Done Peppe surveillance 2004-2005

[chin_gigante]

On 28 October 2004, FBI Special Agent John Penza of the Genovese squad wrote an affidavit in support of an application to intercept communications and conduct video surveillance at the Don Peppe Restaurant in Ozone Park. District Judge Robert W Sweed of the Southern District of New York approved the application and, as part of the investigation, SA Penza wrote two further affidavits to continue surveillance on 1 December 2004 and 7 January 2005. The latter two applications were also expanded to intercept communications on two cell phones, one used by John Yannucci, another by Matthew Ianniello. In the three affidavits, Penza lays out some of the evidence law enforcement gathered to substantiate allegations of criminality.

In all three affidavits, Penza writes that the FBI carries Matthew Ianniello as the current acting boss of the Genovese family, with records listing him as having been a captain for approximately twenty years. Ianniello, Salvatore Esposito, and Ciro Perrone have been identified as made members for ‘many years’, and Esposito, Perrone, and Frank Catenaccio are believed to be part of Ianniello’s crew. When Ianniello went to prison, his crew was run by James Ida and then Esposito. Ianniello was released from prison in 1995 and finished his probation in 2001. The FBI believes Perrone to be the current acting captain ‘due to Ianniello’s elevated status’.

The Ianniello crew meets regularly at various locations on Mulberry Street, and they are believed to engage in gambling, loansharking, extorting restaurants and construction companies, and murder. Ianniello is also believed to be involved in exotic dancing businesses and is a behind-the-scenes owner of several restaurants. Ianniello continues to have influence in the Feast of San Gennaro, and, at one point, he and Esposito controlled all the booths on Mulberry Street from Canal to Grand Streets. Until recently, Catenaccio’s sister was acting president of the non-profit Figli di San Gennaro Inc that runs the feast. She previously served as secretary and vice president and stood down due to negative press.

To substantiate these allegations, Penza summarises information provided by four confidential sources.

Confidential source 1 (CS-1):
CS-1 has provided the FBI with information for approximately four years, and his intel stems from his own knowledge as well as conversations he has with members and associates. It’s noted that CS-1 has engaged in criminal activity with members and associates.
In June and July 2004, CS-1 told the FBI that Ianniello is the acting boss and is effectively responsible for Genovese family operations. CS-1 identified Salvatore Esposito, Ciro Perrone, Frank Catenaccio, Alex Tisi, and Bobby LNU as members of Ianniello’s crew, noting that Esposito, Perrone, and Catenaccio are members. Perrone and Esposito run the crew on a day-to-day basis for Ianniello. Catenaccio is involved in gambling and loansharking. Tisi is a bookmaker and loanshark in Miami. Bobby LNU is involved in construction in New York and also has business in Florida. CS-1 also advised that Ianniello and his crew regularly meet with others at restaurants, and Ianniello uses a cell phone to arrange meetings.

Confidential source 2 (CS-2):
CS-2 has provided the FBI with information for over five years, and his intel stems from his own knowledge as well as conversations he has with members and associates. It’s noted that CS-2 has engaged in criminal activity with members and associates.
In July 2004, CS-2 told the FBI that Ianniello is a ‘long-time member’ of the Genovese family and is financially involved in the carting industry, agencies for exotic dancers, and loansharking. CS-2 advised that Perrone, Esposito, Joseph Ida, Thomas Cestaro, and Louis ‘Louie Pigeons’ Cinquegrana are all made members of Ianniello’s crew. Enrico ‘Red Hot’ Gentile was also a made member in the crew prior to his death in 2003. Gentile and Esposito murdered George Zappola Sr (also described as a made member of the crew) in 1982. Perrone is currently acting captain due to Ianniello’s ‘elevated status’. From July to October 2004, CS-2 advised that the crew earns money from gambling and loansharking. Perrone and Esposito in particular are ‘big’ loansharks, and Perrone can loan hundreds of thousands of dollars at a time. Perrone owns the Don Peppe restaurant and regularly holds conversations at a large table near the back. Perrone only sits at that table and uses it to make loans and receive payment.

Confidential source 3 (CS-3):
CS-3 has provided the FBI with information for approximately ten years, and his intel stems from his own knowledge as well as conversations he has with members and associates. It’s noted that CS-3 has engaged in criminal activity with members and associates.
In April 2003, CS-3 told the FBI that Ianniello is the acting boss of the family. In February 2004, CS-3 advised that (based on conversations he heard involving members at the time) George Zappola Sr was killed by the Ianniello crew for selling drugs. In September and October 2004, CS-3 advised that Ianniello, Esposito, and Catenaccio earn money from the Feast of San Gennaro.

Confidential source 4 (CS-4):
CS-4 is a member source, having been inducted over fifteen years ago. He has engaged in criminal activity with other members and associates of New York families, including the Genovese family (it is not stated which family CS-4 belongs to). It’s noted that CS-4 is not facing charges or imprisonment and has not previously provided information to the FBI. CS-4 is not a cooperating informant, and stated more than once to the interviewing agents, ‘I could get killed for this.’
CS-4 was interviewed in November 2003 and September 2004. He described Perrone as ‘part of’ the Genovese family from Howard Beach, and owner of the Don Peppe. Perrone used Don Peppe to meet his crew and is still ‘doing business’. CS-4 advised that Salvatore Esposito has recently met Perrone and others at Don Peppe on more than one occasion.

Prior to submitting the application to intercept communications, the FBI corroborated the information from their confidential sources by conducting visual surveillance at the restaurant. There, they observed Perrone and others meeting at the large table, most frequently on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 4pm and 10pm. Perrone’s driver, John Yannucci, was by Perrone’s side for the majority of the meetings that took place at the restaurant.

To justify intercepting conversations at the table, Penza writes that none of the confidential sources cited could provide further help to the government. While CS-4 was a member source, he was not a cooperating informant. CS-1, CS-2, CS-3 meanwhile are ‘not privy to the full scope of the illegal activities being discussed or engaged in’ and were not willing to wear wires and enter the restaurant.

During this stage of the investigation, surveillance observed the following individuals, among others, meeting with Perrone and Yannucci at the large table in Don Peppe:

13 July 2004:
Onofrio Macchio (Genovese soldier)
Ralph Scopo Jr (Colombo soldier)

15 July 2004:
Salvatore Esposito (Genovese soldier)

27 July 2004:
Ralph Scopo Jr

29 July 2004:
Matthew Ianniello (Genovese acting boss)
Salvatore Esposito
George Remini (Gambino soldier)

It’s noted that Ianniello is sometimes driven to meetings by his son Matthew J Ianniello.

3 August 2004:
Anthony Antico (Genovese captain)
John Brescio (Genovese soldier)
Salvatore Esposito
John Giglio (Genovese soldier)

On the above date, surveillance observed Perrone at the table for approximately three and a half hours. About twelve other men sat at table and engaged in conversation. Some moved seats to have quiet talks, but Perrone stayed where he was. Surveillance heard ‘Zookie’ (Salvatore Esposito) and ‘cellblock’ mentioned.

17 August 2004:
Michael Corcione (Lucchese acting captain)
John Baudanza (Lucchese soldier)

19 August 2004:
Louis Calo (Genovese associate)

26 August 2004:
Matthew Ianniello
Anthony Conigliaro (Genovese soldier)
Salvatore Esposito
Conrad Ianniello (Genovese soldier or associate)

31 August 2004:
Onofrio Macchio

2 September 2004:
Ralph Scopo Jr

9 September 2004:
Louis Calo

16 September 2004:
Matthew Ianniello

21 September 2004:
Anthony Conigliaro
Ralph Scopo Jr
Michael Corcione
John Baudanza

23 September 2004:
Frank Catenaccio (Genovese soldier)
Anthony Conigliaro

28 September 2004:
Onofrio Macchio
Ralph Scopo Jr
Frank Sturiano (Colombo associate)

5 October 2004:
Onofrio Macchio
Ralph Scopo Jr
Frank Sturiano

7 October 2004:
Anthony Conigliaro

12 October 2004:
Michael Corcione

Following the approval of the application, audio interception commenced 2 November 2004, with video recordings starting 16 November. Penza summarises relevant parts of intercepted conversations and notes who was in attendance on the following dates:

2 November 2004:
Nicholas Frustaci (Genovese soldier)
Ralph Scopo Jr
Joseph ‘Augie’ Yannucci (Bonanno associate)

Scopo and an unidentified male discuss collecting a $10,000 loan from a Dunkin Donuts near Exit 117 on the Garden State Parkway in New Jersey.
Perrone tells an unidentified male (possibly John Yannucci), ‘I hope Bush don’t win. The Republicans, they hate our guts… The fucking Republicans, they’ll never learn. They’ll send another Giuliani after us. I say they’ll send another one after us. Fucking Republicans.’
Perrone, an unidentified male (possibly John Yannucci), and two others discuss ‘Georgie Blair’, apparently a dead, high-ranking member of the Genovese family. Blair was killed in a ‘gang war, gang with us’. In this conversation they refer to someone in Staten Island who was a rat and making tapes.
Frustaci and someone else discuss ‘Johnny Gallo’ who was ‘Sonny’s father’. Gallo was partnered with Frustaci and died in prison. Gallo was ‘with a good friend of ours… a guy named Jackie’.
Perrone, John Yannucci, and an unidentified male (who did fifteen years in prison) discuss a loansharking debt. A loansharking customer could have his bank account shut down and his lawyer and accountant could try to cut his credit off, making him unable to pay his debts. This leads to a conversation where surveillance were unable to determine if the word ‘kill’ or ‘tell’ was being used.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don’t really think we should [kill/ tell] him.
[…]
PERRONE: Before you [kill/ tell] him.
[…]
UM: Rat cocksucker… you got to do what you got to do to protect your interests.
John Yannucci: We got to [kill/ tell] him.

4 November 2004:
Anthony Conigliaro
Joseph Tuzzino (Genovese associates)

Perrone and Yannucci discuss meeting John Ardito (described by Penza as a Genovese member) and lawyer Peter Peluso.
Tuzzino complains that after 9/11, the rise in patriotism led to juries believing everything the government said. Conigliaro says he thinks the government railroaded lawyer Jimmy LaRosa in the Eastern District of New York.

9 November 2004:
Onofrio Macchio
Ralph Scopo Jr
Frank Sturiano

11 November 2004:
Anthony Conigliaro

Perrone, Yannucci, Conigliaro, and two unidentified individuals discuss Colombo member Joseph Campanella, who owed the Genovese family $360,000. A boat was accepted as partial payment of the debt
Yannucci complains that $1,200 was taken from his truck when he was searched without a warrant.
Perrone, Yannucci, Conigliaro, and an unidentified male talk about how Joseph Shalhoub got shot three times because he didn’t shut up. Conigliaro talks about how much blood there was at the scene.
UM: The other bullet hit him in the head found a mark… I said the last time he got shot they found the mark the bullet.
CONIGLIARO: In the back.
Penza notes in his summary that a Joseph Shalhoub was murdered 13 September 1977.

16 November 2004 (John Yannucci not present):
Onofrio Macchio
Ralph Scopo Jr
Frank Sturiano

An individual called Carmine was sitting in the restaurant and owed Perrone money. He approached the table to talk to Perrone and then left.
PERRONE: This cocksucker beat me for a lot of fucking money.
UM: Want to beat him up?
PERRONE: I’m in the mood… I had nothing but aggravation today.

18 November 2004 (John Yannucci not present):
Salvatore Esposito
Onofrio Macchio
Paulie LNU

Perrone states that someone was ‘supposed to go to the Dunkin Donuts’ in a conversation about loansharking (possibly the same Dunkin Donuts in New Jersey Ralph Scopo discussed in a previous conversation).
Paulie asks if ‘John the Butcher’ ever gave Perrone money. Penza notes in his summary that this refers to John’s Sunrise Meat Market at 101st Avenue in Queens.

23 November 2004 (John Yannucci not present):
Anthony Conigliaro
Salvatore Esposito
Onofrio Macchio
Ralph Scopo Jr
Frank Sturiano
John Ambrosio
Michael DeLuca (Genovese associate)

Somebody owes money to Ambrosio and a Dominic LNU was supposed to collect the payment for him.
AMBROSIO: I will go to his house and take him out by his fucking head. […] And now I’m getting hot. I want the fucking money.

30 November 2004:
Onofrio Macchio
Ralph Scopo Jr
Frank Sturiano
Augie Yannucci

2 December 2004:
Onofrio Macchio
Louis Calo

Calo meets Yannucci and Perrone at the table and hands money to Perrone
CALO: How are you, my friend. Here is a little something for the house.

7 December 2004:
Onofrio Macchio
Ann Chiarovano
Julius Bernstein (treasurer, Amalgamation Transit Union Local 1181)

Chiarovano hands something to Perrone and asks him to give it to Salvatore Esposito for her.
Perrone, Yannucci, and an unidentified male discuss a payment of $100,000 to a ‘Mike’. Perrone states nobody cares if ‘that guy’ is a wiseguy. Somebody told Yannucci to be somewhere on Thursday and that a payment would have to be $135,000 if they had to go. Yannucci says the unidentified male shouldn’t have brought him the message.
PERRONE: This guy is not made; he’s under me.

9 December 2004:
Paul Kahl

Perrone talks with Yannucci and Kahl and mentions at one point that he ‘got made’.

14 December 2004:
Ralph Scopo Jr

Perrone, Yannucci, and Scopo discuss the show Growing Up Gotti. Yannucci calls it disgusting and insulting, Scopo says he is so embarrassed he can’t even talk about it. Perrone calls it a soap opera, says the kids look like girls, and mentions how Carmine Agnello is coming home from prison. Yannucci says the Gottis are making money from it, and Scopo says it’s a price to be an embarrassment. Scopo adds that Agnello can’t tell the Gottis what to do.

17 December 2004:
Augie Yannucci

Perrone states that Ralph Scopo is the only one out of six or seven guys who didn’t come to the table to pay him back a loan. John Yannucci adds that Scopo can’t handle loansharking.
PERRONE: Can’t fucking believe it.

21 December 2004:
Ralph Scopo Jr
Frank Sturiano
John Ambrosio (Gambino member or associate)

Ambrosio and an unidentified male agree that guys are born rats, not made rats.
Ambrosio discusses his gambling operation and says the newspapers reported he was making $20 million a week and was the biggest bookmaker in the country when they didn’t know what they were talking about. Yannucci says Ambrosio was only making $10 million a week and everyone laughs.
They discuss Perrone’s loansharking operation and how easy it is for him to give out money.
SCOPO: When I see Niagara Falls stop, then I know you dried out – when Niagara Falls stops running, then I know you ain’t got no more.

22 December 2004:
Matthew Ianniello
Salvatore Esposito

An unidentified male is heard saying ‘Carmine’, ‘extortion’, and ‘FBI’. Penza writes he believes this is in relation to Carmine Garcia, who was arrested in December 2002 for extortion and was associated with a member in the Ianniello crew.
The participants discuss prison sentences, and Perrone notes that Venero Mangano has two more years to serve before coming home.
PERRONE: Bobby Manna… they nailed him. They really hit him.
ESPOSITO: Bobby feels like he got the worst deal out of everybody.
In his notes, Penza describes Mangano as ‘consigliere […] before his arrest and imprisonment’ and Manna as ‘a soldier […] based in New Jersey’.

SA Penza also summarises pertinent information from call records and intercepted communications on the Yannucci phone and the Ianniello phone. Interestingly, Yannucci was using the same phone that he had in March 2001, when a cooperating witness called him and recorded their conversations regarding a loansharking debt. As a result of the investigation, Yannucci was convicted of loansharking in the New York State Supreme Court in Suffolk. As of the time of the 2004 investigation, Yannucci was still on probation from that loansharking conviction.

Records show Steve Buscemi called the Yannucci phone 54 times between January and July 2004. In his notes, Penza describes Buscemi as a Genovese member in the Ianniello crew and cites FBI records identifying him as a driver for Perrone between 1997 and 1998. Esposito called the Yannucci phone eight times between June and October 2004, Macchio called it fifteen times between June and November, Conigliaro called 39 times between January and November, and Perrone called 169 times in that same period.

Additionally, the Yannucci phone was used to call John’s Sunrise Meat Market six times from January to October. Con Astone, described as somebody who owed the Genovese family money, called the phone eight times from March to October, and Gambino member Blaise Corozzo called once on 9 February. Bonanno member Anthony DiGregorio called Yannucci seven times on 20 January, the same day 27 Bonanno members and associates were indicted.

Eugene Onofrio (described as a proposed member) called the Ianniello phone six times from June to November. Alex Tisi called Ianniello 19 times from June to November. Bobby LNU called 46 times from June to November, and Esposito called Ianniello 158 times in that same period.

2 December 2004:
Yannucci calls Local 1181 to ask for Jules Bernstein, Ann Chiarovano, or ‘Sal’ but none are available. He calls again later to ask for Joseph Armetta, who also isn’t there. Yannucci then calls Armetta and leaves a voicemail in which he identifies himself as ‘Johnny from the club’ and says he had to speak with him.

3 December 2004:
Ianniello calls ‘Frankie’ to ask if he got a ‘contract’ yet. Frankie said it should be by Monday if not today and that he’ll talk to the guy over the weekend to light a fire under him. Ianniello asks if the guy is wacko and says he can’t wait to get hold of him. Penza believes this conversation is regarding an extortion payment.
Yannucci call his wife and tells her how Augie Yannucci is supposed to ‘straighten out’ something to do with bookmaking. Yannucci calls John’s Sunrise Meat Market and speaks to somebody there.
YANNUCCI: Are you losing your mind?
The unidentified male on the line apologises and says he’ll come right over. At the time of the conversation, Yannucci is at Perrone’s social club, which is across the street from the butcher shop

9 December 2004:
Joseph Gorgone calls Yannucci to talk about a gambling debt.

10 December 2004:
Esposito calls Ianniello to discuss making a dinner reservation for eight people. Esposito says that Dominick Cirillo won’t be available before 15 December, so they decide to make the reservation for 16 December. Penza describes Cirillo as a ‘one-time acting street boss’.

14 December 2004:
Oscar Ianniello calls the Ianniello phone. Matthew Ianniello states he was involved in five different businesses but handed control over to other people.

15 December 2004:
Ianniello meets his son-in-law and sometime driver Anthony Costa at La Mela Restaurant. He then calls his girlfriend and tells her he met thirteen people in the span of an hour and a half to talk business but is still fresh as a daisy.
Yannucci calls Steve Buscemi to discuss travel plans that Buscemi can no longer attend.

18 December 2004:
Yannucci calls Conigliaro and asks when he is going to come round. Conigliaro mentions he had something to give Yannucci and Perrone.

19 December 2004:
Yannucci and Conigliaro arrange to meet at La Mela.
Ianniello calls Tom Brady and tells him Thomas Cestaro (described by Penza as a long-time member and former owner of La Mela), Frank Catenaccio, and Conrad Ianniello were in La Mela.

21 December 2004:
Joseph Quaranta calls Yannucci about setting up a meeting with him and Perrone regarding a company.
Ianniello calls Bobby LNU, who tells him he’ll take care of something the next day.

23 December 2004:
Augie Yannucci calls the Yannucci phone and tells him, ‘Louis gave me an envelope for you.’

25 December 2004:
Ianniello calls Esposito, saying he has to meet ‘that guy’ in the city. Ianniello calls Brady and tells him to let something go, not reschedule a meeting, and let Esposito take care of it because he (Ianniello) was going to Florida.

27 December 2004:
Yannucci calls Michael Losito, who says Gerry ‘the Beard’ Burner wants to speak to him about something that was in the paper. Yannucci calls Burner to see what he wants, and Burner tells him he needs Yannucci to intervene in a situation where somebody lost some money.
YANNUCCI: I have no idea what you are talking about. Do you understand me? I have no idea what you are talking about.
Yannucci then calls Losito back and tells him he told Burner to go fuck himself.

[chin_gigante]

I've posted the file itself here: viewtopic.php?f=44&t=12065 (it's an attachment to a government motion and starts on page 81 of the document).

Biggest takeaway for me is this lays out the information the FBI relied on to identify Ianniello as the acting boss of the Genovese family. It appears it came from two associate sources (CS-1 and CS-3), while another associate source (CS-2) identified Ianniello as an individual with 'elevated status'. It's interesting that the only member source cited in the affidavit (CS-4) appears not to have told the FBI anything about Ianniello's rank.

The timeline of when these sources told the FBI about Ianniello's rank is also interesting. CS-3 identified him as acting boss in April 2003, while CS-1 identified him as such in June and July 2004, with the government still carrying him as such through early January 2005. This raises further questions in my mind. For instance, in the May 2004 NJSCI report, they describe Ianniello as a former 'facade boss' and as being semi-retired, while listing Mario Gigante as the acting boss. In a Gang Land column that same month, Jerry Capeci writes that Mario Gigante will only become acting boss when he gets off parole in June 2004. After this article comes out, Peter Peluso is picked up on tape describing how Capeci reported 'word for word' what Mario Gigane himself told John Ardito about taking over the family. This was so serious that Ardito was caught on tape saying Ernest Muscarella wanted to kill Dom Cirillo's driver because he thought he was the source of information to Capeci. Then, immediately after this, CS-1 describes Ianniello as the current acting boss in June and July 2004. On 7 January 2005, SA John Penza writes in his affidavit that Ianniello is the current acting boss and Dominick Cirillo is a 'one-time acting street boss', yet by April of that year Cirillo is indicted in the Eastern District of New York as the current acting boss.

[JohnnyS]

Good breakdown. I don't believe Ianniello was the actual acting boss but probably served on the panel. It did rotate a lot so maybe he did serve as acting boss for a period of time. It was reported that Dentico was in bad health around then plus he was under indictment and Cirillo was said to be reluctant to take the position dating back to around 2000. But we know he always at least part of the panel.

[Pmac2]

Good read.ty

[queensnyer]

don peppe is awesome.. great food

[newera_212]

Awesome stuff. Always remembered this whole thing from the Growing Up Gotti quotes. Picturing what Parrone looks like (an angry old man) makes it even funnier. Didn't realize how serious that Genovese OZP crew was - Parrone seems to have been quite the guy. Seems like a money crew. I also didn't realize how long the Coniglarios were around for too. IIRC one of them is made and the other isn't? Or both are?

[Tonyd621]

All that work and they didn't get a whole alot on the Genoveses. Chin is like one man crime wave. He just always pops up posting the most awesome shit ever.

[Wiseguy]

If memory serves, Ianniello was indicted as an acting boss, as opposed to the acting boss. Always thought the wording in that case regarding his position at the time was interesting.

[Pmac2]

Between the ardito tapes. Peluso 302s. All the trials of the Springfield crew and its downfall. George barone And cookie durso. We found out alot about that time period 99 to 2007. Panels and rotation of bosses a main stay

[Pmac2]

Has any of that genovese soldier Ray something come out. He died. I think he went to trial in Florida got 15yrs and then flipped. Ray Ruggiero maybe

[slimshady_007]

Good breakdown. I don't believe Ianniello was the actual acting boss but probably served on the panel. It did rotate a lot so maybe he did serve as acting boss for a period of time. It was reported that Dentico was in bad health around then plus he was under indictment and Cirillo was said to be reluctant to take the position dating back to around 2000. But we know he always at least part of the panel.

Yeah Matty the horse seemed to be on the panel or AB from 99-2005. Meanwhile Ernie M was said to be acting boss after Serpico got indicted in 1999. After Ernie got pinched, it was reported Artie Nigro was made street boss in 2002. Nigro had Big Al from Springfield whacked in 2003, then not long afterwards, Cirillo & Ianniello were labeled acting bosses. The Westside from 2003-2007 was extremely interesting. The leadership seemed to be in disarray & under intense federal scrutiny, and a few guys, some made, were either killed, shot, or disappeared. I’m surprised the forum doesn’t talk about it more.

[tex]

Bug was in the emergency exit sign above the corner table

[Browniety86]

I remember that video Pennisi made standing outside of Don Peppe...

[russ123_]

Great stuff as always chin. Thank u

[Cheech]

I remember that video Pennisi made standing outside of Don Peppe...

Ya when it was closed in the morning time…