime family was exposed and it seems their enemies decided it was time to take advantage.

Some believe the remaining members of the Luppino crime family along with the Papalia crime family may be behind the attacks. They would be the logical players in a kind of settling of accounts for the past actions of the Musitano brothers. Although plenty of other theories backed by questionable facts have also popped up including a connection to the Buffalo Mafia family. Court records from a 2018 case included recordings of Domenico Violi and Joe Violi of the Luppino/Buffalo family discussing Pat Musitano along with a 2017 recording that stated Pat was already a marked man have only added fuel to the rumor mill fire.

This is from one of the recorded conversations that were included in court documents… “The [police agent] stated that [he] would have thought that ‘they’ would have gotten rid of [Pat Musitano] before his brother, [Angelo Musitano, murdered in May 2017]. D Violi stated that ‘they’ wanted to show [Pat Musitano]; that it was a message, D Violi thought. They had told D Violi that … [Pat Musitano] would be gone; that would be one headache out of the way”. But it remains unclear as to who was actually calling the shots and had ordered the hits on Pat and Angelo.

The question on everyone’s mind after the failed hit on Pat in April was whether or not he and what remained of the organized crime family could strike back or was this the end of the road. Is this the end of the Musitano crime family era in Hamilton or is Pat getting his family out of harms way before making a final stand? He has been lying low since the last failed hit and its still unclear as to whether he and his family have already moved or where they plan to move to. There will be plenty of eyes on the Hamilton underworld to see what happens next.

If the Musitanos are done we may get a clue into who was behind the bloody conflict by watching to see who steps in to take control of the mafia in Hamilton. The four-bedroom, two-bathroom single-family home is priced at just under $700,000. According to the realtor, there will be no open house.

The post Is the Musitano family era at an end in Hamilton? Pat Musitano puts home up for sale appeared first on About The Mafia.

Steven Crea Jr the son of Lucchese crime family leader Steven (Stevie Wonder) Crea has agreed to a plea deal.

Crea Jr will plead guilty next week to three charges including racketeering conspiracy but not the murder of former Purple Gang leader Michael Meldish. He is going to be facing a maximum of 13 years behind bars according to the Gangland News report. He has been out on bail for about a year and will likely get credit for the 14 months he spent in jail before he was released. From prior ruling and statements by Judge Cathy Seibel who is also a former mafia prosecutor, it seems likely that Crea receives the full 13-year sentence. If so the 47-year-old would be out of prison in 2028 still only in his mid-50s.

“Steven Crea Jr”

The younger Crea has maintained his innocence in the Meldish murder from the start. Judge Seibel let him loose on $1 Million dollars bail after one of the feds key witnesses Frank Pasqua III gave what the just called a totally wrong account of the hit. Then a lie detector given by a recognized polygraph expert cleared him of any role in the murder. In fact, Crea is so emphatic that he had nothing to do with it he passed up a 10-year plea deal that would have called for him to admit his role in the slaying. And avoiding pleading guilty to the murder may have been a ploy to help protect his father in the upcoming trial.

Crea Jr along with his dad the Cosa Nostra families underboss and former acting boss Matthew Madonna were charged with murder with not only the Meldish but with being part of a long-running racketeering conspiracy. According to prosecutors, they have amassed a stunning amount of evidence against the mobsters that includes over a dozen cooperating witness and hundreds of hours of tape-recorded conversations. They believe this evidence easily ties the defendants to years of Lucchese family crimes that they will have no trouble winning convictions in court.

The plea deal seems to assure the younger Crea of the light side of what could be a much harsher sentence. Even though the evidence seems slim tying him to the Meldish murder there was still a chance a jury could find him guilty of it and send him to prison for life. And even if he skated on the murder charge the odds that he would still be convicted of racketeering seems strong which would have carried with it a 20-year sentence. The upcoming New York Mafia trial will be one of the biggest of the year.

The post Lucchese family captain Steven Crea Jr agrees to plea deal appeared first on About The Mafia.

Paolo Caputo was gunned down outside of his restaurant in broad daylight in what may be another mafia hit.

The 64-year-old owner of Domani’s Restaurant was hit multiple times and died at the scene according to authorities. The hitman reportedly fired the shots from a late model white Mercedes SUV that was driven by an accomplice. The shooter than tossed the weapon from the vehicle as they made their escape. Homicide Squad Det. Sgt. Andy Singh said its believed the vehicle in question had been seen in the area for an extended period of time before the shooting. The investigation into the targeted shooting is ongoing and police are looking to a thin male approx 5’11” tall with a fair complexion along with the driver who they believe may be either Latino or Asian.

“Paolo Caputo”

Caputo wasn’t involved in organized crime according to reports but his younger twin brothers have been linked to the Rizzuto crime family. According to a police source, Caputo used to own the Savorie Restaurant in Forest Hill a spot that former Rizzuto family godfather Vito Rizzuto would visit when he was in Toronto. It is where Vito could have met with and even discussed mob business with the Caputo brothers.

One of his younger brothers Martino Caputo was part of a hit team that killed drug trafficker Johnnie “Johnny Maserati” Raposa back in 2012. Raposa was shot to death in broad daylight at the Sicilian Sidewalk Cafe while watching a Euro Cup soccer game on TV. According to reports, the Raposo killing was connected to a group called the Wolfpack Alliance. The Wolfpack is a new generation of gangsters recently linked to what remains of the Rizzuto family challenging the old guard of the Ndrangheta for control of key drug markets. Martino was convicted of first-degree murder in 2017 along with three others and remains behind bars.

The motive for the shooting is still a mystery and it remains unclear as to whether or not it’s tied in any way to the recent unrest in the local underworld.  Perhaps it was mistaken identity or something of the sort. But it does have the hallmarks of a street gang shooting which has been a calling card of late for the mafia in Canada. They have been farming out most of the recent wet work to local street gangs.

The post Toronto restaurant owner Paolo Caputo murdered in possible Mafia hit appeared first on About The Mafia.

George Borgesi has been one of the more interesting characters within the Philadelphia Mafia over the last several years.

He became a made guy in the mid-1990s and has long been a trusted friend and associate of mob boss Joey Merlino. He was part of the “Young Turks” crew along with Skinny Joey that fought to wrestle control of the Philly Mafia away from former boss John Stanfa. In 2000 he became the Cosa Nostra families acting consigliere under Merlino and underboss Steve Mazzone. But his rise up the ranks was cut short when he was convicted in 2001 in a racketeering case along with Merlino. He was sentenced to 14 years behind bars and was finally released in January of 2014. Now rumors abound that George Borgesi may be in line to be or may already be the next acting boss of the mafia family.

“Dominic Grande,George Borgesi,Steve Mazzone”

According to various sources, the recent birthday bash held for longtime boss Joseph Ligambi was also a retirement party. The 80-year-old wiseguy has reportedly stepped away after decades of service many of those years spent as the families acting boss. Recent reports had pegged Michael (Mikey Lance) Lancelotti as Merlino’s new acting boss. But rumors have been circulating of late that reoccurring health problems may have caused Lancelotti to take a step back. It seems Ligambi may have stepped back in momentarily to fill that void.

So along with his official retirement from the life may come a potential leadership void and Borgesi could very well be the beneficiary.  It’s still unclear as to how accurate these recent rumblings are but it presents an interesting possibility.  George had some bumps in the road along the way since getting out of prison but his stock seems to be back on the rise. After smoothing over some rough patches he has been actively working his way back up the ranks. He has re-established himself as one of the families captains and has reportedly pulled back together the Philly mob’s New England satellite crew.

He made plenty of connections while behind bars and has reportedly had recent meetings with mobsters from other families outside of Philadelphia. He has also diversified into some very lucrative legit business including construction, real estate, and stock investments according to reports. While he was known for having a penchant for violence and being sort of a hot head in his early years he has seemingly transformed that into a much more low key approach. Borgesi was frequently seen with Merlino meeting with attorneys and chauffeuring him to court appearances in Manhattan during his most recent case.

If Merlino is going to make or has already made the call on a new acting boss/street boss it seem Borgesi would be a logical choice. Over the years he has certainly paid his dues and earned those stripes. If George Borgesi finally gets his shot at the top spots even in an acting capacity it will be interesting to watch and see if it leads to any changes in how the mafia in Philadelphia does business. Merlino is only months away from being back on the streets but will certainly have the feds looking over his shoulder watching every step he takes as always.

If he finally decides to call it quits himself while unlikely it could put Borgesi in yet an even more advantageous position if he gets a bump up. While the Philly crime family may not be as active as years past it remains an interesting source of Mafia News!

The post Is George Borgesi the new acting boss of the Philadelphia Mafia? appeared first on About The Mafia.

Reputed Chicago Mafia soldier Charles “Chuckie” Russell has passed away according to recent federal court filings.

According to reports the 70-year-old mobster was suffering from prostate cancer and had recently been moved to a hospice facility. Russell was schooled in the ways of the mafia by his longtime mentor and former Chicago mob enforcer Frank (Frankie The German) Schweihs. In his prime, Chuckie was a feared figure within the cities Cosa Nostra family known for being one of the cities most prolific thieves and a reputed hitman. He was a member of the infamous Grand Avenue crew serving under his brother-n-law and alleged Outfit street boss Albert Vena.

“Charles (Chuckie) Russell”

Russell was arrested back in 2016 after buying a bundle of eight weapons from an undercover ATF agent. The agent with the help of an undercover federal informant was able to get close to Russell. He enlisted their help in a plot to rob hundreds of thousands of dollars from a former attorney. During the investigation, secretly recorded conversations captured Russell bragging about pulling off thousands of robberies and even killing a man. According to Russell his method of choice to convince his victims to open their safes was to was a butane torch to the bottom of their feet.

He also said during a conversation “Nothing gets my juices flowing like putting a gun to someone’s head, taking their stuff and making it mine.” He was immediately arrested in December of 2016 after he purchased either guns including an AK-47 and a submachine gun from the undercover agent. He would eventually plead guilty to a single gun possession charge and was awarded bond due to his medical condition. He was ordered to home confinement at his longtime girlfriends home in suburban Chicago. She is a niece of former Chicago Outfit enforcer Tony (The Ant) Spilotro.

Charles “Chuckie” Russell passed away before he could be sentenced for his remaining crime. Because of his previous convictions which included murder and rape he would have been facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years behind bars.

The post Chicago Mafia soldier Charles “Chuckie” Russell passes away appeared first on About The Mafia.