The Real Thing - Joseph Valachi

[Pogo The Clown]

Great stuff guys. Eboli and DeQaurto as the main killers makes sense since they were both in his crew. That is usually how these hits go down.


Pogo

[Ed]

I'm not discounting Konigsberg's version, but this secret recording involving Gyp DeCarlo and Russo states Russo killed Bender or was part of the conspiracy.

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... 20giancana

[Antiliar]

Konigsberg was known to embellish the truth.

[Eld]

I'm not discounting Konigsberg's version, but this secret recording involving Gyp DeCarlo and Russo states Russo killed Bender or was part of the conspiracy.

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... 20giancana

Good find, considering that it was an important hit it was probably more than three guys involved. Russo might very well have been part of it, he was close to Genovese for one thing. Too bad that the part about Bender is fragmented and that the transcript as it's described as partly inaudible or we might have known more about Russo's involvment. Seems like some pieces are missing.

[davidf1989]

Was Bender killed by Genovese because Vito thought he was part of a conspiracy along with Luciano, Gambino and Costello to set him up on drug charges?

[davidf1989]

I'm not discounting Konigsberg's version, but this secret recording involving Gyp DeCarlo and Russo states Russo killed Bender or was part of the conspiracy.

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... 20giancana

Was Konisberg an informant or something?

[Antiliar]

According to one version, Strollo had been lying about Frank Costello to Vito Genovese. Kind of a divide and conquer thing. Then when Vito and Frank were in prison together they talked and compared notes and realized what Strollo had been doing. Then Vito ordered his death.

Yes, Konigsberg was a CI.

[davidf1989]

According to one version, Strollo had been lying about Frank Costello to Vito Genovese. Kind of a divide and conquer thing. Then when Vito and Frank were in prison together they talked and compared notes and realized what Strollo had been doing. Then Vito ordered his death.

Yes, Konigsberg was a CI.

Thanks for your message and I guess that Strollo had been a very treacherous man in his day.

So was Konisberg an associate of the Genovese family and a FBI top echelon informant at the same time?

[B.]

Another angle that contributed to Bender's murder was his close friendship with Augie Carfano.

Scootch is right about Valachi getting made during the war and not knowing the positions already existed. No question the ranks were in place around the country and they go back to 1800s Sicily. "Capo di decina" was ID'd as a rank in 1870s Palermo and 1880s Agrigento.

[axx]

Was Bender killed by Genovese because Vito thought he was part of a conspiracy along with Luciano, Gambino and Costello to set him up on drug charges?

Could be given the fact Bender's disappearance (april 1962) practically coincides with Valachi's death threats. Part of plan to get rid of all suspects who (possibly) put him (Vito) in prison. Whatever he learned in prison beginning of 1962 led to all that. When did Costello and Vito meet in prison? It's been a while since I read Valachi's book, I'm not sure that is even mentioned there.

[Ed]

According to one version, Strollo had been lying about Frank Costello to Vito Genovese. Kind of a divide and conquer thing. Then when Vito and Frank were in prison together they talked and compared notes and realized what Strollo had been doing. Then Vito ordered his death.

Yes, Konigsberg was a CI.

Thanks for your message and I guess that Strollo had been a very treacherous man in his day.

So was Konisberg an associate of the Genovese family and a FBI top echelon informant at the same time?

Konigsberg was associated with the Bonannos and Genovese families. As I recall, Konigsberg was arrested and then flipped, but I could be wrong about that. Maybe he supplied Intel secretly for a while beforehand. You can find answers by searching his name at maryferrell.org. As Rick said, he had a lot to say, but you have to read him with caution.

[davidf1989]

Thanks Pogo and how many hits was Bender and Valachi involved with?

Don't know about Strollo. Valachi was involved in a few. Going from memory at least 4 or 5. He talks about them in his book. Plus he killed that guy in prison because he thought he was a hitter out to kill him.


Pogo

Here is an article about one of Valachi's hits commissioned by Vito Genovese through Strollo.

https://gangstersinc.org/profiles/blogs ... e-life-and

[Pogo The Clown]

He was also part of the hit team that killed Al Mineo and Stefano Ferrigno. He also took part in the attempted murder of Paul Gambino.


Pogo