Lucchese’s Brooklyn

[Tonyd621]

it made sense that there was more than one Brooklyn crew once upon a time, especially considering Canarsie is almost its own little world, and is a world apart from Bensonhurst. Why there were three separate Bensonhurst crews is kind of crazy. What i want to know is when it all became one. When people like Pagliarulo, Castellucci’s brother, etc. all got popped back in the day, it makes sense to maybe merge the Bensonhurst crews ‘back’ into one another...but why then merge it with the Canarsie crew?

I'm pretty sure they never had enough guys to make 3 Bensonhurst crews. I think as the Bensonhurst crew changed hands several times we got it mixed up and it looks like several crews but is most likely just one. As for when they merged I believe it had to be sometime between when Joey Flowers goes down and when Danny Cutaia goes down or possibly right after the latter. Both of those crews got hit really hard so I think that's what caused the merger then Bronx guys took over and it makes sense for them to keep the Brooklyn crew as weak as possible.

But when all those heavy guys hit the street (Conte, Papagni, Argentina, Zappola) it changed the face of that crew and caused a problem because there was little to no chance they would answer to big john who was nothing more then an associate when they were running around killing people and doing decades worth of time for Vic.

So what happens is at the meeting where DeSantis became acting boss Patty red became a captain, they gave him all the guys that originally belonged to the Brooklyn crews leaving Big John with mostly newer guys and guys that didn't necessarily live in Brooklyn or staten island like Pennisi.

I presume that when Patty Red becomes acting underboss Georgie Neck got the Brooklyn crew.

So if these two crews continue to this day they have one Staten Island crew and one Brooklyn crew. Which makes perfect sense because everyone knows half of the Brooklyn italians moved to Staten Italy.

I agree, in 2009 when Cutaia and his Canarsie-Long Island (Vario) crew were indicted the Bronx leaders probably used this to breakdown the original Brooklyn (vario) crew and moved members to other crews.

- The question is what happened to all of Danny Cutaia's top guys like Vincent Mancione, Carmelo Profeta, his son Sal Cutaia. I don't remember if Pennisi mentions Dellorusso in the Big John (Bensonhurst-Staten Island crew).

It is possible they Bronx leaders created the new Long Island crew (which is now controlled by Cafe Desena) that was made of a lot of the original Brooklyn (Vario-Canarsie) members. I dont known when Cafe Desena joined the Lucchese. But I think it was after 2010's? Pennisi referred to the Cafe Desena crew as a large crew.

I think when Dellorusso became capo in 2017 the family was recreating the "original Brooklyn (vario) crew. The new members for Dellorusso were from Valley Stream area.

Profeta is probably up in his early 80s, late 70s by now. I know there is no retiring from "this thing." But i cant imagine hes very active.

[JohnnyS]

In the latest podcast Pennisi says Cutaia was once captain of the Castellucci crew.

Also, Joe DeSena was made in the early 2000s he was originally with the Gambinos.

[Tonyd621]

I remember Cutaias crew was pinched for going after bettors who couldnt pay for a book operation a Bonnano associate named Jerome Caramelli was running.

[johnny_scootch]

his son Sal Cutaia. I don't remember if Pennisi mentions Dellorusso in the Big John (Bensonhurst-Staten Island crew).

Last I heard Sal was on the shelf and I'm almost positive Patty Red was with the Joe DeSena crew with the only other option being the Avellino crew.

In the latest podcast Pennisi says Cutaia was once captain of the Castellucci crew.

Yes he means what was left of the Canarsie/Vario crew was folded into what was left of the Bensonhurst/Furnari crew to become the Staten Island/Castellucci crew.

[Shellackhead]

his son Sal Cutaia. I don't remember if Pennisi mentions Dellorusso in the Big John (Bensonhurst-Staten Island crew).

Last I heard Sal was on the shelf and I'm almost positive Patty Red was with the Joe DeSena crew with the only other option being the Avellino crew.

In the latest podcast Pennisi says Cutaia was once captain of the Castellucci crew.

Yes he means what was left of the Canarsie/Vario crew was folded into what was left of the Bensonhurst/Furnari crew to become the Staten Island/Castellucci crew.

Why was Sal Cutaia shelved?

[johnny_scootch]

Why was Sal Cutaia shelved?

Drugs

[chin_gigante]

Looking at the Brooklyn faction in the 2000s

Start off with in the early 2000s with Cutaia heading the old Vario crew (Vario, D'Arco, Daidone, Cutaia) while another crew (or two separate crews) is headed by Tangorra and Castelle. Castelle is briefly acting underboss. The Tangorra/ Castelle crew(s) is descended from the Furnari crew (Furnari, Amuso, Casso, Chiodo, Pagliarulo). Cerrella and Corcione are acting at different points for Cutaia. Lubrano briefly replaces Cutaia? Then there's consolidation, with Castelucci as captain by early 2012. Then in 2017 Dello Russo is also promoted to captain. There are plans to "restore" the Brooklyn crew and take the guys who were unhappy with Castelucci away from him (Papagni, Zappola, etc.) Zappola is in line for some kind of position.

That seem about right?

[johnny_scootch]

Looking at the Brooklyn faction in the 2000s

Start off with in the early 2000s with Cutaia heading the old Vario crew (Vario, D'Arco, Daidone, Cutaia) while another crew (or two separate crews) is headed by Tangorra and Castelle. Castelle is briefly acting underboss. The Tangorra/ Castelle crew(s) is descended from the Furnari crew (Furnari, Amuso, Casso, Chiodo, Pagliarulo). Cerrella and Corcione are acting at different points for Cutaia. Lubrano briefly replaces Cutaia? Then there's consolidation, with Castelucci as captain by early 2012. Then in 2017 Dello Russo is also promoted to captain. There are plans to "restore" the Brooklyn crew and take the guys who were unhappy with Castelucci away from him (Papagni, Zappola, etc.) Zappola is in line for some kind of position.

That seem about right?

Boobsie was acting captain for Joey Flowers.

I was under the impression that it was more than just a plan to restore the Brooklyn crew and bumping Patty Red to captain was first step in doing so. I have to imagine he got a few guys right away but there is no confirmation on that so we will have to wait and see.

The rest is on the money. good post.

[Mason76]

Joey Lubrano probably took over the Cutaia Crew or at least a part of it when he was a Capo.


Pogo

I don't know maybe when Lubrano was a capo he was doing a favor for capo Dom Cutaia and looking out for Cutaia's grandsons between 2009-2010. This is the same time Dom Cutaia was retiring because of health issues and repeat indictments . Maybe Joe Lubrano was running his own "farm team" and his recruits were Dom Cutaia's grandsons (Joseph, Salvatore Jr and Anthony) making Lubrano responsible for the Cutaia's grandsons actions.

I found these court documents.

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/43 ... -john-doe/

- In particular, Joseph Lubrano is accused of being a captain of the Luchese organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra and was charged with predicate acts of state and federal robbery conspiracy.
- Joseph Lubrano runs a social club located at Cambreleng Avenue and East 1885n Street in the Bronx, New York.
- On July 29, 2010 an individual matching Lubrano’s description had stopped by and asked for the Cutaia family. Joseph Cutaia, Salvatore Cutaia, Salvatore Cutaia Jr,, Anthony Cutaia and Domenico Cutaia are Lubrano's co~defendants, and their family members previously lived on Charleston street in Staten Island.

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/43 ... -bernardo/

- defendant (Lubrano) was a captain who required that Joseph Cutai report to him, provide him a portion of the proceeds of Joseph Cutaia’s criminal activities.

https://www.silive.com/news/2017/10/sou ... ect_h.html

- Anthony Cutaia, 29, is the grandson of Luchese crime capo Domenico Cutaia and the son of reputed soldier Salvatore Cutaia, according to federal court documents. His half-brothers Joseph Cutaia and Salvatore Cutaia Jr. also have ties to the Lucchese family as well, authorities allege.

In 2010, the Cutaia clan was indicted on several racketeering, criminal enterprise and robbery charges stemming from a federal investigation that spanned from 2001 to 2009.

According to federal court records, Anthony Cutaia was the driver in an attempted robbery of a Brooklyn electronics store in late 2009. His half-brothers, his lawyer said in court papers, asked him to fill in last minute.

Cutaia pleaded guilty to robbery conspiracy and was sentenced to 33 months in prison in March 2012. His brothers also took plea deals. Joseph was sentenced to 10 years and Salvatore Jr. got 35 months.

In 2016, he was sentenced to another two years for violating the conditions of his supervised release, authorities said. Cutaia pleaded guilty to the violations, which included drug use and conspiring to obstruct drug testing, according to court records.

[Pmac2]

Wonder if all the family went to Christy tics funeral a few years back. It was a 2 day thing on staten island. He the guy who brought amuso into the family and put him in power. Should ask pennisi. Happy Easter folks

[chin_gigante]

Also, in Pennisi's testimony he described Lubrano as a Bronx guy and listed him alongside the Creas, the Santorellis, Salerno and DiSimone as individuals who could potentially be targetted if they resisted DeSantis becoming acting boss. It would seem strange for him in that case to be put in charge of the main Brooklyn crew.

On another note, I've done more reading up on the Tangorra/ Castelle situation. They're both indicted as captains of the Bensonhurst crew in 2000, with Castelle also being acting underboss. That spawns the one crew, two capos theory. Pennisi says Tangorra would've been the captain with Castelle as acting. That seems strange then for Castelle to become acting UB. Would've assumed that based on the hierarchy if anything Tangorra would've been acting for Castelle. I also saw reports citing investigators saying that the Tangorra Bensonhurst crew was the same as Zappola's crew. It seems then in that case the crew would've gone Lastorino, Zappola, Tangorra.

So there's three Brooklyn crews to trace before we get to Castelucci:

Curiale
Vario
D'Arco
Daidone
Cutaia
Lubrano (?)

Furnari
Amuso
Casso
Chiodo
Pagliarulo

Lastorino (splits off from Furnari crew?)
Zappola*
Tangorra

*Am I correct that Zappola and Conte were under Lastorino?

It makes me question when in fact the consolidation happened. My guess would be the Furnari... Pagliarulo crew went first. I can't find anyone after Papagni. Then the Bensonhurst crew folds in after the Tangorra/ Castelle case. Castelucci gets out of prison in 2004, gets straightened out at some point thanks to DiNapoli. Cutaia is running a consolidated Brooklyn crew and is considered the head of that faction. Cutaia has his own legal problems and is briefly replaced by Lubrano (possibly). Castelucci takes over either from Lubrano or directly from Cutaia by early 2012.

On an unrelated note, Pennisi also has Cerrella getting involved with the Luccheses on the back of Joseph Caridi. So you have one consigliere getting Cerrella in and made acting captain (replacing Baudanza) for Cutaia. Then years later another consigliere gets Castelucci inducted and placed in charge of what's left of the Brooklyn crew.

[chubby]

I asked him this question yesterday actually.. I was asking him how the fuck big John was skipper of the Brooklyn crew when you got Georgie zappola and George Conte who got out in 2014, and froggy galione who got released in 2015.. he told me that he had 0 interactions with them when he was around because all of them were still on parole....

I finally heard the full chain of events which caused pennisi to actually go to the fbi and flip.... it’s literally fucking unreal... and the thing that even makes it so believable is cause how the family handled the situation is exactly how you would expect things to be handled in this day and age in the life... like it’s that bad that it makes his story believable.. cause a lot of these guys he was around are so unintelligent and selfish/greedy...

[gaspipe]

Link to the chain of events? Been super curious myself.

[LAfarmer108]

Link to the chain of events? Been super curious myself.

He lays out the chain of events that led him to the FBI step by step in this interview https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WRmBIpHUYvA

[givememysocks]

I wonder if the uncle and nephew are santorelli and vincent bruno