Originally Posted by NYMafia
Originally Posted by JC
Originally Posted by NYMafia
Originally Posted by JC
Wouldn't Charlie the Blade Tourine be the definition of a sleeper? In Richie the Boot's crew and never rose above the rank of soldier from what I know, but one of the biggest mobsters in South Florida, interests in Cuban and other Carribean casinos, Vegas casinos, and European casinos, interests in DC through Joe Nesline, ties to the Genovese crew in New Haven ,and operations elsewhere in the country, including something to do with the Alaskan pipeline. Made a ton of money and didn't do much if any time.



For sure he was an iconic guy.... but also extremely notorious. Everybody knew Charlie the Blade. Typically a "sleeper" is a guy who may be a star or not. Millionaire or not. But IS a mafioso who is completely unknown and unheard of (sometimes even by other mob guys). or in the alternative, maybe is a known guy to police. But by and large has mostly kept himself off the radar in his career.

And most people, police, media, even other street guys, don't truly know his value to the organization in the scheme of things.


True he was very well known, I just thought about the fact that he never rose in rank above soldier status. Most soldiers let alone captains don't have much if any influence out of the geographic area of their crew but he was big up and down the East Coast and far flung points elsewhere even internationally. He was like the Jimmy Blue Eyes of soldiers. Another guy who was like that was Jimmy Nap Napoli, a little bit more confined to just NYC and north Jersey but big boxing and the entertainment world with interests in Vegas and Reno if I remember correctly.





That is very true JC. Tourine was actually International in scope. A very illiterate guy too. Could hardly read and write. Yet he was revered by everyone he met. He was supposed to have been a real piece of work in his day, yet handled and was engaged in casino gambling, intricate stock schemes and far-flung rackets across the globe. London, The Bahamas, Vegas, Singapore, etc etc .... he REALLY got around. Lived for years on Central Park South I believe (a very ritzy locale). etc etc

He sat with bosses the way we eat breakfast in the morning.... I don't understand what his charm was. But he DEF had it!

I actually think that the Blade's son Charles Delmonico would be a great subject for an article on your site.