Russo taps Donnie Shacks as new Colombo Underboss

Capeci has a new article up on gangland talking about how Russo sent word that the family needed Donnie Shacks to come back from LA and serve as the family's acting underboss. Donnie and new Acting Consig Farese (from Florida) planned to come back to NYC during Xmas to start running things but then the feds revealed last month that Maragni was wired for sound and recorded tons of convos

pretty interesting, maragni went down to florida (wired up) and told Farese that Russo sent a msg that he wanted him to take a spot on the family's admin, Farese then sent an attorney to see Russo at the MDC and ask him whether that msg that he got from maragni was correct, Russo said yes and that was that. That whole ordeal took less than 8 minutes apparently.

I dont understand why none of these guys make others strip down to ensure their not wired!!!

vinny basciano used to make all the capos strip to check for wires in the bx before they sat down with him

Yeah when I go into work my boss makes me and all my co-workers due that everyday

i thought it was just me glad to see there are others as well

Hmmm, i allmost had to laugh. This is so easy, look at the Genoveses. We still dont know anything, but the Colombos on the other hand...

exactly, if i was in the genovese admin i wouldnt even acknowledge the disaster that is the colombos right now with any type of sitdown/walk talk/meeting, i would only allow associates to meet with the colombos even to meet the admin no made guys from the west side are allowed to meet the colombos for fear of wires/rats, etc

Donnie from L.A.? I've heard if that guy before; what the hell was he doin' out here?

Nick Corozzo also use to have meetings at the beach with everybody in shorts.

Being more or less retired, dating Elizabeth Hurley, and trying his hand at acting.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FH1bTbRPLjI

Elizabeth Hurley? What in the 90's? Oh, and Ivy thanks for posting that link, would have never found or heard of it.

I remember reading a bunch about west coast wiseguys and Donnie's name always came up. He just enjoyin' himself out here; like all the rest?

Anyone familiar with Fat Bobby Paduano?

I think it was in the early 2000's.



No problem. Including you now, the total number of people who have heard of that movie has got to be up to at least 8 or 9.



Some come out west to retire. Others come out because they got chased out of wherever they were from back east.



LA associate back in the day. Don't remember off the top of my head if he's still alive or not.

I think he was with the Lucchese's. He got busted in the late, late 80's for cocaine trafficking and extortion/blackmail. Savvy legal tie ups and good attorney's kept his ass out of prison until '91 (he was caught in '88 I think) and was released in '97 ish from Chino.

All shit out here in Orange County

Im sure all NY mob figures are staying away from the Colombos.. What a disaster.. Is there a shot the remaining Colombo guys are not going to be recognized? If your a Colombo wise guy, just get out of the life right now or try and switch over..

I would check everyone.. and everything.. walk n talks, hand over my mouth.. and the old whisper in the ear of your guys...try and record that, if your a made guy and you got no wire then you shouldn't mind stripping down and showing everyone your clean .. you can go to jail for just meeting now.. is that right?, if your both criminals and you are photographed together talking .. is that a crime? - conspiracy?, do they need to prove your actually talking about crime?

I'd meet in a steam baths sounds gay but better safe than sorry

Steam bath is a great idea.Russians do it all the time. Hell go to a dam indoor pool somewere and talk there but no way if I was a mobster would I be meeting any colombos

I heard the other four families only meet them through messengers or small time associates. No one wants to get caught with them anymore.

I wouldn't be surprised if the mob starts doing that when meeting other mobsters. It would pretty much wipe out guys recording others through wiretaps.

Bug the steam bath anyone???

Boy u guys been watching to much sopranos ...

One can never watch too much Sopranos.

I agree ivy.but in all honesty if I was donnie shacks out in cali I would have hung the phone up on russo. If they can't keep it together n they've been in new York how do the expect him to after being in cali for years.im sorry russo but im retired click.

There is no such thing as being retired from the Mafia. There are members who are not active but these are still considered as members. Whenever the boss calls upon them, even if they have not been active for years, they are still obligated to follow orders.
Unless a special agreement has been worked out, like the Gotti Jr situation and a few others, nobody can enter into the Mafia and leave whenever it pleases them.

Why don't Listening Bug Detectors become standard issue with everyone's button? If I were a skipper I would be using them on everyone and myself and the walls and cars multiple times a day. Annoying yeah, but beats a 25 year trip to Florence, Colorado.

How many times have we heard these corroborated tapes get some old timer who's seen it himself a million times. Hell Staino and Mousie are going away for it now. Gotti, etc etc etc...