Philadelphia's Boston Crew

[Angelo Santino]

Thanks to Stroccos for sending me these.

According to Previte, Luisi tells him that Shawn Vetere and Paul Pepparcelli(sp) are members. In other documents Robert Gentile is also described as a member.

In previous conversations I've expressed my doubts that the Boston crew was very large, mostly after watching the John and Gene show with Luisi which featured Paul Tanso sitting there who said nothing. There was another show featuring him that showed him as a former homeless ex-con trying to salvage his life... As per here, he was listed as made and I just find that very doubtful. I'm not out to rewrite history or inject my own opinions as factual, but who do we have confirmed 100% from official sources as to who was made up there? Many thought Sonny Mazzone was made ten years ago and it turns out it was relatively recent, which should serve as a reminder that outsiders' perspectives- including my own- are very limited.

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[chin_gigante]

He seems to be adding people as he goes. First he says it was six guys. Those documents back up Vetere, Gentile and Paul Pepicelli. Don't know if Paleo, Tanso or David Pepicelli have been confirmed in any documents. In his new podcast with Arillotta and Tanso he says a guy called Tommy who was his driver and is dead now was a made guy too (which is the first I've heard of that). That doesn't make him look very credible.

I think a conservative approach with this is best. Wouldn't be surprised if he keeps throwing out new names occasionally. As far as I'm aware the only guys identified by LE are now Gentile, Paul Pepicelli and Vetere (unless there are other documents out there we don't have, which is conceivable). Caprio backs up at least 2 Boston guys getting made.

[Stroccos]

He seems to be adding people as he goes. First he says it was six guys. Those documents back up Vetere, Gentile and Paul Pepicelli. Don't know if Paleo, Tanso or David Pepicelli have been confirmed in any documents. In his new podcast with Arillotta and Tanso he says a guy called Tommy who was his driver and is dead now was a made guy too (which is the first I've heard of that). That doesn't make him look very credible.

I think a conservative approach with this is best. Wouldn't be surprised if he keeps throwing out new names occasionally. As far as I'm aware the only guys identified by LE are now Gentile, Paul Pepicelli and Vetere (unless there are other documents out there we don't have, which is conceivable). Caprio backs up at least 2 Boston guys getting made.

Those other guys weren’t charged in the cases related to the mafia and Phili , so we don’t have any documents on them .

The thing is where they made by borgesi when he came to Boston ? Or where they made into the “ luisi family “

Luisi said those guys were made so take it for it’s worth , I highly doubt he will be mentioning there names on his show ,

[HoagieNose]

The only one I consider a member is Vetere. He has been seen in Philly with the guys over the last few years.

[dack2001]

During Borgesi's trial there was testimony or an article concerning two Boston making ceremonies. There was one where the initial group, for sure Luisi and Gentile and maybe Guarente? or Vetere were made...and then there was a second making ceremony where another group of guys got in. Don't remember where that was reported or if it was testimony.

[chin_gigante]

During Borgesi's trial there was testimony or an article concerning two Boston making ceremonies. There was one where the initial group, for sure Luisi and Gentile and maybe Guarente? or Vetere were made...and then there was a second making ceremony where another group of guys got in. Don't remember where that was reported or if it was testimony.

There's this from a George Anastasia article for Jersey Man in 2018:

Luisi said he and George Borgesi, a top Merlino lieutenant, traveled to Boston in 1997 and formally initiated a half dozen of Luisi’s associates into the Philadelphia mob. One of those initiates was Robert “The Cook” Gentile.

https://jerseymanmagazine.com/not-even- ... he-dollar/

Obviously the date is wrong because Luisi himself didn't get made until after Natale was arrested in 1998. Luisi's said before that he was made in Philadelphia and then guys other him got made in Boston.

[dack2001]

I haven't see any good reason to doubt Luisi's veracity in his 302's, which is where Anastasia probably got that information. He did a real nice dispy-doo around the feds after he went bad. Go "crazy" with Jesus so you can't testify, take 8 years or so on the chin but be able to walk away from the life and start a new life when you get out. I think that's why he is very circumspect when he talks about the life and doesn't mention the guys who are still involved and I'm sure it isn't just Vetere playing the loan wolf.

[mike68]

I just don't know about Luisi or who these 'active' guys in Boston could be (besides Vetere and maybe Peppicelli's). Who is the Carrozza they are referring to in the report above? Bobby Carrozza is supposed to be a Captain in the Patriarca's.

[mike68]

http://archive.boston.com/news/local/ar ... tal_fight/

Here is a Boston Globe article from 2004 regarding the Pepicelli brothers getting in a street brawl/shootout in the North End that ended with one man dead and the two brothers eventually going away for manslaughter.

https://www.upi.com/Archives/1999/09/11 ... 937022400/

[RI_Guy]

So let me preface this statement with saying I don't know many boston guys, and I defer to the more knowledgeable posters on Boston when it comes to that area. But, when I was around in the late 90s, from what heard from those around me, the only 2 that were definitely straightened out was luisi (the son), and Shawn. The others may have been also, but that is the way it was presented. Not to shit on anyone, but I could grab a couple of guys and and prick their fingers and say this is the new crew and I'm the boss blah blah blah but it obviously wouldn't mean shit because its not recognized. If they aren't recognized by NY then it doesn't matter and there's no point to it. Not saying thats the case here, but thats just my two cents

[Pogo The Clown]

I just don't know about Luisi or who these 'active' guys in Boston could be (besides Vetere and maybe Peppicelli's). Who is the Carrozza they are referring to in the report above? Bobby Carrozza is supposed to be a Captain in the Patriarca's.

It is in reference to Bobby Carozza's son.


Pogo

[Pmac2]

The cook guy gentile who had some to do with the gardner museum heist and the guy I forgot his last name he died awhile back. He was made to by luisi. I think gentile had a beef with the springfield guys or hartford. The guy who died deffinlty had the stolen paintings and died suddenly

[mike68]

I don't know how you can recognize a guy who got made by Luisi. He wasn't even a made man in Boston.

[Angelo Santino]

I used my contacts to reach out to some people (ie I dm'd John Alite on Facebook) asking about Tanso's status. Worst he can do is not respond. Cheech, if you're still in touch with Gene would you consider asking him?

Again, I have no agenda in this but the truth. I took it at face value that he was a member based on what was said here. But with that interview-
1 They didn't ID him as being made, you'd think they would.
2 If he was made, what's he doing attending an interview with 4 informants? That's just not something a member, even a retired one, would do.

I think Philadelphia deserves a re-evaluation. Much of our beliefs stem from Anastasia and his last two books- Goodfella Tapes and Last Gangster really carried a strong narrative that may not be the entire picture or completely accurate. Stanfa was made out to be an "old-world Don" in contrast with "Young Turk" Merlino and that appears to be an over-dramatization. Just because someone was born in Sicily and speaks broken English doesn't make them old-school and again, Stanfa was in the US for 20-30 years before becoming boss. It's not like he moved from Caccamo to take over.

Merlino with all of his partying and whatnot, appears to have been a traditional boss in regards to organizational protocol, more so than Stanfa. They don't seem to "make anybody and everybody" contrary to popular belief.

[JeremyTheJew]

I used my contacts to reach out to some people (ie I dm'd John Alite on Facebook) asking about Tanso's status. Worst he can do is not respond. Cheech, if you're still in touch with Gene would you consider asking him?

Again, I have no agenda in this but the truth. I took it at face value that he was a member based on what was said here. But with that interview-
1 They didn't ID him as being made, you'd think they would.
2 If he was made, what's he doing attending an interview with 4 informants? That's just not something a member, even a retired one, would do.

I think Philadelphia deserves a re-evaluation. Much of our beliefs stem from Anastasia and his last two books- Goodfella Tapes and Last Gangster really carried a strong narrative that may not be the entire picture or completely accurate. Stanfa was made out to be an "old-world Don" in contrast with "Young Turk" Merlino and that appears to be an over-dramatization. Just because someone was born in Sicily and speaks broken English doesn't make them old-school and again, Stanfa was in the US for 20-30 years before becoming boss. It's not like he moved from Caccamo to take over.

Merlino with all of his partying and whatnot, appears to have been a traditional boss in regards to organizational protocol, more so than Stanfa. They don't seem to "make anybody and everybody" contrary to popular belief.

I mean to a certain extent he pulled a Michael Franzese....