Alan "Grecco" Wolshonak

[B.]

This NJ Genovese guy is often given the alias Wolshonak but it turns out that's his true name. His father was Samuel Wolshonak and mother was named Grecco. An old newspaper article claimed Alan changed his name to his mother's maiden name to seem more Italian. A brother, Derek Wolshonak, was apparently a choreographer who died of AIDS in the early 1990s.

Was this well-known? It means the Genovese inducted a member who was only Italian on his mother's side.

[Johnny1and1]

“It means the Genovese inducted a member who was only Italian on his mother's side.”

Why does anyone think this is unusual? To me that’s always been a moving target.

[Wiseguy]

Members only Italian on their mother's side is a very rare thing. Even those only Italian on their father's side are a small minority in the overall picture.

[Doug]

I believe picasso...for what it's worth, said he was Louis Gatto's son in law. It was due to his clout, that Al got inducted.

[Eld]

It's been a long time since i read about the Gatto case but if I remember right Cafaro testified that Alan Grecco was not a made member. Louis Gatto was one of the Genovese captains that reported directly to Fat Tony Salerno so Cafaro was in a good position to know.

[outfit guy]

He functioned as if a Made Member; he was Gatto senior's right-arm. Al did all the heavy work; most all the others indicted on bookmaking charges. All of the murders cite Al as well as others noted but not charged.

[eboli]

This NJ Genovese guy is often given the alias Wolshonak but it turns out that's his true name. His father was Samuel Wolshonak and mother was named Grecco. An old newspaper article claimed Alan changed his name to his mother's maiden name to seem more Italian. A brother, Derek Wolshonak, was apparently a choreographer who died of AIDS in the early 1990s.

Was this well-known? It means the Genovese inducted a member who was only Italian on his mother's side.

Here's an excerpt of what I posted about him some months ago:

On Grecco's rank: in the early 90s, the FBI described him as a reputed soldier/a reputed Genovese member/a principal enforcer/an acting captain. I think they weren't sure if he got made because of his background, but everything about how he carried himself suggested that he was. Otherwise, it was a Chicago-style situation with a non-made guy bossing around made guys.

Gatto treated Grecco as his son, so if he wanted, he could've pushed to get him made on the hush-hush. Maybe that's why Al legally changed his name to Grecco? Grecco wouldn't have been the first non-100% Italian member of the family. George Barone was 1/2 Italian, although he had an Italian father.

As for Al Grecco's background: he had an Italian mother and a non-Italian father. Grecco is his mother's maiden name. His father's name was Samuel Wolshonak, and that's where Al got his nickname. The Italians couldn't pronounce Wolsh, and they said it like Wosh or Wash. The father was born in the Russian Empire.

Alan Grecco

- dob: 12/27/42
- dod: still alive
- bop: 10291050
- alias: Little Al; Al Wosh; Woshonak
- residence: 100 Kipp Ave, Lodi, NJ


- acting caporegime for his father-in-law Louis Gatto throughout the 1980s and early 1990s; Grecco was responsible for the business side, while Gatto handled the heavy stuff (murder, extortion) and Cosa Nostra politics

- Grecco's role was more similar to a co-captain than a typical acting capo because Gatto split the regime's administrative responsibilities in half

- Gatto supervised all Bergen County rackets himself and delegated the rest to Grecco, including the whole Passaic County - the other half of their powerbase

- Grecco was directly in charge of the crew's garbage hauling rackets, union infiltration, and paying bribes to local politicians and law enforcement officials

Grecco legally changed his name for 'business reasons' and was the de facto acting captain for Gatto's crew during the 1980s.

[furiofromnaples]

Members only Italian on their mother's side is a very rare thing. Even those only Italian on their father's side are a small minority in the overall picture.

Apart Charles Potter in Pittsburgh,I don't know another made man italian only in the mother side.
Full blooded italians are rare today.

[Wiseguy]

Members only Italian on their mother's side is a very rare thing. Even those only Italian on their father's side are a small minority in the overall picture.

Apart Charles Potter in Pittsburgh,I don't know another made man italian only in the mother side.
Full blooded italians are rare today.

Possibly Andrew (Knapik) Merola and Vince (Phillips) Filipelli?

[Pogo The Clown]

John Veasey


Pogo

[furiofromnaples]

Members only Italian on their mother's side is a very rare thing. Even those only Italian on their father's side are a small minority in the overall picture.

Apart Charles Potter in Pittsburgh,I don't know another made man italian only in the mother side.
Full blooded italians are rare today.

Possibly Andrew (Knapik) Merola and Vince (Phillips) Filipelli?

https://www.leonardismemorialhome.com/o ... w-KnapikSr

I found an obituary of Andrew Knapik sr were cited a son Andrew Merola but his wife name was Luzzi so where the name Merola come from?

[furiofromnaples]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/ ... da7e512b2/

Vincent Filipelli, a muscle-bound man police say is Stanfa's bodyguard, was born Vincent Phillips, but went to court to Italianize his name, according to a law enforcement official.

[Eld]

Two articles about Cafaro's testimony on Grecco's memberships status.

[richard_belding]

Two articles about Cafaro's testimony on Grecco's memberships status.

When the congressional committee report was made public (early 80's) the FBI (NY & Newark) maintained Grecco was listed as a soldier - according to them- "long before 1983". So that would be both state and federal confirming membership, for what its worth.

[Rocco]

He functioned as if a Made Member; he was Gatto senior's right-arm. Al did all the heavy work; most all the others indicted on bookmaking charges. All of the murders cite Al as well as others noted but not charged.

This is correct. While Al was not a large man. He was extremely violent. He shoved an ice pick thru a guys ear into his brain right out side of the guys home. He was linked to many murders. I believe he got a life sentence or like 80yr or something. He was pretty feared.