"Getting Pussy" -- the fall of Anthony Russo 1978-1979 (+Boiardo crew history)

[CabriniGreen]

It's a little fascinating that's all you got outta that.
Honestly, you do B. a disservice... I'm not gonna post anymore here because it's a good thread that shouldn't be derailed..

[Eld]

Here is some additional background on the Russos and the Boiardo crew.

- In 1973, a source stated that Boiardo refers to himself as "a broken down soldier." This was likely a figure of speech, as many sources confirmed that Boiardo was still the official capodecina of his crew through the 1970s. One report referred to Andrew Gerardo as a capodecina by 1978, though other reports have Boiardo still in the official role during and after the same period.

I should note that Pizuto didn't get made because he was under an murder charge, the same charge that caused him to flip.

The NJ state police ha a bug in Russo's Long Branch office during 1977-78 and picked up some interesting conversations.

Russo: "If he beats the murder rap, I'll put I got him ready and the kid from Trenton, Cappy. I wanna see what happens in Pat's case first, what good is making him, If he's gonna wind up in the can?"

Russo: "I don't report to Andy or nothing, There's me, Anthony DeVingo and Johnny, are strictly with the Old Man. The only one I can talk to is Johnny to go to the Old Man."

Russo: "I gotta take this week or next week - I'll make' this kid and ship him to Vegas, Vito,"

Angelo Sica: "Vito. You gonna 'make' Vito?"

Russo: "Yeah, they went to New York yesterday, Johnny and Andy, I'm waiting now. They're supposed to get back to me today."

Russo: "if you proposed him and everything, that kid Is in your possession for a whole year. You're responsible. If he does anything wrong or anything, They come to me,"

Angelo Sica: "Does the Old Man tell everything to the kid, his kid?"

Russo: "To his son? Oh, positively, When they 'made' Andy, first the Old Man tried to push it through, through Funzi, to make it, to make the kid acting caporegime. Benny Squint, which is the real boss, knocked it down. He said forget about it. Fat Tony knocked it down."

'The kid' is Tony Boiardo and the Old man is Ruggerio Boiardo. From the this conversation it seems Andy Gerardo was acting capo at least during late 77 to 78. Perhaps Gerardo was that may 1976 induction.

[don-shunter]

Not to derail this thread from boiardo and his crew but Russo says that Benny squint is the real boss! It's the first I've read this.

[SILENT PARTNERZ]

Not to derail this thread from boiardo and his crew but Russo says that Benny squint is the real boss! It's the first I've read this.

The Benny Squint reference jumped off the page at me too.

[baldo]

The kid from Trenton must be Campanile who they mentioned earlier (who they murdered). Never heard of Genovese involvement in Trenton. Wonder who the member he killed in a PA restaurant.

[Pogo The Clown]

Perhaps Gerardo was that may 1976 induction.

It could be wrong but I have Gerardo as being made in 1956.


Pogo

[B.]

Boiardo was of the opinion that allowing "blacks both in illegal activity and in politics will eventually work to the detriment of the country."

It was almost like he had a crystal ball.

and may have been responsible for ordering the shooting of one unspecified "Muslim" leader.

Just occasionally these guys act in a socially conscious way.

The three things that dominated Boiardo's mind in his later years:
1) His son's poor health.
2) His garden.
3) Black people

--

Eld -- thanks a ton for including those excerpts.

Russo saying that the only person he has to go through is "Johnny" to reach out to Boiardo would be a reference to his brother John Russo, who he also says was involved in taking the proposed member's name to NY with Andy Gerardo.

Like others have said, very interesting to see someone from that family refer to Lombardo as the official boss in his own words. The bit about being responsible for the newly inducted member for a year after induction is interesting, too.

Perhaps Gerardo was that may 1976 induction.

It could be wrong but I have Gerardo as being made in 1956.

Not sure the year he was inducted, but Gerardo was identified as a made member by the 1960s, which would mean he was inducted in the 1950s, though not sure how definitive that is. I'm not sure when he became the acting captain, though sometimes these guys say "made" to mean promotion to captain / administration, not just induction, so the reference to Gerardo being "made" in those excerpts may not necessarily mean induction. If that's the case, he seems to be saying that Boiardo initially tried to make his son acting captain but the administration knocked it down and Andy Gerardo was put in as acting captain instead. I'd be surprised if Tony Boiardo was physically capable of being in consideration for acting captain by the mid-late 1970s. He had been active running the crew in the 1960s but his health had severely declined and he was periodically bed-ridden beginning in the early 1970s.

From what Anthony Russo said in those transcripts and other information I've seen, John Russo seems to have been operating like an acting captain in the 1970s and as mentioned in the long post, one informant felt if Boiardo were to die it would be Russo who would replace him. Not sure if John Russo's health was dwindling in the months/years before he died, but it almost sounds like he and Andy Gerardo may have both been acting captains or Russo stepped down and Gerardo took his place. The two of them taking the proposed member's name to NY would suggest they were both administering the crew.

Also earlier I ID'd Emilio DiLeo as an associate but he may have been a soldier.

[Jimmy_the_gent]

Thanks for posting, B. Enjoyed it.

[Jimmy_the_gent]

Curious if anyone knows who the Louis LNU might be who allegedly participated in the Russo murder with Santobello and Cilenta.

Could it have been Bobby Manna?

[B.]

Curious if anyone knows who the Louis LNU might be who allegedly participated in the Russo murder with Santobello and Cilenta.

Could it have been Bobby Manna?

I thought about it but it seems unlikely. He would have probably been called "Bobby" LNU by the informant and by this time was a top member unlikely to have been directly involved in a hit, though you never know.

[Jimmy_the_gent]

though you never know.

Maybe that's where the no sign of forced entry came into play.

[Cheech]

Here is some additional background on the Russos and the Boiardo crew.

- In 1973, a source stated that Boiardo refers to himself as "a broken down soldier." This was likely a figure of speech, as many sources confirmed that Boiardo was still the official capodecina of his crew through the 1970s. One report referred to Andrew Gerardo as a capodecina by 1978, though other reports have Boiardo still in the official role during and after the same period.

I should note that Pizuto didn't get made because he was under an murder charge, the same charge that caused him to flip.

The NJ state police ha a bug in Russo's Long Branch office during 1977-78 and picked up some interesting conversations.

Russo: "If he beats the murder rap, I'll put I got him ready and the kid from Trenton, Cappy. I wanna see what happens in Pat's case first, what good is making him, If he's gonna wind up in the can?"

Russo: "I don't report to Andy or nothing, There's me, Anthony DeVingo and Johnny, are strictly with the Old Man. The only one I can talk to is Johnny to go to the Old Man."

Russo: "I gotta take this week or next week - I'll make' this kid and ship him to Vegas, Vito,"

Angelo Sica: "Vito. You gonna 'make' Vito?"

Russo: "Yeah, they went to New York yesterday, Johnny and Andy, I'm waiting now. They're supposed to get back to me today."

Russo: "if you proposed him and everything, that kid Is in your possession for a whole year. You're responsible. If he does anything wrong or anything, They come to me,"

Angelo Sica: "Does the Old Man tell everything to the kid, his kid?"

Russo: "To his son? Oh, positively, When they 'made' Andy, first the Old Man tried to push it through, through Funzi, to make it, to make the kid acting caporegime. Benny Squint, which is the real boss, knocked it down. He said forget about it. Fat Tony knocked it down."

'The kid' is Tony Boiardo and the Old man is Ruggerio Boiardo. From the this conversation it seems Andy Gerardo was acting capo at least during late 77 to 78. Perhaps Gerardo was that may 1976 induction.

Great post Eld. Are these from fbi files?

[Eld]

The kid from Trenton must be Campanile who they mentioned earlier (who they murdered). Never heard of Genovese involvement in Trenton. Wonder who the member he killed in a PA restaurant.

I thought so too, but it doesn't fit the time frame. Campanile was killed in 1975 and the conversation is from late 1977.

[Eld]

Great post Eld. Are these from fbi files?

No, this is from a NJ state police bug in Russo's office.

[Eld]

Not sure the year he was inducted, but Gerardo was identified as a made member by the 1960s, which would mean he was inducted in the 1950s, though not sure how definitive that is. I'm not sure when he became the acting captain, though sometimes these guys say "made" to mean promotion to captain / administration, not just induction, so the reference to Gerardo being "made" in those excerpts may not necessarily mean induction. If that's the case, he seems to be saying that Boiardo initially tried to make his son acting captain but the administration knocked it down and Andy Gerardo was put in as acting captain instead. I'd be surprised if Tony Boiardo was physically capable of being in consideration for acting captain by the mid-late 1970s. He had been active running the crew in the 1960s but his health had severely declined and he was periodically bed-ridden beginning in the early 1970s.

I was aware of Gerardo being ID as a member in 1960s, but MF docs seem to only have one source confirming it so I speculated Gerardo might be like Aniello Migliore whom JD:s research showed probably was made in the early 80s and not in the 1950s as previously thought. But as you say it could very well mean promotion and not induction.

I guess Anthony Russo is one of those cases were we have to take what he says with a grain of salt. He liked to talk and shows up on all kinds of bugs and wiretaps just babbling on.