Detroit LCN underboss hits the jackpot

[scott22]

Detroit mob power Tony La Piana (alleged underboss) is about to come into a big score.....see below for details....Scott

http://gangsterreport.com/detroit-lcns- ... -smackers/

[Teflon john]

Pretty interesting story,always like to hear about the low key family in the Motor City,thanks for posting Scott.

[scott22]

For sure, John. IMO Chicago Tony La Piana is one of the most fascinating LCN figures around today

Scott

[SonnyBlackstein]

Google Images comes up with an Anthony E La Piana as founder of the National Italian American Council (NIAC) (Sporting a mo'), is this the same?

[scott22]

Anthony E. La Piana is Chicago Tony's son....who lives in Chi and I believe is the president of the Italian -American Assoc there

Scott

[jimmyb]

Great reporting Scott.

La Piana reminds me of the old dons in Sicily. They didn't make their fortunes from loansharking and gambling, they made their fortunes from owning property and investing in legit businesses (especially the construction/concrete/produce industries). Some guys were making $$$ in the blackmarket cigarette trade, cattle theft, and drugs, but I think the Sicilian dons gained political power through these kinds of white-collar deals. Of course this changed in the 70s and 80s w/the rise of Sicilian drug lords. But I think the smart guys roll like La Piana.

[toto]

Great reporting Scott.

La Piana reminds me of the old dons in Sicily. They didn't make their fortunes from loansharking and gambling, they made their fortunes from owning property and investing in legit businesses (especially the construction/concrete/produce industries). Some guys were making $$$ in the blackmarket cigarette trade, cattle theft, and drugs, but I think the Sicilian dons gained political power through these kinds of white-collar deals. Of course this changed in the 70s and 80s w/the rise of Sicilian drug lords. But I think the smart guys roll like La Piana.

Loansharking is strictly forbidden to Cosa Nostra in Sicily. At least it was in the past and was very strict. Giovanni Brusca mentioned one guy who was his friend was doing loansharking and he told his friend to stop or he will kill him. The guy was complaining he lost a lot of money but Brusca made him stop. It is considered a very bad activity.

Political power came because Cosa Nostra could get all the guys and all the relatives to vote in a particular way. This means Cosa Nostra controls votes so politicians know if they don't listen they lose power.

Very few guys made money from construction. Only some bosses. Only when they started drug trafficking then everybody got rich. Otherwise people just made ordinary money and probably some made more money from their job. In the past 25 years they are mostly on the lam so they put pizzo and distributed the money like a wage. But even that is not getting enough money nowadays and one boss D'Ambrogio was caught on a bug saying better for everybody to go and get a job.

[jimmyb]

Great reporting Scott.

La Piana reminds me of the old dons in Sicily. They didn't make their fortunes from loansharking and gambling, they made their fortunes from owning property and investing in legit businesses (especially the construction/concrete/produce industries). Some guys were making $$$ in the blackmarket cigarette trade, cattle theft, and drugs, but I think the Sicilian dons gained political power through these kinds of white-collar deals. Of course this changed in the 70s and 80s w/the rise of Sicilian drug lords. But I think the smart guys roll like La Piana.

Loansharking is strictly forbidden to Cosa Nostra in Sicily. At least it was in the past and was very strict. Giovanni Brusca mentioned one guy who was his friend was doing loansharking and he told his friend to stop or he will kill him. The guy was complaining he lost a lot of money but Brusca made him stop. It is considered a very bad activity.

Political power came because Cosa Nostra could get all the guys and all the relatives to vote in a particular way. This means Cosa Nostra controls votes so politicians know if they don't listen they lose power.

Very few guys made money from construction. Only some bosses. Only when they started drug trafficking then everybody got rich. Otherwise people just made ordinary money and probably some made more money from their job. In the past 25 years they are mostly on the lam so they put pizzo and distributed the money like a wage. But even that is not getting enough money nowadays and one boss D'Ambrogio was caught on a bug saying better for everybody to go and get a job.

By mentioning loansharking and gambling, I was comparing the Italian American dons with the Sicilian dons. Since you brought it up though, I have an Italian Senate report from 2004 that says the cosca in Castellammare is involved in "all'usura." I read that as being involved in loan-sharking. Am I mis-translating that? I know that many types of gambling are legal in Italy, but my understanding is that guys can get into deep debt and go to a loan-shark just like in the US. That doesn't mean their mafia loan-sharks necessarily. Anyhow, please let me know what you think.

[toto]

Sure I understand you were making comparison. I was just mentioning as related point. Anyway, I said in the past because nowadays Cosa Nostra does everything. Like in the past up to say 20 years ago thieves could not be members but now they can join like Zarcone a boss who became a pentito last year had a conviction for credit card fraud in the past such a guy cannot join but now he was a boss. So it is no suprise to see loansharking emerging since what I mentioned about Brusca. Probably many families are involved in this nowadays.