Tino Fiumara

Any info on him? I read what Wiki had to say, but I honestly have never heard of him before.

From the little I read in news articles he was incredibly powerful as a Genovese NJ capo and used to hide in trunks of cars to get to meetings undetected.

what crew was he a member of before becoming capo? Any insight is much appreciated, thanks guys

I think he was in Gene Catena's crew.

im reading a book right now about a new jersey state trooper
who went undercover, "covert" by bob Delaney. the fbi along with the new jersey state police set up a sting operation to nail fiumara, he instilled a lot of fear in undercover people, he had a string of murders behind him. he was a soldier in the Genovese family.

at the time of the operation the Genovese boss was funzi tieri, whose underboss was pasquale macciarole, know as "patty mack" that's who fiumara had to report to. he was a very good earner for the genoveses.

Pretty interesting guy. Part of the Jersey crew... was highly influential and a good earner apparently.

Sounds like a good book Binnie... I'm still on the fence about my next book. Wish they had written a book about Gerard Pappa, that guy was crazy.

that would be a great book, wasn't he one of the first guys to go down in the French connection case? he was a big heroin dealer wasn't he.

You're thinking of Vinny Papa, Binnie. Gerry Papa was a garden variety maniac.

ok, thanks p.b.

ANY INFO ON HIM!?

The Gerard Pappa Sammy was talking about,that maniac?

Yeah, John's father. He wasn't a big earner, but he was off the reservation crazy.

Is this a joke? Unless you're just starting reading about the mob, who hasn't heard of Tino Fiumara?

That's what I thought, too, Ivy. But he seems like a nice kid and I think his interest is genuine.

Pappa's kid was a nut too. He got locked up for life at what, 21? What a waste.

Well, in that case, it's been said on these forums that Fiumara was originally affiliated with the Philadelphia family. He got in trouble with Caponigro over something, Catena stepped in, and Tino was released to the Genovese family and eventually made into that organization.

It's a decade old now but the 2004 New Jersey OC report gives a good summary on the Fiumara crew. Of course, with him now dead, Mikey Coppola is the last known official captain of the crew with Michael Borelli the acting captain. The last info on Tino before he died had him on a three man panel running the family.

He was originally with Philly under Dominic Lolly Luciano. He blamed Tony Bananas for setting up Lolly to be killed by the Campisis. He was either going to kill Tony Bananas or get killed, so Gerry Catena talked to Angelo Bruno and the Genovese took him in. He was eventually made and put under Lodi Pet Laplaca. When Laplaca died his crew was split between Tino and Steaky Gatto with Tino getting the waterfront in Newark.

He did a ton of time, from about 1978 to 1994 and later from 1999 to 2005. LaPlaca died in 1979, a year after Fiumara was imprisoned so I don´t think the split occured in 1979, but later. Perhaps sometime in the mid 1990s. When Cafaro flipped in 1986, he mentioned the Family´s captains and Fiumara was not among the mentioned ones.

Mikey, I posted a wire tap transcript on here some time ago where Thomas Buzzanca talks to another guy about the qualities of Fiumara and which was used against him during his trials. Use the search function to find it.

no its not a joke that's why I asked. Never claimed to be an expert just a casual reader...Thanks everyone who actually responded with info appreciate it

Read the book by Bob Delaney (The NBA Ref) and you will learn all about the inter workings of Tino- its a good read- I read it all in a 3 day period at the Jersey Shore, highly recommended

okay thanks I'll check that out

"Papa's Game" (mostly about Vinnie Pappa) is one of the most fascinating books I've ever read about LCN in the dope business and the Special Investigations Unit that chased them (or robbed them, depending who you believe). I bought it used on Amazon, still have the copy somewhere but the pages are all pulled out of the bindings.

http://www.amazon.com/Papas-game-Gregory-Wallance/dp/0892561556

that's the book I was referring to in my post. it is a good read.

Coppola emerged as a major organized-crime operative in North Jersey after his release in 1983 from state prison, where he had done time for extortion and labor racketeering. His name has surfaced in a number of investigations and was mentioned in one conversation, secretly recorded by the FBI, in which New York mob leader Salvatore Profaci discussed the Genovese family's hold on a lucrative trash-hauling business in the Philadelphia area.

More important, Coppola is said to be a close associate of Tino Fiumara, a Genovese crime family leader released from prison in 1994 who is believed to be reestablishing his once iron-fisted control over mob racketeering enterprises around the Port of Newark.

Fiumara and Coppola came up together in the underworld, according to Newark mob turncoat George Fresolone, who became an informant for the New Jersey State Police and who is now living under an assumed name in another part of the country.

``Coppola wouldn't do anything without Fiumara,'' said Fresolone, who moved in some of the same underworld circles as Coppola before turning witness five years ago. ``When Tino said, `Jump,' Mike asked, `How high?' ''

Solving the Lardiere murder nearly 20 years after the fact would be a major accomplishment for New Jersey mob investigators. But even more important, they say, is the pressure a potential murder conviction might bring to bear on a suspect such as Coppola.

His knowledge of the inner workings of the Genovese organization, one of the few families in which authorities have been unable to develop cooperating informants, would be invaluable. His relationship to Fiumara makes him even more attractive.

I like the story in the late 90tys tino called joe merlino to come up to nyc or Newark and merlino said nah he can come down here. he isn't to dumb.

Fiumara was going to whack him?

Was Merlino really a jockey back in the day?

And is he really 5"2?

He's got to be closer to 5"5 or 5"6 because he looks the same size as Joe Ligambi.

Great info fellas thanks for the responses

I didnt know the Genovese had operation in Philly? Was this Tino's crew? Did they actually have a crew of made guys in Philly? Im assuming they were somewhere in S phil, but does anyone know where?

Also does anyone have any insight if the Genovese currently have a crew or shit goin on in Philly? I find it interesting that a NY fsm would have rackets going on in Philly family heartland although admittedly philly fam is a shell of itself and historically always semi-answered to NY post Angelo Bruno

To be fair, I didn't know anything about the Genovese until I got on here. I mean I knew about them somewhat, but the people newbies think about was Chin and Genovese himself. Just not much out about them to a person just learning about the mob like there is with things like Donnie Brasco, Gotti, etc.

Dixie - completely agree my friend, this site is great. I feel bad sometimes bc I just have tons of questions as someone relatively new and young with little back knowledge but just trying to read as much as possible on guys other than Pistone, Al Capone, luciano etc. Def appreciate the great responses of all the knowledgeable guys and gals on here

I agree Mikey. I know I sound stupid sometimes but I don't care, I just ask away

I'm pretty much in the same boat as you guys. I've read a ton of stuff on OC and was a long time " lurker" before ever signing up. Unfortunately I have zero to offer but I love coming on here to read peoples opinions, thoughts, experiences etc. Tino was always interesting to read about. Reading that Bob Delaney book and the part about Tino taking over that restaurant in NJ, the one where some Italian immigrant worked his ass off his whole life and saved enough $ to start his lifelong dream of opening a restaurant, was brutal. And that's just 1 story. I can only imagine how many honest, hard working people had the life sucked outta them by these "men of honor".

The restaurant was called Lawrences and was located in Parsippany. Tino put the arm on the guy. Next thing you know, Tina is doing 20 state time. I wouldnt want to do 20 minutes in state.
As far as you guys not contributing to the site, its your questions and interest that keep things going,, fire away....

That's okay, Mikey. Because you're very up front about it. Ask whatever the Hell you want .

he was a jockey . i have a picture of him in the winners circle..wrong thread ,sorry

Thanks pb appreciate that. I definitely dont mean to be annoying just curious and starting to read about oc.

Take this with a grain of salt if you choose.,my uncle knew Tino very well. He was older than Tino but nonetheless, was with him a lot. My uncle was NOT a mobster although many of his friends were. He loved the card games at the clubs and loved the track.
Tino was cold as fuckin ice and a killer as many of you know. However, he was not an out of control killer. If Tino was told to kill you, he did it . If he thought for a second that there was a 1 and a million chance you would be a witness in another life, you were dead. Jersey had some very serious crews in the 1970's and 1980's. The west side guys in newark were under Andy Gerardo, then you had the Lodi crew, the jersey city crew, and another one that escapes me.

There is very little doubt that the Westside has set up shot in south jerz and philly

In traditional gambling and sharking biz . But I also heard from a good source that they have some garbage down there too .

That one thing that sets WS apart , they take over territory and businesses anywhere and have no fear of expanding .

Makes we laugh when people say LCN is dead , then I walk outside my office on Wall Street a little and see a certain GC listed on a big sky scraper project . Not to mention all the legit biz they have in JC .

Most of these fams are much weaker , but not all , however they all got smart about no violence and disinformation on who runs things .