The Detroit mafia is now firmly under the control of a new regime lead by new official boss Jack “Jackie the Kid” Giacalone as its latest transition period winds down. The Detroit mob is going to be downsizing from having 5 crews on the streets down to four at least temporarily according to sources from Scott Burnstein’s Gangster Report. The mafia in Detroit has had five capo’s running their respective crews since the early 1990’s but Giacalone wants to minimize exposure and feels the smaller things are safer according to reports.

“Jack Giacalone“

The crew formerly run by now underboss Anthony “Chicago Tony” La Piana is set to be dissolved with in the next year per sources. It is now being run by acting co-capo’s Antonio “Toto” Ruggirello and Antonio “Tony the Exterminator” Ruggirello who are ready to retire with Chicago Tony already semi-retired and in an administration position. Once the Ruggirello boys retire the transition will be to dissolve the crew all together.

The mob in Detroit has been one of the more stable and low key mafia families for years and after the 2014 installation of new boss Giacalone and underboss La Piana things should remain that way. Both Jackie the Kid and Chicago Tony were groomed to take the lead running the family in an “acting” capacity for a couple of years before they were officially installed into the hierarchy by deceased former boss Giacomo “Black Jack” Tocco. Recent mafia news out of The Motor City indicates the transition has been smooth.

Anthony “Tony Z” Zerilli the former underboss and acting boss of the Detroit Mafia passed away of natural causes in Florida at the age of 87. He was the son of Joseph “Joe Uno” Zerilli himself a former Detroit mob godfather and the son-in-law of one time New York mafia don Joe Profaci. He was one of the last of the old guard that controlled the mafia in Detroit for years and is one of many passing’s in the organization in last couple years.

“Tony Zerilli“

Zerilli was indicted back in 1996 along with then boss Giacomo “Black Jack” Tocco and the rest of the administration in a massive racketeering case. Upon his release from prison in 2008 Zerilli was “shelved” or demoted and revealed of his position in the Detroit mob by Tocco blaming Zerilli for the bust. The evidence gathered by the feds came from a bug located in the car of one of Zerilli’s crew.

In 2012 Zerilli decided to talk to the feds giving them information about the possible burial ground of Jimmy Hoffa and the alleged story of his murder. He claimed Hoffa was killed by Detroit mob members and buried on land once owned by Tocco and his brother, dropping a dime on them both. He claimed he was told about the hit on Hoffa by former mafia street boss Anthony “Tony Jack” Giacalone the man Hoffa was supposed to be meeting for lunch the day he disappeared. After an extensive search of the property no body was recovered.

Jack Bonventre a reputed captain in the Bonanno crime family turned down an offer to become the mafia families consigliere or third in command a bump up from capo. During a secretly recorded conversation between fellow Bonanno mobster Vincent Asaro and a mob associate, Asaro says “He (Bonventre) turned it down, he didn’t want it,” back in March of 2013. Seems like they made Bonventre an offer he could refuse.

“Jack Bonventre“

Bonventre is facing a prison sentence of 21 to 27 months on loan sharking charges and the feds are attempting to use this alleged promotion offer against him. Prosecutors claim that the job offer shows the 46 year old Bonventre is a powerful and prominent member of the Bonanno family. A promotion to consigliere or family counselor would of made the mobster part of the mob family’s hierarchy and is a highly respected post in the mafia.

But defense lawyer Gordon Mehler argues that even if the promotion offer is true the feds are exaggerating the relevance of the position. He claims the New York mafia families are much weaker now and the Bonanno family in particular has been decimated by defectors and arrest of late hence the position doesn’t mean what it once did. He doesn’t believe it should be used against his client by the prosecution to seek a longer sentence.

According to the feds the Bonanno family is now run by a panel which seems to keep changing as more arrests are made while alleged boss Michael “Mikey Nose” Mansuco serves a 15 year prison sentence. The families current publicly identified consigliere is Anthony “Fat Anthony” Rabito, although he has been plagued by various criminal charges over last couple of years.

Giuseppe “Joe” Renda is now believed to possibly be another casualty of the bloody Montreal mafia war. According to authorities who recently released a public appeal for any information on the cold case claim the alleged Montreal mobster disappeared with out a trace back in 2012 in the middle of the fierce mob feud. He was last seen leaving his home in Westmount on May 4, 2012 , his car was later found in Montreal’s Little Italy according to Montreal police.

“Giuseppe Renda“

Renda was quietly an important figure in the Montreal mafia taking part in important moments as a representative of the mafia clan. He had direct links to former mafia boss Vito Rizzuto and was part of the powerful Renda family along with former Rizzuto brother in law and Rizzuto family consigliere Pablo Renda. Very much a low key mobster Giuseppe found himself in the middle of some major events which marked major developments in the mob.

Back in 1999 he was the Rizzuto family representative at the funeral of Gerlando Sciascia in New York. Sciascia known in New York as “George from Canada” was the Montreal mob’s man in the Bonanno crime family of the New York mafia. The Rizzuto family had long been considered a part of and major ally of the Bonanno family until the murder of Sciascia. It was discovered that he was murdered on orders of then Bonanno family boss Joseph Massino shattering the links between the Rizzuto’s and Bonanno’s.

“Murdered mobster Gerlando Sciascia, left, looks for the car keys while Joseph Massino, right, waits to get into a car in New York in 1981. In the middle, in the dark suit, is Montreal’s Vito Rizzuto“

Then in 2001 Renda was sent to Ontario on behalf of the Rizzuto family to set up a large scale illegal gambling network as the Rizzuto family looked to expand its operations. It was the move mob insiders say signaled the Montreal mafia’s encroachment into the Ontario underworld and Renda was a key figure.Renda would be arrested as part of “Operation Oltre” on illegal bookmaking charges but had his charges later dropped in exchance for a forfeiture of assets.

Renda was most recently linked the former Bonanno boss Salvatore “Sal the Ironworker” Montagna who was believed to have been a part of the coalition who attempted to take down the Rizzuto family upon his extradition to Canada in 2009. The move was made while powerful mob boss Vito Rizzuto sat in a U.S. prison although somehow went wrong leading to the assassination of Montagna.

At the time of his disappearance the family for unknown reasons didn’t want any kind of press release from police about the missing person’s case. Now the family has agreed to make things public although the timing of this move and the renewed investigation efforts by police has yet to be explained.

Michael “Mikey Nose” Mancuso the reputed boss of the Bonanno crime family has been trying to stifle a potentially bloody dispute for control of the family developing with in its ranks. Mancuso is running the family while serving what remains of a 15 year sentence in federal prison according to the feds, not slated for release until 2019. It seems a crew of rebellious Bonanno members are at the heart of the dispute which according to court documents is still in a diplomatic stage as Mancuso tries to maintain control.

“Michael Mancuso“

Mancuso has been dispatching messages through Frank “Frankie Boy” Salerno his nephew and a reputed newly made soldier in the Bonanno family according to court papers. These messages were being routed through alleged street boss John Palazzolo who was hand picked by Mancuso to run things on the streets until his prison release in an attempt to thwart the potential uprising. The NY Organized Crime Intelligence Division tipped off probation officials to the new role Salerno was playing as the Mancuso and Palazzolo go between leading to Palazzolo’s arrest on parole violations.

Salerno was seen meeting with Palazzolo and a crew of mobsters at a Bayside Queens eatery just hours after leaving Danbury federal prison where Mancuso is being held. Others attending the restaurant session included Pasquale “Patty Boy” Maiorino and John “Johnny Mulberry” Sciremammano both reputed Bonanno members and part of an organized crime figure list Palazzolo was ordered to avoid having contact with. Prosecutors claim along with meeting these members of the “do not associate” list Palazzolo was also seen meeting with former Bonanno family consigliere Anthony “Fat Anthony” Rabito.

According to mob sources the Bonanno family has made up to a dozen new members in recent months in an attempt to replenish its ranks. Included in this new batch of Bonanno made men was believed to have been Salerno if for nothing else to legitimize his position as Mancuo’s new go-between with members of the family. Whether or not the arrest of Palazzolo who is now being held in the Metropolitan Detention Center has put the brakes on the internal beef with in the Bonanno family is unknown. Although it would be mafia news to have a bloody street war break out inside one of the New York mafia families today, it seems unlikely.

Joseph “Skinny Joey” Merlino still considered the boss of the Philadelphia mafia by many including law enforcement is in the final weeks of his four month prison sentence for a parole violation set to be released on May 3rd. He will have not only finished his current sentence but also be off parole restrictions and unhindered by the government , but will he soon be facing more prison time ? According to Scott Burnstein and the Gangster Report the feds are attempting to build a new RICO case against Merlino and other Philly mafia leaders.

“Joseph Merlino“

According to sources the new case being worked on by the feds could target both Merlino and his right hand man and current acting boss Steven Mazzone among others. The latest indictments could include more charges in the mob hit of Gino DiPietro back on 2012 and possibly other murders dating back to the 1990’s. The feds believe the DiPietro hit was carried out by Anthony Nicodemo and Dominic “Baby Dom” Grande. Nicodemo was fingered as the get away driver and has already plead guilty to taking part in the hit although Grande who feds fingered as shooter has yet to be officially charged.

“Anthony Nicodemo“

The hit was sanctioned at the highest levels of the Philly mob including Joey Merlino according to a source of Burnstein’s. A meeting between Merlino and Nicodemo is believed to have taken place in the weeks leading up to the hit along with a separate meeting between Mazzone, Nicodemo, and Grande confirming the go ahead right before the hit took place. Merlino was back in Philadelphia in November of 2012 for the funeral of his father and former Philly mobster Salvatore “Chuckie” Merlino which was exactly one month before the DiPietro hit.

“Steven Mazzone“

Merlino visited his old neighborhood for a week leading up to the funeral and sources say it was during this time he met with Nicodemo and approved the hit. Then on December 11 the meeting between Mazzone, Grande, and Nicodemo took place at a undisclosed location putting the plan in motion. The hit ended up taking place on a crowded Philly street in broad daylight and may be one of the most poorly planned and executed mafia hit in history. It is believed that DiPietro was killed because he may have had information about the previous mob murder of John “Johnny Gongs” Casasanto back in 2003 in which both Merlino and Nicodemo have long been considered suspects in.

“John Casasanto“

It has been rumored that the feds were keeping tabs on Merlino and his activities in Florida where he has lived since he completed his stretch for a racketeering conviction. Whether or not the feds can actually make their new RICO case is definitely not a certainty as they have whiffed on pending cases such as this before, until the charges are handed down it will remain speculation.

Jack Bonventre a Bonanno family mobster was sentenced to 21 month in prison for charges of collecting loansharking debts. The 46 year old mobster recently turned down a bump up which would of made him the Bonanno crime family consigliere. Prosecutors used recordings of another Bonanno family capo ranting about Bonventre during down the promotion to consigliere as proof showing he had become a major power with in the mob family.

“Jack Bonventre (outside Federal Plaza in Manhattan in 2014)“

He was facing sentencing guidelines of 21 to 27 months and although he gets the lower end of the range he does not get credit for the year he has already spent under house arrest. He claims he walked away from his life in the mafia years ago , although evidence collected seems to contradict those claims.

Carmelo D’Amico a former mafia hitman for the Sicilian mafia also known has Cosa Nostra in Italy is pledging to blow the whistle on the mobs political corruption. D,Amico has admitted for being part of at least 30 murders on behalf of the mafia before turning on the mob in response to an appeal by the Pope for mobsters to abandon crime. The mobster said that if he is protected he is willing to tell everything he knows about the mafia in Italy.

“Carmelo D’Amico“

D’Amico told prosecutor Nino Di Matteo that the names of the people he is ready to give are capable of anything including going inside of prisons. He also said they direct politics and will try to get rid of him much like they have tried to do with the prosecutor. In front of the Palermo Assize court he admitted to being frightened to tell everything because of worries for himself and his families.

Already supplying two names Angelino Alfano and Renato Schifani who Carmelo says were among those who were elected because of deals made with Cosa Nostra. Also claims that Forza Italia was born because Toto Riina and Bernardo Provenzano wanted it to govern Italy, and that Silvio Berlusconi was a pawn of Riina, Provenzano, and Marcello Dell’Utri. And according to him the secret services had a part in the mafia bombings of former anti-mafia magistrates Paolo Borsellino and Giovanni Falcone in the 1990’s.

Stephen Depiro a reputed soldier in the Genovese crime family has been sentenced to 41 months in prison on racketeering charges for his role in a mob Christmas tribute scheme. According to prosecutors Depiro ran the mob business on the New Jersey waterfront for over a decade. New Jersey dockworkers who were part of Local 1235 of the International Longshoremen’s Association were extorted for Christmas payments made to the mafia.

“Stephen Depiro“

The feds say the payments to the New York mafia came out of annual bonuses that dockworkers received based on quantity of containers that moved through Port Newark and Port Elizabeth yearly. It shows the widespread influence of organized crime on the New Jersey docks said Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Mahajan. He is this long time mafia practice and mob influence at the ports is what forced many to divert their cargo to other parts cause Port Newark to no longer be the thriving hub it once was.

Nunzio LaGrasso a former unions boss and alleged Genovese family associate was sentenced last week to 28 months in prison for his role in the mafia Christmas tribute racket. Genovese family capo Michael Coppola was also convicted for his part in the scheme and back in 2009 and is currently serving a 16 year prison sentence.

Joseph “Skinny Joey” Merlino the reputed boss of the Philadelphia mafia has been moved to a Miami halfway house according to sources to finish up his recent four month prison sentence. Merlino is finishing up a four month sentence for a parole violation and is set to leave federal custody on May 3rd. When Merlino is released in May he will no longer be under any federal restrictions and will be free to associate with anyone and move on as a free man.

“Joseph Merlino“

How long Skinny Joey will be out and about is a topic of discussion of late as rumors of a new federal indictment in the works have been circulating. Whether or not he will return to the streets of Philadelphia or stay down in Florida is another big question. Many believe Merlino is still the boss of the Philly mafia although he has denied the allegations and maintains he has stepped away from mafia life.

Joey Merlino still seems to be in the cross hairs of the feds for one reason or another no matter where he decides to reside after his recent release. But perhaps some added light will be shed on the ongoing question as to who leads the Philly mob today once Joey is out with out restrictions.

Paul Carparelli a lieutenant in the Chicago Mafia is awaiting trial on federal extortion charges and is now in more hot water. Carparelli had his bond rescinded following charges of employing intimidation tactics in an attempt to dissuade a witness from testifying in his upcoming trial. According to court documents he spotted an associate of a witness and approached him in a parking lot telling him the witness was a rat and he knows what happens to rats. He will now spend the rest of his upcoming time awaiting trial which is set to begin this summer behind bars.

“Paul Carparelli“

Carparelli known as a tough guy in the mob is allegedly part of the infamous Chicago Outfit Cicero crew. The 46 year old mobster and six co-defendants were charged in 2013 with extorting businesses in various states. He was caught on wiretaps making no apologies for being a mobster saying “I’ve been with the Outfit my whole life, I’m not about to change now,” he was caught on an FBI wiretap telling a friend. “This is what I’m made of and this is where I come from and I’m fucking proud of it.”

He also has links to Chicago mob boss Salvatore “Solly D” DeLaurentis who took the reigns of the family back in 2013 after the imprisonment of Michael “Fat Mike” Sarno. Carparelli is believed to be part of the regime of a Lake County Cicero crew sub crew which is in heart of the DeLaurentis powerbase. He was also caught on wiretap bragging about taking 10 thousand dollars from DeLaurantis to break a debtor’s legs.

Joseph “Skinny Joey” Merlino is now out of jail and once again a free man after a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit went in his favor. Merlino was ordered by a District Court judge to serve 4 months in prison for a parole violation and was set to be released early next month. But his attorney Edwin Jacobs confirms that Skinny Joey Merlino is indeed out and a free man after serving a little over three months. He was believed to have been living in a half way house finishing out the remainder of his sentence when the appeals decision was handed down.

“Joey Merlino“

Merlino was caught meeting with Philly mafia captain John “Johnny Chang” Ciancaglini down in Florida which was deemed a violation of his parole restrictions from his previous racketeering conviction in which he spend 12 years in prison. Skinny Joey depending on who you ask is still considered to be the boss of the Philadelphia mafia. Although according to Joey he has given up the mob life and is now gone legit down in Florida where he has a new restaurant called “Merlino’s” and works as maitre d.

Whether or not Merlino heads back to Florida for good now that he is free and with out any restrictions at all or perhaps returns to Philly will be a closely watched move. Rumors of a new probe into him and the Philly mob have been swirling although its unclear as to its progress and whether or not it will result in an indictment. For now it appears Merlino will be headed back to work at his Boca Raton eatery under close watch by the feds and others.

Francesco Palmeri from the Gambino crime family is now being extradited to Italy to face multiple charges including extortion. Palmeri was one of eight people arrested last year in New York and Italy for trying to extort more then $1 million dollars from a business owner in Southern Italy. According to court records the Gambino family sent the mobster to Italy in July 2013 with “a message from America…the businessman is going to understand”. He was accompanied by members associated with the New York Mafia and mob families in Italy.

“Francesco Palmeri“

Palmeri was born in Sicily but becaime a U.S. Citizen last year and is believed to be a high ranking member of the Gambino family. Known as “Ciccio l’americano” or the chubby American some reports have ranked him as the Gambino family underboss along with consigliere although his official part and rank with in the family is unconfirmed. His arrest was a follow up to operation “New Bridge” which investigators claim showed existing links between the American Mafia and the mafia families it Italy.

John Palazzolo the current street boss of the Bonanno crime family was charged with violating his parole by meeting with known wiseguys pleads guilty. The 77 year old mobster is believed to have recently been promoted to acting street boss by Michael “Mikey Nose” Mancuso the currently imprisoned Bonanno family boss. Palazzolo was promoted in an attempt to thwart a move by a rival faction led by capo Joseph Cammarano Jr. to take control of the family.

Cammarano Jr is the son of former Bonanno family underboss Joseph “Joe Saunders” Cammarano who passed away a couple of years ago. According to court documents Mancuso was using newly made mobster Frank “Frankie Boy” Salerno who is also his nephew to relay orders to Palazzolo regarding the internal feud with Cammarano Jr. Feds confirmed that Salerno was caught meeting with Palazzolo and other Bonanno family mobsters hours after a prison meet with Mancuso in March.

“Michael Mancuso“

Feds have only been able to prove a single parole violation charge against Palazzolo for meeting with former Bonanno family consigliere Anthony “Fat Anthony” Rabito and wiseguys Pasquale “Patty Boy” Maiorino and John “Johnny Mulberry” Sciremammano. Federal officials have agreed to let Palazzolo plead guilty to whats being called a “technical violation” of his supervised release conditions as they have been unable to get any added charges to stick.

Palazzolo is facing sentencing guidelines of 8 to 14 months in prison but prosecutors have agreed to seek a prison term below the maximum of those guidelines according to his defense team. A war with in one of the New York Mafia families in this day and age would seems unlikely but history has proven when it comes to the mob anything is possible. The fact that the Bonanno family has been in disarray over the last few years due to multiple convictions and turncoats perhaps adds to the potential for violence inside the family.

Louis “Big Lou” Fazzini a soldier in the Philadelphia mafia is back on the streets after finishing a three year prison stretch on racketeering charges related to illegal bookmaking and loansharking. He was part of the case in 2012 that included then acting boss Joseph Ligambi and other high ranking members of the Philly mafia. The 48 year old mobster was part of the families North Jersey based crew ran by capo Joseph “Scoops” Licata.

“Louis Fazzini“

Back in 2010 Fazzini was caught by FBI surveillance saying that he was inducted into the Philly mob by Ligambi during a traditional mafia induction ceremony. According to the feds Fazzini is a season player in the mafia in Philadelphia and ran various rackets for Licata on the streets. It was Licata who sponsored Fazzini for membership into the mob family.

Big Lou Fazzini was also part of a sit down between leaders of the Philly mafia and the Gambino crime family back in 2010. The entire meeting was taped by former Gambino mobster turned rat Nicholas “Nicky Skins” Stefanelli who later committed suicide before he could testify. Big Lou now joins recently released alleged Philly mafia boss Josepeh “Skinny Joey” Merlino and soldier Gaeton Lucibello on streets both also recently released.

Next up for release is former Philly mob under boss Marty Angelina who will be released from a half way house in July of this year. The Philadelphia mob continues to see mobster come home and it becomes more and more of an interesting mix as these made guys hit the streets.

Calabrian mafia members were targeted in both the United Stats and Italy in a joint operation taking down a illegal drug ring. FBI agents along with Italian police arrested 15 suspected members of the Calabrian mafia also known as the Ndrangheta for alleged roles in the multi million dollar cocaine ring. According to reports cocaine was being smuggled from Central America to New York where it was then distributed.

Gregorio Gigliotti the alleged leader of the mafia drug ring was arrested along with his wife and son last march. Sources confirm the family was believed to be using their Queens based Pizzeria named “Cucino A Modo Mio” and Bronx based produce warehouse as distribution points. The Calabrian born Gigliotti was also described by authorities as an associate of the Genovese crime family of the New York Mafia.

This recent operation follows one done last February which linked the Ndrangheta to the Gambino crime family in New York in another joint drug smuggling ring. FBI and Italian authorities claim these operations prove that the Ndrangheta have replaced the Sicilian mafia as the main drug partners for the American Mafia families.

The Ndrangheta according to Italian authorities control Italy’s southern Calabria region and the European drug trade and have begun to entrench themselves in other countries including the United States and Canada as they grow in power and influence. They are believed to have backed a break away group in Canada in an attempt to take down the powerful Sicilian mafia based Rizzuto crime family leading to a long and bloody Montreal mafia war.

Michael Blutrich appeared on 60 Minutes to tell his story of his business interactions with the mafia and his path to becoming an informant against them. The feds consider him to be one of the best ever civilian informants against the New York mafia. Blutrich tells the story of how the mob extorted more then $1 Million dollars from his blockbuster topless club “Scores“.

“Michael Blutrich appeared on 60 Minutes“

Blutrich ended up recording over 1000 hours of conversations and meetings over a year via secret wires and cameras that prosecutors used in indictments against the Gambino crime family back in 1998. Those he informed against included John Gotti Jr the former boss of the Gambino family along with dozens of other reputed mobsters. But the story doesn’t stop there even though he wasn’t part of a organized crime family he wasn’t exactly squeaky clean either.

Genovese crime family was linked to the recent bust of a joint drug operation between the Ndrangheta or Calabrian Mafia and the New York mafia family in Queens, NY. The raid against the cocaine operation targeted Ndranghta mobsters both in the U.S. and Italy including the alleged ringleader Gregorio Gigliotti. The latest bust along with one last year shows the developing ties between the Ndrangeta and the American Mafia according to law enforcement.

“Liboria “Barney” Bellomo” one of current Genovese family leaders

Although the Genovese family was linked to the drug operation and was believed to at a minimum to be providing financing none of their members were targeted in the bust. This has lead many mafia expert to wonder if the feds are putting together a larger indictment against the New York mob family. Perhaps the Genovese family are in the feds crosshairs in an upcoming RICO case.

Perhaps the “Ivy League of organized crime” as the Genovese family has come to be known is in line for a strike against some of its current leadership and members. The feds are usually tight lipped when it comes to possible indictments so to circulate information about the Genovese involvement to the media is seen by some as a sign of further actions. Could the Genovese family be next in line for breaking mafia news in 2015 ?

Luigi “Baby Shacks” Manocchio the former boss of the New England mafia was released from prison to a half way house as he finishes out his 5 1/2 year prison sentence for shaking down local area strip clubs. He pleaded guilty back in 2012 along with other New England mob members including capo Edward “Eddie” Lato. Manocchio will see his sentence officially end in November and could be moved to home confinement at some point prior to then.

“Luigi Manocchio“

Baby Shacks is believed to be officially retired from the mafia in New England after stepping down as boss of the family. The New England mafia 2015 is still very much in a stats of disarray after its hierarchy was dismantled by the latest rounds of federal indictments with help from mob turncoats. What is left of the family is in somewhat of a state of transition as its power base shifts from Providence to Boston.

With some established mobsters beginning to make it back to the streets after long prison sentences perhaps the mob family once again has a shot to stabilize itself and begin to rebuild the ranks. Its doubtful that Manocchio will play any official part in things although perhaps unofficially he can be a source of advice and counsel as family tries to recover.

Joseph F. Gagliano a known member of the New Orleans mafia has been sentenced to two years in prison on weapons charges. Believed to be one of few remaining made members of the New Orleans mob he is the son of former New Orleans mafia underboss Frank “Fat Frank” Gagliano. The mafia in New Orleans also known as the Marcello family after its one time powerful boss Carlo Mercello is believed by many including law enforcement to be defunct.

“Joseph Gagliano“

Joseph was part of a racketeering case back in the 1990’s along with his father and former New Orleans mob boss Anthony Carollo. Working along with the Gambino crime family in New York they skimmed millions of dollars from a video poker company named Worldwide Gaming. According to the feds that case was the nail in the coffin for the Big Easy based crime family.

Fat Frank passed away in 2006 and Carollo in 2007 and it seems any remaining crime figures from the family including the younger Gagliano fell out of the criminal limelight. Until this latest case involving Joseph and Dominick Gullo who were pulled over for driving a fan that contained what prosecutors claimed were make shift gun ports and were in possession of a sniper rifle. There was a sawed off chair facing a sliding glass window which prosecutors hinted was a setup for some nefarious purpose.

Defense attorney Pat Fanning claimed that the van was being set up by the two men for a new snowball business they were getting into. Prosecutors never offered an exact theory as to what they thought the van was to be used for but they believed the pair had been plotting something much different then snowball sales. The van had stolen plates and neither of the defendants offered up the snowball business theory when pulled over by Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s deputies.

Gagliano having been convicted in two previous racketeering cases ended up being charged with transporting a firearm as a felon and aiding in the possession of an unregistered firearm. Both men plead guilty and Gullo who had no previous criminal record received a five month sentence for possession of an unregistered firearm. The current status of the New Orleans mafia is often disputed as some believe the family remains small but active in some capacity while others point to lack of any formal hierarchy in place or recent known activity as clear indicators the mob family no longer exists.