You can convince yourself of just about anything when you want to believe a conspiracy theory -Brian Stelter The construction of New York’s Columbus Circle began in 1842, and opened to the public in 1905. At its center, sits a dedicated statue of the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus. The structure’s…...
The Non-Wiseguy
Misfit: something that fits badly; a person who is poorly adapted to a situation or environment Merriam-Webster First Impressions I met Danny Campo for the first time at Bella Notte, a restaurant in Bellmore, New York, around 2016. In actuality, I was meeting Louie “Jet” Gampiero who invited me out…...
The Mafia’s Island
One of the Caribbean’s most geographically diverse countries is the Dominican Republic. The island’s accessibility to all of North America’s major ports is one of its main features. A fact not lost on international drug traffickers. The island, commonly referred to as D.R., also serves as a tactical hub for…...
The Mysterious Freddy Gallina
Having a father who is a bad example can teach us two things: we can emulate his actions or learn how not to act. The choice we make can determine our course in life. -Anonymous On May 21, 1977, Ferdinando “Freddy” Gallina was born in Carini, a town close to…...
The Whitey Bulger Murder
Incompetence is often highly regarded in government circles- William Wallace In October 2018, one of the most high-profile federal inmates arrived at his new facility, in less than 12 hours, prison guards discovered him beaten to death. The inmate in question was James “Whitey” Bulger, boss of the Winter Hill…...
Old & New Mafia
If we could be twice young and twice old we could correct all our mistakes.Euripides At the request of this District Anti-Mafia Directorate, the Military Investigative Unit of Catania, Italy, made thirteen arrests in the early hours of August 2, 2024. The investigation dubbed “Leonidi dis” aimed at dismantling the…...
MDC
If you want total security, go to prison. There you’re fed, clothed, given medical care and so on. The only thing lacking…is freedom. Dwight D. Eisenhower Metropolitan Detention Center If you’re traveling down the Gowanus Expressway and pass a large building resembling an antiquated factory, most likely, it is the…...
Morphing Mafia
Mimic Octopus: a species of octopus with the ability to impersonate a wide variety of marine animals. In similar fashion to the mimic octopus, the mafia is a constantly evolving organization. During the 1960s, the ‘ndrangheta kidnapped approximately 649 people. They held the majority of victims in Aspromonte, a mountainous…...
Children of the Mafia
We all want our children to be like us but sometimes it’s best they turn out different. Anonymous Free to choose Roberto Di Bella, judge of the Juvenile Court of Reggio Calabria, recognized the young man in his office. Two months earlier, the arrogant fifteen year old stood before him…...
The Mafia’s Hospital
On June 12, 2024, Italian law enforcement arrested eleven people charging them with mafia association and fraudulent transfer of valuables. The investigation dates back to 2019, when the Contini clan ended up at the center of a maxi operation involving the entire Secondigliano Alliance, including the Licciardi and Mallardo families…....
Deep Pockets-Small Brain
Jealousy- A sentiment which is born in love and which is produced by the fear that the loved person prefers someone else. The Teacher’s Devotional Tiny Manzo Albert “Tiny” Manzo – nicknamed for his girth – owned Da Tommaso restaurant and a banquet venue named The Brownstone House in Paterson,…...
Sonny Franzese: Forgave Sons
Your children are your real mob. Anonymous Sonny To refer to John “Sonny” Franzese as a gangster would be an understatement. To begin with, his criminal history dates back to the 1930s, with his first arrest being for an assault in 1938. In and around 1950, Franzese became an inducted…...
Mafia Mentors
“The key to being a good mentor is to help people become more of who they already are – not to make them more like you.” SUZE ORMAN Mentors Simply put, a mentor is someone with more experience who guides and teaches another. Mentors serve as role models, setting prime…...
The Blue Suitcase
Ecco come la mafia si è spartita Palermo: This is how the mafia divided Palermo L’Ora, Newspaper Palermo, Sicily During the 1970s, mafia bosses from Palermo, Sicily appeared to gain sudden wealth overnight. From 1976-to-1980, the Inzerillo-Gambino-Spatola families dominated the heroin trade between Sicily and New York. More specifically, between…...
Was Matteo Messina Denaro Replaced?
Matteo Messina Denaro On January 16, 2023, following a 30-year manhunt, Italian law enforcement apprehended Matteo Messina Denaro. His capture took place at the La Maddalena clinic in Palermo, Sicily, where he was undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Most considered Denaro the last link between the death-dealing cosa nostra of the past…...
Middle East Mafia
Generally speaking, when we think of the mafia the United States, Canada and Italy come to mind. Most of us do not equate countries like Israel and Palestine as places the mafia would be. Nevertheless, a conflict of such magnitude like a war can expose mafia mentalities. You can scarcely…...
Mafia Vigilante
Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN Extreme Cyclist Italian extreme cyclist Vittorio Brumotti holds ten entries in the Guinness Book of World Records. Riding is his passion and he refers to his bike as his gun, guitar,…...
“Word On The Street”
A lie can run around the world before the truth has got its boots on. Terry Pratchett The phrase “word on the street”, allegedly dates back to the 1920s in New York City. In those days, insider-trading was legal and certain information regarding companies came from Wall Street. The frequently…...
Saving Witsec Members
The battle line between good and evil runs through the heart of every man Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Pittsburgh Charles “Chucky” Porter somehow bypassed the mafia’s edict where a proposed member’s parents both needed to be of Italian decent. Porter, who is only half Italian on his mother’s side, not only became…...
Killing a Boss
Insanity is a legal term. Crazy is an art form. Hunter S.Thompson On March 16, 2019, the police in Brick Township, New Jersey took a 24-year-old man into custody for a crime committed three days prior. The suspect, Anthony Comello of Staten Island, had no known criminal history. The crime…...