Mob Month: From Medellin to the Mob: Meet Ronin of the Underworld Kenny “Kenji” Gallo
1/31/2012 • 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Clark County Library
1401 E. Flamingo Road
Las Vegas, NV 89119
Room: Main Theater
Our final event features a panel discussion with Breakshot author Kenny “Kenji” Gallo about his life growing up as a mixed-race teenage dealer/distributor for South American drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, becoming a leading porn director/producer in California, partnering with West & East Coast mob families, and switching sides to become one of the most successful and notorious undercover operatives for the FBI. Joining the panel are Kenji’s former crime associate-turned-lawyer Ramon and Kenji’s ex-wife and adult film superstar Tabitha Stevens. Moderated by national TV crime commentator/author
Vito Colucci.
Book sales/signing will be available at each event. All seating will be on a first come, first served basis. Entry wristbands will be issued starting at 6 p.m. from the Theater box office on day of event only. For more information about any of our Mob Month events, please call 702-507-3458.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Teamsters Get Former Mob Bookie Hired at The Illinois Department of Transporation Along with a Check for Over $100,000 from Taxpayers
FOX Chicago's investigators have learned that the state of Illinois has been ordered to re-hire a former mob bookie, and cut him a check for more than $100,000.
Ralph Peluso was fired in 2010 after we started asking questions about how he landed on the state payroll.
He is now back on the job, thanks to the powerful Teamsters union.
Peluso allegedly took plenty of bets during his long career as an outfit bookmaker. But even he may be stunned at how he beat the odds and scored a major payday at the expense of Illinois taxpayers.
The man who was supposed to kill Peluso certainly can't believe it. "It blew me away!” Frank Calabrese Jr. said. “This is something that the people of Illinois have to look at."
Frank Calabrese Jr., spoke with FOX Chicago News in an exclusive interview via Skype from his home in Phoenix, Ariz.
He said Pelsuo was a key part of his father's outfit street crew in the 1980s and 1990s. Peluso paid Frank Calabrese Sr. $1,000 a week in street tax, in return for the mob muscle to run one of Chicago’s largest bookmaking operations. "He handled juice loans. He handled gambling,” Calabrese Jr. said. “He was our go-to guy for politicians."
Peluso - nicknamed "Curly" for obvious reasons – later fell out of favor and Calabrese Sr. wanted him killed. His feelings are clear in this prison conversation secretly recorded by the FBI.
"Gotta watch Curly,” Calabrese Jr. said. “Curly's a very treacherous son of a b****."
Peluso was scheduled to testify against Calabrese Sr., in the historic family secrets mob trial in 2007. But he got cold feet at the last minute. Still, Peluso's name surfaced 24 times during the trial, which led to the convictions of several longtime outfit leaders for nearly 20 murders going back decades.
Just months after the trial ended, Peluso quietly landed a $76,000 a year supervisor's job at the Illinois Department of Transportation.
In 2010, FOX Chicago broke the story of the ex-mobster's state job and Peluso was fired for "conduct unbecoming a state employee."
Well, guess who's back on the state payroll? "I'm shocked,” Calabrese Jr. said. “I'd love to know who's backing this guy."
The teamsters are backing Peluso. They appealed his termination and won.
According to IDOT, an arbitrator recently ruled the state did not have "just cause" to fire Peluso. The arbitrator ordered him reinstated to his job, including back pay totaling more than $103,000.
IDOT said in a statement that it is disappointed: "The department aggressively defended its position and strongly disagrees with the arbitrator's decision."
"Why would the collective bargaining agreements protect someone like this?” Rep. Ed Sullivan asked. The Republican state representative is asking for an investigation into Peluso's re-hiring, as well as how the ex-mobster got the job in the first place. "With unemployment at ten percent,” Rep. Sullivan asked, “how does someone with this questionable background get a job with the state of Illinois?"
The man whose father wanted him to kill Peluso said there's a simple explanation: "That's called clout,” Calabrese Jr. said.
FOX Chicago managed to reach Peluso by phone at the IDOT maintenance yard in Schaumburg where he works. He said he had no comment and hung up.
The teamsters aren't talking, either. Repeated calls to local 916 in Springfield, which appealed Pelsuo's firing, have gone unanswered.
Thanks to Dane Placko
Ralph Peluso was fired in 2010 after we started asking questions about how he landed on the state payroll.
He is now back on the job, thanks to the powerful Teamsters union.
Peluso allegedly took plenty of bets during his long career as an outfit bookmaker. But even he may be stunned at how he beat the odds and scored a major payday at the expense of Illinois taxpayers.
The man who was supposed to kill Peluso certainly can't believe it. "It blew me away!” Frank Calabrese Jr. said. “This is something that the people of Illinois have to look at."
Frank Calabrese Jr., spoke with FOX Chicago News in an exclusive interview via Skype from his home in Phoenix, Ariz.
He said Pelsuo was a key part of his father's outfit street crew in the 1980s and 1990s. Peluso paid Frank Calabrese Sr. $1,000 a week in street tax, in return for the mob muscle to run one of Chicago’s largest bookmaking operations. "He handled juice loans. He handled gambling,” Calabrese Jr. said. “He was our go-to guy for politicians."
Peluso - nicknamed "Curly" for obvious reasons – later fell out of favor and Calabrese Sr. wanted him killed. His feelings are clear in this prison conversation secretly recorded by the FBI.
"Gotta watch Curly,” Calabrese Jr. said. “Curly's a very treacherous son of a b****."
Peluso was scheduled to testify against Calabrese Sr., in the historic family secrets mob trial in 2007. But he got cold feet at the last minute. Still, Peluso's name surfaced 24 times during the trial, which led to the convictions of several longtime outfit leaders for nearly 20 murders going back decades.
Just months after the trial ended, Peluso quietly landed a $76,000 a year supervisor's job at the Illinois Department of Transportation.
In 2010, FOX Chicago broke the story of the ex-mobster's state job and Peluso was fired for "conduct unbecoming a state employee."
Well, guess who's back on the state payroll? "I'm shocked,” Calabrese Jr. said. “I'd love to know who's backing this guy."
The teamsters are backing Peluso. They appealed his termination and won.
According to IDOT, an arbitrator recently ruled the state did not have "just cause" to fire Peluso. The arbitrator ordered him reinstated to his job, including back pay totaling more than $103,000.
IDOT said in a statement that it is disappointed: "The department aggressively defended its position and strongly disagrees with the arbitrator's decision."
"Why would the collective bargaining agreements protect someone like this?” Rep. Ed Sullivan asked. The Republican state representative is asking for an investigation into Peluso's re-hiring, as well as how the ex-mobster got the job in the first place. "With unemployment at ten percent,” Rep. Sullivan asked, “how does someone with this questionable background get a job with the state of Illinois?"
The man whose father wanted him to kill Peluso said there's a simple explanation: "That's called clout,” Calabrese Jr. said.
FOX Chicago managed to reach Peluso by phone at the IDOT maintenance yard in Schaumburg where he works. He said he had no comment and hung up.
The teamsters aren't talking, either. Repeated calls to local 916 in Springfield, which appealed Pelsuo's firing, have gone unanswered.
Thanks to Dane Placko
Security Tracking Systems For Today That Keep Up With The World Of Tomorrow
Security in this country is a huge issue; on a national level, and for corporations, prisons and individuals alike. This is where Berkeley Varitronics Systems comes in – a leading provider of advanced wireless solutions and security products to the domestic and international wireless telecommunications industry. CEO Scott Schober is a sought-after security expert who made a presentation at the inaugural Concordia Summit in New York City recently to top level political decision-makers from around the world that included Mikheil Saakashvili – President of Georgia, former Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski, former President George W. Bush, and Thomas Kean, former Governor of New Jersey.
Schober’s security team was part of the 9/11 first-responders who attempted to locate people buried under the rubble by locating their cell phones. BVS products can be used to detect anything - from people illegally crossing our borders, bomb threats, detecting smuggled cell phones in prisons, to protecting board room secrets of corporate America.
Berkeley Varitronics Wolfhound-Pro cell phone detector has been featured on Fox News. It is a precision, handheld, wireless sniffer specifically tuned to the RF signature of common cell phones for both U.S. and European bands and its high speed scanning receiver allows security personnel to locate nearby cell phones in either standby mode or during active voice, text or data transmissions. Instead of illegal and unsafe cellular jamming signals, this detector prevents wireless usage by detecting and even locating the perpetrator.
This product is vital in prisons where keeping cell phones out is becoming a major problem across the country, but especially in California where state prisoners are being bumped into local jails. Prisoners having access to cell phones is always a serious safety concern, but more so with gang members who use them to contact outside members, intimidate witnesses, or conduct criminal activity from inside prison walls. Cell phones can also be used to relay information on transportation of inmates, by giving date, time and route.
Schober’s security team was part of the 9/11 first-responders who attempted to locate people buried under the rubble by locating their cell phones. BVS products can be used to detect anything - from people illegally crossing our borders, bomb threats, detecting smuggled cell phones in prisons, to protecting board room secrets of corporate America.
Berkeley Varitronics Wolfhound-Pro cell phone detector has been featured on Fox News. It is a precision, handheld, wireless sniffer specifically tuned to the RF signature of common cell phones for both U.S. and European bands and its high speed scanning receiver allows security personnel to locate nearby cell phones in either standby mode or during active voice, text or data transmissions. Instead of illegal and unsafe cellular jamming signals, this detector prevents wireless usage by detecting and even locating the perpetrator.
This product is vital in prisons where keeping cell phones out is becoming a major problem across the country, but especially in California where state prisoners are being bumped into local jails. Prisoners having access to cell phones is always a serious safety concern, but more so with gang members who use them to contact outside members, intimidate witnesses, or conduct criminal activity from inside prison walls. Cell phones can also be used to relay information on transportation of inmates, by giving date, time and route.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Mob Month Panel & Book Signing: UBATZ Documentary Screening with Salvatore “Ubatz” Polisi and Henry Hill
Mob Month: UBATZ Documentary Screening with Salvatore “Ubatz” Polisi and Henry Hill
1/24/2012 • 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Clark County Library
1401 E. Flamingo Road
Las Vegas, NV 89119
Room: Main Theater
Join us for the Las Vegas premiere screening of the gritty documentary UBATZ, about Salvatore “Ubatz” Polisi’s life in and out of the NY Mob as John Gotti’s associate and creator of “The Sinatra Club.” After the screening, stay for a revealing panel discussion with Polisi, Goodfellas mobster Henry Hill, and the film’s director David Murphy. Moderated by mob historian Dr. Michael Green.
Book sales/signing will be available at each event. All seating will be on a first come, first served basis. Entry wristbands will be issued starting at 6 p.m. from the Theater box office on day of event only. For more information about any of our Mob Month events, please call 702-507-3458.
1/24/2012 • 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Clark County Library
1401 E. Flamingo Road
Las Vegas, NV 89119
Room: Main Theater
Join us for the Las Vegas premiere screening of the gritty documentary UBATZ, about Salvatore “Ubatz” Polisi’s life in and out of the NY Mob as John Gotti’s associate and creator of “The Sinatra Club.” After the screening, stay for a revealing panel discussion with Polisi, Goodfellas mobster Henry Hill, and the film’s director David Murphy. Moderated by mob historian Dr. Michael Green.
Book sales/signing will be available at each event. All seating will be on a first come, first served basis. Entry wristbands will be issued starting at 6 p.m. from the Theater box office on day of event only. For more information about any of our Mob Month events, please call 702-507-3458.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Joseph Scalise and Robert Pullia Plead Guilty
Reputed Chicago mobster Joseph Scalise pleaded guilty today on the eve of trial to plotting a series of strong-armed robberies, including an armored car heist and the holdup of the home of a deceased mob boss.
Scalise, 73, said after court that the offer from federal prosecutors was too good to refuse. He and co-defendant Robert Pullia, 70, who also pleaded guilty, both face about 9 to 10 years in prison under the deal. “I think we could have won at trial,” said a relaxed and smiling Scalise, 73. “You just got to be realistic.”
Scalise’s co-defendant, Robert Pullia, 70, also pleaded guilty, but a third defendant, Arthur Rachel, 73, plans to go ahead with a bench trial slated for Thursday before U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber.
Scalise and Pullia are scheduled to be sentenced May 10.
All three have convictions that stretch back to the 1960s and long, storied histories in Chicago.
Scalise and Rachel, both of whom have reputed ties to the Chicago Outfit, were convicted of robbing a London jeweler in 1980 of gems worth $3.4 million, including the 45-carat Marlborough diamond, which is still missing.
Outside court, Scalise remained coy about the gem’s whereabouts – hinting that the insurance company that covered its loss might be able to buy the answer. “If Lloyd’s wanted to pay enough money, maybe they could (find out where it is),” said Scalise, whose attorneys said is not cooperating with authorities.
Scalise, who has consulted with Hollywood producers on movie plots, also told reporters he was writing a book.
Pullia, meanwhile, left the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse without commenting but asked his attorney, Marc Martin, to make one statement to the court and reporters on his behalf. “Mr. Pullia is not cooperating,” Martin said.
Thanks to Annie Sweeney
Scalise, 73, said after court that the offer from federal prosecutors was too good to refuse. He and co-defendant Robert Pullia, 70, who also pleaded guilty, both face about 9 to 10 years in prison under the deal. “I think we could have won at trial,” said a relaxed and smiling Scalise, 73. “You just got to be realistic.”
Scalise’s co-defendant, Robert Pullia, 70, also pleaded guilty, but a third defendant, Arthur Rachel, 73, plans to go ahead with a bench trial slated for Thursday before U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber.
Scalise and Pullia are scheduled to be sentenced May 10.
All three have convictions that stretch back to the 1960s and long, storied histories in Chicago.
Scalise and Rachel, both of whom have reputed ties to the Chicago Outfit, were convicted of robbing a London jeweler in 1980 of gems worth $3.4 million, including the 45-carat Marlborough diamond, which is still missing.
Outside court, Scalise remained coy about the gem’s whereabouts – hinting that the insurance company that covered its loss might be able to buy the answer. “If Lloyd’s wanted to pay enough money, maybe they could (find out where it is),” said Scalise, whose attorneys said is not cooperating with authorities.
Scalise, who has consulted with Hollywood producers on movie plots, also told reporters he was writing a book.
Pullia, meanwhile, left the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse without commenting but asked his attorney, Marc Martin, to make one statement to the court and reporters on his behalf. “Mr. Pullia is not cooperating,” Martin said.
Thanks to Annie Sweeney
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Jury Selection Begins Today for Trial of Alleged Mobsters, Jerry Scalise, Art Rachel and Bobby Pullia
Don't let their age fool you.
That might be the message from prosecutors this week when three alleged Chicago mobsters -- Joseph "Jerry" Scalise, Arthur "The Genius" Rachel, and Robert "Bobby" Pullia -- go on trial. All the defendants are in their 70s.
Some people look towards pensions and 401k plans to get by when they retire, but prosecutors say these three defendants were looking for another way to find financial security in their golden years.
Prosecutors say Scalise, Rachel, and Pullia were planning to rob the Southside family home of the late Angelo LaPietra when they were arrested outside the mansion in April 2012. There was speculation that the famous 45 karat Marlborough diamond was hidden inside the home of the late mob boss. The diamond still hasn't been found.
Scalise and Rachel had already been busted in 1980 for stealing the diamond from a London jewelry store. They served 13 years behind bars.
Prosecutors said they were trying to profit from the home invasion in addition to plotting to rob a West Suburban bank.
Their lawyers insist they're innocent.
Scalise in recent years hadn't been shy about his past and even served as a consultant to the Paramount movie "Public Enemies," in which Johnny Depp played John Dillinger.
Jury selection begins Tuesday morning, opening statements could come by the afternoon or maybe Wednesday. The trial is expected to last about two weeks.
Thanks to Larry Yellen
That might be the message from prosecutors this week when three alleged Chicago mobsters -- Joseph "Jerry" Scalise, Arthur "The Genius" Rachel, and Robert "Bobby" Pullia -- go on trial. All the defendants are in their 70s.
Some people look towards pensions and 401k plans to get by when they retire, but prosecutors say these three defendants were looking for another way to find financial security in their golden years.
Prosecutors say Scalise, Rachel, and Pullia were planning to rob the Southside family home of the late Angelo LaPietra when they were arrested outside the mansion in April 2012. There was speculation that the famous 45 karat Marlborough diamond was hidden inside the home of the late mob boss. The diamond still hasn't been found.
Scalise and Rachel had already been busted in 1980 for stealing the diamond from a London jewelry store. They served 13 years behind bars.
Prosecutors said they were trying to profit from the home invasion in addition to plotting to rob a West Suburban bank.
Their lawyers insist they're innocent.
Scalise in recent years hadn't been shy about his past and even served as a consultant to the Paramount movie "Public Enemies," in which Johnny Depp played John Dillinger.
Jury selection begins Tuesday morning, opening statements could come by the afternoon or maybe Wednesday. The trial is expected to last about two weeks.
Thanks to Larry Yellen
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Mob Month Panel & Book Signing: Son of a Gun: How to Diss Your Hitman Dad and Keep Friends
Mob Month: Son of a Gun: How to Diss Your Hitman Dad and Keep Friends
1/17/2012 • 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Clark County Library
1401 E. Flamingo Road
Las Vegas, NV 89119
Room: Main Theater
Childhood friends Billy Cutolo, Jr. and Andrew DiDonato will discuss growing up in opposing mob families and how Andrew survived the hit put out on him by Billy’s father, “Wild” Bill Cutolo. Moderated by Surviving The Mob and The Battle For Las Vegas author Dennis Griffin.
Book sales/signing will be available at each event. All seating will be on a first come, first served basis. Entry wristbands will be issued starting at 6 p.m. from the Theater box office on day of event only. For more information about any of our Mob Month events, please call 702-507-3458.
1/17/2012 • 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Clark County Library
1401 E. Flamingo Road
Las Vegas, NV 89119
Room: Main Theater
Childhood friends Billy Cutolo, Jr. and Andrew DiDonato will discuss growing up in opposing mob families and how Andrew survived the hit put out on him by Billy’s father, “Wild” Bill Cutolo. Moderated by Surviving The Mob and The Battle For Las Vegas author Dennis Griffin.
Book sales/signing will be available at each event. All seating will be on a first come, first served basis. Entry wristbands will be issued starting at 6 p.m. from the Theater box office on day of event only. For more information about any of our Mob Month events, please call 702-507-3458.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Augustin Zambrano, Nationwide Latin Kings Leader, Sentenced to 60 Years in Prison for RICO Conspiracy and Related Gang Crimes
The highest-ranking leader nationwide of the Latin Kings street gang was sentenced yesterday to 60 years in federal prison, the statutory maximum, after being convicted at trial last April of racketeering conspiracy (RICO) and related charges involving narcotics trafficking and violence that plagued numerous neighborhoods on the city’s north, south and west sides.. The defendant, Augustin Zambrano, 51, a “Corona” of the Almighty Latin King Nation, who was responsible for overseeing the illegal activities of all factions of the powerful street gang with some 10,000 members in Illinois alone, has been in federal custody since 2009 and must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence.
In imposing the sentence, U.S. District Judge Charles Norgle cited Zambrano’s extensive criminal record of violent offenses and his lack whatsoever of any acceptance of responsibility or remorse for victims.
Zambrano, also known as “Big Tino,” “Tino,” “Old Man,” and “Viejo,” and three co-defendants were found guilty of running a criminal enterprise to enrich themselves and others through drug-trafficking and preserving and protecting their power, territory and revenue through acts of murder, attempted murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, extortion, and other acts of violence.
“This investigation has held to hold the leaders of the Latin Kings like Zambrano responsible for their iron-fisted leadership of a criminal enterprise responsible for murders and attempted murders. As the CEO of this gang, Zambrano bears responsibility for its criminal acts,” said Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.
In urging the maximum sentence, prosecutors wrote in a court filing:
Three co-defendants were convicted with Zambrano at trial of RICO conspiracy and other crimes. Jose Guzman, a former “Nation Enforcer” in the 26th Street, or Little Village, faction, was sentenced last month to 35 years in prison. Awaiting sentencing are Vicente Garcia, the “Supreme Regional Inca,” who was in charge of all Latin Kings in Illinois, and Alphonso Chavez, the “Inca,” or leader of the gang’s 31st and Drake faction. Fernando “Ace” King, who preceded Garcia as Supreme Regional Inca and pleaded guilty, was sentenced last October to 40 years in prison.
Evidence at trial included audio and video recordings of three beatings inflicted upon gang members for violating the rules and testimony documenting 20 shootings in the Little Village area, including at least one in which the victim died. Zambrano and Garcia were both convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon.
The four trial defendants were among a total of 31 co-defendants who were indicted in September 2008 or charged in a superseding indictment in October 2009. Of those 31 defendants, 24 pleaded guilty, four were convicted at trial, and three remain fugitives. From its origin and base in the west side Little Village community, the Latin Kings spread throughout Chicago and Illinois and established branches in other states, where local leaders acted with some autonomy but adhered to the rules and hierarchy of the Chicago gang, according to the evidence in the five-week federal trial.
The RICO conspiracy count included evidence that Zambrano and several co-defendants conspired to demand and receive payment from an organization illegally selling fraudulent immigration documents in Little Village by threatening, and actually engaging in, the use of force and violence against members of that organization unless the defendants received regular cash payments. Trial evidence proved federal charges that Latin Kings leaders extorted “street tax” from non-gang members, referred to as “miqueros,” who sold false identification documents.
As part of the RICO conspiracy, evidence also showed that defendants kept victims in fear of the gang and its leaders by enforcing what it referred to as an “SOS”—shoot on sight or smash on sight—order against Latin King members who cooperated with law enforcement in order to enforce the gang’s grip on the community and control over its members and associates.
Mr. Fitzgerald announced the sentence with Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Andrew L. Traver, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Chicago Police Department, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Chicago, and the Cook County Sheriff’s Police also had significant roles in the investigation, which was conducted through the federal High Intensity Drug-Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and under the umbrella of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).
The convictions resulted from sustained, coordinated investigations by multiple federal law enforcement agencies, working together with the Chicago Police Department and other state and local partners, to dismantle the hierarchy of the Latin Kings and other highly-organized, often violent, drug-trafficking Chicago street gangs. In late 2006, ATF agents led an investigation that resulted in federal drug trafficking and firearms charges against 38 Latin Kings members and associates. In 2008, the FBI led an investigation that resulted in state and federal charges against 40 Latin Kings members and associates, including a dozen of the Zambrano co-defendants. In total, more than 80 Latin Kings members and associates have faced state or federal charges since 2006 and, of those, approximately 65 have been convicted federally, with only a few fugitives still facing federal charges.
Zambrano is the highest-ranking leader of the Latin Kings to be convicted since Gustavo “Gino” Colon, who also holds the title of “Corona” and is serving a life sentence that was imposed in 2000 for running a continuing criminal enterprise
The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Porter, Nancy DePodesta and Tinos Diamantatos.
In imposing the sentence, U.S. District Judge Charles Norgle cited Zambrano’s extensive criminal record of violent offenses and his lack whatsoever of any acceptance of responsibility or remorse for victims.
Zambrano, also known as “Big Tino,” “Tino,” “Old Man,” and “Viejo,” and three co-defendants were found guilty of running a criminal enterprise to enrich themselves and others through drug-trafficking and preserving and protecting their power, territory and revenue through acts of murder, attempted murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, extortion, and other acts of violence.
“This investigation has held to hold the leaders of the Latin Kings like Zambrano responsible for their iron-fisted leadership of a criminal enterprise responsible for murders and attempted murders. As the CEO of this gang, Zambrano bears responsibility for its criminal acts,” said Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.
In urging the maximum sentence, prosecutors wrote in a court filing:
“Zambrano chose violence at every turn. The message he sent out through his words and actions was that violence was the only path that mattered. He did so personally and through his appointment of trusted lieutenants such as Fernando King and Vicente Garcia, who were responsible through their stewardship for murder, attempted murder, shootings, beatings, and other acts of violence. Zambrano did not carry out any of this violence by himself. He was insulated. He was behind the scenes. He entrusted others to do it. He put leaders in place who shared his vision . . . to see to it that that Latin Kings acted barbarically. The result was an organization with its own rules, its own laws, and a savage code of violence. In many cases, the soldiers for whom defendant and the other leaders of the Latin Kings are responsible were simply boys who killed or were killed.”
Three co-defendants were convicted with Zambrano at trial of RICO conspiracy and other crimes. Jose Guzman, a former “Nation Enforcer” in the 26th Street, or Little Village, faction, was sentenced last month to 35 years in prison. Awaiting sentencing are Vicente Garcia, the “Supreme Regional Inca,” who was in charge of all Latin Kings in Illinois, and Alphonso Chavez, the “Inca,” or leader of the gang’s 31st and Drake faction. Fernando “Ace” King, who preceded Garcia as Supreme Regional Inca and pleaded guilty, was sentenced last October to 40 years in prison.
Evidence at trial included audio and video recordings of three beatings inflicted upon gang members for violating the rules and testimony documenting 20 shootings in the Little Village area, including at least one in which the victim died. Zambrano and Garcia were both convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon.
The four trial defendants were among a total of 31 co-defendants who were indicted in September 2008 or charged in a superseding indictment in October 2009. Of those 31 defendants, 24 pleaded guilty, four were convicted at trial, and three remain fugitives. From its origin and base in the west side Little Village community, the Latin Kings spread throughout Chicago and Illinois and established branches in other states, where local leaders acted with some autonomy but adhered to the rules and hierarchy of the Chicago gang, according to the evidence in the five-week federal trial.
The RICO conspiracy count included evidence that Zambrano and several co-defendants conspired to demand and receive payment from an organization illegally selling fraudulent immigration documents in Little Village by threatening, and actually engaging in, the use of force and violence against members of that organization unless the defendants received regular cash payments. Trial evidence proved federal charges that Latin Kings leaders extorted “street tax” from non-gang members, referred to as “miqueros,” who sold false identification documents.
As part of the RICO conspiracy, evidence also showed that defendants kept victims in fear of the gang and its leaders by enforcing what it referred to as an “SOS”—shoot on sight or smash on sight—order against Latin King members who cooperated with law enforcement in order to enforce the gang’s grip on the community and control over its members and associates.
Mr. Fitzgerald announced the sentence with Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Andrew L. Traver, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Chicago Police Department, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Chicago, and the Cook County Sheriff’s Police also had significant roles in the investigation, which was conducted through the federal High Intensity Drug-Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and under the umbrella of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).
The convictions resulted from sustained, coordinated investigations by multiple federal law enforcement agencies, working together with the Chicago Police Department and other state and local partners, to dismantle the hierarchy of the Latin Kings and other highly-organized, often violent, drug-trafficking Chicago street gangs. In late 2006, ATF agents led an investigation that resulted in federal drug trafficking and firearms charges against 38 Latin Kings members and associates. In 2008, the FBI led an investigation that resulted in state and federal charges against 40 Latin Kings members and associates, including a dozen of the Zambrano co-defendants. In total, more than 80 Latin Kings members and associates have faced state or federal charges since 2006 and, of those, approximately 65 have been convicted federally, with only a few fugitives still facing federal charges.
Zambrano is the highest-ranking leader of the Latin Kings to be convicted since Gustavo “Gino” Colon, who also holds the title of “Corona” and is serving a life sentence that was imposed in 2000 for running a continuing criminal enterprise
The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Porter, Nancy DePodesta and Tinos Diamantatos.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Napoli Italian Soccer Club Attacked by Mafia?
Leading Italian club Napoli has taken action to protect its players and their families following a spate of attacks that may be Mafia-related, Yahoo! Sports has learned.
The Camorra crime syndicate, which wields significant control in the southern city of Naples, is thought by authorities to be behind a worrying series of burglaries and gunpoint robberies suffered by members of the Napoli squad over the past several months. Napoli is based in Naples.
Star
forward Edinson Cavani’s house was burglarized while he was away on international duty in his native Uruguay, and his agent, Claudio Angellucci, was mugged soon after. In November, Marek Hamsik’s pregnant wife, Martina Franova, was forced from her BMW by a gun-toting carjacker. Only a week later Ezequiel Lavezzi’s girlfriend, Yanina Screpante, took to Twitter to reveal an incident where two assailants robbed her of a Rolex on a Naples street.
Police connected the crimes to the fact that Cavani, Hamsik and Lavezzi are three of the club’s highest-profile players, with all having attracted transfer attention from wealthier sides, including the English Premier League’s Manchester City.
“The short space of time over which this has happened leaps out at you, which is why we are looking at these incidents with a certain interest,” said Naples chief of police Luigi Merolla in an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
A Napoli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed to Yahoo! Sports that preventative measures are now in place. “Steps … to safeguard the wellbeing of our players have been [implemented],” said the official. “We do not want to take any chances.”
The Camorra was thought to be closely involved with Napoli during the side’s glory days in the late 1980s when Argentinean superstar Diego Maradona led them to two Serie A titles. And when several Camorra members turned informant in the mid-1990s, it was revealed that the Mafia had thrown wild parties involving call girls for Napoli players.
A more serious allegation was that the team deliberately lost a Serie A, and therefore the championship, in 1990, at the behest of Camorra-controlled bookmakers.
Both Napoli and the Camorra suffered a downturn in fortunes for well over a decade. The soccer club experienced financial crisis and bankruptcy, and fell all the way down to the third-tier Serie C before bouncing back and claiming a place in this season’s Champions League, where it will face Chelsea in the round of 16 in February.
The Mafia group lost power when many of its senior members were jailed, but has since sought to reassert control over Naples and other parts of southern Italy, law enforcement officials say. Napoli’s return to soccer strength seems to have piqued the interest of Camorra and it retains close ties with many fans organizations.
Hard line fan groups, known as “ultras,” have issued threats of violence in an attempt to secure free tickets. After supporters caused severe damage to a train en route to a game in Rome in 2008, more than 200 of the people questioned were reported to have had criminal ties.
The Camorra’s interest runs deeper than free tickets and it is believed the organization wants to gain control of a share of the club’s profits in exchange for “protection,” a common Mafia racket.
Napoli chiefs are concerned that talk of Mafia threats will hinder the club’s ability to recruit new players – one of the major reasons it has sought to keep details of the security provided to its stars silent.
Club president Aurelio de Laurentis recently insisted that his players are in no serious danger and that the wave of crimes was a mere coincidence due, in part, to the recession.
“Naples is no more violent that Milan or Rome, which I would call the real crime capital of Italy,” de Laurentis told the Daily Mirror. “I would like to tell (Screpante) that during a recession she shouldn’t go around with a Rolex on his wrist.”
Thanks to Martin Rogers
The Camorra crime syndicate, which wields significant control in the southern city of Naples, is thought by authorities to be behind a worrying series of burglaries and gunpoint robberies suffered by members of the Napoli squad over the past several months. Napoli is based in Naples.
Star
forward Edinson Cavani’s house was burglarized while he was away on international duty in his native Uruguay, and his agent, Claudio Angellucci, was mugged soon after. In November, Marek Hamsik’s pregnant wife, Martina Franova, was forced from her BMW by a gun-toting carjacker. Only a week later Ezequiel Lavezzi’s girlfriend, Yanina Screpante, took to Twitter to reveal an incident where two assailants robbed her of a Rolex on a Naples street.Police connected the crimes to the fact that Cavani, Hamsik and Lavezzi are three of the club’s highest-profile players, with all having attracted transfer attention from wealthier sides, including the English Premier League’s Manchester City.
“The short space of time over which this has happened leaps out at you, which is why we are looking at these incidents with a certain interest,” said Naples chief of police Luigi Merolla in an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
A Napoli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed to Yahoo! Sports that preventative measures are now in place. “Steps … to safeguard the wellbeing of our players have been [implemented],” said the official. “We do not want to take any chances.”
The Camorra was thought to be closely involved with Napoli during the side’s glory days in the late 1980s when Argentinean superstar Diego Maradona led them to two Serie A titles. And when several Camorra members turned informant in the mid-1990s, it was revealed that the Mafia had thrown wild parties involving call girls for Napoli players.
A more serious allegation was that the team deliberately lost a Serie A, and therefore the championship, in 1990, at the behest of Camorra-controlled bookmakers.
Both Napoli and the Camorra suffered a downturn in fortunes for well over a decade. The soccer club experienced financial crisis and bankruptcy, and fell all the way down to the third-tier Serie C before bouncing back and claiming a place in this season’s Champions League, where it will face Chelsea in the round of 16 in February.
The Mafia group lost power when many of its senior members were jailed, but has since sought to reassert control over Naples and other parts of southern Italy, law enforcement officials say. Napoli’s return to soccer strength seems to have piqued the interest of Camorra and it retains close ties with many fans organizations.
Hard line fan groups, known as “ultras,” have issued threats of violence in an attempt to secure free tickets. After supporters caused severe damage to a train en route to a game in Rome in 2008, more than 200 of the people questioned were reported to have had criminal ties.
The Camorra’s interest runs deeper than free tickets and it is believed the organization wants to gain control of a share of the club’s profits in exchange for “protection,” a common Mafia racket.
Napoli chiefs are concerned that talk of Mafia threats will hinder the club’s ability to recruit new players – one of the major reasons it has sought to keep details of the security provided to its stars silent.
Club president Aurelio de Laurentis recently insisted that his players are in no serious danger and that the wave of crimes was a mere coincidence due, in part, to the recession.
“Naples is no more violent that Milan or Rome, which I would call the real crime capital of Italy,” de Laurentis told the Daily Mirror. “I would like to tell (Screpante) that during a recession she shouldn’t go around with a Rolex on his wrist.”
Thanks to Martin Rogers
"El Chapo" Named World's Most Powerful Drug Trafficker
The U.S. Treasury Department called Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman "the world's most powerful drug trafficker" Tuesday. The fugitive Sinaloa cartel leader also got a boost from Mexican actress Kate Del Castillo, who said she believed in Guzman more than in the government.
It was the latest in an odd series of encomiums for Guzman, who was included this year on the Forbes list of the world's richest people, with an estimated fortune of $1 billion.
The U.S. Embassy in Mexico City issued a statement saying three of Guzman's alleged associates had been hit with sanctions under the drug Kingpin Act, which prohibits people in the U.S. from conducting businesses with them and freezes their U.S. assets. The two Mexican men and a Colombian allegedly aided Guzman's trafficking operations.
The statement quoted Adam J. Szubin, director of the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, as saying the move "marks the fourth time in the past year that OFAC has targeted and exposed the support structures of the organization led by Chapo Guzman, the world's most powerful drug trafficker."
Guzman, who escaped from a Mexican prison in 2001 in a laundry truck and has a $7 million bounty on his head, has long been recognized as Mexico's most powerful drug capo. Authorities say his Sinaloa cartel has recently been expanding abroad, building international operations in Central and South America and the Pacific.
Del Castillo, who played a female drug trafficker in the TV series "La Reina del Sur" ("Queen of the South"), offered grudging praise for Guzman in a posting Tuesday on the social media site Twextra, linked to her Twitter account.
"Today, I believe more in El Chapo Guzman than in the governments who hide truths from me," she wrote.
The actress did not specify whether she was referring to the Mexican government, or what she meant when she accused "governments" of "hiding the cures for cancer, AIDS, etc. for their own benefit and enrichment."
Del Castillo's publicist, Marianne Sauvage, confirmed in an email to The Associated Press that the actress wrote the posting, and that the account belonged to Del Castillo.
The 800-word posting ended with an impassioned plea to Guzman:"Mr. Chapo, wouldn't it be great if you started trafficking with positive things? With cures for diseases, with food for street children, with alcohol for old people's homes so they spend their final days doing whatever they like, trafficking with corrupt politicians and not with women and children who wind up as slaves?"
"Go ahead, dare to, sir, you would be the hero of heroes, let's traffick with love, you know how," the message concluded.
Also Tuesday, Mexican authorities said they had seized 32.6 metric tons of a precursor chemical used to make methamphetamines at the Pacific coast port of Manzanillo.
Mexico's navy said the chemical methylamine came in a shipment from China, but did not say whether Manzanillo was the final destination of the shipment. Mexico seized almost 675 metric tons of the chemical at sea ports in December alone, all of which was destined for Guatemala.
Experts say that when another chemical is added, methylamine can yield its weight in uncut meth.
Also Tuesday, federal police reported they had defused a car bomb left outside the state detectives' agency offices in Ciudad Victoria, the capital of the northern border state of Tamaulipas.
After detectives reported the car smelled of gasoline, specially equipped federal officers opened the trunk and found 10 sticks of explosives, two jugs of gasoline, wires, a cellphone and what appeared to be detonating devices.
There was no immediate information on who left the car bomb.
Tamaulipas has been the scene of bloody turf battles between the Gulf and Zetas drug cartels, and the gangs have attacked police and police offices with car bombs in the past.
Thanks to Adriana Gomez Licon
It was the latest in an odd series of encomiums for Guzman, who was included this year on the Forbes list of the world's richest people, with an estimated fortune of $1 billion.
The U.S. Embassy in Mexico City issued a statement saying three of Guzman's alleged associates had been hit with sanctions under the drug Kingpin Act, which prohibits people in the U.S. from conducting businesses with them and freezes their U.S. assets. The two Mexican men and a Colombian allegedly aided Guzman's trafficking operations.
The statement quoted Adam J. Szubin, director of the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, as saying the move "marks the fourth time in the past year that OFAC has targeted and exposed the support structures of the organization led by Chapo Guzman, the world's most powerful drug trafficker."
Guzman, who escaped from a Mexican prison in 2001 in a laundry truck and has a $7 million bounty on his head, has long been recognized as Mexico's most powerful drug capo. Authorities say his Sinaloa cartel has recently been expanding abroad, building international operations in Central and South America and the Pacific.
Del Castillo, who played a female drug trafficker in the TV series "La Reina del Sur" ("Queen of the South"), offered grudging praise for Guzman in a posting Tuesday on the social media site Twextra, linked to her Twitter account.
"Today, I believe more in El Chapo Guzman than in the governments who hide truths from me," she wrote.
The actress did not specify whether she was referring to the Mexican government, or what she meant when she accused "governments" of "hiding the cures for cancer, AIDS, etc. for their own benefit and enrichment."
Del Castillo's publicist, Marianne Sauvage, confirmed in an email to The Associated Press that the actress wrote the posting, and that the account belonged to Del Castillo.
The 800-word posting ended with an impassioned plea to Guzman:"Mr. Chapo, wouldn't it be great if you started trafficking with positive things? With cures for diseases, with food for street children, with alcohol for old people's homes so they spend their final days doing whatever they like, trafficking with corrupt politicians and not with women and children who wind up as slaves?"
"Go ahead, dare to, sir, you would be the hero of heroes, let's traffick with love, you know how," the message concluded.
Also Tuesday, Mexican authorities said they had seized 32.6 metric tons of a precursor chemical used to make methamphetamines at the Pacific coast port of Manzanillo.
Mexico's navy said the chemical methylamine came in a shipment from China, but did not say whether Manzanillo was the final destination of the shipment. Mexico seized almost 675 metric tons of the chemical at sea ports in December alone, all of which was destined for Guatemala.
Experts say that when another chemical is added, methylamine can yield its weight in uncut meth.
Also Tuesday, federal police reported they had defused a car bomb left outside the state detectives' agency offices in Ciudad Victoria, the capital of the northern border state of Tamaulipas.
After detectives reported the car smelled of gasoline, specially equipped federal officers opened the trunk and found 10 sticks of explosives, two jugs of gasoline, wires, a cellphone and what appeared to be detonating devices.
There was no immediate information on who left the car bomb.
Tamaulipas has been the scene of bloody turf battles between the Gulf and Zetas drug cartels, and the gangs have attacked police and police offices with car bombs in the past.
Thanks to Adriana Gomez Licon
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Mafia Movies to be Featured at National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement
A mob museum slated to open soon in Las Vegas will trace Hollywood's portrayal of mobsters from the birth of the silver screen in a violence-fraught exhibit that organizers said is not intended for children.
Screenwriter Nicholas Pileggi, who wrote the book "Wiseguy" and then adapted it into the Martin Scorsese film "Goodfellas," told The Associated Press that he will help usher in the exhibit when the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement opens in Las Vegas in mid-February. Pileggi will appear in a five-minute documentary on the mob and pop culture that will be shown near the end of the museum tour.
The film, part of an exhibit called "The Myth of the Mob," will attempt to explain why so many people are fascinated with organized crime. The exhibit will also feature costumes from mobster-centric TV shows and movies, including "The Sopranos."
"Just because you are depicting something ugly, it doesn't mean you are honoring it," Pileggi said. "I don't know too many gangster movies where the gangster wins in the end. These are tales of morality and that is the key to them."
The downtown Las Vegas museum will open at a former courthouse where a famous mob hearing that helped expose organized crime to ordinary Americans was held in 1950. It is expected to feature gangster artifacts, including the wall from Chicago's St. Valentine's Day massacre, the only gun recovered at the mass shooting and the barber chair where hit man Albert Anastasia's life came to an end in 1957.
Dennis Barrie, the museum's director, said he interviewed Pileggi for up to three hours to create the five-minute film on the history of gangster flicks. Barrie said he wants museum-goers to explore whether popular movies glamourize mob culture, or get it right."I don't think it's a kids' museum," Barrie said. "This is a pretty brutal world and it comes across in the museum."
Pileggi, whose parents were Italian immigrants, said he was attracted to mob stories as a young man because he wanted to know why some people in his neighborhood were drawn to organized crimes, while others shunned it."I don't think they are the worst people in the world," Pileggi said. "I think they are fascinating."
Pileggi began his writing career as an Associated Press crime reporter. He received an Oscar nomination for "Goodfellas" and teamed up with Scorsese again for the Las Vegas crime-opus "Casino" in 1995. He said the movies are "unbelievably realistic."
Pileggi said former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman asked him to get involved with the museum. Goodman, a former mob lawyer who came up with the idea of the museum, provided Pileggi with facts and insight when he was writing "Casino" and had a brief cameo in the movie."Who knows it better than Nick Pileggi?" Goodman said. "When you have his stamp of approval on these kinds of exhibits, it takes on a certain sense of reality as well as legitimacy."
The $42 million museum will be the second gangster-focused attraction to open in Las Vegas in the past year.
The Tropicana casino and hotel on the Las Vegas Strip unveiled its interactive "Mob Experience" attraction in March. The venue is undergoing a renovation after a brutal start. Attendance was sluggish from the beginning, and then its developer, Jay Bloom, was forced to resign amid multiple lawsuits over unpaid bills, said Spence Johnston, a Mob Experience spokesman.
Goodman said the organized crime museum will have a more successful launch because its collection will focus on history instead of entertainment."I was interested in having a real museum with real culture," he said. "This is not a gimmick."
Screenwriter Nicholas Pileggi, who wrote the book "Wiseguy" and then adapted it into the Martin Scorsese film "Goodfellas," told The Associated Press that he will help usher in the exhibit when the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement opens in Las Vegas in mid-February. Pileggi will appear in a five-minute documentary on the mob and pop culture that will be shown near the end of the museum tour.
The film, part of an exhibit called "The Myth of the Mob," will attempt to explain why so many people are fascinated with organized crime. The exhibit will also feature costumes from mobster-centric TV shows and movies, including "The Sopranos."
"Just because you are depicting something ugly, it doesn't mean you are honoring it," Pileggi said. "I don't know too many gangster movies where the gangster wins in the end. These are tales of morality and that is the key to them."
The downtown Las Vegas museum will open at a former courthouse where a famous mob hearing that helped expose organized crime to ordinary Americans was held in 1950. It is expected to feature gangster artifacts, including the wall from Chicago's St. Valentine's Day massacre, the only gun recovered at the mass shooting and the barber chair where hit man Albert Anastasia's life came to an end in 1957.
Dennis Barrie, the museum's director, said he interviewed Pileggi for up to three hours to create the five-minute film on the history of gangster flicks. Barrie said he wants museum-goers to explore whether popular movies glamourize mob culture, or get it right."I don't think it's a kids' museum," Barrie said. "This is a pretty brutal world and it comes across in the museum."
Pileggi, whose parents were Italian immigrants, said he was attracted to mob stories as a young man because he wanted to know why some people in his neighborhood were drawn to organized crimes, while others shunned it."I don't think they are the worst people in the world," Pileggi said. "I think they are fascinating."
Pileggi began his writing career as an Associated Press crime reporter. He received an Oscar nomination for "Goodfellas" and teamed up with Scorsese again for the Las Vegas crime-opus "Casino" in 1995. He said the movies are "unbelievably realistic."
Pileggi said former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman asked him to get involved with the museum. Goodman, a former mob lawyer who came up with the idea of the museum, provided Pileggi with facts and insight when he was writing "Casino" and had a brief cameo in the movie."Who knows it better than Nick Pileggi?" Goodman said. "When you have his stamp of approval on these kinds of exhibits, it takes on a certain sense of reality as well as legitimacy."
The $42 million museum will be the second gangster-focused attraction to open in Las Vegas in the past year.
The Tropicana casino and hotel on the Las Vegas Strip unveiled its interactive "Mob Experience" attraction in March. The venue is undergoing a renovation after a brutal start. Attendance was sluggish from the beginning, and then its developer, Jay Bloom, was forced to resign amid multiple lawsuits over unpaid bills, said Spence Johnston, a Mob Experience spokesman.
Goodman said the organized crime museum will have a more successful launch because its collection will focus on history instead of entertainment."I was interested in having a real museum with real culture," he said. "This is not a gimmick."
Sunday, January 08, 2012
Mob Month Panel & Book Signing: How the FBI, Nevada Gaming Control and the IRS Took Down the Mob
Mob Month: How the FBI, Nevada Gaming Control and the IRS Took Down the Mob
1/10/2012 • 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Clark County Library
1401 E. Flamingo Road
Las Vegas, NV 89119
Room: Main Theater
This panel discussion includes former & current representatives from the FBI, Nevada Gaming Control, Las Vegas Mob Museum, and IRS Criminal Investigations Las Vegas unit. Topics will include the strategies and devices that mobsters used to skim the casinos, the creation of The Black Book, and how the Feds conducted their field research and mafia round-ups. Moderated by Master Cheat author and former NV Gaming Control agent Jack Miller.
Book sales/signing will be available at each event. All seating will be on a first come, first served basis. Entry wristbands will be issued starting at 6 p.m. from the Theater box office on day of event only. For more information about any of our Mob Month events, please call 702-507-3458.
1/10/2012 • 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Clark County Library
1401 E. Flamingo Road
Las Vegas, NV 89119
Room: Main Theater
This panel discussion includes former & current representatives from the FBI, Nevada Gaming Control, Las Vegas Mob Museum, and IRS Criminal Investigations Las Vegas unit. Topics will include the strategies and devices that mobsters used to skim the casinos, the creation of The Black Book, and how the Feds conducted their field research and mafia round-ups. Moderated by Master Cheat author and former NV Gaming Control agent Jack Miller.
Book sales/signing will be available at each event. All seating will be on a first come, first served basis. Entry wristbands will be issued starting at 6 p.m. from the Theater box office on day of event only. For more information about any of our Mob Month events, please call 702-507-3458.
Saturday, January 07, 2012
Mobster Confessions
Discovery will premiere MOBSTER CONFESSIONS on Monday, January 9 at 10 PM ET/PT. Andrew DiDonato, John Veasey, Frank Cullotta and Frank Calabrese Jr. are featured in the initial wave of episodes:
MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2011:
10 PM ET/PT - MOBSTER CONFESSIONS - Andrew DiDonato
New York street thug is seduced by the power and protection of the Gambino crime family. Yet once the family turns on him, he must choose between being hunted by the mob or working with authorities to bring them down.
10:30 PM ET/PT - MOBSTER CONFESSIONS - John Veasey
A troubled teen turned hitman kills for the Philadelphia mob but is later targeted by his own mafia family. After surviving an attempted hit, he testifies against the men he once swore to protect.
MONDAY, JANUARY 16, 2011:
10 PM ET/PT - MOBSTER CONFESSIONS - Frank Cullotta
The riches of a glittering life in Las Vegas tempt a man to do anything, even kill, for the Chicago Outfit. His world is turned upside down when an FBI sting brings him in to warn him that he's about to be whacked by his own mafia family.
10:30 PM ET/PT - MOBSTER CONFESSIONS - Frank Calabrese Jr.
A son, desperate to escape the grip of his brutal mafia father, faces a difficult decision: turn on his own dad or be forced to continue a life of crime.
MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2011:
10 PM ET/PT - MOBSTER CONFESSIONS - Andrew DiDonato
New York street thug is seduced by the power and protection of the Gambino crime family. Yet once the family turns on him, he must choose between being hunted by the mob or working with authorities to bring them down.
10:30 PM ET/PT - MOBSTER CONFESSIONS - John Veasey
A troubled teen turned hitman kills for the Philadelphia mob but is later targeted by his own mafia family. After surviving an attempted hit, he testifies against the men he once swore to protect.
MONDAY, JANUARY 16, 2011:
10 PM ET/PT - MOBSTER CONFESSIONS - Frank Cullotta
The riches of a glittering life in Las Vegas tempt a man to do anything, even kill, for the Chicago Outfit. His world is turned upside down when an FBI sting brings him in to warn him that he's about to be whacked by his own mafia family.
10:30 PM ET/PT - MOBSTER CONFESSIONS - Frank Calabrese Jr.
A son, desperate to escape the grip of his brutal mafia father, faces a difficult decision: turn on his own dad or be forced to continue a life of crime.
Friday, January 06, 2012
Victoria Gotti Joins Celebrity Apprentice
Victoria Gotti is a writer, reality television participant and daughter of former Gambino crime family Mafia boss, John Gotti. She will be competing on the upcoming season of Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice.
Thursday, January 05, 2012
Help Capture the "Tire Iron Bandit"
Robert D. Grant, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), is asking for the public’s help in identifying the individual dubbed the “Tire Iron Bandit,” who is wanted in connection with the armed robbery of a Willow Springs bank on two separate occasions.
The most recent theft took place on January 3rd of 2011, when the First Merit Bank branch, located at 8480 S. Archer Avenue in the southwest suburb, was robbed of undisclosed amount of money. This individual is also believed to have robbed the same bank on July 16, 2010.
During the most recent theft, the robber entered the bank late in the afternoon just as two employees were preparing to close for the day. The robber quickly approached the teller counter, holding a tire iron in his left hand, and demanding money from the tellers on duty. The robber then placed a small duffel bag on the counter and held it open for the tellers, who placed cash from their drawer inside. The robber then fled the bank, but his method and direction of escape was not seen.
During the previous robbery in 2010, the robber entered the bank and approached the teller counter. While holding a tire iron in his hand, he orally announced a robbery, ordering a bank employee to place money from her drawer into a black gym bag that the robber brought with him. He repeatedly threatened bank employees with harm, if his demands were not met. After receiving an undisclosed amount of cash, the robber fled the bank on foot and was last seen running through an adjacent alley.
No injuries were reported during either robbery, both of which are being investigated jointly by the FBI and the Willow Springs Police Department.
Anyone having any information about either of these robberies is asked to call the Chicago FBI at (312) 421-6700.
Additional information about this and other unsolved Chicago area bank robberies, including downloadable photographs, is available online at the Bandit Tracker Chicago website, www.bandittrackerchicago.com.
The most recent theft took place on January 3rd of 2011, when the First Merit Bank branch, located at 8480 S. Archer Avenue in the southwest suburb, was robbed of undisclosed amount of money. This individual is also believed to have robbed the same bank on July 16, 2010.
During the most recent theft, the robber entered the bank late in the afternoon just as two employees were preparing to close for the day. The robber quickly approached the teller counter, holding a tire iron in his left hand, and demanding money from the tellers on duty. The robber then placed a small duffel bag on the counter and held it open for the tellers, who placed cash from their drawer inside. The robber then fled the bank, but his method and direction of escape was not seen.
During the previous robbery in 2010, the robber entered the bank and approached the teller counter. While holding a tire iron in his hand, he orally announced a robbery, ordering a bank employee to place money from her drawer into a black gym bag that the robber brought with him. He repeatedly threatened bank employees with harm, if his demands were not met. After receiving an undisclosed amount of cash, the robber fled the bank on foot and was last seen running through an adjacent alley.
No injuries were reported during either robbery, both of which are being investigated jointly by the FBI and the Willow Springs Police Department.
Anyone having any information about either of these robberies is asked to call the Chicago FBI at (312) 421-6700.
Additional information about this and other unsolved Chicago area bank robberies, including downloadable photographs, is available online at the Bandit Tracker Chicago website, www.bandittrackerchicago.com.
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
CHICAGO OVERCOAT CINEMATOGRAPHER KEVIN MOSS NOMINATED FOR ASC AWARD
The American Society of Cinematographers announced the nominees for this year’s ASC Awards, and cinematographer Kevin Moss has been chosen for his work on Chicago Overcoat. ASC president Michael Goi personally called Moss to share the news and congratulate him on the Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography nomination. The film is being considered in the "Motion Picture/Miniseries Television” category along with the following nominees: Ed Lachman (HBO’s Mildred Pierce), David Moxness (“Moral Issues and Inner Turmoil” segment of ReelzChannel's The Kennedys, Martin Ruhe (PBS' Page Eight), and Wojciech Szepel (Episode 2 of PBS' Any Human Heart). Moss previously received an Honorable Mention from the ASC for his work on the awardwinning short film, The Small Assassin.
After its much-anticipated television premiere on Showtime in December 2010, Chicago Overcoat has been released in every major country throughout the world. The film had its North American home video release in April 2011, and is available to rent at Netflix, Redbox, and Blockbuster Express, and to purchase at Amazon, iTunes, and hundreds of other online stores. Major retailers will have Chicago Overcoat DVDs on their shelves early 2012.
The film stars Frank Vincent (The Sopranos) as an aging hit man who tries to get back a piece of the glory days. Fellow Sopranos cast member Kathrine Narducci (A Bronx Tale) co-stars as Vincent’s girlfriend, along with Danny Goldring (The Dark Knight) as a homicide detective, and Mike Starr (Goodfellas) as a mob boss. The cast also features Emmy Award winner Armand Assante (American Gangster) and Golden Globe winner Stacy Keach (Lights Out).
Chicago Overcoat had its world premiere at the 45th Chicago International Film Festival, where it was voted into the “Best of the Fest”. It went on to win “Best Dramatic Feature” at the 8th Garden State Film Festival, then “Best Cinematography” at the 6th Midwest Independent Film Festival. The film received much critical acclaim during its festival tour. In Variety’s review Alissa Simon wrote: “This energetic calling-card pic boasts the most charismatic mafia murderer since Tony Soprano…” Chicago Sun-Times columnist Bill Zwecker wrote: “Well produced and directed…a very tense thriller.”
For information on how to rent or purchase Chicago Overcoat go to www.beverlyridgepictures.com
or follow the film on Facebook and Twitter.
After its much-anticipated television premiere on Showtime in December 2010, Chicago Overcoat has been released in every major country throughout the world. The film had its North American home video release in April 2011, and is available to rent at Netflix, Redbox, and Blockbuster Express, and to purchase at Amazon, iTunes, and hundreds of other online stores. Major retailers will have Chicago Overcoat DVDs on their shelves early 2012.
The film stars Frank Vincent (The Sopranos) as an aging hit man who tries to get back a piece of the glory days. Fellow Sopranos cast member Kathrine Narducci (A Bronx Tale) co-stars as Vincent’s girlfriend, along with Danny Goldring (The Dark Knight) as a homicide detective, and Mike Starr (Goodfellas) as a mob boss. The cast also features Emmy Award winner Armand Assante (American Gangster) and Golden Globe winner Stacy Keach (Lights Out).
Chicago Overcoat had its world premiere at the 45th Chicago International Film Festival, where it was voted into the “Best of the Fest”. It went on to win “Best Dramatic Feature” at the 8th Garden State Film Festival, then “Best Cinematography” at the 6th Midwest Independent Film Festival. The film received much critical acclaim during its festival tour. In Variety’s review Alissa Simon wrote: “This energetic calling-card pic boasts the most charismatic mafia murderer since Tony Soprano…” Chicago Sun-Times columnist Bill Zwecker wrote: “Well produced and directed…a very tense thriller.”
For information on how to rent or purchase Chicago Overcoat go to www.beverlyridgepictures.com
or follow the film on Facebook and Twitter.
Sunday, January 01, 2012
Mob Month Panel and Book Signing: Ladies First: The REAL Mob Wives of Las Vegas
Mob Month: Ladies First: The REAL Mob Wives of Las Vegas
1/3/2012 • 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Clark County Library
1401 E. Flamingo Road
Las Vegas, NV 89119
Room: Main Theater
The ladies take the stage as they share heartrending and sometimes hilarious stories of their relationships with the mob men in their lives. Panelists include author Wendy Mazaros, whose book Vegas Rag Doll deals with her marriage to Union racketeer and Chicago Outfit hitman Tom Hanley, and a surprise visit from a member of the Meyer Lansky family. Moderated by Peabody Award-winning investigative news reporter and author George Knapp.
Book sales/signing will be available at each event. All seating will be on a first come, first served basis. Entry wristbands will be issued starting at 6 p.m. from the Theater box office on day of event only. For more information about any of our Mob Month events, please call 702-507-3458.
1/3/2012 • 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Clark County Library
1401 E. Flamingo Road
Las Vegas, NV 89119
Room: Main Theater
The ladies take the stage as they share heartrending and sometimes hilarious stories of their relationships with the mob men in their lives. Panelists include author Wendy Mazaros, whose book Vegas Rag Doll deals with her marriage to Union racketeer and Chicago Outfit hitman Tom Hanley, and a surprise visit from a member of the Meyer Lansky family. Moderated by Peabody Award-winning investigative news reporter and author George Knapp.
Book sales/signing will be available at each event. All seating will be on a first come, first served basis. Entry wristbands will be issued starting at 6 p.m. from the Theater box office on day of event only. For more information about any of our Mob Month events, please call 702-507-3458.
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