In this day and age of the mob, do you really think a guy would get in trouble if he was to start his own crew in mob territory without their permission?

For example lets say the guy decides to buy some used slot machines that print tickets and wants to run his own operation through word of mouth. Would the mob come after him over it? Back in the 70's and 80's if you did this you would have been visited by some people that would put a stop to it and extort your operation. Today would that even happen? Would they even bother taking a risk of going to jail over a small operation in some guys basement in his house or a secret room at his bar that he owns? Which involves close friends and people that find out about it through word of mouth?

For the guys that are connected on here what is your experience with this situation? What would you do to the guy? IS he left alone or do you send a message to him that his bullshit needs to end quickly?

If they knew it made money, someone would be there to become his "partner" in record time.

In NY there are enought brokesters to try an extortion.

lol

Yep, doesn't have to be an Italian, any group that senses a money opportunity would jump on it, but it depends on who actually controls the neighborhood, as they usually has first dibs. Example, in Queens, sometime in the mid 1970s, Lucchese member Tony Russo, and Gambino member Bobby Vernace had a sitdown over a russian running a gambling operation in the basement of his store. A lot of guys were trying to claim that russian, roughly the house took in 8000 to 15000 a month, with a good month netting them 25000 to 30000, which is what brought them to the mobsters attention. The Russian was not hooked up with the Russians, and LCN, made and associates were trying to get in on the action. It came down to Russo and Vernace with Vernace becoming partner with the Russian, in that the crew he was with had a lot of things going on for them in that neighborhood, and thus considered to be running that neighborhood.
Regardless if someone starts to operate and is making some money, someone will notice and then make an offer. Drugs, chop shops, and prostitution being the biggest ones that will bring in them new partners or close up shop.

Anyone or any group can form a crew, being recognized is a totally different thing. Actually you are taking about starting a small gang, or independent crew. No one except LE stops anyone from doing that. I guess in places like Mexico if you start one that conflicts with a Cartel you could wind up with your heads chopped off.

If the question is "Can you start your own Mafia crew" then of course not.

While reading about Joey Amato's crew (Colombo Family), I was suprised to see that the crew had a confrontation with an independant loanshark in Brooklyn. He is a local guy, Italian American, who run his own operation with his own people and no affiliation to any of the 5 families. His name is Domick Ricigliano.

The Colombo threatened him but he stood his ground

Can you imagine this happening some years ago. In an italian neighborhood in Brooklyn !

Permission no, just the balls to stand up to the fake guys pretending it’s 30 years ago hoping reputation will scare you enough to get their permission and pay tribute. Why do you think most of the big cities are run by other groups on the street now? Because the Italians don’t live there and the current guys are soft from the burbs. Trying to live on the past reputation of their families.

I would imagine the only way a guy gets in deep shit is if he starts renting a building that is owned by a connected guy and tries to run an operation behind his back or he was handed a loan to open his bar for example.. That would easily be justification for a visit to let the guy know his bullshit needs to stop unless he hands over a percentage of his earnings. If he doesn’t listen then the place gets torched or simply he’s put out of business by other measures. As you know there are in fact still some neighborhoods where the buildings and so forth are all in the name of guys who are connected.

Real estate is a good money maker for the mob today.,

Quote

Real estate is a good money maker for the mob today.,

It's been a great investment fo anyone in it, but there is nothing illegal about being in it.

Exactly. It’s a legit form of income that provides earnings that can be used to put $$$ in their pockets. Not everything has to be illegal.

I know the mob is not what it used to be. But I would think if you're doing traditional mob rackets in a place like NYC that still has a mob presence they would want you to kick up.

Exactly. Go start a business in Bensonhurst for example, where the building is owned by a connected guy. See how long you last if you start having gambling in the basement of the establishment and it’s making money.

https://www.thechicagosyndicate.com/2019/10/reputed-mob-attempt-to-fix-ncaa-2018.html?m=1

Its the same Ricigliano?

Yes.

His beef with Joey Amato's crew is detailed in the following blog article : https://thecolombomafia.com/the-godfather-of-staten-island-part-2

From what i understood, he started his own crew in Brooklyn without any affiliation to one of the 5 families and he didn't back down when the Colombo tried to go after him.

He was released on October 2022,who know if his crew is still active.

My personal experience with guys that have done real time mostly if they are smart they come home with a different state of mind.

You take Amato for example he was shooter in the war did his 15+ Years, he is a BIG-SHOT now making money hand over fist and simply does NOT want to go back to jail.

He is NOT looking to commit violence unless he has to.

The second thing is not every associate or made man is a tough guy they just are not.

So the fact that this guy " THE PLUMBER" got abused by someone who is not affiliated with LCN, is a testament to how tough he really is not.

Yes 30 years ago the LION would have been laying in the street already.

It looks like the Lions days were numbered.

Lets say that confrontation happened in the diner of Staten Island and the Lion bested the muscle the "Plumber" brought, next time around he brings two tough guys and than three tough guys etc, etc.

Eventually the Lion would run across an associate or a member or a crew that would have TAMED HIM.

Either that or he would have been forced to reach out to someone in LCN, to stand up for him.

Look at what happened with the other family that tried to collect money from Amato Jr's friend they eventually went to a sit down and were told you have nothing coming and that is that.

What I can tell you is that there are more independents now than ever and they are mostly getting away with what they are doing.

Until they get big enough to be on the radar.

There has always been independents some guys that I know that are fringe players and even some associates that know the way the game is played, their thought process is, I will lend out money on my own and when the day comes I get "Called to the Carpet" I will then reach out to someone I know.

They do that because they know once someone steps up for them they have to start paying them, so they figure they will get someone involved hopefully never however, as late as possible.

Not because they do not fear LCN, simply because they know the way things operate and just would rather not pay at least until they have to.

Every time you get you get someone to sit down for you that person gets paid, and if the sit down cannot be resolved at that lower level and the made guy has to get their captain involved that captain now eats as well, and if the captain is unable to resolve issue and the admin gets involved they get a piece too.

With that chain of events it is possible you walk away with next to nothing or nothing and there is NOTHING you can do about it.

Let that happen a few times and the last your looking to do is get someone to SIT for you.