THE BLACK HAND FORUM

NickleCity wrote: ↑Wed Jun 26, 2024 10:11 am

Newyorkempire wrote: ↑Wed Jun 26, 2024 9:14 am
Thinking Militello must be cooperating now? Not in BOP custody. Unless it wasnt updated after he was subpoenaed?
Got slammed with a huge sentence.

Interesting... he was sentenced to prison till 2039.

Newyorkempire wrote: ↑Wed Jun 26, 2024 9:14 am
Thinking Militello must be cooperating now? Not in BOP custody. Unless it wasnt updated after he was subpoenaed?
Got slammed with a huge sentence.

NickleCity wrote: ↑Wed Jun 26, 2024 8:39 am Bobby Kaiser, another witness in the ongoing Bongiovanni case has died before he could testify in the retrial. See: https://buffalonews.com/news/local/crim ... 765c9.html

But after Militello’s prosecution, Kaiser was no longer comfortable being a confidential source for the DEA, because he said Bongiovanni blew his cover.

“By him telling Mr. Militello that I wore a wire, it got to the neighborhood that I wore a wire,” Kaiser testified. “So everywhere I went – drug court, streets – I’m fighting for my life. People trying to stab me, everything. Because he told them I wore a wire.”

“So, safe to say at that point in time then you were burned as a confidential informant?” Singer asked, giving jurors an alternative explanation for why Bongiovanni did not ask Kaiser to try to get evidence against Serio.

“Yeah, because I thought the C (in confidential informant) meant confidential – not we tell everything and we just put the person on the street to die. But you see I’m still here, I’m still walking the streets.”

And on a slightly different note, at Bongiovanni's detention hearing about his ankle bracelet the government indicates that Bongi was involved in Witness Intimidation referring to his interaction with another DEA Agent Anthony Casullo.



Additionally, the government alleges they are investigation Bongiovanni for possible witness retaliation.

But after Militello’s prosecution, Kaiser was no longer comfortable being a confidential source for the DEA, because he said Bongiovanni blew his cover.

“By him telling Mr. Militello that I wore a wire, it got to the neighborhood that I wore a wire,” Kaiser testified. “So everywhere I went – drug court, streets – I’m fighting for my life. People trying to stab me, everything. Because he told them I wore a wire.”

“So, safe to say at that point in time then you were burned as a confidential informant?” Singer asked, giving jurors an alternative explanation for why Bongiovanni did not ask Kaiser to try to get evidence against Serio.

“Yeah, because I thought the C (in confidential informant) meant confidential – not we tell everything and we just put the person on the street to die. But you see I’m still here, I’m still walking the streets.”

NickleCity wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 6:52 pm

OcSleeper wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 6:02 pm Nickle do you know where Militello has been serving his sentence?

No, unfortunately I don’t.

OcSleeper wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 6:02 pm Nickle do you know where Militello has been serving his sentence?

NickleCity wrote: ↑Wed Nov 06, 2019 9:16 am From the first count of the indictment section 57 of Joseph Bongiovanni in Buffalo:

…(x) defendant stated that he kept a DEA case file in his house because it was an old case and he thought it would come up again and the defendant wanted to verify everything was on the up and up.; (xi) the defendant stated that he knew there was an ongoing investigation of IOC which is why the defendant kept the file; (xii) the defendant stated that Peter Millitello was the source in the DEA Case Number C2-13-0026, but Millitello was arrested for selling fentanyl and heroin; and (xiii) the defendant stated that he learned about a current investigation with a DOJ OIG SA asked him about the subject of the investigation during and interview earlier in the year.

Here are links to that arrest and case:
https://buffalonews.com/2016/11/16/fata ... ndictment/

https://cnycentral.com/news/local/sheri ... -drug-ring

https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdny/pr/bu ... -local-man

https://buffalonews.com/2015/11/04/hear ... oin-death/

https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/drug- ... -128007299


Militello has long been a named associated with narcotics and the Buffalo Mob:

Militello and Simpson investigated for cocaine distribution with Sardinia Drug Ring
https://buffalonews.com/1994/07/24/simp ... riendship/

https://gangsterreport.com/o-j-simpson- ... fl-player/

Coconspirators in this drug ring had known ties to the Buffalo Mafia.

https://buffalonews.com/1997/04/05/atto ... tors-list/

Some of the coconspirators had been involved in the mob run telemarketing companies in Buffalo. "Gallo, who was 15 when he was murdered, worked in the Logik telemarketing firm with some of the dope dealers in the Sardina organization.” Here is the article:
https://buffalonews.com/1993/06/27/raid ... zed-crime/

Wiseguy wrote: ↑Thu Dec 22, 2022 3:46 pm

Newyorkempire wrote: ↑Thu Dec 22, 2022 2:33 pm Again. It is believed that Massechia was a member

Um, no. The prosecution said "associate or possible member." And considering the guy was a high school teacher moonlighting as a marijuana dealer, well, its likely not the latter. Though I do find it amusing that whenever the identity of who these 20-25 unknown members comes up, this guy is who you have to go to as your example. If that just doesn't say it all...

and the Geraces are to be considered mafia.

"There's a difference between the Mafia and loosely connected individuals committing Mafia-style crimes." - Former FBI SAC (in reference to Buffalo)

The Geraces, Massechia, Militello, Bella, Serio, etc. fall under this description.

Wiseguy wrote: ↑Thu Dec 22, 2022 3:46 pm

Newyorkempire wrote: ↑Thu Dec 22, 2022 2:33 pm Again. It is believed that Massechia was a member

Um, no. The prosecution said "associate or possible member." And considering the guy was a high school teacher moonlighting as a marijuana dealer, well, its likely not the latter. Though I do find it amusing that whenever the identity of who these 20-25 unknown members comes up, this guy is who you have to go to as your example. If that just doesn't say it all...

and the Geraces are to be considered mafia.

"There's a difference between the Mafia and loosely connected individuals committing Mafia-style crimes." - Former FBI SAC (in reference to Buffalo)

The Geraces, Massechia, Militello, Bella, Serio, etc. fall under this description.

Newyorkempire wrote: ↑Thu Dec 22, 2022 2:33 pm Again. It is believed that Massechia was a member

and the Geraces are to be considered mafia.

Wiseguy wrote: ↑Mon Feb 28, 2022 1:10 pm I took Scott's podcast comments on Tampa, replaced them with Buffalo, and it's amazing how well they fit.

"I would say there are no more traditional organized crime groups that are native to those areas operating. That's not to say there's isn't OC activity taking place in both those areas. The [Buffalo crime family] has, I guess, [Joe Todardo] as the 'boss' but, if there's no organization, then what are you the boss of? So [Joe Todaro] is the last identified boss by the federal government, the last person identified as the mob don of [Buffalo]. I don't think there's much there, if anything."

I was surprised to find that Militello, Serio, Masecchia, and Todaro's nephews are all part of his "inner circle." Learn something new every day.

Oh, and by the way, the government identified Masecchia (the school teacher) as an "associate and possible made member." Naturally, Scott puts him down as a made member. LOL. Gotta love him.

Wiseguy wrote: ↑Wed Feb 16, 2022 3:23 pm

NickleCity wrote: ↑Wed Feb 16, 2022 1:02 pm Here is what we’ve got:

Mob Associates
Militello
Serio
Masecchia
Bella

Possible Made Man
Masecchia (If yes, when did it happen? Could there have been more who were made? Could there have been other making ceremonies?

Boss
Todaro (Jr)

Add what we learned about Canada in 2017
Underboss
Violi (Made in 2015? Promoted early 2017?)

Capo
Rocco Luppino

Soldier
Nat Luppino
Joe Violi given option to be made in Buffalo or Bonanno

LOL. That's more than the prosecutor has done, I'll give you that. But does this look like a formally structured, cohesive LCN family to you or simply the scattered remnants of a family that once was?

Wiseguy wrote: ↑Wed Feb 16, 2022 3:23 pm

NickleCity wrote: ↑Wed Feb 16, 2022 1:02 pmYour logic is flawed… although there is a slight chance you are right despite this flaw. To fix the flaw in your logic I only ask what a good logistician or philosopher would ask simply say lack of evidence suggests the Buffalo family could be very small and may not exist. This alone would make you much more bearable on these boards and lend credibility to your argument.

Instead of meandering into the theoretical (I realize your narrative rests on the theoretical), and appealing to "logisticians or philosophers," why don't you just look at the demonstrable facts? In city after city, family after family, indictments have reflected the relative mob activity there. You can especially see this over an extended period of time.

Before taking the prosecutor's allegations at face value (this is something I'm often accused of doing), ask yourself, have the general allegations about the "Mafia" or "Italian Organized Crime" in Buffalo actually been substantiated by the specific charges in the case? Do the allegations account for or explain the relative lack of activity for decades now? Do they account for or explain how such a Mafia family functions with so few members, most of which are old and inactive?

Here is what we’ve got:

Mob Associates
Militello
Serio
Masecchia
Bella

Possible Made Man
Masecchia (If yes, when did it happen? Could there have been more who were made? Could there have been other making ceremonies?

Boss
Todaro (Jr)

Add what we learned about Canada in 2017
Underboss
Violi (Made in 2015? Promoted early 2017?)

Capo
Rocco Luppino

Soldier
Nat Luppino
Joe Violi given option to be made in Buffalo or Bonanno

LOL. That's more than the prosecutor has done, I'll give you that. But does this look like a formally structured, cohesive LCN family to you or simply the scattered remnants of a family that once was?

So we have a making ceremony that we didn’t know about, yet you insist there could not be other making ceremonies and conclude that Mesecchia can’t be made a made man . Here are the logical inconsistencies: 1. We know there was a making ceremony we didn't know about... yet you assume and insist there can be no other making ceremonies that we don't know about. Why this insistence? To promote your narrative. This is dishonest. Logic says if there is one making ceremony we don't know, there could have been others. 2. I think you are using the lack of evidence fallacy again... We haven't had any Buffalo mob activity, so there couldn't have been a making ceremony. Am I wrong?

Theoretically - which you live and die on - a lot of things are possible. We could "What if?" until the end of time. Outside of known, demonstrable facts, I next go with what what is most probable as demonstrated by historical precedent, general trends, etc.

Using your example above, yes, Violi was made in a ceremony that nobody knew about at the time. And yes, theoretically, if the family could hold one ceremony, it could hold others. But, given historical precedent and general trends as shown in the Buffalo family itself, as well as LCN families in general, is it more probable that his ceremony was an anomaly? That he was a unique and special case, particularly given his pedigree? And most probably not indicative of other new members being made, at least in significant numbers?

And even if we, for the sake of argument, assume there have been more than one ceremony in recent years, how probable is it that has even come close to replacing all those who have died off? We've gone from 49 identified members in 1993 to 23 identified members in 2006 to about a dozen identified members today. That's called a trend. Even if there are some made guys flying under the radar, having been made in ceremonies that we don't know about, how probable is it that it's in sufficient numbers to really affect this trend? Why is it that, for all the allegations about the Mafia or Italian Organized Crime in Buffalo, the best prosecutors have come up with in terms of members not previously identified is a high school teacher-by-day/weed-dealer-by-night who "may be a made member?" Doesn't that tell you something?

How do you know there is no other evidence? Are you privy to discovery in this case? Have you seen the sealed documents? Maybe you’re right or maybe what is sealed and more will come out in court….That is being honest. Once again the absence of evidence fallacy in your logic.

I'm waiting for it but not holding my breath. Whatever their case has, I think we've seen it. They have plenty of evidence to put these guys away for their crimes. But as far as proving the existence of a RICO conspiracy we've seen so often with actually active Mafia families, nope. No, I don't have a crystal ball. But I understand general trends when it comes to the mob. It's like the sun. After seeing it come up day after day, you start to trust it.

And you know this how? Point me to the court documents in this case. Or are you using the absence of evidence fallacy as your reason again.

You mean besides the fact there aren't even enough active members to staff an average-sized crew? Because what we've seen of the evidence so far shows us anything but that. I realize you're waiting for some great reveal in court - the "What if?" - but it just comes across as wishful thinking that ignores the larger picture.

Here is a question for you: Could there be a reason the Feds framed this as a mafia case instead of a criminal enterprise case? Is there the possibility or even likelihood they have more information than our limited knowledge. I’d say that is a possibility, so I won’t question the way they are framing it until more information comes out. I ask that you do the same.

Well first, if they really wanted to frame it as a Mafia case, they would have charged all of them together in an actual RICO case. That they didn't (or couldn't), but charged them separately with many of the ties connecting them being circumstantial, suggests something.

I'm the first to say that law enforcement knows more than the general public, including mob watchers. I say this because they prove it repeatedly in their indictments. But, so far, the Western District Attorney's Office has not proven there actually is still a functioning Mafia family in Buffalo. They have alleged it - despite all the evidence and several former law enforcement statements to the contrary - but they have yet to really show these allegations have any basis in reality.

I know, I know...What if?