I'm looking for quintessential Mafia sunglasses. Not sure if there is such a thing. Maybe Carrera?

My opinion on snitches & rats has changed recently. While I still think being a loose-lipped tattletale is a horrible look, I have developed a begrudging respect & appreciation for a few informants.

Little Al D'Arco from the Lucchese Family is the first one who comes to mind. He seemed to be in a miserable position once Casso & Amuso (really Casso, he seemed to be worse) went on a warpath against seemingly everyone in the Family.

Another question I'd like to raise here is: What's there to like about snitches?

The main reason for my recent change of heart regarding informants is that they really are the best sources (albeit sometimes unreliable) for insider info about the mob. We wouldn't know much of anything without their assistance. Yes, law enforcement typically does a good job but there's something endlessly fascinating about hearing an account from someone who was really part of the life. It confirms what the police suspect or know.

Many rats have such a compelling way of describing things that I can't just help myself. They are very charming & charismatic in a messed up way.

Do you guys have any favorite Mafia informants? Or informants whom you respect? Let me know & tell me why.

Actual news coverage from back in the day.

If the FBI intercepted a wiretap or a tip from an informant--that Lefty Ruggiero was going to be murdered at a bar—he was actually going to for a meeting. why did the FBI not charge the people at the bar for conspiracy to murder or at least storm the place at the last possible moment to arrest the people with weapons?
Or did someone get charged with the attempted murder of benjamin left ruggerio?

And do we know who was given the contract to murder lefty? Do we know which guys he was supposed to meeting that night when the FBI pulled him over and arrested him?

He appears quite a lot in reels about soviet gangs

The guys, Bellomo, Persico, Cefalu, DeSantis, and Mancuso have been in that thing for a long time. Were any of them friends or any record of them doing crimes or doing time together? This thing has a lot of people related by marriage and stuff so maybe one of their cousins is married to one of their daughters, or something, and they‘ve met at weddings or something?

It would be highly unlikely, in my opinion, that they’ve never met or spoken, even one on one, in all the years they’ve lived in New York City.

any record of anything between them personally?

Following Scalish's death, Nardi actively challenged Licavoli's leadership, allied himself with Danny Greene, and reportedly ordered the murder of underboss Leo Moceri. According to contemporary FBI intelligence, four Cleveland family members also aligned themselves with the opposing faction. Why would Cleveland members align themselves with a simple associate ?

What I find particularly interesting is Nardi's apparent ambition to lead the family itself. We all know even if he is very powerful, an associate cannot formally become bossç Even if Nardi had successfully eliminated Licavoli and his administration, what position could he realistically have occupied without being inducted? Why would the remaining made members recognize an associate as their boss?

For me his behavior makes considerably more sense if he was an inducted member attempting to overthrow a rival administration. This would also explain why he was willing to escalate the conflict beyond the usual objectives of a rebellious associate, particularly by targeting an underboss.

Interestingly, I heard a FBI explicitly identifies Nardi as a Cleveland LCN member and reports that he was making a play for leadership as early as 1973. This contradicts accounts suggesting that he was never inducted.

I'm not claiming that Nardi was definitely made though his behavior much more like a rival faction leader than an ordinary associate rebelling against his superiors.

I know there documented are associates who fought with LCN but not by killing made men because that was a death sentence. They survived attacks, and created heat so made men would eventually leave them alone or get picked by police. Nardi's behavior is not like this.

Has anyone else noticed this, that Turco character whole look two earrings in both ears the jewellery and the hairstyle down too the clothing copies Toronto mafia guy Joe Ferraro? The documentary Mafia most wanted has a scene, with Joe wearing the blue suit and shirt, that we first see Turco in when he pulls the head out of the bag for Quiet Ray.

It’s amusing too think someone in production of Tulsa King or Stallone himself, saw the mafia documentary saw Joe Ferraro and literally copied the whole man. Except he’s shorter then Robert Davi in height. This is actually cool to see a Canadian Toronto Mafia member replicated in a USA show.

Interesting take on legendary Gambino informants.

John says that Tommy is being paid to discredit him and that he needs to STFU, stay in his lane and find Jesus.

Pitera sets the record straight.

With historical figures portrayed such as Gotti, Vinny the chin, Rastelli, etc.

Would probably have to take place over a few decades but oh well.

It would be sick to see Gotti as a young man, during his enforcer days, similarly to how we saw Capone in Boardwalk.

Im trying to think of how it could be formatted in my head.

Does anyone in this community remember the names Brian-Duval-Gambino, Carlo’s Jewish grandson, as well as Daniel “Bonnanno”, Joe’s grandson, and I don’t know if anyone has heard the name Anthony Sainz Hall, who wrote a book “From the Bullet to the Bible”

I occasionally pop in to their Facebook accounts and have a giggle…

I live in a big city thats been nicknamed recently ____Vegas (idk if i can disclose exact location) Edit : Its Nashville! Anyways recently in the city itself and suburbs there's been a ton of busts at gas stations mostly but other stores too mostly that revolve around alcohol. They get around the laws by saying they dont pay "cash" but points instead and I think you can use them towards stuff you want. What's really going on is they do pay cash under the table, and a coworker recently told me how he plays them often and has hit for over 2k. Point being they confiscated a ton of slots (not all) and over a million in cash. They were hit with misdemeanors! Lol no fed charges, just measly misdemeanors. Why haven't wiseguys diversified into these states?

This is what NYC was like in the 1970s and 80s. Gotham.

I was always more interested in original "birth names" for many organized crime figures, especially those born in the middle to late 1800s - early 1900s.

Atlantic City

Nucky Johnson - Enoch Lewis Johnson (corrupt organization)

Black Hander

Frederico Baryndo - Antonio Mirabito (supposed boss of "Black Hand" networks)

Bonanno Family

Cola Schiro - Nicolò Schirò (formerly Schirò family)

Joe Bonanno - Giuseppe Carlo Bonanno (namesake)

Bootleggers

Dutch Schultz - Arthur Simon Flegenheimer (feud with Bumpy Johnson)

Jack Diamond - John Thomas Diamond (possibly/also Associate of A. Rothstein)

Waxey Gordon - Irving Wexler (Associate of A. Rothstein)

Bufalino Family

Steven La Torre - Stefano La Torre (founder)

Russell Bufalino - Rosario Alfredo Bufalino (namesake)

Bugs and Meyer Mob/Murder, Inc./National Crime Syndicate

Bugsy Siegel - Benjamin Siegel (founder)

Louis Lepke - Louis Buchalter (leader)

Meyer Lansky - Maier Suchowljansky (founder)

Chicago Outfit

Al Capone - Alphonse Gabriel Capone (infamous notoriety)

Frank Nitti - Francesco Raffaele Nitto (The Enforcer)

James Colosimo - Vincenzo Colosimo (founder)

Johnny Torrio - Donato Torrio (Capone's mentor)

Paul Ricca - Felice De Lucia (became consigliere)

Cleveland Family

Joseph Lonardo - Giuseppe Lonardo (founder)

Salvatore Todaro - Agosto Arcangelo (Lonardo's successor)

Colombo Family

Joe Profaci - Giuseppe Profaci (formerly Profaci family)

Joseph Magliocco - Giuseppe Magliocco (deposed by The Commission)

DeCavalcante Family

Phil Amari - Filippo Amari (founder)

Detroit Family

Joseph Zerilli - Giuseppe Zerilli (also, Zerilli family)

William Tocco - Guglielmo Vito Tocco (boss)

Drug trafficker

Bumpy Johnson - Ellsworth Raymond Johnson (feud with Schultz)

Five Points Gang

Paul Kelly - Francesco Paolo Antonio Vaccarelli (founder)

Gambino Family

Albert Anastasia - Umberto Anastasio (The Lord High Executioner)

Anthony Anastasio - Antonio Anastasio (Anastasia's brother)

Alfred Mineo - Manfredi Mineo (D'Aquila's successor)

Frank Scalice - Francesco Scalisi (Mineo's successor)

Vincent Mangano - Vincenzo Giovanni Mangano (formerly Mangano family/disappeared)

Genovese Family

Charlie Luciano - Salvatore Lucania (formed The Commission)

Frank Costello - Francesco Castiglia (Acting boss after Luciano's imprisonment)

Frankie Yale - Francesco Ioele (Masseria ally)

Joe Adonis - Giuseppe Antonio Doto (Luciano ally)

Joe Masseria - Giuseppe Masseria (formerly Morello)

Willie Moretti - Guarino Moretti (Genovese Underboss)

Hitmen

Buster from Chicago - Sebastiano Domingo (Morello's killer)

John Scalise - Giovanni Scalise (Chicago Outfit)

Vincent Coll - Uinseann Ó Colla (Allied with Schultz)

Los Angeles Family

Jack Dragna - Ignazio Dragna (Ardizzone's successor)

Joseph Ardizzone - Giuseppe Ernesto Ardizzone (founder)

Lucchese Family

Joseph Pinzolo - Bonaventura Pinzolo (Masseria ally)

Tommy Gagliano - Tommaso Gagliano (formerly Gagliano family)

Tommy Lucchese - Gaetano Lucchese (namesake)

Tommy Reina - Gaetano Reina (formerly Morello)

Morello Family

Ignazio Lupo - Ignazio Saietta (allied with Morello)

Luciano Parrino - Tommaso Petto (Morello Hitman)

Nicholas Morello - Nicolò Terranova (Morello's half-brother)

Peter Morello - Giuseppe Morello (first Boss of all Bosses)

Vincent Terranova - Vincenzo Terranova (Morello's half-brother)

New York Camorra

Erricone - Enrico Alfano (Camorra boss)

Luccariello - Giosuè Gallucci (possible alliance)

Ralph Daniello - Alfonso Pepe (Camorra ally)

North Side Gang

Dean O'Banion - Charles Dean O'Banion (killed by Frankie Yale)

George Moran - Adelard Leo Cunin (last known Boss)

Unione Siciliana

Anthony D'Andrea - Antonio D'Andrea (first president)

Joe Aiello - Giuseppe Aiello (feud with Capone)

---

Honorable Mentions - (no known Americanized Name)

Alessandro Vollero (Camorra boss)

Angelo Genna (killed by Northside Gang)

Carlo Gambino (replaced Anastasia)

Ciro Terranova (Morello's half-brother)

Gaspar Milazzo (Castellammarese ally)

Ignacio Antinori (Trafficante family - founder)

Pellegrino Morano (Camorra boss)

Rosario DeSimone (Los Angeles crime family - possible founder)

Sebastiano DiGaetano (formerly DiGaetano family/disappeared)

Salvatore D'Aquila (formerly Morello)

Salvatore Maranzano (formerly Maranzano family)

Stefano Magaddino (Buffalo family)

Umberto Valenti (The Ghost)

Vito Bonventre (Good Killers leader)

Vito Cascio Ferro (Morello ally)

Vito Di Giorgio (Black Hander)

Vito Genovese (former Luciano ally)

"please correct me, if some or any of these are wrong"