1984 in organized crime
Encyclopedia
See also:
1983 in organized crime
,
other events of 1984,
1985 in organized crime
and the
list of 'years in Organized Crime'
.
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1983 in organized crime
1983 in organized crime
See also:1982 in organized crime,other events of 1983,1984 in organized crime and thelist of 'years in Organized Crime'.-----Events:*Sicilian mafioso Salvatore Contorno begins anonymously writing letters to the police with information on the mafia...
,
other events of 1984,
1985 in organized crime
1985 in organized crime
See also:1984 in organized crime,other events of 1985,1986 in organized crime and thelist of 'years in Organized Crime'.-----Events:*Sicilian Capo of the Porta Nuova Clan Giuseppe "Pippo" Calo is arrested for money laundering, mafia association and organizing the bombing of a train in...
and the
list of 'years in Organized Crime'
Timeline of organized crime
This is a timeline of the history of organized crime.Note: Sources included are Carl Sifakis's The Mafia Encyclopedia, Herbert Asbury's The Gangs of New York and others. Online references also include Thomas P...
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Events
- Porta Nuova Clan Capo Don Giuseppe "Pippo" CaloGiuseppe CalòGiuseppe 'Pippo' Calò is a member of the Sicilian Mafia. He was referred to as the "Mafia's Cashier" because he was heavily involved in the financial side of organized crime, primarily money laundering....
organizes the bombing of a train near NaplesNaplesNaples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
killing 16 people and injuring 200 more. The plan was to divert the attention of the CarabinieriCarabinieriThe Carabinieri is the national gendarmerie of Italy, policing both military and civilian populations, and is a branch of the armed forces.-Early history:...
from the mafiaMafiaThe Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
to terrorism. - Gennaro J. Angiulo, Patriarca crime familyPatriarca crime familyThe Patriarca crime family, also known as the New England crime family and the Providence crime family, is an Italian-American organized crime syndicate based in New England, specifically Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts, and is part of the Italian-American Mafia or "La Cosa Nostra"...
Underboss (Boston Faction) since the 1968 imprisonment of former Underboss Enrico "Henry" TameleoEnrico TameleoEnrico "Henry" Tameleo , also known as "The Referee," was an Italian-American mobster from Boston, Massachusetts and underboss in the New England-based Patriarca crime family of La Cosa Nostra from 1952 to 1968.-Criminal career:...
, is demoted to soldier after being imprisoned. - Shinobu Tsukasa, Kiyoshi TakayamaKiyoshi Takayamais a yakuza, the founding head of the Nagoya-based Takayama-gumi, the president of the 2nd Kodo-kai, and the number-two boss of the 6th Yamaguchi-gumi, the largest known yakuza syndicate in Japan....
, among others formed the Kodo-kaiKodo-kaiThe Kodo-kai is a yakuza criminal organization based in Nagoya, Japan. It is a secondary organization of the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi, the largest known yakuza syndicate in Japan...
, a yakuzaYakuza, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
organization which later grew to be one of the largest affiliates of the Yamaguchi-gumiYamaguchi-gumiis Japan's largest and most infamous yakuza organization. It is named after its founder Harukichi Yamaguchi. Its origins can be traced back to a loose labor union for dockworkers in Kobe pre-WWII....
. - February 4 - Gambino associate and former DeMeo CrewRoy DeMeoRoy Albert DeMeo was a soldier in the Gambino crime family. He is infamous for heading the DeMeo crew, a gang suspected by the FBI of murdering at least 70 people between 1973 and 1983. The vast majority were disposed of so thoroughly that they were never found...
member Richard DiNomeRichard DiNomeRichard "Richie" DiNome was an alleged member of the DeMeo crew under the Gambino crime family. He was the younger brother of Gambino associate and government informant Frederick DiNome.-Biography:Richard DiNome was born to Italian-American emigrants in Pigtown, Brooklyn...
is shot to death in his living room by an automatic weapon. Two other individuals with no known organized crime ties who happened to be at his residence at the time were also murdered. Authorities suspect members of the DeMeo Crew murdered DiNome to prevent him from becoming a cooperating witness for the government, but no evidence links them to the crime and the case remains unsolved. - February 7 - The entire hierarchy and top members of the Kansas City crime syndicate are indicted under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations ActRacketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations ActThe Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, commonly referred to as the RICO Act or simply RICO, is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization...
(RICO) by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, MissouriKansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
. Charges against the crime family include conspiracy to murder Carl Spero in 1978 as well as skimming operations from the Argent CorporationArgent CorporationArgent Corporation was a company in Las Vegas that at one time controlled the Hacienda Hotel/Casino, the Stardust Resort & Casino, the Fremont Hotel and Casino and the casino in the Marina Hotel. The company was owned by Allen R. Glick, a San Diego real estate investor...
, the Tropicana casino, and various Kansas City bingo halls. After seven months, Boss CarlCarl CivellaCarl "Cork" Civella was the leader of the Kansas City crime family following the death of his brother, long-time crime boss Nicholas Civella, after heading day-to-day operations during the mid-1970s....
and his son Capo Anthony "Tony Ripe" CivellaAnthony CivellaAnthony Thomas "Tony Ripe" Civella was a Kansas City, Missouri mobster who was head of the Kansas City crime family.Anthony was born in Kansas City, Missouri. His criminal record started in 1952...
plead guilty on September 7 receiving 10–30 years and 5 years imprisonment and fined, respectively. - March 30 - Paul "Big Pauly" CastellanoPaul CastellanoConstantino Paul "Big Paul" Castellano , also known as "The Howard Hughes of the Mob" and "Big Paulie" , was an American Mafia boss in New York City. He succeeded Carlo Gambino as head of the Gambino crime family, at the time, the nation's largest Mafia family...
and 23 other individuals are indicted by the Southern District of New York in relation to crimes committed by members of and associates to a crew headed by Gambino soldier Roy DeMeoRoy DeMeoRoy Albert DeMeo was a soldier in the Gambino crime family. He is infamous for heading the DeMeo crew, a gang suspected by the FBI of murdering at least 70 people between 1973 and 1983. The vast majority were disposed of so thoroughly that they were never found...
. The 78-count indictment accused the individuals of a variety of racketeering acts including extortionExtortionExtortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
, loansharking and over 25 murders. - April - Cesare BonventreCesare BonventreCesare "The Tall Guy" Bonventre was a Sicilian mobster and caporegime for the New York Bonanno crime family.-Early life:...
, then the youngest Capo in the BonannoBonanno crime familyThe Bonanno crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia ....
crime family is murdered. Bonanno underboss and future successor to Phil Rastelli, Joe "Big Joey" MassinoJoe MassinoJoseph Charles Massino , also known as "Big Joey" or "The Ear". Massino was the boss of the Bonanno crime family before he became a government witness in 2004. The media nicknamed him the "The Last Don" or "The Horatio Alger of the Mob"...
feared Bonventre's growing power and wealth and felt Bonventre might make a move to seize control of the family since Massino was on the lam from an indictment at the time. - April 9 - Milwaukee racketeer Frank "Frankie Bal" BalistrieriFrank BalistrieriFrank Peter Balistrieri , also known as "Mr. Big", "Frankie Bal", "Mr. Slick", and "Mad Bomber", was a Milwaukee Mafia boss who was a central figure in skimming during the 1980s.-Early years:...
, with his sons John and Joseph Balistrieri, are convicted of extortion under the Hobbs ActHobbs ActThe Hobbs Act, named after Congressman Sam Hobbs and codified at , is a U.S. federal law that prohibits actual or attempted robbery or extortion affecting interstate or foreign commerce. Section 1951 also proscribes conspiracy to commit robbery or extortion without reference to the conspiracy...
based on the testimony of an FBI undercover agent by Balistrieri. Introduced to Balistrieri as a vending-machine representative of the Bonanno Family members, soldier Benjamin "Lefty Guns" RuggieroBenjamin RuggieroBenjamin Ruggiero, also known as "Lefty," "Lefty Guns," "Lefty Two Guns" , was a soldier in the Bonanno crime family. He is well known for his friendship and mentorship of FBI undercover agent Joseph "Donnie Brasco" Pistone. Ruggiero was an old school Cosa Nostra mobster who knew how Mafia...
and Capo Mike "Mimi" Sabella, the agent was the victim of an extortion attempt by Balistrieri after the agent attempted to intrude into the Milwaukee vending-machine business without Balistrieri's prior approval. Balistrieri was later sentenced to 13 years imprisonment on May 29, and his sons received eight-year prison sentences and fined on July 30. - May 15 - FBI agents observe a Commission meeting held in a Staten Island, New York home. In attendance were Gambino crime familyGambino crime familyThe Gambino crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The group is named after Carlo Gambino, boss of the family at the time of the McClellan hearings in 1963...
boss Paul CastellanoPaul CastellanoConstantino Paul "Big Paul" Castellano , also known as "The Howard Hughes of the Mob" and "Big Paulie" , was an American Mafia boss in New York City. He succeeded Carlo Gambino as head of the Gambino crime family, at the time, the nation's largest Mafia family...
, caporegime Frank DeCiccoFrank DeCiccoFrank DeCicco also known as Frankie D and Frankie Cheech was a New York mobster and labor racketeer for the Gambino crime family...
, soldier Thomas BilottiThomas BilottiThomas Bilotti was a New York mobster and then Underboss for the reputed Boss of the Gambino crime family, Paul Castellano.-Early years:...
, Genovese crime familyGenovese crime familyThe Genovese crime family , is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The Genovese crime family has been nicknamed the "Ivy League" and "Rolls Royce" of organized crime...
boss Anthony "Fat Tony" SalernoAnthony SalernoAnthony "Fat Tony" Salerno was a New York mobster who served as front boss of the Genovese crime family to family boss Vincent "The Chin" Gigante from the 1970s until his conviction in 1986...
, Colombo crime familyColombo crime familyThe Colombo crime family is the youngest of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia ....
acting boss Gennaro "Gerry Lang" LangellaGennaro LangellaGennaro Adriano Langella also known as "Gerry Lang", is a member of the Colombo crime family who eventually became underboss and acting boss.-Background:...
, caporegimeCaporegimeA caporegime or capodecina, usually shortened to just a capo, is a term used in the Mafia for a high ranking made member of a crime family who heads a "crew" of soldiers and has major social status and influence in the organization...
Ralph ScopoRalph ScopoRalph "Little Ralphie" Scopo was a New York mobster with the Colombo crime family who became a powerful labor racketeer. He was the father of Colombo mobsters Joseph Scopo and Ralph Scopo Jr., and the grandfather of Joseph Scopo Jr...
, and representing the Lucchese crime familyLucchese crime familyThe Lucchese crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The family originated in the early 1920s with Gaetano "Tommy" Reina serving as boss up until his murder...
was underboss Salvatore SantoroSalvatore SantoroSalvatore T. "Tom Mix" Santoro, Sr. served as Underboss in the Lucchese crime family during the 1980s before being convicted in the Mafia Commission Trial and sentenced to 100 years in federal prison.-Early life:...
and caporegime Aniello "Neil" MiglioreAniello MiglioreAniello "Neil" Migliore is a New York City mobster, and acting leader of the Lucchese crime family. Migliore was a close associate of family bosses Gaetano "Tommy" Lucchese and Anthony "Tony Ducks" Corallo.-Early years:...
. - June - The United States and Italy hold the first meeting of the Italian-U.S. Working Group on Drug Interdiction.
- June 22 - Laborers Local 95 officials Joseph ShermanJoseph ShermanJoseph Howard Sherman was a Jewish Canadian poet and visual arts editor. He was named to the Order of Canada in 2003.Selected Publications...
and Stephen McNair were convicted of labor racketeering in connection with an extortion of Chiavone-Chase Corporation. Prosecutors allege the extortion was directed by Genovese boss Vincent "Chin" GiganteVincent GiganteVincent Gigante was a short lived professional light heavyweight boxer who was known as "The Chin" Gigante. He fought 25 matches and lost four, boxing 121 rounds. On February 19, 1945, he fought Pete Petrello in Madison Square Garden and won by a knock out in the second round. During his successful...
. - July 2 - In a 4-3 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court declares labor leaders can be required by law to be of good moral character, thereby greatly assisting state officials to take an active role in policing labor union leadership,
- July 11 - Raymond PatriarcaRaymond PatriarcaRaymond Patriarca may refer to:*Raymond L.S. Patriarca, Providence mobster and founder of the Patriarca crime family*Raymond Patriarca, Jr., Providence mobster and former leader of the Patriarca crime family...
, head of the New EnglandNew EnglandNew England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
's Patriarca crime familyPatriarca crime familyThe Patriarca crime family, also known as the New England crime family and the Providence crime family, is an Italian-American organized crime syndicate based in New England, specifically Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts, and is part of the Italian-American Mafia or "La Cosa Nostra"...
, dies of natural causes. Succeeded by his son Raymond Patriarca, Jr.Raymond Patriarca, Jr.Raymond J. Patriarca Jr. a.k.a. "Ray Junior" a.k.a. "Junior" is a Providence, Rhode Island, mobster who succeeded his father, Raymond Patriarca Sr., as head of the Patriarca crime family in 1984....
, CapoCapoA capo is a device used on the neck of a stringed instrument to shorten the playable length of the strings, hence raising the pitch. It is frequently used on guitars, mandolins, and banjos. G.B...
Ilario "Larry Baiona" ZanninoIlario ZanninoIlario "Larry Baione" Maria Antonio Zannino was the muscle and chief gambling honcho for Raymond J. Patriarca and the Patriarca crime family. Zannino was said to be the second-highest-ranking figure in the Boston faction of the Patriarca family...
is promoted to Consigliere and receives control of the rackets within the Boston area following the death of Patriarca Sr. and imprisonment of Gennaro "Jerry" AngiuloGennaro AngiuloGennaro "Jerry" Angiulo was a New England mob boss who rose through the Mafia under Raymond L. S. Patriarca. He was convicted of racketeering in 1986 and was in jail until being released in 2007. One of the Angiulo Brothers, Angiulo was "probably the last very significant Mafia boss in Boston’s...
as a reward for his support of Patriarca Jr. - July 18 - Dominic "Jimmy Regace" BrooklierDominic BrooklierDominic Phillip Brooklier , was an Italian American mobster and head of the Los Angeles crime family of the Mafia during the mid-1970s who mainly worked in pornography, extortion, and burglary.-Early years:...
, head of the Los Angeles crime family, dies of natural causes while serving a five-year sentence on racketeering charges and was succeeded by Peter John Milano. - September 14 - *Salvatore "The Prince" TestaSalvatore TestaSalvatore "Salvie" Testa, , nicknamed The Crowned Prince of the Philadelphia Mob, was a Philadelphia gangster who served as a hitman for the Scarfo crime family during a period of internal gang conflict...
, a capo in the Philadelphia crime family, is killed on the orders of family boss Nicodemo ScarfoNicodemo ScarfoNicodemo "Little Nicky" Domenico Scarfo is a member of the American Mafia who eventually became the Boss of the Philadelphia crime family after the death of Angelo Bruno and Phil Testa...
. - September 18 - Lucchese crime family leader Anthony "Tony Ducks" CoralloAnthony CoralloAnthony "Tony Ducks" Corallo was a New York City mobster and boss of the Lucchese crime family.-Early life:...
, along with 21 others and 16 organizations, is indicted for conspiring to monopolize the private garbage collection business on Long Island, New York as well as splitting quarterly payments from companies of an estimated $50,000 between Corallo and Gambino crime family leader Paul Castellano. - December 5/7 - Gambino crime family soldiers (and reputed members of New Jersey's Cherry Hill Gambino Crew) Rosario Gambino, Erasmus Gambino, Anthony Spatola, and Antonio Gambino are fined $300,000 on drug related charges and sentenced to combined 143 years imprisonment.
Arts and literature
- Johnny DangerouslyJohnny DangerouslyJohnny Dangerously is a 1984 comedy spoof of 1930s' crime/gangster movies. It was directed by Amy Heckerling; its four screenwriters included Bernie Kukoff and Jeff Harris, both of whom previously created the hit TV series Diff'rent Strokes...
(film) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087507/ starring Michael KeatonMichael KeatonMichael John Douglas , better known by the stage name Michael Keaton, is an American actor known for his early comedic roles, most notably his performance as the title character of Tim Burton's Beetlejuice . Keaton is also famous for his dramatic portrayal of Bruce Wayne/Batman in Tim Burton's... - Once Upon a Time in AmericaOnce Upon a Time in AmericaOnce Upon a Time in America is a 1984 Italian epic crime film co-written and directed by Sergio Leone and starring Robert De Niro and James Woods. The story chronicles the lives of Jewish ghetto youths who rise to prominence in New York City's world of organized crime...
(film) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087843/ starring Robert De NiroRobert De NiroRobert De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film roles were in Bang the Drum Slowly and Mean Streets, both in 1973...
, James WoodsJames WoodsJames Howard Woods is an American film, stage and television actor. Woods is known for starring in critically acclaimed films such as Once Upon a Time in America, Salvador, Nixon, Ghosts of Mississippi, Casino, and in the television legal drama Shark. He has won three Emmy Awards, and has gained...
, Elizabeth McGovernElizabeth McGovern-Early life:McGovern was born in Evanston, Illinois, the daughter of Katharine Wolcott , a high school teacher, and William Montgomery McGovern, Jr., a university professor. Her paternal grandfather was adventurer William Montgomery McGovern and her maternal great-grandfather was U.S. diplomat...
, Tuesday WeldTuesday WeldTuesday Weld is an American actress.Weld began her acting career as a child, and progressed to more mature roles during the late 1950s. She won a Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Female Newcomer in 1960...
, William ForsytheWilliam Forsythe (actor)William Forsythe is an American actor, known for playing "tough guy" roles. He is also a writer, and has several short stories that are set to be published.-Early life:...
, Joe PesciJoe PesciJoseph Frank "Joe" Pesci is an American actor, comedian, and musician.He is known for playing a variety of different roles, from violent mobsters to comedic leads to quirky sidekicks...
, Treat WilliamsTreat WilliamsRichard Treat Williams is a Screen Actors Guild Award–nominated American actor and children's book author who has appeared on film, stage and television...
, Burt YoungBurt YoungBurt Young is an American actor, painter and author. He is best known for his Academy Award-nominated role as Sylvester Stallone's brother-in-law and friend Paulie in the Rocky film series.-Personal life:...
and Danny AielloDanny AielloDaniel Louis "Danny" Aiello, Jr. is an American actor who has appeared in numerous motion pictures, including Once Upon a Time in America, Ruby, The Godfather: Part II, Hudson Hawk, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Moonstruck, Léon, Two Days in the Valley, and Dinner Rush... - The SicilianThe SicilianThe Sicilian is a novel by Italian-American author Mario Puzo. Published in 1984 by Random House Publishing Group , it is based on Puzo's most famous work, The Godfather. It is regarded as The Godfathers literary sequel....
(novel) by Mario PuzoMario PuzoMario Gianluigi Puzo was an American author and screenwriter, known for his novels about the Mafia, including The Godfather , which he later co-adapted into a film by Francis Ford Coppola...
Deaths
- February 4 - Richard DiNomeRichard DiNomeRichard "Richie" DiNome was an alleged member of the DeMeo crew under the Gambino crime family. He was the younger brother of Gambino associate and government informant Frederick DiNome.-Biography:Richard DiNome was born to Italian-American emigrants in Pigtown, Brooklyn...
, former GambinoGambinoGambino is an Italian surname. Notable persons with that surname include:*Carlo Gambino, New York mobster and former boss of the family that takes his name; Gambino crime family*Emanuel Gambino, New York mobster and nephew of Carlo Gambino...
associate and DeMeo CrewRoy DeMeoRoy Albert DeMeo was a soldier in the Gambino crime family. He is infamous for heading the DeMeo crew, a gang suspected by the FBI of murdering at least 70 people between 1973 and 1983. The vast majority were disposed of so thoroughly that they were never found...
member - April - Cesare BonventreCesare BonventreCesare "The Tall Guy" Bonventre was a Sicilian mobster and caporegime for the New York Bonanno crime family.-Early life:...
, BonannoBonanno crime familyThe Bonanno crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia ....
crime family Capo - July 7 - Raymond Patriarca, Sr., Boss of the Patriarca crime familyPatriarca crime familyThe Patriarca crime family, also known as the New England crime family and the Providence crime family, is an Italian-American organized crime syndicate based in New England, specifically Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts, and is part of the Italian-American Mafia or "La Cosa Nostra"...
- September 14 - Salvatore TestaSalvatore TestaSalvatore "Salvie" Testa, , nicknamed The Crowned Prince of the Philadelphia Mob, was a Philadelphia gangster who served as a hitman for the Scarfo crime family during a period of internal gang conflict...
"Salvie", Philadelphia Family CapoCaporegimeA caporegime or capodecina, usually shortened to just a capo, is a term used in the Mafia for a high ranking made member of a crime family who heads a "crew" of soldiers and has major social status and influence in the organization...