Maxie's Colombo Profiles

[Flushing]

Many South Brooklyn guys in 80s stayed in a bar on Smith street i cannot remember the name of bar

Smith Street is in the Red Hook/Carroll Gardens area no?

Carroll Gardens

Carrol Gardens/Red Hook used to be known as south brooklyn. Pete Hammill used to write about his "south brooklyn" childhood all the time. He was from Bergen Street on the western edge of Park Slope near Carroll Gardens.

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They stopped calling it South-Bklyn-Red Hook because of the bad connotation

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WILLIAM (BILLY) BACINO - born 1916 in the Corona section of Queens (50-27 103rd Street), and later (39-11 108th Street). By the 1950’s he had moved out to Huntington Station, LI (110 Dix Hills Road).
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In 1969, He was publicly identified by Suffolk authorities as a Colombo associate, who was “with” Family soldier Vincent (Peg Leg Jimmy) Giordano. Bacino was said to be a frontman and close aide to Giordano - a top loanshark figure on LI.
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He operated a fruit and vegetable market in Huntington Station for many years (a business started back in Corona by his family). He previously operated a market in Bayside (216-16 Horace Harding Blvd).
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Considered by police to be a major bookmaker in the Suffolk area.
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In 1971, he was one of four mob figures arrested for operating a major loan shark ring on Long Island. Accused of heading the operation was Vincent (Jimmy) Giordano, long considered a top shylock for the Colombo family under the supervision of Capo Sebastiano (Buster) Aloi (Giordano was an intimate of Aloi, Joe Colombo, Salvatore Mussachio and Sonny Franzese - as the prosecutor said “that makes him a very important guy, you don’t deal on that level without considerable influence”). Suffolk D.A. Aspland described the ring as the largest loansharking ring ever uncovered in Suffolk County.
He said the in the last year the ring had collected over $85,000. in interest from a dozen victims. on loans of $100,000. This represented only a small fraction of their total operation. The partners in the ring were identified as Samuel Forman, Bacino, and John Gustin - an accused enforcer.
The ring was said to charge 3-5% weekly “vigorish”, year after year on the loans, without ever reducing the principal payment.
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Arrested eight times for: bookmaking (6 times), vagrancy, criminal usury, conspiracy, grand larceny by extortion, coercion. He was convicted of: bookmaking (6 times), usury and conspiracy (but the penalty was not available).
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After his usury indictment and conviction, Bacino seems to have fell off the radar by the late 1970’s...... no more is heard from him. No dod available.
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Note: as a kid in the 1950’s, future Genovese soldier Julius “Junior”Cianciola was arrested for burglarizing Bacino’s vegetable market in Flushing.
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NUNZIO (NED) VETRANO - born 1912 in Asbury Park, NJ. Resided on Long Island (412 Riviera Drive), in the Mastic Beach section.
Identified by authorities as both a Colombo and Lucchese associate”.
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Identified by Suffolk County Rackets squad as a key figure in a loanshark ring co-headed by Michael LaBarbara, of Holtsville and Vetrano. (others arrested were Vincent Correlli and Bernard Dolcemaschio - a strong-arm man).
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Vetrano operated a horse farm in Moriches that was the center for shylocking operation.
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Arrest record: seven arrests for: auto theft, vehicular homicide, interstate theft, robbery, petty larceny and shylocking.
He had convictions for: petty larceny (90 days in jail), a reduce charge of robbery (180 days in jail), and usury (loansharking).... no penalty was publicly registered.
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Associates included: LaBarbara, Vincent Correlli, Bernard Dolcemaschio - a Colombo associate and boyhood friend of Colombo soldier Thomas Ocera, with whom he was arrested in 1950 for a teenage gang war in Brooklyn.
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Nunzio (Ned) Vetrano died in 1999 at the age 86 in Moriches, Long Island.
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NUNZIO (BIG NED) VETRANO - born 1912 in Asbury Park, NJ. Resided on Long Island (412 Riviera Drive), in the Mastic Beach section.
Identified by authorities as both a Colombo and Lucchese associate”.
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Identified by Suffolk County Rackets squad as a key figure in a loanshark ring co-headed by Michael LaBarbara, of Holtsville and Vetrano. (others arrested were Vincent Correlli and Bernard Dolcemaschio - a strong-arm man).
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Vetrano operated a horse farm in Moriches that was the center for shylocking operation.
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Arrest record: seven arrests for: auto theft, vehicular homicide, interstate theft, robbery, petty larceny and shylocking.
He had convictions for: petty larceny (90 days in jail), a reduce charge of robbery (180 days in jail), and usury (loansharking).... no penalty was publicly registered.
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Associates included: LaBarbara, Vincent Correlli, Bernard Dolcemaschio - a Colombo associate and boyhood friend of Colombo soldier Thomas Ocera, with whom he was arrested in 1950 for a teenage gang war in Brooklyn.
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Nunzio (Big Ned) Vetrano died in 1999 at the age 86 in Moriches, Long Island.
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Note: his usury/loanshark conviction was reversed on appeal...... as were all defendants in the case.

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FREDERICK (FAT FREDDY) DI GREGORIO - born 1939, in Brooklyn. By the 1950’s he was residing out in East Meadow, LI (1761 Prospect Ave)....Described as a short, 450-lb. roly-poly obese hoodlum and “Damon Runyon” character and inveterate gambler.
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Identified by Nassau County D.A. William Cahn as an “associate” of John (Sonny) Franzese and the Colombo Family, and a loanshark and pornography dealer (films and books).
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He owned Hero King Sandwich Shop on Hempstead Tpke. in levittown, where he also operated as a bookmaker.
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Activities: bookmaking, shylocking, pornographic distribution, fraud, stolen card cards.
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Criminal associates included: Franzese, Felice (Philly Cigars) Vizzari, Rocco (The Rug) Lauria, Jesse Smith, Robert (Blue Eyes) Mauro, Dominick Santoro, and con man and (longtime informant) Leonard Sudler of Copiague.
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In May 1968, he was arrested at the Casbah Lounge in East Meadow and charged with parole violations (consorting with known criminals and disorderly conduct). With him that evening were Colombo mob figure Dominick Santoro and 17 others in what was called a vice raid. He had been on parole since August 1967 after he served six years of a 5-10 year sentence.

In March 1969, he was arrested in Miami for possessing several stolen credit cards (American Express cards).

In April 1969, rackets squad detectives and state parole officers arrested De Gregorio for parole violations based in his Miami arrest.
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Arrested five times on robbery, parole violations (twice), disorderly conduct, possession of stolen credit cards.
Convicted of robbery (5-10 years in jail), parole violations (twice).
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Fat Freddy died at the age of 47 years old (from complications of obesity) in 1986.
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FERDINAND (FREDDY RED) DE LUCIA - born 1929, in Brooklyn. NYCPD #B-288711. Resided at (25 Atkins Avenue) in Brooklyn (East New York section). alias “Freddy No-Nose” (he garnered that nickname because of a smashed boxers nose and a connecting hair lip). But friends never called him that, instead he was “Freddy Red”.

By the mid-1950’s Freddy was already identified as a Profaci Family (inducted) “soldier” and top “torpedo” serving as an enforcer for Profaci. He was considered among the toughest in that family.
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He was a member in the regime of “capo di decina” John (Sonny) Franzese. A partner and close friend of Salvatore (Sally D) D’Ambrosio - another Profaci soldier and top killer for the family.
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De Lucia was an active participant of the Gallo-Profaci gang war of that era, committing many gangland executions..... hence one of his nicknames “Freddy Red” for the blood he spilled.
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Activities: gambling, extortion, shylock, truck-hijacking, murder.
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Criminal associates: Franzese, Carmine Persico, D’Ambrosio, Alphonse (Funzi D) D’Ambrosio - Sally’s brother, Thomas Ocera, Dominick Cataldo, Joseph Brancato, John Matera, Robert Falvo, Anthony Augello, Modesto Santora [and most of the Franzese regime and Colombo family].
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By 1968, with Franzese “away” serving fifty years for bank robbery and conspiracy, it seems De Lucia and D’Ambrosio fell out of favor with the family administration. One day in 1969, they both disappeared and were never seen again.
It was reported that they were slaughtered, dismembered and buried so as to never to be found. Colombo even disavowed any knowledge of their disappearance to the family membership, because they were so popular with the borgata.

[it was said at the time that boss Joe Colombo feared they’re ambitions, and worried they were planning a palace “coup”, so his ordered they’re murders]
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“Freddy Red” died young, age 39, in 1969....... RIP “Freddy Red”
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JAMES V. MUCE - born 1921 in Brooklyn NY. Documented Profaci soldier. Son of an original founding member of the Profaci combine by the name of Vincenzo Muce. Lived and operated for many years in the south Brooklyn, Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst areas. Had a limited arrest record for assault, hijacking, civil contempt. But had served a 2-1/2 year jail term on the truck hijack conviction. With the accession of Joe Colombo to Family Boss, Muce became closer to Colombo, owing to his father Vincenzo’s long ties to the family. He was installed as a manager of the Glen Oaks Nursing Home, as was one of Colombo’s sons. (nursing homes became a family focus for awhile because of the over-billing potential to the state for residing patients - a cash cow). Muce also went into the private sanitation industry, owning interests over the years in several carting firms; A & J Rubbish Removal Inc., Shore Sanitation Corp., Jim’s Sweeping Service, etc. primarily involved in garbage racketeering and gambling, Muce was successful in large part in keeping a low profile, only facing a contempt citation during various grand jury investigations into the family. Muce died young, believed to have passed by the late 1970’s-early 80’s. No record of exact death is recorded.

.....I forgot to mention that his nickname was “Jimmy Brown”. There are several mob figures with that nickname. Muce was another one. (James Failla and James Clemenza are two, over the decades there were others.

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ARTHUR BERK - born 1930. Resided on Long Island in the Valley Stream area (376 Cochran Place). By the early 1960’s, Artie Berk had been identified by the Nassau County Rackets Squad as a Colombo Family “associate”.
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Activities: bookmaking (horses-sports), shylocking.
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In 1962.....Investigators had gotten a tip that Berk was operating as a bookie. After putting him under surveillance for several weeks, they realized that he wasn’t just some random guy taking bets, but was meeting and operating with known mob figures, namely hoodlums in the regime of family capo John (Sonny) Franzese.
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Berk was actually partners with Frank (Frankie Vincent) Di Vincenzo, a strong-arm and known shylock closely associated with Family soldier Robert (Bobby Green) Falvo and Solomon (Solly the Fox) Richman in a loan-shark operation.

Note: [Di Vincenzo in later years adopted the surname “Dante”. In 1983, he was implicated in a major fraud indictment in Florida with Falvo]
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In March 1962, Nassau Vice Squad detectives raided a betting-office within the county and arrested Berk and Di Vincenzo on bookmaking charges, after listening to both of them taking telephone bets over “wiretapped” lines.

Lou Katz of Syosset, Long Island (a heavy bettor himself), became an alleged “runner” for the ring, referring and cultivating bettors to the operation, to “square up” some bets that he, himself had lost.

Detectives said that Berk and Di Vincenzo were doing a lively business.
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Criminal arrest record: he had one arrest (mentioned above) and conviction for bookmaking, maintaining a gambling establishment, and possession of gambling records.
Never jailed.
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In 1969, Nassau D.A. William
Cahn described Berk as a shylock figure under the control of Franzese.
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By the start of the 1970’s, Berk was no where to be found. It seems that one arrest and the bad publicity in Newsday of him being connected with the underworld, was enough to make him want to step back. He either left the Long Island and New York City area altogether, or kept his head very, very, low in the future years.
.....He was never heard from again!
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FELICE (PHILLY CIGARS) VIZZARI - born 1920 in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn (758 Metropolitan Avenue). Relocated out to Copiague, in Suffolk County (132 Dodges Promenade) by the late 1950’s.
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Vizzari was identified by authorities as a top “associate” in the Franzese faction of the Profaci/Colombo Family.

Active from the 1950’s through the early-1980’s, mostly on Long Island (Suffolk County). Newsday had repeatedly reported on him over several decades.

Note: [he grew up in the same Greenpoint neighborhood as Franzese]
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Additional criminal associates included: Frangipani, Anthony Guidice, Louie Morra and Freddy DeGregorio, among others.
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Activities: bookmaking, shylocking, card games, stolen credit cards.
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In 1938, he was charged as an eighteen year old kid with vehicle homicide in the death of John Szabol, who Vizzari had struck after mounting the curb at First Avenue and 69th Street in Manhattan.
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In 1946, Vizzari was one of three men arrested for a truck hijacking on Rivington Street in Lower Manhattan. Loaded with garments, the armed men took the truck, later found intact with all the merchandise by police at a Brooklyn garage owned by Vizzari.
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In 1965, he was partners with Anthony (The Frog) Frangipani in a Deer Park social club that specialized in card games and shylocking.
Also operated a second card parlor with Louis (The Mole) Morra on LI Avenue in partnership with Franzese.
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Over the years, “Philly Cigars” was
subpoenaed before numerous grand juries probing the mob. He was cited for contempt repeatedly after refusing to answer questions about loansharking, gambling, and his association with John (Sonny) Franzese and other mob members.
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In the early 1960’s he came into conflict with another Profaci hood named Patsy Guariglia from Brooklyn, both vying for gambling activity in the Suffolk area. It almost came down to a violent showdown until Franzese stepped in and quelled the conflict.

[this incident was highlighted in Newsday in 1969 in an expose on the mob]
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During the 1964-65 hearing, a NYS investigative committee on the usury racket in New York, described Vizzari as a top LI loanshark. He was one of several hoodlums whose activities were probed, that led to state authorities increasing the penalties for usury to a felony from a simple misdemeanor which it had been..... And eventually the “feds” created up to a twenty year penalty for what’s called “extortionate credit transaction” (in other words shylocking).
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An unremarkable hoodlum, he was
described by informants at the time as a mob member, bookmaker and social club operator.
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He had repeatedly been arrested, indicted and convicted for a variety of charges over the years including; vehicular homicide (underdetermined jail term), robbery (5-10 years), bookmaking (twice convicted), shylocking (one year), twice - criminal contempt (30 days in jail each time).

He served many jail terms.
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In 1984, “Philly Cigars” died suddenly in Suffolk County, where he had always plied his “trade”!
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FRANK (FRANKIE CAMP) CAMPIONE - born 1942 in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. By the early 1960’s, he moved to Glendale, Queens. From the late-1960’s on, he resided in New Hyde Park, LI (130 Sycamore Drive) in Nassau County.
A former “tin knocker” and member of the Sheet Metal Workers Union (AFL-CIO).
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By the late 1970’s, Campione had been identified by the FBI as an “associate” in the Colombo family, who would layer be “officially” inducted about 1990 as a “soldier” in the family.
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A former driver and bodyguard of Capo John (Sonny) Franzese.....who lived only three blocks away in Roslyn’s exclusive “Hamilton Park” section, Campione was considered a close pal and aide to Franzese for decades.
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Activities: shylocking, strong-arm, “shakedowns” and extortion, gasoline-bootlegging racket (tax evasion).
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Close criminal associates over the years have included:

Franzese and his two sons Michael and John Jr. (both sons later turned federal informant)

...........................various Colombo capo’s:

- Victor (Vic Jr) Orena Jr.

- Pasquale (Big Patty) Amato - his capo during Franzese’s incarceration

- Michael Catapano - a Franzese nephew (Sonny’s sisters son)

................... and various Colombo soldiers:

- Frank (Chickie) Leto - his mentor (reputedly proposed him) and close friend

- Angelo Leto - Chickie’s son and aide

- Robert (Bobby Green) Falvo - close personal friend and early mentor to Frank

- Thomas Ocera - his first mob overseer while Franzese was “away” in “college”

- Frank (The Bug) Sciortino - who he would be Indicted with for gasoline racketeering

- John (Johnny V) Vanasco - former Family associate who later transferred to the Lucchese Family

- Ciro Perrone - a veteran-Genovese soldier and Campione’s cousin by marriage
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He was “under” Franzese (but served in other regimes during Franzese parole violations). By mid-1986, after another violation (for 8 years), he was then placed under Thomas Ocera, and ultimately Leto who was said to have “proposed” him.
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In approximately 1989-90, indicted for bribery and obstruction of justice for “reaching” a grand juror (Orange Tutt) serving on a panel investigating Michael Franzese back in the mid-1980’s. Campione’s co-defendant was Franzese associate John (Johnny V) Vanasco (Tutt had been an employee of Vanasco’s car dealership).

Note: [Michael Franzese is the one who ‘ratted’ out Campione and Vanasco during his debriefing after turning informant, forcing them to plead out guilty rather than face him on the stand at trial - a little known FACT]
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Indicted again by 1991, on multiple counts of extortion and loansharking for having lent $50,000. (at $1,500. weekly or 3%) to a Plainview businessman who ran to the FBI after having paid Frankie Camp for over four years (over $300,000. in vigorish alone).

Also indicted at that time, on additional counts of defrauding the U.S. Government for having collected “permanent disability” insurance for several decades (claiming he was seriously injured while he was a sheet-metal worker). The FBI disproved his claims by surveilling him, taking pictures of Campione dancing at nightclubs, smacking around delinquent shylock borrowers and serving as a driver-bodyguard for Franzese.

[these three separate indictments looming over his head convinced him to plead out, accepting a “sweet” 30-month sentence]

Note: but while Campione was serving this sentence, he got into a heated argument with a Gambino hood named Robert “Bobby the Snake” Sassano - younger brother of Gambino soldier Thomas “Monk” Sassano, while they were both in prison. Campione repeatedly stabbed Sassano from his neck down through his chest and belly, opening him up like a soup can. Seriously injured, Sassano kept “omertà”, but within days of the fight, he had a massive heart-attack and died. Authorities tried charging Campione with manslaughter but couldn’t prove the knife attack had led to the heart attack, so he was allowed to plead out to felonious assault (sentenced to an additional 4-8 years in the state).
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During the early 1980’s he was partners in several gasoline “distribution firms” that were part of a complex “daisy chain” of firms designed to defraud state and federal governments of almost .30 cents per gallon on millions and millions of gallons of gasoline. The firms: CMC Distributors (one of the C’s was for Campione) and LeBo Petroleum of Plainview (the “Le” for Lenny, the “Bo” stood for longtime partners “Bobby Blue Eyes” Mauro and “Bobby Green” Falvo).
When the Michael Franzese gas-tax bootlegging indictments came down, partners Campione, Falvo and Mauro were far enough detached from Franzese’s core companies that they avoided indictment.

[some years later Campione would not be so lucky, getting indicted in another Family gasoline-bootleg case with Frank Sciortino and several Lucchese mob figures including Russian mobsters]
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He was never known to be in any legitimate business. And his only legitimate employment was as a sheet-metal worker during his youth until his mid-thirties.
[he did have a piece of CMC - during the gas scam - does that count?] lol
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After serving out multiple prison terms for the above mentioned various indictments, Frankie was paroled only to find himself smack dab in the middle of the aftermath from the so-called “third Colombo Family mob war” for control of the family!
The “conflict” was technically over, but many Orena “sympathizers” were still very hesitant to mix with other family members, fearing that certain Persico “loyalists” would seek revenge [as they had with “Wild Billy “ Cutolo and several others] ..... Campione and Leto were just two of many soldiers fearful to realign with the Persico leadership.
Franzese gained parole about this time (2004) and was reportedly instrumental in helping to “bridge the gap” so to speak. “Frankie Camp”, having been originally with the Franzese faction, agreed to “come in” with Sonny’s urging and protection against retribution.
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“Back in the saddle”, again serving under Franzese (who had been elevated to official underboss), Campione comfortably resumed his “forte” of strong-arm extortion and loanshark activity in tandem with Sonny and his nephew Mike Catapano.
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By 2008, the hammer fell again!
This time on twelve reputed members and associates in the Franzese crew, and several other high-ranking members in the Colombo leadership, including “Acting Boss” Thomas (Tommy Shots) Gioeli and Sonny Franzese himself [aside from parole troubles, this was the first new indictment for Sonny since the 1960’s].
Charged with multiple “Rico” counts; extortion, loanshark, murder, robbery, etc..... a entire potpourris of varied counts, all were tired and convicted. Campione (having only been charged with extortion) served several additional years before getting it again.

[others included Joseph DiGorga, Dino Saracino, Dino Calabro, Joseph Competiello, Catapano and several others.

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Note: a bit of levity in regard to Campione. During one jail “bit”, while imprisoned at MCC (Metropolitan Correctional Center) in Lower Manhattan, Frankie ranked and raved in several letters he wrote to his son Michael, who was ducking his father’s calls from prison, and had sold his dad’s car, stealing the sale money).... while it’s too long to add to this already long post, I suggest readers google it for a good laugh. However, the judge on Frankie’s case, upon reviewing the letter, wasn’t laughing, calling him a incorrigible hoodlum and mafioso, who deserved no mercy from the court..... and Frankie didn’t get any either, getting slammed with another heavy sentence!
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After being paroled for what seemed like the thousandth time, Campione get very sick shortly thereafter and passed away quickly.
An appropriate epitaph could read “he was a loyal, diehard mob soldier and “omertà” adherent to the end!..... I think Frankie Camp would have liked that moniker and tag........
“Frankie Camp” died at the age of 70 years old, in 2012. RIP Frankie!
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[gohnjotti]

Great writeup on Campione, Maxie.

[maxiestern11]

Thank you buddy! I tried a bit of a different technique this time around, bit of a changed up format..... plus he had a lot of info available to me which always helps ya know! .... have you actually read all my profiles? Just curious. Or do you think readers typically “pick and choose”.... some are long, some are short, some are a manuscript lol.... but I h think (I hope) all have merit and are thoroughly enjoyed! ..... that’s the goal anyway!

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And of the 6 families I’ve profiled, have you a favorite family?.... and what particular profile names you like the best? Not to ask you a million questions, but name some of the “best” names i did if you can, and the “best” family thread so far out ok?
THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL FOR MY FUTURE POSTS!

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If I had to guess, I’d say the Colombo’s since you created the site for them specifically right? Lol