But in the famous words of Fabrizio Romano... HERE WE GO!
Both the Euros and Olympics will be the most secure major events of all time we are living in troubled times. At least sports gives many people a much deserved fun distraction.
TooDoped - I think this is Lou Moschiano - I am nearly positive 'Big Lou' was a relation to Loverboy. The family was quite large - its interesting to see they married in with Buccieri you wonder if there is any relation to Fifi and Frank Buccieri.
I think the prevailing theory about why Greg Scarpa Jr. was put into the "Rat" category was twofold; there are some street guys who believed, at the very least, that as a son, who was also extremely close to his father on a daily basis, hung around him constantly, as well being as a street guy himself, who was a member of his father's own crew, who became a made guy no less, over such a lengthy period of time (many many years, decades, in fact,) Junior would have, or should have, "smelled" a rat (so to speak, no pun intended.)
The fact that he supposedly never did... became suspect in some wiseguys minds. And it became hard to believe that he never "allegedly" questioned his father about it? Or if he did think something was afoul, he never brought those suspicions to the Colombo brass as he should have...It was a bit too much to swallow. So Greg Jr., was also considered a rat by some. Who, at the very least, turned a blind eye to it, making him complacent in his father's scheme, (If he wasn't downright part of it as the time passed.) - The second incident which made some guys label him a rat (which I personally, do not agree with,) was after he got that lengthy sentence for heading the Staten Island-based drug ring and was doing his federal time.
Either by happenstance or previous design (in a deal worked out with the feds beforehand,), Greg Jr. was housed with a guy who was known as a Middle Eastern terrorist, and the two prison inmates became friendly. Over a period of time, Scarpa got the guy to open up to him in confidence (thinking Scarpa was a devout mafioso, a stand-up guy.) The terrorist admitted committing criminal acts, terrorist acts, against the United States of America. (I don't remember if Scarpa tape-recorded the guy or not.)
Scarpa promply brought the information he obtained from the guy to Federal Authorities and they used whatever evidence Scarpa provided to arrest and prosecute the Middle Easterner for "terrorism." Scarpa may have also testified in court (I really don't remember.) But at the very least, he was debriefed, spilled the beans, was recorded, and provided pivotal evidence, helping the feds make the case.
--- PS: Now I think there are many wiseguys and street guys who really don't give two shits if Scarpa helped take down some terrorist degenerate plotting against America. In fact, after experiencing what we did in New York City after the horrific terror attacks of 9/11, I suspect that there are some wiseguys who would (openly, or privately) applaud and give him a medal for such a thing. Looking at his actions as a completely separate thing from "organized crime street activity" and making an exception in this case regarding "keeping quiet" regarding law enforcement. Some mafiosi might even view it as an act of heroism and patriotism for America, similar to the actions of mafiosi back in Sicily and Southern Italy during WWII, when the Mafia bosses in certain villages and towns aided the Allies in landing on the Island of Sicily, providing them with scouts, interpreters and other logistical support in their efforts to defeat Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini and the Axis Powers. ----
But, overall, these two factors played into Scarpa Jr being labeled a rat. A third incident which I'm sure didn't help he cause was when he had the physical altercation and punched out Lucchese boss Victor Amuso in jail, after Vic had called his father a rat. Collectively, all these factors effectively sunk Scarpa's ship!
Heard some rumors about that... I don't know, maybe JJ should have started with something smaller. But we'll see, I enjoy his podcast very much and he definitely has a lot of knowledge.
In my opinion it's only a matter of time before Rajon Rondo takes up coaching on a more serious level (I believe he's involved in his son's basketball team).
Thai boxing Imperiale says he met Rico R., originally from Chile, in Amsterdam in 2008. They were at the gym doing Thai boxing together and developed a friendship. However, they never became business partners, Imperiale said.
Imperiale describes the Dutch who work internationally in the top division of the cocaine trade as a network of different groups, which then do joint projects with those, and then with those.
3500 kilos Rico and Raffaele had mutual acquaintances who, according to him, were in the trade. Mink Kok (62) and the British Billy Meech were partners, according to Imperiale. At that time, Kok lived in Beirut with his Lebanese wife. R. sought contact with Meech, who had been married for some time to a Colombian woman.
Rico's contacts with South American suppliers made him interesting for Meech and Kok, according to Imperiale. Rico became Meech's "right hand man," he says.
Imperiale was also working on a series of “jobs” from South America together with Meech and Kok:
I did a 6 ton job (…) from Brazil, a 2500 job and a 3500 job. That 3500 kilo batch went through and exactly the week it arrived in Naples, Billy was arrested.
That was in 2011 when Mink Kok and Billy Meech were arrested together in Lebanon for 50 kilos of cocaine.
Pay another 52 million Imperiale had a problem, he says, because the 3.5 tons of cocaine was a joint venture between his Secondigliano group and the group of Mink Kok and Billy Meech. He wanted to pay Billy Meech another 52 million euros.
Rico and Raffaele met each other in Beirut. Rico tried in vain to get Meech out of the cell. Imperiale then told Rico about the 52 million he wanted to pay.
Angry Rico was angry about this, because he knew nothing about this deal, even though he thought he was Meech's right-hand man.
Rush, I believe you've had your say, and so have others. And, as usual on this Board, things are staarting to turn ugly. I'm going to lock this thread. I hope you stay with us. --TB
Willie Weisberg was a Jewish gangster who operated in Philadelphia under Harry (Nig Rosen) Stromberg, a notorious underworld figure and acknowledged boss over the city’s Jewish Mob, which was also known as The 69th Street Gang. He started out as Stromberg’s chauffeur and bodyguard, but Weisberg eventually rose to become a top lieutenant, and later, Stromberg’s second-in-command.
Dutch Colombian arrested on cocaine smuggling charges June 13, 2024
A Colombian Dutch dual national has been arrested in Colombia on suspicion of large-scale cocaine smuggling local justice ministry officials have said.
The man, named by the Colombian authorities as David Ricardo Tromp, is said to have been the organiser of a criminal network that sent cocaine to the Netherlands and China which had been hidden in the luggage of travellers.
The gang was based at Cartagena airport and Tromp was in charge of persuading people to carry the drugs, and providing them with accommodation, transportation, international permits and air tickets.
He has been charged with trafficking, manufacture and possession of narcotics and, according to the Colombian authorities, has accepted the charge.
