Frank Salemme
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Francis P. Salemme [Salemone], AKA "Cadillac Frank", was an American hitman, and Boss for the Patriarca crime family during the 1990's. He is currently in prison awaiting trial on perjury charges.
In 1969, Salemme fled the state of Massachusetts after being indicted for attempted-murder, eluding capture by federal authorities until his arrest in New York City by FBI agent John Connolly in 1971[1]. Sentenced to seventeen years (although partner Steve Flemmi was not charged), Salemme was imprisoned from 1972 to 1989, then was released.
Soon after his release, Salemme made a grab for power, looking to supplant former Mafia boss Jerry Angiulo, who had been imprisoned on federal racketeering charges in 1986. Salemme forged ties to Bulger and the mostly Irish Winter Hill Gang and was especially close to Stephen Flemmi.
After his release from prison, Salemme's son brought him a criminal deal which Salemme took on. He began extorting a film crew that wanted to avoid paying higher salaries to union workers in Boston and Providence, Rhode Island. As it turned out, the production company was actually an FBI front. These events were highly fictionalized in the film The Last Shot.
In January 1995, he was indicted on racketeering charges along with Whitey Bulger and Stephen Flemmi. Salemme was arrested in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and charged with racketeering, crossing state lines for criminal activity, extortion, conspiracy, and loansharking. He was convicted and sentenced to 11 years imprisonment. While serving his sentence, Salemme agreed to become a government informant and appeared before a Congressional committee shortly after his release in 2003.
Salemme was again arrested in November 2004 for perjury during a federal investigation regarding the 1993 murder of nightclub owner Steve Disarro, a charge for which he is currently awaiting trial.
Descendants of the Salemme family still reside in parts of Massachusetts including the greater Boston area.
