Big Frank

Francis Guerra, a Colombo Associate, received 14 years after being acquitted by a jury for murder.   Francis, also known as BF or Big Frank, received his nickname when he was he was young in Brooklyn hanging out with Teddy Persico Jr, as he was always taller than the rest of the kids.

Big Frank's story is not the same as the rest of these guys. Big Frank was a good kid who did things right until he was riding his motorcycle on 13th Ave in Brooklyn and was hit by driver.  He was close to death, and a Medic who lived right by the accident performed an emergency tracheotomy on Big Frank.  

It took a long time to recover, and Big Frank fell into debt because he could work.

Big Frank’s buddy Teddy Persico Jr started working for a trucking company. Teddy was a good truck driver and a great mechanic.  I used to see him working on trucks at the Big R truck lot and, unlike other Colombo “employees” he was actually working.  The owner at the trucking company wanted to impress Teddy because his last name was Persico, so he turned him onto a kilo of cocaine.  That was when everyone in their crews’ life changed, for the worse.  That kilo started Teddy’s foray into the drug trade, and that path is what caused Teddy 17 years of grief, Frank Smith over 15 years locked away, and it would also come back to bite Big Frank.

Teddy felt bad for Big Frank so he put him on the payroll for $500 a week. Frank was the guy who would take care of the drug orders, he was the go between.  This would later cause a lot of problems because one of the guys in the crew would tell an agent that “Frank” was the guy who was bringing the cocaine.  He was in the car with an informant telling him that agents were following him all day. So when they were busted Frank Smith was the one taken down for the drugs instead of Big Frank.  They let Frank Smith stay locked up while Big Frank was a free man, and now Big Frank had to pay Teddy $500 a week.  

Teddy went down hard for his drug business and he got some major time.  He missed the start of the war in the Colombo Family but Big Frank was around and at the start he didn't have a gun.  Someone from another family gave him one because he wanted it for protection.  

Teddy's Grandmother passed away and he was granted a furlough from prison.  He was accompanied by 3 prison guards.  He was at her wake when he gave the order that Joe Scopo had to go.  He was very pissed about guys trying to kill his father and he wanted his guys to take care of the hit.  Two weeks later Joe Scopo was killed in front of his house by two men.  A Colombo turncoat told the FBI that Big Frank was driving the crash car during the hit.  Frank had supposedly gone on another hit because a man named Michael Devine had dared to date Allie Boy’s estranged wife.

Big Frank had a great run as an associate of the Colombo Family.  He was close to Allie Boy and his brother Michael.  Michael Persico was the crown prince of the Persico family.  He was educated, clean and appeared crime-family free, but that was a lie because he was actually the conduit to his father, the long time boss of the Colombo Family.

Carmine gave the orders and Michael brought them back to his brothers, cousins, uncles.  Big Frank was one of those guys who got orders from Michael.  He helped Michael out with his Shylock business.  Michael was not a made guy, but being the bosses son he had the clout.  They would all be taken down because I wore a wire on Steve Marcus and the rest of them at Big R trucking.  The FBI used my wire information to go up on phones and to turn Steve Marcus who then wore a wire.  

Teddy Persico, Michael Persico, Big Frank and Eddie Garafalo were all taken down in the same case.  Only Big Frank chose to take it to the jury.  The jury did not buy the Government or their informants, so they acquitted him on the murder charges but convicted him on selling his prescription Oxycontin.  

The judge felt that the Government had shown Big Frank was guilty so he handed him down a 14 year sentence and he is now inmate 10636-051.  

I dislike what these men stand for, but I feel the Government is going to far when they hand out huge sentences even when they don't make a case.  It happened in Las Vegas to Steve Cino, a made guy in the Milano Crime family.  The Government made a fake case that he was involved in the murder of Fat Herbie Blitzstien, which the jury did not buy.  He and the others would still get time.  RICO is one way the Government gets a second and third chance to put guys away for crimes they already did time for in the past.

The Two Franks

This is another Mafia tale but this is not one of honor or loyalty. This is a story of greed.

The two Franks.

Frank Smith was a Colombo Associate who was very close to Teddy Persico Jr.  Frank was so close to Teddy that he used go to the Persico Family Fun Farm in upstate New York. He went many times in his teen years.  When Frank was 16 and Teddy was 17 they were at the farm with two young girls who they asked to ride on ATVs with them.  They raced around the farm until they came to a long paved road bordered by trees.  They began to race and pop wheelies until Frank lost control and veered off down a grassy hill where he smashed into a tree causing the girl to be ejected into the tree with the ATV on top of her, massively injuring her.  The Persico's were sued and lost.  They appealed.

When Teddy went into the family business Frank was right there with him. Frank who is Irish wanted to be a feared Irish gangster like Jimmy "The Gent" Burke, the famous Irish mobster who engineered the Lufthansa Heist.  Frank had met Jimmy when he did some time.  

"BF" Frank Guerra

In 1987 Frank received a huge assignment from the Joe "Waverly" Cacace. The Colombo Boss Carmine "Gimpy" Persico had just been sentenced in the Commission case to life imprisonment.  He reached out to Joe Waverly because he wanted the prosecutors Rudy Guliani and William Aronwald killed.  This is a huge break in Mafia protocol and it is against the rules. The rules have never applied to any Persicos so this should come as no surprise.  Joe Waverly gave the hit to The Brothers (Enrico and Vincent Carini) and Frank Smith. He handed them a slip of paper with the name Aronwald on it.  They went out and killed Aronwald but there was a big problem.  They had killed the wrong man!  They had tracked down and killed the 78 year old father of William Aronald who was an Administrative Judge who handled parking tickets. Enrico and Vincent were found inside cars by Sheepshead bay but Frank Smith was spared.  Teddy Persico and Allie Boy Persico went to bat for him.  He was soon arrested in a take down of Teddy Persico's drug crew and charged with selling cocaine.

BF & BA (Big Anthony) Facing the Music

Francis Guerra also known as BF or Big Frank has been in the news lately because he was found not guilty of participating in two murders.  One of the murders was a man who was dating the ex wife of Allie Boy Persico who was murdered in 1992 in Staten Island. The other was the murder of Joe Scopo one of the leaders of the rebel faction of the Colombo Family in 1993.  Francis was given the order at Teddy Persico's grandmother’s wake when Teddy was leaning over her body while shackled because he was on leave from Prison.  He was convicted on charges of selling his own Oxycontin pills over a year period.  He had a prescription for an old injury but he made the mistake of selling them.  The Judge in the case cited his life of crime and the likelihood that he was guilty of being involved in the murders. So she gave him a 14 year sentence which might seem long, but as you will see what goes around comes around.

Big Frank and Big Anthony in Better Times

BF was close to a guy who lived near him named Anthony Russo Aka Big Anthony.  They did a lot of dirt together.  Big Anthony was a big man when he had these guys behind him and things went his way. Anthony even was upped to Capo.  Then he got taken down on Mafia take down day and he rolled over fast!  Big Anthony was the guy who was very vocal about Rats and flipping prior to following suite.  I know and talk about why I became a rat, this life is and always will be a waste and its all an illusion there is no honor.  Big Anthony gave detailed accounts to the FBI about the Joe Scopo hit and Frank’s involvement.  Big Anthony had at one point prior to flipping told a guy who was wearing a wire that his hat was shot off when the shooting of Joe Scopo started and missing shots sprayed everywhere, and BF could not stop laughing! The FBI always knew Frank was involved but now they had proof.

John Pappa

Frank Smith had served a dozen years for a drug deal that Frank Guerra actually did, not him.  BF had his head up Allie boy’s ass so Frank Smith just sat inside.  A Lucchese Family member was dating Frank Smith’s sister, so he tried to help.  He had a sittdown with Allie Boy trying to get them to do the right thing.  Allie came back with "We don't do that over here" he was okay with Frank Smith sitting in the can.  Frank Guerra even told Frank Smith’s mother at her husband’s funeral that he wanted to do the right thing, yet he did nothing.  It all came down to the fact that Frank Guerra was giving Teddy 500 a week from his drug dealing so Frank Smith had to suffer.

Frank Smith finally had enough, so he flipped.  Frank Smith is a man and very tough. Too bad these guys didn't return his loyalty.  They never even helped him or his family even after it was clear he was doing the time.  So what goes around comes around, have a good 14 years Frank Guerra!

To give you an idea of how petty and low BF is, his family owns L&B Spumoni Gardens in Brooklyn.  A former employee allegedly stole the “Secret Sauce” recipe and opened his own pizza place in Staten Island, so BF went over there with some Colombo Family muscle and allegedly beat and threatened the man before allegedly settling the dispute for $4000.00.  

The Persico Legacy

Teddy Persico Sr and the Colombo War.

Teddy Sr is the brother of imprisoned-for-life Boss Carmine "Gimpy" Persico.  They had another brother Big Allie Boy "Alphonse" Persico who died in the 1980's. After Carmine and his son Little Allie went away in the 1980's, Teddy Sr worked with a panel to run the family.  Little Vic Orena was made acting Boss of the Colombo Family.  Little Vic was good for the family.  He knew that in the future the Family would have to adapt and work on new things.  He inducted new blood into the family.  

One ceremony took place in a nondescript house in Queens. Three men were to be "Badged" that day.  Little Vic, his sons, Joe Scopo and others would preside over the induction.  The men had been told to be dressed nice and they were picked up around Brooklyn and driven to the location.  Joe Baudanza was badged that day with a young guy (future informant) and an old guy nobody ever saw again.  They were brought downstairs and they each took the oath.  I was told recently by the future informant that the “ceremony” was a big let down and afterwards he felt stupid because he had been so eager to be in the family.

Little Vic and Billy Cutolo Sr got along very well with the other families and when they went to Commission Meetings they always had John Gotti's patronage. Little Vic and Billy Sr could speak to the families, they were good with the rules and they knew the intricate Union business so the Colombo's would get their fair share from the other families.  

Teddy Sr had other ideas about who should be the acting boss of the family.  He began promoting Consigliere Vincent "Jimmy" Angilino for the top spot.  Little Vic discussed it with the other families and they wanted things to stay as they had been.  So Carmine Sessa took out Jimmy Angilino and took over his spot in the family. Teddy Sr started telling family members that Little Vic was trying to take over the family. Little Vic and Billy Sr again went to the Commission and they were told to poll the Capo's and see who they wanted as Boss.  Some of them came in when they were sent for, and others did not.  Carmine Sessa, being the backstabber that he was, went to the Persico faction and gave up Little Vic.  Carmine Sessa gathered a crew to blast Little Vic but Little Vic caught the move when he was coming home and he drove away.  The Little Vic faction then went back to the Commission and they were urged to settle it without bloodshed.  They suggested that they take out Capo Greg Scarpa because it had been ordered and he was long suspected of being an informant.  They could get rid of a problem and also see how the Persico's reacted to the hit.

They had a van and when they saw Greg Scarpa he was with his daughter and the baby but they decided to hit him anyway.  Frankie Notch was so eager to get Greg that he fired his pistol getting out of the van.  The noise scared Greg, who got away.  They had blown the Scarpa hit, so Little Vic, Billy Sr and Joe Scopo went to see John Gotti who backed them behind the scenes.

The Soldiers in Brooklyn went to ground hiding out  and business stopped.  The soldiers under Little Vic were given 200 dollars a week.  The war was really 13the Ave against 11the Ave but it would prove costly.  The street war resulted in 68 indictments, 58 convictions and ten guys flipping. What a waste.

This is where Teddy Persico Jr came from and soon Teddy Persico Sr will be a free man.  Where will the Colombo Family go from here?

Colombo War: A Father-Son Story (Part II)

Bill Sr (Wild Bill)'s Club

Later on the same night that Bill Cutolo Sr disappeared, Joe Campy was at Bill Sr’s club.  When Bill Sr never showed up to his own club where he was known to never miss an evening mingling with his own crew, Joe knew right away that he was never coming back.

Later that evening Jackie DeRoss made an appearance at Bill Sr’s club.  From the way he was acting he confirmed Joe Campy’s worst suspicions.  Jackie began by asking various people if they had seen Bill Sr, and then he did something that seemed even stranger and out of place.  He began asking guys for their cell phones.  He would page Bill Sr from their cell phones. Joe Campy knew this was not a sincere move, because two months earlier, Jackie DeRoss, along with another Colombo higher up, had approached Campy and asked him if he would participate in the murder of Bill Sr.  This put Joe Campy in a very precarious situation.  He did not know if it was a trick, where he would go back and tell Bill Sr, or if it was a trick for the Persicos to get him to do it, and then kill him anyways.  He never committed either way and just kept his mouth shut.  The Persicos, after not getting an answer from Joe Campy, came up with another plan.  Allie Boy was getting ready to do an 18 month prison sentence for a problem he had in Florida.  So they informed Bill Sr that he would be appointed acting boss.  Bill Sr believed it.  He even told a few people about it.  So, the important Colombo administration meeting scheduled for the next day, was not only to make a few guys into the family, it was also supposedly to appoint Bill as acting boss while Allie Boy was away for 18 months.  Bill Sr was put completely at ease by believing this news, and didn’t question any of the strange signs that had been happening.  

Joe Campy

The following day, Bill Jr  located his dads’ car at a repair garage.  He wanted to get inside it and have a look.  The first thing he noticed in the car was a bunch of scuffs and foot marks that seemed to point towards a struggle in the front seat.  Bill Jr also wanted to get into the car to take a look inside a secret compartment where he believed his dad was carrying 50K in cash.  He couldn’t figure out how to open the compartment, so he would need to come back.  In the meantime, Jackie DeRoss told everyone to stay away from the car.  By now, the FBI and the police were also on the lookout for Bill Sr.  The day of his dissapearance the NYPD organized crime task force had been following Bill Sr, but had lost him over by the repair shop where his car was found.  The whereabouts of Bill remained a mystery.

The Persico’s were very afraid of Bill Sr because he was well liked by the rank and file and he made cash.  Bill Sr was also very well liked by the other Crime Families in the Tri State area.

The Gambino Family backed him in the war, they wanted Carmine to step down as boss.  They would much rather have done business with Bill Sr than the Persico’s.

Bill Jr had a Long Distance Phone card business with Vinnie Oceans from the Decavalcante Family. One backstabbing Persico friend was also in the business and that was George Tropiano.  A couple years later I would be in the next generation of the same business and the FBI raided it and took boxes of material pertaining to Bill Sr.  I boxed up George Tropiano’s crap in his desk and I’m sure it was thrown out.  George hated Bill Sr behind his back, but when I was there George had cancer.  Maybe he did the world a favor and kicked it.  

There is no honor in the Cosa Nostra it is a fairy tale. There is a saying in Brooklyn that the quickest way to get clipped is to have a Persico owe you money.

Carmine Persico

There were rumors in Brooklyn that Bill Sr had skipped town because of a pending indictment, that he was in Italy or on an Island.  Bill Jr knew this was crap and soon he was approached by the FBI.  

Many people do not understand what it is like to be in his situation and they call him names and figure he is weak.  Bill Jr would have been the next one in the Cutolo Clan to disappear.

Jackie DeRoss had said something off-hand a month before Bill Sr had vanished.  He asked Billy Jr when he was going to get straightened out or made into the family.  This was a way for the Persico’s to get rid of him much quicker.  Bill Jr went to see Jackie DeRoss at his Flower Stand and Jackie knew he was very angry. I am sure Jackie figured he was ready to sling some iron.  

Jackie pleaded ignorance but Bill Jr Knew he was full of crap because Jackie was the guy who took his fathers place.

Jackie had done a long stint and came back broke and he coveted what Bill Sr had put together while he was away.  He became very jealous of Bill Sr as evidenced by his going to his wife’s home and demanding Bill Sr’s cash. He even looked under floorboards.  Bill Jr had started wearing a wire by this time and this was all caught on tape.

One day Bill Jr went to his father’s Union office and Kitty told him that someone was in the office.  What Bill Jr saw when he walked into the office was a grossly obese sweating Persico named Frank.  Bill Jr exploded and started yelling at him.  Frank “Piggy” Persico told him to relax that he was just doing what he was told by those higher up.  Bill Jr told him to leave, so he made a call and then he left.  I am glad to report that Piggy Persico is now where he belongs and that is in the ground.

So Bill Jr did what was best for him and his family, Most people will never know how hard a choice it is to break every rule that you ever knew.  When guys make the choice to flip it is not just a spur of the moment thing.   People who look down on people who do should put themselves in the shoes of those who do.  Most people who read this blog will never have faced death or being around these treacherous people.  Billy Jr made the only choice he could make.

I was around a guy who had his father killed by the Gambino’s for nothing but greed on Sammy The Bull’s part.  The guy was around the Colombo’s and he was in the life.  He knew who did the hit and yet he never did a thing.  

You cannot beat these people like that.  Next week we will close out the Father Son Columbo story with Part 3.

Teddy "Skinny" Persico

What is my former friend up to? Teddy loves being locked up. This way he can be king and not deal with everyday life.
I am still here and not a thing has happened to me. What Colombo Family? What Persico?

The Mafia is a joke. Look at Teddy!

Sources say the sentencing guidelines for the six other defendants range from a low of 18-to-24 months to a high of about seven years. Russo’s tentative plea agreement is said to be in the three-to-four year range.But not so fast. All bets may now be off thanks to an announcement last week by capo Theodore (Skinny Teddy) Persico, who is charged with extortion. He is considering representing himself in the case and going to trial. Persico made the threat at a status conference before Judge Kiyo Matsumoto. Persico’s own attorney Jonathan Marks, was sick that day and couldn’t make it to court. Asked by Gang Land about his client’s startling assertion, Marks said he is planning to confer with him as soon as possible.No matter what Skinny Teddy decides to do, however, Gang Land expects the global plea deal to be worked out and agreed to by all the other parties. Persico is slated for trial for racketeering and murder in June, and if need be, his extortion charges could easily be folded into that case.


This guy is bright just like his Uncle Carmine Gimpy Arm Persico.

Kenji OC

To anyone who thinks that the Mafia is not in decline. I point to the former boss of the Gambino Family on 60 Minutes last night.  That was 100% against the rules.  Baby Gotti is now a rat just like Sammy Gravano, Mikey Scars etc.  The guy already went in for a prooffer gave up guys, told his sister that he was made and has been shopping around a book.  He tries to sugar coat his father. He spoke about his father only hurting those in the streets, code of the life, Organized Crime. yet that was a lie.  The name John Favara should be well know.  The guy hit Frankie Gotti when he was illegally riding a mini bike in the street. It was an accident. What did his family do to bring the grief on them?  What about Eddie Garofalo Sr?  What did he do?  He was no tough guy.  Fred Weiss?  Dee Bee?

I see my ex-friend is still locked down. 

.

EDWARD ANGELO GAROFALO JR

57501-053

43-White-M

UNKNOWN

BROOKLYN MDC

The question, looking at his father laying in the streets of Dyker Heights in the picture on this blog, will Eddie stand tall? Will he let his wife go away?  What about his family?

Teddy Persico does not care.

You have to see the Mafia for what it is now, a petty gang, not men of honor, just guys who use their power to settle grudges.  

The Colombo Family has guys going to court now for killing a Police officer for what? He married an ex wife of the acting boss Joe Waverly. Great way to use the family.  They killed an old man who was the father of the guy they wanted.  Allie Boi Persico used guys to kill a guy dating his ex wife. Allie boi had Greg Scrapa kill his former girlfriend. 

These are men of honor?

Good for Baby Gotti!  Get out John Gotti Jr!

That is the Vogue Magazine I am in this month.

Kenji OC