Vic Amuso is not as bad as he is portrayed to be

[Extortion]

Casso was extremely influential and in many respects could be said was the final call in the family as Vic authorized anything Casso wanted done, after they were both on the run in separate locations Vic eventually gets picked up by the feds (all intents are that Casso dropped a dime to the FBI) and Casso kept running the show thru Little Al until Amuso spent some time after being picked up, reflected on everything that happened and how things transpired, all the murders put forward by Casso so then Amuso sends a directive to the family that Casso is persona non grata and to ignore him. casso even had a planned hit on Amuso's brother, Bobby, thru Frank Lastorino (reason why Frank is shelved today according to Pennisi) and others back then, Casso had no qualms about anything.

Casso definitely had Vic’s ear but I don’t think what he said was the final call because whenever he wanted someone dead, he had to ask for Vic’s permission because he’s the boss.After Amuso’s arrest which was due to a tip of from Casso, a ruling panel was put in place during this time which Al D’Arco was apart of but he also was demoted from the Acting Boss position before this.Amuso doesn’t like Lastorino because of what happened, Pennisi says that Vic blames him for what happened when referring to the plot.Casso was just selfish, extremely selfish.He only cared about himself and in 1994, he proved that when he decided to become a rat but only because he just didn’t want to do the time…He should have took that 22 year plea deal

Pennisi himself put out videos that say Vic was basically highly influenced by Amuso while they were out on the street, guys in the family would even comment on Vic being led along the way ordering hits etc,what hits did Amuso nix that Casso wanted done? IIRC none, Casso even whacked the guy who tried to kill him and also summoned two guys from the Gambino family to witness Hydell all tied up and fess up to the hit attempt, Casso didnt ok any of this by Vic. it was ordered and done by Gaspipe. Casso was basically pulling the strings all along put by Amuso being up front he got some cover for himself, smart. D'Arco mentions in one of the documentaries that Vic was always unsure of himself, seemed like self-esteem issues allowed Casso to pull the strings. I am not taking away anything from Vic, he was definitely capable in his own right but its obvious who held the most sway in that family during that time.

Didn’t Casso get shot by Jimmy Hydell and the others in September of 1986? I think it was around that time, I don’t think Vic was the boss during that month but about 2 months later he became the boss.After Casso was shot, the first person he called was Vic.I don’t think that Casso held the most sway because Vic put Casso on the shelf and that stripped him completely of his rank.Casso couldn’t do anything about it once Vic put him on the shelf

Look at informant testimony, indictments, etc and it is quite clear that Casso held the most sway in the family while he was there with Vic. Casso had Patty Testa who was close to Vic killed by Lastorino, also there was a plan to murder Amuso's brother Bobby. All of this involving Lastorino, which has led to him being on the shelf today as Pennisi discussed.

A rift developed like how Paul Castellano and Dellacroce had a rift develop with two factions? Funny, that does sort of seem to make sense now that you mention it. So you think there was a faction loyal to Casso and one loyal to Vic?

[Dapper_Don]

Not a straight up rift with two factions but more of a fear/acknowledgement so to speak from the guys on the from the street of who was the real force.

[Mikeymike12]

In some ways I’m suprised on how much clout Amuso has on the street also after all that he and Casso did. And all the things he ok’d Casso to do. You would think in some ways the guys on the street in the last 25 plus years would have some anger towards a few things to say the less

[Little_Al1991]

Can someone re-clarify for me exactly why Amuso shelved Casso following his own arrest? Was it solely that he suspected Casso of giving him up?

He tipped of the FBI to Amuso’s whereabouts but he also plotted to kill his brother Robert “Bobby” Amuso and he killed Patty Testa who Amuso was very close with.Lastorino also was apart of this in some way, Amuso has also shelved Lastorino because of what happened.

[jmack]

Casso was extremely influential and in many respects could be said was the final call in the family as Vic authorized anything Casso wanted done, after they were both on the run in separate locations Vic eventually gets picked up by the feds (all intents are that Casso dropped a dime to the FBI) and Casso kept running the show thru Little Al until Amuso spent some time after being picked up, reflected on everything that happened and how things transpired, all the murders put forward by Casso so then Amuso sends a directive to the family that Casso is persona non grata and to ignore him. casso even had a planned hit on Amuso's brother, Bobby, thru Frank Lastorino (reason why Frank is shelved today according to Pennisi) and others back then, Casso had no qualms about anything.

I think it’s a moot point here, but I disagree slightly. If Casso had the final say, why drop a dime on Vic? It would be better to keep him on the lam as well so the feds are looking for the “boss”. With Vic locked up Casso became the top target. Casso held sway but Vic had the final say. That’s how I see it anyway.

[dave]

Pennisi himself put out videos that say Vic was basically highly influenced by Amuso while they were out on the street, guys in the family would even comment on Vic being led along the way ordering hits etc,what hits did Amuso nix that Casso wanted done? IIRC none, Casso even whacked the guy who tried to kill him and also summoned two guys from the Gambino family to witness Hydell all tied up and fess up to the hit attempt, Casso didnt ok any of this by Vic. it was ordered and done by Gaspipe. Casso was basically pulling the strings all along put by Amuso being up front he got some cover for himself, smart. D'Arco mentions in one of the documentaries that Vic was always unsure of himself, seemed like self-esteem issues allowed Casso to pull the strings. I am not taking away anything from Vic, he was definitely capable in his own right but its obvious who held the most sway in that family during that time.

Tommy Ricciardi also said in that Manhattan Mob Rampage documentary that Vic was a "shy guy", and that Casso was more of a "take the reins kind of guy" and was " a big influence on Vic". So you have two guys from different factions saying the same thing there.

[Little_Al1991]

A rift developed like how Paul Castellano and Dellacroce had a rift develop with two factions? Funny, that does sort of seem to make sense now that you mention it. So you think there was a faction loyal to Casso and one loyal to Vic?
[/quote]

Not at all.There wasn’t a rift between them because they were all loyal to the both of them but guys like George Zappola, Frank Lastorino,Peter Chiodo and Anthony “Bowat” Baratta were a little closer to Casso because it’s possible that with all of the guys that I mentioned, he had more history with them and also as Underboss he was out more on the streets most likely.
At the end of the day, all of those guys were still loyal to Vic and currently today, Zappola and Baratta are Vic Amuso loyalists.

[Dapper_Don]

Casso was extremely influential and in many respects could be said was the final call in the family as Vic authorized anything Casso wanted done, after they were both on the run in separate locations Vic eventually gets picked up by the feds (all intents are that Casso dropped a dime to the FBI) and Casso kept running the show thru Little Al until Amuso spent some time after being picked up, reflected on everything that happened and how things transpired, all the murders put forward by Casso so then Amuso sends a directive to the family that Casso is persona non grata and to ignore him. casso even had a planned hit on Amuso's brother, Bobby, thru Frank Lastorino (reason why Frank is shelved today according to Pennisi) and others back then, Casso had no qualms about anything.

I think it’s a moot point here, but I disagree slightly. If Casso had the final say, why drop a dime on Vic? It would be better to keep him on the lam as well so the feds are looking for the “boss”. With Vic locked up Casso became the top target. Casso held sway but Vic had the final say. That’s how I see it anyway.

Yeah its a moot point. Feds were looking for both of them equally probably even more at Casso at that point since they knew his ruthless reputation. Instead of having the family being run afar by Amuso and Casso and Casso theoretically have to get the ok from Vic to send orders to D'Arco - its easier to have Amuso taken out of the picture (give FBI his whereabouts) and now Casso can just order with impunity/not having to get the ok since Vic is in the can and Casso is on the run. This avoids giving mixed signals to the guys on the street,etc. By the time Amuso put things together months later in his head that it was Casso that told the feds his location, Casso had been dishing out orders/hits.

[Dapper_Don]

Pennisi himself put out videos that say Vic was basically highly influenced by Amuso while they were out on the street, guys in the family would even comment on Vic being led along the way ordering hits etc,what hits did Amuso nix that Casso wanted done? IIRC none, Casso even whacked the guy who tried to kill him and also summoned two guys from the Gambino family to witness Hydell all tied up and fess up to the hit attempt, Casso didnt ok any of this by Vic. it was ordered and done by Gaspipe. Casso was basically pulling the strings all along put by Amuso being up front he got some cover for himself, smart. D'Arco mentions in one of the documentaries that Vic was always unsure of himself, seemed like self-esteem issues allowed Casso to pull the strings. I am not taking away anything from Vic, he was definitely capable in his own right but its obvious who held the most sway in that family during that time.

Tommy Ricciardi also said in that Manhattan Mob Rampage documentary that Vic was a "shy guy", and that Casso was more of a "take the reins kind of guy" and was " a big influence on Vic". So you have two guys from different factions saying the same thing there.

That was a good documentary - Tommy Ricciardi and Al D'Arco both in it.

[Shellackhead]

Pennisi himself put out videos that say Vic was basically highly influenced by Amuso while they were out on the street, guys in the family would even comment on Vic being led along the way ordering hits etc,what hits did Amuso nix that Casso wanted done? IIRC none, Casso even whacked the guy who tried to kill him and also summoned two guys from the Gambino family to witness Hydell all tied up and fess up to the hit attempt, Casso didnt ok any of this by Vic. it was ordered and done by Gaspipe. Casso was basically pulling the strings all along put by Amuso being up front he got some cover for himself, smart. D'Arco mentions in one of the documentaries that Vic was always unsure of himself, seemed like self-esteem issues allowed Casso to pull the strings. I am not taking away anything from Vic, he was definitely capable in his own right but its obvious who held the most sway in that family during that time.

Tommy Ricciardi also said in that Manhattan Mob Rampage documentary that Vic was a "shy guy", and that Casso was more of a "take the reins kind of guy" and was " a big influence on Vic". So you have two guys from different factions saying the same thing there.

That was a good documentary - Tommy Ricciardi and Al D'Arco both in it.

Link?

[Little_Al1991]

Pennisi himself put out videos that say Vic was basically highly influenced by Amuso while they were out on the street, guys in the family would even comment on Vic being led along the way ordering hits etc,what hits did Amuso nix that Casso wanted done? IIRC none, Casso even whacked the guy who tried to kill him and also summoned two guys from the Gambino family to witness Hydell all tied up and fess up to the hit attempt, Casso didnt ok any of this by Vic. it was ordered and done by Gaspipe. Casso was basically pulling the strings all along put by Amuso being up front he got some cover for himself, smart. D'Arco mentions in one of the documentaries that Vic was always unsure of himself, seemed like self-esteem issues allowed Casso to pull the strings. I am not taking away anything from Vic, he was definitely capable in his own right but its obvious who held the most sway in that family during that time.

Tommy Ricciardi also said in that Manhattan Mob Rampage documentary that Vic was a "shy guy", and that Casso was more of a "take the reins kind of guy" and was " a big influence on Vic". So you have two guys from different factions saying the same thing there.

That was a good documentary - Tommy Ricciardi and Al D'Arco both in it.

Link?

The documentary is available on YouTube.A movie needs to be made about Vic and Gas.Manhattan Mob Rampage is one of the greatest mob documentaries ever.I really enjoyed it

[Shellackhead]

Oh I’ve seen mob rampage but I don’t remember Al D’Arco being there

[Dapper_Don]

here you go

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1ag0he

[dave]

here you go

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1ag0he

Here's the one on YouTube as well:

https://youtu.be/VWzoXOtxXuc

I wonder if Ricciardi is willing to do more interviews.

[Shellackhead]

Is that info correct, Amuso & Gaspipe were the highest earners in the family at the time?