What do We Know about Willie Moretti?

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Re: What do We Know about Willie Moretti?

by Antiliar » Tue Apr 01, 2025 4:28 pm

JoelTurner wrote: Tue Apr 01, 2025 3:52 pm On the 1963 Genovese family chart, Michael Spinella is listed as a member of Miranda crew who was deported to Italy. This may not have been accurate, here’s a better look at him:

Born Mar 3 1894 in Marineo, Palermo, Sicily to Matteo Spinella & Rosa Tripoli, he moved to NJ as a toddler. By the start of the ‘20s, he was a well-known criminal in Paterson, NJ; involved in bootlegging, holdups, and gambling.

On Jan 21 1927, members of Anthony “Sparky” Wilda’s holdup gang, brothers Harry “Swchwabbles” & Richard Joachim, attempted to sell him liquor that they had stolen from him earlier. Initially refusing, he seemingly agreed after they tore up his bar The Lincoln Inn (937 Market St, Paterson, NJ). The next night, on Jan 22 1927, when they came to collect, he was waiting with Jim Profita, Frank Failla, and Frank Logioco. The ambush left Harry dead and Richard injured.

Facing a murder charge, Spinella went on the run. On Dec 15 1933, he resurfaced in Detroit using the alias Martin Steel:

Image

Joe & Peter Bommarito, James Licavoli, and Tony Abati were Detroit members. I haven’t heard of the others.

A few years after beating the murder charge, he moved to Miami but remain in the NJ rackets as he was charged with operating a brother in Paramus, NJ in 1951. This led to him being deported to Capri 1953.

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Spinella killing Joachim kicked of a violent war, that lasted from 1927-31, between the NJ Genovese & the Wilda gang.

Nothing about Spinella’s activities nor the people that he was with point to him being in Miranda’s crew. Rather, he was likely a member of Moretti’s crew like the rest of the Jersey guys.
Frank Knapp could have been an alias for Napoli or Nappi or something similar. The others may have members of the Jewish Purple gang.

Re: What do We Know about Willie Moretti?

by JoelTurner » Tue Apr 01, 2025 3:52 pm

On the 1963 Genovese family chart, Michael Spinella is listed as a member of Miranda crew who was deported to Italy. This may not have been accurate, here’s a better look at him:

Born Mar 3 1894 in Marineo, Palermo, Sicily to Matteo Spinella & Rosa Tripoli, he moved to NJ as a toddler. By the start of the ‘20s, he was a well-known criminal in Paterson, NJ; involved in bootlegging, holdups, and gambling.

On Jan 21 1927, members of Anthony “Sparky” Wilda’s holdup gang, brothers Harry “Swchwabbles” & Richard Joachim, attempted to sell him liquor that they had stolen from him earlier. Initially refusing, he seemingly agreed after they tore up his bar The Lincoln Inn (937 Market St, Paterson, NJ). The next night, on Jan 22 1927, when they came to collect, he was waiting with Jim Profita, Frank Failla, and Frank Logioco. The ambush left Harry dead and Richard injured.

Facing a murder charge, Spinella went on the run. On Dec 15 1933, he resurfaced in Detroit using the alias Martin Steel:

Image

Joe & Peter Bommarito, James Licavoli, and Tony Abati were Detroit members. I haven’t heard of the others.

A few years after beating the murder charge, he moved to Miami but remain in the NJ rackets as he was charged with operating a brother in Paramus, NJ in 1951. This led to him being deported to Capri 1953.

————————————-

Spinella killing Joachim kicked of a violent war, that lasted from 1927-31, between the NJ Genovese & the Wilda gang.

Nothing about Spinella’s activities nor the people that he was with point to him being in Miranda’s crew. Rather, he was likely a member of Moretti’s crew like the rest of the Jersey guys.

Re: What do We Know about Willie Moretti?

by Brovelli » Wed Mar 26, 2025 1:50 pm

JoelTurner wrote: Wed Mar 26, 2025 1:12 pm
Brovelli wrote: Tue Mar 25, 2025 4:58 pm Wasn’t there a Phil denoia around Andy Gerardo too? May be no relation to these guys
He doesn’t appear to be related
Thanks

Re: What do We Know about Willie Moretti?

by JoelTurner » Wed Mar 26, 2025 1:17 pm

B. wrote: Tue Mar 25, 2025 5:08 pm I've wondered too if Denoia was a captain (acting or otherwise) given Moretti was an acting part of the administration on a seemingly recurring basis for many years.
Did captains who were holding an acting position usually do that?

Re: What do We Know about Willie Moretti?

by JoelTurner » Wed Mar 26, 2025 1:12 pm

Brovelli wrote: Tue Mar 25, 2025 4:58 pm Wasn’t there a Phil denoia around Andy Gerardo too? May be no relation to these guys
He doesn’t appear to be related

Re: What do We Know about Willie Moretti?

by bronx » Tue Mar 25, 2025 10:20 pm

wassel was also selling jewelry

Re: What do We Know about Willie Moretti?

by B. » Tue Mar 25, 2025 5:08 pm

I've wondered too if Denoia was a captain (acting or otherwise) given Moretti was an acting part of the administration on a seemingly recurring basis for many years.

In addition to listing him as a capodecina, Valachi identified Denoia as being under Richie Boiardo in an FBI interview although we know there are many issues with some of Valachi's apparent Boiardo crew identifications.

Re: What do We Know about Willie Moretti?

by Brovelli » Tue Mar 25, 2025 4:58 pm

Wasn’t there a Phil denoia around Andy Gerardo too? May be no relation to these guys

Re: What do We Know about Willie Moretti?

by JoelTurner » Tue Mar 25, 2025 4:50 pm

Listed as a deceased captain by 1963, John “Duke” Denoia was a member of Willie Moretti’s crew. Here’s a better look at him:

Born in NYC, NY Oct 20 1899 to Antonio DeNoia & Irena Spera, Denoia grew up in East Harlem at 3466 E 112th St, NYC, NY. In 1930, he was married to Lillian Ward, living at 2046 3rd Ave, NYC, NY

By Feb 8 1933, he was in North Jersey as he was pinched for liquor there. He was operating out of 783 Palisades Ave, Cliffside Park, NJ; this was where his infamous Duke’s Restaurant would be located.

It isn’t clear when exactly he served as a captain. I’d speculate that he could have stepped up during Moretti’s long trips to California in the ‘40s.

Post-Moretti, Denoia worked as a night boss at the Jersey City docks. He passed away on Dec 3 1959.

——————-

His brother Carmine “Jardine” Denoia knew Damon Runyon and was the inspiration for Nicely-Nicely, a character from Guys and Dolls.

Two of Carmine’s sons were with the Genovese family. John “JJ” Denoia (1927-1991) was a member in Florida and Carmine “Wassel” Denoia (1925-2015) was an associate involved in the music industry.

Re: What do We Know about Willie Moretti?

by JoelTurner » Fri Mar 21, 2025 3:50 pm

He almost certainly would have known Masseria & Luciano. Patsy lived for years in the East Village at 441 E 12th St, NYC, NY. Genovese member Pietro Dolcemascolo lived a stone’s throw away at 437 E 13th St, NYC, NY

He also lived in Brooklyn (1655 75th St, Brooklyn, NY) for a short time, between the WW1 draft & his daughter’s birth in NJ on Aug 24 1922

Re: What do We Know about Willie Moretti?

by Antiliar » Wed Mar 19, 2025 3:39 am

I wonder if some of these early Lercara Friddi guys may have been in Lucky's crew before he became the boss.

Re: What do We Know about Willie Moretti?

by B. » Tue Mar 18, 2025 3:44 pm

Nice job deducing who it likely was.

Another one we can add to the "Eastern Palermo" Genovese list: viewtopic.php?p=278571

His age and previous residence in NYC would suggest he may have been an early NYC-based member under Masseria and maybe the Morello Family before that.

Also another Sicilian under the Catenas. That crew seems to be where the majority of NJ-based Sicilians in the Genovese Family ended up.

Re: What do We Know about Willie Moretti?

by JoelTurner » Tue Mar 18, 2025 2:56 pm

On Feb 7 1964, Gene Catena was informed that a member of his crew, a ~76 year old Patsy, had passed away.

Image

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Two days earlier, on Feb 5 1964, Pasquale Dolcemascolo passed away. This 81-yr old grocer was a rough match in both name & age. Here’s a better look at him:

Born Oct 8 1882 in Lercara Friddi to Salvatore Dolcemascolo & Antonina Giordano, he was married to Vincenza Tringale (22 August 1889 - Messina, Sicily) and lived in NYC from ~1903-25.

On Feb 15 1930, he was picked up alongside John Cannariato & Victor Guarnieri. This trio was looking to ambush Archie “The Bearded Wonder” Senville.

A member of Anthony "Sparky" Wilda’s holdup gang, he barely lasted a month longer before being riddled with bullets on Mar 17 1930. Dolcemascolo & Bartolo “Frank” Failla were arrested (but not charged) following the Senville murder.

On Jan 4 1932, he was injured in a shootout with Vincent DeFranco at a liquor still (128 Market St, Garfield, NJ).

Going by his age & activities, he was probably a member before Willie Moretti showed up.

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Despite sharing a surname & hometown as NYC Genovese members Pietro, Frank, and Ralph Dolcemascolo; I didn’t find a connection. Patsy’s siblings lived in Bergen County, NJ.

Re: What do We Know about Willie Moretti?

by JoelTurner » Tue Mar 11, 2025 1:13 pm

B. wrote: Sun Mar 09, 2025 1:30 pm LaPlaca had heritage in Petralia Sottana as well so they were tied to two guys with a background there
Their families would have known each other. Both Domenico LaPlaca & Emideo Lazzara were members of the Humbert Political Club named for King Umberto I of Italy.

Re: What do We Know about Willie Moretti?

by B. » Sun Mar 09, 2025 1:30 pm

LaPlaca had heritage in Petralia Sottana as well so they were tied to two guys with a background there. Never heard of the Cannariatos. Some of the few Corleonesi active in NJ along with Badami and the Majuris, wonder if he was connected to them at all.

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