Milwaukee Mafia

An informant claimed that Angelo Provinzano would be the next Mafia boss after John Alioto. But who the heck was Provinzano? We cover a bit on this mystery man and his brother.

Possibly the most complex episode ever, how the Milwaukee and Detroit mobs worked together to defraud an endless team of wholesale suppliers. How did they use a shaky credit report to obtain toys, appliances and more?

Everyone has a story about Al Capone... but the family member with the biggest impact on Wisconsin was his brother Ralph. We briefly cover Ralph's time in the Northwoods.

On April 18, 1958, Waukesha County Sheriff Michael Lombardi was convicted of willful dereliction of duty in connection with numerous events occurring in Waukesha County.

One count was related to Club 166, a licensed tavern and night club, in Menomonee Falls (Milwaukee suburb) that belonged to Dominic F. and Shirley Picciurro. (Dominic was Frank Balistrieri's maternal uncle). Lombardi was convicted of permitting Club 166 to violate laws related to prostitution, gambling, and the sale of liquor. A prostitute named Gretta alleged that she had provided her "services" to Sheriff Lombardi because Picciurro said Lombardi was keeping the heat off of Club 166.

Another count was related to Dominic Picciurro severely and brutally beating his son, Peter, about the head and face while Peter made no resistance. While this was going on the sheriff's office was notified by phone and deputies were sent to the scene (Club 166). When they arrived the assault had ended. Peter's jaw was broken on both sides of his face. Sheriff's deputies took Peter to the hospital where he was hospitalized for several days. Lombardi was found guilty of failing to arrest Dominic Picciurro and of withholding material facts from the district attorney.

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It was alleged by the Board of State Bar Commissioners that Attorney Mark Catlin, Jr. induced or led various people to believe that he possessed influence in pardon or parole matters; that he accepted money from people who had the corrupt intention of influencing official conduct; and that Catlin knew of such intention.

Louis Fazio, John Mandella, Jerome Mandella, and Dominic Lampone were convicted of murder in 1946. [An exclusive write-up about Mike Farina's murder is available on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Milwaukeemafia]

In December 1953, Attorney Mark Catlin, Jr. indicated that he had checked the record of Louis Fazio and "found it good." He agreed to work for Louis in the background if the Fazios paid $5,000 in advance and promise $5,000 more upon Louis' release.

On January 8, 1954, Louis' brother, Frank, paid $5,000 in cash to Catlin and Judge Hedding (who referred the Fazio family to Catlin). No receipt was given. Catlin took $4,000 with him and left $1,000 with Hedding, who had been working on the matter without receiving compensation.

Note: Gavin unintentionally uses the terms "parole" and "pardon" interchangeably. The distinction and clarification can be found here: https://gavinschmitt.com/mark-catlins-pardon-parole-scandal/

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In the podcast's first ever guest appearance, Justin Cascio from Mafia Genealogy, talks about his research into his family roots that lead to Giuseppe Morello, aka “The Clutch Hand” - a member of the mafia in Corleone.

• https://mafiagenealogy.wordpress.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/mafiagenealogy
• Macaroni Wars
• Moral Basis of a Backward Society by Edward C. Banfield: Analyzing families in southern Italy in 1955, Moral Basis of a Backward Society discusses how poverty is a result of the inability to trust or associate strongly outside of immediate family.
• Assessing Vulnerable and Strategic Positions in a Criminal Network (Carlo Morselli)

Jack Enea was a member of the Milwaukee Mafia, and was considered to be one of the “Young Turks”, which also included John DiTrapani and Frank LaGalbo, who had angled to take over leadership from Milwaukee Mafia boss John Alioto. Under Alioto’s rule, the muscling of gamblers and legitimate businesses stopped, but internal dissent continued. DiTrapani spread the word that he would pay for “hits” in order to get the leadership role. This would lead to his eventual death, Enea’s death, and cause LaGalbo to lose stature and to transfer his mafia membership.

On November 29, 1955, Jack Enea was murdered. His bullet-riddled body was found in a ditch in rural Waukesha County by a mail carrier. Enea had seven bullets from a .38 in him, two of those lodged in his spine. No one has been held accountable for his death.

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Episode notes: https://milwaukeemafia.com/jack-enea/

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John DiTrapani rose to prominence within the Milwaukee Mafia in the early 1950s. He was considered to be one of the “Young Turks”, which also included Jack Enea and Frank LaGalbo, who had angled to take over leadership from Milwaukee Mafia boss John Alioto. Under Alioto’s rule, the muscling of gamblers and legitimate businesses stopped, but internal dissent continued. DiTrapani spread the word that he would pay for “hits” in order to get the leadership role. This would lead to his eventual death, Enea's death, and cause LaGalbo to lose stature and to transfer his mafia membership.

John DiTrapani was murdered outside the LaTosca Cafe around midnight on the night of March 17, 1954. His bullet-riddled body was found behind the wheel of his light blue 1952 Cadillac sedan at 425 North Van Buren Street in Milwaukee. Frank LaGalbo would later tell an informant that DiTrapani was killed because he tipped off police that the Chicago Outfit was behind a gambling deal that took a large sum of money from oil baron Robert Roman. This alleged motive was never proven, and the murder remains unprosecuted to this day.

The murder was no doubt a mob hit, and it was the catalyst that caused the Milwaukee Police Department to look into the Milwaukee Mafia and Milwaukee's Italian-related crime more closely than ever before. The investigation uncovered a lot of information about the Milwaukee Mafia and John DiTrapani's involvement. It also found that DiTrapani was shady in his private life, too.

For more information: milwaukeemafia.com/john-ditrapani

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Frequent mob target John Sullivan, more commonly known as “Blackie”, and later “Blackie the Sieve”. He earned the nickname due to how many times he's been shot, and survived.

For more on Blackie Sullivan, visit: https://milwaukeemafia.com/blackie-sullivan/

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Sidney Brodson was very smart, and was able to use his intelligence to profit, legally, as a gambler. On March 24, 1951, Sidney Brodson testified before the Kefauver Committee to provide his advice on how Congress could address illegal gambling. Brodson opted to overshare by revealing the names, addresses and telephone numbers of individuals across the country with whom he placed bets. The hearing was televised, and police officers viewing the televised proceedings learned for the first time of the gambling activities in their towns.

No good deed goes unpunished, right?

Although Brodson could not be arrested for gambling because his methods were not illegal, the government found another way to punish him. In October 1951, the federal government requested Brodson pay $343,000 in back taxes, penalties and interest for the years 1945-1950, as he had not been reporting his gambling wins as income. The state of Wisconsin announced that they, too, were looking into Brodson’s tax delinquencies, and indeed shortly thereafter they sent him a $40,000 bill to be paid by November 18 (roughly two weeks) or face liens on his property.

More info on this episode: https://milwaukeemafia.com/sidney-brodson

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