Salvatore Nurcaro was walking down a busy street in Naples when a hitman, jumps off his motorbike and walks up to Nurcaro, putting a gun up to his head and pulling the trigger… CCTV captures the moment where the hitman’s gun jams, as Nurcaro freezes then realizes what is going on as he runs off down the street. The hitman following closely behind. Bystanders are seen to dive for cover in the busy street as…
The popular TV series, Gomorrah, which looks into the inner-workings of the Camorra (which is lead by Don Pietro) is being blamed for a rise in violence on the streets of Naples. The story is told through the eyes of Don Pietro’s right-hand man, Ciro Di Marzio, and every time an episode airs there has been a notable rise in violence and crime. So much so that the Mayor of Naples has spoken out about…
At the turn of the 20th century, residents of impoverished towns and villages in Italy’s southern regions were leaving in their tens of thousands in search of a better life in America. Amongst them was Enrico Alfano, a man, who according to some, was behind the infamous March 12, 1909 slaying of a New York law enforcement officer Joseph Petrosino who was shot to death in Palermo, Sicily’s capital city, whilst waiting to speak with an informant Petrosino believed had information on the Mafia. Alfano arrived in America on…
Tony ‘T’ is connected. Not only in America, but worldwide. What ‘T’ don’t know, ain’t worth knowing. You’ll know, because he’ll want you to know. A home once belonging to OG Al Capone and his family has been sold for just over $225,000. The Capone residence stayed in the family until the passing of Capone’s mother, Teresa in the late 50’s. The property built in 1905 on the South Side of Chicago had been…
On this day in 1971 Joseph Valachi passed away in El Paso, Texas at the age of 67 from heart attack. Joe was of course the mobster who made Cosa Nostra a household name, and front newspaper headlines as he lifted the lid on the inner workings of the mob. You can read more about Valachi here: http://thencs.org/29DF5wr To mark the 48th anniversary of his passing we have put together a podcast on the Valachi…
Somewhere in 1930’s New York, a group of men, speaking in a language that sounded Italian – which if translated, would we understand its meaning? – Locked together in a secret ceremony. To welcome yet another new member of the family. But this is no Christening. It is a Sacramentum (solemn oath) to a family, not bonded by blood, but by: honor, loyalty and respect. After Joseph ‘Joe Cargo’ Valachi swore the oath of Omertà,…
Now aged 86, soon to be 87 in July of this year, Alphonse D’Arco also known as “The Professor” was the acting boss of the Lucchese Crime Family during the early 1990’s. But, Al wasn’t your stereotypical mobster. He didn’t drink (apart from the occasional glass of wine), he didn’t smoke, and he remained loyal to one woman, Dolores, who he married and had 5 children with. The first being Joe who was born in…
Early last week it was announced that Anthony Comello, a 24 year old, was accused of the shooting of Gambino Crime Family Boss, Frank Cali. Cali was shot 10 times as he tried to shield behind a parked car outside his home. The incident appears to be non-mob related, which complicates matters. Cali had apparently threatened Comello to stay away from his niece, and on the night of the killing Comello told detectives that he…
The Pizza Connection Trial began on September 30, 1985 and ended with convictions of 21 defendants in March 1987. The FBI had been investigating into a drug smuggling tie between the Sicilian Mafia and the Bonanno Crime Family since 1980, with the first arrests being made in 1984. What Was The Pizza Connection? Put simply, it was a massive drugs and cash laundering operation that would see $1.6 billion in heroin and cocaine moved into…
Shortly before the trial of Al Capone, an I.R.S. informant named Eddie O’Hare sought out the lead agent, Frank Wilson at a downtown bar. As he nervously took a seat at the bar next to Agent Wilson, O’Hare whispered in his coarse whiskey voice, “Capone’s men have the jury list, and they are passing out money, tickets to prize fights, city jobs and using muscle. Wilson looked at his informant with skeptical eyes, and when…
It was back in late 1978 when four of the five crime families of New York came together to embark on a lucrative racket that would make millions for the mob. The racket was to win contracts throughout New York City from the Housing Authority, to replace windows across the city. Each family designated a mobster or a couple of mobsters to control their respected interest in the scheme. The Lucchese Family were at the…
You have just been marked as a rat by your boss, even though you aren’t. A contract is soon to be put on your head, what do you do?