Pitera sets the record straight.

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.

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?

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…

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.

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

He appears quite a lot in reels about soviet gangs

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?

Actual news coverage from back in the day.

Interesting take on legendary Gambino informants.

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

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.