o2005 In the history of organized crime in New York, the most feared men were rarely the ones whose names appeared in headlines. They were the specialists who worked in quiet rooms and on empty streets, leaving behind little more than a reputation. Among them were figures like Willie "Two Knife" Altieri, Joseph "Mad Dog" Sullivan, … Read more
For decades, the American Mafia operated as one of the most powerful criminal enterprises in the country. But according to former Colombo family captain Michael Franzese, a series of catastrophic missteps helped law enforcement dismantle the life from the inside. Franzese, who now speaks publicly about his years in organized crime, recently laid out what … Read more
Driving from New York City toward Long Island, you pass over the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway just after emerging from the Manhattan tunnel. Directly below lies one of the largest cemeteries in the country: St. John Cemetery in Queens. Few people realize how many former mob figures are buried there. Founded around 1872, the cemetery has been … Read more
Mentre stavo sostituendo un antico specchio a muro nella mia casa storica, non avrei mai immaginato che quel semplice lavoro di manutenzione mi avrebbe rivelato una verità capace di distruggere ogni legame di sangue che credevo di avere. Era un giovedì sera, e la casa, un’imponente dimora vittoriana in un quartiere esclusivo con un’associazione di … Read more
Il momento in cui l’anello di mia figlia è ruotato sul suo dito, ho capito che qualcosa dentro la nostra famiglia si era già rotto, anche se il tacchino era ancora caldo e Daniel Reed mi sorrideva come un uomo che non ha nulla da nascondere. Ventisei anni nell’esercito ti insegnano una cosa sopra tutte: … Read more
Al Capone controlled Chicago. He owned police officers, judges, senators, and union bosses. His organization, the Chicago Outfit, was the most powerful criminal enterprise in America. He took over the North Side by machine-gunning seven men in a garage. He took over Cicero by sending 200 armed men into the streets on election day. He … Read more
The Colombo family has long been regarded as the most warring of the five families in New York. Among the conflicts that shaped it, the Gallo war of the late 1950s and early 1960s stands out as one of the most consequential. The roots of the war lay in the leadership of Joe Profaci, who … Read more
Den sextonde december 1985, klockan 17. 15. Sparks Steak House på 210 East 46th Street, Manhattan. Paul Castellano klev ur en svart Lincoln och tog sex kulor mot huvudet och bröstet på en iskall trottoar mitt i Midtown. Chefen för Gambinofamiljen var död innan han nått asfalten. Och medan varenda tidning i Amerika skrek om … Read more
Avevo sempre pensato che, se mi fossi impegnata abbastanza, prima o poi avrebbero notato chi ero davvero. Non solo la più giovane della famiglia, non solo l’unica figlia femmina, ma qualcuna degna di portare avanti quel nome che a Milano tutti pronunciavano con rispetto. Mi chiamo Giulia Bellini e, se avete mai sentito parlare di … Read more
Forty years ago today, Paul "Big Paul" Castellano was shot and killed in front of Sparks Steak House in Manhattan. The date was December 16, 1985. For anyone who was part of that world, or even close to it, the shock waves were felt all over New York. Michael Francis remembers it distinctly. He was … Read more