GangsterBB.NET


Funko Pop! Movies:
The Godfather 50th Anniversary Collectors Set -
3 Figure Set: Michael, Vito, Sonny

Who's Online Now
0 registered members (), 116 guests, and 2 spiders.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Shout Box
Site Links
>Help Page
>More Smilies
>GBB on Facebook
>Job Saver

>Godfather Website
>Scarface Website
>Mario Puzo Website
NEW!
Active Member Birthdays
No birthdays today
Newest Members
TheGhost, Pumpkin, RussianCriminalWorld, JohnnyTheBat, Havana
10349 Registered Users
Top Posters(All Time)
Irishman12 67,095
DE NIRO 44,945
J Geoff 31,284
Hollander 23,355
pizzaboy 23,296
SC 22,902
Turnbull 19,487
Mignon 19,066
Don Cardi 18,238
Sicilian Babe 17,300
plawrence 15,058
Forum Statistics
Forums21
Topics42,216
Posts1,056,190
Members10,349
Most Online796
Jan 21st, 2020
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys #823633
01/13/15 06:49 AM
01/13/15 06:49 AM
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 160
Jenkins Offline OP
Made Member
Jenkins  Offline OP
Made Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 160
Was born Riccobono but changed his name to Roberts at some point. Do you guys believe the stuff he claims about being a Gambino soldier in the 70's? I'm about a quarter of the way through his book "American Desperado" where he is talking about his days in NY in the 70's. His stories are so over the top I'm beginning to wonder. His father and uncle were supposedly heavyweights in the Gambino family but Jon was just a low-level soldier. And as a soldier he talks about running all these clubs in NY, muscling a young John Gotti out of businesses, banging former Bond girls in restaurant bathrooms, and that's just a few of his claims. It makes for an entertaining read, but I'm skeptical of how accurate it is.

Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: Jenkins] #823650
01/13/15 09:23 AM
01/13/15 09:23 AM
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,185
ne philly
merlino Offline
jesus quintana
merlino  Offline
jesus quintana
Underboss
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,185
ne philly
His model girlfriend in Cocaine Cowboys backs up a lot of what he was saying in that documentary and he did have to get out of NYC....i was just wondering why he didnt get the mob involved down in miami with what he was doing or maybe he was so far persona non gratis in NYC that he left it alone

Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: Jenkins] #823651
01/13/15 09:34 AM
01/13/15 09:34 AM
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,091
W
Wilson101 Offline
Underboss
Wilson101  Offline
W
Underboss
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,091
Although it's pretty over the top I think it's probably true. When you read the whole book and look at all the citations there are soo many unbelievable things that are cited that to me it makes the rest plausible. I mean it's a fact he was in there with the Medellin cartel so why would he stoop as low as to lie about being with the gambinos who were pretty much peasants compared to him in the end. Also he met all the Miami OC guys trough his connections and all the murders and the bombing really happened and are verified.

Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: Jenkins] #823652
01/13/15 09:40 AM
01/13/15 09:40 AM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 883
B
Belmont Offline
Underboss
Belmont  Offline
B
Underboss
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 883
Nothing should be taken for granted when referencing south florida in the 1970's and early to mid 1980's.. It was that crazy and yes, completely over the top.
They didnt need the mafia and the mob knew to stay the hell away from the colombians. Pablo Escobar had more money in his back pocket than Paul Castellano made in a life time.
Remember the story about DeMeo killing a Cuban??? You think the Gambino's would of made DeMaio kill one of his guys if they were'nt intimidated by them?

Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: Jenkins] #823656
01/13/15 09:52 AM
01/13/15 09:52 AM
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 757
Extortion Offline
Underboss
Extortion  Offline
Underboss
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 757
If you read American Desperado, the author verifies much of what Jon talks about through research and through confirmation from other individuals he interviews for the book. That period of time in NYC was insane and riddled with crime so yeah it's believable and the fact that this dude was in fact that rich which is a fact, he'd really have no reason to make this stuff up even so others verify his story and some are not named in the book as well like the model.

Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: Jenkins] #823660
01/13/15 10:37 AM
01/13/15 10:37 AM
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 252
M
mackinblack007 Offline
Capo
mackinblack007  Offline
M
Capo
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 252
He is a rat fuck.

Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: Jenkins] #823665
01/13/15 10:47 AM
01/13/15 10:47 AM
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,841
S
SinatraClub Offline
Underboss
SinatraClub  Offline
S
Underboss
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,841
A rat fuck who back in his days participated in numerous murders during the 80's Cocaine epidemic Florida had. Made himself rich by dealing in narcotics, and was living it up until the other shoe dropped. Moral of the story is, rat or not, he did things mostly all of us have never done. Let the man rest.

Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: Jenkins] #823672
01/13/15 11:27 AM
01/13/15 11:27 AM
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,442
Alfa Romeo Offline
Underboss
Alfa Romeo  Offline
Underboss
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,442
I read that book and it is believable from cover to cover.

I don't however believe Castellano was a bum compared to the people working for the Ochoa family. Castellano was making a massive haul from narcotics himself.

The wild stories told in that book match up with the wild west underworld scene that was Miami at that time.


"For us, rubbin'out a Mustache was just like makin' way for a new building, like we was in the construction business."
Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: Jenkins] #823686
01/13/15 12:39 PM
01/13/15 12:39 PM
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,091
W
Wilson101 Offline
Underboss
Wilson101  Offline
W
Underboss
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,091
I like how he doesn't make excuses or try to justify his actions

Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: SinatraClub] #823693
01/13/15 12:54 PM
01/13/15 12:54 PM
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 252
M
mackinblack007 Offline
Capo
mackinblack007  Offline
M
Capo
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 252
Originally Posted By: SinatraClub
A rat fuck who back in his days participated in numerous murders during the 80's Cocaine epidemic Florida had. Made himself rich by dealing in narcotics, and was living it up until the other shoe dropped. Moral of the story is, rat or not, he did things mostly all of us have never done. Let the man rest.
if your man enough to kill, but not do your time, your a piece of shit, hope he rests in piss.

Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: Jenkins] #823747
01/13/15 04:23 PM
01/13/15 04:23 PM
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,091
W
Wilson101 Offline
Underboss
Wilson101  Offline
W
Underboss
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,091
He ratted on Manuel Noriega and Ricky Prado lol, neither resulted in any type of criminal prosecution

Last edited by VegasMikey; 01/13/15 04:24 PM.
Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: Jenkins] #823748
01/13/15 04:38 PM
01/13/15 04:38 PM
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 884
Hudson County NJ
D
DB Offline
Underboss
DB  Offline
D
Underboss
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 884
Hudson County NJ
I doubt he was a soldier but he was on his way to being one if he stayed in NYC.

He was Gambino muscle and hoes paved their way into the NYC club business.

His uncle was about as high as you can get in CN and his father was a soldier too

He was also a conduit for when the Colombians wanted hits to be done by non columbians

So he arranged some heavy work between the gambinos and columbians in terms of using

Gambino hitters to whack someone the columbians wanted killed .

He was also a big dealer, not just arranging transportation and no doubt some of his

Customers were CN players .

It is true tho he was a dry snitch

The guy has a great story about the steelers OL over his house binging on coke

A few days before the SB lol .

He was a huge gambler so the wise guys handled that part of the biz .

I wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't one of the bigger wholesalers for NY CN

Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: Jenkins] #823890
01/14/15 08:51 AM
01/14/15 08:51 AM
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,094
Cajunland
LaLouisiane Offline
Cajun Mafia
LaLouisiane  Offline
Cajun Mafia
Underboss
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,094
Cajunland
The book was actually pretty good. I enjoyed the story when he was partying with the Steelers the night before the Super Bowl and they were like "yea the other team sucks, we're gonna kill them", so he dropped 500,000 on the game.

Then didn't he get wasted before the game? Passed out and missed it, turned on the TV next day and was like, "oh, I just won 500K, no big deal." lol


"What are you cacklin' hens cluckin' about?!?!"

"Is that him?!? With the sombrero on?!?"


Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: Jenkins] #824044
01/14/15 07:50 PM
01/14/15 07:50 PM
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,021
far, northwest
Binnie_Coll Offline
Underboss
Binnie_Coll  Offline
Underboss
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,021
far, northwest
there was a part in the book where he sees his uncle, and, his uncle "staten island joe" riccobono tells him to kick back to him on what he was making.

he dismissed his uncle as an old man, and I don't think he was kicking back anything to any LCN family. or ever did.



" watch what you say around this guy, he's got a big mouth" sam giancana to an outfit soldier about frank Sinatra. [ from the book "my way"
Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: Jenkins] #824097
01/15/15 09:43 AM
01/15/15 09:43 AM
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,442
Alfa Romeo Offline
Underboss
Alfa Romeo  Offline
Underboss
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,442
One of the best parts of the book is when he told how he shut Henry Borelli down. Borelli was a psycho with a screw loose with a long body count behind him, but Jon had him in deep check. I don't think even Roy Demeo would have been able to kill Jon Roberts. Jon was not only a killer, but he was a no nonsense businessman and an ex soldier with a very very keen nose.


"For us, rubbin'out a Mustache was just like makin' way for a new building, like we was in the construction business."
Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: Alfa Romeo] #824103
01/15/15 10:27 AM
01/15/15 10:27 AM
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 757
Extortion Offline
Underboss
Extortion  Offline
Underboss
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 757
Originally Posted By: Alfa Romeo
One of the best parts of the book is when he told how he shut Henry Borelli down. Borelli was a psycho with a screw loose with a long body count behind him, but Jon had him in deep check. I don't think even Roy Demeo would have been able to kill Jon Roberts. Jon was not only a killer, but he was a no nonsense businessman and an ex soldier with a very very keen nose.


He wasn't made.

Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: Extortion] #824142
01/15/15 02:05 PM
01/15/15 02:05 PM
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,442
Alfa Romeo Offline
Underboss
Alfa Romeo  Offline
Underboss
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,442
Originally Posted By: Extortion
Originally Posted By: Alfa Romeo
One of the best parts of the book is when he told how he shut Henry Borelli down. Borelli was a psycho with a screw loose with a long body count behind him, but Jon had him in deep check. I don't think even Roy Demeo would have been able to kill Jon Roberts. Jon was not only a killer, but he was a no nonsense businessman and an ex soldier with a very very keen nose.


He wasn't made.



Forgive me. When I say he was an ex soldier, I meant Vietnam veteran, not Gambino.

So from a tactical standpoint, he let Henry know in no uncertain terms that Henry was never to enter Miami Florida without notifying Jon Roberts. Jon was rolling in military formation at all times.


"For us, rubbin'out a Mustache was just like makin' way for a new building, like we was in the construction business."
Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: Jenkins] #824158
01/15/15 03:29 PM
01/15/15 03:29 PM
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 3,363
Alabama
D
dixiemafia Offline
ROLL TIDE!!!!!
dixiemafia  Offline
ROLL TIDE!!!!!
D
Underboss
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 3,363
Alabama
I'm not sure I believe that about his military career either. But until we find someone that calls his info out we will never know for sure.

Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: dixiemafia] #824160
01/15/15 03:37 PM
01/15/15 03:37 PM
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,021
far, northwest
Binnie_Coll Offline
Underboss
Binnie_Coll  Offline
Underboss
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,021
far, northwest
Originally Posted By: dixiemafia
I'm not sure I believe that about his military career either. But until we find someone that calls his info out we will never know for sure.


Dominick montiglio was green beret, but he still turned stoolie, if jon Roberts was a green beret, that makes two of them who ate birdseed and sang like canarys,



" watch what you say around this guy, he's got a big mouth" sam giancana to an outfit soldier about frank Sinatra. [ from the book "my way"
Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: Jenkins] #824161
01/15/15 03:45 PM
01/15/15 03:45 PM
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 3,363
Alabama
D
dixiemafia Offline
ROLL TIDE!!!!!
dixiemafia  Offline
ROLL TIDE!!!!!
D
Underboss
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 3,363
Alabama
There was questions on Dominick too if I remember correctly

Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: Jenkins] #824164
01/15/15 04:02 PM
01/15/15 04:02 PM
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,021
far, northwest
Binnie_Coll Offline
Underboss
Binnie_Coll  Offline
Underboss
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,021
far, northwest
yes, Dixie, a lot of questions, no one ever saw his discharge papers, I remember reading that in "murder machine"



" watch what you say around this guy, he's got a big mouth" sam giancana to an outfit soldier about frank Sinatra. [ from the book "my way"
Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: Belmont] #824199
01/15/15 08:01 PM
01/15/15 08:01 PM
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 62
Montreal, QC
TheRedZone Offline
Button
TheRedZone  Offline
Button
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 62
Montreal, QC
Originally Posted By: Belmont
Nothing should be taken for granted when referencing south florida in the 1970's and early to mid 1980's.. It was that crazy and yes, completely over the top.
They didnt need the mafia and the mob knew to stay the hell away from the colombians. Pablo Escobar had more money in his back pocket than Paul Castellano made in a life time.
Remember the story about DeMeo killing a Cuban??? You think the Gambino's would of made DeMaio kill one of his guys if they were'nt intimidated by them?


The very serious narcotics people do/did NOT give much of a fu*k about the mafia, insofar as their particular trade. In other words, it's not like I'm claiming they're unafraid of mafia people and would do whatever like trying to take over their rackets, but when one talks about their business, it didn't matter all that much who was making problems, they, or their boss would be confronted and have to pay the monies or find a solution.

Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: Jenkins] #824201
01/15/15 08:05 PM
01/15/15 08:05 PM
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,021
far, northwest
Binnie_Coll Offline
Underboss
Binnie_Coll  Offline
Underboss
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,021
far, northwest
yup, can you see any group anywhere going after the Mexican drug cartels? they own mexico, and its not like they don't have military weapons, no mafia would stand a chance against those lunatics.



" watch what you say around this guy, he's got a big mouth" sam giancana to an outfit soldier about frank Sinatra. [ from the book "my way"
Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: Binnie_Coll] #824219
01/16/15 03:13 AM
01/16/15 03:13 AM
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 155
Downtown NYC
D
downtown Offline
Made Member
downtown  Offline
D
Made Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 155
Downtown NYC
Mickey Featherstone also was a Green Beret/Rat.


wise old owl sat on a oak , the more he heard the less he spoke , the less he spoke the more he heard , wasn't that a wise ole bird.
Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: Jenkins] #824220
01/16/15 03:19 AM
01/16/15 03:19 AM
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 778
Castellammare del Golfo
Malandrino Offline
Underboss
Malandrino  Offline
Underboss
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 778
Castellammare del Golfo
Nope, he just served as a support staff.. a cook or something, he was bored and disappointed of the military. Then the medics played a "prank" on him, got him drunk and circumcised him while he was passed out. He never recovered from that apparently and was always bitter.


-I shot him a coupla' times.
-What's a couple?
-Hmm, more than a couple... Really I don't know the exact amount, maybe I shot him 10 times, 12 times?
-Maybe fifteen?
-Hmm, it could've been fifteen...

-Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso
Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: Binnie_Coll] #824256
01/16/15 11:59 AM
01/16/15 11:59 AM
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,449
New Jersey
Five_Felonies Offline
Underboss
Five_Felonies  Offline
Underboss
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,449
New Jersey
Originally Posted By: Binnie_Coll
Dominick montiglio was green beret

i have never seen anything other than him saying it to back that claim up. the idea that someone like him just decided one day to "join the green berets" is total bullshit! he was just another dime a dozen grunt, not the elite of the elite.

"i was the heavy weapons man on the team" whistle


It's either blue cheese with wings or go fuck yer mudda!
Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: mackinblack007] #824261
01/16/15 12:16 PM
01/16/15 12:16 PM
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 2,078
TheKillingJoke Offline
Underboss
TheKillingJoke  Offline
Underboss
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 2,078
Originally Posted By: mackinblack007
Originally Posted By: SinatraClub
A rat fuck who back in his days participated in numerous murders during the 80's Cocaine epidemic Florida had. Made himself rich by dealing in narcotics, and was living it up until the other shoe dropped. Moral of the story is, rat or not, he did things mostly all of us have never done. Let the man rest.
if your man enough to kill, but not do your time, your a piece of shit, hope he rests in piss.


Regardless of being a rat or not, he probably did more dirt and has been in more life-threatening situations than anyone on this board. I'm not trying to find excuses for snitching, nor am I saying that being a criminal is a sign of courage. But like SinatraClub said, people in the board (including me) probably haven't been in the situations he has been in, hence we're not really in the position to call him out for being a "pussy". Just my opinion, for what it's worth.

Anyways, the book "American Desperado" itself was great. Entertaining and it painted a believable picture of the sleazy, dirty atmosphere at the time. I heard they're making a movie out of it with Peter Berg as the director. I'm not to fond of the movies he's making. Apparently Marky Mark is going to play Jon Roberts.

Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: TheKillingJoke] #824271
01/16/15 12:56 PM
01/16/15 12:56 PM
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,442
Alfa Romeo Offline
Underboss
Alfa Romeo  Offline
Underboss
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,442
Originally Posted By: TheKillingJoke
Originally Posted By: mackinblack007
Originally Posted By: SinatraClub
A rat fuck who back in his days participated in numerous murders during the 80's Cocaine epidemic Florida had. Made himself rich by dealing in narcotics, and was living it up until the other shoe dropped. Moral of the story is, rat or not, he did things mostly all of us have never done. Let the man rest.
if your man enough to kill, but not do your time, your a piece of shit, hope he rests in piss.


Regardless of being a rat or not, he probably did more dirt and has been in more life-threatening situations than anyone on this board. I'm not trying to find excuses for snitching, nor am I saying that being a criminal is a sign of courage. But like SinatraClub said, people in the board (including me) probably haven't been in the situations he has been in, hence we're not really in the position to call him out for being a "pussy". Just my opinion, for what it's worth.

Anyways, the book "American Desperado" itself was great. Entertaining and it painted a believable picture of the sleazy, dirty atmosphere at the time. I heard they're making a movie out of it with Peter Berg as the director. I'm not to fond of the movies he's making. Apparently Marky Mark is going to play Jon Roberts.


I agree with your post here.

Jon Roberts was a drug dealer. In that game, there is no loyalty or omerta. It is every man for himself from the get go. Whatever actions Jon Roberts took that proved to be self serving should come as a surprise to no one. He was just better at it.


"For us, rubbin'out a Mustache was just like makin' way for a new building, like we was in the construction business."
Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: Jenkins] #824301
01/16/15 03:29 PM
01/16/15 03:29 PM
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,091
W
Wilson101 Offline
Underboss
Wilson101  Offline
W
Underboss
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,091
If it was a guy who just did 10-20 years or whatever that said "fuck this rat scum", then I gotta respect his opinion. Other than that I gotta agree with what was already stated. This guy lived a crazy violent life that was crazier in reality than most people dream of. NY mafia associate, Vietnam, Medellin cartel, fugitive, Iran contras..... He also made zero excuses. The only unbelievable shit in his story is who he claims he did and didn't rat on, and he gives several different and conflicting accounts of how much time he ran for, actually served, and was sentenced to. If you watch cocaine cowboys he says 15 years, then in American Desparado he says 3. Other places he says 5-10. People do blow smoke sometimes about time they have done tho, I myself personally have done a small amount of state time and portrayed it to people that I have done more, it's bravado or whatever u wanna call it and trust me it doesn't mean someone is not a dangerous person. His claim that he was let out on bail to set Munday up but he double crossed the agents seemed pretty outlandish to me, but it has never been refuted by Munday, and they had a lot of contact and whatnot with all the docs. I have been around millions of clowns who did this or did that but they were really a bunch of jokers. I also have met just a handful of stone cold psychos, and trust me this guy was one of them, and a rat and whatever else too..

Re: Jon Roberts from Cocaine Cowboys [Re: Jenkins] #824304
01/16/15 03:56 PM
01/16/15 03:56 PM
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,442
Alfa Romeo Offline
Underboss
Alfa Romeo  Offline
Underboss
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,442
Just my observation on Jon's associate status:

Due to his deep family connections to the Sicilian establishment of the Gambino family at that time, he likely would have been made had he not had to flee NY due to the cop killing.


"For us, rubbin'out a Mustache was just like makin' way for a new building, like we was in the construction business."
Page 1 of 2 1 2

Moderated by  Don Cardi, J Geoff, SC, Turnbull 

Powered by UBB.threads™