by Villain » Thu Sep 26, 2019 9:52 pm
Antiliar wrote: ↑Thu Sep 26, 2019 7:57 pm
Villain wrote: ↑Wed Sep 25, 2019 1:17 am
Btw what was deal with Potenza, meaning was he under the Elmwood Park or Melrose Park admins? After his stroke and alleged retirement, he was mostly seen with the North Side faction, including Prio, DiVarco and DiBella
Rocco Potenzo is kind of a mystery. The FBI said he was a capo in the northwest suburbs (primarily Niles and Skokie), but the only well-known underling was Slicker Sam Rosa. In early 1963 Potenzo was spending a lot of time in the Thunderbird Hotel, owned by Giancana's brother Charles Kane. Giancana ordered him to stay away because of the G. The same source said that Potenzo was running games for Giancana and Chuckie English. Another informant said that Potenzo was paying Ross Prio $2,000 a month to run gambling in the Near North Side and $3,000 to Giancana to operate in the Northwest suburbs. Potenzo also had a wire room that he owned with Lenny Patrick. He was indicted over filing false liquor registration forms in 1966 and was convicted in 1967, and given a $1,000 fine. That he was observed regularly meeting North Side leaders Ross Prio, the three Doms, DiVarco and Solano in a Niles restaurant. He was charged for filing a false gun registration in 1969. In 1975 he was working as a part-time bartender in West Side saloon and said to be broke. He died in December 1976.
I don't see him as a capo as the FBI claimed. He did seem to be directly under Giancana, then after Giancana he was left to find for himself. He was friendly with Accardo in the 1950s and was at the plumber's picnic with Accardo, but don't really see much going on after Giancana left. Maybe he switched to the North Side crew and then shelved or retired.
I agree.
Who knows, maybe he was the type of capo or high level member as Roselli and others were...just saying.
During Giancana's reign, the few fellas which I have under Potenza were Tommy and Barney Potenza, Rocco Valo, Pete Mazzeta, Adolph Blanchette and Joe Iacullo or Yacullo.
Previously I always doubted regarding Rosa being under Potenza since in the past I always thought he was with the Elmwood Park crew, so thanks for the info. If Rosa was under Potenza, then he was probably his rep in Highwood Ill; during one period.
Some time ago I read one info that Sam Mercurio also answered to Potenza, although most of the information say that he was with Elmwood Park. Once I also saw some info that Simonelli also had close connections to Potenza but I highly doubt that he answered to him.
It seems that Potenza had the same faith as Patrick, meaning at the same time he kicked up both to the top admin and also the boss in whose territory he was infiltrated in. I also agree that by the late 60s he switched crews and belonged to Prio. After Giancana's and Battaglias reign, he simply fell under him. Story goes that Rocky Montagna was sent to buy (probably for someone else) his interests in Niles and Wheeling I think.
[quote=Antiliar post_id=124474 time=1569553068 user_id=77]
[quote=Villain post_id=124182 time=1569399434 user_id=88]
Btw what was deal with Potenza, meaning was he under the Elmwood Park or Melrose Park admins? After his stroke and alleged retirement, he was mostly seen with the North Side faction, including Prio, DiVarco and DiBella
[/quote]
Rocco Potenzo is kind of a mystery. The FBI said he was a capo in the northwest suburbs (primarily Niles and Skokie), but the only well-known underling was Slicker Sam Rosa. In early 1963 Potenzo was spending a lot of time in the Thunderbird Hotel, owned by Giancana's brother Charles Kane. Giancana ordered him to stay away because of the G. The same source said that Potenzo was running games for Giancana and Chuckie English. Another informant said that Potenzo was paying Ross Prio $2,000 a month to run gambling in the Near North Side and $3,000 to Giancana to operate in the Northwest suburbs. Potenzo also had a wire room that he owned with Lenny Patrick. He was indicted over filing false liquor registration forms in 1966 and was convicted in 1967, and given a $1,000 fine. That he was observed regularly meeting North Side leaders Ross Prio, the three Doms, DiVarco and Solano in a Niles restaurant. He was charged for filing a false gun registration in 1969. In 1975 he was working as a part-time bartender in West Side saloon and said to be broke. He died in December 1976.
I don't see him as a capo as the FBI claimed. He did seem to be directly under Giancana, then after Giancana he was left to find for himself. He was friendly with Accardo in the 1950s and was at the plumber's picnic with Accardo, but don't really see much going on after Giancana left. Maybe he switched to the North Side crew and then shelved or retired.
[/quote]
I agree.
Who knows, maybe he was the type of capo or high level member as Roselli and others were...just saying.
During Giancana's reign, the few fellas which I have under Potenza were Tommy and Barney Potenza, Rocco Valo, Pete Mazzeta, Adolph Blanchette and Joe Iacullo or Yacullo.
Previously I always doubted regarding Rosa being under Potenza since in the past I always thought he was with the Elmwood Park crew, so thanks for the info. If Rosa was under Potenza, then he was probably his rep in Highwood Ill; during one period.
Some time ago I read one info that Sam Mercurio also answered to Potenza, although most of the information say that he was with Elmwood Park. Once I also saw some info that Simonelli also had close connections to Potenza but I highly doubt that he answered to him.
It seems that Potenza had the same faith as Patrick, meaning at the same time he kicked up both to the top admin and also the boss in whose territory he was infiltrated in. I also agree that by the late 60s he switched crews and belonged to Prio. After Giancana's and Battaglias reign, he simply fell under him. Story goes that Rocky Montagna was sent to buy (probably for someone else) his interests in Niles and Wheeling I think.