Genovese Family induction ceremony August 11th, 2003

[JohnnyS]

Members present:
Arthur Nigro
Steven Alfisi
Pasquale DeLuca
Joe LNU

*Only Nigro and DeLuca were actually present in the room when Arillotta's ceremony took place

Members inducted:
Anthony Arillotta
Ralphie (Ralph Balsamo)
Charlie (Charles Salzano)
Nick LNU

Arillotta arrived at the Nebraska Steakhouse in the Bronx where he met a Genovese member named Joe and the other three proposed members. Joe informed them that they would be inducted two at a time and Charlie and Nick were going to go first. They were told to leave all jewelry, beepers and phones at the restaurant. Joe whispered to each proposed member that when you arrive don't say you know why you're there. They took a five minute drive to a nearby apartment building, when they arrived Arillotta and Ralphie walked up the steps and entered the apartment building where they were met by soldier Steven Alfisi. Alfisi told them that they were going to do Ralphie first and Arillotta was to wait in the bathroom. After a short while Alfisi returned and told Arillotta that it was his turn. Alfisi told him to take off all his clothes except for underwear and to put on a bathrobe. Alfisi walked Arillotta into a room where Arthur Nigro and Pasquale DeLuca were seated at a table with a gun placed on the table.

Anthony Arillotta POV

"Artie told me to sit down and asked me do I know why I'm here. I said I didn't. He said that they are part of a secret society and he asked me if I wanted to join it. I said yes. He asked if I would be willing to use that gun on the table and kill for him if asked. I said I would. He stated that by being a member of this society that the members of this society come first above everybody else. If I was called upon by him and my wife was in the hospital giving birth and I was by her side would I leave her side and come and meet him. I said I would. He said that being a member of this organization, we don't deal drugs or counterfeit money. If we do, we forfeit our lives. He asked me which was my trigger finger. I pointed and showed him my right index finger. He pricked it with a pin and told me that he was going to light a bit of paper and that when it was in my hands, to juggle it and repeat after him. So after he pricked my finger, he squeezed blood onto the paper and lit it on fire while it was in my hands. He said to repeat after him. I was to say my name and that I will never betray this oath that I'm taking today. If I do, my soul will burn like this paper and I will never admit that the Genovese Family exists and I will never cooperate with the government. If I do, I will be killed and as well as my family will be killed. He told me the rules. He said we never communicate with law enforcement. We never admit that the family that we're joining exists. We never talk about being a made member. Only another made member can introduce us. We don't have relationships with other family members' wives and children. He specifically said a wife but he advised me anybody in the family. We never speak to the FBI. After that, Pat DeLuca got up and he said 'congratulations friend' He gave me a kiss and a hug and then Artie gave me a kiss and a hug also."

[Tonyd621]

Good intel, did anyone ever figure out who the LNU was? Or at least have a theory?

[JohnnyS]

Good intel, did anyone ever figure out who the LNU was? Or at least have a theory?

No idea who the Nick could be. Arillotta has said in an interview before that it was an older guy. I originally thought it was a Joe who he was made with but it was definitely a Nick. The Joe that took him to the ceremony could be Joe Sarcinella? Just basing that on it maybe being a Bronx based guy. Not much to go off.

[NYNighthawk]

where was the building that the ceremony took place in the Bronx and why wasn't Lilo Barney present?

[johnny_scootch]

where was the building that the ceremony took place in the Bronx and why wasn't Lilo Barney present?

Barney was in jail in 03. Pretty sure Nigro was acting boss at that point

[Tonyd621]

Do we know what ceremonies was the one before it and the one after it?

[chin_gigante]

where was the building that the ceremony took place in the Bronx and why wasn't Lilo Barney present?

Barney was in jail in 03. Pretty sure Nigro was acting boss at that point

I believe it was Nigro, Dentico, and Mario Gigante together on the panel. Nigro was given Muscarella's old spot on it.

[JohnnyS]

Yeah around that time it was Nigro, Dentico and Gigante. When Tranghese brought the Bruno paperwork to Nigro in the Bronx (meeting also took place at Nebraska) he huddled up with Dentico and Gigante then came back to give Tranghese the ok to kill Bruno.

[B.]

It was an empty apartment, right? Valachi told the FBI that the Genovese ceremonies he attended were typically in empty apartments as well.

[Brovelli]

It was an empty apartment, right? Valachi told the FBI that the Genovese ceremonies he attended were typically in empty apartments as well.

If I remember correctly, Arillotta said it was within an apartment building but inside the apartment it was set up like a social club, not exactly clear what that would look like.

[Yotam]

It was an empty apartment, right? Valachi told the FBI that the Genovese ceremonies he attended were typically in empty apartments as well.

If I'm not mistaken, Arilotta said that the Bronx apartment used for the ceremony reminded him of an old fashioned gambling parlor.

[JohnnyS]

^ If that's the case then I wonder if it was a place linked to Pasquale DeLuca? He had a lot of gambling spots in the Bronx. His presence there isn't unusual though, DeLuca was scheduled to travel to Connecticut with John Ardito later that year to conduct a ceremony. While being a soldier he did seem to have a lot of clout in the family. He was mistaken for being a high ranking captain at times. I believe both Bologna and Arillotta identified him as such.

[johnny_scootch]

it was set up like a social club, not exactly clear what that would look like.

Usually not much. A couple couch’s, a TV, card tables, maybe a small bar, a spot for coffee and espresso machine, bathroom and a kitchen area.
That’s the make up of 95% of the social clubs I was ever in but they can get fancier especially if the club is headquarters of a religious society or something like the Sciacca club and people pay dues.

[chin_gigante]

While being a soldier he did seem to have a lot of clout in the family. He was mistaken for being a high ranking captain at times. I believe both Bologna and Arillotta identified him as such.

What makes you say Arillotta was mistaken about DeLuca being a captain? I'd think his proximity to Nigro when he was on the panel would make him a fairly reliable source about DeLuca. IIRC, Arillotta said DeLuca was a captain (or at least acting) even prior to Nigro being put on the panel, and that Nigro leap-frogged over him when everyone expected DeLuca to get Muscarella's spot.

[JohnnyS]

While being a soldier he did seem to have a lot of clout in the family. He was mistaken for being a high ranking captain at times. I believe both Bologna and Arillotta identified him as such.

What makes you say Arillotta was mistaken about DeLuca being a captain? I'd think his proximity to Nigro when he was on the panel would make him a fairly reliable source about DeLuca. IIRC, Arillotta said DeLuca was a captain (or at least acting) even prior to Nigro being put on the panel, and that Nigro leap-frogged over him when everyone expected DeLuca to get Muscarella's spot.

Arillotta identified him as a high ranking captain when he first met him in the late 90s. I don't see how he could've been a high ranking capo when he was under Muscarella then when Muscarella went on the panel and served as acting boss, Patty Falcetti stepped in as Muscarella's acting capo. DeLuca probably did serve as an acting capo at times likely when Nigro was bumped up but most of the FBI affidavits I've read from back then had him listed as a soldier and he was indicted as such in 2005. Also, Louis Moscatiello was identified as acting by around 2003 too.