The Chicago Syndicate
The Mission Impossible Backpack

Wednesday, November 08, 2023

10 Reputed Mobsters with the Gambino Crime Family among 16 Arrested on Racketeering Charges in Mafia Crackdown

Federal prosecutors in New York on Wednesday announced the arrests of 10 men allegedly belonging to or associated with the Gambino Mafia family, as well as the arrests in Italy of six other alleged organized crime members and associates.

The defendants in Brooklyn federal court are accused of a racketeering conspiracy that allegedly involved “violent extortions, assaults, arson, and union-related crimes,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York said.

Prosecutors said the Brooklyn defendants, who are charged in a 16-count indictment, committed those crimes as part of an effort to dominate New York’s carting and demolition industries.

The Gambinos are one of New York’s five Cosa Nostra organized crime cliques. It previously was led by the late notorious boss John Gotti, who died in a federal prison in Missouri in 2002.

The defendants arrested in New York on Wednesday included the alleged Gambino captain Joseph “Joe Brooklyn” Lanni.

Prosecutors said the arrests were part of a coordinated operation with Italian law enforcement, who arrested the six defendants in Italy on charges that include mafia association and related offenses.

One defendant remains at large in that case.

Prosecutors said the other defendants in Brooklyn include: “Diego ‘Danny’ Tantillo, Angelo Gradilone, also known as ‘Fifi,’ and James LaForte, alleged Gambino soldiers, Vito Rappa, alleged U.S.-based Sicilian Mafia member and Gambino associate, Francesco Vicari, also known as ‘Uncle Ciccio,’ alleged U.S.-based Sicilian Mafia associate and Gambino associate, and Salvatore DiLorenzo, Robert Brooke, Kyle Johnson, also known as ‘Twin,’ and Vincent Minsquero, also known as ‘Vinny Slick,’ alleged Gambino associates.”

The Gambino Family: A History of New York's Gambino Mafia Family.


Monday, October 02, 2023

We Do What We Must: Blood, Wine, and the Birth of the American Mafia in New Orleans #NOLA

An immigrant Sicilian family triumphs over The Mafia in turn of the century New Orleans, just not in the way they'd planned.
We Do What We Must
Blood, Wine, and the Birth of the American Mafia
 in New Orleans



WINNER: Pinnacle Book Achievement Award, Fall 2022 - Best Historical Fiction - We Do What We Must: Blood, Wine, and the Birth of the American Mafia in New Orleans.

This fictionalized tale recounts the story of the true life Giacona family, who emigrated from Sicily to New Orleans in the 1890s. They came to the US to escape the influence of The Mafia, only to be confronted by the same challenges in the New World.

Pietro Giancona and Corrado Giacona, father and son, do what they must to defend their family and business from the dreaded Black Hand, as well as powerful organized crime families. They proceed the only way they know how, through bravery, guile, and tough choices. Although committed to living as 'Honest Italians, ' their choices lead them down a perilous path.

EVOLVED PUBLISHING PRESENTS a fascinating glimpse of an important part of Americana, blending slices of true history with fiction, in a compelling story of organized crime in New Orleans.


Tuesday, September 19, 2023

47 Top Mobster Nicknames


  1. Al Capone - Scarface
  2. Albert Anastasia - Lord High Executioner and Mad Hatter
  3. Albert Gallo - Kid Blast
  4. Albert Vena - Albie the Falcon
  5. Anthony Accardo - Big Tuna and Joe Batters
  6. Anthony Corallo - Tony Ducks
  7. Anthony Casso - Gaspipe
  8. Anthony Doyle - Twan
  9. Anthony Silvestro - Bugz
  10. Benjamin Siegel - Bugsy
  11. Carmine Persico - The Snake
  12. Charlie Luciano - Lucky
  13. Daniel Capaldo - The Wig and Shrek
  14. Dominick Ricigliano - The Lion
  15. Donald Angelini - The Wizard of Odds
  16. Felix Alderisio - Milwaukee Phil
  17. Frank Cali - Frankie Boy
  18. Frank Nitti - The Enforcer
  19. Frank Schweihs - The German
  20. Jim Colosimo - Big Jim
  21. John Cerone - Jackie
  22. John D'Amico - Jackie Nose
  23. John DiFronzo - No Nose and Johnny Bananas
  24. John Gotti - The Dapper Don and The Teflon Don
  25. Joseph Aiuppa - Joey Doves
  26. Joseph Andriacchi - Joe The Builder and The Sledgehammer
  27. Joseph Bonanno - Joe Bananas
  28. Joseph Lombardo - Joey The Clown
  29. Joseph Marra - Joe Fish
  30. Louis Daidone - Louie Bagels
  31. Louis Fratto - Cock-Eyed Louie
  32. Luigi Manocchio - Baby Shacks
  33. Michael DiLeonardo - Mikey Scars
  34. Michael Sarno - The Large Guy
  35. Michael Yannotti - Mikey Y.
  36. Paul Rica - The Waiter
  37. Paul Schiro - The Indian
  38. Patrick DeFilippo - Patty the Pig and Patty from the Bronx
  39. Philip Giaccone - Phil Lucky
  40. Salvatore DeLaurentis - Solly D
  41. Salvatore Gravano - Sammy the Bull
  42. Salvatore Vitale - Good Lookin' Sal
  43. Sam Battaglia - Teets
  44. Sam Giancana - Moony and MoMo
  45. Vincent Basciano - Vinny Gorgeous
  46. Vincent Gigante - The Chin
  47. Vincent Scura - Vinny Linen



Thursday, September 14, 2023

Former Buildings Commissioner Eric Ulrich Accused of Trading Favors for $150,000 in Bribes in Organized Crime Connected Charges

Eric Ulrich rose through the ranks of city government with modest momentum, first elected as a city councilman before Mayor Eric Adams appointed him a senior adviser and, finally, his commissioner of the Department of Buildings.

At each stop, prosecutors with the Manhattan district attorney’s office said on Wednesday, he used his positions to benefit friends and associates, and harvested more than $150,000 for himself. They said he reaped New York Mets season tickets, a custom suit, a painting by an apprentice of Salvador Dalí and cash for gambling.

The district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, said in a statement that Mr. Ulrich had accepted or solicited the bribes over just two years. And a court filing said that Mr. Ulrich had engaged in conduct antithetical to his oath of office “on an almost daily basis.”

“At every possible turn,” Mr. Ulrich used his taxpayer-funded positions “to line his pockets,” Mr. Bragg’s statement said. At an afternoon news conference, the district attorney said that “Eric Ulrich’s duty was to the people of the City of New York, not his friends, not his associates and certainly not himself.”

Mr. Ulrich, 38, who faces 16 felony charges including counts of conspiracy and bribe-taking, pleaded not guilty, as did five other men who prosecutors say participated in the scheme. A sixth man was showing symptoms of Covid-19, his lawyer said, and is to be arraigned later this month.

Taken together, the five indictments that bear the charges portray Mr. Ulrich as a one-stop fixer who, after rising to the highest levels of municipal government, reached into more than a half-dozen agencies to expedite restaurant and building inspections, assist with licensing problems and arrange jobs and raises.

Mr. Ulrich’s lawyer, Samuel M. Braverman, said in a statement after the arraignment that his client maintained his innocence and that “today’s proceedings do nothing to change that — his integrity remains intact.”

“When thousands of phone calls and documents are cherry-picked and cut into small bits, and then viewed with eyes biased toward guilt, anyone can be made to look bad,” he added. “Mr. Ulrich unequivocally denies these charges and looks forward to his day in court where only the evidence matters, not charging documents or press releases.”

The head of the city’s Department of Investigation, Jocelyn Strauber, said that Mr. Ulrich had promised the six other defendants such favors with little hesitation.

“When a public official puts New York City up for sale and uses their government office, influence and relationships to enrich themselves, they will be held accountable,” she said at the news conference.

The mayor was not charged or implicated in any wrongdoing. But the investigation has put him in an uncomfortable position. He appointed Mr. Ulrich despite a letter the councilman wrote on behalf of a constituent with ties to organized crime, and despite his acknowledged gambling and alcohol addictions. Mr. Ulrich and three of the other defendants hosted an August 2021 fund-raiser on the mayor’s behalf.

Asked whether Mr. Adams regretted appointing Mr. Ulrich after the indictments were made public, a spokesman for the mayor said, “We always expect all our employees to adhere to the strictest ethical guidelines.” The mayor’s statement on Wednesday reasserted that his office would continue to assist Mr. Bragg.

The arraignment Wednesday afternoon in New York State Supreme Court was a crowded affair, with Mr. Ulrich, the other defendants and their lawyers clustered around the table as the docket numbers for the five indictments were read out. Throughout, Mr. Ulrich sat at the table, wearing a flannel jacket and gray slacks. Prosecutors asked the judge, Daniel Conviser, to impose mild restrictions on Mr. Ulrich’s travel, which the judge agreed to do.

Four of the indictments charged Mr. Ulrich and various friends and associates with bribery and corruption-related crimes. The fifth accused him of failing to disclose his ill-gotten gains on financial disclosure forms.

The other defendants are Mark Caller, 51, a Brooklyn real estate developer; Joseph Livreri, 55, and Anthony Livreri, 51, brothers who own a Queens pizzeria; Michael Mazzio, 54, who operates a Brooklyn towing company; Paul Grego, 73, who expedites permit and plan approvals at the Buildings Department; and Victor Truta, 53, a former city correction captain.

Court papers said the bribes bestowed on Mr. Ulrich included a bespoke suit, artwork and a discounted apartment in a luxury beachfront building in Queens where Mr. Ulrich lived. The premium Mets season ticket package was valued at nearly $10,000.

Last month, Mr. Ulrich, whose phone was wiretapped as part of the investigation, posted to social media a grinning selfie in a Mets shirt with the caption “Take me out to the ballgame!”

The Livreri brothers and Mr. Mazzio were said to have given Mr. Ulrich cash that he used in part to fund his gambling at casinos and at the 89th Street Cafe, an illegal gambling club, according to the court papers.

Law enforcement officials have identified Mr. Mazzio and the Livreri brothers as having connections to organized crime, and prosecutors had sought to find out more about Mr. Ulrich’s relationship with organized crime figures.

The former commissioner surrendered at the district attorney’s office in Lower Manhattan shortly after 7 a.m. He was accompanied by his lawyer, Samuel M. Braverman, and was carrying a copy of Bill O’Reilly’s book, “Killing Jesus: A History.”

Mr. Ulrich was appointed to head the Buildings Department in May 2022. He resigned six months later, when news of the investigation surfaced.

The department, though often bedeviled by scandal, is among the most important city agencies. It regulates the construction and real estate industries, issuing permits, licensing contractors and policing construction safety and the city’s building code, and thus can have a significant impact on development.

Mr. Caller, a Brooklyn real estate developer, was accused of attempting to use his relationship with Mr. Ulrich to influence the department to expedite requests for his firm, the Marcal Group, and of pushing the Department of City Planning to make a zoning change in Rockaway Park.

Mr. Caller’s firm works on developing commercial and residential projects in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx, including an 86-unit condo building in Rockaway Park and several others in the Rockaways, according to news reports from the real estate website The Real Deal and The City.

According to the Marcal Group’s website, Mr. Caller “amassed a $100 million portfolio” of more than 1,500 units in “underserved communities.” The Marcal Group says in recent years it has collaborated with the city on affordable housing and with Maimonides Medical Center on medical facilities.

Mr. Caller’s lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, said in a statement that his client “did not commit any crime whatsoever,” adding that the indictment was “predicated on a flawed theory” and Mr. Ulrich’s apartment was obtained at market rate.

Lawyers for the Livreris, Mr. Grego and Mr. Truta did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Livreri brothers, Mr. Mazzio and Mr. Ulrich organized the 2021 fund-raiser for the mayor, and Mr. Ulrich has raised Mr. Adams’s name during the investigation.

Mr. Ulrich has told prosecutors that Mr. Adams warned him of the investigation, which the mayor has denied. And Mr. Adams was among those whose conversations were wiretapped by investigators.

Thanks to Jonah E. Bromwich and William K. Rashbaum.


Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Gambler: Secrets from a Life at Risk - Compelling Story of Billy Walters and his Syndicate, plus Phil Mickelson #LasVegas #Gambling

Gambler:
Secrets from a Life at Risk
Billy Walters
The wild and highly anticipated autobiography of Billy Walters—“the greatest and most controversial sports gambler ever” (ESPN)—who shares his extraordinary life story, reveals the secrets to his fiercely protected betting system, and breaks his silence about Phil Mickelson.

Anybody can get lucky. Nobody controls the odds like Billy Walters. Widely regarded as “the Michael Jordan of sports betting,” Walters is a living legend in Las Vegas and among sports bettors worldwide. With an unmatched winning streak of thirty-six consecutive years, Walters has become fabulously wealthy by placing hundreds of millions of dollars a year in gross wagers, including one Super Bowl bet of $3.5 million alone. Competitors desperate to crack his betting techniques have tried hacking his phones, cloning his beepers, rifling through his trash, and bribing his employees. Now, after decades of avoiding the spotlight and fiercely protecting the keys to his success, Walters has reached the age where he wants to pass along his wisdom to future generations of sports wagerers.

Gambler is more than a traditional autobiography. In addition to sharing his against-all-odds American dream story, Walters reveals in granular detail the secrets of his proprietary betting system, which will serve as a master class for anyone who wants to improve their odds at betting on sports. Walters also breaks his silence about his long and complicated relationship with Hall of Fame professional golfer Phil Mickelson.

On a typical weekend gameday packed with college and pro sports, Walters will bet $10 million—a small sum for someone as wealthy as he is today, but an unbelievable fortune for the child who was raised by his grandmother in extreme poverty in rural Kentucky. By the age of nine, Walters became a shark at hustling pool and pitching pennies. As a young adult, he set records as a used-car salesman, hustled golf, and dabbled in bookmaking. He eventually moved to Las Vegas, where he revolutionized sports betting strategy and became a member of the famed Computer Group, the first syndicate to apply sophisticated algorithms and data analysis to sports gambling. He became extraordinarily wealthy while overcoming addictions and outmaneuvering organized crime figures made infamous by Martin Scorsese’s film Casino.

In Gambler, Walters passes along everything he’s learned about sports betting. First, he shows bettors how to mine the information we have at our fingertips to develop a sophisticated betting strategy and handicapping system of our own. He explains how even avid bettors often do not grasp all of the variables that go into making an informed wager—factors such as home field advantage, individual player values, injuries or illness, weather forecasts, each team’s previous schedule (bye weeks, multiple away games in a row, etc.), travel distance/difficulty, stadium quirks, turf types, and more. Not every bettor has access to Walters’s team of expert analysts, but every bettor can follow his guidelines on how to measure the detailed information available online and look for unique situations that could affect a game’s outcome more than usual. Variable by variable, Walters breaks down the formulas, point systems, and principles that he’s developed over decades of improving his craft.

A self-made man who’s repeatedly won it all, lost it all, and earned it all back again, Walters has lived a singular and wildly appealing American life, of the outlaw variety. Gambler is at once a gripping autobiography, a blistering tell-all, and an indispensable playbook for coming out on top.



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