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Articles by David Amoruso
WATCH: Many Saints of Newark sees Michael Gandolfini turn into younger version of his father’s Tony Soprano
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. Fourteen years ago everything went black, when hit television series The Sopranos aired its final episode. Today, fans rejoiced as the silver screen lit up with the trailer of the upcoming movie "The Many Saints of Newark," a prequel to The Sopranos. “Legends aren’t born. They’re made,” the film’s teaser reads.
Elusive Colombian drug lord “Memo Fantasma” arrested - Mysterious kingpin started under Pablo Escobar
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. Guillermo León Acevedo Giraldo, one of the world’s most elusive and mysterious drug lords, was arrested In Bogota, Colombia, on Friday. He is considered one of Colombia’s most powerful narco kingpins, yet he managed to fly under the radar for decades, evading arrest, and being known only as “Memo Fantasma”. An in-depth report by journalists from InSight Crime brought him into the spotlight.
WATCH: Lansky, starring Harvey Keitel, brings one of American Mafia’s most enigmatic bosses to the silver screen
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. Few American Mafia bosses have mesmerized the public over such a long period of time as Meyer Lansky has. From the early days of the Commission to his final days living in Miami during the Cocaine Cowboys years, Lansky played a vital role in shaping the underworld and survived it all. Now, Harvey Keitel will play the aging mob boss in a new film coming out this Friday.
Lucchese Mafia family member John Perna gets 30 months in prison for attack on Real Housewives star’s hubby
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. All is fair in love and war, but if one gets involved in either, prepare for things to get messy and end in disaster. As it did for Lucchese Mafia family mobster John Perna when he got involved in the love affairs of a friend of his. 44-year-old Perna was sentenced Thursday to 30 months behind bars for his role in the heartbreaking story, which included the husband of one of the former stars of the Bravo television show “The Real Housewives of New Jersey”.
Italian police crack down on Nigerian Mafia in nationwide busts
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. The Nigerian Mafia in Italy has been on the rise in recent years. Italian authorities took notice and on Monday made 30 arrests throughout Italy targeting the Black Axe, a Nigerian crime group viewed as one of the most powerful of those that make up the Nigerian Mafia. The investigation began in L'Aquila, the capital of the Abruzzo region, and quickly expanded into other parts of Italy showing the wide area of operations of the Black Axe.
Drug dealer who impersonated MMA champion Conor McGregor jailed
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. Some guys just don’t get it. When you’re involved in crime it is best to keep a low profile. It is a bad idea to impersonate the most famous Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) champion on the planet and hand out business cards with his name on them while dealing drugs. Yet, here we are. As you can see by looking at his mugshot, Mark Nye does resemble an ageing Conor McGregor, the UFC champion who made hundreds of millions in both MMA and boxing.
On This Day: Sicilian Mafia’s boss of bosses Bernardo Provenzano arrested - #OTD
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. On this day in 2006: On April 11, 2006, Italian police arrested Sicilian Mafia boss of bosses Bernardo Provenzano in a shack near his hometown of Corleone, Sicily. He had been a fugitive since 1963 and had led Cosa Nostra while on the run using a trusted circle of Mafiosi and family and communicated via “pizzini”, small notes with coded, handwritten messages on them. • Back to the Sicilian Mafia section on Gangsters Inc.
On This Day: Mexican Cartel boss Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo was born - #OTD
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. On this day in 1946: On January 8, 1946, Mexican Cartel boss Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo was born. He is viewed as the country’s “El Padrino” of drug lords, the original boss of bosses. The Netflix series Narcos: Mexico details his rise and fall. For more read: The Real Narcos: Profile of Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, Mexico’s “El Padrino” of drug lords Back to the Drug Cartels section on Gangsters Inc.
On This Day: Medellin Cartel hitman Jhon Jairo Velásquez died - #OTD
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. On this day in 2020: On February 6, 2020, Medellin Cartel hitman Jhon Jairo Velásquez was born. He was once one of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar’s chief sicarios. • “Popeye,” once one of Pablo Escobar’s most prolific hitmen, arrested on extortion charges • VIDEO: Meet “Popeye,” Pablo Escobar’s trusted hitman who killed over 250 people and is now living in freedom • Back to the Drug Cartels section on Gangsters Inc.
“We have to do some damage control” - Profile of Moroccan-Dutch female drug boss Naima Jillal
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. Women who climb to the top of the underworld remain a rare breed, but every now and then several manage to break through that glass ceiling. Among them Moroccan-Dutch drug boss Naima Jillal, dubbed “The Godmother of Cocaine” by the media. Just when police began finding out about her prominent position she vanished without a trace. Jillal wasn’t a complete stranger to Dutch police.
“We have to do some damage control” - Profile of Moroccan-Dutch female drug boss Naima Jillal
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. Women who climb to the top of the underworld remain a rare breed, but every now and then several manage to break through that glass ceiling. Among them Moroccan-Dutch drug boss Naima Jillal, dubbed “The Godmother of Cocaine” by the media. Just when police began finding out about her prominent position she vanished without a trace. Jillal wasn’t a complete stranger to Dutch police.
The man supplying France with 10% of its hashish: Profile of French drug boss Moufide Bouchibi
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. They call him “Mouf” or “Poto” and they know he is one of France’s biggest narcotics traffickers. 40-year-old Moufide Bouchibi allegedly supplies France with 10 percent of its annual hashish intake. Police were on to him, but he proved more difficult to take down than they first expected. Bouchibi is of Algerian descent and grew up in the region in and around Paris, France.
Colombo Mafia family capo who stalked his girlfriend pleads guilty to racketeering
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. All is fair in love and war… until the feds find out. 62-year-old Colombo crime family capo Joseph Amato, who used a GPS tracker to keep tabs on his girlfriend, found that out when he showed up in court via videoconference on Monday to plead guilty to racketeering and stalking charges. When the girlfriend found the tracker that her boyfriend used to keep an eye on her movements, she placed it under a bus.
How gangsters try (and fail) to evade government surveillance
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. Drug traffickers and gangsters all over the globe were shocked to find their encrypted text messages in the hands of law enforcement agencies in Europe and the United States. Large service providers called EncroChat and Sky ECC were hacked by authorities and revealed a treasure trove of messages where criminals talked openly about drug shipments and gangland killings. How can gangsters communicate without the government listening in or finding out? Gangsters Inc.
WATCH: Former SAS commando was hired by Cali Cartel to assassinate Pablo Escobar
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar was a dead man walking. No secret there. He was fighting several powerful enemies, among them the Cali Cartel. This business-like criminal organization made money like water and paid top dollar for the best assassins. Rough killers like members of Britain’s elite special forces unit, the SAS. Back in the 1980s, Pablo Escobar was at the peak of his power.
Rome mob boss arrested at job center while looking for legit job
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. There is no retiring from the mob, they say. But what about going on the lam and finding a new career? A reputed Italian mob boss was arrested at a job center in Spain where he was trying to find a legit income. He probably hadn’t listed his drug trafficking activities on his resume. 66-year-old Giuseppe Refrigeri is alleged to have been a leading figure in the Banda della Marranella, an organized crime group operating in Rome, Italy.
Latin Kings gangster’s streak of bad luck: targeted by undercover cops, shot by rivals, busted by feds
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. It ain’t easy being a gangster. But some have it easier than others. And when things go bad, they go bad every way you can imagine. As happened to 31-year-old Jason “Hood” Figueroa, a Hartford member of the Almighty Latin Kings Nation. Figueroa operated his craft in Hartford, Connecticut's South End. He has a criminal history that includes two state felony firearm convictions.
“They don’t have the balls to kill me” - Profile of Bonanno Mafia family hitman “Tommy Karate” Pitera
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. Mafia hitman or crazy serial killer? Every so often people ask this question when they come upon a very capable and active mob assassin. A murderer like Bonanno crime family soldier “Tommy Karate” Pitera brings up the same discussion. Was he just very good at his job or did he enjoy the art of death a little too much? Thomas Pitera was born on December 2, 1954, in Gravesend, Brooklyn, New York.
Kill to be on top of the hill - Profile of Genovese Mafia family soldier Louis Auricchio
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. In the Mafia, you don’t get to the top without leaving a trail of dead bodies in your wake. You have to kill to be on top of the hill. Whether you’re John Gotti, Carlo Gambino or Vito Genovese. Their soldiers know this all too well. Genovese crime family soldier Louis Auricchio was among them. Auricchio was born on May 27, 1958 in Somerset, New Jersey.
Torture, murder and deceit - The life and death of Lucchese Mafia family leader Anthony “Gaspipe” Casso
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. The life of a mobster is one filled with lies and death. Still, Anthony Casso’s life was overflowing with both in ways that made many other hardcore gangsters blush. As a leading figure in New York’s Lucchese Mafia family he ruled with a psychotic mind and a deadly fist. His reign of terror is now part of his legacy, as he passed away from COVID-19 on Tuesday. Casso was born on May 21, 1942, in Brooklyn, New York. Growing up it was clear where he was headed.
Philadelphia Mafia underboss, capo, and underlings busted by FBI on gambling, drug charges
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. After years of anticipation the Feds finally brought another indictment against the hierarchy of the Philadelphia Mafia family this week. Fifteen alleged leaders, members, and associates of the South Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey-based mob were hit with a variety of charges including racketeering conspiracy, illegal gambling, loansharking, extortion, and drug trafficking.
Fugitive ‘Ndrangheta Mafia boss Domenico Bellocco arrested in Italy
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. Police in Italy arrested wanted ‘Ndrangheta boss Domenico Bellocco yesterday. The 44-year-old is considered a rising star within the Calabrian Mafia and an important player in the cocaine pipelines between Europe and South America. Bellocco was arrested at a farm in Mongiana, a mountainous town in the Vibonese area of Calabria, but very close to Piana di Gioia Tauro, where his ‘Ndrangheta clan has its home base.
Boston gangland legend Howie Winter dead at 91
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. A legend of the Boston underworld has passed. Retired mob boss Howard “Howie” Winter passed away from a heart attack on Thursday. He was 91. Winter was an original member and onetime boss of the infamous Winter Hill Gang in Sommerville, a rag-tag bunch of hoodlums of Irish and Italian descent. Winter came up under James “Buddy” McLean, a ferocious street fighter who founded the Winter Hill Gang.
Sicilian-Canadian Mafia boss sees appeal rejected in Italy - Will serve 18 years for drug trafficking
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. Sicilian-Canadian Mafia boss Alfonso Caruana will have to serve out his prison sentence for drug trafficking. On Wednesday, the supreme Court of Cassation in Italy rejected an appeal filed against a 2019 Turin appeals court sentence. The 74-year-old mob boss has been in an Italian prison after being extradited from Canada in 2008. Caruana established his place atop the Mafia while operating in the North American country.
“The story of organized crime is the story of the modern world” - Journalists explore global crime in Underworld podcast
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. Journalists Danny Gold and Sean Williams have come face to face with some of the world’s most dangerous men – be they MS-13 hitmen or ISIS insurgents. They went wherever the story took them. As they reported on global violence, they also saw up close the impact of crime and corruption. In their new podcast they explore this seedy underworld.
“I was the boogeyman” - Former enforcer of the Detroit Mafia shares old war stories on his podcast
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. For a long time, violence and crime were Alan Gunner Lindbloom’s core business. As a relative of the notorious Tocco mob clan in Detroit, he became part of the city’s La Cosa Nostra family. “I was the boogeyman, one of the craziest and most feared soldiers in the family.” Now, he shares old war stories on his podcast where he talks about the Mafia life, doing time, and beating up child molesters.
Los Castañas: Two brothers and Spain’s most notorious drug cartel
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. Borders and smugglers make for the perfect love hate relationship. On the one hand, the dividing line creates a barrier between them and their product. On the other, it adds a significant value to it. Especially when the thing you smuggle is drugs. Like two brothers who formed Los Castañas and set up a narco fiefdom in the Spanish border town of La Linea de la Concepción.
“The Sopranos… Is that supposed to be us?” - Profile of DeCavalcante Mafia family soldier Joseph Sclafani
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. “The Sopranos… Is that supposed to be us?” Joseph “Tin Ear” Sclafani (photo above) was caught saying on tape. Sclafani, a longtime DeCavalcante crime family soldier, was surprised to see his own environment portrayed on television. And maybe kind of proud as well. Sclafani was a made man who took pride in his job and the secretive brotherhood he belonged to. As a young man, Sclafani learned discipline in the United States Army, where he served from 1955 to 1957.
“I was the boogeyman” - Former enforcer of the Detroit Mafia shares old war stories on his podcast
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. For a long time, violence and crime were Alan Gunner Lindbloom’s core business. As a relative of the notorious Tocco mob clan in Detroit, he became part of the city’s La Cosa Nostra family. “I was the boogeyman, one of the craziest and most feared soldiers in the family.” Now, he shares old war stories on his podcast where he talks about the Mafia life, doing time, and beating up child molesters.
Former Mafia hitman Frank Cullotta dies at 81 - Story was immortalized in Martin Scorsese’s epic Casino
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. Frank Cullotta, once one of the most feared men in Las Vegas, passed away on Thursday. He was 81. As the right-hand of Anthony Spilotro, the mobster who oversaw the Chicago Mafia’s interests in Sin City, Cullotta’s life was a rollercoaster ride filled with heists, beatings, and mob murders.
WATCH | Chicago mobster Frank Calabrese Jr.’s dad “would strangle you, cut your throat from ear to ear”
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. The decision to testify against his father was a life-changing one, former Chicago Outfit mobster Frank Calabrese Jr. (photo above) tells The Mob Museum. “It was not about doing the right thing. It was about survival. I have two young kids and mouths to feed. This man is either gonna kill me or I’m gonna kill him.” Calabrese’s father, Frank Senior, was indeed the kind of man who could kill on a whim.
Colombo Mafia family soldier “The Mask” Difalco sentenced to 3 years in prison for racketeering
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. Colombo Mafia family soldier Vito “The Mask” Difalco (photo above) was sentenced to just over 3 years in prison for racketeering on Wednesday. The 65-year-old mobster ran loansharking and gambling operations from his Brooklyn bar named The Tryst Lounge.
Nigerian Mafia in Italy now “on the same level” as the Camorra, police say
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. Police in Italy last week arrested over 40 people connected to the Nigerian Mafia in Italy and charged them with Mafia association, human trafficking, drug trafficking and distribution, and running a prostitution ring. According to police, the Nigerian crime groups are now “on the same level” as the notorious Camorra.
Outlaw Vendetta: Hells Angels charged in broad daylight execution of rival Pagans biker boss in the Bronx
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. It was a gangland hit like something out of an episode of television series Sons of Anarchy. In the middle of the day, in broad daylight, on a street in the Bronx, New York, two gunmen dressed in black, armed with pistols with silencers, shoot and kill Frank Rosado, the leader of the Pagans Motorcycle Club. On Tuesday, two Hells Angels and another outlaw biker were charged with this brazen murder.
Outlaw Vendetta: Hells Angels charged in broad daylight execution of rival Pagans biker boss in the Bronx
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. It was a gangland hit like something out of an episode of television series Sons of Anarchy. In the middle of the day, in broad daylight, on a street in the Bronx, New York, two gunmen dressed in black, armed with pistols with silencers, shoot and kill Frank Rosado, the leader of the Pagans Motorcycle Club. On Tuesday, two Hells Angels and another outlaw biker were charged with this brazen murder.
WATCH: Armed masked gunmen in front of armored vehicles chant name of wanted Jalisco Cartel boss
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel is the most powerful drug syndicate in Mexico and remains fiercely loyal to its fugitive leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known best by his nickname “El Mencho”. At least that is what the cartel’s PR division wants us to believe with the release of a new video. The 3-minute video shows scores of masked men in uniforms emblazoned with “CJNG” armed with automatic rifles in front of rows of armored vehicles.
The downfall of Hamilton mob boss Pasquale “Pat” Musitano
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. Hamilton mob boss Pasquale “Pat” Musitano knew this would be the ending. Shot to death in a parking lot. It happened last Friday around 1 p.m. in Burlington, Ontario. Musitano was 52 years old. His body was covered with a tarp while police investigated the area. Nearby, was parked Musitano’s black GMC Yukon Denali. The same car he got into when he was shot four times in a hit attempt a year ago. Though he survived, he knew what was coming.
Lucchese family soldier beats up new husband of one of “The Real Housewives of NJ” as favor to her ex
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. Love is a battlefield, a popular song once told us, but to literally turn it into one is a bit extreme. Especially when one of the heartbroken parties involved turns to the Mafia for help in beating up his ex-wife’s new boyfriend. Yet that is the situation two ‘goodfellas’ from New Jersey found themselves in.
Lucchese family soldier beats up new husband of one of “The Real Housewives of NJ” as favor to her ex
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. Love is a battlefield, a popular song once told us, but to literally turn it into one is a bit extreme. Especially when one of the heartbroken parties involved turns to the Mafia for help in beating up his ex-wife’s new boyfriend. Yet that is the situation two ‘goodfellas’ from New Jersey found themselves in.
“I chopped him up so bad” - Profile of DeCavalcante Mafia family soldier Anthony Capo
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. Every Mafia family has its go-to guy when it comes to violent acts. For New Jersey’s DeCavalcante crime family one of those men was Anthony Capo, a soldier with a hair-trigger temper who relished hurting people and making bones. Capo (photo above) began using his “muscle” for the DeCavalcante family as an associate under capo Vincent Rotondo and would later fall under Vincent’s son Anthony.
Operation Mala Civitas shows over 100 ‘Ndrangheta bosses and members collected welfare cheques
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. Italian police launched Operation Mala Civitas to investigate around 500 people with convictions for Mafia crimes and check whether or not they collected welfare cheques. On Wednesday, investigators of the Guardia di Finanza presented their results and found that over 100 members and bosses of the ‘Ndrangheta were indeed on welfare. Either you are a full-blown criminal or you are not. That must’ve been the mindset for these guys.
The boss his son - Profile of Gambino Mafia family associate Joseph Gambino
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. As far as Mafia bosses go, Carlo Gambino is one of the most legendary. His name remains notorious as it is still branded on one of New York’s five La Cosa Nostra families. Being the son of such a man, then, came with the inevitable perks. And some drawbacks as well. As his son Joseph found out. Joseph Gambino grew up differently than his old man. He studied at New York University and had a bright future ahead of him if he kept his mind focused.
Pagans biker president shot dead in professional gangland hit in the Bronx, New York
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. The president of the Bronx chapter of the Pagans Motorcycle Club was murdered in a brazen gangland hit on Saturday. 51-year-old Francisco Rosado was shot in the head and chest by two men in broad daylight on Holland Avenue in the Bronx. The hitmen were caught on video. The video footage shows the assassins arriving in a Jeep Cherokee SUV. As they get out, they can be seen pointing handguns equipped with silencers.
WATCH: Come see where Colombo family hitmen buried Mafia underboss “Wild Bill” Cutolo
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. The murder of Colombo crime family underboss William “Wild Bill” Cutolo was one of the most high-profile gangland killings of the past few decades. Known as charismatic and powerful, he was deemed untouchable. Until, of course, he was killed. Now, you can take a virtual tour of the wooded no-man’s land where his body was buried. Chris Kasparoza likes to keep busy. He’s the producer of Witsec Mafia and currently directing a documentary.
“This is for you, Frank!” - Profile of Mafia boss Frank Costello
By David Amoruso “What have you done for your country as a good citizen?” “Well….
Philly underboss “Crazy Phil” Leonetti talks about hanging out with Meyer Lansky, calls Merlino a “lowlife”
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. Former Philadelphia Mafia family underboss Phil Leonetti doesn't like the limelight. But he made an exception when he sat down with YouTube big Patrick Bet-David for an exclusive interview to discuss his past life, mob movies, his uncle Nicky Scarfo, gangland legend Meyer Lansky and Philly boss Joey Merlino, who he calls a “lowlife”.
“The Mover” - Profile of Chicago Outfit consigliere Marco D’Amico
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. He was one of the last old school Chicago Mafia leaders to pass away, media wrote when Marco D’Amico died on April 22, 2020. It was a cliché line that – between the lines - revealed the downfall of a once mighty criminal empire. One that D’Amico played an important part in. Born on January 1, 1936, Marco D’Amico fit right in with some of the crazier gangsters operating in Chicago.
Realism is key in Bronx-based “Albanian Gangster” as it depicts “war-torn psyche fused with honor code”
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. Underworlds evolve. In New York, various groups constantly vie for the city’s lucrative rackets. From the Irish and Italians to the Asians and Blacks, each ethnicity and country seems to make a power move. Since the 1990s, Albanian gangsters have made their presence felt. In his new film “Albanian Gangster”, filmmaker Matthew A. Brown tells their story, as he delves into the “war-torn psyche fused with honor code” that fuels their violent climb to the top.
Realism is key in Bronx-based “Albanian Gangster” as it depicts “war-torn psyche fused with honor code”
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. Underworlds evolve. In New York, various groups constantly vie for the city’s lucrative rackets. From the Irish and Italians to the Asians and Blacks, each ethnicity and country seems to make a power move. Since the 1990s, Albanian gangsters have made their presence felt. In his new film “Albanian Gangster”, filmmaker Matthew A. Brown tells their story, as he delves into the “war-torn psyche fused with honor code” that fuels their violent climb to the top.
WATCH: Capone, starring Tom Hardy as a broken and aging Al Capone
By David Amoruso for Gangsters Inc. Much of infamous Chicago Mafia boss Al Capone’s life story has been told on Hollywood’s silver screen. However, his final years have never been deemed interesting enough compared to his heyday atop the underworld. Until now. In Capone, actor Tom Hardy stars as an aging and broken Al Capone.
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