"NY 1839:" the FBI's first Mafia informant

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Re: "NY 1839:" the FBI's first Mafia informant

by davidf1989 » Sat Oct 21, 2023 4:24 am

Ed wrote: Wed Mar 15, 2023 4:06 am Angelo, Nash, I really appreciate the kind feedback.

David, Yes, Isabella talked before Scarpa. How much Isabella revealed is unclear. Although Villano wrote that he shared enough confidential information that the Bureau should have looked into it further but didn't for reasons unknown.
Thanks for your response and your hard work. Were there any informants in the New England area or was Vinnie Teresa the only one?

Re: "NY 1839:" the FBI's first Mafia informant

by moneyman » Fri Mar 17, 2023 11:13 am

JoelTurner wrote: Fri Mar 17, 2023 5:31 am George White wasn’t just a random FBN agent. He was the man behind the government’s infamous LSD mind control program. In 1943, he administered his first dose to August Del Gracio, described as a notorious NYC gangster.

Also, early in 1943, Willie Moretti had a strange illness. They symptoms were described vaguely: he was talking big, making big bets, and having big ideas. Frank Costello sent him to California (he stayed at 23021 8th St, Newhall, CA) to recuperate even discouraging him from coming back later that summer.

I don’t know if White was connected to Moretti’s weird illness; it’s often stated as being syphilis but I feel like that was well known by the late ‘40s.
I think I remember reading that George White bragged about giving mobsters LSD.. pretty crazy

Re: "NY 1839:" the FBI's first Mafia informant

by JoelTurner » Fri Mar 17, 2023 5:31 am

George White wasn’t just a random FBN agent. He was the man behind the government’s infamous LSD mind control program. In 1943, he administered his first dose to August Del Gracio, described as a notorious NYC gangster.

Also, early in 1943, Willie Moretti had a strange illness. They symptoms were described vaguely: he was talking big, making big bets, and having big ideas. Frank Costello sent him to California (he stayed at 23021 8th St, Newhall, CA) to recuperate even discouraging him from coming back later that summer.

I don’t know if White was connected to Moretti’s weird illness; it’s often stated as being syphilis but I feel like that was well known by the late ‘40s.

Re: "NY 1839:" the FBI's first Mafia informant

by JoelTurner » Fri Mar 17, 2023 4:33 am

Excellent article! I really enjoyed it.

Re: "NY 1839:" the FBI's first Mafia informant

by Ed » Wed Mar 15, 2023 7:15 pm

Thanks guys.

Charles Carlino did have a brother named Joseph, but he was unrelated to the "Joseph Carlino" in my article, who flipped.

Re: "NY 1839:" the FBI's first Mafia informant

by richard_belding » Wed Mar 15, 2023 1:19 pm

Amazing work as always, Ed

Curious, was Joe Carlino of Vic Reisel fame a relative to Luchese member Charles Carlino? A Lagano crew member in the 1970s.

Re: "NY 1839:" the FBI's first Mafia informant

by sdeitche » Wed Mar 15, 2023 1:17 pm

Great piece Ed.

Re: "NY 1839:" the FBI's first Mafia informant

by B. » Wed Mar 15, 2023 1:09 pm

What I wonder is if Moretti had been in California a short time before White congratulated Bomp on his promotion. Bomp said his promotion was just three days before White made the comment. Bomp must have either been introduced to Moretti as a capodecina or knew that the news had been shared with Moretti in that short window of time.

There was likely at least national gossip about Bomp's promotion given how well-connected he was. Years later Santo Trafficante was upset that Desimone never promoted Bomp back to his former captain position and was also unhappy that Angelo Marino had been made a capodecina in San Jose. We don't think of these high-level guys caring about who is a captain over in California but apparently they did. Bomp was living in Tampa when Santo got made so they were close but I find it interesting Santo had an opinion on Marino.

EDIT: There was that Trafficante who was an SF member and I believe he was a brother or uncle of Santo so maybe he did keep tabs on the Bay Area. Sorry to go off on a tangent but the Moretti situation is intriguing.

Re: "NY 1839:" the FBI's first Mafia informant

by thekiduknow » Wed Mar 15, 2023 12:59 pm

B. wrote: Wed Mar 15, 2023 12:43 pm
thekiduknow wrote: Wed Mar 15, 2023 12:35 pm
B. wrote: Tue Mar 14, 2023 5:20 pm According to Bompensiero, Moretti was killed in part because the US Treasury agent Moretti was close to congratulated Bomp on his promotion to capodecina just a few days after it happened and both Bomp and Dragna suspected the info was given to him by Moretti. They contacted their avugad the Lucchese Family who initiated an investigation into Moretti w/ the Commission and the rest is history.
I recently received some of George White, the FBN agent Moretti was close to, papers and in a letter he says that Moretti did in fact tell him he was in the Mafia after his Kefauver testimony:

Image
Nice job. I personally believe Bomp's story that the original spark came from LA's suspicion that Moretti was giving info, not just his testimony and Valachi's belief that Genovese masterminded it. Bomp essentially implicated himself in the murder conspiracy by providing that intel which gives it weight.

Moretti had a lot of high-level friendships so maybe the lines got blurred rather than him "informing". The ex-Carabinieri Calabrian CI in Philly told the FBI that he went to a gathering at Moretti's house and the governor of New Jersey was there. He probably saw White as a peer.
For what its worth, I found a "transcript" of White's conversation with Moretti in a book called "Mafia" by Ed Reid:

Image

Image

If Moretti's closeness to White was well known, it would make sense they would suspect Moretti once White mentioned Bomp being promoted.

Also, big news that Bonanno was just a messanger lol

Re: "NY 1839:" the FBI's first Mafia informant

by Snakes » Wed Mar 15, 2023 12:56 pm

Nice work, Ed; as always.

Re: "NY 1839:" the FBI's first Mafia informant

by B. » Wed Mar 15, 2023 12:43 pm

thekiduknow wrote: Wed Mar 15, 2023 12:35 pm
B. wrote: Tue Mar 14, 2023 5:20 pm According to Bompensiero, Moretti was killed in part because the US Treasury agent Moretti was close to congratulated Bomp on his promotion to capodecina just a few days after it happened and both Bomp and Dragna suspected the info was given to him by Moretti. They contacted their avugad the Lucchese Family who initiated an investigation into Moretti w/ the Commission and the rest is history.
I recently received some of George White, the FBN agent Moretti was close to, papers and in a letter he says that Moretti did in fact tell him he was in the Mafia after his Kefauver testimony:

Image
Nice job. I personally believe Bomp's story that the original spark came from LA's suspicion that Moretti was giving info, not just his testimony and Valachi's belief that Genovese masterminded it. Bomp essentially implicated himself in the murder conspiracy by providing that intel which gives it weight.

Moretti had a lot of high-level friendships so maybe the lines got blurred rather than him "informing". The ex-Carabinieri Calabrian CI in Philly told the FBI that he went to a gathering at Moretti's house and the governor of New Jersey was there. He probably saw White as a peer.

Re: "NY 1839:" the FBI's first Mafia informant

by thekiduknow » Wed Mar 15, 2023 12:35 pm

B. wrote: Tue Mar 14, 2023 5:20 pm According to Bompensiero, Moretti was killed in part because the US Treasury agent Moretti was close to congratulated Bomp on his promotion to capodecina just a few days after it happened and both Bomp and Dragna suspected the info was given to him by Moretti. They contacted their avugad the Lucchese Family who initiated an investigation into Moretti w/ the Commission and the rest is history.
I recently received some of George White, the FBN agent Moretti was close to, papers and in a letter he says that Moretti did in fact tell him he was in the Mafia after his Kefauver testimony:

Image

Re: "NY 1839:" the FBI's first Mafia informant

by thekiduknow » Wed Mar 15, 2023 12:31 pm

Great article, not only for uncovering who that informant was but revealing more about his life through additional sources.

I quickly searched through Joey Pants' book on archive.com, and I don't know if he expands on this later on, but somewhere in there he says that his mother told him Florio was his actual father.

Re: "NY 1839:" the FBI's first Mafia informant

by axx » Wed Mar 15, 2023 4:43 am

Had no clue Villano's book even existed. The article is a result of top notch work and is enjoyable to read. Also the Pantoliano reference.

Re: "NY 1839:" the FBI's first Mafia informant

by Ed » Wed Mar 15, 2023 4:06 am

Angelo, Nash, I really appreciate the kind feedback.

David, Yes, Isabella talked before Scarpa. How much Isabella revealed is unclear. Although Villano wrote that he shared enough confidential information that the Bureau should have looked into it further but didn't for reasons unknown.

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