Los Angeles odds & ends

[Costigan]

The Cleveland thread has hit upon LA quite a bit and I thought it would be good to start a new thread to deal with some of this stuff that I wanted to post regarding the mafia in LA.
I get all of my LCN information from books and the internet, mainly this website. I'm not privy to any fresh street information.

I posted in the Cleveland thread: From Fratianno's book, I think Brooklier had Louis Tom Dragna in mind to run things while he did his stretch in the can. Louis Tom told Brooklier that he would do it only if he could bring Jimmy in to help out. At least that's what Jimmy said L.T. told him when they met. At that meeting they hadn't seen each other in years and even the Weasel was surprised at the offer. I think they were setting him up to be hit, knowing he would overstep.
Another reason for bringing Jimmy in as co-acting boss with LT Dragna was that getting rid of Bompensiero was job #1 with Dominic Brooklier. Fratianno's presence would likely calm the cagey Bomp, lull him into thinking everything was alright in the family. Turning the plot to include Fratianno may have only come later, after Jimmy started jet-setting all over the country as LA's newest mob boss. Could be both scenarios I suppose.
Fratianno got stars in his eyes when he was brought in as acting boss. He was always so resentful of young guys whose fathers brought them in, guys like Louis Tom Dragna, Pete Milano & Carlo Licata. You could tell he hated these mafia princes, who unlike him never had to do any "real work." At least in his eyes.

The 1970s & 1980s were an interesting time in the LA family. Dominic Brooklier was trying to consolidate power and make new soldiers. A guy on the internet called Jiggy used to have a website about the mafia in S. California. I think Pogo was familiar with him. Jiggy was into Mike Rizzitello and his "family" such as it was. He did have a lot of information about the Dippolito's and the Matranga's in the LA area. He had lots of photos and documents, etc. His website crashed a few years ago and as far as I know, hasn't been replaced. I was curious as to the size of the LA family during Brooklier's reign, it was hard to tell from Fratianno's book what the size of the family was at this time. So I asked Jiggy about this and he gave me a list of about six names of guys who were made by Brooklier. I did as much research as I could into these guys, and to a man they were basically small time smut peddlers and porn shop owners. Kind of the type you would expect Brooklier to make, especially when he was trying to get a "piece of the porno" in those days. Two of them owned Talk of the Valley sex shop in San Fernando Valley, which btw is still open. Probably under different ownership. One guy on the list actually help porn guy Reuben Sturman escape from prison. I wish I'd wrote those name down. I do remember one was Ken Paladino, for what it's worth.

Mob authors such as Fratianno, Anthony Fiato, and Kenny Gallo all paint Pete Milano as a pussy. I don't know if he was really boss material or not, but he did more than one stretch in prison without ratting. That's something Fiato and Gallo can't say. At least Jimmy Fratianno was facing a murder contract on his life, that would make one turn on his associates. Fiato, who "seethed" at stooping to work with the laughable Milano's ratted as soon as he was arrested. Same for Gallo. As for being soft, when Milano and others were arrested for running a crooked game, the star witnesses against him, a husband and wife, were killed in Vegas. He also put out a contract on LT Dragna when he gave up the family in an interview with the FBI. I don't think he was so soft, he just got to a point were he didn't have people capable of doing his dirty work when needed.

What year was Tommy Gambino made by Pete? I don't know why Milano would have even have wanted to make a young guy like this into a dying family, but he did.

[Pogo The Clown]

There membership was in the 20s range during thi period. Here is a LE chart someone recently posted up.


Southern California Organized Crime Family (Circa 1979)


Boss: Dominic P. Brooklier (Anaheim)
UnderBoss: Sam O. Sciortino (Rancho Mirage)
Counselor: Jack G. LoCicero (Los Angeles)


Lieutenants:
Angelo C. Polizzi (Glendale)
Michael A. Rizzitello (Canoga Park)
Peter J. Milano (Northridge)
Joseph Adamo (San Diego)
Giuseppe Giammona (Los Angeles)


Members:
Julian Antista (Downey)
Frank Gruttadauria (Burbank)
Salvatore Pizzo (Granada Hills)
John Cascio (Downey)
Joseph J. Limandri (Spring Valley)
Charles Migliore (Rialto)
Ben Rizzotto (West Covina)
Liborio Dia (La Mesa)
Tommy Palermo (Downey)
Joseph Sica (Sun Valley)
Louis T/ Dragna (Covina)
Anthony Mangione (Pasadena)
Salvatore J. Pinelli (West Covina)
James A. Fratianno (Moss Beach)
Nicolo Marchese (Long Beach)
Dominic A. Tripoli (North Hollywood)


Pogo

[Grouchy Sinatra]

This must have been when Fratianno was in San Francisco. Moss Beach is just south of SF.

[JeremyTheJew]

Is there a list of murders involved with the LA Family aka mikey mouse mafia???

I recently watched Bugsey which is a good movie but I wish they didn't have dragna on the ground barking like a dog

[Wiseguy]

Mob authors such as Fratianno, Anthony Fiato, and Kenny Gallo all paint Pete Milano as a pussy. I don't know if he was really boss material or not, but he did more than one stretch in prison without ratting. That's something Fiato and Gallo can't say. At least Jimmy Fratianno was facing a murder contract on his life, that would make one turn on his associates. Fiato, who "seethed" at stooping to work with the laughable Milano's ratted as soon as he was arrested. Same for Gallo. As for being soft, when Milano and others were arrested for running a crooked game, the star witnesses against him, a husband and wife, were killed in Vegas. He also put out a contract on LT Dragna when he gave up the family in an interview with the FBI. I don't think he was so soft, he just got to a point were he didn't have people capable of doing his dirty work when needed.

Pete Milano was no Nicky Scarfo but he was in no position to be. I'm not sure what they expected of Milano by the time he took over. Pussy or not, I think Milano was wise to see the writing on the wall, at least after his indictment in the late 1980's. He had how own small legit businesses. Took money off a few close guys. And died out of prison.

What year was Tommy Gambino made by Pete? I don't know why Milano would have even have wanted to make a young guy like this into a dying family, but he did.

Wasn't it something to do with why Gambino came out to the west coast in the first place? Fleeing some beef back east, I think. I suspect Milano wasn't looking to make new guys but did it as a favor.

[B.]

Tommy Gambino came to Los Angeles because his father was in prison there and the children wanted to be close with him. He appeared on the Goodfella Tapes before that where John Stanfa asks him for help getting support in the Philly war, but Gambino says they can't help him due to circumstances.

Some info Kenji Gallo supplied:

- Not sure the details on his induction, but Jimmy Caci told Gallo that Tommy Gambino is "the same thing" as Caci (i.e. made).

- Kenji met with Tommy Gambino at Gambino soldier Joe Isgro's office, where Gambino's younger brother Tony worked.

- Tommy Gambino ran a payphone company with Colombo figure Donnie Shacks Montemarano.

So Tommy Gambino quickly began associating with made members from NYC in Los Angeles.

[B.]

Just a basic timeline by year of what Tommy Gambino's relatives have been up to in a mafia context:

- 2001, Congressional hearing identifies Tommy Gambino as underboss in Los Angeles.
- 2003, Palermo mafia figures Gianni Nicchi and Nicola Mandala visit NYC and allegedly meet with Gambino relative Frank Cali.
- 2004, Gambino relative Giovanni Inzerillo and Palermo mafia member Filippo Casamento visit in Ontario with Canada-based Sicilian mafia members before going to NYC.
- 2005, Gianni Nicchi is recorded telling Palermo boss that Frank Cali is "everything over there" (NYC/America).
- 2006, Gambino's uncle John Gambino, a Gambino family captain, is released from prison.
- 2008, Frank Cali is indicted with the Gambino leadership. Identified in some reports as acting captain.
- 2008, John Gambino becomes member of Gambino family ruling panel in NYC.
- 2010, John Gambino meets with the Philadelphia leadership to discuss issues with other families and introduce members.
- 2012, Los Angeles boss Pete Milano dies. No information has emerged on Tommy Gambino's status in the family, nor the family itself.
- 2012, Gambino relative Frank Cali is identified as Gambino family underboss.
- 2013, report emerges that Frank Cali turned down the position of Gambino boss.
- 2015, erroneous reports claim Frank Cali is acting boss of Gambino family.
- 2017, John Gambino dies.
- 2018, close Gambino friend Lorenzo Mannino is identified as a captain in the Gambino family. Vague comments on Stefanelli tapes suggest this position may date back to 2010.
- 2018, Ontario mafia-linked figure Al Iavarone is murdered in connection with ongoing mafia warfare. Article cites a "police agent" (likely Bonanno member Enzo Morena) suggesting Iavarone was made in Los Angeles. The Iavarones were on vacation to Southern California two months before murder.
- 2019, Frank Cali is murdered by random stranger and it is immediately discussed on tape by his friends/relatives in the Sicilian mafia.
- 2019, Gambino relative Tommaso Inzerillo is identified as boss of Passo di Rigano and arrested with Tommy Gambino's father Rosario, a Torretta mafia member, and Tommy's first cousin, also named Tommy Gambino, a Gambino family soldier.
- 2019, Sciacca boss Accursio Dimino is arrested in Sicily and was recorded suggesting sending Sicilian mafia slot machines to California, as another Sicilian mafia family already has slot machines in Montreal. Dimino has slot machines already in NYC via a Sicilian Bonanno associate.
2019 - Lorenzo Mannino is identified as being part of the leadership of the Gambino family and possibly the most influential member. Mannino's family comes from Torretta, where Tommy Gambino's father is a mafia member.

Probably missing some things, but we can see Tommy Gambino is just one of many relatives, paesani, and close friends who has been identified as a ranking mafia member in the last twenty years and that this group has been consistently powerful in mafia circles.

Whether there is much opportunity for this group in Los Angeles or if Tommy Gambino is "capable" of doing something with it, I don't know, but the group has someone there. I can't pretend to see through Pete Milano's eyes, but Milano had contact with Rosario Gambino and would have known Tommy Gambino has deep Sicilian ties and was working with a Gambino soldier and Colombo leader in Los Angeles when he promoted him to underboss.

[motorfab]

There membership was in the 20s range during thi period. Here is a LE chart someone recently posted up.


Southern California Organized Crime Family (Circa 1979)


Boss: Dominic P. Brooklier (Anaheim)
UnderBoss: Sam O. Sciortino (Rancho Mirage)
Counselor: Jack G. LoCicero (Los Angeles)


Lieutenants:
Angelo C. Polizzi (Glendale)
Michael A. Rizzitello (Canoga Park)
Peter J. Milano (Northridge)
Joseph Adamo (San Diego)
Giuseppe Giammona (Los Angeles)


Members:
Julian Antista (Downey)
Frank Gruttadauria (Burbank)
Salvatore Pizzo (Granada Hills)
John Cascio (Downey)
Joseph J. Limandri (Spring Valley)
Charles Migliore (Rialto)
Ben Rizzotto (West Covina)
Liborio Dia (La Mesa)
Tommy Palermo (Downey)
Joseph Sica (Sun Valley)
Louis T/ Dragna (Covina)
Anthony Mangione (Pasadena)
Salvatore J. Pinelli (West Covina)
James A. Fratianno (Moss Beach)
Nicolo Marchese (Long Beach)
Dominic A. Tripoli (North Hollywood)


Pogo

The caption of the chart where I took it said 1979, but Angelo Polizzi died in 1976 & Giammona in 1977.

The correct Capo list for 1976 is or could be:

-Joseph Adamo (San Diego) (died in 1980)
-Louis Tom Dragna
-Peter Milano
-Mike Rizzitello

Regarding the soldiers Joseph Sica, nor any of his brothers, was never a member (it comes from a quarrel at the time of Jack Dragna). Marchese died in 1975, Charles Migliore in 1978, Anthony Mangione in 1979. A name to add is Thomas Ricciardi, inducted in 1977 after the murder of Bompensiero and died .... in 1979. If you want to update the list ...

[motorfab]

Is there a list of murders involved with the LA Family aka mikey mouse mafia???

I recently watched Bugsey which is a good movie but I wish they didn't have dragna on the ground barking like a dog

For those I remember:

1922: Vito Di Giorgio
1931: Dominic Di Ciolla
1931: Giuseppe Ardizzone
1937: George Brunemann
1948: Hooky Rothman
1948 or 1949 (I don't remember): Louis Scwhatrz & Neddie Herbert
1949: Frank Niccoli
1949: David Ogul
195? : Ralph Genovese
1951: Frank Borgia
1951: Anthony Brancato & Anthony Trombino
1953: Louis Strauss
1958: Anthony Mirabile (by burglars)
1977: Frank Bompensiero

And probably others, but you have the main ones

[chubby]

Does anyone have any info on a guy who was big into the porn industry all throughout the 70’s-90s in the Los Angeles area but don’t think he was originally from La. think he was sent here by a back East family.. last name is Colella.. I think he passed in the 90’s, I’m friends with his sons and they don’t speak much on their late father but I know their mother (his wife) was an asian adult film actress back in the day...
all I know is he had to be somewhat of a somebody cause they live in a nice house in Woodland Hills and basically have lived off whatever money the dad left them, and it’s lasted for like 30 years....

[Pogo The Clown]

Thanks for the info Motorfab. Some more murders.


-The 2 witnesses that were whacked in the early 1970s that was mentioned above and the murder of Fat Herbie
Blitzstein in 1996. I think there may have another one in the 1960s but I nNot sure. Ed talked about few hits in a recent write up on LA but you may have already mentioned them.


Pogo

[Costigan]

The two witnesses who were killed in 1974 were John and Francis Dubeck.

[Pogo The Clown]

Here are two more murders that Ed wrote about.


1950: Samuel Rummel
1960: James Delmont


Pogo

[B.]

More info on LA member Dominick Longo and his Canadian ties:

- He was from the Hamilton, Ontario area and his family comes from San Giorgio Morgeto, Calabria, same hometown as Ontario underworld figure Tony Sylvestro. Sylvestro was associated with John Papalia's father and Sylvestro was Buffalo-Ontario figure Dante Gasbarrini's father-in-law. A Sylvestro descendant appears on an LE list of modern Buffalo and Ontario underworld figures that has been posted, along with Gasbarrini's son and other mafia names.

- Longo's father was Franco Longo and an uncle was also named Dominick. They associated early on with major Ontario figure Rocco Pierri and the Longos were reportedly close to Buffalo member John Papalia.

- The younger Dominick Longo started his Los Angeles car dealership in 1967. He was in California since at least 1964. Some reports indicate this Dominick Longo had ongoing contact with John Papalia as well.

- Dominick Longo employed LA boss Dominick Brooklier at his dealership and is described by Jimmy Fratianno in his book as a Los Angeles member. Brooklier and future boss Pete Milano asked Fratianno to arrange for Longo to receive formal member introduction to mafia members in "Montreal" via Detroit member Tony Randazzo.

- Longo dies in Los Angeles in 1985.

--

Here is where Stefano Magaddino refers to a Charlie Longo who wants Buffalo's support in becoming a "compare" and the above Longos are discussed:



^ The "Dominick" meeting with Magaddino during this recording is Dominick Romeo. He is a Buffalo member of Calabrian heritage who is well-connected to the Calabrian element in Canada and Magaddino treats him with uncharacteristic respect not typically afforded to his members.

^ I initially believed "San Giovanni Annato" referred phonetically to Sicilian village San Giuseppe Iato, where mafia-connected Longos from Utica were from. I also assumed they were discussing a Sicilian mafia connection to that village given Charlie Longo seems to be wanting some kind of underworld status involving that village.

^ It has since been confirmed that the Ontario Longos are from the Calabrian village of San Giorgio Morgeto. Either Magaddino said the name wrong or (more likely) it was phonetically misheard, the latter of which is extremely common on these tapes. San Giorgio Morgeto being heard as "San Giovanni Annato" would be one of the less egregious misinterpretations found on the Magaddino tapes.

^ Franco Longo's sons are mentioned as already living in California. They have trouble determining how Charlie Longo is related, though they suspect he is another son or nephew of Franco Longo. Reference is made to a younger Dominick Longo with a brother named Giorgio and given they are more familiar with Franco's sons and the sons are mentioned in California, Dominick and Giorgio are likely the sons of Franco living in California.

^ It's not clear who "John Busena" is in the transcript, but he appears to be an underworld figure given he is trying to seek Buffalo's help in getting Charlie Longo his desired underworld status. It is likely phonetic. John Papalia is clearly referred to on many Magaddino recordings, though Magaddino has a tendency to use strange names/nicknames for people. Papalia was in poor standing with the Buffalo leadership at this time.

^ "John Busena" lives in Sarnia, Ontario, which is much closer to Detroit. Interesting given Fratianno's reference to using a Detroit member to introduce Dominick Longo to Canadian members. If "Busena" lives in Sarnia, I believe this discludes John Papalia.

^ Magaddino says requesting Buffalo's help for Charlie Longo to achieve some kind of underworld status is a "serious breach of protocol" and has to come from San Giorgio Morgeto. He says that giving Longo status rests with the "local people" and Buffalo should not take responsibility. This statement about breach of protocol and Buffalo not taking responsibility is crucial to the discussion, as it strongly suggests the matter involves another mafia family, or much more likely given it involves Ontario and a Calabrian village, Magaddino is probably saying this is an 'Ndrangheta matter and this shows us that the Buffalo family cannot intervene in 'Ndrangheta matters.

^ During the conversation it is stated however that Longo claims to be from Buffalo. Given all of the known Longos were in Ontario and the Ontario-based "John Busena" was advocating for Charlie Longo, I interpret this not to mean that Longo lived in Buffalo but instead he was trying to use the Buffalo family as a reference to achieve his desired status. In context with this, Romeo says he knows Charlie Longo is not one of Franco's sons from California, as those Longos "had their papers fixed up" in California. I suspect he is saying that Franco Longo's sons in California would not need to use the Buffalo family as an underworld reference given Franco' sons were on record with Los Angeles, where we know Dominick Longo would be made. The California Longos would not need to use the Buffalo family as a reference given they were already affiliated with a local California group. (Which makes me wonder when Dominick Longo was made in LA.)

^ Magaddino says they checked "all societies" for information on Charlie Longo and were unable to reach a conclusion. These "societies" must be underworld groups. They conclude that Charlie Longo might be a son of the elder Dominick, which would make him a first cousin of future(?) Los Angeles member Dominick Longo.

^ The phone call made in connection to this discussion is not included, but the statements made beforehand reference a "cousin" and a a death sentence (whether taken literally or not, it indicates the seriousness of the matter).

Thoughts:

- While it appears Magaddino can't formally involve himself or the Buffalo family in 'Ndrangheta matters in Canada, it does show he was aware of them. In another conversation with Bonanno members, Magaddino seems to make reference to Giacomo Luppino's status with the 'Ndrangheta (though that word is not used).

- It is clear that Los Angeles member Dominick Longo, while on record with the local LA family since the 1960s, was connected not only to the Buffalo family and Buffalo's Ontario membership, but his relatives may have been involved in the 'Ndrangheta in Ontario as well.

- There have been a number of other Los Angeles members aside from Dominick Longo with Buffalo ties, including Jimmy Caci and Stephen Cino who were both active after Longo's death.

- We also have a vague reference to murdered Ontario figure Albert Iavarone being formally affiliated with Los Angeles in some way, which Joe Todaro was not informed about and did not appreciate the lack of protocol. Aside from his family's trip to Southern California months before his death, which may have been a coincidence, there is no apparent reason to connect Iavarone to whatever is left of a Los Angeles family.

- However, Albert Iavarone ran in the same circles as Calabrian Ontario figures the Luppinos, Violis, and Musitanos. In fact, he and his wife worked for the same Hamilton real estate brokerage firm as Domenico Violi and Cece Luppino's first cousin (who is not suspected of underworld involvement) and his murder has been linked to ongoing conflicts that have resulted in the murders of Luppino and the Musitanos, who in turn have been connected to the 1997 murder of John Papalia, reportedly a close friend/associate of the Longos.

- There is no reason to believe that Iavarone can be directly connected to Dominick Longo, who died in 1985, but both men have ties to the same Calabrian underworld element in Ontario and Longo is an example of someone from a similar Ontario background who was able to be made in Los Angeles much earlier. The Iavarones also appear to have had a condo or other ongoing connection to Naples, Florida, where they regularly vacationed.

- Fratianno discused Longo's desire to be formally introduced to members in Canada, the extent of his contacts with Canada unknown, though it is unsurprising that someone originally from the Ontario underworld would want to have his mafia status in Los Angeles shared with his home country in order to strengthen his connections to the area.

Did the Calabrian Longo, who ran a legitimate business and appears to have been extremely low-key in his mafia activities, serve as a go-between for Ontario Calabrian mafia figures and the Los Angeles area beyond the introduction mentioned by Fratianno? Did that introduction end up happening?

For example, did Longo continue contact with his Calabrian hometown paesano the younger Sylvestro (who appears on LE's modern list) and Sylvestro's relatives the Gasbarrinis?

Could this connection have been preserved after Longo's 1985 death and potentially lead to another Ontario member getting inducted in Los Angeles decades later without Buffalo boss Joe Todaro's knowledge? And without moving there?

Is Iavarone of Calabrian heritage and could he be related to other well-known Calabrian figures from Ontario?

Is the statement from the "police agent" about Iavarone's LA membership and Todaro's concerns, as cited in the Canadian article, some kind of mistake or misinformation? It's almost too weird to be not believed, as it doesn't serve any narrative purpose for any of the parties involved. If it's not true, something must have been lost in translation that made its way through several different sources which is always possible, but as of now we can't officially discount it, either, so it is worth considering how this situation may have developed.

Is there reported 'Ndrangheta activity in the Los Angeles area?

Just some questions. We are missing many historic pieces that could tell us more and even disprove some assumptions, though I suspect these missing pieces would also tell us a lot more about Dominick Longo, his family's involvement with the Buffalo family, with 'Ndrangheta groups, and the extent of his ongoing contact with the Ontario underworld.

[Moscone65]

Good post B. It seems that iavarone is a surname of Neapolitan heritage https://www.namespedia.com/details/Iavarone