The Gangland History Podcast: An Organized Crime & Mafia History Podcast

In the second episode of this multi-part series, we cover Angelo Bruno, Boss of the Philadelphia Mafia during the "Golden Age" of the Philadelphia Cosa Nostra from the years 1960-1969.

We cover instances of FBI wiretaps picking up mobster conversations related to both the FBI in the early 1960's and the Kennedy brothers pre-and-post JFK's assassination.

We share and help you interpret excerpts from the 1978-1979 Senate report entitled, "House Select Committee on Assassinations: Investigation of the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy" which breaks down possible mob-involvement in the 1963 assassination of the 35th President John F. Kennedy, as well as other potential players and scenarios.

We briefly cover the mob's involvement in the election of the 35th president, and discuss his brother, Robert F. Kennedy, who was named Attorney General in the early 1960's, and who'd launched an all-out war on the American Mafia, spear-headed by advancements within the FBI focused on the outing Cosa Nostra in this country.

Robert F. Kennedy's efforts led to significant increases in legal action against the Mafia across the United States, and put immense pressure on many of the mob's key players.

We briefly touch on the findings of the 1964 Warren Commission, and then dive into the wiretaps, first sharing more well-known stories, but then sharing lesser-known conversations.

Mobsters mentioned in this episode include:

Others mentioned:

So it’s clear that they, the Mafia, had the means and the motive to commit the crime. But did they actually play a part in it? My personal opinion is that maybe they were the primary executioners, but we’d be naïve to believe that they played no part at all.

That being said, we may never actually know the truth until the government releases every single record, many of which are still classified to this day, about the plot.

Until then, I’ll let you decide.

In today’s episode, we’ve recorded an amazing interview with Jeff Canarsie, the host of Mob Talk Radio. I’m really excited and honestly very appreciative that this guest was able to take time out of their busy life to sit and talk with me for a few hours to talk about his life, his show, and much more.

In the interview, we discuss a range of topics including:

We also cover:

In this episode, we cover the Cerrito Crime Family of the American Cosa Nostra who operated in and around San Jose, California, and who were a significant entity controlling organized crime in the San Jose area for many decades beginning around the 1940’s and were in existence until at least the 1990’s or early 2000’s.

My research will show that this particular LCN family was likely the most risk-averse and least-aggressive family of all 20+ families across the country during the Mafia's hey-dey, but I'll let you decide.

We discuss:

Included prominently in this article are the family's long-time Underboss,

Read more: https://membersonlypodcast.com/cerrito-crime-family-part-one/

In this video, we cover Angelo Bruno, the man known as the "Docile Don" and/or "Gentle Don" who ruled over the Philadelphia underworld as the city's Cosa Nostra don from around 1959 until his murder in 1980. Bruno presided over one of the most, relatively speaking, peaceful eras of the Philly mafia.

In this video, we cover:

Read more: https://membersonlypodcast.com/angelo-bruno-the-docile-don-part-one/

In today's episode, I do my first-ever interview with author Sam Carlino, who is is in fact the Grandson of the infamous Colorado gangster Pete Carlino, dubbed in the late 1920's as the "The Al Capone of Southern Colorado" by the local media.

Read more: https://membersonlypodcast.com/interview-sam-carlino-grandson-of-pete-carlino/

We cover the era of the Smaldone brothers including Clyde Smaldone, Eugene "Checkers" Smaldone, and Clarence "Chauncey" Smaldone. 

We dive into the history behind this family which ran most of the rackets in and around Denver, Colorado throughout the 1930’s through the 1980’s. 

We’re also going to touch on their connection to the Mafia in Pueblo, Colorado, and discuss some of the players in that family as well.

Topics that we dive into:

Mentioned in this episode: Clyde "Flip Flop" Smaldone, Eugene "Checkers" Smaldone, Clarence "Chauncey" Smaldone, Paul "Fat Paulie" Villano, Raffaele "Ralph" Smaldone, Eugene "Young Gene" Smaldone, Giuseppe "Joe" Roma, Paul Enrichi, Frank "Blackie" Mazza, John "Porky" Routta, Joe "The Ram" Salardino, Calogero "Charles" Blanda, Vincenzo "Black Jim" Coletti, Joseph "Scotty" Spinuzzi, Leo Barnes, Mike "Fats" Falbo, Harold "Murph" Cohen, Robin "Walkie Talkie" Roberts, Sam Shanks, Pauline Smaldone, John "Skip" LaGuardia, Ralph Pizzalato

If you haven't watcehed to Part one, here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72WhjfPxUq8

Also, here are the links to buy the books I cited within the episode...  

Blog Post: https://membersonlypodcast.com/colorado-mob-history-part-two/

The first episode of a two-part series on the organization that would later become known as the Smaldone Crime Family, which ran organized crime in Denver and much of Colorado during the 20th century.  

We tell the story of the early days of organized crime in Colorado, how the area’s Mafia got its start, the bloody strife during the 1920’s and early 30’s, and how that strife ultimately led to what became known as the Smaldone organization.  

If the violence in New York and on the East Coast at the time can be considered the epitome of viciousness, I can assure you that Colorado’s infighting was every bit as violent—it just doesn’t get the credit it deserves since it’s not quite as high profile.  

This episode is focused primarily on how the mob evolved within the state, and specifically in the main hubs of Denver and Pueblo, Colorado which were two separate but very much interrelated groups. To those from the area, I’d love it if you chime in and share your stories in the comments section for this video.  

The big events we cover in this video include: 

In the next episode, we will discuss the rise and careers of Clyde "Flip Flop" Smaldone, Eugene "Checkers" Smaldone, Clarence "Chauncey" Smaldone, as well as several Pueblo Cosa Nostra members.

Also, here are the links to buy the books I cited within the episode...

In this episode, we explore the first and second Gallo Wars (also dubbed the Profaci and Colombo family wars) in an effort to solve the question of whether the alleged incident in which Aniello "Mr. Neil" Dellacroce was severely beaten by Joey Gallo during the original Profaci-Gallo conflict in 1961.  

Additionally, we provide a blow-by-blow of some of the key events related to both Gallo Wars, as well as analysis related to the alleged incident involved Dellacroce and Gallo.  

See website for full list of sources: https://membersonlypodcast.com/did-joey-gallo-punch-neil-dellacroce-during-gallo-wars/

Primary sources:  

In this episode, we tell the story of a man who once had a blossoming career as a professional ballplayer, and how he became a vicious and respected hitman for the Patriarca Crime Family.  

Maurice "Pro" Lerner grew up in Massachusetts and at just 18 years old, he signed his first professional baseball contract with the Washington Senators. He would go on to spend 10 years in the minor leagues, compiling a career batting average of .308 while playing for 21 different minor league ball clubs.  

Unfortunately, when his baseball career fizzled out, his penchant for getting into trouble and a violent streak led him to become involved in the criminal underworld in New England. He would ultimately become an enforcer and hitman for the Patriarca Crime Family and would be involved in a number of gangland slayings, including his role as the primary shooter in the infamous double homicide of Rudolph "Rudy" Marfeo and Anthony Melei in 1968.  

Ultimately, Lerner would stand trial with several confederates including the Don of the underworld in New England, Raymond Patriarca himself. Lerner and the others would be convicted and sentenced to prison, with Lerner receiving two life sentences.  

Maurice "Pro" Lerner would serve 18 years of his life sentence, but would be released in 1988 after his conviction was overturned due to a revelation of significant perjury on the part of the main witness in his case along with corruption from the primary FBI agent on the case.  

After release, Lerner would live out the rest of his life in Las Vegas, Nevada, passing away in 2013 at the age of 78.  Primary source for this story: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/30/sports/baseball/maurice-lerner-prospect-turned-mob-hitman.html