Originally Posted by The_Rooster
You still havent answered my questions either Nicky, if you go back a few posts you will see what they were.


Alright I'm on it, Rooster. But you have to answer the questions I have been asking throughout this thread. Deal?
Here are some questions from you I missed:
""So he took over a Crime Family that the Feds claim was defunct years earlier? And then the Feds say he took over a beleaguered crime family years later?..and now youre assuming he wasnt able to stabilize and increase membership like a Joe Ligambi did?""
I don't know if the feds ever confirmed the family was defunct before 2017. By 2012, the family's activity was pretty much unknown, but a structure was theorized.

""So then you must think that the Washington Post is lying, correct?""
Nope.

""Why does the Reporter say that FEDS say he took over in 2006 and do you believe that the Washington Post is lying?""
I think 2006 was the final year the feds confirmed the family was active. That was when they posted that confusing chart.

""What constitutes ghosting on this forum Nicky? Is it you? Im just asking so we all know"" - When you are still reading through all the posts (like you admitted to doing previously) but aren't replying.

""@ Nicky, also please, for the sake of all of us on this forum, explain who defines that there can actually be a Boss of a defunct family? Meaning who told you that Loscalzo (or Delia) is the Boss of the now defunct Tampa family and not the ex boss of the defunct family? Who has told you that this is the correct terminology?""
Answered this one dozens of times. On the subject of who tells me the correct terminology, I take the D'Elia thing. He was indicted and called the boss of the Scranton family, even though that family was defunct.
And does the terminology really matter? That's what I want to know.

""@ Nicky, do you believe that the Tampa Family went defunct in 2006-07 or earlier?""
Probably between 2002-2005.

""@ Nicky, how do you know that Todaro is at La Nova every day full time?""
Due to the size of his company, it's hard to believe he's only a part-time CEO. He has been behind various decisions that the company made, and has spoken for the company a lot. That doesn't imply part-time. Also, he challenged news reporters to come and see what he was up to, and see for themselves that he was at his company "7 days a week."
You could argue that everyone else is making decisions for him, and he is just being handed a speech to recite to press. But that seems like a stretch.




Here are my questions you haven't answered:
""By the way Rooster, why do you think the Musitanos whacked Papalia and his top lieutenant? For fun? Or to take over their rackets and interests?"" I asked that one twice.

""So your knowledge is from knowing certain people, huh? That's great and all, but when I claimed to have spoken to a top LE official, you accused me of lying. Where's the double standard Rooster? Because apparently I'm supposed to accept that you've been talking to all these cops off the record, but when I claim to have talked to a cop I'm a liar?""

What sort of discrepancies were in the article here (http://www.niagarafallsreporter.com/Stories/2013/Jan8/TodaroNicoletti.html) that you claim has inaccuracies?

Why do you hang on to the Vincent LoScalzo thing so much? Does that help your argument in any way?

Why was Joe Todaro Jr. a "close confidant" of a teenager who was supposedly a gang member and union leader as well?

What was the 2012 bust of the Todaro crime family you mentioned?

How does Frank Falzone's law firm specializing in debt collection constitute "mob-like" tactics?

""Third queston: I haven't asked this before, but you said James Feliciano was made in 2000, but he was indicted in Feb. 2000? Also, during that time, he lived in Brooklyn.""

"""Fourth question: You said:
"Members are still under surveillance by BPD and NYS Police, Im not sure about the Feds but they are thought to be viable per local and state law enforecement's definition."
Why have numerous law enforcement officials (I have listed many) denied that the Buffalo mafia exists. They have no reason to do so and it could only hurt any future cases for them if they're lying. By the way, this includes Buffalo federal prosecutor Lee Coppola, Erie County DA Frank J. Clark and Buffalo FBI agent Andrew Goralski. You are saying that LE are conducting surveillance on mobsters. I have given you clear evidence that LE does not consider these guys to be still active.
Also, if LE are conducting surveillance on these guys (which it's clear they're not), why have there been no busts in over 15 years? This can't be compared to Chicago or Detroit, since there is usually a bust every few years for those families (more so for Chicago, less so for Detroit). Usually investigations are finished in less than five years, when a case is made. It's extremely rare a mob investigation lasts over a decade. Since you are claiming "LE is keeping tabs on these guys" we can assume there's multiple investigations. Yet no cases.
By the way, your initial answer to this question above was "You know nothing about Buffalo or know anyone from here" - True, but it's common knowledge that LE don't follow people and watch people for 15+ years without making a bust...""""

""""Fifth question:
You said that the existence of the mob in Buffalo is not a secret, and people know what they do. Then why would the area's two leading news stations consistently report, complete with backed up sources, that the family is defunct. Why would acclaimed mob experts and journalists be trying to cover up the existence of this family?""""

"""You said that the articles I posted could be easily misinterpreted. How in the hell do you misinterpret: "The Mafia is all but dead in Western New York. So what killed it?" with comments in the article such as ""“Most of the men who were responsible for the mob murders in Buffalo are dead,” he said. “The hit men who committed the murders are dead." "And no young people have emerged to replace them, Coppola said."" and """Today, both Cohen and Coppola estimate that there are no more than a handful of surviving mob members in the area, with no viable organization to unite them, and no leader."""
There is no ambiguity in these statements and no room for misinterpretation. These articles I posted explicitly state the Mafia is dead in Buffalo and Western NY. """"

""""Seventh question:
You noted that "Cops here are friends with members, are involved in crime themselves and corrupt prone, just like everywhere else." It seems you are implying that corruption is a big factor in why these alleged mobsters aren't getting busted "just like everywhere else." Except "everywhere else" where there is an active mafia family or criminal enterprise, there are busts. If you are implying that corruption in Buffalo is so prevalent that busts are impossible, that is a wild statement. Of course, if you are implying something different then I apologise for the confusion. Any insight?""""

What in this article: https://www.redstate.com/diary/labo...rs-local-91-cant-seem-to-shake-its-past/ - indicates any sort of (current) mob activity?

Yes, Western New York is quite corrupt. But ""are they corrupt enough to the point where there can be an entire family under their nose and nobody knows about it? Or better yet, they actively deny it? I dont think that scale of corruption takes place anywhere in America anymore, at least not for the mafia."" That was a question I asked earlier.

Regarding the Ciminelli bust: "Does every construction scam have to do with the Mafia? No, and there is no evidence that this Ciminelli one did. This was a plain and simple scam. What would the mob's role in this be? And don't you think that if there was a mob angle to this then prosecutors, feds and news reporters would lap it up?""

Regarding the article you posted in which the alleged Rochester boss denied being a mob boss: ""You think we can ring up Frank Cali and he'll say he's the boss of the Gambino mob?""

Is there any evidence that Cohen was a Buffalo crime family associate, and is there any evidence he worked with anyone other than the Luccheses.

"""Seriously, when did the credibility of my info "fall apart?" When did the credibility of the number of high-ranking LE guys, journalists, prosecutors and mob experts "fall apart." It hasn't. So explain to me how your comment there makes sense."""

"""How many of the guys that Sonny linked under are 65?
And, by the way, what happened to the dozens of members and associates from other families like Milwaukee, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, etc.???? Or are your drunk city cops telling you that they are active as well?""""


New questions:
When the feds say Falzone took over in 2006 or whatever, why are you so quick to jump on that? You've been discrediting the feds for this entire thread. Why do you hang on their word once they suit your agenda?
By the way, whatever the feds say pre-2017 doesn't mean anything regarding the current day situation. The feds confirmed the family was dead last year. Look at this FBI article:
https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository/mafia-family-tree.pdf/view
While the Mafia–also known as La Cosa Nostra--may no longer possess the robust national presence and influence it once had, it remains a significant threat in the extended New York metropolitan area, New. England, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Detroit.
As well as this, here's another FBI article: https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/organized-crime
"The LCN is most active in the New York metropolitan area, parts of New Jersey, Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, and New England. The major LCN families include the five New York-based families—Bonanno, Colombo, Gambino, Genovese, and Luchese; the Newark-based DeCavalcante family; the New England LCN; the Philadelphia LCN; and the Chicago Outfit. They have members in other major cities and are involved in international crimes. Although the LCN has its roots in Italian organized crime, it has been a separate organization for many years. Today it cooperates in various criminal activities with different criminal groups that are headquartered in Italy."
Now, don't be fooled when it mentions Buffalo later on in the page. "Labor law violations occur primarily in large cities with both a strong industrial base and strong labor unions, like New York, Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia." That isn't proof that the Buffalo Mafia is still active, otherwise that would mean the Cleveland Mafia is still active (which it definitely isn't.)

""Fading is not defunct and the Feds clearly have contrasting thoughts"" - Where are the contrasting thoughts?