Thomas Greco FBI File Summary

[Antiliar]

More on David Petillo:

"In June, 1967...Informant said that PETILLO in his early teens was reputed to be a 'fairy', but that when he was 18 or 19 years old he went to Chicago where he was 'straightened out' by AL CAPONE and was soon made a member of the CAPONE mob there. Informant said during that period he had heard that PETILLO had become a very ruthless and tough individual and had made a number of 'hits' for CAPONE." [Petillo was born on 3/20/1908, so he would have been in his early 20s at the time.]

In 1967 he was often observed at the Vicaro Social Club on Sullivan Street in NYC. I never heard of this club so I don't know who's associated with it. He was also seen at a club at 11 East 16th Street with Angie Tuminaro.

[B.]

What do you think about Petillo being one of Capone's Genovese ten? If he can be confirmed in Chicago at that time, maybe he returned to NYC and kept his Genovese membership rather than transferring to Chicago like others.

For Jimmy Alto, LCNBios has him as his own captain in the late 1950s over Lapi and Agone.

--

Another detail you posted that's interesting is Carlo Gambino demoted from captain before ultimately becoming consigliere. We know from other sources he was consigliere but not sure I knew about the demotion.

Mentions Frank Valenti's FIL in Rochester -- who is that? I believe his brother's father-in-law was Ripepi in Pittsburgh.

[Antiliar]

Not sure what you mean about Capone's "Genovese ten." Do you mean the ten guys Capone made after he was? That's all speculation, so I can't rule Petillo out. I didn't find any arrests in the Chicago papers, so he kept his cover and was probably unknown to anyone outside the underworld.

On Jimmy Alto, it's par for the course that we have contradictory information. It shows us that we have to be really careful about accept crew placements at face value. Since Jimmy Alto died relatively early, the FBI didn't do any follow-up. It's also possible that he was under Mike Miranda until Miranda's promotion, then given a crew of his own in 1957. So both can be true, with some chronological adjustment. It should be pointed out that in the Greco file "Joe Beck" DiPalermo was apparently a Genovese member under Greco. I know the 1963 lists have him as a Lucchese member, but what if this is wrong? The source from 1975 says he was part of Greco's old crew. It would make sense since Joe Beck was close to Vito in prison. I don't know, just asking. Maybe we need his file for confirmation.

On Carlo Gambino, all we can say is that's what the source said. May or may not be true.

I think you're correct that the father-in-law in question was Ripepi. Lefty Joe Lapadura was close to Russell Bufalino, and Greco had connections to Angelo Bruno, so his crew clearly did business with the different Pennsylvania borgatas.

[B.]

Yes, I meant the decina he was allowed to make and whether Petillo could be speculatively linked to Chicago at the time.

Many sources including Al D'Arco ID'd all the DiPalermo brothers as Lucchese members. The info you mentioned just shows on the street people didn't always know who someone belonged with, especially these Lucchese and Genovese guys.

Makes sense the Lapaduras were close to Bufalino given they came from San Cataldo right next to Montedoro.

[PolackTony]

Regarding David Petillo, it looks like his paternal aunt, Filomena Petillo, married another Napolitan’ named Andrea Scala and settled in Chicago. In 1930 they by Taylor and Winchester. So it would seem that Petillo would’ve had had some close ties to Chicago.

[Antiliar]

Well, if Al D'Arco confirmed them that's as good as it gets. I'll have to reread it to see if there's anything else of interest. There's something about the Lower East Side groups that fascinate me.

[Antiliar]

Regarding David Petillo, it looks like his paternal aunt, Filomena Petillo, married another Napolitan’ named Andrea Scala and settled in Chicago. In 1930 they by Taylor and Winchester. So it would seem that Petillo would’ve had had some close ties to Chicago.

Good find.

[B.]

Regarding David Petillo, it looks like his paternal aunt, Filomena Petillo, married another Napolitan’ named Andrea Scala and settled in Chicago. In 1930 they by Taylor and Winchester. So it would seem that Petillo would’ve had had some close ties to Chicago.

Exactly the kind of thing I was hoping to find. It would be big news if someone from the decina made by Capone moved back to NYC and continued on with the Genovese Family.

Well, if Al D'Arco confirmed them that's as good as it gets. I'll have to reread it to see if there's anything else of interest. There's something about the Lower East Side groups that fascinate me.

Agree 100%. For me it's because they were so cross-pollinated and reflect how quickly new relationships formed in that neighborhood of NYC after the turn of the century. Also how many Brooklyn crews fanned out from the LES.

[B.]

Capeci says in D'Arco's book an FBI informant claimed Petillo and Gagliodotto committed murders in "Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago, and New York."

[Antiliar]

Capeci says in D'Arco's book an FBI informant claimed Petillo and Gagliodotto committed murders in "Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago, and New York."

He must have used the FBI file. Some of the same material is found in the Joseph Biondo and Charles Dongarra files.

[Raven]

What do you think about Petillo being one of Capone's Genovese ten? If he can be confirmed in Chicago at that time, maybe he returned to NYC and kept his Genovese membership rather than transferring to Chicago like others.

For Jimmy Alto, LCNBios has him as his own captain in the late 1950s over Lapi and Agone.

--

Another detail you posted that's interesting is Carlo Gambino demoted from captain before ultimately becoming consigliere. We know from other sources he was consigliere but not sure I knew about the demotion.

Mentions Frank Valenti's FIL in Rochester -- who is that? I believe his brother's father-in-law was Ripepi in Pittsburgh.

Fat Andy's son talks about Anastasia and how Gambino would demote him from captain etc. in this video. Not sure how accurate it is, but he says his Father told him this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Qftx8pDxDs

[Eld]

The Greco FBI file is good, thanks for uploading.

I did research into the informants in the file and one of them is likely Genovese soldier James Battaglia. At one point the informant talks about being involved in a stolen goods case with an associate named Morton Rosenberg and that Rosenberg was later killed by the Gallo crew over and unpaid debt. This corresponds to and stolen goods case involving Battaglia and Rosenberg.

Battaglia was in the Strollo/Eboli crew and not in the Greco crew but socialized with Greco.

[HairyKnuckles]

This is what I have (what I think I know...)

Ficarotta was made ca 1977
Charles Gagliodotto could very well have been under Greco but he was very close with Jimmy Alto. So Jimmy Alto could also have been under Greco. David Petillo too
Granello under Generoso
Mickey "Blue" Lapidura not made
Frank Mauro not made

This is what I have on Greco crew members:

Paul Carbo
Sam Franco
Joseph "Joe Lefty" Lapadura
Joseph "Joe Lefty" Loiacono
Salvatore Puma
Charles Gagliodotto?
Jimmy Alto?
David Petillo?

Do you have dates for Paul Carbo, Sam Franco or Salvatore Puma? Jimmy Alto and David Petillo are interesting. Petillo was associated with Luciano in the 1936 prostitution case, so he would make sense. Thomas Pennachio and Ralph Ligouri were two others. What's your opinion about them? In the early 1930s August Del Grazio was a drug courier for Luciano, so I wonder about him also.

In Petillo's FBI file one CI says he was in Michele Miranda's crew. Another, however, says something really interesting. "On April 26, 1926, that CHARLES GAGLIODOTO, also known as "Chalutz," was, in the past, closely associated with DAVEY BETILLO, also known as "Little Davey.""

"The informant advised that, in the 1930's, BETILLO and GAGLIODOTO were two of the most feared members of the Italian syndicate. He said it was common knowledge among the hoodlum element that these two were hired killers for the syndicate. They are alleged to have killed between twenty and thirty (20 and 30) persons in Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago and New York areas."

"{REDACTED] advised further that BETILLO often dressed as a woman and GAGLIODOTO accompanied him as an escort. In this manner, they aroused no suspicion in contacting the victim, and identification was almost impossible once they succeeded in fleeing the scene of the murder."

Looking into Jimmy Alto's very short and heavily redacted FBI file, it says he was under "Jimmy Blue Eyes" Alo. Why do you think he was under Greco?

Paul Carbo (1904-1976)
Sam Franco (1895?-1973?)
Salvatore Puma (1911-1968 or possibly 1969)

Thomas Pennachio was possibly a made guy. Died in 1945. But I have not found any proof of it. He and Ralph Ligouri are not listed on any deceased member list compiled by FBI as far as I know. Those lists were produced in the 1960s and 1970s. It´s possible the FBI never asked their informants about them or the informants simply didn´t know about them/their membership status.

[Antiliar]

Frankie Carbo the boxing manager was under Greco? Interesting.

[HairyKnuckles]

Frankie Carbo the boxing manager was under Greco? Interesting.

Unless the informant was wrong.