THE BLACK HAND FORUM

The Greek wrote: ↑Wed Feb 19, 2025 2:06 pm

outfit guy wrote: ↑Mon Feb 17, 2025 8:12 am Greek: it's not one of the best, in my opinion, as Campi did provide insights we maybe did not know in the lead-up to the Aparo, et al arrests. The tidbit info is from an agent on surveillance; we get no insights into the players and the rivalries: No Durso as the book written by an Agent. He doesn't call DeVecchio a criminal. He alludes to the NYPD cop getting set-up via a phony fax. The Federal Bureau of Set-up and Cover-up. It's sole purpose to cover for the government and their captive corporate entities.
I admit, I did miss some of the tidbits as I found myself skipping or skimming looking for something new. Essentially: No Linguine and Blood but instead Surveillance and 302s.

I definitely agree with "It's sole purpose to cover for the government and their captive corporate entities." to a degree. Campi does badmouth his superiors throughout the book but these guys will never not back Delvecchio. There was a ton of info in there I didn't know that maybe you did from 302s etc., and maybe I'm partial because I was so familiar with the backdrop that I could see pretty much everything playing out in my mind. Also, I wasn't super familiar with the Barone story either which I thought was pretty fascinating

outfit guy wrote: ↑Mon Feb 17, 2025 8:12 am Greek: it's not one of the best, in my opinion, as Campi did provide insights we maybe did not know in the lead-up to the Aparo, et al arrests. The tidbit info is from an agent on surveillance; we get no insights into the players and the rivalries: No Durso as the book written by an Agent. He doesn't call DeVecchio a criminal. He alludes to the NYPD cop getting set-up via a phony fax. The Federal Bureau of Set-up and Cover-up. It's sole purpose to cover for the government and their captive corporate entities.
I admit, I did miss some of the tidbits as I found myself skipping or skimming looking for something new. Essentially: No Linguine and Blood but instead Surveillance and 302s.

B. wrote: ↑Sun Feb 16, 2025 4:49 pm Great breakdown, Chin.

Angiulo starting as a Genovese associate with Alo is good info. We've discussed many times how there was a somewhat fluid relationship between the Genovese and Patriarca Families, with Ray Patriarca and Mickey Rocco both being made with the Genovese originally and transferring. Also Patriarca inducting a number of the Genovese Springfield guys originally as well as some other examples.

Barone's story is interesting. Half-Italian, didn't know he was Italian for part of his childhood, then has more loyalty to his army of Cuban friends than he has to the Family. Interesting too he was aware of Joe Massei being half-Italian, though there were other examples back then of half-Italians being made aside from those two.

Gotti backing Malangone against Gigante fits the pattern of Gotti plotting against other Families during that period. He backed Orena against Persico and even apparently backed Vitale against Massino.

Good to get confirmation that Bobby Manna was Gigante's acting captain as we've wondered where he fit into the hierarchy before becoming consigliere. Glad to see more detail on what Barone was told at his ceremony, too, re: Lombardo being the official boss. That's Fish Cafaro, Pussy Russo, and Barone (all members) who said Lombardo was the actual boss.

Re: the Eboli crew having 100 members and being split into ten decine. Obviously an exaggeration of their size but there is likely some element of truth to them being a large decina that was later split up as we've seen that happen with other Genovese crews.

D'Urso being offered membership by Todaro in Buffalo is big. Tells us the Todaros were still in close enough contact with the Genovese to discuss prospective members and volunteer to make guys who couldn't get made in NYC, much as other Families made several NYC guys and transferred them earlier on (i.e. New England and Pittston).

I always enjoy hearing about Genovese Family drama. They certainly had plenty of it but have always been better about keeping their issues to themselves.

Snakes wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2025 5:26 pm

Grouchy Sinatra wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2025 4:58 pm Meh. I'm not exaggerating when I say about 25% of the book is ranting about how naive people are about the mob. He talks about what Chin said on a wiretap on 9/11 (it's not exciting, think of the same conversation you had with your elders that day), and then goes into a rant about how it proves he was lucid all along. Geez, like who didn't know that? Really breaking ground here...

Cookie D'Urso story provides somewhat new info about West Side. Not nearly enough about George Barone, the West Side dock boss in the glory days. I thought the book was going to focus on him. Guess that's my fault for not reading more reviews before picking it up. I guess I was just desperate to get a new book.

Really, if you read Chin (the poster's) summary near the beginning of the thread, you don't need to read it

Tonyd621 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2025 3:09 pm

CornerBoy wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2025 10:26 am

scott22 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 25, 2024 7:43 pm His sources are himself and his imagination.

he's a forty five year old mongoloid. i feel a little bad for him but he's less knowledgeable than 70 percent of the ppl on here

He's 45??? Holy...

Grouchy Sinatra wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2025 4:58 pm Meh. I'm not exaggerating when I say about 25% of the book is ranting about how naive people are about the mob. He talks about what Chin said on a wiretap on 9/11 (it's not exciting, think of the same conversation you had with your elders that day), and then goes into a rant about how it proves he was lucid all along. Geez, like who didn't know that? Really breaking ground here...

Cookie D'Urso story provides somewhat new info about West Side. Not nearly enough about George Barone, the West Side dock boss in the glory days. I thought the book was going to focus on him. Guess that's my fault for not reading more reviews before picking it up. I guess I was just desperate to get a new book.