The True Status of the Los Angeles Family

[PTown]

"Oh great," you say, "another topic on the status of a dwindling family." "Specifically another speculative topic on Los Angeles."

But without going into detail, I believe my knowledge and logic are on point. Let me walk you through my thinking.

Here are what we know to be facts:

1. The LA Family was, for all intents and purposes, down to single digits in the late 90s.

2. The LA Family was down to a handful or less within the last 10-15 years.

3. Nevertheless, the LA Family, despite tremendous influence from Detroit, Chicago, and NY, continued to be a "recognized" family in the national phenomenon.

4. It has been, and continues to be VERY hard to get made in NYC in recent times. Between:
a. The books being closed at various times
b. The confusion about whether new members will be recognized by other families
c. The lack of opportunities to make bones
d. The long waits (8-10 years)
e. The general paranoia in NY

Taking this together, applying logic, and adding in what I know of rumors and sniffs of facts:

I believe Tommy Gambino's dad went to Pete Milano and kind of approached matters (and the Los Angeles family itself) like a savvy corporate raider does to an old dying brand. "Hey, you own Xerox or Kodak etc. It hasn't really been used properly and is a tiny compared to its old self. But the name and official status has a value."

I think he asked Milano, or perhaps incentivized Milano, to make his son (allegedly).

That way his son would avoid all the NY hardships identified in #4 above.

He likely backdoored his way into something like official status, much like one can join a college club and receive reciprocity at some of the nation's exclusive membership clubs. Much like one can take the Arizona Bar exam to become a lawyer, and then get recognized in a tougher state, like Texas. I believe they exploited a technicality.

Then, if the law-enforcement and blogger intel is right -- and I know some doubt it passionately -- Tommy Gambino allegedly made Albert Iavarone, who was murdered in 2018, as a favor to another family. Iavarone was allegedly another softie -- no criminal past -- probably didn't want to get his hands dirty -- but needed or wanted to be inducted for some reason.

It was a daisy chain of bullshit gangsters. Bootstrapping to a bootstrap.

I believe the LA Family is done. Oh yeah, I've read the threads here about the mob's definition of "done" versus the LEO or human/logical definition of done. I realize some say that a family isn't done until there are no members left. That's what this thread is about: a cheesy loophole perhaps exploited by technical mobsters living in a technical world technically keeping something alive that's on life support.

I know Italian American bookmakers in LA -- rough boys who use weapons and all kinds of creative intimidation -- and they don't care an iota about the "LA Family."

I'll remind you that when we think of organized crime, we think of an ORGANIZATION that

1. Follows a tradition
2. Based on practices and deep ties from the Old Country
3. Of crime that is high-level, complicated, and organized

4. As part of a GROUP:
5. That requires them to be involved with a murder to join
6. And to keep a vow of silence, omerta, about their activities
7. And which enforces its will on insiders and outsiders alike with violence
8. And which protects its members by exerting real power with everyone from judges, to law enforcement, to outsiders

I would submit that 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8 are missing from the LA Family. So can you even call it one? Can you even call it "organized" crime?

I'll close by stating that I would not be shocked to learn that 10 years later from wiretaps that the family is really defunct, and that these folks are (allegedly) just a crew or solo practitioners from other borgatas, who happen to be in LA. But at the same time, I believe my original thesis is probably closer to the truth.

[JoePuzzles234]

I don't think anyone argues that Los Angeles is an active LCN family at this point but there are good points to discuss here

1. The LA Family was, for all intents and purposes, down to single digits in the late 90s.

Yes, there was a minimal amount of active members. They had around 17 in total circa November 1993 but most were inactive and dead by the end of the decade:

los angeles 1993 november - attempt.png

2. The LA Family was down to a handful or less within the last 10-15 years.

Remaining members are:
Tommaso Gambino (b. 1973)
Anthony Gambino (b. 1960s/1970s)
Michael Esposito (b. 1945/06/08) - deceased?
Louis Caruso (b. 1957/02/23)

3. Nevertheless, the LA Family, despite tremendous influence from Detroit, Chicago, and NY, continued to be a "recognized" family in the national phenomenon.

Licata and Brooklier were former Detroit (member/apparent associate) and had some closeness through those relationships but past that, there is no evidence that the Milano admin was influenced by any other families. Agreed on national recognition (not sure that this was ever challenged though?), Los Angeles members and associates dealt with guys from New York, Kansas City and even Colorado at various times.

Re: Tommaso Gambino

Rosario Gambino and Peter Milano were incarcerated together at Terminal Island from around 1988 until 1991 (Milano was released then). Following the Philadelphia war, Tommaso Gambino was blacklisted by the new admin because of his relationship with John Stanfa - he is on some of the Avena tapes. Gambino's whole family moved to Beverly Hills shortly thereafter and through Rosario's relationship with Milano, his sons Tommaso and Anthony were made at some point prior to 1995. This was ostensibly to protect them from Merlino etc.

From Kenny Gallo's account, only Tommaso was active with the local family and was part of Louis Caruso's crew. Anthony associated more with Gambino member Joseph Isgro and was at one point employed by him

Then, if the law-enforcement and blogger intel is right -- and I know some doubt it passionately -- Tommy Gambino allegedly made Albert Iavarone, who was murdered in 2018, as a favor to another family. Iavarone was allegedly another softie -- no criminal past -- probably didn't want to get his hands dirty -- but needed or wanted to be inducted for some reason.

Via Project Otremens/Mafia Borderlands, Iavarone and "A. Caputo" (probably Antonio Caputo) were inducted into "the Gambino family in California" - whether that means Los Angeles or is a reference to the NYC Gambino family remains unclear. Additional communications from Anna Sergi also identify Martino and Paolo Caputo (k. 2019) as having been made into this group.

When it comes to Iavarone's activities/criminality, my understanding is that most of that remains unclear or unconfirmed.

I know Italian American bookmakers in LA -- rough boys who use weapons and all kinds of creative intimidation -- and they don't care an iota about the "LA Family."

Outside of the remnants not really being "street guys", this is probably because most of its members don't even live in California.

Tommy Gambino seems to be constantly travelling and has lived in both Massachusetts and Georgia at times in the 2000s, I was told Michael Esposito had moved back to New Jersey (he may have died in 2021 in any case), Louis Caruso lives in either Buffalo or Arizona and Anthony Gambino may have also left California.

I'll close by stating that I would not be shocked to learn that 10 years later from wiretaps that the family is really defunct, and that these folks are (allegedly) just a crew or solo practitioners from other borgatas, who happen to be in LA. But at the same time, I believe my original thesis is probably closer to the truth.

Defunct would mean that there are no members left alive (like San Jose or San Francisco etc.), Los Angeles is instead just inactive. The whole theory around them being a crew answering to another family might make sense operationally to some degree (at least with the Gambino brothers) but nowadays transfers between families don't seem to exist and the remnants organising a formal vote to disband is highly unlikely.

[JoePuzzles234]

snip

Was looking for Russell Masetta's DOB (1952/10/23) because it's not on my spreadsheet and accidently hit post. He is another living Los Angeles member, residing in Cleveland since at least the early 1990s.

[PTown]

Thank you. Replies like that, solidly grounded in reason and fact, are why this is the best forum out there.

You are absolutely correct that Tommy Gambino doesn't spend much time in LA. He spends most of his time in a middling condo in Swampscott, Mass. Hardly the boss of LA.

Isgro was always overrated. A touch of "taking advantage of Hollywood's obsession with the mob," always. He stays in a rundown house in North Hollywood, owned by the folks who produced and directed the B-movie (C-movie?) about his life.

I concur that the Project Otremens intel is a bit mysterious. But if it is correct, that T. Gambino is indeed, with the Gambinos, then we're right back to how I closed: the family essentially died with Milano and Esposito, and the guys who sometimes spend time here are essentially a Gambino crew.

[Ivan]

Is Tommy Gambino actually involved in criminal activity?

[JoePuzzles234]

Is Tommy Gambino actually involved in criminal activity?

He seems to have financially backed Derek Galanis in an ecstasy ring in late 2001 (never indicted but mentioned in reporting) and was possibly involved in collecting money for Peter Milano and Louie Caruso in the 1990s but nothing major past that

[Nicholas]

You seriously think there are Italian-American bookies in LA?

[NothingNew44]

You seriously think there are Italian-American bookies in LA?

This is fantastic.

[Newyorkempire]

A lot of Italians in LA actually

[Wiseguy]

The LA family was gone long before 10 years ago so we certainly don't need to wait 10 years from now for a verdict. I wouldn't list Anthony Gambino as a definite member. Esposito might be dead. 3 definite members at this point and 2 don't live in California anymore. You could probably count on one hand the number of made guys west of Kansas City at this point.

[Ivan]

You could probably count on one hand the number of made guys west of Kansas City at this point.

Isn't there still like half a dozen made guys living in the Las Vegas-Henderson metro area?

[PTown]

A lot of Italians in LA actually

Absolutely. As for the metros with the most sheer numbers of Italian Americans, New York City asserts itself at last. It topped the list with 2.5 million residents claiming some Italian descent. It was followed by Philadelphia, with more than 800,000; Boston, with more than 650,000; Chicago, with just under 650,000; and Los Angeles—the City of Angels has nearly 400,000 Italians.

U.S. Counties with the Highest Number of Italian Americans
Suffolk County, New York- 322,003
Los Angeles County, California- 250,878
Cook County, Illinois- 246,973
Nassau County, New York- 234,651
Middlesex County, Massachusetts- 197,207

The difference in LA is that everyone is spread out. Manhattan is 24 square miles or whatever. Los Angeles city (NOT counting the neighboring cities like Beverly Hills, Malibu, etc.) is 469 square miles.

I’m always amazed when folks say the mob never caught on in LA because of lack of numbers. There’s plenty of Italians. They just aren’t concentrated.

[PTown]

You seriously think there are Italian-American bookies in LA?

IYKYK

[Little_Al1991]

How did Cosa Nostra first start in LA and how did they get approval to start?

[PTown]

How did Cosa Nostra first start in LA and how did they get approval to start?

Los Angeles was the ending point for certain groups of Italians.

There were groups of Sicilians who went Louisiana—>Colorado—>Los Angeles.

And of course, groups of mainland Italians who went Ellis Island —> Rust Belt —> Los Angeles.

They brought it with them.