Michael Rizzitello
Encyclopedia
Michael Anthony Rizzitello (March 15, 1929 - October 26, 2005) also known as "Mike Rizzi", was an Italian American
mobster in the Los Angeles crime family
. Rizzitello's criminal record stretched back to 1947. He was also featured in several biography novels by mobsters-turned-informants Jimmy Fratianno
(The Last Mafioso
and Vengeance Is Mine), Anthony Fiato
(The Animal in Hollywood), and Kenny Gallo
(Breakshot).
, Canada
on March 29, 1927. He later moved to New York City
and became associated with organized crime
. He worked for "Crazy Joe" Gallo
in the 1950s who was a member of the Profaci crime family (later named the Colombo crime family). When Gallo attempted to take over the crime family Rizzitello was one of his gunman. In 1956 Rizzitello moved to California.
. The two became quick friends. During his time in Los Angeles, he became associated with the Los Angeles crime family
. He became involved in illegal gambling, loan sharking, fraud, and extortion. On June 6, 1976 Rizzitello became a made man
. Instead of the traditional ceremony of induction, Rizzitello became a made man in the back of a car with 3 other people present. These men were consigliere
Frank Bompensiero, acting boss Aladena "Jimmy the Weasel" Fratianno
and co-acting boss Louis Tom Dragna
. Rizzitello quickly moved up in the family and was promoted to caporegime
by acting boss Fratianno a year later in 1977.
In 1976, Rizzitello was arrested and convicted of insurance fraud and was subsequently arrested and acquitted of strong-arming an acquaintance over a gambling debt. In 1977, he was arrested in a mail-billing scheme and convicted. He was sentenced to three years total for the two convictions.
In 1977 Rizzi was charged with extortion and filing a false insurance claim. Rizzitello pled no contest
on May 2, 1977 to one count of insurance fraud. A second grand theft charge was dismissed. On May 22, 1977 he was sentenced to serve 2 to 3 years in state prison, but was allowed to remain free after a $20,000 bond was secured. Rizzitello quickly became well respected and a huge earner for the family. In the 1970s, the Chicago Outfit
sent Rizzitello to pressure a casio owner into giving the Outfit $1,000,000. However, the FBI was tipped off by Fratianno and intervened in the incident. When Dominic Brooklier
had Rizzietllo setup to kill Jimmy Fratianno, Fatianno turned state's evidence
and testified against his fellow mobsters. Rizzitello was put on trial for conspiring with Fratianno to kill a government witness for Pennsylvania crime boss Russell Bufalino
, but was acquitted.
In 1978 Rizzitello was convicted of racketeering
and extortion. He was sentenced to five years in prison and was paroled in 1986. When was released he went on trial again for charges that he tried to defraud a Montana firm in a fraudulent transfer of stock. Again Rizzitello was acquitted. In 1987, was put on trial again; this time charged with trying to market $1 million in stolen bonds. For the third straight time he was acquitted.
By the time Rizzitello was released in the 1980s Peter Milano
became the new boss of the Los Angeles crime family. While they worked together in the 1970s, they had a distant relationship. Rizzitello went to the Gambino crime family
in New York City
to seek permission to start his own crime family in California, but it never came to be. However, he was able to run an independent crew under Milano's family. Rizzitello worked closely with and schooled Anthony Fiato
in the 1980s, before Fiato decided to cooperate with the FBI. In 1988 Rizzitello was blacklisted from every casino
in Las Vegas due to his involvement in crime and specifically illegal gambling in the city. Rizzitello collected markers
for Las Vegas casinos, from his base of operation in Beverly Hills
.
. Despite being shot three times in the head, Carroll miraculously survived, although he was permanently blinded from the incident. After pointing the gun at the back of Carroll's head he said "This is for not letting us eat" and shot him three times. Rizzitello attempted to kill Carrol for not sharing in on the profits of The Mustang Club, a Santa Ana
nightclub. A month later, Rizzitello was back in prison for violating his parole by associating with known criminals. He remained in Los Angeles Terminal Island
for nine months. Initially, Carroll refused to tell authorities who shot him. When the FBI offered to dismiss federal charges against Carroll in October 1988, he named Rizzitello and another man, Joey Grosso, as his attackers. Rizzitello was found guilty of attempted murder and was sentenced to 33 years in prison. During his stay in prison, he repeatedly refused to cooperate with the authorities to receive a reduced sentence, upholding the code of Omertà
. Rizzitello died of complications of cancer at the age of 78 on October 26, 2005, in Palm Springs, California. He was still in custody at the time of his death. Rizzitello was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Cathedral City, California
. He was survived by his six children, fifteen grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
mobster in the Los Angeles crime family
Los Angeles crime family
The Los Angeles crime family is an Italian American criminal organization based in Los Angeles, as part of the American Mafia . Since its inception in the early 1900s, it has spread throughout Southern California. Like most Mafia families in the United States, the L.A. family gained power...
. Rizzitello's criminal record stretched back to 1947. He was also featured in several biography novels by mobsters-turned-informants Jimmy Fratianno
Jimmy Fratianno
Aladena "Jimmy the Weasel" Fratianno was a Cleveland, Ohio, mobster and later acting head of the Los Angeles crime family before becoming a government witness...
(The Last Mafioso
The Last Mafioso
The Last Mafioso: The Treacherous World of Jimmy Fratianno is a biography novel detailing the life of American Mafia member Aladena "Jimmy the Weasel" Fratianno. It chronicles Fratianno's life from a kid in Cleveland to becoming the acting Boss of the Los Angeles crime family...
and Vengeance Is Mine), Anthony Fiato
Anthony Fiato
Craig Anthony Fiato, also known as Anthony the Animal and Tony Rome, was an American mobster and hitman for the Los Angeles crime family who later became an undercover informant and government witness...
(The Animal in Hollywood), and Kenny Gallo
Kenny Gallo
Kenny "Kenji" Gallo is a Japanese-Italian American gangster-turned-informant and a former director and producer of pornographic films...
(Breakshot).
Early life
Rizzitello was born in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
on March 29, 1927. He later moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and became associated with organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
. He worked for "Crazy Joe" Gallo
Joe Gallo
Joseph Gallo , also known as "Crazy Joey" and "Joe the Blond", was a celebrated New York City gangster for the Profaci crime family, later known as the Colombo crime family...
in the 1950s who was a member of the Profaci crime family (later named the Colombo crime family). When Gallo attempted to take over the crime family Rizzitello was one of his gunman. In 1956 Rizzitello moved to California.
Los Angeles
In 1962, he was arrested for a string of armed robberies of restaurants and businesses in the Hollywood area and served nine years in prison. In 1970 he met William Carroll at Chino prisonCalifornia Institution for Men
California Institution for Men is a male-only state prison located in the city of Chino, San Bernardino County, California. It is often colloquially referenced as "Chino." In turn, locals call the prison "Chino Men's" or just "Men's" to avoid confusion with the city itself...
. The two became quick friends. During his time in Los Angeles, he became associated with the Los Angeles crime family
Los Angeles crime family
The Los Angeles crime family is an Italian American criminal organization based in Los Angeles, as part of the American Mafia . Since its inception in the early 1900s, it has spread throughout Southern California. Like most Mafia families in the United States, the L.A. family gained power...
. He became involved in illegal gambling, loan sharking, fraud, and extortion. On June 6, 1976 Rizzitello became a made man
Made man
A made man, also known as a Mafioso , made guy, man of honor, or uomo d'onore , is someone who has been officially inducted into the Sicilian or American Mafia . They may also be referred to by some as a goodfella or wiseguy...
. Instead of the traditional ceremony of induction, Rizzitello became a made man in the back of a car with 3 other people present. These men were consigliere
Consigliere
Consigliere is a position within the leadership structure of Sicilian and American Mafia crime families. The word was popularized by Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather , and its film adaptation...
Frank Bompensiero, acting boss Aladena "Jimmy the Weasel" Fratianno
Jimmy Fratianno
Aladena "Jimmy the Weasel" Fratianno was a Cleveland, Ohio, mobster and later acting head of the Los Angeles crime family before becoming a government witness...
and co-acting boss Louis Tom Dragna
Louis Tom Dragna
Louis Tom Dragna is a former mobster and nephew of Jack Dragna and son of Tom Dragna. He was active in the Los Angeles crime family from the 1940s until the early 1980s.-Early life:...
. Rizzitello quickly moved up in the family and was promoted to 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...
by acting boss Fratianno a year later in 1977.
In 1976, Rizzitello was arrested and convicted of insurance fraud and was subsequently arrested and acquitted of strong-arming an acquaintance over a gambling debt. In 1977, he was arrested in a mail-billing scheme and convicted. He was sentenced to three years total for the two convictions.
In 1977 Rizzi was charged with extortion and filing a false insurance claim. Rizzitello pled no contest
Nolo contendere
is a legal term that comes from the Latin for "I do not wish to contend." It is also referred to as a plea of no contest.In criminal trials, and in some common law jurisdictions, it is a plea where the defendant neither admits nor disputes a charge, serving as an alternative to a pleading of...
on May 2, 1977 to one count of insurance fraud. A second grand theft charge was dismissed. On May 22, 1977 he was sentenced to serve 2 to 3 years in state prison, but was allowed to remain free after a $20,000 bond was secured. Rizzitello quickly became well respected and a huge earner for the family. In the 1970s, the Chicago Outfit
Chicago Outfit
The Chicago Outfit, also known as the Chicago Syndicate or Chicago Mob and sometimes shortened to simply the Outfit, is a crime syndicate based in Chicago, Illinois, USA...
sent Rizzitello to pressure a casio owner into giving the Outfit $1,000,000. However, the FBI was tipped off by Fratianno and intervened in the incident. When Dominic Brooklier
Dominic Brooklier
Dominic 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:...
had Rizzietllo setup to kill Jimmy Fratianno, Fatianno turned state's evidence
Turn state's evidence
To turn state's evidence is when an accused or convicted criminal testifies as a witness for the state against his associates or accomplices. Turning state's evidence is occasionally a result of a change of heart or feelings of guilt, but more often is done in response to a generous offer from the...
and testified against his fellow mobsters. Rizzitello was put on trial for conspiring with Fratianno to kill a government witness for Pennsylvania crime boss Russell Bufalino
Russell Bufalino
Russell A. Bufalino also known as "McGee" and "The Old Man" was the boss of the Northeastern Pennsylvania crime family from 1959 to 1989...
, but was acquitted.
In 1978 Rizzitello was convicted of racketeering
Racket (crime)
A racket is an illegal business, usually run as part of organized crime. Engaging in a racket is called racketeering.Several forms of racket exist. The best-known is the protection racket, in which criminals demand money from businesses in exchange for the service of "protection" against crimes...
and extortion. He was sentenced to five years in prison and was paroled in 1986. When was released he went on trial again for charges that he tried to defraud a Montana firm in a fraudulent transfer of stock. Again Rizzitello was acquitted. In 1987, was put on trial again; this time charged with trying to market $1 million in stolen bonds. For the third straight time he was acquitted.
By the time Rizzitello was released in the 1980s Peter Milano
Peter Milano
Peter John Milano is a Los Angeles based, Italian-American mobster, and current Boss of the Los Angeles crime family. Milano has been active in organized crime since the 1950s...
became the new boss of the Los Angeles crime family. While they worked together in the 1970s, they had a distant relationship. Rizzitello went to the Gambino crime family
Gambino crime family
The 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...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to seek permission to start his own crime family in California, but it never came to be. However, he was able to run an independent crew under Milano's family. Rizzitello worked closely with and schooled Anthony Fiato
Anthony Fiato
Craig Anthony Fiato, also known as Anthony the Animal and Tony Rome, was an American mobster and hitman for the Los Angeles crime family who later became an undercover informant and government witness...
in the 1980s, before Fiato decided to cooperate with the FBI. In 1988 Rizzitello was blacklisted from every casino
Black Book (gaming)
"Black Book" is the nickname frequently used to refer to a list of persons who are unwelcome in casinos. The name comes from the fact that the persons listed in the "book" are essentially "blacklisted"...
in Las Vegas due to his involvement in crime and specifically illegal gambling in the city. Rizzitello collected markers
Credit (casino)
Casino credit is a marketing tool that, when used appropriately, can result in significant casino revenues. Casinos such as the Bellagio, Caesars Palace, The Mirage, and the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort rely heavily on casino customers who gamble on credit...
for Las Vegas casinos, from his base of operation in Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
.
Murder conviction
On May 1, 1987, Rizzitello shot his old friend William Carroll in Costa MesaCosta Mesa, California
Costa Mesa is a city in Orange County, California. The population was 109,960 at the 2010 census. Since its incorporation in 1953, the city has grown from a semi-rural farming community of 16,840 to a primarily suburban and "edge" city with an economy based on retail, commerce, and light...
. Despite being shot three times in the head, Carroll miraculously survived, although he was permanently blinded from the incident. After pointing the gun at the back of Carroll's head he said "This is for not letting us eat" and shot him three times. Rizzitello attempted to kill Carrol for not sharing in on the profits of The Mustang Club, a Santa Ana
Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
nightclub. A month later, Rizzitello was back in prison for violating his parole by associating with known criminals. He remained in Los Angeles Terminal Island
Federal Correctional Institution, Terminal Island
Federal Correctional Institution, Terminal Island is a low-security prison for men located on Reservation Point on Terminal Island and in San Pedro, Los Angeles. The other Federal prison in the Los Angeles area is the Metropolitan Detention Center in Downtown Los Angeles...
for nine months. Initially, Carroll refused to tell authorities who shot him. When the FBI offered to dismiss federal charges against Carroll in October 1988, he named Rizzitello and another man, Joey Grosso, as his attackers. Rizzitello was found guilty of attempted murder and was sentenced to 33 years in prison. During his stay in prison, he repeatedly refused to cooperate with the authorities to receive a reduced sentence, upholding the code of Omertà
Omertà
Omertà is a popular attitude and code of honour and a common definition is the "code of silence". It is common in areas of southern Italy, such as Sicily, Apulia, Calabria, and Campania, where criminal organizations defined as Mafia such as the Cosa Nostra, 'Ndrangheta, Sacra Corona Unita, and...
. Rizzitello died of complications of cancer at the age of 78 on October 26, 2005, in Palm Springs, California. He was still in custody at the time of his death. Rizzitello was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Cathedral City, California
Forest Lawn Cemetery (Cathedral City)
Forest Lawn Cemetery , renamed from Palm Springs Mortuary & Mausoleum in 2005, is a cemetery in Cathedral City, California near Palm Springs...
. He was survived by his six children, fifteen grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.