philadelphia irish mobsters
An official website of the United States government. Between 1981 and 1986, he allegedly produced and distributed methamphetamine, commonly known as speed, and also allegedly took part in extortion, loan-sharking and burglary. This group shouldve learned by now that the FBI is as committed to eradicating organized crime as wise guys are to embracing it.. He was the purported head of the Philadelphia mafia already (Mr. Stanfa having been sent to prison for life), but he was also fairly young and quite the partier. (He also allegedly sold a run-down bar in Atlantic City to Donald J. Trump so that a casino could be built on the property.) The diminutive "wet work" specialist was bumped off . The younger Testa was himself later killed in a gangland hit because of fears from Mr. Scarfo that he would take over Philadelphias criminal rackets, a crime for which Mr. Scarfo was convicted as part of a wide-ranging indictment in 1989. Like other LCN families, the Philadelphia LCN is operated through a defined hierarchical structure, including a Boss, an Underboss (defendant Steven Mazzone), and Captains (defendant Domenic Grande), who oversee crews consisting of soldiers and associates. As detailed in the Superseding Indictment, soldiers are members of the family who have been formally initiated through a ritual called a making ceremony, during which they swear allegiance to LCN above all else, take a vow of secrecy about the organization (the Code of Silence or Omerta), and agree to commit violence on behalf of the LCN, if necessary. [8] It was through these influential connections that the K&A Gang would expand into other rackets establishing its foothold in the Northeast. Their founder and leader, John Morrissey, was politically active; he was a Democratic State Senator and member of the U.S House of Representatives who advocated on behalf of Irish-Catholic Americans. Members also have relationships with other gangs, such as the Italian mafia and the Hells Angels motorcycle gang. List [ edit] They did so unarmed, as armed burglary carried a much heftier sentence. 215-861-8300. Newspaper image courtesy of Philadelphia Inquirer 615 Chestnut Street, Suite 1250 Boston mobster and son of mobster Arthur Doe, Sr. Hell's Kitchen, New York mobster and high-ranked member of the, New York mobster and enforcer for labor racketeer Joe Ryan, New York mobster involved in bootlegging during Prohibition, Chicago labor racketeer associated with the North Side Gang, New York mobster and member of the Westies. According to David R. Johnson in The Peoples of Philadelphia, The Public Ledger reported on the doings of no less than 51 gangs. Carl "Better Days" Jackson and Zappacosta assumed control of the group. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Ortiz of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Trial Attorney Alexander Gottfried of the Department of Justice Criminal Division, Organized Crime and Gang Section. He tried to retire in Israel in 1970, but his citizenship application was rejected because he was a danger to public safety. He died of natural causes in 1983. He was tried for & acquitted of the murder of investigative journalist Veronica Guerin. A locked padlock Director Martin Scorsese's latest epic, The Irishman, hits Netflix on Wednesday to tell the tale of reputed Philadelphia mob associate Frank Sheeran. McGreal was slain on . Wondering why we ask for your email, or having trouble registering. A nail bomb exploded under. Before this time, violent crimes were actually quite rare in Dublin, and in other areas of Ireland. Street Soldier; My Life as an Enforcer for "Whitey" Bulger and the Boston Irish Mob by Edward MacKenzie and Phyllis Karas, Steerforth, 256 pp.. Schatzberg, Rufus, Robert J.Kelly and Ko-lin Chin, ed. Mobsters Meet at this St. Patrick's Day Dinner Show. They also traded the clich burglary attire for professional suits, while on the job, in case they were stopped. PHILADELPHIA - United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that a Superseding Indictment was unsealed today against 15 defendants, including alleged members and associates of the South Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey-based criminal organization La Cosa Nostra (LCN), known as the "mafia" or the "mob." Organized Crime, Mafia and Gangsters; NYC Gangsters; Search this Guide Search. This page was last edited on 18 March 2020, at 20:08. This is a retired contemporary of Sheeran's, a fellow Irishman from Philadelphia named John Carlyle Berkery, who allegedly headed the city's Irish mob for 20 years and had many close mafia . Lets turn to the book on which the film was based. Eastern District of Pennsylvania as the unofficial head of the Philadelphia mob. But you aren't one. Yes, there are Irish mobsters operating in Ireland, but they have only been around over the pond since the 1960s. Associates are men who engage in criminal activity on behalf of LCN but who have not been formally made, either because they are up-and-coming and aspire to full membership, or because they are ineligible to be made because they lack fully Italian ancestry. Michael "Mickey" Duffy also known as John Murphy and George McEwen, was a Polish-American mobster and rival of Maxie "Boo Boo" Hoff during Prohibition. Despite being a relatively small group, the Irish Mob sure have no shortage of films representing their gang. They also partook in illegal street fighting and bank robberies. Lillian "Tiger Lil" Reis and Her good friend Vickie were well-known nightclub entrepreneurs and former showgirls who had ties to the gangsters. There are some who feel they ought to make an example out of some group. When you register, youll get unlimited access to our website and a free subscription to our email newsletter for daily updates with a smart, Catholic take on faith and culture from. His criminal record before his most recent trial included convictions for aggravated assault and possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes (1984), robbing an armored car (1990) and various racketeering charges (2001). In short order, the K&A Gang arose. Making a very brief appearance in the mafia madness? Bufalino vouches for him, saving Sheerans life. Jun 25, 2006 #5. Whitey Bulger is now 88 years old and serving out two life sentences, but the gang continues to operate in the Boston area under different leadership. Swing dance had made a comeback in the late 1990s, and the hottest place for it in Philly had previously been the reputed lair of two different Philadelphia mob bosses. Rate. Hopkins, aka Mr. Not following the rules can get members into some pretty serious trouble, sometimes fatal trouble. The Superseding Indictment goes on to describe the various acts allegedly committed by the defendants and others as members of the group, including the distribution of heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine and oxycodone pills; the disbursement and collection of tens of thousands of dollars of unlawful bookmaking and other debts owed to the group at interest rates as high as 400%; and even an alleged conspiracy to kidnap or murder a drug dealer in order to protect the reputation of the Philadelphia LCN after the dealer sold members of the group fake drugs. After deliberations had begun several days before, the jury had told the judge four times that they were impossibly deadlocked and unable to reach a verdict on any of four counts against Mr. Merlino; each time Judge Sullivan had asked them to continue deliberating. Adapt or die. The first big mob war to break out between the Irish and Italian mobsters took place in the 1910s and early 1920s. He was allegedly assumed to be an informant on the meth operation that the Traitz brother ran in tandem with members of the K&A gang. Why am I being asked to create an account? Springsteen: "Well they blew up the Chicken Man in Philly last night/ They blew up his house too.". It makes sense that they would control a corrupt laundry that serviced Atlantic City Rosens influence extended to the South Jersey site, as well as Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Jeffy. Irish-American gangstersdo.) The 2001 conviction resulted in a 14-year prison sentence. And the peace process in Ireland has put an end much of their arms smuggling into and out of the country. Over 20 people were killed, and close to 100 arrested during the subsequent war. In 1981, the New York Times reported that Philip C. Testa, the new head of organized crime in Philadelphia, was killed at age 56. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. We ask our visitors to confirm their email to keep your account secure and make sure you're able to receive email from us. The real-life Philadelphia gangsters who inspired 'The Irishman' James T. Keane November 15, 2019 Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino, right, leaves federal court in Lower Manhattan with his wife. Before you can comment, you need to update your profile to include your first and last name, as required in our, A Reflection for Saturday of the First Week of Lent, by Christopher Parker. When magic returned to the world with a vengeance in the Awakening, the La Cosa Nostra took advantage of the chaos and opened its doors to the smaller criminal . Mr. Jacobs has argued in previous court cases that 1980s-style racketeering in South Philly is largely defunct and that Mr. Merlino and his associates are hardly the violent criminals they are made out to be in government prosecutions. [11] After spending five years on the run, he was captured in June 1987 and subsequently faced trial in the fall of 1987. This group of gangsters was led by Bernie McLaughlin and didnt survive the Irish Gang Wars of the 1960s. Died between 1900 and 1950 Died between 1950 and 1980 Died between 1980 and 2016 Still alive (See also Top 30 Richest Gangsters in Ireland) But those are often neighborhood nicknames, say locals, not necessarily the monikers of Sopranos-style criminals. James "Jimmy" Dolan - Recruit of Eddie Burke and member of the K&A burglary ring. In 1996, Guerin was stopped at a red traffic light when she was fatally shot in her vehicle. Raymond Brown - Member of the Stocker drug ring. William "Chucky" McIlvain - Member of Carl Jackson's crew. James "Lefty" Shannon - Member of the Stocker gang. Their longstanding alliance with the Philly Greek Mob remains an uneasy one, as does their ties to the Philly Black Mafia. Boston mobster and member of the Winter Hill Gang, Cleveland mobster involved in union racketeering, Providence mobster and associate of the Patriarca crime family, New York mobster and associate of the Lucchese crime family, Organized crime figure involved in bootlegging in St. Paul during Prohibition, Boston mobster and hitman for the McLaughlin Brothers with his brother Stevie Hughes, Boston mobster and, with his brother Corneilius Hughes, a hitman for the McLaughlin Brothers, Boston mobster believed to be the Winter Hill Gang's present boss, New York labor racketeer who, with his cousin Harold Bowers, was a major power on the New York waterfront though the, Boston mobster and head of criminal activities in South Boston, bootlegger and organized crime figure in northern Illinois during Prohibition, New York organized crime figure involved in bootlegging and former leader of the, Younger brother of Johnny Martorano; Winter Hill Gang associate and member of the, Hitman for the Winter Hill Gang and older brother of James Martorano, One of the earliest organized crime figures in Chicago, Chicago mobster and partner of bootlegger, A Cleveland organized crime figure. In those days, there was no overarching structure within the gang. Like Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes. Samuel Cappy Hoffman, meanwhile, was called the vice king of Atlantic City. Even if the significant digital de-aging of the actors involved is a bit distracting, the films good reviews hold up thanks in large part to its legendary director and cast Scorsese and none other than Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Al Pacino. (See Hornblaum book - various references and clippings below upon release and marketing of the book), Green Street Counts. read more Mickey Duffy Philadelphia's Prohibition Era Boss Michael "Mickey" Duffy also known as John Murphy and George McEwen, was a Polish-American mobster and rival of Maxie. 12 GARY HUTCH - Gerry and Eddie Sr's nephew,. John Gerard - Member of Carl Jackson's crew. In the 1931 film "The Public Enemy," Jimmy Cagney's character was based on O'Banion. NYC mobster involved in drug dealing, numbers rackets, and illegal gambling. Daniel 45 books More than a dozen members of alleged members and associates of the south Philadelphia and southern New Jersey organized crime family are looking at federal racketeering and other related charges . While the U.S. is bustling with activity, there is another very relevant chapter of the Irish mob active in Montreal, Canada. The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Philadelphia Daily News both had reporters dedicated almost exclusively to the mob beat in those days. There are long hours where you wait for the jury, wait for the judge or watch lawyers whispering in a sidebar, and you end up chatting with each othereven if one of you is an editor at a Catholic periodical and the other has been charged with murder. Charles "Chick" Goodroe - Influential member in the K&A burglary ring. Mansfield claims that he came up with the name as he was looking for a way to pay hommage to his heritage. Philadelphia, PA 19106, Telephone:(215) 861-8200 Tony Jack was one of the men that former teamsters president Jimmy Hoffa was on the way to meet when he disappeared forever on July 30, 1975. ", "Long John Lead - Was Ray Martorano's shooting a message? Long John supposedly worked with Nicky Scarfo, a boss in the Philadelphia crime family. EDDIE HUTCH SR - father-of-five and taxi-driver brother of Gerry, shot up to seven times in his flat by gang. The gang had committed "at least 28 unsolved murders," he said. From loansharking and illegal gambling to drug trafficking and extortion, the mob continues to keep its fingers in many different pots, in its ceaseless quest for illegal profits. 10 of The Mob's Most Deadliest Hitmen . The Italians far outnumbered the Irish, were more organized, and had a larger national territory coverage. Civil Society/Crime/Theme/Northeast Philly Irish Mob, http://www.fromdusktilljawn.com/w/index.php?title=Civil_Society/Crime/Theme/Northeast_Philly_Irish_Mob&oldid=2610, Skills: Brawl, Firearms, Weaponry, Subterfuge, Intimidation, Merits: Barfly, Fixer, Contacts (Philly Greek Mob), Allies (Philly Greek Mob). John Goodwin - Former K&A burglar & Roofers' Union member and member of the Traitz meth ring. Owner of Northeast Philadelphia's Sherwood Club. Jewish mobsters. K&A burglars", "Road Companies, Brutes and Safecrackers", "War of the Words - A legendary burglar sues to protect his good reputation", "Robbin' Hood - After months of legal wrangling, the story of Philly's K&A gang finally gets published", "Ex 'K&A' Gang Member Guilty Of Drug Charges", "Drug Trafficker Pleads Guilty To '82 Charges", "The Meth Capital of the World - Where is it? Their relationships with various other groups and mobsters gave them insider information that allowed them to hijack deliveries and rise to the top of the bootlegging business. The K&A Gang, currently known as the Northeast Philly Irish Mob, is a predominantly Irish American criminal network based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The K&A Gang-- short for the Kensington & Allegheny, the intersection where the gang originated --began as a network of loosely affiliated burglary rings. So much so, that a New York brewery has used them as their inspiration for marketing their craft beers. That was almost two years ago, when I spent a week researching and writing a story on Mr. Merlinos trial on racketeering and gambling charges. Marginals, also called the "Paddy Irish" gang, was a New York street gang during the early 1900s. 13 Places Mobsters Got Whacked. The Westies consisted of roughly 15 - 20 Irish gangsters who came from the Hell's Kitchen section of Manhattan. If youve seen Boardwalk Empire, you know that it didnt work out too well for the Irish! David Criniti who was involved in the operation soon testified against the defendants, dealing a blow to the K&A Gang. Rothstein put together the largest gambling empire in the U.S. during the 1920s, realizing business opportunities during Prohibition. Hit TV show Sons of Anarchy devoted an entire season to a gang war with rival Irish motorcycle members. Donald "Don" Ray McCullough Jr.-K&A associate-whereabouts are unknown. The old standbys are once more coming into fashion, as sports gambling, racketeering, loansharking, and burglary once more form the meat of the mob's income. Between 1923 and 1962, he was arrested 23 times. In the 1980s, the gang managed to avoid too much legal trouble, but by 1998, Whitey Bulger and Steve Flemmi were revealed as FBI informants, and many members were once again indicted. He was a hitman for the Bufalino crime family, and was allegedly mentored by Russell Bufalino, who played a very patriarchal role in Franks life. 10 Deadliest Murder Inc Members. Philadelphia, PA 19106, JENNIFER CRANDALL They control gambling and loan sharking. Not according to friends and relatives in South Philadelphia, who see him and his associates as something else: the adult versions of the corner boys who grew up with them in the tight-knit Italian-American Catholic neighborhoods of South Philly, locals who made their first holy Communion at St. Pauls or St. Monicas or Epiphany of Our Lord, where the boys went to St. John Neumann and the girls to St. Maria Goretti, two Catholic high schools that combined into a single school in 2004. George Anastasia, a former Philadelphia Inquirer reporter who has covered Philadelphias organized crime beat for decades, has frequently made another point in print: Many of the traditional criminal enterprises with which Mr. Merlino and his South Philly associates have been charged over the years now have their counterparts in the legitimate world. Sadly, Traynor did not approve of this and hired a hitman to shoot Guerin in the leg. read more The third and fourth most famous Irish mobsters have a direct connection with Al Capone. Barry Saltzburg - Member of the Stocker organization. The Mob is currently active in various U.S. cities including Philadelphia, Chicago, New York and many more. I used to work in South Philly. One such case was Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran, a WWII veteran who returned to Philadelphia and took on some extracurricular work. PHILADELPHIA United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that a Superseding Indictment was unsealed today against 15 defendants, including alleged members and associates of the South Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey-based criminal organization La Cosa Nostra (LCN), known as the mafia or the mob. The Superseding Indictment charges various crimes including racketeering conspiracy, illegal gambling, loansharking, extortion, and drug trafficking. In the mid-to-late 1900's the Irish Mob had a strong presence in Boston. Of the 46, only Mr. Merlino and one other defendant refused deals. About 30 minutes into the film, Sheeran takes a job from mobster Whispers DiTullio (Paul Herman). The name K&A is derived from Kensington and Allegheny, the road intersection where the gang originally formed.[2]. Similar to the Italian mafias ten commandments the Irish have few rules, but they are very strictly enforced. Mr. Jacobs chose not to present a defense case, relying on the testimony of the governments witnesses and his own cross-examinations. 1. (He was jailed anyway, for various alleged crimes committed while he was an F.B.I. Getty Images. John Gilligan also uttered many death threats, including threats to harm her son. had given him $25,000 to lure Mr. Merlino to a meeting at an Arthur Avenue restaurant in the Bronx where Mr. Merlino could be secretly taped, providing the basis for a criminal conspiracy charge that could be prosecuted in New York. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. There was drama (Skinny Joey wasnt pleased), and we fled. Updated. Swing dance had made a comeback, and the hottest place for it in Philly, The Five Spot, had previously been Virgilios, the somewhat-distant lair of two different Philadelphia mob bosses. P. 200. He was well-known for his anti-authority stance; he killed police officers point blank, and escaped from prison on more than one occasion. We can't do it without youAmerica Media relies on generous support from our readers. Mr. Merlinos prominent public profile in Philadelphia before his long prison sentence and his alleged return to crime since his release have reportedly once again made him the prime target of F.B.I. The city has cracked down heavily on the Meth trade, putting the mob at odds with others in the business, such as the Warlocks MC. I was just a kid, fresh out of grad school, and the neighborhood waswell, it was something. According to a 1950 U.S. Congress investigation into organized crime in interstate commerce, Hoffman and Weisberg were Strombergs first and second in command. The murder earned mention from Bruce Springsteen in the first stanza of his 1982 song (which does not appear on the soundtrack to "The Irishman"),Atlantic City: The suspected killers of the Chicken Man were all murdered in the ensuing years, reputedly on the orders of Mr. Testas son, Salvatore Testa, a charismatic alleged gangster who had been profiled in The Wall Street Journal as a rising star in the underworld. In fact, many Irish-American gangsters chose to ally themselves with the Italians, and acted as racketeers, bootleggers and hitmen for the Italian mob. Fax Line:(215) 861-8618. The Mario Lanza Museum was nearby. It's changed the complexion of the neighborhoods, and to some extent their character, but not their essence. This time, they allied themselves with the Italian Mafia, and kept their membership to under 20 members at all times. Powerful ties to the Montreal Italian mafia, as well as motorcycle gang the Hells Angels, and other street gangs have kept them well-protected from legal consequences. Not to mention, a ton of famous actors have Irish-American roots, so these films hit close to home for many. The street fights would often end in major rioting, two of which were huge battles during the American Civil War. Here are the gangs, the Philadelphia 65, listed in alphabetical order: The Irish mob were at their peak operating capacity during Prohibition. The gang has an estimated 150 members, primarily made up of Irish descendants and some French Canadians. Martorano, hit in the stomach, arm and chest, was rushed to Pennsylvania Hospital in critical condition. The beer names are equally Irish-strong, with options like the Mighty Ego, Devoted, and Irish Loyal. They also began official ties with the Irish Republican Army, funneling cash and arms in both directions. Find out more here about the Irish American gangster's life and career. The 3 1/2-hour story follows Frank Sheeran (De Niro), who becomes a hitman for the Bufalino crime family, led by Russel Bufalino (Pesci), and spends time working for union leader Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino). The kinahan cartel is an Irish organization out of Ireland that moves cocaine into Europe. During their glory days in the 1970-80s they were led by two very feared killers, Jimmy Coonan and Francis "Mickey" Featherstone. Pope Francis takes on Mafia on anniversary of St. John Pauls stand. Mr. Merlinos trial followed his arrest along with 45 other alleged members of an East Coast La Cosa Nostra Enterprise, on various criminal charges in August 2016. In February 1991, Roy Stocker and three others were found guilty of operating a ring that sold $52 million worth of methamphetamine between 1981 and 1987. 10 Unsolved Mob Murders. They're being sold.