Lucchese Arrests NJ State Case - April 2025

[PolackTony]

What’s funny about Chucky Porter too is that he wasn’t your typical white mixed-ethnic guy either (e.g., Irish, Polish, Jewish, Greek, etc.), as his dad was an Anglo-Texan Medigan from San Antonio. Not one you see every day.

And I had to look up "Medigan" haha -- its probable etymology (not the one where it's "dog shit" in Italian, that seems like folk etymology to me) reminds me of slang terms like "Murica" that are used as a jokey way of referring to how "America" is pronounced by nationalistic white Americans.

Like most typical Italian-Americanisms, people say a lot of retarded stuff online about it, but it’s just straightforward Napuletan’ “dialect”. Americani == ‘merican’ (pronounced basically “Medigan”). It quite literally just means “American person” in old school Napuletan’.

[PolackTony]

What's funny is Knapik Sr.'s obituary lists his son as "Andrew Merola".

"Why'd you change your name, son?"
"So I could get made, Dad."
"Oh, of course."

It’s funny too given that his parents were both middle-class professionals, with no apparent mob connections, and devout Catholics very active with the church. He seems to have totally come out of left field with respect to his familial background, which was what really led me to suspect that the adoption rumors might well be true (he also doesn’t look anything like his parents, and devout Catholics are exactly the kind of people you’d expect to adopt a kid). The name change could also have spun for his parents as him trying to reconnect with his roots or whatever, as that’s sort of a trope or cliche when it comes to adopted kids coming of age and having a crisis of identity.

He has that "nth generation Italian-American guy" look where he can pass for having Italian heritage but also looks like he could have any number of other genetic backgrounds.

To me he has like an indeterminate “white ethnic guy” phenotype. I’d 100% believe it if someone said he was Polish, Croatian, whatever.

[B.]

What's funny is Knapik Sr.'s obituary lists his son as "Andrew Merola".

"Why'd you change your name, son?"
"So I could get made, Dad."
"Oh, of course."

It’s funny too given that his parents were both middle-class professionals, with no apparent mob connections, and devout Catholics very active with the church. He seems to have totally come out of left field with respect to his familial background, which was what really led me to suspect that the adoption rumors might well be true (he also doesn’t look anything like his parents, and devout Catholics are exactly the kind of people you’d expect to adopt a kid). The name change could also have spun for his parents as him trying to reconnect with his roots or whatever, as that’s sort of a trope or cliche when it comes to adopted kids coming of age and having a crisis of identity.

He has that "nth generation Italian-American guy" look where he can pass for having Italian heritage but also looks like he could have any number of other genetic backgrounds.

To me he has like an indeterminate “white ethnic guy” phenotype. I’d 100% believe it if someone said he was Polish, Croatian, whatever.

Exactly. Orefice of the Gambinos is another one:



If someone tells you he's Italian you can accept it but you wouldn't look at him and assume he's Italian. These guys look like half the guys I grew up with, none of them Italian.

[PolackTony]

What's funny is Knapik Sr.'s obituary lists his son as "Andrew Merola".

"Why'd you change your name, son?"
"So I could get made, Dad."
"Oh, of course."

It’s funny too given that his parents were both middle-class professionals, with no apparent mob connections, and devout Catholics very active with the church. He seems to have totally come out of left field with respect to his familial background, which was what really led me to suspect that the adoption rumors might well be true (he also doesn’t look anything like his parents, and devout Catholics are exactly the kind of people you’d expect to adopt a kid). The name change could also have spun for his parents as him trying to reconnect with his roots or whatever, as that’s sort of a trope or cliche when it comes to adopted kids coming of age and having a crisis of identity.

He has that "nth generation Italian-American guy" look where he can pass for having Italian heritage but also looks like he could have any number of other genetic backgrounds.

To me he has like an indeterminate “white ethnic guy” phenotype. I’d 100% believe it if someone said he was Polish, Croatian, whatever.

Exactly. Orefice of the Gambinos is another one:



If someone tells you he's Italian you can accept it but you wouldn't look at him and assume he's Italian.

Yeah Orefice could be one of my fuckin cousins (both my half-Italian and full Polish cousins, either way) lol.

[johnny_scootch]

I don’t doubt that it was agreed that it would make for better appearances to just have him go by Merola. I mean, *we’re* always asking questions about him and wondering what his deal really is every time he comes up on the boards, so one can imagine what guys might’ve said if a list with “Knapik” on it got passed around lol.

Totally agree. Majority of the time guys looking over induction lists don’t actually know many of the guys listed if any at all. No one is going to think twice about a name like Merola but you can bet everyone’s going to have questions about Knapik so why deal with all that shit if you can avoid it.

[West Coast1]

You can bet and play poker on your phone and worse, the current president is a casino owner. This is a joke. Find out how much tax they would own and fine them. Guys should figure it out themselves and keep the money on the side, then when you get pinched you offer the money that would have been taxed.

[HairyKnuckles]

If it's true he's 3/4 Italian though that would be the one guy I could see them making exception for although having a father with an Italian last name still seems to be a must. Has mostly Italian ancestry, grew up with all of the NJ Luccheses, and was direct with the admin.

I find his ancestry confusing. I have found a couple of obituaries but they are conflicting. Will post them later today.

[HairyKnuckles]

If it's true he's 3/4 Italian though that would be the one guy I could see them making exception for although having a father with an Italian last name still seems to be a must. Has mostly Italian ancestry, grew up with all of the NJ Luccheses, and was direct with the admin.

I find his ancestry confusing. I have found a couple of obituaries but they are conflicting. Will post them later today.

Yeah, I messed it up in my previous post.

Donald was not the father of Wayne, but brother. He too, was considered by law enforcement as an associate of the Lucchese Family (close to the Taccettas). He was found dead, drowned in a swimming pool. No foul there according to the follow up investigation. Donalds wife was Bernadette Noviello.

cross1.png

Florence (nee Martella) was Wayne´s mother.

Cross2.png

So, Wayne Cross is half Italian (on his mother´s side).

[Aces]

Does anyone know exactly how Wayne Cross jr passed? He died suddenly but how?

[B.]

Chin also posted a while back that Wayne Cross was targeted for murder by Pete Caprio before he flipped.

[PolackTony]

If it's true he's 3/4 Italian though that would be the one guy I could see them making exception for although having a father with an Italian last name still seems to be a must. Has mostly Italian ancestry, grew up with all of the NJ Luccheses, and was direct with the admin.

I find his ancestry confusing. I have found a couple of obituaries but they are conflicting. Will post them later today.

Yeah, I messed it up in my previous post.

Donald was not the father of Wayne, but brother. He too, was considered by law enforcement as an associate of the Lucchese Family (close to the Taccettas). He was found dead, drowned in a swimming pool. No foul there according to the follow up investigation. Donalds wife was Bernadette Noviello.


cross1.png


Florence (nee Martella) was Wayne´s mother.



Cross2.png


So, Wayne Cross is half Italian (on his mother´s side).

Yup. His father, John Harold Cross, was of Anglo-American/British ancestry (mother’s name Boyle, so either Scottish or Northern Irish on that side).

[chin_gigante]

New Pennisi video about the arrests. He discusses Zappola's status within the family:

Georgie Neck was still on paper, federal probation, yet it was a known fact the acting boss position was his for the taking if and when he chose...While in his role as a captain in Jersey, he was present for all leadership meetings and decision-making, which is why the government used the term: 'He's a member of the ruling panel.' What Georgie Neck tried to accomplish was to be a shadow boss - exert his influence and control but operate behind the scenes. I believe when Vic Amuso passes away, Georgie Neck will be the official Lucchese boss. And that still may be the case, although most likely he'll eventually take a plea and do a few years and then be on paper again.

https://youtu.be/rP9a8FfI1WY?si=vHTjLrzfNNS14di5

[Stroccos]

Does anyone know exactly how Wayne Cross jr passed? He died suddenly but how?

od

[Wiseguy]

Regardless of how closely an administration looks into the background of a proposed member, I doubt anyone wants to propose a guy who could later found out to not have been eligible.

Anyway, for what its worth, Pennisi doesn't include Cross among the members he identifies in his video on the bust. He says, "Among those arrested were Georgie Neck Zappola and Big Joe Perna, both Lucchese captains, and member John Perna."

https://youtu.be/rP9a8FfI1WY?si=lUBnANsXyDL8I9PC

[Aces]

Does anyone know exactly how Wayne Cross jr passed? He died suddenly but how?

od

He OD'ed? wow... was it fetanyl>?
He seemed like a decent kid.