Surrender of "Little Nicky" Corozzo Featured on AMW

Nick Corozzo: “Little Nicky” Corozzo was arguably the Gambino crime family's most powerful chieftain -- and perhaps its craftiest. When he disappeared from double murder charges in Feb. 2008, AMW went on the hunt. Only a week and a half after Corozzo aired nationwide, the mobster folded under the pressure and turned himself in.

Ernest Avery: The Importance Of "Fleeing Ernest": Cops say local thug Ernest Avery was one of three bank robbers whose dreams of great fortune ended in misfortune and blunder during a January 2003 bank heist. Avery's two suspected accomplices were captured, but police say Avery -- the botched bank job's ringleader -- fled, and is still roaming free.

Fred Wert: Joann Antone thought she had found true love in an unlikely place: working at a traveling carnival. But, she says, the romance soon turned into abuse. Police say Joann's boyfriend, Fred Wert, took his anger to a whole new level, leaving a man dead and a child without a father.

Fethi Jelassi: For eight years, the FBI Field Office in Cleveland has searched desperately for fugitive Fethi Jelassi. With all his global contacts, they wonder if he is even in the United States .

Paulo Lopez: On the street they call him "El Diablo," or the devil, and police say his list of offenses supports the nickname. Armed robbery and carjackings are just some of the crimes he's accused of -- and police say they don't know what he'll do next.

Juan Rodriguez: Police say a peaceful night of drinking on the bay October, 2005 in Sarasota , Fla. turned deadly when a man viciously stabbed his friend. Police have a suspect, but without an address, a phone number or even a known relative, cops are finding it extremely difficult to track down this killer.

Greg Adrian: Cops in the City Of Angels are on the lookout for a father accused of physically and sexually abusing his own 12-year-old daughter. Police tell AMW that on November 8, 2007, Greg Anthony Adrian went on the run after his daughter blew the whistle on his latest string of abuse. Now, Los Angeles detectives are on the lookout for Adrian and hope that AMW viewers can help put this bad dad behind bars.

Jorge Villamizar-Alyala: A 25-year-old mom's skull is bashed in with a two-pound sledgehammer in Florida , and the man she loved may be responsible; she didn't know that he had been convicted of killing his first wife in South America , and he may have killed several other women as well.

N’Gai Goode: In yet another case of greed getting ugly, authorities in Detroit , Mich. are now searching for a man who they say is a stone-cold killer. Cops tell us N'Gai El-Hajj Goode got into an argument with another man and threatened to shoot him over $50: a few minutes later, they say he did just that. Now, they need your help to bring this accused killer to justice.

William Balser: To the outside world, William Balser looked to be a respectable, intelligent, family man who lived with his long-time girlfriend, Robin Lee Robinson, and her two daughters. However, cops say Balser's public image couldn't have been any more of a facade. In 1998, Robinson's two daughters blew the whistle on Balser and their mother, telling authorities about years of sexual abuse at the hands of the supposed father figure. To make matters worse, the two sisters allege that their own mother turned a blind eye to the harrowing incidents which included drug and alcohol fueled parties. Now, cops in Manteca , Calif. are looking for Balser and Robinson and hope that AMW viewers can help bring the decade long search for the pair to an end.

Leanna Warner: Cops in Chisholm , Minn. are not giving up on the search for 5-year-old Leanna Warner. The little girl went missing on June 13, 2003 when she stepped out of her house to go visit a neighbor. Now, cops are looking into people who attended a Chisholm event around the time when Leanna went missing, hoping to find new clues that will help them learn what happened to the little girl.

Tweet

Nine Mobster Accused and Arrested for Mafia Crimes Nationwide

A reputed acting mob boss and eight other suspected gangsters were arrested Wednesday on federal charges accusing them of coast-to-coast Mafia crimes, ranging from gangland hits in New York to a home invasion by police impersonators in Los Angeles, authorities said.

Among those named in a racketeering indictment were Thomas "Tommy Shots" Gioeli, who authorities said was the acting boss of the Colombo organized crime family.

Three other defendants already behind bars also were charged, including 89-year-old John "Sonny" Franzese, identified as the family's underboss.

Gioeli, wearing a hoodie and basketball shorts after an early morning arrest at his Long Island home, pleaded not guilty to robbery, murder and extortion charges. He was ordered held without bail. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.

"He's denied all the allegations," said his attorney, Adam Perlmutter, outside court. The other defendants were also due in court Wednesday.

The takedown -- following a three-month investigation using turncoat mobsters and electronic surveillance -- was part of a "relentless campaign to prosecute and convict the highest echelons of the Colombo family and La Cosa Nostra as a whole," said U.S. Attorney Benton Campbell.

He noted that former Colombo acting boss Alphonse "Allie Boy" Persico and another family member were convicted last year of orchestrating a 1999 murder.

Gioeli was charged in three of four slayings detailed in the indictment, including the 1992 slayings of two men amid a bloody civil war for control of the family. A Colombo captain was accused of participating in the shooting and killing of an armored truck guard, also in 1992, while the victim was delivering money to a cash-checking store in Brooklyn.

The indictment also alleges Gioeli participated in the holdup of a fur shop in February 1991 in which he posed as a customer shopping for a Valentine's Day gift. He and other bandits handcuffed the owner before they "filled garbage bags with fur coats" and fled, court papers said.

In 2006, two other defendants flew to Los Angeles to try to rob a home where they believed there was $1 million in drug money, court papers said. Donning hats and T-shirts emblazoned with "DEA" and carrying a fake search warrant, the men burst into the home and pistol-whipped a woman there, but never found the cash, the papers said.

It was the second high-profile mob case to be made in recent months: In February, prosecutors charged 62 reputed members and associates of the once-powerful Gambino crime family with murders, drug trafficking, robberies, extortion, and other crimes dating back to the 1970s.

Last Thursday, the lone fugitive in the Gambino case, Nicholas "Little Nick" Corozzo, strolled up to the FBI's office and surrendered on charges he ordered a decades-old gangland hit that took an innocent bystander's life. He was ordered held without bail after pleading not guilty to racketeering, extortion and murder charges

Tweet

Gambinos Withstanding Feds Efforts to Eliminate The Family

The feds' knockout of the Gambino crime family looks more like a phantom punch.

Reputed boss John (Jackie Nose) D'Amico and reputed underboss Domenico (The Greaseball) Cefalu took a plea deal Wednesday, admitting to a single extortion count, and could end up spending less than two years in prison.

In the last two weeks - and with a June 7 trial date looming - prosecutors dropped their demand that D'Amico plead guilty to racketeering, which carried a more serious penalty, defense lawyer Elizabeth Macedonio said.

D'Amico and Cefalu admitted extorting a $100,000 payment from businessman-turned rat Joseph Vollaro in exchange for permission to sell his Staten Island cement company. Prosecutors did not object when D'Amico said Vollaro would suffer "economic harm" if he didn't pay up, rather than violence.

Despite great fanfare accompanying last February's indictment of 62 Gambinos, there was no new defection of a high-ranking turncoat, and Vollaro was unable to record conversations with D'Amico, Cefalu or reputed consigliere Joseph (JoJo) Corozzo, a government source acknowledged.

Corozzo is scheduled to plead guilty to a new complaint that drops a drug trafficking charge against him. "Plea [deals] are based on lack of evidence and quality of evidence," Macedonio said.

For aging mobsters like D'Amico, 71; Cefalu, 61, and Corozzo, 66, convictions after trial would have resulted in virtual life sentences. None of the 52 defendants cutting deals faces more than three years in prison.

Thanks to John Marzulli

Tweet

"Little Nick" Corozzo Turns Himself into the NY FBI

On the run for nearly four months and featured on "America's Most Wanted," a reputed Mafia capo strolled up to the FBI's New York City office on Thursday and surrendered on charges he ordered a decades-old gangland hit that took an innocent bystander's life.

Nicholas "Little Nick" Corozzo _ according to authorities, a one-time crony of notorious mob boss John Gotti _ was ordered held without bail after pleading not guilty to racketeering, extortion and murder charges _ part of a sprawling federal case against the once-mighty Gambino organized crime family.

So where had the balding 5-foot-5, 68-year-old fugitive been hiding out?

"I really don't know," defense attorney Diarmuid White told reporters outside court. Prosecutors claimed they didn't know either.

White said Corozzo contacted him two weeks ago about arranging a surrender _ around the time his case was featured on the popular television show. On Thursday morning, Corozzo donned a blue sweat suit-white sneaker ensemble, met the lawyer on a street corner in lower Manhattan and walked two blocks to the FBI office, where they were greeted outside by four agents.

"He knew what he was doing," White said.

Corozzo had fled his Long Island home in early February amid a massive pre-dawn roundup of 62 reputed mobsters named in an indictment unsealed in Brooklyn.

Authorities say Corozzo was a soldier in the Gambino family from the mid-1970s until 1992 when he was promoted to capo, or captain. They say he was part of a three-man committee of capos formed in 1994 to help John "Junior" Gotti run New York's Gambino family while his father was in prison, serving a life sentence for murder and racketeering; the elder Gotti died behind bars in 2002.

Corozzo, also known as "the Little Guy," was consider a candidate to take over the crime family, but racketeering convictions in the late 1990s in Florida and New York took him out of the running, prosecutors say.

The Gambinos have been crippled by a steady stream of government indictments and prosecutions since the 1990s. Authorities brought the new charges against Corozzo as part of a case aimed at delivering a knock-out blow, with charges accusing reputed mobsters with offenses stretching back three decades.

The indictment alleges Corozzo ordered the Jan. 26, 1996, the murder of a rival mobster, resulting in the death of the intended target and the bystander. So far, about 30 of his co-defendants have pleaded guilty.

Thanks to Tom Hays

Tweet

SOPRANOS COSTUMES LEAD CHRISTIE’S POP CULTURE AUCTION

James Gandolfini’s Personal Collection Of Costumes Worn During Filming of The Sopranos Will Benefit Wounded Warrior Project

Christie’s Pop Culture auction on June 25 in New York will be highlighted by a collection of costumes from the critically acclaimed and Emmy-award-winning HBO drama series, The Sopranos. James Gandolfini will sell his personal costume wardrobe worn as the series star, Tony Soprano, to benefit Wounded Warrior Project, a non-profit organization whose mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors. Among the twenty-four lots of Tony Soprano costumes are complete costumes of suits with shoes, leisure shirts, bathrobes, track suits, and bloody costumes, with estimates starting at $500. The sale will also include a selection of men’s costumes from The Sopranos worn by various characters such as Junior Soprano, Paulie Walnuts, Christopher Moltisanti and A.J. Soprano.

“Wounded Warrior Project is thankful for James Gandolfini’s commitment to our organization,” stated Wounded Warrior Project Executive Director and Founder, John Melia. “His public support and generous donation gives a world-wide voice to the severely wounded men and women WWP assists. Our motto is ‘The Greatest Casualty is Being Forgotten’ and with Mr. Gandolfini’s support, we will ensure that doesn’t happen.”

Tony Soprano Wardrobe

Hailed by critics as a landmark series, The Sopranos riveted audiences for six seasons and drew an international base of dedicated fans. The cast’s wardrobe played a significant part in establishing the look and tone of the series, and no small detail was overlooked, down to the actors’ socks. The series costume designer, Juliet Polsca, earned two Emmy nominations and a Costume Designers Guild award.

Many of the lots are accompanied with the original production tags attached and all of the lots include a letter of authenticity by James Gandolfini. Highlights among the Tony Soprano wardrobe recall the character’s most recognizable styles, as demonstrated by the short sleeve button down blue shirt worn in the opening credits of every show (estimate: $2,000-3,000). A tan cotton bathrobe with lavender trim and an embroidered letter ‘S’ on the breast pocket, which was worn in the pilot episode when Tony is fetching the morning paper and feeding ducks in the pool (estimate: $1,000-1,500). A signature costume worn in numerous episodes throughout the entire series run is a striped short robe by Guy Laroche, a white tank top, light blue striped boxers, and a pair of leather Bostonian scuffs (estimate: $1,000-1,500).

A complete costume worn in the episode “Rat Pack” (season 5, episode 2) and displayed at an exhibition of “Outstanding Art of Television Costume Design” at The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, consists of a multicolored geometric Burma Bibas short sleeve shirt, a white athletic tank top, dark brown pleated Slates pants, Gold Toe Socks, and a pair of Allen Edmonds brown loafers (estimate: $800-1,200). A bloody costume worn in a pivotal scene during “Members Only” (season 6, episode 1), when Uncle Junior shoots Tony in a fit of dementia, comprises of a white Jockey tank top, a black and beige short sleeve polo shirt by George Foreman, and black pants by Zanella (estimate: $2,000-3,000).

Various Characters Wardrobe

Approximately 37 men’s costumes from other lead characters in The Sopranos are available from The Golden Closet. They include costumes worn by characters Junior Soprano, Paulie Walnuts, Christopher Moltisanti, A.J. Soprano, Bobby Balcala, Burt Gervasi, Johnny Sack and others. From the character Junior Soprano is a plaid cap by Bert Pulitzer (estimate: $300-500), and a black wool overcoat (estimate: $500-700). Several costumes worn by the character Paulie Walnuts are offered, including a navy double breasted two-piece suit by Marcello Toscani and white Jos A. Bank shirt, a short sleeve Tuscan knit shirt and tan Sansabelt pants, and two complete track suits (each estimate: $500-700).

Tweet