King of the Godfathers:Kensington Publishing Corp., 2008 M06 1 - 352 pages The Last Of The Old-World Mob Bosses--And The Ultimate Betrayal For more than twenty years, Joseph "Big Joey" Massino ran what was called the largest criminal network in the U.S., employing over two hundred and fifty made men and untold numbers of associates. The Bonanno family was responsible for over thirty murders, even killing a dozen of its own members to enforce discipline and settle scores. He would be brought down by Salvatore "Good Looking Sal" Vitale, the underboss who was not only Massino's closest and most trusted friend, but also his brother-in-law. In the end, facing the death penalty and the prospect of leaving his family penniless, Massino started talking to the FBI--the first Mafia Godfather to break the sacred code of omerta, and the end of a centuries-old tradition. Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Anthony DeStefano, who interviewed Massino's family and friends as well as law enforcement officials and confidential sources, King of the Godfathers is the story of the brutal mob war that made Massino head of the Bonanno family and the most powerful gangster in America. "The best and last word on the subject." --Jerry Capeci, Gangland News.com and bestselling co-author of Murder Machine With 16 Pages of Revealing Photos! Anthony Destefano was part of the team of New York Newsday reporters who won the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the August 1991 subway crash in Manhattan. He covers organized crime for Newsday and was the lead reporter on several major criminal trials, including that of subway gunman Bernhard Goetz. He lives in New Jersey. |
Contents
1 | |
18 | |
The Toughest Kid on the Block | 31 |
Maspeth Joe | 47 |
A Piece of Work | 60 |
I Dont Do Nothing | 67 |
Power Play | 75 |
The Three Captains | 86 |
By the Numbers | 168 |
Ghosts | 186 |
All in the Family | 194 |
Lets Bring In the Jury | 213 |
They Didnt Die of Old Age | 223 |
They Thought They Might Get Killed | 234 |
I Didnt Want to Do No More Time | 245 |
This Is for Life | 252 |
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King of the Godfathers: Big Joey Massino and the Fall of the Bonanno Crime ... Anthony M. DeStefano No preview available - 2008 |
Common terms and phrases
Alphonse Indelicato Anthony arrested asked attorney Avenue bail Basciano Bonanno captain Bonanno crime family Bonanno family Breitbart Cantarella Carmine Cerasani Cesare Bonventre charges Colgan Commission conspiracy convicted court courtesy U.S. Attorney's courtroom crime boss defense Dominick Donnie Brasco Eastern District FBI agent Frank Coppa Frank Lino Galante Gambino gangster Garaufis Genovese Giaccone Giliberti going Henoch hijacking homicides Howard Beach Indelicato indictment investigators involved jail Joanne Joe Massino Joseph Bonanno Joseph Massino Joseph Pistone Josephine jury killed knew later law enforcement Leisenheimer loan-sharking Luciano Mafia mafioso Manhattan Maranzano Maspeth Masseria McCaffrey Mirra mobsters murder Napolitano Nordenbrook organized crime Philip Rastelli Photo courtesy U.S. Pistone's police prison prosecution racketeering Rooney Ruggiero Salerno Sallet Salvatore Vitale Sciascia Sicilian Social Club Sonny Black Street surveillance talked tapes Tartaglione testified testimony three captains took trial Trinchera truck U.S. Attorney's Office underboss undercover Vitale's wanted Wean wife York