q1903 In the early 1970s, a concrete contractor named Anthony Benevento walked into Carlo Gambino's home in Howard Beach, Queens, and raised his voice at the most powerful organized crime boss in America. Benevento pointed his finger at Gambino in front of a room full of made men. Gambino said almost nothing. He smiled, nodded, and … Read more
La salle entière retint son souffle lorsque mon père brandit les clés flambant neuves d’un Range Rover dernier cri. Les applaudissements crépitèrent, les invités se levèrent presque de leurs sièges, et Brielle, ma sœur jumelle, affichait un sourire victorieux en attrapant son cadeau comme si elle venait de décrocher la lune. Puis son regard se … Read more
Vanessa dacht dat ze een grens trok toen ze me vertelde dat de familiecruise alleen voor succesvolle mensen was. Ze had geen idee dat ik de eigenaar was van het jacht, van het charterbedrijf en van de regels waar zij zich vanaf nu aan moest houden. Tegen zonsondergang zou haar luxevakantie mijn les in consequenties … Read more
Quella risata l’avevo sentita per tutta la vita. Era la stessa risata che aveva usato quando, a tredici anni, mi aveva preso i soldi del compleanno dicendomi che mi sarei ripreso. La stessa risata che chiudeva ogni frase della mia famiglia, come una punteggiatura che mi ricordava sempre che esistevo un gradino sotto il livello … Read more
On November 23, 1962, at 2:45 p.m., a Cadillac exploded on the North Side of Youngstown, Ohio. The blast lifted the car three feet off the ground and sent its hood flying fifty feet into the air. Windows shattered for two blocks. Inside the car were three people: Charles "Cadillac Charlie" Cavalaro Sr., 60, and … Read more
Mon fils m’a regardé droit dans les yeux, le jour de la fête des Pères, devant toute la famille, et il a prononcé une phrase que je n’oublierai jamais : « J’aurais préféré que tu ne sois jamais mon père. » Un silence de mort s’est abattu sur la table. Puis je me suis levé … Read more
Santo Trafficante Jr. died on November 17, 1987, at 3:42 in the afternoon, in a hospital bed at Mease Hospital in Dunedin, Florida. He was 72 years old. There were no bullets, no pending indictments, and no handcuffs on the bedrail. The cause was heart failure. His wife held his hand. A son-in-law would later … Read more
On November 18, 1978, at 5:30 in the afternoon, Mickey Spillane was walking to his car in Woodside, Queens, when a man stepped out from behind a parked sedan and opened fire. Four rounds at point-blank range. Spillane dropped on the sidewalk outside his apartment building, bleeding out in front of neighbors who pretended they … Read more
On January 21, 1986, a federal jury in Kansas City, Missouri, returned guilty verdicts on all eight counts against five of the most powerful mob figures in the American Midwest. The courtroom sat on the fourth floor of the Charles Evans Whittaker United States Courthouse, and the jury had deliberated for four days. At the … Read more
Le jour où ma fille m’a appelée pour me dire qu’elle venait avec tout le monde pour les fêtes, j’ai d’abord cru qu’elle parlait d’elle et de son mari. J’aurais dû me méfier de ce mot, « tout le monde », parce que dans la bouche de ma fille, il n’a jamais signifié deux personnes. … Read more