Patriarca crime family
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Patriarca crime family is a criminal organization based in the region of New England, specifically Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts, that is part of a nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia or La Cosa Nostra. The Patriarca family is sometimes referred to as “The Office.”
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[edit] History of the Patriarca crime family
[edit] Early Years
The New England based Mafia family that would later be known as the Patriarca family was founded by Gaspare Messina in 1916. He led the family until his death in 1924. Messina was then succeeded by Phil Buccola. Under Buccola the family began to rise in power and wealth. During his reign, the family's prime sources of income were loan sharking, gambling, and bootlegging. Buccola remained the boss of the crime family for thirty years before retiring to Sicily in 1954. His successor was Raymond Patriarca Sr.
[edit] Patriarca Era
After taking over, Patriarca made some drastic changed in the family. He moved the family's base of operations to Providence, Rhode Island. He then appointed his underboss, Gennaro "Jerry" Angiulo to run the family's Boston rackets. Angiulo was successful at gaining a monopoly over gambling in Boston. In the late 1950's, though, Angiulo was shaken down by rival mobsters because he was not a "made" member of the Mafia. Augiulo solved this problem by paying Patriarca $50,000 and agreeing to pay him $100,000 a year to become a made member of the family.
Under Patriarca the family prospered, though he continued to run it with an iron fist. He tolerated no resistance from his men or independent criminals. He also made it clear that other crime families were not permitted to operate in New England. Patriarca was skilled at warding off police an maintaining a low profile and thus received little hindrance from law enforcement. His family ventured into new rackets such as pornography and narcotics, though mob informer Vinnie Teresa insisted that Patriarca forbade the family to become involved in drugs. During his reign as boss, Patriarca also formed strong relationships with the New York crime families, who had controlled organized crime in Providence before he moved in. Patriarca’s underboss, Henry Tameleo was even a member of New York’s Bonanno family. He also worked with the Genovese family frequently. Patriarca and the Genoveses decided that the dividing line between the two families’ territory would be the Connecticut River. In addition to having close ties to the powerful New York mafia, Patriarca was also on the Mafia’s ruling commission and had investments in two Las Vegas casinos. Even though his family was based in New England, its interests were by no means limited to that region.
[edit] The Appalachian Meeting and Aftermath
In 1957, more than sixty of the country’s most powerful crime bosses met in a small town in upstate New York. The meeting was attended by Powerful organized crime figures such as Joe Bonanno, Carlo Gambino, and Vito Genovese. Raymond Patriarca was also in attendance and was consequently arrested along with the several dozed other mobsters at the conference. The Appalachian meeting drew a lot of attention to Patriarca from the press, the public, and especially law enforcement. The situation worsened for Patriarca and his family when Robert Kennedylink title became Attorney General in 1961 and began an assault on organized crime. Law enforcement agencies worked to develop informers within the mob and finally succeeded in 1966 when Joe Barboza, a hit man for the Patriarca family who claimed to have killed 26 people, was arrested for a concealed weapons charge. Barboza grew concerned when Patriarca didn’t raise his bail and two of his friends were killed for trying to get enough money to do so. Barboza became an informant not long after and in 1967 Patriarca and Henry Tameleo were indicted for the murder of Providence bookmaker, Willie Marfeo. Patriarca was convicted and began serving time in 1969. While Patriarca was in prison, Angiulo served as acting boss. Patriarca was released just five years later and resumed control of his crime family.
During the remaining years of his life, Patriarca was plagued be law enforcement and was charged numerous times for avariety of crimes until his death in 1984. In 1978, another informer, Vinnie Teresa, who was a made member of the Patriarca family, testified that Patriarca had participated in a 1960 attempt by the CIA to kill Fidel Castro. The plot, however was never carried out. In 1983, he was charged with the murder of Raymond Curcio. Patriarca was arrested yet again in 1984 for the murder of Robert Candos, whom Patriarca believed was an informant. On July 11th, Raymond Patriarca died at the age of 76 from a heart attack.
[edit] Decline
After the death of Ray Patrirca Sr., The New England Mafia began a long period of decline resulting from law enforcement attacks on the organization and internal violence. After Patriarca’s death, Jerry Angiulo attempted to take over as boss, despite the fact that he was in jail. However, Larry Zannino, the family’s top lieutenant, backed Patriarca’s son, Raymond Patriarca Jr. for the position. The National Commision approved Patriarca Jr.’s ascendancy to leadership and his position was confirmed. Zannino was made consigliere, but was sent to prison for thirty years in 1987. To add to the problems now faced by the family, other senior members, including Henry Tameleo and Franceso Intiso died, and Gennaro Angiulo was sentenced to 45 years in prison for racketeering charges. William Grasso then filled in as underboss Because of the younger Patriarca’s weak leadership, some law enforcers believed Grasso was actually in charge, but these rumors ended when Grasso was found dead in June 1989. Nicholas Bianco then took over the family’s Providence operations. On March 26, 1990, Raymond Patriarca Jr. and 20 other family members and associates, including underboss, Bianco; consigliere, Joe Russo; and five lieutenants, Biaggio Digiacoma, Vincent Ferrara, Matthew, Gugleilmetti, Dennis Lepore, and Robert Carozza were indicted on numerous racketeering, extortion, narcotics, gambling, and murder charges. The arrests were described as “the most sweeping attack ever launched on a single organized crime family.” One of the most damaging pieces of evidence was a tape recording of a Mafia induction ceremony, at which 13 Mafiosi were present. Because of this embarrassment, Patriarca was replaced as boss by Bianco, who maintained a very low profile. But In 1991, Bianco was sentenced to 11 years in prison, while 8 other family members were convicted of RICO charges. In 1994, Bianco died in prison. After pleading guilty to racketeering charges, Patriarca was sentenced to eight years in 1992. On January 6th 1992, all of the defendants in the RICO trial pleaded guilty and were given lengthy sentences and large fines. In 1993, 26 others were indicted and convicted for running a bookmaking operation. Much of the legal trouble that the crime family was facing was a result of cooperation between Whitey Bulger, an Irish gang leader from Boston and mob rival, and FBI agent John Connolly, who let Bulger run his criminal operations with impunity in exchange for information.
[edit] Internal Warfare
Frank Salemme took control over the family after the trials and moved the family’s base back to Boston. Salemme’s ascension to the position of boss sparked tension among factions within the family. In 1991 and 1992, six mob related killings resulted from interfamily violence. The civil war Between Salemme and a crew of renegade mobsters continued for several years. In 1995, Salemme was indicted on racketeering charges. His younger brother Jack took over as acting boss. In 1997, the FBI indicted 15 members of “the renegade faction” led by Robert Carozza, who was also believed to be the only made member of the group. When the verdict for the trial returned, the Jury acquitted the defendants of most charges and was deadlocked on murder and racketeering charges. When a second trial was under way, several of the defendants, including Anthony Ciampi and Eugene Rida, changed their pleas to guilty. In February, 2000, Salemme, who had been in prison for several years, made a plea bargain and got eleven years.
[edit] Current Status
The current boss of the Patriarca family is believed to be Luigi "Baby Shanks" Mannocchio. The alleged underboss was Carmen DiNunzio, who was arrested December 2, 2006. The New England Mafia’s is estimated to have about 40-50 active members and many more associates.The Patriarca crime family remains one of the largest and most prominent LCN families outside of New York.
[edit] Bosses of the Patriarca Crime Family
- 1916–1924 — Gaspare Messina ( –1933)
- 1924–1954 — Phil Buccola ( –1940)
- 1954–1984 — Raymond Patriarca, Sr. ( –1959)
- 1984–1992 — Raymond Patriarca, Jr. (1991–2000)
- 1991–2000 — Frank Salemme ( –present) (acting boss)
- 2000–present — Luigi Mannocchio (1946–present) (acting boss 1990-93)
[edit] Members
- Alfredo Rossi, fenceman...
- John Rossi, enforcer
- Frank Morelli, underboss
- Nick Bianco, capo
- Anthony Paolino, associate involved in bootlegging
- Pro Lerner, assassin
- Enrico Temeleo, underboss
- Biase Marfeo, bookmaker
- Kevin Hanrahan, enforcer
- Gordon O'Brien, associate involved in drug trafficking
- Timothy J. Mello, associate involved in narcotics, labor racketeering and extortion
[edit] References
- Kelly, Robert J. Encyclopedia of Organized Crime in the United States. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 2000. ISBN 0-313-30653-2
- Sifakis, Carl. The Mafia Encyclopedia. New York: Da Capo Press, 2005. ISBN 0-8160-5694-3
- Sifakis, Carl. The Encyclopedia of American Crime. New York: Facts on File Inc., 2001. ISBN 0-8160-4040-0
John Cato - Journalist REF/Source = MafiaGuy.Com 2006 MafiaGuy.Com
