That's really neat, thanks for sharing,I heard the weep was a big player then, seemed like altoona had alot going on back then, now it's just pretty boring, you still round altoona? I'm just a younger guy that has alot of interest in the mob, thanks!

Herman Lardieri operated The Red Shoe in downtown Altoona and later the UVA club on 18th Street. Rocky Marciano used to come to town for gambling at his clubs and he shipped Baronner's corn to NYC for Frank Sinatra's parties. He was definitely into the gambing circuit but I don't have hard evidence of much else.

Thanks for the info. I regonize your screen name, I think there is a bar or social club sportin the italian colors with that name beside a auto body shop headin over the bridge into downtown any connection?

Does anyone know who ran places outside of the city of PGH like Westmoreland county in the 1920s or before then? Back then the counties of Fayette, Washington, Greene, and parts of Beaver, Allegheny, Indiana, and Armstrong were a part of Westmoreland County.

Also who was a part of the whole black hand thing? Was it Sicilians? People from Calabria? Neapolitans? Or all 3? Or did they all eventually become a part of LCN?

Who ran places in Ohio sort of close to PGH like the Youngstown area and all the small towns near it in the 20s and 30s, was that mainly black hand or LCN or both together?

I have a question, what actually stopped the Pittburgh family from making new guys were the commission going to whack them all?

It is my understanding that Michael Genovese wanted to rebuild the family and actually made at least two men in the 80's and had a list prepared in the mid 90's. However, with the Porter revelation, supposedly, NY put a hold on any new inductees. To my knowledge, no new members have been made since.

I don't pretend to know anything about Pittsburgh. But the better historians here from the Youngstown-Pittsburgh-Stubenville triangle all pretty much agree that that family is as dormant as Vesuvius.

And the New York families really couldn't give a shit in this day and age. They have their own problems. If they were to involve themselves with any of the outside families today, it would most certainly be Philadelphia. And they can't even be bothered there because they're an even bigger sideshow than New York .

And welcome to the board, pal .

New York defo isn't interested in a few remaining old guys bulkshitting playing cards , there not rebuilding as has been stated , genovese consigliere thomas ciancutti is apparently running wot is left since the death of genovese

I agree with both of the above....for multiple reasons, all of the families outside of NY and Chicago are all but extinct with little hope of making any significant comeback....in fact, even Chicago is having their own troubles with survival.

Uh-oh. Here we go . . .

Frank Amato brought stability to that family during his time as boss. It became a powerhouse when John LaRocca was boss, do to his friendships with Carlo Gambino, Angelo Bruno, Santo Trafficante, and a few other powerful boss during his time as boss. He extended the families interests into other areas and as well as other territories, thought he did have a conflict with Cleveland over Youngstown Ohio.

Michael Genovese made 5 guys during his reign. In 1986, Charles Porter and Sonny Ciancutti. In 1987, Joey Naples and Lenine Strollo, both from Youngstown. In 1989, Henry Zottola was made and became Mike's right hand man and consuit to all Youngstown family business. John Bazzano Jr. and Sonny Amato Jr. both had their roles expanded by 1990.

Michael Genovese's underboss Chucky Porter was indicted in 1989 and he along with Gigante in NYC put a moratorium on new members and after the 1990 trial that sent his top guys to prison, he had trust issues with bringing new members in

Guys up for membership included:

Ernie Biondillo-Youngstown, OH
Frank Lentine- Youngstown, OH
Bobby Poghen- Youngstown, OH
Frank Unis Jr- Aliquippa, PA
Primo Mollica- Glassport, PA
Anthony "Murgie" Imburgia- New Kensington, PA
John Sabatini- Corapolis, PA

All were highly respected associates who were never made because of Porter's cooperation and Mike Genovese's distrust of new guys after what Porter did.

Nice posting Bugsy...what is very interesting, but not widely known or appreciated, is the fact the Pittsburgh family was truly that...all family, either related by blood or by marriage. This caused the # of made guys to be small...however, there were a large # of associates who acted and continue to act as though they are made members. This has enabled what is left to continue business as usual. To my knowledge, they continue to control the majority of gambling and continue to have some union influence..especially with LIUNA...along with the Buffalo family?

And regards the Buffalo family?

Relatively speaking they are dormant...prior to the 90's the family was so powerful that it controlled a wide swath of territory and the politicians that went with it, however, it now is a mere shadow of itself. But to say that is dead is gone is a slight overstatement, but relative to the past it is "dormant as Vesuvius."

Your enthusiasm about Pittsburgh is appreciated as well. I've researched this topic for over 12 years and actually know several former members and associates. Although Porter and Raucci got convicted in 1990, the Pittsburgh family thrived through the 1990's with unions, gambling, fencing of stolen property and loansharking. After Porter got convicted, nobody was dealing in drugs any longer. Mike Genovese relied on Henry "Zebo" Zottola, Frank Amato Jr., John Bazzano Jr. and Sonny Ciancutti plus they still had the entire Youngstown, OH faction that were thriving and getting rich off of black drug dealers by opening gambling dens for those animals. Lenine "Lenny" Strollo had every politican, county sheriff, several police chiefs,the prosecutor and a congressman in his back pocket by 1992 and it didn't come crumbling down until December of 1997 when 62 people were indicted in a racketeering enterprise throughout Youngstown. In Pittsburgh, they were still earning through traditional crimes. When Mike Genovese died in 2006, there really wasn't a "boss" as the only members left were John Bazzano Jr (who died in 2008) and Sonny Ciancutti (still alive in his mid 80's). Strollo and Porter are both still alive and living in the open. Porter still resides at 3999 Old William Penn Hwy and Strollo is living at 3900 Mercedes Place in Canfield, OH. Labor union infiltration has been gone since JOhn LaRocca Jr. retired from local 1058 and the other unions that they infiltrated were gone in 1987 when Jo Jo Pecora died. Sonny Ciancutti now spends his days at the Meadows racetrack. He still makes book through some of his associates such as Jeff Risha.

Pittsburgh's influence spanned over all Western PA, NE Ohio, Jamestown, NY, the panhandle of WV as well as Erie, PA. That's 4 states...that's a huge territory.

As far as their influence now, it is gone compared to where it was because there is no family any longer. Case in point, the most recent gambling bust in Pittsburgh that included Rodney Iannelli and Kirk Mollica, both sons of "high ranking" associates Bobby I and Primo Mollica, never would have happened if LCN was still in tact in Pittsburgh. The ring leader, Ronald "Porky" Melocchi would have been paid a visit by one of Sonny's guys and they never would have accumulated that kind of business if the boys were still running things.

Mike Genovese had several high ranking associates who he let use his name for influence purposes. In Youngstown, Ernie Biondillo, Bobby Poghen and Frank Lentine and in PA there was Frank Unis Jr., Primo Mollica, Anthony Murgie and the Sabatini brothers who relocated to Ravenna, OH and took over a lot of action from the old Cleveland Mob when their members all went to prison. These guys had permission to use Pittsburgh and Mike Genovese's name which carried a lot of weight.

Jeff Risha was one of the guys rounded up in the Porky Mellochi gambling bust,so he may have been arranging for a taste to get back to Sonny.They just sentenced Dan Carr to probation and a couple hundred buck fine.Carr was a councilman,and later ran a small business that used Porky's machines. I'm sure we all know how the rest of the plea bargains are going to go in this case.
Nothing changes but the faces.

A few well done pieces by Torsten Ove of the Post Gazette (and I don't agree with everything he writes, but these were well done)

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/obituar...es/200611020421

http://old.post-gazette.com/pg/09109/963736-294.stm?cmpid=news.xml

Bugsy, do you know if what's left of Pittsburgh or any of the smaller east coast families for that matter, still kick up to the Genovese?

That hasn't gone on from my knowledge. Although the Genovese Family represented them on the commission, LaRocca and Mike Genovese didn't kick up to them. Same with Cleveland which was evident in the casino skimming case, as they were close to KC, Milwaukee & Chicago.

In Pittsburgh, Sonny Ciancutti is the last made guy standing (other than Chucky Porter and Lenny Strollo from Youngstown who both cooperated). Sonny still has Jeff Risha and a few other guys who make book and he gets his cut, other than that, Pittsburgh still has some of the Williams brothers (Sal and Junior as well as Eugene), John Conley, Bobby Iannelli, Anthony Murgie, Frank Unis Jr., Mauro Matone (not confirmed that he is doing anything, but it's likely) and Manny Xenakis. These guys still operate independently but not nearly to the extent that they did in the 1990's. Frank Unis Jr., he is the largest bookmaker in Beaver County and was just in the news a few years back for shooting a guy.

http://www.post-gazette.com/breaking/200...es/200810230386

The remains of the Pittsburgh mob's union influence appears to have ended when Laborers Local 1058 was put under federal oversight back in 2001. There have still been some gambling busts here and there involving people connected to the family over the last 10 or 15 years but that in no way implies there is still a formally structured, viable family there. At most there are a handful of members still living. Some say only one or two.

Buffalo does have more members remaining, about 20 still, but it also no longer appears to be recognized as a viable family by the feds. At least it hasn't been included on any list of remaining families I've seen since the 1990's. That's when they lost control of Laborers Local 210 when it was put under oversight. There have continued to be the odd bust - some gambling, some drugs, some other things - involving members or associates but, again, that doesn't imply a formally structured, viable family at this point.

Here in the Pittsburgh/Western PA area,the Mob as we knew it is gone forever. Gambling,as always, produces a ton of revenue,but nowadays the kickups are going to the cops and politicians,not any outside Mob Family.Sports,numbers, and high roller private Poker/Table game joints will always thrive here. Plus you still have the juice,prostitution, and and on a smaller scale,drug businesses.
Nowadays it's loosely allied groups of guys running their rackets. Everybody knows everybody,and if not,introductions are made. Once Sonny is gone,the only thing that will change is the number of pieces cut from the pie.

The Iannelli's, Kirk Mollica, the Williams brothers, Frank Unis Jr and John Conley are still running their operations...with Unis Jr and Sal & Junior Williams being the largest operators in the area. Unis Jr has all of Beaver County and Chippewa and Sal & Junior operating out of the city. Bobby I is basically retired but is still getting a cut as his son Rodney has started to assume his book. Manny Xenakis is still operating on a small scale as well.

IMHO,"Duffy" Conley is one of the more interesting characters on the local gambling scene. He started out as a kid washing dishes at the old Del-Kid restaurant out in Robinson Twp.(We called it Greasy Gus's,it was one of the few food joints open all night in those days). He began placing Video Poker machines and as his business (and connections)grew,he developed a reputation as a guy who always gave his associates a fair deal,and sincerely wanted to build mutually profitable relationships. After he took his first big fall,he kept his mouth shut and did his bit. He went back on a parole violation,got out,and caught another case involving a pretty lucrative sports book. He then decided to cash in on the booming online auction business and started Bid66.com,a "penny auction" site. This is actually a legit endeavor,and you can't swing a dead cat anywhere in the Western Pa area without hitting a blue Bid66 bumper sticker. Bottom line,Duffy hustled his butt off and built a hugely successful business,always staying loyal and never giving up his "partners" (I'm sure you know a few of them). Back in the old days,whenever he walked into a bar that had his machines,he would buy a round for the whole bar,kick the bartender a sweet tip,and,if he saw someone playing a machine.he would slip him a tenner so he could have a few free credits. He also owned a ton of real estate (mostly in his girl's name).
It wasn't unusual for him to help out a down on their luck bar or coffee shop owner with a few bucks as a gesture of goodwill and gratitude for taking his machines. Of course in his business there were times when he had to resort to,shall we say, "aggressive" collection practices,but all in all the guy was and is pretty much a gentleman.

Duffy Conley purchased all of his machines from Pasquale "Pat" Feruccio, a high ranking made member of Pittsburgh and longtime owner of Liberty Vending in Canton, OH. Feruccio was known as the video poker "expert" and he distributed the machines in NY, Ohio, PA, Kentucky, West Virginia and New Jersey.

http://www.peepsplace.com/showthread.php?t=36293

clevelandmob.com/files/PD-Ferruccio-articles1991-93.doc

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1144&dat=19910413&id=ASweAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7JYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6909,5475204


Feruccio taught Conley the "business" of gambling which is why Conley ran such a professional gambling business. Feruccio was also the liason between the Pittsburgh & Cleveland families and played an instrumental role in the early 1980's of brokering the peace between the two families over control of Youngstown/Wareen, OH rackets. He died in 2006.