AL "Chinky" Facchiano

[Bklyn21]

Albert Joseph Facchiano (March 10, 1910 – August 16, 2011), also known as "Chinkie" and "the Old Man", was a Miami mobster with the New York Genovese crime family who was involved in loansharking and extortion in South Florida. Facchiano achieved notoriety for being indicted on mob crimes at age 96.


Background
A longtime underworld figure, Facchiano oversaw armed robberies, money laundering, bank fraud and other criminal activities for the Genovese family for nearly 60 years. Although considered a "low-level figure" by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Facchiano has an extensive arrest record.

In 1930, Facchiano was arrested in New York for rape, but the charge was later dismissed. In 1932, Facchino was convicted in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania of robbery and receiving stolen goods and was sentenced to two to five years in prison. In 1936, Facchiano was arrested in New York on grand larceny charges, in 1944 for bookmaking charges.

Federal investigation
In 1979, Facchino was convicted in Alabama of federal racketeering charges and sentenced to 25 years in prison. While still in prison, Facchiano became involved in an investigation of Reagan Administration U.S. Secretary of Labor Raymond J. Donovan and his alleged ties to organized crime. Investigators claimed that in January 1979 Facchiano and Genovese mobster William Maselli had met with Donovan. The subject of this meeting was setting up so-called "no show" jobs for Genovese mobsters at Schiavoni Construction, Donovan's company, at sites near Miami, Florida. Donovan denied that the meeting took place and claimed his innocence. In 1982, Facchiano reportedly testified to a New York grand jury on the Donovan case. In 1987, Donovan was tried and acquitted of larceny charges.

Later life
In the Fall of 1987, Facchiano was released from prison. In 2001, in a conversation recorded by the FBI while Facchiano was dining with other Genovese mobsters, he offered to do a killing if the family needed it. Mobster Joseph Zito said that Facchiano should retire and leave murders to the younger guys. Facchiano, who was 91 at the time, allegedly responded 'that you’re never retired', and then reiterated his willingness to 'kill for the family'.

In 2006, Facchiano was indicted in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, on charges of supervising mob associates engaged in crimes such as robbery, money laundering and bank fraud from 1994 to 2006. That same year, Facchiano was indicted in New York for attempting to intimidate or kill a mob witness in Florida in 2005.

In February 2007, Facchiano pleaded guilty to witness tampering and racketeering charges from both indictments. On June 4, 2007, Facchiano, 97 years old at the time, was sentenced to six months of house arrest and 18 months of probation. He avoided jail time due to his advanced age and poor health. At the sentencing, Facchiano told the judge that he was “sorry” for his crimes. He also said that he “would never get mixed up anymore” and his “days in organized crime are over”.

On August 16, 2011, Facchiano died in Florida of natural causes

[Bklyn21]

I came across Facchiano while looking through other articles and forgot about him . I didn't realize that even though this guy was a hardcore longtime Genovese member he was also a CW and basic snitch gathering evidence on and testifying before a grand jury for the government against Ray Donovan and Donovan's links to Organized crime which he denied .

[dack2001]

Your little blurb doesn't say he was a CW and basic snitch. There have been many guys over the years that have been subpoena'd and testified before a grand jury. Many guys. It's a ploy used by the government to basically trap guys into perjuring themselves or sitting in jail on contempt charges. Doesn't mean he's a rat. Maybe he denied knowing the guy....

[maxiestern11]

Correct, I’ve never heard Chinky was a rat. I don’t believe he was..... Facchiano was just a dyed in the wool street guy all his life

[Hailbritain]

He was also offering to do hits in his 90s Love that story , acting underboss at the time joe zito said " Albert I think it's best we leave that sort of thing to the younger guys "

[Bklyn21]

POLICE STILL HUNT FOR MOTIVE IN DONOVAN INQUIRY KILLING
By Selwyn Raab
Aug. 28, 1982


Credit...The New York Times Archives
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New York City detectives and Federal agents said yesterday that they had uncovered few clues and were still seeking a motive in the murder of Nat Masselli, the son of an organized-crime figure.

Kenneth Walton, an official of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, said ''it is too soon to tell'' whether Mr. Masselli was slain Wednesday night in the Bronx because he and his father, William P. Masselli, were involved in a Federal inquiry of Secretary of Labor Raymond J. Donovan.

Police and Federal officials said that business acquaintances and friends of the 31-year-old homicide victim were questioned yesterday as investigators tried to piece together Mr. Masselli's last hours - and whom he had been with.

Mr. Masselli was killed - with a single .38-caliber bullet in the back of the head - shortly after his father had been brought here from a Federal prison in Ray Brook, N.Y. Law enforcement officials said William Masselli, who has been identified as a member of the Genovese crime group, is scheduled to testify in a new phase of an investigation of allegations against Mr. Donovan.

Inquiry on Donovan Renewed

Leon Silverman, a special Federal prosecutor, is looking into allegations that Mr. Donovan, while a construction company executive, had business dealings with organized-crime figures and accepted payoffs. In July, Mr. Silverman reported that after a sixmonth investigation there was ''insufficient evidence'' to warrant prosecution of Mr. Donovan. However, Mr. Silverman later said he had resumed the inquiry because of new accusations.

William Masselli, 55, and his son had both testified in the earlier phase of Mr. Silverman's investigation. Mr. Walton, of the F.B.I., said Nat Masselli had not been expected to be a witness in the renewed inquiry by the special prosecutor.

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A Florida organized-crime figure has also been brought from prison to New York for questioning about a purported meeting that Mr. Donovan had with mobsters in January 1979 in Florida.

The reputed mobster from Miami, Albert Facchiano, 71, is a new witness. He was sentenced last year to a 20-year-term at a Federal prison in Alabama for racketeering. Allegations Denied by Donovan

Mr. Silverman refused to comment about the inquiry or Mr. Facchiano's role in it. But a Federal law enforcement official said Mr. Facchiano had been brought to New York to testify before a Federal grand jury, along with William Masselli.

Mr. Donovan has repeatedly denied having met with known criminals or having been involved in illegal payments to them in connection with construction work while he was a vice president of the Schiavone Construction Company in Secaucus, N.J.

Nat Masselli, who was single, lived alone in a two-bedroom apartment at 1 Fountain Lane in Greenburgh in Westchester County. Law enforcement officials said the younger Masselli was not believed to be a ''made member'' of any organized-crime group and had no record of arrests.

But, a detective participating in the investigation said Nat Masselli was believed to have been deeply involved in his father's business affairs and thus may have been in contact with mobsters. William Masselli was sentenced last year to a seven-year prison term after being convicted of Federal charges of hijacking and narcotics violations. Headed Construction Company

William Masselli was the president of Jopel Construction and Trucking Company, which had subcontracts with the Schiavone Company, Mr. Donovan's former concern. Nat Masselli was the secretarytreasurer of Jopel, and State Senator Joseph L. Galiber of the Bronx was the vice president and major stockholder in Jopel.

Detectives said Nat Masselli had assumed control of his father's business affairs after his father's conviction. Police officials said yesterday they planned to question Senator Galiber in the murder investigation. In an interview yesterday, the 57-year-old Senator said '' I am available'' for any questioning.

Senator Galiber said he had last seen Nat Masselli in March. He described him as ''a hard-working guy'' who took care of the books and served as a field manager for the Jopel Company. The company was incorporated by Senator Galiber and William Masselli in 1976. Senator Galiber said he had ''no knowledge then or now'' of any involvement by William Masselli in organized crime

[bert]

Raymond J. Donovan was acquitted of all charges, leading to his quote "What office do I go to to get my reputation back?" He worked for Reagan, so the media had dragged him through the mud.

[dack2001]

Like I said, just because they subpoenaed Facchiano to testify and drove him to court doesn't mean he gave incriminating information or ratted. I'm sure they threw a little immunity his way and either tacked on a few years when he refused to testify or maybe he simply said "Who?" when he was asked if he ever met with Donovan.