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News, notes and excerpts shared by crime-history authors. www.writersofwrongs.com
#OTD (Feb 26) in 1959, veteran #NewJersey racketeer Abner #Zwillman takes his own life in the basement of his #WestOrangeNJ home.
#MafiaHistory 🗃️ #Skystorians
The Repentant Hitman: Profile of Patriarca Mafia family soldier Gaetano Milano gangstersinc.org/2026/02/22/t... - #Mafia #CosaNostra #AmericanMafia #MafiaHistory #TrueCrime #Crime #Religion #Hitman
26.02.2026 07:58 — 👍 0 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
#OTD (Feb 25) in 1994, Rosario "Russell" #Bufalino, longtime boss of the northeastern #Pennsylvania #Mafia, died in a #KingstonPA hospital at age 90.
#MafiaHistory 🗃️ #Skystorians
#OTD (Feb 23) in 2020, #Colombo Crime Family big shot John #Franzese, at least 100 years old, dies after a brief illness in #RoslynNY.
#MafiaHistory 🗃️ #Skystorians
#OTD (Feb 23) in 1956, longtime southern #California #Mafia boss Jack #Dragna is found dead in a #LosAngeles hotel room.
#MafiaHistory 🗃️ #Skystorians
#OTD (Feb 21) in 1901, Salvatore DiGiovanni of #Chicago is murdered apparently in an early underworld feud.
#MafiaHistory 🗃️ #Skystorians
#OTD (Feb 20) in 1938, former #NYC #Mafia power Ciro #Terranova died at Manhattan's Columbus Hospital days after suffering a paralyzing #stroke. The only one of four male siblings to die of natural causes, Ciro was forty-nine when he passed.
More on Writers of Wrongs.
#MafiaHistory 🗃️ #Skystorians
On this date, February 20... • in 1893, Lawrence County PA detectives who gathered murder case evidence against Michele Tenora receive threatening letters from the Mafia. • in 1897, future southern California crime boss Nicolo Licata is born. • in 1910, Giuseppe Morello & Ignazio Lupo begin serving their counterfeiting sentences at Atlanta Federal Prison. • in 1913, convicted human traffickers Frank Filasto & Joseph Ribuffo are sentenced in New York federal court to five years and two years, respectively. • in 1914, New York police arrest saloonkeeper Angelo Lasco in connection with the murder of Louis Lazzazara. • in 1926, Chicago mafioso Orazio Tropea is buried without ceremony and only girlfriend Beatrice Gould & her brother present. • in 1930, Dallas Mafia boss Carlo Piranio dies of a spinal tumor and is succeeded by his brother Joseph. • in 1935, Albert Bruno testifies in a Massachusetts court that he fatally shot Annabile Stilo in self-defense. • in 1938, Ciro Terranova, 49, dies at New York's Columbus Hospital days after suffering a paralytic stroke. • in 1965, burglar Raymond Curcio is found dead of gunshot wounds in an abandoned car in Providence RI's North End. • in 1977, the NY Times reports that Carmine 'Lilo' Galante has emerged as dominant over all of New York organized crime. • in 1980, Carmela 'Mildred' Reina Valachi, wife of Mafia turncoat Joseph Valachi and daughter of murdered boss Gaetano Reina, dies at Nanuet NY. Image of Orazio Tropea.
#OTD (Feb. 20)
Events in U.S. organized crime #history.
#LawrenceCountyPA #SoCal #Atlanta #Chicago #Dallas #Massachusetts #ProvidenceRI #NanuetNY #NewYork #Mafia #MafiaHistory 🗃️ #Skystorians
#OTD (Feb. 19) in 1909: #NewYork City Police Commissioner Theodore #Bingham spilled the beans on the supposedly “secret” trip of Lieutenant #Petrosino to Italy.
#NYPD #MafiaHistory 🗃️ #Skystorians
#OTD (Feb. 18) in 1925: #BlackHand gangsters are blamed for a massive #bomb blast that destroys produce warehouses in #Pittsburgh.
Read about it on Writers of Wrongs.
#MafiaHistory 🗃️ #Skystorians
#OTD (Feb. 15) in 1926: Shotgun blasts finish well-connected #Chicago #Mafia figure Orazio Tropea.
#MafiaHistory 🗃️ #Skystorians
#OTD (Feb. 14) in 1929: A memorable #ValentinesDay in #Chicago #History.
Read about it on Writers of Wrongs.
#Capone #Mafia #MafiaHistory 🗃️ #Skystorians
Today on Mafia Genealogy: The father of West Springfield, Massachusetts' Pugliano brothers, and co-founder of the popular Monte Carlo Restaurant, was a prolific bootlegger during Prohibition. mafiagenealogy.com/2026/02/13/t... #MafiaHistory #Genovese #Patriarca
13.02.2026 15:21 — 👍 3 🔁 4 💬 0 📌 0
#OTD (Feb. 10) in 1977: Frank "Bomp" #Bompensiero, #SanDiego crime boss and #FBI informant, is shot to death near his apartment.
Read about it on Writers of Wrongs.
#SoCal #MafiaHistory 🗃️ #Skystorians
On this date, February 9... • in 1909, under an assumed identity, New York Police Lieutenant Joseph Petrosino leaves for Italy on a secret assignment. • in 1915, the case against Los Angeles racketeer Joe Ardizzone for the 1906 murder of George Maisano is dismissed for lack of evidence. • in 1916, Frank Ferrara confesses that he drove gunmen to murder East Harlem poultry merchant Barnet Baff on Nov. 24, 1914. • in 1918, Joseph Florino of Brooklyn is arrested for assault and later discharged. • in 1921, Samuel Sirianni and Frank Carallo of Niagara Falls NY are convicted of whiskey smuggling. • in 1925, after two weeks of recovery from gunshot wounds, Johnny Torrio of Chicago asks to begin his pending prison sentence for Prohibition violations. • in 1931, Detroit police name Joe Amico and Elmer Macklin as suspects in the killing of boss Cesare LaMare two days earlier. • in 1946, the scheduled departure from New York of the S.S. Laura Keene, carrying deported Salvatore 'Charlie Luciano' Lucania back to Italy, is delayed by bad weather. • in 1947, Rhode Island racketeer Frank 'Butsey' Morelli returns to the U.S. from Havana in company with Philip Lombardo and Anthony Salerno of New York. • in 1953, Jack Parisi is arrested at Hazleton PA for narcotics peddling. • in 1990, New York crime boss John J. Gotti is acquitted of charges that he hired the Westies gang to target a union official. Image of Johnny Torrio.
#OTD (Feb. 09)
Events in U.S. organized crime #history.
#LosAngeles #Harlem #Brooklyn #NiagaraFallsNY #Chicago #Detroit #RhodeIsland #HazletonPA #Cuba #NewYork #Mafia #MafiaHistory 🗃️ #Skystorians
#OTD (Feb. 7) in 1909: Future #Buffalo #Mafia boss Stefano #Magaddino arrives in #NewYork from #Sicily.
#NYC #MafiaHistory 🗃️ #Skystorians
#OTD (Feb. 4) in 1904: #Manhattan gang leader Monk #Eastman is indicted for assault and attempted #murder after a shootout with #Pinkerton detectives.
Read about it on Writers of Wrongs.
#NYC #CrimeHistory #Skystorians
On this date, February 4... • in 1904, a NY grand jury indicts Monk Eastman for assault and attempted murder. • in 1914, teenage Jack Diamond is convicted of burglary in NYC. • in 1927, Joseph 'Socks' Lanza is arrested in New York for weapons possession. • in 1929, Ralph Sprizza of Brooklyn is arrested in connection with the recent murder of Michael 'Shots' Abbatemarco. • in 1930, indictments for illegal weapons possession are returned against Tony Accardo, Jack McGurn and others in Chicago. • in 1931, two first-degree assault indictments against Salvatore 'Charlie Luciano' Lucania are dismissed. At Fordham Hospital in the Bronx, Joseph Catania dies of gunshot wounds received the previous day. • in 1933, suspect John T. O'Donnell is held without bail in connection with the murder of Massachusetts underworld boss Charles Solomon. • in 1938, the Queens NY witness intimidation trial of Paul Vario, Anthony Romano, Stephen Oddo, Benjamin Israel and James Zummo opens with jury selection. • in 1960, following convictions for running stolen military weapons to Cuban revolutionaries, Victor Carlucci, Daniel 'Speedo' Hanna, Norman Rothman, Stuart Sutor, Joseph Merola and Joseph 'Red' Giordano are sentenced to prison terms. • in 1966, the FBI becomes involved in the investigation of a recent gunfight on Brooklyn's Troutman Street. • in 2009, former Genovese crime family boss Daniel Leo and 11 others are charged with racketeering. Image of 'Charlie Luciano' Lucania
#OTD (Feb. 04)
Events in U.S. organized crime #history.
#Brooklyn #Chicago #Bronx #Massachusetts #QueensNY #Cuba #NewYork #Mafia #MafiaHistory 🗃️ #Skystorians
#OTD (Feb. 3) in 1931: Joseph “Baker” #Catania, lieutenant of “Joe the Boss” #Masseria, was shot and mortally wounded by Salvatore #Maranzano gunmen in the #Bronx.
Read about it on Writers of Wrongs.
#Mafia #CastellammareseWar #NYC #MafiaHistory 🗃️ #Skystorians
#OTD in 1946, authorities prepare to deport Salvatore "Charlie #Luciano" Lucania.
#Mafia #NYC #MafiaHistory 🗃️ #Skystorians
#OTD (Jan. 31) in 1962: #Gallo gangsters become local heroes for a moment after rescuing children from a #Brooklyn apartment fire.
#Mafia #NYC #MafiaHistory 🗃️ #Skystorians
#OTD (Jan. 29) in 1962: Two brothers, supporters of the #Brooklyn #Gallo gang, had a very bad Monday morning.
Read about it on Writers of Wrongs.
#Mafia #NYC #MafiaHistory 🗃️ #Skystorians
#OTD (Jan. 26) in 1962: former #NewYork #Mafia boss Salvatore "Charlie #Luciano" Lucania suffers a fatal heart attack at an airport in Italy.
#MafiaHistory 🗃️ #Skystorians
#OTD (Jan. 25) in 1947: former #Chicago Outfit boss Al #Capone passed away at his #PalmIslandFL home.
#MafiaHistory 🗃️ #Skystorians
#OTD (Jan. 24) in 1925: The near-fatal attack that convinced Johnny #Torrio to retire from the #Chicago underworld.
#MafiaHistory #Skystorians
On this date, January 19... • in 1874, a New Orleans jury finds Joseph Florda not guilty of the murder of Joseph Sansoni. • in 1921, Tommy Lucchese and pal John Spina are convicted of stealing an automobile. • in 1925, John 'Bum' Rodgers and two other career criminals escape from New York's Welfare Island Penitentiary. • in 1931, Joe Parrino, assigned by Joe Masseria to take over the Brooklyn-based mob family of Nicola Schiro, is murdered at the Del Pezzo Restaurant on West 40th Street in Manhattan. • in 1951, Joseph DiCarlo, who oversees Mafia gambling rackets in Youngstown, Ohio, is interviewed by the Kefauver Committee in Cleveland. • in 1953, corruption in the International Longshoremen's Association is revealed in hearings before the New York State Crime Commission. • in 1964, Detroit mobster Santo Perrone is seriously injured when a bomb explodes in his car. • in 1983, a federal judge sentences Campbell OH racketeer Ernest A. Biondillo to three years in prison and a fine after he pleads guilty to six counts of firearms violations. • in 2011, federal agents arrest New England Mafia big shot Louis Manocchio for extortion. Image of Louis Manocchio.
#OTD (Jan. 19)
Events in U.S. organized crime #history.
#NewOrleans #Brooklyn #YoungstownOH #Detroit #CampbellOH #NewEngland #NewYork #Mafia #MafiaHistory 🗃️ #Skystorians
#OTD in 1987, #NewYork federal Judge Richard Owen sentences eight #Mafia #Commission Case defendants to a total of 740 years in prison.
#MafiaHistory #Skystorians
Profile of Baltimore Mafia boss Louis Morici gangstersinc.org/2026/01/12/p... - #Mafia #MafiaHistory #Baltimore #Maryland #AmericanMafia #CosaNostra
12.01.2026 14:56 — 👍 1 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0
#OTD (Jan. 12) in 1969, a former #Cleveland hoodlum is found dead in a Cadillac parked at #LosAngeles International Airport.
#MafiaHistory #Skystorians
On this date, January 12... • in 1904, Ignazio Lupo is arrested on a ferry between Brooklyn and Manhattan and charged with carrying a concealed weapon. • in 1914, Joseph Viserti and Santo Barbara are sentenced to long prison terms for the Manhattan manslaughter of Jerry Maida. • in 1916, Louis Buchalter is arrested in New York for burglary. • in 1935, a commutation by the Ohio governor frees bank robber Roy Marino after just 14 months of a 20 years to life sentence. • in 1943, police question Carmine Galante, suspect in the murder of journalist Carlo Tresca. • in 1944, a special judge overseeing vice rackets in Mahoning County Ohio is accused of granting favors to certain convicted criminals. • in 1949, John Stoppelli of New York is indicted by a San Francisco federal grand jury on narcotics charges. • in 1957, Los Angeles mafiosi Frank DeSimone and Joseph Giammona visit New York and telephone the City Island home of Frank Scalise. • in 1960, U.S. Circuit Court halts the deportation of Mafia boss Joseph Profaci. • in 1962, Carmine Persico is beaten in a nightclub by gangsters of the Gallo brothers faction. • in 1969, former Cleveland hoodlum Julius Anthony Petro is found dead in a borrowed Cadillac at Los Angeles International Airport. Raymond Ferrito is a suspect. • in 1979, New York racketeer Johnny Dioguardi dies of natural causes at a Pennsylvania hospital while serving a federal sentence for stock fraud. Image of Frank DeSimone.
#OTD (Jan. 12)
Events in U.S. organized crime #history.
#Brooklyn #Ohio #SanFrancisco #Cleveland #LosAngeles #Pennsylvania #NewYork #Mafia #MafiaHistory 🗃️ #Skystorians
