Lucchese Arrests NJ State Case - April 2025

[johnny_scootch]

From what has been said Big Joe Perna was acting captain of the Jersey crew for Richie DeLuca and then for Georgie Neck. Georgie moves over to the Brooklyn crew and Big Joe gets made captain with Little Joe as his acting.

Lucchese fam would be better off sticking with Mike DeSantis, he’s had a nice run. Georgie on the other hand not so much.

[JohnnyS]

Great info from Pennisi. He's definitely getting the inside scoop on the Lucheses.

[Wiseguy]

From what has been said Big Joe Perna was acting captain of the Jersey crew for Richie DeLuca and then for Georgie Neck. Georgie moves over to the Brooklyn crew and Big Joe gets made captain with Little Joe as his acting.

Lucchese fam would be better off sticking with Mike DeSantis, he’s had a nice run. Georgie on the other hand not so much.

“This guy wants to clip this, clip that, these guys come home and think it’s the fucking 80’s. These were Gas’s guys so what does that tell you. - Johnny Sideburns on Zappola

[SonnyBlackstein]

They want to turn us all into ni**er stick up men.

[SonnyBlackstein]

Is there a picture of Papagni out there aside of the 91 pic?

Admin makes no sense. Official boss, acting boss, UB, Consig and panel member. Sounds like a Burnstein article.

[Pogo The Clown]

The panel is most likely in place instead of a functioning UB and Consigliere. The other families have used a similar setup in the past.


Pogo

[Aces]

Wayne Cross is not made. He was also an associate of the Bruno/ Scarfo North Jersey crew. He is related to Taccetta on his mothers side I believe..
Does anyone know how his son passed?

[chin_gigante]

So the Lucchese admin on the street is DeSantis as the Acting Boss. Frank Papagni as Underboss and Anthony “Bowat” Baratta as the Consigliere but Zappola is identified as being on a ruling panel?

This is similar to what Pennisi has said but if Zappola is on a ruling panel then why is there an Acting Boss? Usually, we don’t see an Acting Boss and a ruling panel in a family

It’s not uncommon for a family to operate with both a panel and an acting boss (or even an official boss) on the street at the same time. I can think of quite a few examples across different families going back decades.

For instance, John Pennisi explained that Lucchese acting boss Michael DeSantis appointed a two-man panel to fill in for the consigliere position in 2017.

Mikey DeSantis became the acting boss with Stevie Crea still remaining as the underboss, but the consigliere position was void…Mikey could’ve easily placed a Brooklyn guy in the consigliere position, and no-one could’ve questioned it. Instead, a two-member consigliere panel was created which consisted of Andrew DiSimone and Freddie Boy Santorelli. These were two Bronx guys who were very well liked by the old administration…Following my departure from the family, Andrew was subsequently given the official consigliere position.

John Pennisi, ‘2017 Lucchese Consigliere’, YouTube video, 1:43, 2 April 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFITutLrBF0.

Jerry Capeci reported in the early 2010s that Gambino family acting boss Domenico Cefalu was utilising a ‘revolving panel’ of three captains to insulate the administration and help run the borgata.

Sources say the family’s Sicilian-born boss, Domenico (Italian Dom) Cefalu, and underboss, Frank Cali, have…a revolving panel of three septuagenarian capos who serve as the family’s ‘street boss’ in dealings with other capos and important soldiers.

Jerry Capeci, ‘Gambinos Take A Page From Chin Gigante’s Bag Of Tricks’, Gang Land News, 15 August 2013, https://www.ganglandnews.com/members/column857.htm.

Capeci later reported that a panel was helping run the Bonanno family along with acting boss John Palazzolo.

Sources on both sides of the law say Bonanno boss Michael (Mikey Nose) Mancuso…put Joe C on the ‘shelf’…in his place as acting boss, Mikey Nose named aging wiseguy John (Johnny Skyway) Palazzolo…underworld sources say a panel of wiseguys is assisting the 82-year-old Palazzolo.

Jerry Capeci, ‘Mikey Nose Pans Acquittal By Musical Consiglieres; Puts Joe C On A Shelf’, Gang Land News, 18 July 2019, https://www.ganglandnews.com/members/column1166.htm.

Former Bonanno captain Peter Lovaglio also testified that the family used both an acting boss and a panel at the same time on at least one occasion during his time on the street. In late 2015 or early 2016, Lovaglio went to a meeting with the panel where he was informed that Joe Cammarano (the then-acting boss) had decided to shelve him.

We had a meeting, there was a panel meeting that they called me to and they gave me 30 other reasons that we were having these discussions about me getting shelved…I met with the panel…At that time it was John (Zancocchio) and Joe Sabella who told me I was on the shelf by direction of Mr Cammarano…Some of the soldiers in my crew were complaining about monies. And I was told by the panel that they were going to discuss that. And then I was put on the shelf.

Peter Lovaglio, testimony, United States v Cammarano, No 18-CR-15 (SDNY, 27 February 2019), 526-7.

The Bonanno family has a long history of using a panel or committee to assist an acting boss. For instance, Joe Massino testified that in 1981 the family was run by Sally Ferrugia (acting boss), Steve Cannone (consigliere), and himself and George Sciascia (on a committee).

Q At some point, did the Bonanno crime family captains hold a vote to select an acting boss?
A Yes, we did…We met with the commission and we were having a lot of trouble in the family and the commission was getting fed up. We were meeting like every other week. So, they said, ‘Go downstairs and vote for an acting boss.’ We went downstairs, and we were voting for an acting boss…We won eight, seven, Sally Ferrugia was the acting boss.
…
Q How long did Sal Ferrugia remain acting boss?
A Fair to say three years.
Q What happened after about three years?
A Phil Rastelli came home in April of ’83 and he took him down.
Q During the time that Sally Ferrugia was acting boss who was the underboss?
A We had no underboss.
Q What about the consigliere, did you have one?
A Yes, we did, Stevie Beef.
…
Q After the three captains were killed, who was running the Bonanno crime family?
A Sally Ferrugia, me and George from Canada.
Q Was there a consigliere?
A Yes, Stevie Beef.
Q Who decided who was going to be on the committee running the family?
A Phil Rastelli.
Q Just to be clear for the record, approximately what year did you end up on the committee running the Bonanno crime family?
A In 1981.

Joseph Massino, testimony, United States v Basciano, No 05-CR-60 (EDNY, 12 April 2011), 4739-41, 4755.

Massino also used a panel to help run the Bonanno family in the 1990s when he was on the street as the official boss. The panel members were delegated to supervise some of the captains, and were authorised to meet and resolve disputes with other families.

Q Did there come a time that you were on the administration of the Bonanno family?
A Yes.
Q But when was that?
A Late ‘90s.
Q Who put you on the administration of the Bonanno family?
A Joe Massino.
Q And what’s a ruling panel?
A Well, a panel that make rules.
Q Is it the same thing or different from the administration?
A I would say it’s the same thing.
Q And when you served on the administration were you also on the ruling panel?
A Well, Joe Massino makes the rules. We just help him.
…
Q Did Mr Massino tell you anything about what your responsibilities would be?
A Yes.
Q What did he say your job would be?
A Some of the captains to report to me, check with them, see everything was running smooth, and if there was a problem, to try to solve the problem…If there was a problem with another family I would try to mitigate it. Try to solve it.

Frank Coppa, testimony, United States v Massino, No 02-CR-307 (EDNY, 7 June 2004), 21488-9, 21503-4.

Sal Vitale, while the official underboss of the family, also functioned as a panel member. Vitale testified that the panel was formed to help him run the family because the Anthony Spero (the official consigliere) had been arrested and was unable to fulfil his duties. Appointing a captain and Vitale to a panel allowed Massino to fill this gap in the family’s leadership without having to give someone the acting consigliere title.

Q Do you recall that when Mr Spero was charged – was arrested, that someone else was set to act in his place?
A To work in conjunction with me?
Q To work in conjunction with you.
A Yes.
Q That is because he had been arrested…and he didn’t have the ability to do what he had the ability to do previously, right?
A True.
Q So Mr Massino – is it Mr Massino that appointed someone to act on his behalf?
A On Spero’s behalf, yes.
Q And at that point in time, you and – who was that that was appointed to act on Mr Spero’s behalf?
A I think the first individual might have been Big Louie…I think it was Louie Tartaglione or Louie Ha-Ha in the very beginning.
Q And it was you and Louie Ha-Ha that were acting on a committee so to speak?
A True.
Q And you actually held a position of official underboss at that point in time, right?
A True.
Q And Mr Ha-Ha held what official position?
A Captain.
…
Q And when he was official captain, was he called the acting consigliere or was he just called acting on a committee?
A Acting on a committee.

Salvatore Vitale, testimony, United States v Persico, No 04-CR-911 (EDNY, 29 November 2007), 3005-6.

There were other reasons for the formation of this panel to help run the family. Vitale testified that the panel ensured that he could have a witness with him when he met with another family. This set-up also shielded Massino from having to meet with the captains while he was on parole.

Q What is the committee?
A Committee is that anybody who the boss appoints. At the time we had no consigliere. Our consigliere was incarcerated. So Joe felt I could work with Frankie Coppa, I could work with George, I could work with Big Louie and other individuals that were on the commission – I mean on the committee…If we had to see a captain or go out and see another family, so I would have a witness with me. I could take one of these individuals with me.
…
Q Do you know if the Bonanno family had a ruling committee, a ruling panel or ruling committee?
A When Mr Massino was not able to function?
Q After the time that he was released from jail.
A In ’92?
Q Yes.
A I would run around with him, put any captain he designated.
Q What was the purpose of that committee?
A To shelter him from meeting the captains. He wasn’t able to function because he was on a five-year parole.

Salvatore Vitale, testimony, United States v Basciano, No 03-CR-929 (EDNY, 1 March 2006), 2579-80, 2636-7.

Louie Tartaglione corroborated rationale behind the witness system, and confirmed that the panel served as Massino’s eyes and ears with the rest of the captains.

Joe wanted a committee formed and the committee was Louie Ha-Ha, Sal Vitale and myself, and the idea of that was any time you go to a meeting, that nobody goes by themselves. You always have to go with two people, and to service all the captains, see them like once every seven to ten days, see what they’re doing, ask them how everything is, and after we got done with that, then we bring back all the information to Joe Massino.

James Tartaglione, testimony, United States v Basciano, No 05-CR-60 (EDNY, 21 April 2011), 5750.

Even after Massino got off parole and could meet freely with others, he kept the panel in place, appointing three captains to it while Vitale was on house arrest.

Q You mentioned you were part of a three-man committee. What did the committee do?
A The committee helped run the family with Joe Massino.
…
Q Who created the committee?
A Joe Massino.
Q Did he explain why he was creating the committee?
A Yes.
Q Why?
A Sal Vitale was under house arrest and he needed help running the family.
…
Q While you were on the committee, what was your role with respect to other captains?
A I think I had four or five captains that had to report to me.

Richard Cantarella, testimony, United States v Basciano, No 03-CR-929 (EDNY, 3 July 2007), 1922, 1964-5.

Massino himself testified that another benefit of appointing a captain to a panel was that it gave them experience of running the family.

A We had like 17 captains. So many reported to my brother-in-law Sal Vitale, so many captains reported, five or six, to Tony Green, and so many reported to TG. It’s like a panel. So I wanted to give them the experience.
Q Experience of what type of responsibility?
A In case I’m not around to run the family.

Massino, testimony, 12 April 2011, 4823-4.

===

So, to sum up, there are multiple reasons why a family might utilise a panel or committee while an acting or official boss is on the street at the same time. A panel can substitute for another administration member if the position is vacant or the holder is otherwise unable to carry out their responsibilities (through incarceration, house arrest, parole, etc). While the Lucchese family appears to have a full administration on the street at this time, it’s important to remember we do not know for sure how active they all are (especially considering the fact that Anthony Baratta is 86 years old). As the Bonanno panel members pointed out, a committee is useful regardless as it insulates the boss (or acting boss) from having to meet with the rest of the captains.

One other reason that is perhaps worth keeping in mind is that, as Massino noted, appointing a captain to a panel can essentially serve as training on how to run the family in the future. We know from Pennisi that George Zappola has been floated as a possible successor to Vic Amuso as the official Lucchese boss, so putting him on a panel would allow him to gain that experience. It would also do so without having to appoint him to an acting or official administration position.

Teddy Persico’s recently revealed role as heir apparent of the Colombo family is arguably a comparable case.

In mid-November 2020, the Colombo family leadership met at a restaurant in Brooklyn…During the meeting, it was decided that (Andrew) Russo would continue to serve as family boss and that Persico would take over the leadership after Russo and upon his completion of federal supervised release.

United States v Russo, US District Court for the Eastern District of New York, No 21-CR-466 (Memorandum of law in support of the government’s motion for permanent orders of detention), 14 September 2021, PACER, 1, ECF No 20.

While not identified as a member of any panel, Persico has been identified in court documents and reporting on the case as a captain who was kept abreast and had input on the running of the family.

In the April 13, 2021 talk…prosecutors wrote, (Vincent) Ricciardo used a hand-signal to inform cooperating witness Andrew Koslosky that Persico had the ‘power and ability’ to give orders to underboss Benjamin Castellazzo…On the tape, Ricciardo told Koslosky that Castellazzo ‘would now be overseeing the (union shakedown) scheme.’ In response, Koslosky asked whether ‘Teddy in Staten Island’ was involved. Ricciardo was heard cryptically stating ‘this guy,’ was involved…prosecutors asserted that, as he spoke, Vinny Unions made a ‘hand signal for the letter T’, which (Koslosky) understood was Ricciardo’s code for Persico…Ricciardo then explained, the prosecutors wrote, that Persico’s order was ‘the last word’.

Jerry Capeci, ‘Skinny Teddy To Remain Behind Bars At Least Until Next Year’, Gang Land News, 24 March 2022, https://www.ganglandnews.com/members/column1294.htm.

It would make sense that Zappola, as a contender to be the next official boss, would similarly be given input into how the Lucchese family is run, or at least put in a position (like on a panel) that would allow him to gain experience in a leadership role.

[SonnyBlackstein]

Outstanding post chin.

A quick question, when you say assist in running, and you cite Barrata's ag, do you mean in a messenger capacity or an actual decision making capacity. Would he have any discretion or simply serve as a messenger?
If it's in a messenger capacity (meets with capos, relys information and instructions) then is 'panel' member an incorrect term as it imply part of a group with an ability to make decisions.

[Little_Al1991]

So the Lucchese admin on the street is DeSantis as the Acting Boss. Frank Papagni as Underboss and Anthony “Bowat” Baratta as the Consigliere but Zappola is identified as being on a ruling panel?

This is similar to what Pennisi has said but if Zappola is on a ruling panel then why is there an Acting Boss? Usually, we don’t see an Acting Boss and a ruling panel in a family

It’s not uncommon for a family to operate with both a panel and an acting boss (or even an official boss) on the street at the same time. I can think of quite a few examples across different families going back decades.

For instance, John Pennisi explained that Lucchese acting boss Michael DeSantis appointed a two-man panel to fill in for the consigliere position in 2017.

Mikey DeSantis became the acting boss with Stevie Crea still remaining as the underboss, but the consigliere position was void…Mikey could’ve easily placed a Brooklyn guy in the consigliere position, and no-one could’ve questioned it. Instead, a two-member consigliere panel was created which consisted of Andrew DiSimone and Freddie Boy Santorelli. These were two Bronx guys who were very well liked by the old administration…Following my departure from the family, Andrew was subsequently given the official consigliere position.

John Pennisi, ‘2017 Lucchese Consigliere’, YouTube video, 1:43, 2 April 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFITutLrBF0.

Jerry Capeci reported in the early 2010s that Gambino family acting boss Domenico Cefalu was utilising a ‘revolving panel’ of three captains to insulate the administration and help run the borgata.

Sources say the family’s Sicilian-born boss, Domenico (Italian Dom) Cefalu, and underboss, Frank Cali, have…a revolving panel of three septuagenarian capos who serve as the family’s ‘street boss’ in dealings with other capos and important soldiers.

Jerry Capeci, ‘Gambinos Take A Page From Chin Gigante’s Bag Of Tricks’, Gang Land News, 15 August 2013, https://www.ganglandnews.com/members/column857.htm.

Capeci later reported that a panel was helping run the Bonanno family along with acting boss John Palazzolo.

Sources on both sides of the law say Bonanno boss Michael (Mikey Nose) Mancuso…put Joe C on the ‘shelf’…in his place as acting boss, Mikey Nose named aging wiseguy John (Johnny Skyway) Palazzolo…underworld sources say a panel of wiseguys is assisting the 82-year-old Palazzolo.

Jerry Capeci, ‘Mikey Nose Pans Acquittal By Musical Consiglieres; Puts Joe C On A Shelf’, Gang Land News, 18 July 2019, https://www.ganglandnews.com/members/column1166.htm.

Former Bonanno captain Peter Lovaglio also testified that the family used both an acting boss and a panel at the same time on at least one occasion during his time on the street. In late 2015 or early 2016, Lovaglio went to a meeting with the panel where he was informed that Joe Cammarano (the then-acting boss) had decided to shelve him.

We had a meeting, there was a panel meeting that they called me to and they gave me 30 other reasons that we were having these discussions about me getting shelved…I met with the panel…At that time it was John (Zancocchio) and Joe Sabella who told me I was on the shelf by direction of Mr Cammarano…Some of the soldiers in my crew were complaining about monies. And I was told by the panel that they were going to discuss that. And then I was put on the shelf.

Peter Lovaglio, testimony, United States v Cammarano, No 18-CR-15 (SDNY, 27 February 2019), 526-7.

The Bonanno family has a long history of using a panel or committee to assist an acting boss. For instance, Joe Massino testified that in 1981 the family was run by Sally Ferrugia (acting boss), Steve Cannone (consigliere), and himself and George Sciascia (on a committee).

Q At some point, did the Bonanno crime family captains hold a vote to select an acting boss?
A Yes, we did…We met with the commission and we were having a lot of trouble in the family and the commission was getting fed up. We were meeting like every other week. So, they said, ‘Go downstairs and vote for an acting boss.’ We went downstairs, and we were voting for an acting boss…We won eight, seven, Sally Ferrugia was the acting boss.
…
Q How long did Sal Ferrugia remain acting boss?
A Fair to say three years.
Q What happened after about three years?
A Phil Rastelli came home in April of ’83 and he took him down.
Q During the time that Sally Ferrugia was acting boss who was the underboss?
A We had no underboss.
Q What about the consigliere, did you have one?
A Yes, we did, Stevie Beef.
…
Q After the three captains were killed, who was running the Bonanno crime family?
A Sally Ferrugia, me and George from Canada.
Q Was there a consigliere?
A Yes, Stevie Beef.
Q Who decided who was going to be on the committee running the family?
A Phil Rastelli.
Q Just to be clear for the record, approximately what year did you end up on the committee running the Bonanno crime family?
A In 1981.

Joseph Massino, testimony, United States v Basciano, No 05-CR-60 (EDNY, 12 April 2011), 4739-41, 4755.

Massino also used a panel to help run the Bonanno family in the 1990s when he was on the street as the official boss. The panel members were delegated to supervise some of the captains, and were authorised to meet and resolve disputes with other families.

Q Did there come a time that you were on the administration of the Bonanno family?
A Yes.
Q But when was that?
A Late ‘90s.
Q Who put you on the administration of the Bonanno family?
A Joe Massino.
Q And what’s a ruling panel?
A Well, a panel that make rules.
Q Is it the same thing or different from the administration?
A I would say it’s the same thing.
Q And when you served on the administration were you also on the ruling panel?
A Well, Joe Massino makes the rules. We just help him.
…
Q Did Mr Massino tell you anything about what your responsibilities would be?
A Yes.
Q What did he say your job would be?
A Some of the captains to report to me, check with them, see everything was running smooth, and if there was a problem, to try to solve the problem…If there was a problem with another family I would try to mitigate it. Try to solve it.

Frank Coppa, testimony, United States v Massino, No 02-CR-307 (EDNY, 7 June 2004), 21488-9, 21503-4.

Sal Vitale, while the official underboss of the family, also functioned as a panel member. Vitale testified that the panel was formed to help him run the family because the Anthony Spero (the official consigliere) had been arrested and was unable to fulfil his duties. Appointing a captain and Vitale to a panel allowed Massino to fill this gap in the family’s leadership without having to give someone the acting consigliere title.

Q Do you recall that when Mr Spero was charged – was arrested, that someone else was set to act in his place?
A To work in conjunction with me?
Q To work in conjunction with you.
A Yes.
Q That is because he had been arrested…and he didn’t have the ability to do what he had the ability to do previously, right?
A True.
Q So Mr Massino – is it Mr Massino that appointed someone to act on his behalf?
A On Spero’s behalf, yes.
Q And at that point in time, you and – who was that that was appointed to act on Mr Spero’s behalf?
A I think the first individual might have been Big Louie…I think it was Louie Tartaglione or Louie Ha-Ha in the very beginning.
Q And it was you and Louie Ha-Ha that were acting on a committee so to speak?
A True.
Q And you actually held a position of official underboss at that point in time, right?
A True.
Q And Mr Ha-Ha held what official position?
A Captain.
…
Q And when he was official captain, was he called the acting consigliere or was he just called acting on a committee?
A Acting on a committee.

Salvatore Vitale, testimony, United States v Persico, No 04-CR-911 (EDNY, 29 November 2007), 3005-6.

There were other reasons for the formation of this panel to help run the family. Vitale testified that the panel ensured that he could have a witness with him when he met with another family. This set-up also shielded Massino from having to meet with the captains while he was on parole.

Q What is the committee?
A Committee is that anybody who the boss appoints. At the time we had no consigliere. Our consigliere was incarcerated. So Joe felt I could work with Frankie Coppa, I could work with George, I could work with Big Louie and other individuals that were on the commission – I mean on the committee…If we had to see a captain or go out and see another family, so I would have a witness with me. I could take one of these individuals with me.
…
Q Do you know if the Bonanno family had a ruling committee, a ruling panel or ruling committee?
A When Mr Massino was not able to function?
Q After the time that he was released from jail.
A In ’92?
Q Yes.
A I would run around with him, put any captain he designated.
Q What was the purpose of that committee?
A To shelter him from meeting the captains. He wasn’t able to function because he was on a five-year parole.

Salvatore Vitale, testimony, United States v Basciano, No 03-CR-929 (EDNY, 1 March 2006), 2579-80, 2636-7.

Louie Tartaglione corroborated rationale behind the witness system, and confirmed that the panel served as Massino’s eyes and ears with the rest of the captains.

Joe wanted a committee formed and the committee was Louie Ha-Ha, Sal Vitale and myself, and the idea of that was any time you go to a meeting, that nobody goes by themselves. You always have to go with two people, and to service all the captains, see them like once every seven to ten days, see what they’re doing, ask them how everything is, and after we got done with that, then we bring back all the information to Joe Massino.

James Tartaglione, testimony, United States v Basciano, No 05-CR-60 (EDNY, 21 April 2011), 5750.

Even after Massino got off parole and could meet freely with others, he kept the panel in place, appointing three captains to it while Vitale was on house arrest.

Q You mentioned you were part of a three-man committee. What did the committee do?
A The committee helped run the family with Joe Massino.
…
Q Who created the committee?
A Joe Massino.
Q Did he explain why he was creating the committee?
A Yes.
Q Why?
A Sal Vitale was under house arrest and he needed help running the family.
…
Q While you were on the committee, what was your role with respect to other captains?
A I think I had four or five captains that had to report to me.

Richard Cantarella, testimony, United States v Basciano, No 03-CR-929 (EDNY, 3 July 2007), 1922, 1964-5.

Massino himself testified that another benefit of appointing a captain to a panel was that it gave them experience of running the family.

A We had like 17 captains. So many reported to my brother-in-law Sal Vitale, so many captains reported, five or six, to Tony Green, and so many reported to TG. It’s like a panel. So I wanted to give them the experience.
Q Experience of what type of responsibility?
A In case I’m not around to run the family.

Massino, testimony, 12 April 2011, 4823-4.

===

So, to sum up, there are multiple reasons why a family might utilise a panel or committee while an acting or official boss is on the street at the same time. A panel can substitute for another administration member if the position is vacant or the holder is otherwise unable to carry out their responsibilities (through incarceration, house arrest, parole, etc). While the Lucchese family appears to have a full administration on the street at this time, it’s important to remember we do not know for sure how active they all are (especially considering the fact that Anthony Baratta is 86 years old). As the Bonanno panel members pointed out, a committee is useful regardless as it insulates the boss (or acting boss) from having to meet with the rest of the captains.

One other reason that is perhaps worth keeping in mind is that, as Massino noted, appointing a captain to a panel can essentially serve as training on how to run the family in the future. We know from Pennisi that George Zappola has been floated as a possible successor to Vic Amuso as the official Lucchese boss, so putting him on a panel would allow him to gain that experience. It would also do so without having to appoint him to an acting or official administration position.

Teddy Persico’s recently revealed role as heir apparent of the Colombo family is arguably a comparable case.

In mid-November 2020, the Colombo family leadership met at a restaurant in Brooklyn…During the meeting, it was decided that (Andrew) Russo would continue to serve as family boss and that Persico would take over the leadership after Russo and upon his completion of federal supervised release.

United States v Russo, US District Court for the Eastern District of New York, No 21-CR-466 (Memorandum of law in support of the government’s motion for permanent orders of detention), 14 September 2021, PACER, 1, ECF No 20.

While not identified as a member of any panel, Persico has been identified in court documents and reporting on the case as a captain who was kept abreast and had input on the running of the family.

In the April 13, 2021 talk…prosecutors wrote, (Vincent) Ricciardo used a hand-signal to inform cooperating witness Andrew Koslosky that Persico had the ‘power and ability’ to give orders to underboss Benjamin Castellazzo…On the tape, Ricciardo told Koslosky that Castellazzo ‘would now be overseeing the (union shakedown) scheme.’ In response, Koslosky asked whether ‘Teddy in Staten Island’ was involved. Ricciardo was heard cryptically stating ‘this guy,’ was involved…prosecutors asserted that, as he spoke, Vinny Unions made a ‘hand signal for the letter T’, which (Koslosky) understood was Ricciardo’s code for Persico…Ricciardo then explained, the prosecutors wrote, that Persico’s order was ‘the last word’.

Jerry Capeci, ‘Skinny Teddy To Remain Behind Bars At Least Until Next Year’, Gang Land News, 24 March 2022, https://www.ganglandnews.com/members/column1294.htm.

It would make sense that Zappola, as a contender to be the next official boss, would similarly be given input into how the Lucchese family is run, or at least put in a position (like on a panel) that would allow him to gain experience in a leadership role.

Very interesting

There have been some unsubstantiated rumours that DeSantis wants to step down and retire, this indictment could potentially change that

[Little_Al1991]

We follow federal cases through PACER but what about state cases, what can we use in order to follow them and read court documents?

[Ozgoz]

Long shot and have no idea obviously but Cross could’ve gone through Ellis island from Croce (cross)

As in Della Croce (of the or from the cross).

Otherwise it’s an English name.

[JohnnyS]

Just gone back and had a look at my notes on Cross. Cross was present at the 2015 Lucchese Christmas party. Pictured standing with the Bronx administration, Matty Madonna, Stevie Crea and Joe DiNapoli. Feds described him as a long time Lucchese associate and a bookie. He was also pictured at Richard DeLuca's wifes wake in the same year, he attended with Joseph Cariti (ph) (Joe Caridi Jr?)

Cross was said to have been in business with Crea Sr, the DiNapoli's and Larry Wecker. He also had dealings with Bonanno member Patty Maiorino.

[Tonyd621]

Press conference video (starts around the 12 min mark)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIYlj6udMko

That cop looks like he has to take a sh*t

[Snakes]

We follow federal cases through PACER but what about state cases, what can we use in order to follow them and read court documents?

Some state courts have a similar portal. You may try Googling "New Jersey courts"