The event that brought it all down: 1996, not that long ago and Pittsburgh Capo Lenine "Lenny" Strollo, Youngstown rackets boss, attempted the murder of Prosecutor Elect Paul Gains.

http://americanmafia.com/feature_articles_3.html

http://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/end-of-the-line/Content?oid=1472059

Nice find oscar..idk if uve seen it but on Scotts site gangsterreport.com he has a good doc about Youngstown mob produced.by Boom Boom Mancini and featuring lotta good interviews like Ed O'Neil the actor and Rick Porcello...highly recommend it although I knew nothin bout Youngstown mob

Yes, I've seen the documentary. Ray Mancini just got remarried to Paul Romeo's granddaughter. Paul Romeo was the longtime boss in Youngstown until the 1960's when his protege and close goombata from Calabria, Dominic Mallamo, took over. My grandfather and Ray's father were very close friends. That documentary was very well done and Ed O'Neill is a Youngstown Ursuline grad and a true Youngstowner.

Try this documentary out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZgrXAzH4t0

Thanks Oscarthedago for the post.

It is a definitely a good read and entertaining in which some of it was written.

I am sure our other Friend from the Area will be chiming in soon...

Nice find Oscar. I've heard the story about Strollo and Paul Gains before but had never read into it this much in depth.

I think the end was near for Youngstown regardless of this event, and regardless of the big ship failing (Pittsburgh LCN) in the very near future. This attempted murder definitely moved up the process a couple years, but with both Strollo brothers being so weak and ending up as rats it was only a matter of time. Maybe if Lenny wouldn't have been scared of Joey taking over his businesses before he went to prison. I could be wrong Oscar, but wasn't Lenny only going away for about a year or so? And Joey was already the captain at that time anyway. If he wanted to take Lenny's rackets he could have killed him just as easily, and he didn't. And almost the same scenario with the murder of Ernie Biondillo.

Strollo was down to running with bums like Jeff Riddle who thought that Lenny was gonna 'make' him and he was gonna be the first black guy ever inducted into LCN. If you are gonna ATTEMPT to kill a prosecutor, at least do it right and make sure the gun isn't a piece of shit and actually fires before you go out on the hit and that you've actually killed him before you leave the home.

Also Oscar, why do you believe that Lenny was given such a good deal by the FBI when he decided to cooperate?

To the best of my knowledge, he didn't really do much or help them dismantle things in Pittsburgh. They were already out on the way out after the Chucky Porter trial, and Genovese was never indicted or convicted. What did the feds get out of flipping him?

King6... I'll defer your questions to Oscar as he will provide a more detailed explanation. However, after the all national headline making killings of bygone days, Pittsburgh kept watchful eye on both Joey and Lenny. There was a very strict and powerful fellow in Warren that neither one would dare cross. As hard as it is to believe, Lenny had no prior knowledge or involvement in Joey's assignation.

Henry.....when Genovese put Zebo in charge of watching both Joey and Lenny, do u have any idea about how either of them ( meaning Naples and Strollo) felt about having a soldier watching over two capos? Zebo was definitely a powerhouse in his own right.

I've always wondered the same thing, oldschool. If the leadership (Genovese) was so worried about the actions of those guys that they had a soldier watching over them, why even promote either Joey or Lenny after Prato's death?

That leads me to my next question, which maybe Henry can answer. Why not bump Zebo up 'officially' to have his title match his true power by mob protocol? Chucky was already away in prison by that time, was there ever any thought of Zebo being promoted to underboss (even in an 'acting' capacity, since it wasn't yet known that Chucky was cooperating)? And if so, why wasn't that move ever made?

Keep in mind that when Michael succeeded John as Boss that Chuckie and Zebo were his "go-to" guys. Although Zebo was part of Jo Jo's original crew, he never made any real money with him. Even though he was Jo Jo's "Arm" he was Pit Boss at 2 of the clubs in West Virgina and then "Watch-dog" at The All American Club and Bernie for quite some time. Zebo also had several dealings with Paul Hankish and Pat Ferruccio.

That was not the case with Michael. Furthermore Zebo knew he had cancer by then and really needed money to treat his illness. Thus he was willing to be made, something he avoided as he never wanted the notoriety. He simply wanted to make money.

Believe me, he was much more than just a soldier. Maybe the last time Michael personally came to Youngstown, with Zebo, he told both Lenny and Joey in person that Zebo spoke for him - period! Lenny and Joey had no voice in the matter. Zebo was the man especially after Joey got wacked. They were concerned that Lenny might be starting another war. Regardless Lenny had Ernie hit, but didn't roll-over until Zebo died for obvious reasons. Only Lenny and the Feds know how he got off the hook so easy. I'm sure neither will give up the real reason why.

I just may have answered King6 question at the same time ;-)

Thank you, Henry. You definitely did, and it's always nice to get insight from you on topics regarding Pittsburgh!

My only other question that you didn't answer was regarding if you ever knew or heard from Zebo if there was a thought that Genovese was going to promote him? With them being so tight (similar to Michael's relationship with Chucky) then Zebo would have been the next logical choice for the #2 spot with Chucky in prison. Or, with him being sick, did he just not want the troubles that would go along with it, similar to him not wanting to be made?

Underboss is an interesting thought. As you know I only post from personal experience not from the internet. That being said that term was never spoken in my presence. However money is a great motivator especially if you have large expenses and concerns for your family's well being.

Only 5 people would know that for sure. 3 are dead and the of the other 2: 1 is in the can and the other drew the "Get Out of Jail Free" card ;-) Then again, maybe the Feds know?

Contrary to popular belief, neither Joey or Lenny were Capo's. The last Capo prior to Joey & Lenny was Vincenzo "Brier Hill Jimmy" Prato. Joey and Lenny were made in 1987 and were appointed co-bosses of the greater Youngstown area...and at the end of the day, a wise man from Warren, OH oversaw everything. Joey & Lenny couldn't take a shit before asking Charles "Charlie Murgie" Imburgia.

Also, Lenny never "ran with bums" but he did put his trust into an old friend and right hand man Bernie "The Jew" Altshuler. Bernie ran illegal gambling clubs that catered to the African American narcotics dealers and Bernie arranged the hit on Paul Gains. Keep in mind, Lenny sent Mark Batcho as the main trigger man in the hit...and his gun jammed. Mark Batcho was the bodyguard of Strollo's mob rival Ernie Biondillo and Batcho also shot former prosecutor and defense attorney Gary Van Brocklin in the leg in broad daylight in his office and Batcho also pled guilty to the murder of Lawrence Sisman, partner of Ernie Biondillo and Frankie Lentine in their strip club, The Palace in the Pines.

The FBI wanted the corrupt politicians and elected officials...and Strollo gave them up on a silver platter. Sheriff Phil Chance, Campbell, OH Police Chief Charles Xenakis, Campbell, OH law director Michael Rich, Mahoning County Engineer William Fergus, Prosecutor Jimmy Philomena, Sheriff Deputy Michael Terlecky, Judge Martin Emrich, Judge Andrew Polivischak, Congressman Jim Traficant and his Chief Aide, Charlie O'Nesti, Mahoning County Sanitary Director Ed Flask, former invesitgator for the DA's office Russell Saadey, prominent contractors and businessmen Dave Sugar and Jim Sabatine etc. This case for the FBI was what they were trying to do for almost 75 years...and that was to rid Mahoning County of the mob stranglehold that it was under for almost a century.

In regards to Pittsburgh, Strollo gave up Sonny Ciancutti's illegal gambling operation that netted $500k per week. Ciancutti was busted in 2000. By that time, Strollo and Ciancutti were the most active members of the family that provided a boatload of money to boss Michael Genovese. Keep in mind that Chucky Porter got the ball rolling on Youngstown and had Henry "Zebo" Zottola not passed away from cancer in 1998, he was going down as well. Porter was giving the Feds info for 8 years...and everything he told them was like money in the bank.

http://old.post-gazette.com/regionstate/19990221strollo7.asp

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=20001026&id=Z-dRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bW8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5441,5026033&hl=en

http://old.post-gazette.com/regionstate/20001202porter2.asp

After Porter flipped, Michael Genovese was very wary of making any new blood. Mike didn't trust anybody. After Porter, Mike's top guys were Zebo...then Frank "Sonny" Amato Jr as well as John Bazzano Jr...both old timers, both sons of legendary godfathers and Genovese was big on bloodlines. After Henry died and Strollo flipped, Mike relied on a panel of three guys: Sonny Amato, John Bazzano Jr and Sonny Ciancutti. Those were the three guys that all came up with him in the rackets and who knew how to keep their mouths shut based on previous prison sentences and Amato was never even arrested. If Charlie Imburgia was not spending most of his time in Florida by the mid to late 1990's, Charlie would have been the street boss. Charlie was promoted to Consigliere in 1985 right after Michael became boss. And NOBODY fucked with Charlie.

http://old.post-gazette.com/obituaries/20031107amatoobit4p4.asp

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/obituar...es/200807290152



**Notice how inconspicuous Charlie's obituary was...and that's how he liked everything...nice and quiet.

Neither Joey or Lenny were made Capo's. Both were made in 1987 and both knew Zebo was Michael's eyes and ears.

The Strollo Enterprise: A very well written piece about Lenny Strollo and his Youngstown stronghold:

http://old.post-gazette.com/headlines/20010527ytngraphictextnat9.asp

it didn't sound like he had alot of actualy mafia members working for him

he should've made more people so he ain't have to be so hands on

Pittsburgh never did "make" a lot of guys, and that's the way they wanted it. They did have a lot of associates who were considered "high ranking" guys, many of whom were just as powerful as "made" guys in their own right.

There were many more than that, those were his top lieutenants and "key political guys" that protected his people. Each one of his guys had 30-40 more associates and many other political, union and prominent businessmen in his back pocket.

maybe back in the day pittsburg was somebody

but the late 80s 90s youngstown crew acted like they couldn't be arrested

the proof is that all of them rolled over

i can see a few or even half but for everybody to rat is fucked up

The Pittsburgh family had an enormous # of associates...there was a post some time ago on this site listing the made guys and associates...despite the accuracy of that list, it left off a very large # of associates. Pittsburgh, was a tightly knit and tightly run family for years and one of the reasons for their success was the small # of made guys, but at the same time using associates, particularly a core of high ranking assoc., as made guys. Many of those associates are continuing business as usual...I'm ready for your rebuttal Oscar

That list came directly from the PA Crime Commission report on OC 1990 and in several FBI reports. I posted it on another site. And yes, Mike Genovese relied on "high ranking" associates. "Some" of them still operate gambling. I find it interesting oldschool3 (I mean Jack Jr) that you tend to follow my posts and interject where you see fit.

There were plenty of Youngstown associates who didn't cooperate, but Strollo and his key guy Lawrence Garono did in fact testify. Strollo's brother Danny didn't cooperate, he pled guilty to charges.

Guys like Bobby Iannelli, Adolfo "Junior" Williams, Sal Williams, Tony Grosso, Frank Unis Jr., Ernie Biondillo, Paul Hankish, Melvin Pike, Lawrence Amodi, Bernie Altshuler, Alfred Corbo, Auggie Ferrone, Primo Mollica, Anthony Murgie (Charlie Murgie's nephew), Dante Strollo, John, Robert & Gerald Sabatini and Manny Xenakis...These were guys who were very close to the upper echelon of the family from the mid 1970's-through the 1990's. They brought in quite a bit of money and Mike gave them autonomy to operate.

If you read what I wrote Oscar, I agreed with the accuracy of that chart. My last statement was just a friendly joust at you...you young guys have quick tempers at times...there are great posters here, and you can learn from all...whether you agree or disagree...you bring great historical info, which I personally enjoy and value. As for Jack Jr...I have no idea who or what that is. Thank you for sharing your info/research and I mean that sincerely.

I thought I was Jack Jr. make up your mind.

Thank you for your sincerity. Your knowledge is pretty astute as well. I honestly thought you were somebody else but the home invading terrorist just popped his Geronimo head up in the thread.

Nino is getting another email tomorrow morning and the prosecutor in your case will be notified as well. Jack, can't you represent your family with dignity, you haven't put them through enough. Dad still making cheese steaks for you. Are you related to the lady who was in a car accident a few years back in Norristown? I think you know her well. You're finished. Pure and simple.