Follow-up article just posted:BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - In a joint operation early Friday morning, the FBI and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) raided La Nova Pizza, a popular pizza parlor in Buffalo, New York.
Federal agents were tight-lipped when discussing the reasons behind the raid, but sources close to law enforcement who chose to remain anonymous told the AP that the investigation stems from the attempted murder of Montreal mafia godfather Leonardo Rizzuto earlier this month.
It is unclear what connection, if any, La Nova Pizza has to the attempted murder. The Todaro family, which has owned the famed pizza restaurant for decades, has denied any involvement and says they have no knowledge of any illegal activity taking place in their establishment.
The raid has left many loyal customers of La Nova Pizza wondering if they will ever be able to enjoy their favorite slice again. One customer, who wished to remain anonymous, said, "I just can't believe this is happening. I've been coming here for years, and I've never seen anything suspicious."
The raid came as a shock to many in the Buffalo community, who know La Nova as a family-owned business that has been serving up delicious pizza for decades. During the raid, the irate owner Joe Todaro Jr. was overheard shouting at agents, "My pizza never hurta nobody! You no find bacteria here!" According to witnesses, Joe III, the owner's son, was clearly embarrassed and tried to convince his father to go in the back to make meatballs.
The investigation into La Nova Pizza and its owners is ongoing, and the FBI and RCMP have declined to comment further at this time.
It looks like WIVB News 4 Buffalo has some footage of the raid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhEUsKak8DcBUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - In the wake of the recent raid on La Nova Pizza, amateur Mafia researchers who have long debated the status of the Buffalo family are now in a state of shock.
The Buffalo family has long been considered dormant, if not outright defunct by federal agents and so-called mob watchers alike. However, it was a random, persistent internet sleuth whose detailed message board posts helped connect the dots on the massive hidden criminal empire which reportedly stretches from Buffalo, to Rochester, to Niagara Falls, and even reaches across the border to Hamilton and Toronto in the Canadian province of Ontario, leading investigators to eventually put enough evidence together for an indictment that led to today's raid.
Federal agents are being tight-lipped about the identity of the internet reporter, referring to him solely by the code name of "NickleCity." An FBI spokesperson said only "Well, he's giving us some incredibly good and detailed info, but as an outsider to the mafia he can't give us everything. So instead of saying he's dropping dimes, we say he's dropping Nickles."
Over on the "graveyard" section of the preeminent online community for discussing organized crime history, the Black Hand Forum, after the raids one poster seemed despondent. "He got me," a poster with the handle of Wiseguy said of NickleCity's posts finally leading to proof the Buffalo family exists. "That f***ing Nickle boomed me." Wiseguy added, "He's so good," repeating it four times. Wiseguy then said he wanted to add Nickle to the list of posters he argues with this summer.
As for La Nova Pizza, the Todaro family continues to deny any involvement in the criminal activity that led to the raid. The raid has left many loyal customers of La Nova Pizza wondering if they will ever be able to enjoy their favorite slice again.
The investigation into the Buffalo family is ongoing, and federal agents are urging anyone with information to come forward. It remains to be seen what impact the raid will have on the Buffalo community and the wider world of mafia-related message boards.
