LA Family leftovers

[Wiseguy]

For the 1990s, in addition to what Kenji wrote in his book, you had Operation Thin Crust (the Vegas investigation) and Caci getting busted for travellers checks scam. That's all that comes to mind. For the last 20 years there's been pretty much nothing. Only a handful of members still alive and half of them don't even live in LA anymore.

On a side note, I never understood why Kenji always bagged on Milano for not being a real gangster. Milano saw the writing on the wall and played his cards right. And its why he didn't die in prison.

[Costigan]

Yes, back in 2002 when we knew far less than we do today and certain people took creative measures or had a wild imagination. I still got them somewhere but I won't be releasing them.

As far as now, if Antiliar ever wants to make one, he knows who to ask. But I suspect he thinks the information is too spotty to create a chart and he doesn't like to speculate outside of what is known or probable. Something which I find myself agreeing with.

LA as I recall is a very frustrating city. I remember way back when we were searching for Vito Di Giorgio and we didn't have the records we do today so many concluded he didn't exist or Gentile got the name wrong. Our best sources for the West Coast are Fratianno and to a lesser extend Fiato and then Kenji Gallo. Fratianno was a very bitter and self-aggrandizing individual, everyone around him was a deadhead or a weakling. Despite how pathetic he made Pete Milano look in his book the guy did die a mob boss. Albeit over a dormant one that went extinct but still. Fiato's story is sketchy at best, although to be fair the book was rushed to cash in on the OJ case, Gallo brushed up against alot of people and one of them was Kenji Gallo, they remained on talking terms after he flipped. There's recordings to verify this.

EDIT: You can add Bompensiero into the mix as he assisted the FBI early on, I however never looked into it, B.'s posted about him excessively. Antiliar knows probably the most about him.

I glossed fiatos book never completed it , I did enjoy Gallos book although he probably pumped him self up but it was a good read anyway;
Pete milano died a with what I would assume to be a millionare in his own bed, Fratiano was a rat he probably hated that about himself.

maybe we can piece a 1980's or 90's one together

The Fiato book was hastily written. It has no timeline and is hard to gage what year he's talking about at times, although it primarily takes place in the 1980's. That being said, Fiato was funny, he told funny stories (funny how, like a clown?) so it is worth a read.
On the Milano family being disbanded when Carmen flipped or whatever he did, this was around 1996 I think. Mikey Scars said he met with Pete Milano around that time to discuss business, some beef. It doesn't sound like it was disbanded. I would tend to think the LA family died a natural death in the early 2000's.

[Pogo The Clown]

If my memory is correct DiLeonardo said that meeting happened in 1995. One of those California Crime Commission reports from 1996 had the family at 20 members and 60 Associates. Though I'd imagine that the majority in both categories were inactive by then.


Pogo

[Wiseguy]

Yes, back in 2002 when we knew far less than we do today and certain people took creative measures or had a wild imagination. I still got them somewhere but I won't be releasing them.

As far as now, if Antiliar ever wants to make one, he knows who to ask. But I suspect he thinks the information is too spotty to create a chart and he doesn't like to speculate outside of what is known or probable. Something which I find myself agreeing with.

LA as I recall is a very frustrating city. I remember way back when we were searching for Vito Di Giorgio and we didn't have the records we do today so many concluded he didn't exist or Gentile got the name wrong. Our best sources for the West Coast are Fratianno and to a lesser extend Fiato and then Kenji Gallo. Fratianno was a very bitter and self-aggrandizing individual, everyone around him was a deadhead or a weakling. Despite how pathetic he made Pete Milano look in his book the guy did die a mob boss. Albeit over a dormant one that went extinct but still. Fiato's story is sketchy at best, although to be fair the book was rushed to cash in on the OJ case, Gallo brushed up against alot of people and one of them was Kenji Gallo, they remained on talking terms after he flipped. There's recordings to verify this.

EDIT: You can add Bompensiero into the mix as he assisted the FBI early on, I however never looked into it, B.'s posted about him excessively. Antiliar knows probably the most about him.

I glossed fiatos book never completed it , I did enjoy Gallos book although he probably pumped him self up but it was a good read anyway;
Pete milano died a with what I would assume to be a millionare in his own bed, Fratiano was a rat he probably hated that about himself.

maybe we can piece a 1980's or 90's one together

The Fiato book was hastily written. It has no timeline and is hard to gage what year he's talking about at times, although it primarily takes place in the 1980's. That being said, Fiato was funny, he told funny stories (funny how, like a clown?) so it is worth a read.
On the Milano family being disbanded when Carmen flipped or whatever he did, this was around 1996 I think. Mikey Scars said he met with Pete Milano around that time to discuss business, some beef. It doesn't sound like it was disbanded. I would tend to think the LA family died a natural death in the early 2000's.

Unless I'm totally spacing something, when has a family ever been officially disbanded? As if the few remaining guys meet at the local Tony Roma's and decide to hang it up. They all just slowly, or not so slowly, die out as attrition sets in.

[JerryB]

I've got an LA chart with what was the latest crew from the late 90's early 2000's. Not sure who put it together, but it was posted on Real Deal in 2008. I've also got an historical photo chart from when Licata was boss that was put together either by LAPD or the L.A. office of the G. If there's any interest, I'll upload it here.

[Pogo The Clown]

Madison and Birmingham officially disbanded. And it was just like that. The few remaining members got together and voted to disband. Newark was also officially disbanded although that was done by the Commission.


Pogo

[Wiseguy]

Madison and Birmingham officially disbanded. And it was just like that. The few remaining members got together and voted to disband. Newark was also officially disbanded although that was done by the Commission.


Pogo

Yeah, I figured if it happened it was a long time ago.

[B.]

Worth pointing out that when a family is disbanded, they are supposed to be represented by a Commission member. Birmingham was handled by Tom Gagliano and Newark by Joe Profaci. Madison members joined the Milwaukee family when they disbanded and I would assume Chicago was involved in the process since they were the regional power.

[Stroccos]

I've got an LA chart with what was the latest crew from the late 90's early 2000's. Not sure who put it together, but it was posted on Real Deal in 2008. I've also got an historical photo chart from when Licata was boss that was put together either by LAPD or the L.A. office of the G. If there's any interest, I'll upload it here.

I would be interested

[Stroccos]

1996 report pogo was referring to

https://fas.org/irp/world/para/docs/orgcrm96.pdf

Ok it pays to reread stuff Carmen claimed the family was disbanded after the big bust in the late 80’s , so it’s likely he was full of crap but I try to find the proffer documents on my old computer where he offers to wear a wire in Cleveland hopefully it boots up



https://m.lasvegassun.com/news/1998/aug ... b-kingpin/

[Grouchy Sinatra]

I don't believe Frattiano's claim that he pushed Moe Sedway around. Even though Costello's guys out west didn't have as much clout after he got shot and retired, they were not disregarded as pushovers either. At that time Chicago was becoming the reigning power out west. Accardo liked the Luciano-Lansky guys and understood how important people like Sedway were to setting up inroads in Vegas.

[JerryB]

This is a chart from LE; either LAPD or FBI during the Licata years. Double click the pic to open it up in a browser window. Double click it again to expand it to full size:

Los Angeles Historical Photo Chart (Licata - Boss).jpg

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is a list/LA chart of crew members from the late 90's early 2000's. Not sure who put it together, but it was posted on Real Deal in 2008 so don't kill the messenger!!:

Boss - Peter John Milano

A bookmaker who became a made member of the Los Angeles crime family when Nick Licata was boss, he is originally from Cleveland. His father, Anthony Milano, was underboss in the Cleveland crime family and his uncle Frank Milano was Boss of the Cleveland family. Peter promoted his brother Carmen to underboss of the family in the mid 1980s. He has been convicted three times of RICO related charges. He owns the Rome Vending Company.

Underboss - Tommaso "Tommy" Gambino

Not the same Thomas Gambino of the Gambino crime family. Tommy is the son of jailed Gambino crime family mobster Rosario Gambino, nephew of John Gambino, and is first cousin to Frank Cali. Moved to California in 1998 and became a made man shortly after.

Consigliere - vacant spot/unknown


Capo - Vincent Dominic "Jimmy" Caci

Moved to Los Angeles in the 1970s after getting out of prison. Was street boss when Peter and Carmen Milano were in prison. Spends time in Palm Springs and Las Vegas. His younger brother Charles "Bobby Milano" Caci was a singer and soldier in his crew until his death in 2006.

Capo - Louis "Louie" Caruso

He lives in Arizona and owns an air conditioning business.

Soldier - Stephen Anthony "Steve the Whale" Cino

Originally from Buffalo, New York and an associate of the Buffalo crime family, Cino has an arrest record dating back to 1962 which included robbery, extortion, bank fraud and bribing a union official. He Switched to the Los Angeles Mob and was put in the Nevada Black Book in 1997. Was incarcerated on extortion charges, but was acquitted for involvement in the Herbie Blitzstein murder. Was released in 2008.

Soldier - John Joseph Vaccaro Jr.

Has a criminal history dating back to 1971. In 1985, he was convicted in federal court for being the mastermind of a sophisticated slot-cheating ring that stole millions of dollars from Nevada casinos. Was convicted along with his wife Sandra Kay Vaccaro and both are in the Nevada Black Book. Was incarcerated in Mississippi for another gaming offense involving members of the New Orleans crime family in the 2000s, but was released in 2003. Vaccaro is currently a resident of Las Vegas and owns his own company "Four Square Construction/Roofing".

Soldier - Rocco James "Bigfoot" Zangari

Was a Palm Springs resident. Once managed a card room for the Cabazon Indian tribe in Riverside, California. Moved to Buffalo, New York and is currently still living there, but is still a member of the family.

Soldier - Michael "Porno Mike" Esposito

Michael Esposito owns the porn production and distribution company Gentlemen's Video. His father, Salvatore Esposito, was a driver for former Lucchese family boss Anthony Corallo.

Soldier - Robert George "Fat Bobby" Paduano

He was once a member of Michael Rizzitello's crew in the 1980s. Was arrested along with many members in the late 1980s, but is still currently active in Orange County as a loan shark. During the 1980s he was accused of trying to take over the narcotic trafficking in Newport Beach, CA.

Soldier - Leonard "Limping Lenny" Montana Jr.

Son of actor Lenny Montana, "Limping Lenny" is a bookie and owns "Enzo's Pizzeria" in Westwood. He was made in the mid 1990s.


Associates

John "Johnny Popcorn" Pellegrino – bookie
John DiMattia
Pat Fonderella
Ori Spado

[NothingNew44]

1996 report pogo was referring to

https://fas.org/irp/world/para/docs/orgcrm96.pdf

Ok it pays to reread stuff Carmen claimed the family was disbanded after the big bust in the late 80’s , so it’s likely he was full of crap but I try to find the proffer documents on my old computer where he offers to wear a wire in Cleveland hopefully it boots up



https://m.lasvegassun.com/news/1998/aug ... b-kingpin/

Good links. Milano must have cringed if he read this.

[Philly d]

Since the family is extinct, is there another family with interest or operations in LA?

Ya. The Crips and Bloods

No Albanians. Armenians

As far as Italian groups I think the Camorra has a group there

Interested to hear more about the Camorra operating in LA/Cali. I know Israeli OC crime runs a lot of shit in LA and there's some Albanians out there too

[Stroccos]

1996 report pogo was referring to

https://fas.org/irp/world/para/docs/orgcrm96.pdf

Ok it pays to reread stuff Carmen claimed the family was disbanded after the big bust in the late 80’s , so it’s likely he was full of crap but I try to find the proffer documents on my old computer where he offers to wear a wire in Cleveland hopefully it boots up



https://m.lasvegassun.com/news/1998/aug ... b-kingpin/

Good links. Milano must have cringed if he read this.

Of course he knew lol , funny how a underboss has nothing to offer the feds