Another Bonanno Capo Gets Locked Up

Peter Lovaglio, aka “Pug,” a Bonanno capo, has done two stints in federal prison and now he will be doing some state time for an assault.

In 2013 he was caught meeting with Gerald Chili, a capo from Florida who was picked up at the airport by Anthony Rabito, aka “Fat Tony.”  The FBI was watching them the whole time.  They have so many confidential human sources there are no secrets anymore.  Gerald Chili was on probation so he was later arrested.

Pug ended up pleading guilty to cover three probation violations.  

In 2013 a company known as G&S Carting Inc. wanted to obtain an exemption for the company from the New York City Business integrity commission so they could operate a trade waste business to haul away building waste from demolition and construction.

Chung Industries Inc. also applied for an exemption in 2013 to haul away trade waste.

The problem was, both of these companies were run by a man known as Carl Puma.

Christine Puma claimed to be the 100% principal operator of Chung Industries, Chung is her maiden name.  

You see, Carl Puma wanted access to jobs that were set aside for MWBE (Minority and Women owned Business Enterprises).  His wife, being both a woman and a minority, would have access if she was sole owner of a company.  So he opened a second company out of the same office and ran it under her name.  He was overheard telling someone that he informed his wife if they were designated a MWBE they could have access to a 10 million dollar contract job.

The commission did some more digging and they found out Carl Puma was friends with Peter Lovaglio, a known member of organized crime.  Carl Puma claimed he did not know him well.  Then the commission found that they exchanged 17 cell phone calls in a short period of time.  Peter Lovaglio had a company called LLN LOVA Inc.  The commission found a check SWF Trucking made out to G&S Carting Inc that had written in the memo line “for Balance due LLN Lova.”

The commission denied both companies their requested exemptions.

In November of 2015 Peter Lovaglio got into an altercation at an upscale Sushi restaurant on Staten Island.  He struck the owner in the face with a broken glass, nearly causing him to lose his eye.

He got away that night but the police had a photograph of Peter Lovaglio that the NYPD Organized Crime Investigations unit later identified. He was arrested and just last week he plead guilty.  He was promised an eight year cap on first degree assault with a five year term of post release supervision.

Peter Lovaglio also still has a case of aggravated driving without a license and possession of a deadly weapon hanging over his head.  He was supposedly drunk and had a knife.

You have to wonder sometimes about these guys.  There was no profit to be had.  They seem instead like the types of crimes committed by men with drinking problems and a temper.

Bonanno Crime Family

The Feds and the NYPD are busy working terrorism cases and trying to slow down the flow of drugs from the cartels. This gives the battered Bonanno crime family time to rebuild.  

The Bonannos have come back a few times after they were written off as finished.  

Plagued by internal fights, they were kicked off the Mafia Commission in New York.  Then Joey Massino consolidated power and set the family on the right track.  They were proud of the fact that no made family member had flipped.  They closed their social clubs and made all kinds of rules to avoid detection.  The FBI was busy with others, and they grew in the shadows.   Joey became known as “the last godfather” because he was the only family boss free.  He even threatened death to anyone who said his name. It all came apart when his capos and his brother-in-law underboss turned.  He went through trial and was found guilty.  He then not only made a deal but also wore a wire on the acting boss Vinny Basciano while they were locked up.  Joey Massino became the first sitting boss to flip.  

The Bonannos have had a rough couple of years with boss after boss going away.  

It seems now they are in the process of rebuilding the family.  

The new street boss was once a teamster-working foreman who had a great job on sites checking driver’s union cards for local 282. He was pulling down a cool $100k a year when he was 25 years old.  The FBI spoke to the teamsters, and he was out.  

He was supposed to take care of a wayward Genovese associate who threatened a family member but failed to find him.   

Joseph Cammarano Jr. is the new underboss/street boss of the family while the boss Mikey “Nose” Mancuso is away.   He has moved to consolidate power.  He had a number of capo meetings that were closely watched by the Feds and the NYPD.

The largest meeting took place on a Sunday inside a Staten Island Barber shop.  All the movers and shakers in the family showed up.  They called it on a Sunday because they figured the FBI would not be working.  They even tried to run counter surveillance, but to no avail.  

Its really hard when the FBI has sources in your crew.  It's a lot harder today because if 4 guys get together there is a good chance 1 or 2 has flipped and is giving intel to law enforcement.

He then called a Christmas party at Bocelli's Restaurant on Staten Island that lasted for 6 hours.

It cost him 3 capos who were still on Federal parole.  They were all picked up for associating with people on the non-association list.  A judge denied them bail.

So for now the former Naval Submariner can rest in his home on Long Island.  One thing he can be sure of - law enforcement is watching his every move!

"Gus" Farace

I had TV on in the background and an old movie starring Tony Danza came on.  It was called “Dead Or Alive: The race for Gus Farace.”  I had watched it many years ago, but it reminded me of the story.  

Constabile "Gus" Farace was a bad seed from an early age. Gus grew up in Tottenville, Staten Island, where his Mob connected father had a small store.  He was a large boy who loved to throw his weight around.  He joined a gang called the Bay Boys that used to brawl and destroy things in Tottenville.  Gus was pulled over by police in January 1977 and they found a pistol.  Not even a month later he was arrested for forgery.

Gus moved on to much worse crimes, and by December of 1979 he pleaded guilty to first degree manslaughter.  Gus, the stellar person that he was, kidnapped two boys from Greenwich Village because he claimed they propositioned him.  So Gus and his three friends beat one to death with driftwood and their hands.  The other was lucky because he was able to dive into the water near where they took them, and he escaped.  He later identified Gus in a lineup, and after the plea deal Gus was given 7 to 21 years.  

It was while locked up that he met and became friendly with long time Bonanno member Jerry Chili.  Jerry liked Gus and they stayed in contact when Gus was released in 1985.  Gus started dealing weed right away and soon moved into cocaine.  He partnered up with Greg Scarpa Jr. in 1988 in a drug business.

On the night of February 28, 1989, Gus did the unthinkable.  He murdered an undercover DEA Agent on Staten Island. The Agent, Everett Hatcher, was the first DEA Agent murdered in New York.  Hatcher had made some small buys from Gus and he had set up a deal with him that night. Gus directed him to a deserted section of Staten Island where he drove up next to him in a van and shot him through his open window as they spoke.  Gus shot him 3 times in the head and got away because Hatcher’s back up had lost him.  

Gus had broken a rule that had gone back to the time of Lucky Luciano by murdering a DEA Agent.  The heat was immediate and the Feds poured into New York.  They began to grab and roust mobsters all over New York. They let them know that they would not be able to breath until Gus was taken off the street.  The Mafia decided Gus had to go.  The Lucchese family had a member Johnny Petrucelli hiding Gus in an upstate cabin.  Petrucelli had met Gus in prison, where Gus saved his life. They soon gave Petrucelli the contract to murder Gus and they told him either kill him or yourself.  They told him to leave the body in the streets so the Feds would know he was dead.  Petrucelli never carried out the hit and a few months later he was shot to death.  

On November 17, 1989, just before midnight on a Brooklyn Street, Gus was gunned down by three men.  James Galione, Mario Gallo and Louis Tuzzio caught him in his car on a Brooklyn street and blasted away.  They also hit his friend, another associate, who lived.  They really did the State of New York a favor because Gus was just a bad seed.

Michael Persico and the Colombo Family

Michael Persico is the son of Carmine Persico and the brother of Allie Boy Persico.  Michael was always known as the straight son.  Michael was never inducted into the Colombo Family but he didn't need to be because he was the son of the boss and the brother of the acting boss.

Michael Persico has lived with all the perks of being a Mafia Boss without the exposure.  He has watched as his father went away for a hundred years, his brother for life and many relatives.  Never has Michael been in trouble until recently and that is mostly because of a man named Steve Marcus.  I met and recorded Steve and his son Jeremy while I was wearing a wire.  Jeremy was the part paper owner of D.M. Equipment Leasing with Eddie Garafolo's wife Alicia and he was a bouncer at a Mob run stripclub in Manhatten.

Michael took a really good plea deal where he would plead out to one count of extortionate extension of credit, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371.  This was a great deal considering what he was charged with at the time.  Michael gave Anthony Preza $100,000 for a shylock loan and he gave it to Teddy Persico Jr, James Bombino and a Cooperating Witness.  Michael did this to disguise the fact that he was giving the loan.

The Feds claim in the indictment and his sentencing memorandum that he took part in the murder of Joseph Scopo. They claim that he passed on the order for the murder along with his cousin Teddy Persico Jr for the hit.   They also write that Michael assembled the team of shooters to carry out the job.  They were Frank Guerra, Eric Curcio, Johnnie Pappa, Anthony Russo and John Sparacino.  He then provided the guns that would be used for the hit.  

They would murder Joseph Scopo and not long after Eric Curcio and John Sparacino would be murdered.  Johnnie Pappa would murder John Sparacino and then with the help of Anthony Russo they would cut off his penis, place it in his mouth before setting his body on fire.

These are wonderful people and they are what helped Michael Persico live the life of a Mafia Prince.  He ran a number of businesses thanks to his father and brother.  I was told by his cousin Teddy Jr that he would bring word from Carmine who was in Lompoc Federal Penitentiary.

There was a man named Michael Devine who lived on Staten Island and he owned a nightclub.  Michael never had anything to do with the mafia, never wanted to have anything to do with them.

Michael fell in love with a woman named Tori Persico and that would be his bad luck.

Tori Persico was the estranged wife of Allie Boy Persico who was locked up at the time.

Allie Boy was very jealous of the relationship so he had some of his men wait outside Michael’s condo complex on Staten Island.  When he pulled into the garage they were there and they shot him twice in the head and twice in the groin.  The next morning Michael was found in his still running 1991 Pathfinder dead.

The FBI had a tape of Michael Persico speaking with his brother Allie Boy about Michael Devine. Michael Persico was able to get the recording suppressed but that does not mean that he was not part of it.  

The Cosa Nostra or Mafia was never supposed to be about settling personal scores but the Persicos have broken every rule in the Mafia. They had Law Enforcement murdered, sold drugs and committed many other off-limits crimes.  

Carmine Persico was charged a long time ago in a hijacking case but he kept fighting it long after everyone else took their time which was not bad.  The case started in 1960 and it took five trials and 8 years for Carmine to be found guilty.  He ended up getting sentenced  to 8 years in Federal Prison.  Lets hope they grant Michael the right to a new trial and he gets a long time!

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.  

What is the Mafia today?

The Mafia in America today is not what most people picture.  The Television shows and the movies have ingrained an image of the Mafia in our minds.  They are not charming guys in suits who sit around and act funny.  They are not do good Robin hood type figures.  

They are just criminals who are looking after their best interest.  

I like when I go on the BOP website and I check and I see 

.

EDWARD ANGELO GAROFALO JR

57501-053

43-White-M

UNKNOWN

BROOKLYN MDC

THEODORE JR PERSICO

38266-019

46-White-M

UNKNOWN

BROOKLYN MDC

MICHAEL JOSEPH PERSICO

03014-748

53-White-M

UNKNOWN

BROOKLYN MDC

 This is a really good thing.  Eddie Garofalo was a two faced guy.  The guy came from money but he just wanted to run in the streets.  He used to fly to the islands when they had an offshore book going.  He was down on Wall street when they were working the pump and dumps.  He went on the lam when he was facing time.  Eddie would blame Danny The Town Drunk Persico for losing their money and getting him busted.  Eddie did get 3 whole months for that!

Eddie did bring me in to the Persicos!  I wonder if Michael Persico knows this yet?

I wore the wire in Eddie truck yard and I got both Eddie and Steve Marcus.  Steve Marcus later flipped and wore a wire.  He got Michael!  There is still so much more to come.  

I used to be around Eddie down on Maiden Lane.

People ask me everyday if I am afraid of the Mafia.  I laugh!  These guys kill their friends in Brooklyn or Staten Island.  I live in the open in California.  I am on Facebook.  I am in Magazines and on TV!  I will soon be on the Deadliest Warrior on Spike TV.

The long arm of the Mafia is a myth.  The purpose of the Mafia is to make money for its members.  Once you go away they do not take care of you. Out of sight out of mind.

So here I am talking about the life from the OC!

Kenji OC out!