Mikey Scars testimony

Reading the court testimony transcripts from Mikey Scars, it appears Gotti was right to criticize Gravano for instigating the murders and being greedy. Scars agreed that Gravano was making up stories to get everybody whacked and take over their businesses and unions. Of course, Gotti should have never allowed the murders. There was even a part about Gravano trying to take over Jimmy Brown's garbage rackets.

Suppose the Gambinos weren't taken down by Gotti's big mouth. What would have been the end result of Gravano's greed? Would Gotti have finally stood up to him and whacked him or would he allow Gravano to take over more of the family rackets? Who would have won the war between Jimmy Brown and The Bull?

Jimmy had all the horses. Plus, he would have had the backing of the Westside through his partnership in the paper association. And I've always believed that Chin would have gotten to Gotti anyway, and backed Jimmy and Danny as boss and underboss. If that all happened, things would probably be a lot different today.

Who took over Jimmy's rackets lucrative rackets when he went away?

Joey Francolino I think it was. At least Failla´s garbage removal. And the irony is that Francolino was a former Gravano crew member.

In a way, Gotti's hands were tied. I'm sure Gotti was very aware of what Gravano was doing as shown in the tapes

But there were reasons why Gotti didn't act on them

Apart from being top guy in the family, Sammy had a big crew and was a big earner therefore to take him out wouldn't do Gotti much good

Not to mention, I'm sure Gotti was aware there were still many in the family who weren't happy with him taking out Paul Ie Castellano side. So by losing Gravano, that's one ally down in an event of a war

Which relates to the Westside, again Gotti was aware the Chin was causing problems and you need a guy like Sammy around just incase

so it was a question of tolerating what Sammy was getting up to or putting a complete stop to it which he didn't

The worse irony is that Sammy Bull ordered Tommy Spinelli dead, then testified against Jimmy in regards to that very murder.

And HK's right about Francolino. He got very wealthy in a very short time after Jimmy's conviction.

He was scared to death of Sammy and his power...that is purely why he never even brought the subject up to Sammy's face.

Failla had a hold on that racket (Gambinos share) for almost 30 years. How long did it take for Francolino to ruin it? 3 years? Lol!

Yup. That's why I said a very short time. But the nitwit did make a score .

I agree Chin wanted Gotti dead at one point, but by the 1990's he had too many problems with the Windows Case and Gas flipping. His days on the streets was on borrowed time with all the informants like Leonetti, Savino, D'Arco etc the feds had lined up to testify against him. The last thing he needed was a high profile murder and potential war.

If they had killed Gotti in that car bomb or some time in the 1980's, then things would have been very different. I wonder what would have happened to Gravano and the other conspirators.

Did't Francolino Jr take over after Sr went away?

joe f. was involved with fialla in the garbage assoc. not just after..he was being groomed to take over

well said..john was in a rough spot,but i think ,listening to the tapes he was pushing loc to go along with getting rid of graven

sammy did not order spinelli killed..jimmy did

They took the most powefull family and ruined it.

Well, PB's "Gotti dies" scenario would have relied on all the stuff you mentioned not happening.

allie shades was pinched with him also.they were pinched in the state. L.E. crippled them with guiliani and the whole private sanitation biz

Bronx quote: "sammy did not order spinelli killed..jimmy did"

So who ordered Spinelli to be killed?

tommy s. was fialla's cousin and in his crew,tommy testified in the GJ. fialla had his crew kill tommy. going to the boss first..

From Mikey's testimony it seemed like Joe was Sammy's guy and Jimmy had a problem with him being put in there

graven took him from fialla

Thank you Bronx. Enjoy reading your insightful posts.

Exactly.

Mulberry raises a fair point, though. Vince DID have his hands full in the early '90s. But that assumption would also be based on the assumption that Vince was the ONLY Westside guy who wanted to hit Gotti. And I don't believe that he was.

Don't forget which crew was tasked with that hit in the first place. Bobby Manna's gonna die in jail because of those tapes. But don't forget, the guy who inherited that crew was pretty capable himself .

thank you.. i guess right every once in awhile

On the rare occasion that I'm right about something, my wife is fond of saying that even a broken clock is right twice a day .

she is a bright woman..humble statement pizzaboy just like your handle

Takedown: The Fall of the Last Mafia Empire

From Publishers Weekly
In 1992, New York City detective Cowan was investigating a truck bombing at a Brooklyn garbage transfer station when the "mobbed-up" thugs responsible for the crime showed up to further intimidate Sal Benedetto, the facility's owner. Thinking fast, Benedetto introduced Cowan as his "Cousin Danny," thereby averting disaster-and allowing Cowen entry into a landmark investigation in which he went undercover as Danny Benedetto to expose the Mafia's billion-dollar monopoly of the city waste removal business. By the time the grand jury indictments were handed down, Cowan had spent years on the case, helped put away dozens of mobsters and incurred lasting emotional trauma from the strain of leading a double life. Recalling it here in vivid, riveting detail, Cowan (aided by journalist Century) reconstructs a time when he was deeper undercover in the garbage "cartel" than any city cop had ever been, with the close calls to prove it. Whether he's boosting a wiseguy's car to plant a bug, navigating confrontations with goons wielding two-by-fours and baseball bats or suffering through a Mafia Christmas party with a malfunctioning radio transmitter burning into his leg, Cowan's exploits play on the page like scenes from a well-mounted mob movie. The Hollywood producer with the rights to his story won't have to spend a penny juicing it up: this is a well-told, gripping tale of a heroic investigation.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Anybody read this book

Funny, halzogbe. I just mentioned that book on another site. Here's what I had to say about it:

That was a decent book, but they overstated Phil Barretti's importance by a mile. And the cop, Rick Cowan, really wanted you to believe that he was the second coming of Donnie Brasco. But that seems to be the case with most of these guys who dramatize their life stories from BOTH sides of the law. I swear to God, I don't know whose egos are bigger, the cops or the crooks .

I spent 25 years in that Local (IBT Local 813), which covers private sanitation and funeral service employees here in New York. 813 also covers some airport jobs and car rental agencies, but to a much smaller degree. Anyway, I worked on the funeral side of the local, but I crossed over quite a bit because I was a business agent for my last seven years on the job. And I'm no mob apologist, but Sal Benedetto was a whiny little bitch who got himself jammed up because he put himself in a position to be jammed up. Then he ran to the law like a scared little girl.

But like I said, the book was a pretty good read. They got a lot of it right about Ponte and the waste paper association. Francolino, too.

"Takedown" is one of my favorite mob books - and I've read most of them. A must-read for anyone interested in the people and events mentioned in this thread.
Also - Mikey Scars' testimony (the first part at least) is one of my favorite things written about the mob as well. The part where he says "I ate it," in regards to his brother's death is really intense.

All of them do that shit and it drives me crazy. Underboss about Jerry Angiulo was the same way. Had about 40 pages of nothing about how the agents grew up and blah blah blah. Who cares? I'm reading about the person the book is about, not the cops. That crap turns me off quick to a book and half the time I'll skip those chapters.

underboss on jerry a was written in the 80tys and all those fbi agents are convicted felons today. takedown was a great book seems like jimmy brown new Sammy was making a push into to garbage rackets and let john no. gotti on them tapes praises jimmy brown for bringing him tons of cash from the time he became boss and he knew gravno was greedy and was trying to get a rode in. that's when he telling frank loc this guy wants everything he can never have anuff ect Frankie loc keeps telling john let me go down stairs and bring Sammy up but gotti said nope should have listen to his gut. he made jimmy brown acting boss I think weeks after they all got arrested.

Remember when I told u that? It was why I couldn't get through it and I read 2-3 books a month. It wa gross.

jimmy was never acting anything under JG..he was on a panel with four other guys..

Yep you called it. I damn near put it down myself, had to skip the rest until they got back on track. It was a good book other than that garbage.

I would still pay good money to see him on that video doing the choke sign.

Informants told the feds Brown was appointed acting boss for a period during the trial. The panel wasn't set up until after the conviction

Hello mulberry, the 5 man panel was formed when they first got detained.. brown was on it, not after conviction, if you remember which informants said that? thank you.

Immediately after they were arrested, informants told the FBI Brown was appointed acting boss. That was before any panel was set up. They were informants, not rats, so the FBI wouldn't say who told them. That's what the FBI said. They could have been wrong. I don't think a ruling panel could have been set up that quickly to be in place immediately after the arrests, so somebody had to be in charge while the entire administration was at the MCC

Yeah, I've never heard of Jimmy Brown being acting boss, he was the most powerful member on the panel though for sure.

Hahaha yes. Would be priceless.

Here's testimony http://www.onewal.com/nw-dileo.html

This jack was never mentioned by gravano, right?

after sammy flips , big lou gets taken down, lil nicky gets put on.jr was to stay in the back ground hear all the beefs and biz, then get back to SR. but jr goes right up front..the panel was created right away..5 guys..this is not new news, and was not a secret at the time, circa 91 gravano flips nov 91

Gravano didn't flip until 11 months after they were arrested.

thats correct dec 90 to nov 91, the panel was in place at the time

Was that Joey Cigars Francolino?Hell,that guy was a millioner.

still has his money..

Made it fast, too. Jimmy liked him, he fell ass backwards into a TON of cash, and got fucked with the paper association.

That entire investigation began with Duffy Carting (which was relatively small, considering it was Manhattan based). The Feds claim it started with Chambers Paper picking up the phone and calling to complain. But Francolino got on the Feds radar by being photoed with Gotti on one of his egotistical Tuesday night get togethers on Mulberry Street. And it mushroomed from there. But those walk and talks were a good idea, right?

Danny Benedetto (the rat from Hunts Point) and the undercover operation came years later. And Bronx is right. The Francolinos still have their money.

Get it PB,you are a hundred percent right on everything,those walk and talks were one of the worst ideas in LCN ever.Read an online article about Joey Cigars,about his house,cars,bots etc.He was P.Diddy rich,that neighbourhood in SI is very high-class.
Did he and shades grow up together or something?

Like I said before, that's what the informants told the FBI at the time. They could be wrong. Is it impossible that Brown was acting boss for a few weeks or months before the ruling panel was set up? Apparently, most people here know more than the made members back then.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19920403&id=m9hRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=V24DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4399,1601284


http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1992-...-gambino-family

Is Francolino from Brooklyn, who did he run with when younger?
He now lives in Staten Island? Is he still active?

Thats was my question before.Anyway,if he was from Brooklyn than he could be under one of 3 capos.Being that he was around Failla and Gravano,than it would had tob either Carmine the doctor Lombardozzi,Peter Ferrara on in fact all the way with Jimmy Brown...Thats what i think,of course i'm open to critisism.

Acctually,it would had to be one of those two,The Doctor or Petey Pumps.Jimmy Brown got skipper latter in the 60s.So it was probably those two but you never know.If he was from South Brooklyn than the Doctor,If Bensonhurst and around areas is where he's from than Petey Pumps.Tony Rizzo before Pumps.
Meant to write that in the post above,but it didn't come out right..

i.m not sure , maybe someone can help us out

Yeah,if somebody knows for sure it would be great.

I have no clue who Francolino ran with as a youngster, but when he was made in 1986, Francolino was put in Gravano´s crew. I said this earlier in this same thread. You need to pay attention kidz... (lol) He got full control of Jimmy Brown´s rackets when Jimmy was demoted in mid 1990s.

Yes HK,i know you did.We were kind of discussing where he was from,and with who he was with as a youngster.Thank you HK.
We both read Scarpas filles,Ferrara was mentioned a lot.Numbers and what not,64 when Failla took over for a whille.You talked about it a lot in this forum before.

It's tough. So much information in these threads you're bound to ask questions that were already answered.

this is a great read if you want to know about the 90tys in the mob. I cant remember what mob lawyer ript him to threads in a trial might have been jr gotti trials. they got he saying he couldn't remember or he might have imagine it. the feds kept him on retainer 5k a month free housing. after that trial they put him out to pasture or what that saying is. tony room bout to choke again. jerry jones gonna died on the field. I wonder how peter gotti found out he was stealing from the family and how much. theres a pic on his ocean front mansion on the staten island the thing is sweet. plus he was in charge on construction for years the inside must be nice.

Jimmy LaRossa. He just passed away.

He defended Big Paul Castellano aswell,didnt he..?

Ya Gigante to, as well as a number of other guys.

Yes Alex in the Mafia Commission case. He was also saw him before his visit to Sparks when Paul was killed.

Good stuff. Thanks Mick.

jimmy was not demoted he went to prison in 94

very good , duffy was joe's on the west side of nyc.. allie shades was pinched with him..joe went to trial and knew could not win, why..who knows could have taken a plea for far less time..he went to trial everyday gassed..judge got upset with him.

i read that a few times plus some other trials, i didn't get anyone ripped him up..maybe the other way around..his partner gravanos bros. inlaw robbed and he covered him up...pizza.. larossa didn't get a shot at him..i found much of what he said the most credible on bklyn guys..no question..

I do my best, Bronx .

But seriously, I was with the local for more than ten years by the time that indictment came down. And Duffy was on the Feds radar long before Danny Benedetto picked up the phone for Chambers Paper. And Francolino got on the radar through a videotape of him with Gotti on a Tuesday at the Ravenite.


It wasn't me who said that he tore DiLeonardo to shreds. I just pointed out that LaRossa was the lawyer in one of the other trials. It was Fat Dom Borghese who LaRossa ripped apart. I don't know where to find the testimony, but if someone can look it up you'll see what I mean.

100% fat dom was taken apart by larossa, you are quick..i read it way back..one trial was JW murder case . not guilty... fat dom got caught with safe deposit boxes with a couple hundred grand he didn't tell the fbi about.

Thank you, Bronx. That's because I try to only post about things in my comfort zone and believe to be true. And The Bronx, the Teamsters and the garbage business are in my comfort zone.


I remember that. Unbelievable. And on top of everything else, he contradicted the testimony of other rats who came after him.

And it's funny because I just posted on one of the other sites that I'm surprised that none of these convictions are ever overturned when these witnesses contradict each other. But those are the Feds for you .

you are correct, with all the guys that flipped , there must be so many contradictions, then you throw in how each agent writes up the 302's, on the same set of events , should be good for reasonable doubt. but you know , when you are fighting a case ,you are your best lawyer and do all the research. some firm should compile all material , from every guys testimony and debriefings and cross mention by names and events. .save a lot of work and be accurate on every case..Hmmm. maybe we should start a company

A couple of interesting articles on Cosa nostra news on Michael Scars DiLeonardo and the Gotti's.

i thought it was great, maybe he would do a Q and A

I think Bronx that he's sincere and seems very credible to me. He had a great reputation in the streets. Very level headed guy.

The prosecution's evidence of organized-crime influence came mainly from F.B.I. videotapes of Mr. Francolino and Mr. Malangone meeting separately in 1989 and 1990 in Little Italy with John Gotti, the boss of the Gambino crime family, and with Salvatore Gravano, the Gambino underboss.

Say what you want about Lieber/Scarpo,but he does come through with some very entertaining articles. That Mikey Scars piece was really pretty cool. As said above, Scars seems like a sincerere, bright guy abd I get the feeling, he regrets what he did. But what the hell do I kno? lol

Thanks for the "credit," Cheech. I made that post on January 5th, just off personal memory. But Ed doesn't read anything that I write, huh?

I was with 813 from 1981 thru 2006 (Give or take six months because I had a lot of time owed to me that built up over the years. I was honestly a workaholic, and not in the good way).

My point being, that whole Chambers-Duffy thing was smack dab in the middle of my time there. I remember it like it was yesterday.