NickleCity wrote: ↑Wed Jun 16, 2021 9:36 amPerhaps the FBI and the DEA haven't taken a lead on this because Bongiovanni was shielding the accused coconspirators from investigation by these law enforcement agencies, and they are being looked into as well. It would be reasonable that they are being looked into as well. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying there is culpability in the FBI. But can we trust any organization (especially any law enforcement like the FBI) to truly police themselves and not cover-up improprieties that may have taken place?
I wish they could, and maybe they can, but IMHO it is better for outside organizations to lead this process because of the human tendency to protect oneself and one's organization. Hence HSI and Office of the Inspector General have taking the lead.
Of course this is conjecture on my part about why HSI has taken the lead, but I believe may reasoning to be sound.
What is unsound is to insinuate the FBI believe this is such a "ridiculous theory" that they are not involved in the investigation when numerous reports and press releases indicate otherwise.
Yes, these agencies are
investigating organized crime activity. That happens in a lot of areas. We have yet to see anything to indicate the FBI has changed its stance on the existence of a present day family in Buffalo. And the indictments that have come forth certainly haven't shown anything resembling an active family. Just what has been described by law enforcement already - people, some of them loosely connected, engaged in Mafia style crimes. But I've pointed this out only about 50 times, right? As far as your conjecture about the FBI, I'm not interested in adding another theory to the ones that have fueled all this from the start.
Newyorkempire wrote: ↑Wed Jun 16, 2021 11:32 am
Like I said. On cue.
What Nickle said and has been said countless times before by others.
The only ridiculous theory is insinuating theres nothing to warrant calling it an Organized Crime Family
I had already seen Nickle's post and wasn't going to comment. Everyone knows what Ron Fino thinks. Fino says a lot of things.
It's when you stuck your worthless 2 cents in that I responded.
Newyorkempire wrote: ↑Wed Jun 16, 2021 11:35 am
Now cue another 5 threads of Wiseguy trying to dissuade everyone from believing the FBI, RCMP, Homeland Security, Paul Manning, Paul Cherry, Antonio Nicaso, Dan Herbeck, Dominic Violi, Jonny Catz, Pat Musitano, Ron Fino and all the other evidence that points to an Organized Crime Family existing in Western NY and Southern Ontario
Ron Fino - already commented on him and his view. Which, which by the way, was there were just some remnants of the family still around as recently as 2017.
FBI - Again, they don't agree with you. Quit acting like they do. It's disingenuous.
Homeland Security - they're simply investigating loosely connected people and their crimes. I realize the "Tell us about the Mafia" tag line gets you excited but doesn't prove anything.
Paul Cherry and Antonio Nicaso cover Canadian organized crime and can weigh in on Hamilton but they hardly counterbalance what the FBI has said. Same goes for the RCMP.
Dan Herbeck - he and the local Buffalo press have reported on the cases surrounding Bongiovanni, Gerace, etc. but the theory they've floated about a resurgent Mafia family has yet to turn into established fact in any way.
Johnny Catz and Pat Musitano - Sorry, did these guys weigh in on all this before they died? Why are you even mentioning them?
Dominic Violi - one of a whopping 2 members of the family indicted in over 20 years. Still waiting for a single one of the "30 guys" he mentioned, other than the dozen or so already known, to be positively identified. Not exactly getting my hopes up.
Aside from there only being a couple members indicted in decades, aside from there only being 12 members (most old and inactive), aside from there being no real real functioning structure, aside from the indictments against Bongiovanni, Gerace and a few drug dealers or conmen with loose connections not showing anything remotely resembling a family, try reading what Coppola, Tony Bruce, Adam Cohen, and Peter Ahearn have said. People who would actually know.
All roads lead to New York.