PolackTony wrote: ↑Wed Apr 14, 2021 7:27 pm
I admittedly haven’t followed the Bobby Luisi story closely, but isn’t it possible that Joey just played him?
I haven't followed the Luisi story closely either, only what was in the Anastasia / Previte book, and it's considerably morphed and took on a whole new life since then - but you're right. Absolutely. I know, who am I to really question it right? But in my eyes from the outside looking in - especially given what we know about Merlino just from public record - the only possibility I see is that Merlino sold a button to Luisi and whoever else wanted one. If Luisi said "ok but in a few years we're going to break off and start our own family" or whatever it was, Merlino probably said yeah sure, okay, whatever - just keep the money coming now and when it stops coming I'll figure something else out. Merlino seems like a guy who can't see past the end of his own nose, so it wouldn't be surprising if he figured he had another revenue stream up in Boston that he didn't have to have anything to really do with, and he'll tap into it as long as it exists, and if / when it goes belly up - time to find another source of revenue.
I vaguely remember from the book but didn't the Boston "crew" try to get Merlino on tape, or lure him into a drug deal, and Merlino didn't give them an inch? Nothing they could use or incriminate him on? The book made it sound like Merlino and the Philly guys just seized an opportunity for quick, free money - literally selling buttons and keeping the "Boston crew" at arms length - versus them truly wanting to cultivate a strong Boston crew and legitimize it in the eyes of the other families. I mean, I thought really that was the whole story... now all of a sudden this guy is hitting the interview circuit with shit like "Live and Direct with the Boss of Boston" in the title. I understand with how fractured the Patriarcas have been and how crazy and almost 'open' Boston was for a couple decades, this guy probably did have some things going on to where he making moves and doing his own thing - running a sizable crew of guys committing crimes, but aren't there lots of other crews and situations in Boston like that as well? The difference being here he's saying he had Merlino's backing to start a new family? Merlino and his friends have ate through the wealth of childhood friends and neighbors like termites and left them hung out to dry - so it seems insane in this case to really believe he would be willing to "go to war" (figure of speech) for some guy in Boston who was sending him money .
Out of all the informant / interview circuit guys, Luisi is one of a small few that I actually skip. It just sounds so egregious that I don't deem it worth listening to. I'm glad there have been some great posters here who've broken it down objectively and laid out some possibilities but it just sounds unreal. If Luisi told the same exact story with the only difference being it was a different family's flag he was flying - not Merlino's - I'd probably listen with open ears. But because it's Merlino, a guy known to bleed everyone and everything, I just can't wrap my head around it.
Good analysis man.
It does raise the question - surely the top NY bosses should’ve had issues with Merlino selling buttons or creating families or whatever it is.
I’m not saying obviously it’s 1957 and they’re killing Anastasia for selling membership, but Merlino doing that definitely dilutes the LCN gene pool.
In the newest Pennisi episode he says that when Carmine Avellino went away his brother Sally and Sally’s son were taking care of that crew. Says that Dellorusso was apart of that crew until he got bumped up to captain. Apparently Dellorusso was a “captain in limbo” which I guess means he didn’t have a crew. He said that the family was “in transition” during Dellorusso’s promotion. This is probably what Pennisi meant when he said a while ago that soldiers get bumped up to captain without a crew so that they can get an administration spot later.
SB1825 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 19, 2021 7:11 pm
Says that Dellorusso was apart of that crew until he got bumped up to captain. Apparently Dellorusso was a “captain in limbo” which I guess means he didn’t have a crew. He said that the family was “in transition” during Dellorusso’s promotion. This is probably what Pennisi meant when he said a while ago that soldiers get bumped up to captain without a crew so that they can get an administration spot later.
He had previously stated that Patty was going to assume control of a reorganized Brooklyn crew but it hadn’t actually been formed yet. I guess they still had to decide which soldiers would make up the crew.
I’m not sure I buy into the fact you have to be a captain first before getting an admin spot. Case in point Mike DeSantis he was a soldier in Carmine Avellino’s crew one day and the Acting Boss the next day, right? Pennisi hasn’t mentioned him as a captain before that has he?
Funny when he said Ray would abuse Patty even if he was the boss. The guy is a fucking legend.
Amershire_Ed wrote: ↑Wed Apr 21, 2021 5:12 am
Yeah didn’t Artie Nigro go from being a soldier to an administration position with the Westside?
Yes, though he comes from the crew that has run the family more often than not over the past 25 years. So anyone in that crew getting and admin spot isn't surprising.
Has Pennisi ever discussed him recording calls and being what appears to be an active CI after he walked into the FBI offices in October 2018? His narrative has been that he made that choice because he was afraid for his life, but if that was truly the case then why would he continue to contact the very people he thought were trying to kill him?
Granted, none of those recorded calls have been used at any of the three trials he's testified at but I just found that curious and was just wondering if he's ever mentioned that or expounded on it during his therapeutic podcast sessions (his words not mine...he told Gary Jenkins the blog was a kind of therapy and his podcast is an extension of that in all truthfulness....)
mafiastudent wrote: ↑Wed Apr 21, 2021 10:08 am
Has Pennisi ever discussed him recording calls and being what appears to be an active CI after he walked into the FBI offices in October 2018? His narrative has been that he made that choice because he was afraid for his life, but if that was truly the case then why would he continue to contact the very people he thought were trying to kill him?
Granted, none of those recorded calls have been used at any of the three trials he's testified at but I just found that curious and was just wondering if he's ever mentioned that or expounded on it during his therapeutic podcast sessions (his words not mine...he told Gary Jenkins the blog was a kind of therapy and his podcast is an extension of that in all truthfulness....)
mafiastudent wrote: ↑Wed Apr 21, 2021 10:08 amHas Pennisi ever discussed him recording calls and being what appears to be an active CI after he walked into the FBI offices in October 2018?
Good question. It would be odd if that is true. Id be curious as to his response.
mafiastudent wrote: ↑Wed Apr 21, 2021 10:08 amHis narrative has been that he made that choice because he was afraid for his life, but if that was truly the case then why would he continue to contact the very people he thought were trying to kill him?
mafiastudent wrote: ↑Wed Apr 21, 2021 10:08 amHas Pennisi ever discussed him recording calls and being what appears to be an active CI after he walked into the FBI offices in October 2018?
Good question. It would be odd if that is true. Id be curious as to his response.
mafiastudent wrote: ↑Wed Apr 21, 2021 10:08 amHis narrative has been that he made that choice because he was afraid for his life, but if that was truly the case then why would he continue to contact the very people he thought were trying to kill him?
Im sure you can figure that out.
From his 5k1 letter submitted by the government to the Court on March 27, 2020 - heavily redacted in many parts.
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Sounds like it may have been similar to DiLeonardo, where the FBI had him make a last ditch effort to get organizational info on tape from the limited members he still had contact with. Technically a CI, but with the intention of adding corroboration to testimony rather than an attempt at ongoing or indefinite cooperation. Massino's recordings were more involved but along the same lines.
I'm a fan of Pennisi's show, but I am critical of how he frames his cooperation, refuses to consider himself a "rat", etc. I don't expect him to use that specific word, but he downplays and puts a spin on his cooperation. It's rare for a CW to take full responsibility for why they flipped, though. Even Joe Valachi took little responsibility for his cooperation and it looks like he had been an FBN CI before he killed that inmate and officially "flipped", not too different from Pennisi minus the murder. Nick Caramandi is always my example of the opposite: he'll call himself a rat with a grin on his face.
Pennisi doesn't look too bad next to Gravano, who has pushed the "No, Gotti flipped on me" line and tells people to this day he is "real Cosa Nostra."
Pennisi’s insight is valuable because he is, for all intents and purposes, a normal guy with a relatively anchored moral compass. Despite his past, he seems like a good guy. So what he says can be taken with value. He is somewhat awkward, and I suspect naturally an introvert. His stock answer to a lot of things is a simple ‘correct.’
Gravano on the other hand is extremely mentally unhinged with a narcissistic complex that allows himself to anchor his moral compass wherever he sees fit and justifiable. Which means his insight, however lofty, cannot be taken without prejudice. Although it does of course give you first hand insight into the mind of a sociopathic criminal.
Gravano isn’t too far from Casso in his psychology, the only difference between the two is Casso doesn’t have a filter, like a child. Gravano has the sociopath’s mind but with a calculating filter. Almost everything Gravano says, he puts himself as the centre of the universe and all other matter revolves around him. To the nth degree. You certainly wouldn’t leave a spare key with him would you.
mafiastudent wrote: ↑Wed Apr 21, 2021 10:08 am
Has Pennisi ever discussed him recording calls and being what appears to be an active CI after he walked into the FBI offices in October 2018? His narrative has been that he made that choice because he was afraid for his life, but if that was truly the case then why would he continue to contact the very people he thought were trying to kill him?
Granted, none of those recorded calls have been used at any of the three trials he's testified at but I just found that curious and was just wondering if he's ever mentioned that or expounded on it during his therapeutic podcast sessions (his words not mine...he told Gary Jenkins the blog was a kind of therapy and his podcast is an extension of that in all truthfulness....)
He is very open to questions, why not ask him?
Eh I doubt that he would be very open to a question like that. If you notice on his blog the only comments allowed are ones kissing his ass - he's admitted on the podcast before that he has someone screen them. With that in mind I highly doubt he would respond to questions about subjects that he thinks make him look bad to his new found audience, like recording calls for the FBI or smashing his girlfriends teeth out etc.
One other thing I wanted to toss out there regarding this is Pennisi claims that after his name wasn't found in discovery - they realized they made a mistake accusing him of being a "rat."
But, and please correct me if I'm wrong, names of CI's aren't usually listed in discovery - only as CI-1 or CI-2, etc. Their actual names aren't revealed until right before trial if they're going to be testifying. In Pennisi's case, he didn't sign his cooperation agreement until May 2019 which was one week before he testified in Castelle's trial...so his name wouldn't have been revealed until that time, right?
