Abraham Telvi

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Abraham Telvi (September 12, 1934-July 28, 1956) was an American mobster and hitman for New York labor racketeer Johnny Dio, known most notably for blinding crusading New York journalist Victor Riesel with acid.

An associate member of the Lucchese crime family, Telvi was ordered by Dio and other labor racketeers to silence Victor Riesel's attacks on labor union corruption. On the morning of April 5, 1956, Telvi attacked Victor Riesel as he was leaving Lindy's, a Broadway restaurant, throwing sulfuric acid onto his face leaving him permenantly blind.

The massive investigation into the incident quickly spiraled into a huge public outcry against labor union racketeering and, as the criminal operations of New York's Five Families came under considerable pressure from federal authorities, investigators persuaded two of the accused conspirators including Gondolfo Miranti, to testify against Dio before death threats caused the two men to refuse testifing. Telvi himself, along with two other minor criminals, were arrested by federal prosecutors although eventually were unable to press charges.

Telvi, who had been paid $1,175 in cash, now demanded more money from Dio (possibly believing Dio would be forced to pay him due to the extensive federal investigation). Dio agreed however, after promising to pay him off within two weeks, Telvi was gunned down in New York's East Side on July 28, 1956.

[edit] References

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

[edit] Further reading

Daily News Books. Big Town, Big Time: A New York Epic : 1898-1998. New York: Sports Publishing LLC, 1998. ISBN 1-58261-028-2
Scheim, David E. Contract on America: The Mafia Murder of President John F. Kennedy. New York: Shapolsky Publishers, 1988. ISBN 0-933503-30-X
United States. Congress. House. Select Committee on Assassinations. Investigation of the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy: hearings before the Select Committee on Assassinations. 1979. [1]