Larry Mazza as a believable informant?

Of all the various mob informants exposed over the years I must say that this Larry Mazza has struck me as being more authentic in his conversations and revelations than most others of his ilk.

Not that Mazza is a star or to be commended, after all he became a major rat himself. Its just that of all the informers who spin tales about their former lives I find Mazza most believable (so far anyway) lol.

Whatya think folks?

I totally agree. I like listening to Jimmy Calandra as well but all his crimes were “ gangbanger crimes”, stuff that goes on every day with inner city gangs. Robbing drug dealers ect.....

Unfortunately, crimes like what Jimmy Calandra talks about will be all the mob partakes in if they don't get their shit together. But I think farm teams like that will always be a benefit for the Mafia, so long as they keep them at arms length and just take the tribute money.

All informants lie just like all non informants lie. A huge part of that life is deception

I keep hearing about Jimmy recently
His story is old and limited


What is he doing recently that people are taking about hum?

I liked Mazza's Book. I was really reluctant to read it because I thought his story has been told many times but i found the book to be a good depiction of the 3rd Colombo war.

Interestingly, when he decided to cooperate, the FBI wasn't too interested because so many Colombo guys have turned informant at the time. What got him a deal was the info he had on Scarpa's FBI connection.

I guess he couldnt give them anything of value
At that point they prosecuted everyone that mattered.

I gotta say that after Sammy, Larry probably has the best street cred, taking out a Consligliere is a big hit. Franzese was a made man and a good earner but is there any proof he made his bones? Alite and Calandra were just associates and never players in the real business of LCN.
Almost forgot Pete LaFroscia who was also only an associate but he has a few notches and was maybe the best car thief in NYC in his time.

He's seems believable now, but in due time it seems the majority of rats become prolific bullshitters. A lot of it has to do with over exposure, they only have a certain number of stories to tell. When that info gets stale they start making stuff up. Sammy Gravano was in the life for a couple decades and he's already run out of interesting stuff to talk about, and just making up stuff people want to hear.

Alite is a prime example of this, over the years his story has become more and more fanciful. A few months ago on YouTube he was talking about his time on the lam and he rattled off around 25-30 countries all over the World he supposedly hid out in. He claims he hid out in an army base in Colombia or Venezuela. My favorite one though is his claim he hid out in West Africa and lived in the compound of some Muslim emirs compound his four wives and dozens of kids. He probably thought that up after watching a documentary on Bin Laden.

Alite wouldn't make a pimple on John Gotti's ass, let alone the likes of any of the original gangsters.
The strategy on YouTube is to string out your stories so as to generate more views, so Sammy's talking about things he only heard about. Last episode he talked about how Roy DeMeo cut a bullet out of Nino Gaggi's neck which wasn't what happened. Some of the shorts Sammy does on YouTube are bullshit but some are interesting too and provide insight into some of the old school guys like Joey Gallo, Dellacroce, Castellano and Toddo Aurello.

Agreed, I missed a a few of those that you mentioned. In a year or two he may say he was an astronaut. If he does anyone questioning his claim will promptly be called a fanboy/girl.