Luca wrote: ↑Mon May 26, 2025 6:20 pm They talk about how many people Richie the Boot and others, including his son had murdered at his own home, his mansion in New Jersey. And he actually disposed of the bodies on his property in an incinerator. This would make him one of the most sadistic killers in the history of the mafia. You could put him up there with Casso, Demeo, and the like.
In terms of numbers, Boiardo & his crew killed at least 40 people. As you mentioned, with the incinerator, there’s definitely some disappearances that we haven’t connected to him.
He was a lot more affable than guys like Casso or Demeo which is probably why he lasted so long and had a good ending. I guess he could compartmentalize or turn off the crazy. The general public seemed to like him. I’ve spoken to people who have fond memories of pool parties at his estate or getting free food from him.
He doesn’t seem to have been a sadist; the burning of bodies was a forensic countermeasure. However, he was an extreme paranoiac. He was seeing betrayals where there was none. Over the years, he killed several people based on the fear that they wouldn’t “stand up” if they were caught even though they had done time previously.
What is the latest we can connect a disappearance with him if you know? I assumed he stopped way before 1984 but that could be wrong.
I agree while it was gruesome it was about disposal and avoiding loads of bodies showing up most likely. Same happened in Sicily, Giovanni Brusca was using very expensive diggers to bury the bodies very deep at one point and he was constantly on the hunt for acid. Brusca is one of the worst people in Mafia history but i don't actually think he was a sadist, Filippo Marchese was the sadist.
Who did he succeed in 1947 or was he given a new crew?
It is not known exactly when Boiardo's crew was created, but we do know that his crew included Anthony Russo, John Russo, Charles Tourine and William Cardinale. Considering that Boiardo was originally in Moretti's crew and the others were also associated with him, it is likely that this crew split from Moretti's crew.
Boiardo became captain sometime between 1943 and 1950, probably by 1947-1948. Around the same time, Jerry Catena received his crew. Moretti was still captain at the time of his murder.
John De Noia is also mentioned as being a captain in New Jersey during this time period, but he may have been acting for Moretti.
Interesting, thanks. Do you know what happened with the succession of those three Crews then assuming De Noia didn't have his own? As you can see above Pogo has the Crew being split between Boiardo, Gyp DeCarlo and Gene Catena in the 60s. Obviously Gene most likely succeeded Gerry. Is DeCarlo on the line of succession from Morretti then with probably someone inbetween (possibly De Noia)? Or were these Crews combined and broken up so there's no clean succession?
There's a DeCarlo tape that implies Moretti, Boiardo and Jerry Catena were all captains at the same time. DeCarlo recalls an incident over whether Moretti would help transfer Billy Cardinale from Boiardo to Jerry Catena. Moretti and Cardinale were both killed in 1951, so we know at least by that point both Boiardo and Jerry Catena had their own decine.
DiLeonardo mentioned once how Gravano had a bad reputation because he killed people from his own crew while Gotti was known for protecting members of his crew even when they screwed up.
There were similar discussions on the DeCarlo tapes given Boiardo was known for killing so many of his own people. DeCarlo mentioned Moretti coming down on Boiardo about it, joking he should get everyone together and kill them all at once.
Camo wrote: ↑Mon May 26, 2025 7:40 pm
Wasn't Boiardo a major bootlegger who fought against people who would later be fellow NJ Genovese?
He was a Camorrista who did fight against NJ mafia members. Willie Moretti, who was a former Camorrista himself but already a mafia member, attempted to mediate but Boiardo resisted. He wasn't made into the Genovese until the 1940s and by then many of his former underlings had been recruited by the Genovese Family.
Here's an old thread I made dealing with Pussy Russo that also goes into a lot of historic detail about Boiardo:
I also recommend Joel Turner's posts as he's shared good stuff on Boiardo and that cluster of guys.
It always fascinated me how he was able to operate how he did for decades before officially joining the Genovese. Was this because he was being protected by someone or that people were just terrified of him? I thought the Richard Linett book was really good.
Camo wrote: ↑Mon May 26, 2025 7:40 pm
Wasn't Boiardo a major bootlegger who fought against people who would later be fellow NJ Genovese?
He was a Camorrista who did fight against NJ mafia members. Willie Moretti, who was a former Camorrista himself but already a mafia member, attempted to mediate but Boiardo resisted. He wasn't made into the Genovese until the 1940s and by then many of his former underlings had been recruited by the Genovese Family.
Here's an old thread I made dealing with Pussy Russo that also goes into a lot of historic detail about Boiardo:
I also recommend Joel Turner's posts as he's shared good stuff on Boiardo and that cluster of guys.
It always fascinated me how he was able to operate how he did for decades before officially joining the Genovese. Was this because he was being protected by someone or that people were just terrified of him? I thought the Richard Linett book was really good.
Until 1937, the Newark family was the only LCN group in Essex County. Boiardo didn’t have a great relationship with them. Even once they were no longer at war, he wouldn’t have been a prospect.
The Genovese family didn’t have any members in Newark until they brought in Boiardo & Jerry Catena simultaneously in December 1943. He was an associate by the mid 1930s and was a part of the first group in the area inducted when the books opened.
Luca wrote: ↑Mon May 26, 2025 6:20 pm They talk about how many people Richie the Boot and others, including his son had murdered at his own home, his mansion in New Jersey. And he actually disposed of the bodies on his property in an incinerator. This would make him one of the most sadistic killers in the history of the mafia. You could put him up there with Casso, Demeo, and the like.
In terms of numbers, Boiardo & his crew killed at least 40 people. As you mentioned, with the incinerator, there’s definitely some disappearances that we haven’t connected to him.
He was a lot more affable than guys like Casso or Demeo which is probably why he lasted so long and had a good ending. I guess he could compartmentalize or turn off the crazy. The general public seemed to like him. I’ve spoken to people who have fond memories of pool parties at his estate or getting free food from him.
He doesn’t seem to have been a sadist; the burning of bodies was a forensic countermeasure. However, he was an extreme paranoiac. He was seeing betrayals where there was none. Over the years, he killed several people based on the fear that they wouldn’t “stand up” if they were caught even though they had done time previously.
What is the latest we can connect a disappearance with him if you know? I assumed he stopped way before 1984 but that could be wrong.
Gene Farina in ~1969 is the last disappearance that I know off; the last hit overall was Anthony Russo in ‘79. Andy Gerardo was largely running the show from that point and was a lot less kill-crazy
Luca wrote: ↑Mon May 26, 2025 6:20 pm They talk about how many people Richie the Boot and others, including his son had murdered at his own home, his mansion in New Jersey. And he actually disposed of the bodies on his property in an incinerator. This would make him one of the most sadistic killers in the history of the mafia. You could put him up there with Casso, Demeo, and the like.
In terms of numbers, Boiardo & his crew killed at least 40 people. As you mentioned, with the incinerator, there’s definitely some disappearances that we haven’t connected to him.
He was a lot more affable than guys like Casso or Demeo which is probably why he lasted so long and had a good ending. I guess he could compartmentalize or turn off the crazy. The general public seemed to like him. I’ve spoken to people who have fond memories of pool parties at his estate or getting free food from him.
What is the latest we can connect a disappearance with him if you know? I assumed he stopped way before 1984 but that could be wrong.
Gene Farina in ~1969 is the last disappearance that I know off; the last hit overall was Anthony Russo in ‘79. Andy Gerardo was largely running the show from that point and was a lot less kill-crazy
So is it safe to say the Little Pussy Russo was killed by his own crew? Why would they do that? He was a loyal soldier his whole life.
Luca wrote: ↑Wed May 28, 2025 6:29 pm
So is it safe to say the Little Pussy Russo was killed by his own crew? Why would they do that? He was a loyal soldier his whole life.
Yep, in the ‘90s, his killers were named: Thomas “PeeWee” DePhilipps, Anthony DeVingo, and Joseph “Joe Z” Zarra.
They were a part of the Boiardo group.
He was ostensibly killed for mishandling the Boiardo group’s share of the Las Vegas skim. His chauffeur, Patrick Pizzuto, flipping likely played a part too.
The main thing was that anyone who could have protected him, namely Vito Genovese - Angelo DeCarlo - John “Big Pussy” Russo, was dead. His brother passing away in December 1978 basically started a countdown; he was hit in April 1979.
Luca wrote: ↑Wed May 28, 2025 6:29 pm
So is it safe to say the Little Pussy Russo was killed by his own crew? Why would they do that? He was a loyal soldier his whole life.
Yep, in the ‘90s, his killers were named: Thomas “PeeWee” DePhilipps, Anthony DeVingo, and Joseph “Joe Z” Zarra.
They were a part of the Boiardo group.
He was ostensibly killed for mishandling the Boiardo group’s share of the Las Vegas skim. His chauffeur, Patrick Pizzuto, flipping likely played a part too.
The main thing was that anyone who could have protected him, namely Vito Genovese - Angelo DeCarlo - John “Big Pussy” Russo, was dead. His brother passing away in December 1978 basically started a countdown; he was hit in April 1979.
Russo's issues with the Jolley Trolley casino also played a part.
