Some Colombo inductions/promotions 1986-1988

[B.]

The Colombos were going through constant changes in the mid-late 1980s due to legal problems, as we all know. They were also rapidly trying to build their family up by inducting new members, just like they had done about ten years earlier in the mid-late 1970s. Just thought I'd post a little timeline of some of the promotions/inductions from this period up to the point when Vic Orena became the acting boss.

- Anthony Scarpati is still acting boss for Carmine Persico in early 1986 with help from Joe Tomasello and Jimmy Angellino.

- Robert Pate, brother of John, made circa June 1986.

- Vic Orena promoted to acting captain for Allie Boy Persico circa June 1986.

- Also by June 1986, captains Joe Tomasello, Jimmy Angellino, and Benny Aloi are promoted to a three man panel running the family after the incarceration of Scarpati.

- Tommy Gioeli (under JoJo Russo), Teddy Persico Jr. (under Vic Orena), and an unidentified associate of the Jimmy Angellino crew made January 1987.

- Bobby Zambardi (under Joe Tomasello), Carmine Sessa (under Vic Orena), and Dennis Guzzardo (under Benny Aloi) made March 11, 1987.

- Joe Tomasello is removed from the three man ruling panel in July 1987 for showing a lack of interest in a leadership position.

- Jimmy Angellino becomes acting boss circa July 1987, with Patty Amato acting capo of the Angellino crew.

- The books were closed for all families circa July 1987, but the Colombos had proposed 13 new members and were going to make them in two waves regardless of the other families' approval. These proposed members included Benny Aloi's son, one of Vic Orena's sons, and two associates of the Sal Profaci crew in Jersey. A ceremony was held on July 28 at the Bay Lounge where Benny Aloi's brother (not son, probably a mistake earlier), Vic Orena Jr., an unidentified associate from Brooklyn, and the two Jersey associates (the Cagno brothers I believe) were made. 8 more members were made sometime around late Fall or Winter 1987.

- Sometime between July 1987 and early 1988 Jimmy Angellino is incarcerated (anyone have the specifics on that?) and a ruling panel is set up consisting of Benny Aloi, JoJo Russo, and Vic Orena.

- Around March 1988 Joe Tomasello stepped down as capo and was replaced with Joel Cacace.

- Vic Orena is made acting boss, Benny Aloi official underboss, and Jimmy Angellino official consigliere in early April 1988.

- Also around April 1988, the following guys were promoted to official captain:
* Vincent Aloi of his brother's crew
* Teddy Persico Sr. of Orena's crew (Orena had still been acting for Allie Boy Persico in early 1987 so not sure the specifics by 1988)
* Patty Amato of Angellino's crew
* JoJo Russo of his father Andrew's crew
* Richard Fusco of a new crew

- At or around the same time, these guys were named acting captains:
* Carmine Sessa for Teddy Persico's crew (immediately after Persico's promotion)
* Anthony "Chucky Russo" of Anthony Scarpati's crew (I believe Greg Scarpa Jr. had been acting earlier)
* Bill Cutolo of a new crew responsible for all Colombo members involved with labor unions

[Hailbritain]

That is some awesome info , thanks buddy. What was Benny aloi doing around that time ?

[Doobeez]

- Vic Orena is made acting boss, Benny Aloi official underboss, and Jimmy Angellino official consigliere in early April 1988.


Nice work, B.

[HairyKnuckles]

- Sometime between July 1987 and early 1988 Jimmy Angellino is incarcerated (anyone have the specifics on that?)

Kinda funny, I don´t know why... Both Angellino and Joe Tomasello were indicted in September 1986 in a case of dealing in hijacked televison sets. In December 1986, both were convicted and in February 1987, were sentenced to a year in prison and fined 10,000 dollars.

[B.]

- Sometime between July 1987 and early 1988 Jimmy Angellino is incarcerated (anyone have the specifics on that?)

Kinda funny, I don´t know why... Both Angellino and Joe Tomasello were indicted in September 1986 in a case of dealing in hijacked televison sets. In December 1986, both were convicted and in February 1987, were sentenced to a year in prison and fined 10,000 dollars.

Yeah, something could be off there but I don't know. Most of the guys running the family during this period had sentences hanging over their heads and continued in their leadership roles until they were off the streets.

When Angellino was acting boss he was said to be facing imminent jail time, no doubt from that case, and they had already arranged for the panel to take his place once he was off the street. I can only assume he was out pending appeal for some time after his conviction. My understanding is that when he was released from jail he was not accepted back into the leadership fold and asked to step down as consigliere, then killed In November 1988 when he refused. He had served about 10 months in jail and I assume he was out for at least a couple of months before his murder.

As for Tomasello, he may have been out on appeal for some time as well in 1987. His lack of interest in leading the family may have been motivated by his sentence. He served about 10 months also.

Maybe someone knows the exact dates they went away.

[Pogo The Clown]

Great stuff B. The Colombos are certainly one of the most interesting families.


Any idea who is the Aloi brother made on July 28, 1987? Didn't know Vinny and Benny had a brother who was made.


Pogo

[B.]

Great stuff B. The Colombos are certainly one of the most interesting families.


Any idea who is the Aloi brother made on July 28, 1987? Didn't know Vinny and Benny had a brother who was made.


Pogo

From other reports Sebastian Aloi Jr. was the brother who got made. He was close to 50 by this time, so surprising he wouldn't have gotten made earlier given who his father and brothers were.

Also another note that Jimmy Angellino was free as of July 1988, possibly earlier if he was free when he was made consigliere in April. So he was definitely in jail a short time after he became acting boss.

[Pogo The Clown]

Thanks. Any idea what became of Sebastian Jr?


Pogo

[HairyKnuckles]

Great stuff B. The Colombos are certainly one of the most interesting families.


Any idea who is the Aloi brother made on July 28, 1987? Didn't know Vinny and Benny had a brother who was made.


Pogo

I have been looking for a while, trying to find a brother and seems to remember something about a guy named Frank Aloi. That was awhile ago so I don´t remeber the details. Neither do I know for sure this Frank is the brother. Maybe one of you street guys knows anything about the guy?

B, Thomas Petrizzo was also promoted to actng skipper in 1988. But I don´t know for which crew. He had previously been under Allie Boy Persico, just like Orena. A year later, he was made official captain.

Michael Sessa was made in 1988, so was Vincent Cascio, Robert D´Onofrio, Vincent "Jimmy Gooch" Febbraro in 1987, Dennis Guzzardo in 1987, Joseph "Legs" Legrano in 1988, Larry "Monk" Miccioli in 1988, Victor Orena Jr in 1987 and Henry "Hank The Bank" Smurra in 1988 or 1989.

[B.]

Thanks. Any idea what became of Sebastian Jr?


Pogo

Doesn't seem to have been too active in family affairs and there is little to no info on him except for a few records here and there and an article about him cheating a casino in FL. He lived in Miami at least for a time. As far as I know he's still alive.

B, Thomas Petrizzo was also promoted to actng skipper in 1988. But I don´t know for which crew. He had previously been under Allie Boy Persico, just like Orena. A year later, he was made official captain.

Michael Sessa was made in 1988, so was Vincent Cascio, Robert D´Onofrio, Vincent "Jimmy Gooch" Febbraro in 1987, Dennis Guzzardo in 1987, Joseph "Legs" Legrano in 1988, Larry "Monk" Miccioli in 1988, Victor Orena Jr in 1987 and Henry "Hank The Bank" Smurra in 1988 or 1989.

Other info has Petrizzo being promoted in mid-1989, but maybe that was when he was officially upped.

Yep, Victor Orena Jr. was the son mentioned above in the ceremony with Sebastian Aloi Jr. Not sure when John Orena got made, but he was the one promoted to captain later.

Curious if anyone knows more about the books being closed for all families circa 1987. Members were being made in the Gambinos, Colombos, and Bonannos through 1986 I know. I can't recall any from the Luccheses but I don't know much about them. From the sound of it, the Genovese weren't making many if any members during this period, as a little bit later is when Gotti allegedly pointed out to Gigante that the Genovese had a ton of slots they weren't filling and Gigante told him to mind his own business. The Colombos making 13 guys and apparently not caring about approval apparently didn't cause problems.

[HairyKnuckles]

Most of the guys running the family during this period had sentences hanging over their heads and continued in their leadership roles until they were off the streets.

I have noticed that too. Can´t help to think that Persico Sr sometimes wanted some of these men to get into trouble, although that doesn´t make any sense really. He was an insecure boss and perhaps he sometimes solved his leadership problems by letting some of these men get into a jam. And perhaps, there was on some occasions people within the Colombo Family (not counting Orena) who wanted Persico removed. Who knows...Persico simply may have been suffering from paranoia, seeing signs of conspiracies everywhere he turned. But you know what they say about paranoid people? Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't out to get you,

[Pogo The Clown]

Any idea who replaced Angellino as Consiglieri in 1988? Or was the position left vacant until Sessa got it in 1990?


Pogo

[HairyKnuckles]

Any idea who replaced Angellino as Consiglieri in 1988? Or was the position left vacant until Sessa got it in 1990?


Pogo

Benny Aloi. Actually, Alphonse Persico (the brother of Carmine) still held on to the spot til he died in 1989. Angellino was acting consigliere and Aloi too. In 1989, Aloi was official consigliere.

[Pogo The Clown]

I thought so but B. posted up top that Aloi became Official UnderBoss and Angellino Official Consiglieri in April 1988.


Pogo

[HairyKnuckles]

I thought so but B. posted up top that Aloi became Official UnderBoss and Angellino Official Consiglieri in April 1988.


Pogo

It´s possible Aloi became official consigliere prior to Persico´s death in September 1989. In fact, it appears that way. My bad. However, Angellino was still acting consigliere as of July 1988. One of the reasons Angellino was killed was his refusal to step down. A boss can not demand an official consigliere to step down. Unless he voluntarily steps down for some reason.



I think this is the meeting where John Gotti expressed his opinion on that the Colombos need a steady hierarchy and to get rid of the acting positions.