It was in gangland today


Danny Persico, Nephew Of Colombo Boss, Succumbs To Cancer, At 54

Daniel (The General) Persico, a nephew of imprisoned Mafia boss Carmine (Junior) Persico, who largely stayed out of the family business, died at the age of 54 last week after fighting a losing seven-year battle with cancer.

Persico's father Teddy Sr., and brother Teddy Jr., are both family capos, but sources say Daniel chose not to follow his father and brother into the crime family. At least not all the way in. He did serve as the Colombo crime family's go-to guy in a three-crime-family stock fraud scheme in the 1990s. That was during a four-year $41 million "pump and dump" scheme with the Bonanno and Genovese families, according to the 2000 stock fraud indictment.

The General, whose commanding nickname stems from his childhood days growing up in Brooklyn — not from any military role — protected the crime family's interests in a Manhattan brokerage, White Rock Partners & Company. The firm was run by the three families for the "primary purpose of earning money through fraud involving the manipulation of the price of securities," according to the indictment.

Persico, who copped a plea deal to engaging in unlawful monetary transactions, served a 21 month stretch for his role. Following his release in 2003, he was not charged with any other crimes. But he was confined to his home for 30 days in 2006 after he was spotted dining with mobster Craig Marino in a Bay Ridge eatery during an FBI probe of Teddy Jr. that led to a gun charge against the capo.

Teddy Sr., Persico's 78-year-old dad who was released from prison in 2013, and his mother, Pat, adhered to their son's wishes and did not have a traditional wake, but celebrated his life and mourned him at a funeral mass Friday at the Basilica Regina Pacis Church in Bay Ridge.

Many family members, including his imprisoned brother Teddy Jr., cousin Alphonse, and uncle Carmine could not attend. But the mob boss's long suffering wife, Joyce, and hundreds of other relatives and friends attended the mass, alternately crying and laughing as The General was eulogized by his cousins and his friend, attorney Mathew Mari.

"It was an emotional day," Mari told Gang Land. "Danny was unique, one of a kind. He battled an unbeatable enemy for over six years, and he taught his friends the true meaning of toughness and real courage. He knew how to live, and he knew how to die: Always STANDING TALL, no matter what."

Persico's remains were cremated. He was single, and he had no children.