Gangland3/31/16

[Dellacroce]

March 31, 2016 This Week in Gang Land
By Jerry Capeci

Gangster Songbird: The Whole Bronx Is All Mobbed Up

Anthony Zoccolillo struck out on the not so memorable reality TV show, Mama's Boys Of The Bronx. But he was perfect as an FBI snitch. He sunk all 27 mobsters and drug dealers he snared on federal charges in 2013 without ever having to take the witness stand in Manhattan Federal Court before he hightailed it out of town and got into the Witness Security Program.

But Zoccolillo had some pretty memorable things to say recently when he returned from his new digs somewhere in America and testified in Manhattan Supreme Court at the state racketeering trial of Bonanno capo Ernest (Ernie) Aiello and three others.

Over three days, Zoccolillo, 39, told of intriguing dealings he had with Bronx-based wiseguys in three families and of his familial ties to the late Genovese chieftain Vincent (Chin) Gigante. But he spent most of his time trying to link Ernie Aiello, his old pal and former business partner, to Bonanno crime family doings.

Beginning in 2009, Zoccolillo testified, Aiello boasted in "numerous conversations" that his cousin, Bonanno boss Michael (Mikey Nose) Mancuso, "had straightened him out." After becoming a made man, Zoccolillo said, Aiello helped Mancuso run the family through letters the imprisoned mob boss sent him.

Zoccolillo said he heard Aiello, now 36, describe his mob chores in "multiple conversations" in which the newly minted mobster described "who he was at that point in time in the crime family," Zoccolillo testified.

Not only did he know it from Aiello's mouth, Zoccolillo told assistant district attorney David Stuart. He saw several of Mancuso's letters containing instructions that Aiello had received from the imprisoned wiseguy. The letters were delivered to Aiello by a close ally whom Zoccolillo said he knew only by his colorful street name, "Tommy Garbage."

(For the record, Tommy Garbage is more formally known as Thomas Minervino, an employee of several private carting companies since the mid-1990s. Minervino, 60, it should be noted, has no criminal record.)

The letters "were kind of worded a little different so (Mancuso) could get (them) through prison" censors, Zoccolillo testified. He found this out first hand in June of 2011 when he was with Aiello in a Yonkers lemon ice store he owned when Tommy Garbage walked in with the letter.

"Tommy kind of came in, and the three of us sat down at the table and Tommy had a letter from his cousin Michael and they kind of read the letter together out loud while I was sitting there," Zoccollillo recalled. "I didn't get involved in it. And they were trying to decipher what the letter meant to Ernie because the message was sent to Ernie."

While not in code, the letter "was written in a way to where Ernie would be able to figure out what the message meant, by the way that his cousin Michael was explaining himself through the letter."

As it turned out, the message from Mancuso wasn't criminal in nature, but concerned a topic that wiseguys love to hate.

Asked what it was, Zoccolillo said: "Make sure that guy, the guy from Brooklyn, doesn't come by my house. I don't want him around my daughters no more. I don't want him by the house because he wanted to be a part of that reality show." Since this was a year before Mama's Boys Of The Bronx had its two week run in April of 2012, the name of the reality show was pretty clear. The show in question, Zoccolillo confirmed, was Mob Wives.

From the stand, Zoccolillo gave both the jurors and the judge a quick rundown on his former life and his past Mafia dealings.

He said he and Aiello grew up in the Morris Park section of the Bronx. As kids, they hung out at Loreto Park. They parted ways when Zoccolillo got 33 months for smuggling 20,000 ecstasy pills into Newark from Germany in 2001. They hooked up again in 2009 after Zoccolillo returned to New York following a two-year prison stretch in California for ripping off apartment hunters.

In 2009, as he was working to secure a role in the Mama's Boy reality show, Zoccolillo testified, he also teamed up with Aiello on an unusual project — a cartoon about a zany Bronx-based mob family that was to be based on their own experiences with real-life mobsters, including onetime acting Bonanno boss Vincent (Vinny Gorgeous) Basciano.

"The name of the cartoon was The Neighborhood," he testified. "The family guy meets the Sopranos," he continued. "The guy who runs this organized crime family out of the Bronx and around him is a bunch of screw-ups. That's why it comes up as a comedy.

"We were going to build the cartoon on a video plan" that was similar to other successful online ventures. They also planned to "develop a video game at the same time," he testified.

The woman who created the Mama's Boy show "was going to help us put it on the show and help us promote it through the reality show," he testified.

"Me and Ernie worked hand in hand with developing characters and different ideas," he testified. "He had some input from some friends, (including Vinny Gorgeous), and we were looking to come up with different episode ideas and different stories throughout our lives that we thought were pretty funny and turn it into cartoon characters."

It was a real business venture, Zoccolillo insisted. He testified that Ernie invested $25,000 in a company they formed, Bellagigi LLC, which was incorporated on November 24, 2010. The company's address on the incorporation papers, which prosecutors Stuart and Gary Galperin introduced into evidence, was the home address of Aiello's mother. The company was named for Zoccolillo's daughter, Bella, and one of Aiello's three girls, Gigi, Zoccolillo testified.

His testimony also included a few light-hearted moments.

Asked to name 10 other made men he met or was friendly with over the years, Zoccolillo quickly listed nine: Luchese soldiers Joseph Lubrano and Steven Crea Jr.; Genovese soldiers Salvatore (Sally KO) Larca, Ernie Muscarella and Michael (Hippy) Zanfardino; Bonanno mobsters John (Johnny Joe) Spirito and Philip DeSimone; Colombo soldiers Thomas (Tommy Shots) Gioeli and Joseph (Joe Caves) Competiello.

"One more will answer the question," said Judge Mark Dwyer.

"I don't know," said Zoccolillo, before scratching his head, and mentioning John (Junior) Gotti, the erstwhile Junior Don who says he quit the mob.

At another point, Dwyer felt forced to deliver a few words of caution to the jury when Zoccolillo was asked to define an organized crime associate, and stated, "Everybody in the Bronx probably."
"Mickey Mantle wasn't a member of organized crime," said Dwyer.
"I'm sure he was. I'm sure he was associated," said Zoccolillo, who may have been recalling a line he uttered on Mama's Boys Of The Bronx.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said Dwyer, "obviously the witness is somewhat exaggerating. There has to be a few people who are not members of organized crime."

In the enterprise corruption case, Aiello, along with capos Nicholas (Nicky Mouth) Santora, 73, and Vito Badamo, 53, and associate Anthony (Skinny) Santoro, 52, are charged with the illegal sale of prescription drugs, including Viagra, loansharking, and running an online bookmaking ring through a wire-room in Costa Rica. They have been jailed since their arrests in July of 2013. The trial began in February. It is expected to go to the jury in mid-April.

Zoccolillo did not link Aiello to any of the charges in the indictment, but in addition to tagging him as a "made man," he testified that Aiello was involved in marijuana trafficking in the past along with several bookmaking ventures. He also identified Aiello's voice on tapes that were made during the DA's probe from March of 2010 until February of 2012.

On his tapes, Zoccolillo captured numerous conversations with Genovese mobsters, as well as with all three sons of Vinny Gorgeous Basciano. He started making the recordings, he said, after cutting a deal with the feds on the day of his drug dealing arrest on February 20, 2013. He wore his wire for two months, until April 15, 2013. During that entire period, however, he never called Aiello, he conceded under cross examination by Aiello's attorney, Stacey Richman.

Richman sought to discredit Zoccolillo as a lying opportunist who fingered Aiello to score a payday for him and his mother from the DA's office on top of the money he earned from the FBI. The defense attorney also pointed out that even though Zoccolillo claimed to have "hundreds" of conversations with her client, his voice was not heard in any of the taped conversations with Aiello that the DA's office picked up from 2010 to 2012.

Zoccolillo insisted that he decided to testify against Aiello because "I felt it was the right thing to do." He had done so at the request of an FBI agent who asked him to speak to the DA's office about the Aiello case. He had not sought — or received — any rewards for his cooperation, he said, either in cash or the length of his sentence, which turned out to be 17 months.

The prosecution objected when Richman sarcastically asked, "You would have us believe that you are here out of the goodness of your heart?" But Judge Dwyer overruled it and asked Zoccolillo whether that was a "fair characterization."

"Yes, your honor," he said.

Bronx ADA To Top Brooklyn Fed: We'll Take Manhattan

A top federal prosecutor in Brooklyn sought — but failed — to take over a long-running investigation into a bloody 2013 mob rubout in the Bronx that was being conducted jointly for more than a year by the Bronx District Attorney's office and the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's office.

As Gang Land reported last year, the Bronx DA's office obtained an indictment of two suspects in the gangland-style slaying of Michael Meldish, the onetime head of a notorious mob-tied crew of drug dealers dubbed the Purple Gang. Meldish, a Luchese associate was shot to death in the driver's seat of his car in front of his Throgs Neck home on November 15, 2013. In their joint probe, the Manhattan prosecutors also hit one of the murder suspects with federal gun charges.

But sources tell Gang Land that Nicole Argentieri, then-deputy chief of the Brooklyn U.S. Attorney's organized crime unit, told Bronx assistant district attorney Christine Scaccia to "stand down" on the case because she had developed a mob turncoat who had important information about the killing. Argentieri told Scaccia she was working to charge the murder as part of a racketeering indictment, sources said.

The sharp elbows from the Brooklyn fed didn't sit well with the veteran Bronx prosecutor, who serves as deputy chief of homicide prosecutions, and of her office's Gangs-Major Case Bureau.

"Why would I do that," Scaccia replied, according to one of several sources who have told Gang Land about the brief conversation between the two prosecutors. "I'm a homicide prosecutor, and I'm indicting people for a murder in the Bronx. You do whatever you want to do."

It's unclear whether Argentieri, who now heads the Brooklyn U.S. Attorney's anti-corruption unit, or her office, ever began an investigation into the murder, or if she forwarded whatever info she had to her federal counterparts in Manhattan. Argentieri, Scaccia, and the federal prosecutors in Manhattan all declined to comment.

Meanwhile, the indicted murder suspects, Luchese mobster Christopher Londonio and associate Terrence Caldwell have been cooling their heels behind bars — Londonio in federal custody, Caldwell at Riker's Island — as the Bronx DA's office waits for the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's office to turn the Meldish slaying into a federal case.

Scaccia, who convicted Meldish's brother Joseph of a 2007 killing five years ago, has been trying murder cases in the Bronx for more than 20 years. She obtained the indictment of Londonio, 42, and Caldwell, 57, in June but since then has made no effort to move the case along — in what appears to be a stalling tactic designed to give the feds time to put together a federal prosecution.

Sources, as well as records in state and federal court files, indicate that should happen soon.

In January, Scaccia told Bronx Judge Steven Barrett that she expected the feds to take over the case before the next scheduled status conference, which is scheduled for April 5. A Manhattan Federal Court status conference in a related federal weapons indictment against Londonio is scheduled for April 8.

Sources say one factor slowing the process is whether the feds can muster enough evidence to charge former Luchese family "street boss" Matthew Madonna, who was known to have been feuding with Meldish in the months before he was killed, with ordering the slaying.

Feds Ready To Tell Charlie Moose To Fuhgeddaboudit

Eight years ago, Colombo mobster Charles (Charlie Moose) Panarella was declared too sick to stand trial for racketeering and extortion. The charges are still circling Panarella, who at age 94 no longer has the tough guy look that his nickname suggests. But a resolution may be finally be in sight, while Charlie Moose is still among the living.

Court papers filed by Panarella's attorney indicate that the Brooklyn U.S. Attorney's office has reconsidered its wait and see position regarding Panarella’s health. Back in 2008, when a prosecutor argued against dismissal on the grounds that Charlie Moose could recover his health and his faculties and be capable of standing trial, he suggested checking on Panarella's status every six months. But Brooklyn Federal Judge Sterling Johnson called that "the vulture option, waiting around for him to die."

Yesterday Johnson ordered defense lawyer Sam Schmidt and prosecutor Elizabeth Geddes to appear before him tomorrow to discuss their plans regarding the still officially pending charges in the 2003 indictment against the aged wiseguy.

Neither Geddes nor Schmidt would talk about it, but in a letter to Johnson, Schmidt wrote that "as a result of discussions with the government, it appears that we have reached an agreement to resolve this matter" — a clear signal that the government is prepared to dismiss the charges.

In his letter, Schmidt wrote he expected to receive the "approved agreement" this week and asked Johnson to adjourn the matter for several weeks to enable him to review it with his client. He also asked Johnson to excuse Panarella, who would require an ambulance service to get to travel, from the court session.

But Johnson seems eager to get on with it. He excused Panarella, but ordered the attorneys to show up and bring him up to date.

[willychichi]

His testimony also included a few light-hearted moments.

At another point, Dwyer felt forced to deliver a few words of caution to the jury when Zoccolillo was asked to define an organized crime associate, and stated, "Everybody in the Bronx probably."
"Mickey Mantle wasn't a member of organized crime," said Dwyer.
"I'm sure he was. I'm sure he was associated," said Zoccolillo, who may have been recalling a line he uttered on Mama's Boys Of The Bronx.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said Dwyer, "obviously the witness is somewhat exaggerating. There has to be a few people who are not members of organized crime."

The prosecutor must not have a lot of faith in this jury.

[SonnyBlackstein]

Aiello's a capo now too?

Seriously, to the dismay of Wiseguy and the clown I have to call bullshit on this.

Apparently the Santora crew of the Bonnano's is more chief heavy than fucking Philly with Santora, Badamo and Aiello all capos and poor ol Santoro only an associate.
Nice crew there. Three capos and an associate.
Bullshit.
Maybe acting for Santora, as was Vito whom Nicky was heard on tape telling him he was being groomed to take over, but official? Bullshit.

Shout out to cheech for finally getting Jerry to cover the trial but personally I think I'll stick with the Staten Island whom came out with this shit A MONTH AGO:
http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/20 ... was_s.html

And another point purely on Jerry's writing style "in a more lighthearted moment" this coming immediately after Zoccolilo was talking about he and Ernie doing A COMEDY CARTOON.
Can anybody give me a fucking example of a more lighthearted moment in a mob trial?
Jeezus. For 52 lines of column A WEEK which YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR, it could use some fucking work.

Yes I woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

[TommyGambino]

Aiello's a capo now too?

Seriously, to the dismay of Wiseguy and the clown I have to call bullshit on this.

Apparently the Santora crew of the Bonnano's is more chief heavy than fucking Philly with Santora, Badamo and Aiello all capos and poor ol Santoro only an associate.
Nice crew there. Three capos and an associate.
Bullshit.
Maybe acting for Santora, as was Vito whom Nicky was heard on tape telling him he was being groomed to take over, but official? Bullshit.

Shout out to cheech for finally getting Jerry to cover the trial but personally I think I'll stick with the Staten Island whom came out with this shit A MONTH AGO:
http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/20 ... was_s.html

And another point purely on Jerry's writing style "in a more lighthearted moment" this coming immediately after Zoccolilo was talking about he and Ernie doing A COMEDY CARTOON.
Can anybody give me a fucking example of a more lighthearted moment in a mob trial?
Jeezus. For 52 lines of column A WEEK which YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR, it could use some fucking work.

Yes I woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

They were indicted as acting capo's.

[Chucky]

Jesus Sonny

I actually thought it was a pretty good article this week, and for what it's worth Aiello & Badamo were indicted as acting capos.

[B.]

Since the indictment I have been questioning the assumption that Aiello was an acting capo for Santora. I don't believe he was, as he is a known Bronx guy which is not an area Santora has been involved in. It also wouldn't make sense for Santora to have two acting capos especially when he himself was on the street. Given that Aiello is a relative of Mancuso, we can assume that he was acting for a Bronx crew with ties to either the old DeFilippo crew or the Basciano crew. John Spirito Jr. was also named by Capeci as an acting capo at one point, so not sure how it's all set up or how many crews are still operating in the area.

Anyway, this was a good Gangland in my opinion. It told us how Mancuso was communicating with the streets and gave more background on Aiello's involvement with the family. If he got made in 2009, that tells us that Mancuso may have been trying to build his powerbase in the family.

[B.]

Also crazy to be reading about Charlie Moose in a 2016 Gangland article. Yet another guy who needs to write a damn book about his life.

[SonnyBlackstein]

Also crazy to be reading about Charlie Moose in a 2016 Gangland article. Yet another guy who needs to write a damn book about his life.

+1000

[Cheech]

I saw he wrote about this morning and couldnt believe it. could he have taken my advice? hahahahahah

[Chucky]

I saw he wrote about this morning and couldnt believe it. could he have taken my advice? hahahahahah

That crossed my mind too

[Chucky]

Also, maybe this article will put the Mancuso shit to bed.

[SonnyBlackstein]

Interesting how it lists Muscarella and Gioeli as soldiers.

Though with Capeci's terminology, who the fuck knows.

Is there a picture of Crea Jnr out there?

[B.]

Interesting how it lists Muscarella and Gioeli as soldiers.

Though with Capeci's terminology, who the fuck knows.

Is there a picture of Crea Jnr out there?

Seems most likely that Gioeli is a soldier at this point.

As for Muscarella, I don't think he was ever ID'd as an official captain despite being one of the top guys in that family, so with a lot of other powerful guys from that area back on the street he could be a soldier but I wouldn't bank on it either way. The Genovese family is way outside of my comfort zone when it comes to this stuff.

[SonnyBlackstein]

As for Muscarella, I don't think he was ever ID'd as an official captain

Interesting

with a lot of other powerful guys from that area back on the street

Who are you referring too?

[B.]

As for Muscarella, I don't think he was ever ID'd as an official captain

Interesting

with a lot of other powerful guys from that area back on the street

Who are you referring too?

Bellomo for one, though he has been ID'd as the boss. My understanding is that Muscarella had been acting for Bellomo, so with him back it may have caused Muscarella to take a back seat. There is also Daniel Leo, though he seems to be from another crew in that area that has some historical overlap. Honestly I am completely over my head when discussing these guys, though... no doubt Muscarella has been a key figure in that family and I think most people think he still is... it's just not clear if that was a permanent role for him. Maybe we're reading too much into Capeci's comment.