George Martorano on his father's murder

[PHL_Mob]

Ok dack I’ll put it another way. They not killing rats after the 90s (except maybe Gino D?). So in my view they’re not killing Long John for maybe contributing to Nicky Crow flipping. They’re only killing people that encroach on their money and Long John felt he was owed a lot literally and figuratively and that’s why he felt justified in moving in on the portions of the South Philly rackets.

[Extortion]

By the end of the 80's, it was believed that Long John flipped the Crow in an attempted power move to take control when he got out on his appeal. Long John thought he was close to being released once his appeal was overturned in 86/87. After Crow testified that Long John stroked him into thinking Scarfo was going to kill him and the guys heard Crow testify to whatLong John told him, Nicky put out a hit on Long John and assigned it to his son and George Fresolone in North Jersey. That was in 89/90. All those guys saw Crow testify multiply times, I'm sure they all knew what Long John was up to.

It took 8-9 more years for the court to rule and affirm that Long John and Daidone couldn't be retried on their case. By then Joey had the reins and they were all facing trial and Joe was holding things together. Long John gets out and tries to put something together and the rest was history. I'm sure there was more than one person that had a hard-on for Long John. His power came from his wealth and being around Ang with the unions and dealing drugs, his associates were more of the meth dealing Riccobene/Natale variety. He didn't have a natural power base so his putting out feelers surely raised some eyebrows. I don't doubt that taking trips to Sicily also didn't raise antenna. That's only five years removed from Stanfa bringing Biago and Sergio Battaglia over and Long John was friends with all of Sanfa's guys who were old Riccobene guys. You don't think those zips guys raised eyebrows downtown when they arrived on the scene in the early 90's? I think what George says here makes a ton of sense. He doesn't deny his father made moves to get back in. And he says it very politically too about not wanting to see the guys who did it punished. Very smart.

Great post. There’s an old saying that an account with cosa nostra is never closed. Once you cross the line from civilian to criminal, you can go legit but you can never undo crossing that line.

By that, I mean you can leave the criminal life behind and work a 9-5, but if the guys still in the streets think you’re a liability they can still come after you. Look at Gino DiPietro. Maybe Gino really had turned his life around, but to the mob he was no civilian, just an ex-criminal.

If you want to get out of the life, move far away. But the only true way not to lose the game is to never play.

If you dont have a lot of money, scarole you will have a tough time moving because you got to have enough rent for a few months and security deposit or apply for a job states away which can be difficult. Just saying and I agree with you they should do this if they feel like their lives are at risk and if this is the case...attempt to contact the US Marshalls or Feds to guard you until you move,

[Pmac2]

did they ask george if he had anything to do with that hit or if his father did. they pretty crazy to sit at a table with the guy and his girl eating supper at a restaurant. thats insane i cant even believe that. long john must really wanted hius button to go to that length., and it didnt do to much for him he was off the street the next year

[Mikeymike12]

Finally we have the story right about him arriving home from the doctors ... it was always ,he was heading to his doctors office. Yeah he obviously was trying to take a piece that he felt he was owed . The feds obviously thought he was getting back into things as George said they were following him everywhere.
Hey PHl do you know if a lot of guys were coming up to Long Johns Club ?

[PHL_Mob]

@Mikey yeah he had some people from south philly and a lot of people from the Northeast also. This is all second hand info that I hear from others I was in high school during this time and would only walk by or whatever

[B.]

Martorano told Caramandi that his son George was going to be on record "with New York" if he got out of prison. The Gambino family is most likely, though it would be cool if Martorano was willing to confirm it.

Never heard of Martorano having ties to the Sicilian mafia aside from his friendship with Rosario and Giuseppe Gambino, though he is yet another Philly/South Jersey mafia member with heritage from Belmonte Mezzagno via his father Giorgio. Along with the well-known examples like the Scafidis, Barrale, Casellas, and Cappellos, other Philly members with Belmontesi heritage are Frank Monte and Shotsie Sparacio.