Charles Panarella
Encyclopedia
Charles Joseph Panarella a.k.a. "Moose" a.k.a. Len Conforti a.k.a. Chas Esposito (born January 5, 1925) is a New York City mobster and capo
in the Colombo crime family
with a brutal reputation as a hitman
.
On Aug. 11 1972, rogue Profaci crime family capo Crazy Joe Gallo and his brother Albert Gallo
had pinpointed Joseph (The Yack) Yacovelli, Alphonse (Allie the Snake) Persico Sr., Gennaro Langella
and at least one other Colombo hood (thought to be Panarella) at the bar of the Neapolitan Noodle located at 320 East 79th Street in Midtown Manhattan
. Minutes before the hit men arrived, however, the mobsters had moved to another table. In their place were five meat dealers from Chicago with their wives celebrating the engagement of one of their daughters to the restaurant's manager. As this party moved to a table, led by the wives, the shooter, dressed in casual clothes and wearing dark glasses and a long black shoulder length wig, opened up with two guns killing Sheldon Epstein and Max Tekelch and wounding two other men. The killer escaped and was never found. The public outrage was led by New York City Mayor John V. Lindsey who promised in running the gangsters out of town. Panarella was unharmed. Panarella once allegedly forced a man to eat his own testicles before killing him. Panarella has survived several feuds within the Colombo family that killed more than 100 people. He lives in Spring Valley, Nevada
.
While in New York, Panarella had a large profitable crew that included Gregory Scarpa Sr.
The crew trafficked in narcotics, robbed banks, and controlled sheet metal
and restaurant unions.
that Panarella was abusive capo. Facing federal indictment, Persico feared that Panarella and caporegime
John (Sonny) Franzese
might use his legal troubles to move against him. When Panarella's crew complained, it gave Persico an excuse to exile Panarella to Las Vegas
. Panarella would not forget this slight; in 1991, he actively sided with Victor Orena
against Persico during Orena's failed effort to take over the Colombo family.
In 1994, Panarella was convicted of attempting to launder money through the Maxim Casino (now called the Westin Casuarina) in Las Vegas as part of a scheme to purchase a farm for $500,000 to $1 million. Panarella had drug profits deposited at a cashier's cage at the casino. In August 1994, Panarella pleaded guilty to conspiracy and served 15 months of an 18-month sentence. In September 1996, Panarella was released from prison.
.
In the summer of 2001, Panarella met in New York with Genovese family representatives over a dispute in Brooklyn. The Genovese family controlled most of the so-called "no-show
" construction jobs in Brooklyn and the Colombo family wanted their fair share of them. Unfortunately for Panarella, the meeting location was bugged and law enforcement picked up clear evidence that he was acting as a member of the Colombo family.
On December 4, 2003, Panarella was indicted in New York on one federal racketeering charge in connection with alleged labor law violations and construction payoff
s. The charges were linked to alleged payoffs within Locals 14 and 15 of the International Union of Operating Engineers
and to fraud in the construction of the Staten Island Yankee Stadium, a minor league ball park, and the Brooklyn General Post Office.
In February 2008, Panarella was living under house arrest
at his home in Kunkletown, Pennsylvania. The trial based on his 2005 racketeering indictment had been delayed due to Panarella's ill health and psychological problems.
Capo
A 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...
in the Colombo crime family
Colombo crime family
The 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 ....
with a brutal reputation as a hitman
Hitman
A hitman is a person hired to kill another person.- Hitmen in organized crime :Hitmen are largely linked to the world of organized crime. Hitmen are hired people who kill people for money. Notable examples include Murder, Inc., Mafia hitmen and Richard Kuklinski.- Other cases involving hitmen...
.
Early years
Charles was born in 1925 in Brooklyn, New York. He is also known to use January 5, 1922 as his birth date. He stands at 6 ft tall, has brown eyes and a scar on his bottom lip. In 1940, Panarella was arrested for the first time. His criminal record includes assault, burglary, extortion and possession of a loaded firearm.On Aug. 11 1972, rogue Profaci crime family capo Crazy Joe Gallo and his brother Albert Gallo
Albert Gallo
Albert "Kid Blast" Gallo, Jr. was a New York mobster for the Profaci crime family, later called the Colombo crime family. Gallo led his crew in challenging the Colombo leadership during the Second Colombo War.-Biography:...
had pinpointed Joseph (The Yack) Yacovelli, Alphonse (Allie the Snake) Persico Sr., Gennaro Langella
Gennaro Langella
Gennaro Adriano Langella also known as "Gerry Lang", is a member of the Colombo crime family who eventually became underboss and acting boss.-Background:...
and at least one other Colombo hood (thought to be Panarella) at the bar of the Neapolitan Noodle located at 320 East 79th Street in Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...
. Minutes before the hit men arrived, however, the mobsters had moved to another table. In their place were five meat dealers from Chicago with their wives celebrating the engagement of one of their daughters to the restaurant's manager. As this party moved to a table, led by the wives, the shooter, dressed in casual clothes and wearing dark glasses and a long black shoulder length wig, opened up with two guns killing Sheldon Epstein and Max Tekelch and wounding two other men. The killer escaped and was never found. The public outrage was led by New York City Mayor John V. Lindsey who promised in running the gangsters out of town. Panarella was unharmed. Panarella once allegedly forced a man to eat his own testicles before killing him. Panarella has survived several feuds within the Colombo family that killed more than 100 people. He lives in Spring Valley, Nevada
Spring Valley, Nevada
Spring Valley is an unincorporated town in Clark County, Nevada, United States located two miles west of the Las Vegas Strip. The population was 117,390 at the 2000 census.-Background:...
.
While in New York, Panarella had a large profitable crew that included Gregory Scarpa Sr.
Gregory Scarpa Sr.
Gregory Scarpa, Sr. also known as "The Grim Reaper" and "The Mad Hatter", was a capo for the Colombo crime family and an informant for the FBI. During the 1970s and 80s, Scarpa was the chief enforcer for Colombo boss Carmine Persico...
The crew trafficked in narcotics, robbed banks, and controlled sheet metal
Sheet metal
Sheet metal is simply metal formed into thin and flat pieces. It is one of the fundamental forms used in metalworking, and can be cut and bent into a variety of different shapes. Countless everyday objects are constructed of the material...
and restaurant unions.
Exile to Las Vegas
In the mid-1980s, Panarella's crew complained to Colombo boss Carmine PersicoCarmine Persico
Carmine John Persico, Jr. also known as "Junior", "The Snake" and "Immortal", has been the de-facto boss of the Colombo crime family since the early 1970s. Persico has overseen gang wars, murders, and major rackets, most of the time from prison. He has been serving life imprisonment without...
that Panarella was abusive capo. Facing federal indictment, Persico feared that Panarella and caporegime
Caporegime
A 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...
John (Sonny) Franzese
John Franzese
John "Sonny" Franzese, Sr. , is a longtime member and the current Underboss of the Colombo crime family. Arguably, Franzese has been famous as the current oldest active member of the American Mafia...
might use his legal troubles to move against him. When Panarella's crew complained, it gave Persico an excuse to exile Panarella to Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. Panarella would not forget this slight; in 1991, he actively sided with Victor Orena
Victor Orena
Vittorio "Little Vic" Orena is a New York City mobster who became the temporary acting boss of the Colombo crime family. When an attempt by Greg ScarpaVittorio "Little Vic" Orena (born August 4, 1934) is a New York City mobster who became the temporary acting boss of the Colombo crime family. When...
against Persico during Orena's failed effort to take over the Colombo family.
In 1994, Panarella was convicted of attempting to launder money through the Maxim Casino (now called the Westin Casuarina) in Las Vegas as part of a scheme to purchase a farm for $500,000 to $1 million. Panarella had drug profits deposited at a cashier's cage at the casino. In August 1994, Panarella pleaded guilty to conspiracy and served 15 months of an 18-month sentence. In September 1996, Panarella was released from prison.
Back to New York
Although living in Las Vegas, Panarella still kept some responsibilities back East. For a period of time, he was shuttling back to Brooklyn to oversee the Colombo family’s interests in Locals 14 and 15 of the International Union of Operating EngineersInternational Union of Operating Engineers
The International Union of Operating Engineers is a trade union within the AFL-CIO representing primarily construction workers who work as heavy equipment operators, mechanics, surveyors, and stationary engineers who maintain heating and other systems in buildings and industrial complexes, in the...
.
In the summer of 2001, Panarella met in New York with Genovese family representatives over a dispute in Brooklyn. The Genovese family controlled most of the so-called "no-show
Absenteeism
Absenteeism is a habitual pattern of absence from a duty or obligation. Traditionally, absenteeism has been viewed as an indicator of poor individual performance, as well as a breach of an implicit contract between employee and employer; it was seen as a management problem, and framed in economic...
" construction jobs in Brooklyn and the Colombo family wanted their fair share of them. Unfortunately for Panarella, the meeting location was bugged and law enforcement picked up clear evidence that he was acting as a member of the Colombo family.
On December 4, 2003, Panarella was indicted in New York on one federal racketeering charge in connection with alleged labor law violations and construction payoff
Bribery
Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
s. The charges were linked to alleged payoffs within Locals 14 and 15 of the International Union of Operating Engineers
International Union of Operating Engineers
The International Union of Operating Engineers is a trade union within the AFL-CIO representing primarily construction workers who work as heavy equipment operators, mechanics, surveyors, and stationary engineers who maintain heating and other systems in buildings and industrial complexes, in the...
and to fraud in the construction of the Staten Island Yankee Stadium, a minor league ball park, and the Brooklyn General Post Office.
In February 2008, Panarella was living under house arrest
House arrest
In justice and law, house arrest is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to his or her residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all...
at his home in Kunkletown, Pennsylvania. The trial based on his 2005 racketeering indictment had been delayed due to Panarella's ill health and psychological problems.