The Colombo Family Grind

The Colombo Family is still out there grinding away.  Cosa Nostra is not like any other criminal group that operates in the US.  Every few years there is a crime group that dominates the headlines.  Jamaican Posse, Colombian Cartel and today it is the Mexican Cartel.  Once law enforcement takes down their leadership they will wither away and die.   Most of them are one trick ponies, dealing only with drugs.  They lack the diverse portfolio of crime that the Cosa Nostra utilizes.

By the time the public reads about a Cosa Nostra guy in the paper being taken down, his replacement has already started working.  The FBI has cut down the Cosa Nostra Squads in New York and combined them.  That means there are less agents in the field.  The NYPD has also cut way back on Cosa Nostra units.  Everyone is worried about Islamic Terrorism.  

The Cosa Nostra has gone back to their roots, into the shadows and with different leadership.  A couple families around the country are run by Sicilians who are from the old country.  

The Colombos are still run by the Carmine Persico. There are still Persicos left on the street and when they go away there are some others that will be coming home.  The only question is: when Carmine dies, will the Colombo Family still want to listen to all of his brain dead relatives?

It should come as no surprise that last week the Appeals Court ruled on Tommy Geoli’s appeal.  Sorry to report that he will have to do the whole 18 years that he was sentenced to by the judge.  This is a guy who killed a nun during a hit, took part in the killing of at least one police officer and a few others.  When he was acting boss of the family and pulling down cash, he was Mr. Big, and now he sits and cries on his blog about how unfair life is and how he’s been mistreated, set up, and hasn’t received any justice.

The FBI took down acting Capo Luca DiMatteo and two others last week.  He and his nephew, Lukey DiMatteo, shook down a Brooklyn business for the last 10 years for an average of $400 a month.  So about $48k tax free over the time period. I am sure the business owner asked for a favor or owed it from a shylock loan.  When it became too much he ran to the FBI and let them know what was happening.  

Luca was still partaking in the staple of the mafia’s business model by operating gambling spots around Brooklyn.  These bring in a lot of cash with a low risk.  The only time guys get any big time is when the Feds roll it into a RICO charge.  Otherwise gambling is not something they get a lot of time for, unlike drug charges which carry harsher punishments.

Luca, who lived on Long Island is suffering from bladder cancer in prison, along with the other regular mafia ailments: busted heart disease and The Sugar aka diabetes.

Luca, before he was arrested, had been undergoing chemotherapy for his cancer. On the days he did not have chemo treatments he would go pick up the extortion money and on those that he had treatment, he sent Lukey to pick it up.

Luca’s lawyer tried to tell the judge that his client was too sick to be incarcerated while awaiting trial.  The judge pointed out that he was well enough to direct others or participate in crimes while he was free.  I guess he won't be free on the $1.5 million bail package his lawyer offered up.

So the Colombo Family continues to grind away. The problem is now with the FBI busy on other fronts, they will grow just like the Bonannos did. I expect a lot of the families to grow stronger in the shadows.

Check out this new web series! The Good Life WATCH THE GOOD LIFE