The feds continued to add charges to the racketeering case against New York Mafia associate Peter Tuccio.

But the reason behind the feds hard press could be his relationship with Philadelphia Mafia boss Joey Merlino. The 27-year-old Tuccio reportedly has links to both the Gambino and Lucchese crime families. He is the nephew of Lucchese family capo Joseph DeSena. Back in 2017, he began to pop up alongside Merlino accompanying him to court in Manhattan when he was on trial. According to reports he also made trips with Skinny Joey to Philly and North Jersey. During his trips, he had a chance to mingle with some of the elite in the Philly Mafia. It’s still unclear as to exactly what the relationship is between Merlino and Tuccio, perhaps it has more to do with the relations between the mafia in New York and Merlino.

“Joey Merlino and Peter Tuccio”

Peter Tuccio is accused of collecting street tax from a Queens restaurant owner. The pizza parlor was being shaken down by Gambino capo Ignazio (Uncle Iggy) Alonga according to the indictment. He ordered the New York Mafia associates to torch the victim’s car in an effort to intimidate him into paying. The arson attack was a complete mess as one of the mob associates Gino Gabrielli was captured on security camera footage lighting the car on fire. That’s not all the associate’s pant leg accidentally caught fire as he tried to flee.

Shortly after the arson attack took place Gabrielli and Tuccio were captured on surveillance video entering a local hospital. They were charged with arson conspiracy, extortion and extortion conspiracy and using fire to commit a felony. Gabrielli has already agreed to plead guilty. The superseding indictment filed by the feds last month added an additional extortion via arson charge along with loan sharking charges.

Merlino was caught working alongside members of the Cosa Nostra families in New York in the East Coast LCN case back in 2016. Joey also has links to the Lucchese crime family through another wiseguy pal Lucchese soldier Joseph (Little Joe) Perna. His dad Ralph Perna runs the New Jersey faction of the Lucchese family. So there are plenty of theories floating around as to why a young mob associate would be in such good standing with the leader of the Mafia in Philadelphia.

This has seemingly also piqued the interest of the feds who could see Peter Tuccio as a way to potentially target Merlino. Joey pretty much beat the wrap in the East Coast LCN case eventually pleading guilty to a minor gambling charge doing only a few months in prison. The feds have always had a hard-on for Merlino and after that last fiasco, they may be looking to take another stab at putting him behind bars for good. Perhaps he has information that they think could be used against the flamboyant Philly mob boss.

These additional charges would give the feds some added leverage if they intended to try and get the young mafia associate to flip. If Peter Tuccio is found guilty he is facing a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison. He is currently free on bond and seemingly lying low. It will be very interesting to see how this one plays and out if his recent relationship with Merlino garners any attention if he makes it to trial.

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According to reports aging mobster, Domenico Cefalù took over as boss of the Gambino crime family back in 2011.

He took control of the infamous New York Mafia family at the end of the Gotti era. The reign, imprisonment, and death of former boss John Gotti brought turmoil and instability. The Cosa Nostra family had lost its way under the flamboyant Gotti. It led to convictions of not only the Dapper Don but also other high ranking members of the family’s administration. Peter Gotti took the reigns as the official boss before being convicted and sentenced in the early 2000s to 25 years behind bars. It was clear that the Gambino family needed to change to survive and re-establish itself. A series of acting and street bosses controlled the beleaguered crime family over the next few years.

“Domenico Cefalù”

There was clearly an opportunity for someone to step up and take control of the NY Mafia family. The family’s powerful Sicilian faction which included several key members of the crime family stepped up and seized power. Domenico Cefalù had long been a leading member within the Sicilian ranks and his appointment to boss brought with it a new way of doing things. He was an old school mobster who understood the value of taking a low key approach to doing business and to staying out of the headlines, unlike his predecessor.

Although had several run-ins with law enforcement prior to being voted in as the new head of the family. In 1992 and 1996 he was sentenced to 18 months in prison for contempt after refusing to answer questions from a grand jury investigating the Mafia. In 2005 he would temporarily become the family underboss under acting boss Jackie D’Amico but the feds would quickly come calling again. In 2008 Cefalu was indicted on racketeering conspiracy charges as part of Operation Old Bridge. He would eventually plead guilty and be sent back to prison for 24 months.

Domenico Cefalù was released from prison in 2009. Since then he has remained completely off the radar of both law enforcement and the media. He’s been able to run one of the largest and most powerful mafia families in New York for years without any entanglements with the feds. These kinds of runs as boss are seldom seen when it comes to the Mafia today. But at 73 is Cefalu still calling the shots in the Gambino Family?

While the Sicilian faction still seems firmly in control of the Gambino family reports have surfaced as to Cefalù’s current status. A 2015 report quoted sources that maintained that Frank Cali a rising star within the Cosa Nostra family had taken over as the family’s new acting boss. It maintained that Cefalù had taken a step back and no longer ran the families day to day operations. Cefalu has always been known as a smart and cagey wiseguy who perhaps felt it was better to retire before the feds found a way to indict him. Cali had long been seen as the heir apparent to a new Gambino generation until he was gunned down last year.

Cali’s untimely death was seen as a huge blow to the resurgent organized crime family. If Cefalù has stepped aside so that his former protege could take the reigns and lead the family into a new era then those plans had been abruptly brought to an end. Both Cefalu and Cali maintained close ties through blood and marriage to the Mafia in Sicily. They helped to fill the families once decimated ranks with Sicilians who were seen as being more loyal and less showy.

Many now wonder if Cali’s death had forced Domenico “Italian Dom” Cefalù to step back in and take the reigns once again if, in fact, he had stepped away. As far as the feds are concerned Cefalù is still the boss of the Gambino family. But there are plenty of rumors and theories as to whether or not he’s still calling the shots. After Cali’s death, there were reports that a powerful Sicilian mobster named Lorenzo Mannino may have taken over as the family’s new acting boss.

From all accounts, Mannino has the respect and standing within the Gambino families Sicilian faction to have been the successor to Cali. While there has been little corroboration from law enforcement or street-level sources of the reports of either Cefalu stepping down or Mannino taking the reigns there seems to be enough there to make it a fairly interesting conversation. There may even be others yet unknown within the crime families ranks influential enough to be calling the shots. When it comes to the mafia today keeping the feds guessing and the actual boss insulated and off the radar isn’t a bad strategy.  The Sicilian faction seems competent enough to pull something like that off.

Who do you think is the current boss of the Gambino Crime Family?

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According to the DOJ report, four Lucchese crime family mobsters were convicted today of murder, conspiracy to commit racketeering, and other felonies in the Michael Meldish murder case.

Matthew Madonna, Steven Crea, Christopher Londonio, and Terrence Caldwell were all found guilty as charged. According to evidence presented during the trial, Madonna who was acting boss of the New York Mafia family became displeased with Meldish in 2013 because he refused to collect debts owed to him. He put out the order to have Meldish killed. Crea the Cosa Nostra families underboss then and now participated in the decision to have Meldish killed. He relayed the orders he got from Madonna to lower-ranking members of the crime family.

“Matthew Madonna and Steven Crea”

Londonio a soldier in the Lucchese family acted on Crea’s orders he helped set up Meldish to be killed and acted as the getaway driver. Evidence presented at trial also showed that as acting boss of the NY Mafia family Madonna received payments from a host of other illegal activities, including the extortion of labor union members, loansharking, illegal gambling operations, and drug-trafficking.

Crea was personally involved in several criminal schemes, including fraud and extortion in a large construction project at a public hospital, the extortion of one of his subordinates, and ordering the assault of a relative according to evidence. U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “The violent and disturbing acts of these four organized crime figures included the brutal murder of associate Michael Meldish. Fittingly, all four defendants have been found guilty of their heinous acts of fraud, extortion, and murder on the six-year anniversary of Meldish’s death. Thanks to the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and NYPD, we will continue our commitment to making organized crime a thing of a bygone era.”

Here is a complete list of charges in which the defendants were found both guilty of and acquitted on:

MADONNA, 84, of the Bronx, New York; CREA, 72, of Crestwood, New York; LONDONIO, 45, of Hartsdale, New York; and CALDWELL, 61, of Manhattan, New York, were each found guilty of one count of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison; murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison; and use of a firearm in furtherance of murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.

CREA was acquitted of one count of attempted murder and assault in aid of racketeering and one count of use of a firearm in furtherance of attempted murder and assault in aid of racketeering.

LONDONIO was also found guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute narcotics, which carries a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison. LONDONIO was acquitted of one count of attempting to escape from the Metropolitan Detention Center.

CALDWELL was also found guilty of one count of attempted murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison, and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of attempted murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.

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Nicholas Corozzo has been released from prison after serving more than thirteen years behind bars.

Corozzo was indicted back in 2008 on both state and federal charges. The federal charges were part of Operation Old Bridge which targeted Gambino crime family mobsters in both the U.S. and Italy. He was charged with the two murders and other racketeering charges in the federal case and various charges including enterprise corruption by the state. The feds identified him as one of the new acting bosses of the New York Mafia family along with fellow mobster Jackie D’Amico. Operation Old Bridge also ended with convictions of other high profile Gambino family mobsters including D’Amico, Joseph Corozzo, Frank Cali and current boss Domenico Cefalu.

Nicholas “Little Nick” Corozzo

When the Old Bridge indictments landed Nicholas Corozzo got tipped off by his daughter that the feds were arresting Gambino family members. He went on the run and the mafia leader was even featured on the hit show America’s Most Wanted. But after just four months on the run, he had enough and surrendered to authorities. He would eventually plead guilty in July of 2008 to the state enterprise corruption charges and was found guilty by the jury of the two murders.

The 79-year-old mobster honored the long-held mafia code of silence but does that mean he still has a place in the current Gambino family. Today the NY Mafia family is controlled by its Sicilian faction behind boss Dom Cefalu and underboss Lorenzo Mannino.

The untimely death of Frank Cali left a temporary void within the family’s administration but that has quickly been filled by the organized crime family. If Nicholas Corozzo wants back into the family there would seemingly be a place for him (a stand-up and experienced guy) perhaps as a captain. It’s unclear if the new regime would want him any higher up the pecking order than that though.

He is still facing a few years of supervised release and he could always opt for retirement and live out the rest of his years in peace. Although that is a route seldom taken by old school mobsters like Corozzo. So there will be plenty of eyes on him watching to see how things progress.

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At least ten members and associates of the Gambino crime family including veteran capo Andrew Campos have been arrested.

Alleged Gambino soldiers that included James Ciaccia, George Campos, Vincent Fiore, and Richard Martino were also taken into custody and charged. They have been charged with several crimes including racketeering conspiracy, bribery, loansharking, fraud, and obstruction of justice according to the two unsealed indictments. Several of the mobsters were captured on wiretaps talking about a wide array of mafia business according to the feds. FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William Sweeney said “The Gambino members arrested in this case ran the gamut of criminal activity. Everything from the usual thuggish behavior of beating people up, forcing people to take the fall from their crimes, all the way to defrauding the federal government.”

“Richard Martino, Frank Locascio, and Andrew Campos”

In one of the recorded conversations alleged mob soldier, Vincent Fiore was caught telling a debtor who owed them $100,000 “When you get punched in the face and your teeth get knocked out … you’re not gonna laugh no more OK?” The indictment also claims the Gambino family crew used hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks to boost their New York Mafia linked carpentry business.

According to a detention memo, the Gambinos organized a “clandestine meeting” on Staten Island that included high-level crime family members to discuss the then-unclear circumstances surrounding the death of leader Frank Cali. The crime family would launch its own investigation just days after Cali was gunned down in front of his home.

Andrew Campos and Fiore actively helped the Gambino family investigate the murder according to the documents. Fiore was caught on wiretap discussing the investigation into the murder with his ex-wife telling her that Andrew Campos had met with half a dozen people. He called the slain Gambino leader “Frankie” and described him as someone who was loved.

Although in a separate conversation with an alleged mob associate he said Cali’s death may be a good thing because their captain (Campos) was likely to gain more power within the Cosa Nostra family.

Brooklyn federal prosecutors Keith Edelman and Kayla Bensing wrote: “This investigation makes clear that the Gambino family is thriving, earning millions of dollars through various forms of fraud, bribery, money laundering, and extortion, particularly in the construction industry, and distributes these illicit proceeds to other members and associates of La Cosa Nostra.”

The arrests, conducted in conjunction with the FBI, the NYPD, the IRS, and the Queens County District Attorney’s Office, were based on alleged crimes that occurred since 2013 according to the indictments.

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When it comes to the New York Mafia families one of the questions that we always seem to get is in regards to their current membership.

How many made guys do each of the Cosa Nostra families in New York currently have? When it comes to the mafia and membership numbers its far from an exact science so there isn’t really an easy answer. We often get tidbits from sources like the FBI and or trial transcripts of turncoats etc which can help to identify mob leaders. But when it comes to overall size and strength of the Five Families of NY we seldom get the same amount of useful information. The FBI really doesn’t expose member identifications publicly unless it’s necessary so we don’t get the amount of info we would like to get from this important source in that regard. It’s also not something we see mobsters talking about all that often on wiretaps or from other forms of surveillance.

While this makes it hard to be completely accurate there is still enough information from court records, turncoats, fed documents, and law enforcement that can be obtained to make a solid estimate. While these numbers will always be up for debate it certainly makes for a very interesting conversation. Everyone knows the Mafia in New York and elsewhere around the country isn’t what it once was. But this certainly doesn’t mean that the NY Mafia families are fading away anytime soon.

We do know that there have been rules in place that govern the induction of new members into the NY Mafia. Families are only allowed to make new members as replacements for mobsters who have died. Each family is allowed to add 2 new made guys at Christmas time which was put in as a way to compensate for jailed wiseguys etc. Families are not allowed to replace turncoats who have ratted on the family until they are dead. While it’s believed these rules are still in place its unclear as to whether or not the current New York Mafia families still follow them to the letter.

When it comes to current membership numbers the Genovese family and the Gambino family lead the way in NY. Both organizations are believed to have between 145-160 made guys within their ranks. Both families have been extremely low key in recent years so the margin of error for both may be a bit more expansive then it is for some of the smaller families. The Bonanno family follows closely behind those two powerhouses and is believed to have between 140-150 made guys.

The current number of made guys within the Lucchese family is estimated to be between 100-115. Although recent testimony from a mob turncoat had the number of made guys in the families remaining crews at a significantly lower total. It’s unclear as to just how accurate his assessment of today’s family actually was. The Colombo family has always and continues to bring up the rear and are currently believed to have between 70-80 made guys.

While we can debate as to the accuracy and how many of these made guys remain active its seems clear that the New York Mafia still maintains a significant presence. There will always be plenty of made guys we aren’t aware of and even some the feds may not even know of yet which is why these are estimates that cannot be set in stone.

About The Mafia would like to give credit where it is due for the estimates included here today which are largely based on charts maintained by forum member Pogo the Clown over at The Black Hand Forum. He always maintains a high standard when it comes to accuracy across the board.

Please feel free to comment below and get into the New York Mafia families membership numbers discussion!

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When it comes to Mafia hits the assassination of former Bonanno crime family leader Carmine Galante stands out not only for its sheer brutality but for its lasting impact in New York.

Galante and two of his men were shot to death at lunchtime on the back patio of Joe and Mary’s Italian cafe in Brooklyn in 1979. One of the most infamous photos in New York Mafia history is one of the murdered Galante showed a cigar still in his mouth. In 1974 the Mafia Commission named Philip Rastelli as the new boss of the Bonanno family although it was Galante that held the real power within the family. When Rastelli was sent to prison in 1976 in paved the way for Galante to take control of the organized crime family. Although he did so without the approval of the Commission.

Galante was now operating as the NY Mafia families unofficial acting boss decided to make a brazen play to take over key narcotics markets and to potentially become the most powerful Cosa Nostra boss in New York. He took control of a key heroin trafficking operating after sponsoring the murders of several rival mobsters from the Gambino crime family. It was clear Carmine wanted it all and it prompted other leaders within the NY Mafia to act.

Members of the Mafia Commission wanted Galante gone and they got their chance when Rastelli and close ally Joseph Massino asked for approval to have Carmine whacked. Many believed the hit on Galante was a joint operation between the Rastelli faction of the Bonanno family and the Gambino’s. Three masked men walked on to the patio of the restaurant and killed Carmine along with Bonanno capo Leonard Coppola and associate Giuseppe Turano.

Anthony Indelicato is the only mobster to ever be convicted for the killing of Carmine Galante. The infamous mob hit was a pivotal moment in New York Mafia’s history. Check out the video below from Fox5’s “The Tape Room” for a look back at the infamous New York Mafia hit!

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Theodore Persico Jr is making his way back to the streets after doing a 12-year stretch in federal prison for murder conspiracy.

Is he next in line to take the reigns of the rebuilding Colombo crime family? Persico ordered mob underlings to whack rival Colombo family mobster Joseph Scopo back in 1993. Scopo was a leading figure in a breakaway faction led by Vittorio “Little Vic” Orena that wanted to take control of the crime family. According to mob turncoat Anthony “Big Anthony” Russo Teddy ordered the hit at his grandmother’s wake. “He said, ‘You got to get Joey,’ ” Russo recalled. “He said, ‘I want my guys to take care of this — killing Joey Scopo. He said Get it done.” The whole conversation took place within earshot of the corrections officers accompanying Teddy as he was out on a prison furlough to attend the wake. The scheme while successful put Teddy back behind bars.

“Theodore Persico Jr”

Teddy Persico Jr is the nephew of now-deceased Colombo boss Carmine “The Snake” Persico. The infamous New York Mafia boss passed away in March of last year. According to the feds Teddy has long been on a shortlist of candidates that could take control of the crime family after Carmine was gone. While Carmine’s son Alphonse “Allie Boy” Persico will likely take over as the family’s official boss at least as far as the feds are concerned it would be in name only as he serves his own life sentence.

The Colombo’s are going to need someone to step in and take the reigns as the family’s new acting or street boss while they continue to try and rebuild and stabilize. It seems that aging mobster Andrew “Andy Mush” Russo may have temporarily taken on that role after Carmine’s passing. But the future of the cosa nostra family seemingly lies in younger hands and many believe that Teddy has the backing and respect needed to fill that void.

While Theodore Persico Jr may be heading home he still has to navigate three years of strict supervised release. If he is to be the new power within the NY Mafia family he will certainly have his work cut out for him as the feds will surely be keeping a very close eye on his every move. They would like nothing more than to make headlines by putting away another Mafia boss with the last name Persico.

That may prove to be a real problem for Teddy who has been in and out of prison several times already and seems to have a knack for getting caught. His status in the mafia has been on the rise ever since he got his button back in 1987 although the extended prison time has certainly made it harder for him to rise through the ranks. Perhaps age and experience will make Teddy and more low key and effective leader.

It’s not a lock that Skinny Teddy takes control as some other options are seemingly available but its certainly one of the more interesting scenarios. We will be keeping a close eye on the Colombo family throughout 2020!

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Michael D’Urso turned on the New York Mafia and helped the feds put an array of his former wiseguy pals behind bars.

Among those that the former Genovese crime family mobsters he helped to put away were former boss Vincent (Chin) Gigante and alleged current boss Liborio Bellomo. There are still several mobsters that he helped put away that are still alive and active and some in a more powerful position and they may still be holding a grudge. D’Urso has remained silent for over a decade while hiding in the witness protection program. But he recently learned from law enforcement that his current secret whereabouts and new identity had been a topic of conversation between mobsters at an upper East Side Steakhouse. It’s unclear as to who exactly was discussing Michael D’Urso and his current whereabouts but if it was passed on to him by LE then it may have been some Cosa Nostra heavyweights perhaps in the Genovese family.

In the open letter Michael D’Urso wrote to the NY Mafia, he said “I am ready, able and willing to defend my family and myself. I hope that 20 years later, no one would be so stupid to get himself into very serious trouble over me.” The Mafia hasn’t been in the habit of going after turncoats in recent years but they certainly remain capable if the opportunity were to present itself. Here is a copy of the entire open letter Michael D’Urso sent out.

Michael D’Urso:

This letter is a heads up to the individuals who were seen and overheard during the Christmas holidays at the TBar Steak & Lounge on the Upper East Side talking about me. Law enforcement folks told me you were talking about my new identity and where I might be living today. I hope that 20 years later, no one would be so stupid to get himself into very serious trouble over me.

While I still have some respect for the life I once lived and the life that some of my old friends and acquaintances still choose to live, rest assured I WILL NEVER GET CAUGHT SLEEPING AGAIN. I am ready, able and willing to defend my family and myself. Also, I have very capable ex-law enforcement friends with gun permits who are with me all the time. And don’t forget, there are cameras everywhere today that can track people to and from any location.

As you know, I didn’t create this mess. I was extremely loyal until my life was in danger for the SECOND time. The people that got in trouble because of me can thank Farby [late acting boss Frank Serpico-GL] for threatening me on the phone and putting me in the position that led to me cooperating. What boss gets on the phone to actually threaten someone? Did he not expect a response? As a street guy was I supposed to just let someone I don’t know abuse me? No fucking way.

Frank SerpicoI hate the fact that some of my Bronx friends got caught up in my cooperation. They are legitimate tough guys. They know who they are. If I had been with them before, I believe they would have been by my side the second I got shot and would have helped me get even. I am truly sorry you guys got wrapped up in the investigation.

There was only one person who raised a finger to try and help me get revenge when I got shot, and my cousin got killed. Unfortunately, he [Vito Guzzo-GL] got 38 years in prison. He was arrested before I cooperated. He was facing the death penalty and I paid for his capital punishment attorney while I was cooperating. The government didn’t need me to convict him.

When Sammy Meatballs [Aparo] came to me with tears in his eyes and said, “If I send for you don’t come,” I knew that Farby was going to have me killed. I had no choice but to reach out to the government. Those of you who truly knew me know that I would have done 100 years for the right people and the right reasons. There could not be a brotherhood without loyalty. But no real man can ever accept being told not to seek retribution when someone shoots you in the head and kills your cousin.

Salvatore AparoI understands why people have to act like tough guys when my name gets brought up. I would do the same if I was in their shoes. But just because I have been respectful and not rubbed anything in any of your faces, do NOT think that I will go on the defense if I see any of you. I am not running and I don’t need a weapon to protect myself. I am a black belt in Brazilian Ju-Jitsu and have been training in mixed martial arts for over 14 years. A bat and a knife won’t help you so you will have to use a gun. But if you, and your bosses, feel that getting me is worth risking life in prison, then come find me. Just keep in mind that your bosses will get prosecuted for the murder as well.

And rest assured that if I feel my life is threatened, I WILL BE ON OFFENSE, NOT DEFENSE. I FEAR NO ONE AND NEVER WILL. And remember that there is no statute of limitations for the murder of a federal witness. And you’d be surprised to find out how many confidential informants there are in your circle, who would love to tell the feds they heard about a murder plot to kill me.

To the gangsters in my neighborhood: If you stop and think, you will realize that I left all of you out of my cooperation on purpose. I didn’t hurt any of you. I didn’t seek you out. I could have started a beef to draw you out. But I didn’t want to see anyone in the neighborhood get in trouble whether we were on good terms or not. I bring this up because I still come in and out of the neighborhood every so often. If you see me, do yourself a favor and do not confront me. It may look like I’m alone but I’m not. Again, I am respectful but fear no one and you might not be happy with the outcome of a confrontation.

Everyone should just focus on their families, their well-being, and staying out of jail. Continue to make money the smart way and leave the violence that gets you life in prison alone. For those of you that have money, find ways to keep it and for those of you that don’t, find ways to make it without violence. Times are different today.

Cookie

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Peter Gotti the former boss of the Gambino crime family had his bid for a compassionate release rejected on Wednesday.

The elderly and ailing 80-year-old former New York Mafia leader filed the request back in February of last year. According to Gotti, he is suffering from various medical conditions including cancer, heart problems, dementia, and blindness. But the government countered Gotti’s argument saying that he was receiving adequate treatment for his medical problems while behind bars in North Carolina. They also claim that he has somewhat exaggerated the terminal diagnosis he suggests in an effort to aid him in being released. Peter took control of the Gambino family from his brother John Gotti back in 1999. During his time as the boss, he tried to have mafia rat Sammy Gravano killed while he was hiding out in Arizona. He also had a hand in major extortion schemes and was sentenced to 25 years behind bar’s back in 2003.

“Peter (One-Eyed Pete) Gotti”

As part of his compassionate release request, Peter Gotti wrote a letter to the court explaining why he should be released. He said “I only want to the (sic) home with my family and tell anyone who will listen that I am a changed man and that there is no benefit to unlawful activities. I truly regret my choices that hurt so many, and in the little time I have left on this earth would hope to be able to share some of my new-fund (sic) wisdom to help others not make the same kind of mistakes that I have made.”

But when making her ruling on Wednesday Judge Colleen McMahon wrote “I reject the notion that Gotti is no longer a threat to the community. The danger posed by a Gambino family leader like Gotti is not that he will personally engage in acts of violence, but that he can command others to do so. Gotti headed one of the most vicious and violent organized crime organizations in New York for a period of years. During that time, the Gambino family earned millions of dollars from extorting the construction industry, and Gotti personally ordered the death of a government cooperator, Gravano. I do not believe that Peter Gotti’s sentence should be reduced, notwithstanding his compromised medical condition.”

While she didn’t dispute the fact that Gotti was ill she believed the crimes he committed were so serious that he had to remain locked up. So it looks like Peter Gotti may have lost his last chance to walk out of prison alive. The former Cosa Nostra boss’s current release date is set for 2032.

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The feds continued to add charges to the racketeering case against New York Mafia associate Peter Tuccio.

But the reason behind the feds hard press could be his relationship with Philadelphia Mafia boss Joey Merlino. The 27-year-old Tuccio reportedly has links to both the Gambino and Lucchese crime families. He is the nephew of Lucchese family capo Joseph DeSena. Back in 2017, he began to pop up alongside Merlino accompanying him to court in Manhattan when he was on trial. According to reports he also made trips with Skinny Joey to Philly and North Jersey. During his trips, he had a chance to mingle with some of the elite in the Philly Mafia. It’s still unclear as to exactly what the relationship is between Merlino and Tuccio, perhaps it has more to do with the relations between the mafia in New York and Merlino.

“Joey Merlino and Peter Tuccio”

Peter Tuccio is accused of collecting street tax from a Queens restaurant owner. The pizza parlor was being shaken down by Gambino capo Ignazio (Uncle Iggy) Alonga according to the indictment. He ordered the New York Mafia associates to torch the victim’s car in an effort to intimidate him into paying. The arson attack was a complete mess as one of the mob associates Gino Gabrielli was captured on security camera footage lighting the car on fire. That’s not all the associate’s pant leg accidentally caught fire as he tried to flee.

Shortly after the arson attack took place Gabrielli and Tuccio were captured on surveillance video entering a local hospital. They were charged with arson conspiracy, extortion and extortion conspiracy and using fire to commit a felony. Gabrielli has already agreed to plead guilty. The superseding indictment filed by the feds last month added an additional extortion via arson charge along with loan sharking charges.

Merlino was caught working alongside members of the Cosa Nostra families in New York in the East Coast LCN case back in 2016. Joey also has links to the Lucchese crime family through another wiseguy pal Lucchese soldier Joseph (Little Joe) Perna. His dad Ralph Perna runs the New Jersey faction of the Lucchese family. So there are plenty of theories floating around as to why a young mob associate would be in such good standing with the leader of the Mafia in Philadelphia.

This has seemingly also piqued the interest of the feds who could see Peter Tuccio as a way to potentially target Merlino. Joey pretty much beat the wrap in the East Coast LCN case eventually pleading guilty to a minor gambling charge doing only a few months in prison. The feds have always had a hard-on for Merlino and after that last fiasco, they may be looking to take another stab at putting him behind bars for good. Perhaps he has information that they think could be used against the flamboyant Philly mob boss.

These additional charges would give the feds some added leverage if they intended to try and get the young mafia associate to flip. If Peter Tuccio is found guilty he is facing a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison. He is currently free on bond and seemingly lying low. It will be very interesting to see how this one plays and out if his recent relationship with Merlino garners any attention if he makes it to trial.

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According to reports aging mobster, Domenico Cefalù took over as boss of the Gambino crime family back in 2011.

He took control of the infamous New York Mafia family at the end of the Gotti era. The reign, imprisonment, and death of former boss John Gotti brought turmoil and instability. The Cosa Nostra family had lost its way under the flamboyant Gotti. It led to convictions of not only the Dapper Don but also other high ranking members of the family’s administration. Peter Gotti took the reigns as the official boss before being convicted and sentenced in the early 2000s to 25 years behind bars. It was clear that the Gambino family needed to change to survive and re-establish itself. A series of acting and street bosses controlled the beleaguered crime family over the next few years.

“Domenico Cefalù”

There was clearly an opportunity for someone to step up and take control of the NY Mafia family. The family’s powerful Sicilian faction which included several key members of the crime family stepped up and seized power. Domenico Cefalù had long been a leading member within the Sicilian ranks and his appointment to boss brought with it a new way of doing things. He was an old school mobster who understood the value of taking a low key approach to doing business and to staying out of the headlines, unlike his predecessor.

Although had several run-ins with law enforcement prior to being voted in as the new head of the family. In 1992 and 1996 he was sentenced to 18 months in prison for contempt after refusing to answer questions from a grand jury investigating the Mafia. In 2005 he would temporarily become the family underboss under acting boss Jackie D’Amico but the feds would quickly come calling again. In 2008 Cefalu was indicted on racketeering conspiracy charges as part of Operation Old Bridge. He would eventually plead guilty and be sent back to prison for 24 months.

Domenico Cefalù was released from prison in 2009. Since then he has remained completely off the radar of both law enforcement and the media. He’s been able to run one of the largest and most powerful mafia families in New York for years without any entanglements with the feds. These kinds of runs as boss are seldom seen when it comes to the Mafia today. But at 73 is Cefalu still calling the shots in the Gambino Family?

While the Sicilian faction still seems firmly in control of the Gambino family reports have surfaced as to Cefalù’s current status. A 2015 report quoted sources that maintained that Frank Cali a rising star within the Cosa Nostra family had taken over as the family’s new acting boss. It maintained that Cefalù had taken a step back and no longer ran the families day to day operations. Cefalu has always been known as a smart and cagey wiseguy who perhaps felt it was better to retire before the feds found a way to indict him. Cali had long been seen as the heir apparent to a new Gambino generation until he was gunned down last year.

Cali’s untimely death was seen as a huge blow to the resurgent organized crime family. If Cefalù has stepped aside so that his former protege could take the reigns and lead the family into a new era then those plans had been abruptly brought to an end. Both Cefalu and Cali maintained close ties through blood and marriage to the Mafia in Sicily. They helped to fill the families once decimated ranks with Sicilians who were seen as being more loyal and less showy.

Many now wonder if Cali’s death had forced Domenico “Italian Dom” Cefalù to step back in and take the reigns once again if, in fact, he had stepped away. As far as the feds are concerned Cefalù is still the boss of the Gambino family. But there are plenty of rumors and theories as to whether or not he’s still calling the shots. After Cali’s death, there were reports that a powerful Sicilian mobster named Lorenzo Mannino may have taken over as the family’s new acting boss.

From all accounts, Mannino has the respect and standing within the Gambino families Sicilian faction to have been the successor to Cali. While there has been little corroboration from law enforcement or street-level sources of the reports of either Cefalu stepping down or Mannino taking the reigns there seems to be enough there to make it a fairly interesting conversation. There may even be others yet unknown within the crime families ranks influential enough to be calling the shots. When it comes to the mafia today keeping the feds guessing and the actual boss insulated and off the radar isn’t a bad strategy.  The Sicilian faction seems competent enough to pull something like that off.

Who do you think is the current boss of the Gambino Crime Family?

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  Aniello Migliore passed away on September 11th at the age of 85 according to reports. The veteran mobster was a longtime member and leader in the Lucchese crime family. Migliore’s time in the New York Mafia dates all the way back to the 1950s when he was recruited by former capo Joseph Laratro. His [...]

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  Former Gambino crime family acting boss Peter Gotti is seeking a compassionate release from a federal prison in North Carolina. The 79-year-old mobster has completed 17 years of a 25-year sentence and is scheduled for release in 2032. But Gotti claims he now suffers from multiple health conditions including early-onset dementia and should be [...]

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  Colombo crime family captain Joseph Amato and 10 other alleged members and associates of the New York Mafia family targeted in the latest mob bust. More than 20 defendants were charged with racketeering, extortion, loansharking, stalking, and attempted sports bribery according to indictments unsealed in Brooklyn federal court. Among those charged with racketeering along [...]

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  According to prosecutors in the now ongoing Lucchese family trial former acting Lucchese mob boss Matthew Madonna, underboss Steven Crea Sr., Christopher Londonio, and Terrence Caldwell are guilty of various charges. They have been accused of racketeering conspiracy, extortion, loansharking, illegal gambling and other acts of ruthless violence. These charges include the murder of [...]

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  Former NYPD detective Louis Eppolito and his partner Stephen Caracappa were infamously known as the Mafia cops. Back in the 1980s, the duo began working for the Lucchese crime family of the New York Mafia. They passed along intelligence reports on mob rats and carried out several mafia hits for Lucchese family leader Anthony [...]

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Gambino crime family member Riccardo (Richie) Cefalu, an old-school wise guy known as a man who lived by the rule “admit nothing,” died Jan. 23 at the age of 92. Part of the Gambino’s Sicilian faction, Cefalu emigrated into the United States from Italy in 1965, settling in Greenlawn, Long Island, where he was still [...]

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Anthony Comello only wanted one thing the day he ended up at the house of Francesco Cali (Franky Boy); to make a citizen’s arrest. Little was it anticipated that he will end up killing one of the leaders of the Gambino crime family. The day of the incident He took his pickup truck to Todt [...]

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After acquiring the rights to the story of the Colombo crime family’s second-in-command’s son, John Franzese Jr, The Oscar-nominated producer of ‘Hacksaw Ridge’, David Permut, can tell what I’m sure will be an interesting story. “Sonny” Franzese Sr. Recently passed away at the age of 103. Since the 1980s, Franzese Jr was heavily involved in [...]

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