Colombo Administration Changes 1980-1993

[chin_gigante]

Charting the changes in the Colombo administration and related events from the time Persico became Boss to the end of the war.

May 1, 1980:
Consigliere Alphonse Persico is convicted on federal loan sharking charges

Jun 23, 1980:
Persico goes on the lam to avoid sentencing

Nov 5, 1980:
Gregory Scarpa, Sr. advises the FBI that Thomas DiBella has stepped down as Boss of the Family in favour of Underboss Carmine Persico
The Commission approved the decision
Scarpa also advises that Captain Gennaro Langella has been promoted to Acting Consigliere

Nov 7, 1980:
Carmine Persico is indicted on federal bribery conspiracy charges

Jan 7, 1981:
Scarpa advises that Langella has been appointed the official Underboss

May 6, 1981:
Federal agents searching for the fugitive Alphonse Persico find Carmine Persico violating his parole by meeting with other Family leaders

May 15, 1981:
Persico surrenders to face parole violation charges and is remanded in federal custody
Langella becomes Acting Boss and runs the Family with help from Captain Dominic Montemarano and advice from DiBella

Aug 11, 1981:
Persico pleads guilty in the bribery case

Nov 9, 1981:
Persico is sentenced to five years in prison in the bribery case

Jun 1984:
Persico is released from custody

Sep 10, 1984:
Langella becomes a fugitive to avoid charges of perjury and obstruction of justice

Oct 24, 1984:
Carmine Persico, Langella, Montemarano, DiBella, Anthony Scarpati, and others are indicted in the Starquest racketeering case
Langella and Scarpati are later granted bail
DiBella was later severed from the case on grounds of poor health
Persico and Montemarano become fugitives to avoid arraignment

Jan 29, 1985:
Langella is convicted of perjury and obstruction

Feb 15, 1985:
Persico and Montemarano are arrested and remanded without bail
Montemarano is later severed on health grounds and tried separately

Feb 26, 1985:
Langella is indicted in the Commission case

Mar 14, 1985:
Langella is sentenced to 10 years in the perjury case

Jun 25, 1985:
Persico is added as a defendant in the Commission case

Feb 5, 1986:
Scarpa advises that Scarpati has assumed the position of “Street Boss” and is passing instructions from Persico
Captains Vincent Angellino and Joseph Tomasello are carrying out these instructions on the street

Jun 13, 1986:
Persico, Langella, Scarpati and others are convicted in the Starquest case
Angellino, Tomasello, and Captain Benedetto Aloi start running the Family

Aug 8, 1986:
Angellino and Tomasello are indicted on charges of purchasing stolen goods
Subsequent reporting identifies Angellino as the Acting Boss and Tomasello as the Underboss

Nov 18, 1986:
The defendants in the Starquest case are sentenced
Persico receives 39 years, Langella receives 65 years, and Scarpati receives 35 years

Nov 19, 1986:
Persico and Langella are convicted in the Commission case

Jan 13, 1987:
Persico and Langella are both sentenced to 100 years in prison in the Commission case

Feb 19, 1987:
Angellino and Tomasello are sentenced to a year in prison, having been convicted three months prior

Jul 17, 1987:
Montemarano is convicted in the Starquest case and remanded in custody
Montemarano is later sentenced to 18 years in prison

Jul 17, 1987:
Scarpa advises that Tomasello is still a Captain but is no longer running the Family
Angellino is Acting Boss, but when he goes to prison the Family will be run by Aloi and Captains Victor Orena and Joseph Russo

Nov 9, 1987:
Consigliere Alphonse Persico is arrested and held without bail

Dec 17, 1987:
Alphonse Persico is sentenced to 25 years in prison on his loan sharking conviction

Apr 1988:
The NYPD Intelligence Division submits evidence to the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigation listing Aloi, Orena, and Russo as a triumvirate of “Street Bosses” running the Family on behalf of the incarcerated leaders
Russo is identified as Acting Captain for his father

Apr 3, 1988:
Scarpa advises that Orena has been made “official Acting Boss”, Aloi has been made Underboss, and Angellino Consigliere

May 5, 1988:
Angellino is released from prison, having served about 10 months

Jun 13, 1988:
Thomas DiBella dies of natural causes

Jul 5, 1988:
Scarpa advises that Aloi is Acting Underboss, and Angellino is Acting Consigliere

Nov 18, 1988:
Angellino goes missing

Nov 29, 1988:
Scarpa advises that Angellino was murdered on orders of Carmine Persico, and that Orena and Aloi were well aware of it
Scarpa advises that the Acting designations in the administration are a formality in view of the incarceration of the Persicos and Langella

Dec 21, 1988:
Scarpa advises that Aloi has been moved to the Consigliere position and William Cutolo has been promoted to Underboss

May 10, 1989:
Scarpa advises that Angellino was killed for refusing to step down from the Consigliere position in favour of Aloi

Sep 13, 1989:
Alphonse Persico dies in prison

May 30, 1990:
Aloi is indicted in the Windows case

Jun 12, 1990:
Scarpa advises that Carmine Sessa has been made official Consigliere and Aloi has been shifted to the Underboss position
Persico does not want Aloi to be another incarcerated Consigliere and has come to trust Sessa
Cutolo has been demoted due to Persico’s fears of his growing influence
Persico wants to maintain control of the Family until his son Alphonse is released from prison and can assume a leadership position

Jun 25, 1990:
Aloi is released on house arrest

1990:
Orena appoints Captain Pasquale Amato to the Acting Underboss position for about six months

Feb 12, 1991:
Scarpa advises that Joseph Scopo is the Acting Underboss

Jun 20, 1991:
Orena spots Sessa and others looking to kill him outside his home in Long Island

Jul 8, 1991:
Scarpa advises that the Family has split into two factions
Vincent Aloi is conducting much of the Family business for Orena, who is maintaining a low profile, and may be Acting Consigliere

Aug 13, 1991:
Scarpa advises that Orena is trying to assume full control of the Family by having Persico relieved of his position as Boss
Scopo is Orena’s Acting Underboss, and Vincent Aloi is Acting Consigliere

Aug 20, 1991:
Scarpa advises that Persico has sent word to remove Orena as Acting Boss and replace him with Sessa
Vincent Aloi will be offered the Underboss position, but Scarpa believes he will not take it

Oct 18, 1991:
Benedetto Aloi is convicted in the Windows case

Dec 11, 1991:
Scarpa advises that Sessa, Joseph Tomasello, and Joseph Russo are speaking for the Persico faction

Dec 30, 1991:
Scarpa advises that a meeting of the Persico faction is supposed to happen by the end of the week to appoint an Acting Boss
Theodore Persico, Sr. will relay the decision to his brother in prison

Jan 14, 1992:
Scarpa advises that the Persico faction wants to make Tomasello the Acting Boss and Sessa the Underboss
The Consigliere will be named by Tomasello
This proposal will be sent to Persico as a courtesy, but they are not interested if he agrees or not

Jan 22, 1992:
At a meeting of the Persico faction, it is announced that Persico has named Tomasello as Acting Boss and Russo as Acting Underboss

Apr 1, 1992:
Orena and Pasquale Amato are indicted on murder and murder conspiracy charges
They are later ordered detained without bail

Jul 8, 1992:
Orena, Amato, and Sessa are charged in a superseding racketeering indictment
Sessa becomes a fugitive

Aug 16, 1992:
Scarpa advises that Scopo is speaking on behalf of the Orena faction
Scarpa believes Vincent Aloi is counselling Scopo
Orena has been effectively bypassed in any attempts to give orders because most members of the Family believe he will be convicted

Dec 21, 1992:
Orena is convicted at trial

Jan 25, 1993:
Amato is convicted at trial

Mar 26, 1993:
Benedetto Aloi is sentenced to 16 years in prison

Apr 4, 1993:
Sessa is arrested and agrees to cooperate within 10 minutes

Apr 8, 1993:
Russo and others are arrested on murder conspiracy charges
Russo is held without bail

May 14, 1993:
Tomasello, Russo, and others including Alphonse Persico are charged in a racketeering indictment
Persico was due to be released at the end of the month
Tomasello becomes a fugitive

May 24, 1993:
Orena and Amato are sentenced to life in prison

Oct 20, 1993:
Scopo is shot to death outside his home in Queens

[chin_gigante]

Charting the changes:

Jan – Jun 1980

Boss: Thomas DiBella
Underboss: Carmine Persico
Consigliere: Alphonse Persico

Jun – Nov 1980

Boss: Thomas DiBella
Underboss: Carmine Persico
Consigliere: Alphonse Persico (fugitive)

Nov 1980 – Jan 1981

Boss: Carmine Persico
Underboss: (vacant)
Consigliere: Alphonse Persico (fugitive)
Acting Consigliere: Gennaro Langella

Jan – May 1981

Boss: Carmine Persico
Underboss: Gennaro Langella
Consigliere: Alphonse Persico (fugitive)

May 1981 – Jun 1984

Boss: Carmine Persico (incarcerated)
Acting Boss/ Underboss: Gennaro Langella
Consigliere: Alphonse Persico (fugitive)
Captain: Dominic Montemarano (helping run the Family)
Soldier: Thomas DiBella (helping run the Family)

Jun 1984 – Oct 1984

Boss: Carmine Persico
Underboss: Gennaro Langella
Consigliere: Alphonse Persico (fugitive)

Oct 1984 – Feb 1985

Boss: Carmine Persico (fugitive)
Underboss: Gennaro Langella
Consigliere: Alphonse Persico (fugitive)

Feb 1985 – Feb 1986

Boss: Carmine Persico (incarcerated)
Underboss: Gennaro Langella (incarcerated)
Consigliere: Alphonse Persico (fugitive)

Feb – Jun 1986

Boss: Carmine Persico (incarcerated)
Underboss: Gennaro Langella (incarcerated)
Consigliere: Alphonse Persico (fugitive)
Street Boss/ Captain: Anthony Scarpati
Captain: Vincent Angellino (helping run the Family)
Captain: Joseph Tomasello (helping run the Family)

Jun 1986 – Jul 1987

Boss: Carmine Persico (incarcerated)
Underboss: Gennaro Langella (incarcerated)
Consigliere: Alphonse Persico (fugitive)
Acting Boss/ Captain: Vincent Angellino
Captain: Benedetto Aloi
Captain: Joseph Tomasello

Jul 1987 – Nov 1987

Boss: Carmine Persico (incarcerated)
Underboss: Gennaro Langella (incarcerated)
Consigliere: Alphonse Persico (fugitive)
Panel/ Captain: Benedetto Aloi
Panel/ Captain: Victor Orena
Panel/ Acting Captain: Joseph Russo

Nov 1987 – Apr 1988

Boss: Carmine Persico (incarcerated)
Underboss: Gennaro Langella (incarcerated)
Consigliere: Alphonse Persico (incarcerated)
Panel/ Captain: Benedetto Aloi
Panel/ Captain: Victor Orena
Panel/ Acting Captain: Joseph Russo

Apr – Nov 1988

Boss: Carmine Persico (incarcerated)
Underboss: Gennaro Langella (incarcerated)
Consigliere: Alphonse Persico (incarcerated)
Acting Boss: Victor Orena
Acting Underboss: Benedetto Aloi
Acting Consigliere: Vincent Angellino

Dec 1988 – Sep 1989

Boss: Carmine Persico (incarcerated)
Underboss: Gennaro Langella (incarcerated)
Consigliere: Alphonse Persico (incarcerated)
Acting Boss: Victor Orena
Acting Underboss: William Cutolo
Acting Consigliere: Benedetto Aloi

Sep 1989 – May 1990

Boss: Carmine Persico (incarcerated)
Underboss: Gennaro Langella (incarcerated)
Consigliere: (vacant)
Acting Boss: Victor Orena
Acting Underboss: William Cutolo
Acting Consigliere: Benedetto Aloi

May – Jun 1990

Boss: Carmine Persico (incarcerated)
Underboss: Gennaro Langella (incarcerated)
Consigliere: (vacant)
Acting Boss: Victor Orena
Acting Underboss: William Cutolo
Acting Consigliere: Benedetto Aloi (incarcerated)

Jun 1990

Boss: Carmine Persico (incarcerated)
Underboss: Gennaro Langella (incarcerated)
Consigliere: Carmine Sessa
Acting Boss: Victor Orena
Acting Underboss: Benedetto Aloi

1990

Boss: Carmine Persico (incarcerated)
Underboss: Gennaro Langella (incarcerated)
Consigliere: Carmine Sessa
Acting Boss: Victor Orena
Acting Underboss/ Captain: Pasquale Amato

Feb – Jul 1991

Boss: Carmine Persico (incarcerated)
Underboss: Gennaro Langella (incarcerated)
Consigliere: Carmine Sessa
Acting Boss: Victor Orena
Acting Underboss: Joseph Scopo

Jul – Dec 1991

Persico Faction:

Boss: Carmine Persico (incarcerated)
Underboss: Gennaro Langella (incarcerated)
Consigliere: Carmine Sessa

Orena Faction:

Acting Boss: Victor Orena
Acting Underboss: Joseph Scopo
Acting Consigliere: Vincent Aloi

Dec 1991 – Jan 1992

Persico Faction:

Boss: Carmine Persico (incarcerated)
Underboss: Gennaro Langella (incarcerated)
Consigliere: Carmine Sessa
Captain: Joseph Russo (speaking for the faction)
Soldier: Joseph Tomasello (speaking for the faction)

Orena Faction:

Acting Boss: Victor Orena
Acting Underboss: Joseph Scopo
Acting Consigliere: Vincent Aloi

Jan – Apr 1992

Persico Faction:

Boss: Carmine Persico (incarcerated)
Underboss: Gennaro Langella (incarcerated)
Consigliere: Carmine Sessa
Acting Boss: Joseph Tomasello
Acting Underboss: Joseph Russo

Orena Faction:

Acting Boss: Victor Orena
Acting Underboss: Joseph Scopo
Acting Consigliere: Vincent Aloi

Apr – Jul 1992

Persico Faction:

Boss: Carmine Persico (incarcerated)
Underboss: Gennaro Langella (incarcerated)
Consigliere: Carmine Sessa
Acting Boss: Joseph Tomasello
Acting Underboss: Joseph Russo

Orena Faction:

Acting Boss: Victor Orena (incarcerated)
Acting Underboss: Joseph Scopo
Acting Consigliere: Vincent Aloi

Jul 1992 – Apr 1993

Persico Faction:

Boss: Carmine Persico (incarcerated)
Underboss: Gennaro Langella (incarcerated)
Consigliere: Carmine Sessa (fugitive)
Acting Boss: Joseph Tomasello
Acting Underboss: Joseph Russo

Orena Faction:

Acting Boss: Victor Orena (incarcerated)
Acting Underboss: Joseph Scopo
Acting Consigliere: Vincent Aloi

Apr – May 1993

Persico Faction:

Boss: Carmine Persico (incarcerated)
Underboss: Gennaro Langella (incarcerated)
Consigliere: (vacant)
Acting Boss: Joseph Tomasello
Acting Underboss: Joseph Russo (incarcerated)

Orena Faction:

Acting Boss: Victor Orena (incarcerated)
Acting Underboss: Joseph Scopo
Acting Consigliere: Vincent Aloi

May – Oct 1993

Persico Faction:

Boss: Carmine Persico (incarcerated)
Underboss: Gennaro Langella (incarcerated)
Consigliere: (vacant)
Acting Boss: Joseph Tomasello (fugitive)
Acting Underboss: Joseph Russo (incarcerated)

Orena Faction:

Acting Boss: Victor Orena (incarcerated)
Acting Underboss: Joseph Scopo
Acting Consigliere: Vincent Aloi

[TSNYC]

That’s interesting. I hadn’t realized that cutolo was underboss for that period in the late 80s.

[aleksandrored]

This is amazing, thanks!

[Shellackhead]

Amazing work, anyone has a link to this Starquest case?

[Shellackhead]

crazy at the amount of years Alphonse Persico got for loansharking, the Government was really hammering down these wiseguys.

[johnny_scootch]

Great job Chin.

[B.]

Great breakdown.

A detail often overlooked after the war is that Allie Persico was promoted back to capodecina after his release from prison with Bill Cutolo, Jackie DeRoss, and others as soldiers in his crew as part of a peace arrangement.

In 1998 Allie Persico went around campaigning for the other four Families to recognize his father as official boss again. Peter Gotti balked but Michael DiLeonardo pushed him to recognize Carmine, which he eventually did.

When the other Families confirmed their recognition of Carmine Persico, Allie Persico became acting boss and Bill Cutolo became acting underboss.

1994-1998 things seem to be in disarray. You had Andy Russo, Tommy Gioeli, Joel Cacace, and Allie Persico helping run things but 1998 seems to be when they really started trying to put things back together with the support of the other Families.

[chin_gigante]

I'm curious about that period from 1985 to 1986 when the entire administration is indisposed (C Persico and Langella in prison, A Persico on the lam). Couldn't find solid information on who was running things on the street. There's a bit of a jump in the Scarpa files on the FBI Vault from 1983 to 1985. In his book on the Colombo Family, Andy Petepiece identifies Andrew Russo as the Acting Boss from 1984 to 1985, however Petepiece makes quite a lot of mistakes and I don't know what his source is for that specific piece of information. When Capeci reported that Russo had taken the reins after the death of Persico (then believing him to be the Acting Boss), he stated it was Russo's third or possibly fourth time in the role. If it was third, then that would include the mid-90s, 2010-2011, and then again after Persico. But if it was four then that leaves the possibility of a stint in the 1980s. But then again, I don't know what Capeci was referring to specifically or if he was just looking at Petepiece's work.

I'm also curious about how long Langella retained the official Underboss position while incarcerated. John Franzese was being introduced as the official Underboss around 2004 IIRC so was it then? Maybe gohn has some insight on this.

On another note, it is quite strange just how many admin members went on the lam over the course of the decade and a bit.

[B.]

Mike Franzese has said Andy Russo was acting boss for Tom DiBella in the late 1970s so that may be what Capeci referred to.

[Pogo The Clown]

I'm also curious about how long Langella retained the official Underboss position while incarcerated. John Franzese was being introduced as the official Underboss around 2004 IIRC so was it then? Maybe gohn has some insight on this.

Didn't Cutolo and DeRoss hold the Official position inbetween Langella and Franzese or were they just Acting?


Pogo

[Pmac2]

so vic orena goes into jail 4/92 and joe scope is murderd 10/13. so im assumming scopo was running the show or him and wild bill for those 18months

[motorfab]

Great work chin

[chin_gigante]

In his book on the Colombo Family, Andy Petepiece identifies Andrew Russo as the Acting Boss from 1984 to 1985.

Looked into this a little more and consulted my copy of Blood Covenant. Franzese states that Andrew Russo was Acting Boss at the time of the infamous sit down when he and his father were interrogated about the gas business and he thought he'd be killed. The event happened towards the end of Franzese's loan sharking trial which ended in April 1985. He specifically states, "I expected Acting Boss Andrew Russo (Persico was in jail) and the entire family hierarchy to be sitting around a table."

So it seems this is accurate and Russo did indeed serve as Acting Boss starting probably in late 1984 (when Persico went on the lam) or early 1985 (when Persico was arrested). Langella was out on bail until February 1985, so perhaps he was still running things despite being under indictment.

[chin_gigante]

I'm also curious about how long Langella retained the official Underboss position while incarcerated. John Franzese was being introduced as the official Underboss around 2004 IIRC so was it then? Maybe gohn has some insight on this.

Didn't Cutolo and DeRoss hold the Official position inbetween Langella and Franzese or were they just Acting?


Pogo

Campanella testified that Cutolo was Acting Underboss at the time of his murder