List of American mobsters of Irish descent. Jewish-American organized crime reached its heights during the 1920s and 30s and largely declined after World War II. From Chicago to Boston to Philadelphia, Irish mobsters have controlled everything from bootlegging (during Prohibition years) to horse racing, and everything in between. Although it would seem logical that the Irish Mafia would exist in Ireland, they only became active in the mother country in the 1960s, more than a century after they originally emerged in America. The movie has drawn some new attention to Downtown (what South Philadelphia was and still often is called by anyone who lives there), andto some of Philadelphia's most famous (or infamous) organized crime figures of the past, including Felix "Skinny Razor" DiTullio (played by Bobby Cannavale), Angelo "The Gentle Don" Bruno (played by Harvey Keitel) and Phillip "Chicken Man" Testa (played by LarryRomano). They were caught in a February 1981 government sting called Operation Gangplank by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Philadelphia. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Ortiz of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Trial Attorney Alexander Gottfried of the Department of Justice Criminal Division, Organized Crime and Gang Section. (As a character in The Sopranos says, At this point in our cultural history, mob movies are classic American cinema, like Westerns.) And so it was sort of fun to rub shoulders with guys who fulfilled all the stereotypes: the wet look hair, the distinctive South Philly accent (which not a single character in "The Irishman" even attempted to imitate; the only one who sounded slightly like he was from Philly was America's own James Martin, S.J., who played a parish priest and actually grew up in the area), the three-quarter-length car coats, the braggadocio, the whiff of violence. It was the gang's legendary propensity for the extreme violence that . They were founded by James Buddy McLean in 1950, but had their heyday in the late 70s and early 80s under the rule of famed mobster Whitey Bulger. Copyright 2023 America Press Inc. | All Rights Reserved. By submitting the above I agree to the privacy policy and terms of use of JTA.org. The neighborhoods of South Philly, a stronghold of Italian-American culture for over a century, have always been a place where law enforcement and neighborhood customs have uneasily coexisted. They are also said to have ties to the Irish Republican Army and the larger Irish republican movement. Their main activities were rigging horse races and shipping illegal weapons overseas to the IRA. 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And there is no question that local residents long endured the presence of dyed-in-the-wool gangsters, like the notorious (and recently deceased) Nicodemo Little Nicky Scarfo and his associates, including Mr. Merlinos father and uncle. The trial lasted less than three weeks, after an initial delay because Mr. Merlino was hospitalized in Florida for heart trouble. Pressed for comment after the declaration of a mistrial, Joseph "Skinny Joey Merlino had only one thing to say: God bless the jury.. He tried to retire in Israel in 1970, but his citizenship application was rejected because he was a danger to public safety. He died of natural causes in 1983. This was a broken man. Mobster Gangsters John Gilligan "Factory John" is an Irish equestrian rancher and convicted criminal. As a character in The Sopranos says, At this point in our cultural history, mob movies are classic American cinema, like Westerns.And so it was sort of fun to rub shoulders with guys who fulfilled all the stereotypes. At the top of the list is the rule that a member should never rat out another member. Making a very brief appearance in the mafia madness? The Irish Mafia is said to be the oldest organized crime group in the United States, dating back to the early 19th century. Whispers instructs him to burn down the Cadillac Linen Service in Delaware, a competitor to the laundry company that Whispers owns in Atlantic City. Mobsters Meet at this St. Patrick's Day Dinner Show. Made members and associates who break Omerta may be targeted for death by other members of the group. Daniel 45 books U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney for Community Engagement, Fifteen Members and Associates of the Philadelphia Mafia Indicted on Federal Racketeering and Related Charges, Eastern District of Pennsylvanias U.S. Attorneys Office Hosts Presentation on Autism-Based Discrimination in Schools, Camps, and Childcare Facilities, One Leader of a Violent Sex Trafficking Gang Sentenced to Life and a Consecutive Ten Years Imprisonment, and a Gang Associate Sentenced to 37 years Imprisonment, Chester County Doctor Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Operating Pill Mill Out of Main Line Pain Clinic, Fifteen Members and Associates of The Philadelphia Mafia Indicted On Federal Racketeering and Related Charges. Local lotteries (the numbers), sports betting, card games, loan-sharking, video poker machines and various other enterprises still exist today in South Philadelphia in a quasi-public way and have landed almost all of the above-named characters in trouble with the law. Kerryonians existed in New York about 1825, one of the earliest organized crime gangs. Philadelphia Teamsters Local 107 was considered one of the most corrupt and violent locals in the country. There are some who feel they ought to make an example out of some group. Anti-Catholic, anti-Irish mobs in Philadelphia destroyed houses and torched churches in the deadly Bible Riots of 1844. Joey Merlino, the former Philadelphia mobster, denied any and all involvement in a conspiracy floated about his supposed involvement in ballot fraud in Pennsylvania. While the U.S. is bustling with activity, there is another very relevant chapter of the Irish mob active in Montreal, Canada. informant.) May have been chosen as a "soft target". That was almost two years ago, when I spent a week researching and writing a story on Mr. Merlinos trial on racketeering and gambling charges. Although logic would have us believe that there is a bigger presence in Ireland, this is incorrect. And while The Irishman does not get into it because many were in power before the film was set, New York was home to many famous Jewish mobsters. K&A member and crew chief. Died between 1900 and 1950 Died between 1950 and 1980 Died between 1980 and 2016 Still alive (See also Top 30 Richest Gangsters in Ireland) Lillian "Tiger Lil" Reis and Her good friend Vickie were well-known nightclub entrepreneurs and former showgirls who had ties to the gangsters. Lets turn to the book on which the film was based. Terry Lees - Roy Stocker's methamphetamine cook. I think its a little more complicated than just a question of what the government thinks Joey might have done, Mr. Anastasia cautioned in a phone interview with America in 2018 during Mr. Merlino's most recent trial, in a quote that could have come straight out of The Irishman: James T. Keane is a Senior Editor at America. (JTA) The Irishman, Martin Scorseses latest organized crime epic, became streamable on Netflix this week. [12] Prosecutors stated that Berkery, Frank "The Beard" Zappacosta, and Raymond Martorano had planned to take over all meth trafficking in Philadelphia. Jackie The Kid inherited a fairly healthy crime family. Before the Winter Hill Gang took over most of the city, there was another group of Irish mobsters that operated in Boston, called the Charlestown Mob. Mr. Merlino himself until recently had two daughters enrolled at a private Catholic university, and he counts among his close friends several Philadelphia-area priests. Over 20 people were killed, and close to 100 arrested during the subsequent war. Richard Belzer was a Jewish comedian. this helps us promote a safe and accountable online community, and allows us to update you when other commenters reply to your posts. He and Frank "The Beard" Zappacosta received a lifetime sentence in accordance with the Continuing Criminal Enterprise statute, otherwise known as the "drug kingpin" law. Very minor spoilers ahead for The Irishman but nothing big, we promise. The case is being investigated by the FBI, including its Philadelphia Field Division and Atlantic City Resident Agency, as part of a long-running investigation, with the assistance of the Philadelphia Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General. We great like-minded persons narrowed by standard frames of society. The war allegedly began when a member of the Charlestown Mob tried to hit on the girlfriend of a White Hill member. They murdered em, 17-5.) It could be easy to forget that people were being extorted, cheated, shot and more. Jimmy Coonan was a Manhattan based mobster who was leader of the Westies gang, the last major Irish gang in the area, in the 1960s and 1970s. (19871991) -Frank "The Beard" Zappacosta and Roy Stocker - Influential meth manufacturer & K&A burglar who aligned himself with. The story of Henry Hill and his life in the mob, covering his relationship with his wife Karen Hill and his mob partners Jimmy Conway and Tommy DeVito in the Italian-American crime syndicate. Goodfellas (1990) R | 145 min | Biography, Crime, Drama. Dean Heiser - Member of the burglary ring. The Northeast Philly Mob also known as The K&A Gang is a multi-generational organized crime group made up of predominately Irish and Irish-American gangsters. The Irish Mob is the oldest organized crime group in the United States, in existence since the early 19th century.Originating in Irish American street gangs of the 19th centurydepicted in Herbert Asbury's 1928 book The Gangs of New Yorkthe Irish Mob has appeared in most major U.S. cities, including Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, and Chicago. 91 Metascore. McGinty was a member of the Cleveland Syndicate with Jewish gangsters, New York organized crime figure who controlled the waterfront area and oversaw criminal activity in Hell's Kitchen during the 1940s, Boston mobster and member of the McLaughlin Brothers, Boston mobster and former head of the Winter Hill Gang, New York mobster and organized crime figure in Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen during the 1950s, New Jersey mobster involved in the numbers racket, Boston mobster and associate of Whitey Bulger, Boston police officer and associate of the Winter Hill Gang, Chicago mobster and founder of the O'Donnell Mob, Chicago organized crime figure involved in illegal gambling, Chicago organized crime figure involved in bootlegging and illegal gambling, Irish-American Mobster Currently Serving a 40-year Sentence in solitary confinement, New York labor racketeer and organized crime figure, Boston mobster and one time leader of the, New York mobster and head of Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen during the 1950s and 60s, New York mobster and freelance assassin for the, Chicago mobster and bootlegger during Prohibition, Providence bootlegger and major organized crime figure in, Boston mobster affiliated with the Winter Hill Gang and a later government witness, Boston mobster, second head of the Winter Hill Gang, This page was last edited on 3 February 2023, at 13:12. This Italian seafood spot, also located in South Philadelphia, was a favorite haunt of Nicodemo S. Scarfo in the 1980s. About 30 minutes into the film, Sheeran takes a job from mobster Whispers DiTullio (Paul Herman). The group was mainly a burglary ring for much of its early history, but shifted into loansharking . These days, the Irish mafia have acquired a cool reputation amongst teens and young adults. With the violence and armaments necessary to defend a drug market, the K&A Gang became more appropriately known as the Northeast Philly Irish Mafia. On orders from the man the news media miscast as the "Docile Don," Natale shot Irish mobsters George Feeney and Joey McGreal to death in 1970 and 1973, respectively. Louis Lepke Buchalter at his sentencing in 1941. Their relationships with various other groups and mobsters gave them insider information that allowed them to hijack deliveries and rise to the top of the bootlegging business. The name K&A is derived from Kensington and Allegheny, the road intersection where the gang originally formed.[2]. Also some area in south Philly around 2nd street. We ask readers to log in so that we can recognize you as a registered user and give you unrestricted access to our website. Wondering why we ask for your email, or having trouble registering. Mr. Jacobs has argued in previous court cases that 1980s-style racketeering in South Philly is largely defunct and that Mr. Merlino and his associates are hardly the violent criminals they are made out to be in government prosecutions. 615 Chestnut Street, Suite 1250 Whispers didnt tell you it was Jew mob? Bruno asks. The real-life Philadelphia gangsters who inspired 'The Irishman' James T. Keane November 15, 2019 Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino, right, leaves federal court in Lower Manhattan with his wife. The first big mob war to break out between the Irish and Italian mobsters took place in the 1910s and early 1920s. The real Frank Sheeran recounts in I Heard You Paint Houses, the source material for The Irishman, that two Jewish mobsters did in fact own Cadillac Linen Services: Cappy Hoffman and Woody Weisman. Veronica Guerin was a crime reporter working in Dublin who had a particular passion for investigating the Irish mob. Charles "Chick" Goodroe - Influential member in the K&A burglary ring. James Hope was born in Philadelphia to Irish parents in 1836, the family were poor and Jimmy took a job as a machinist. Your source for jobs, books, retreats, and much more. Hugh "Hughie" Breslin - Member of the burglary crew - deceased. The Irish mob is the oldest organized criminal gang in the history of the United States. Irish-American gangstersdo.) But Weisman may actually have been named Max Willie Weisberg. Relationship Counseling - Marriage resources, Falling in Love Finding God Marriage and the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, The problem of hatredand how Christians are contributing to it, Jesuit sex abuse expert appointed to Vatican office for child protection, Sin, hell and scrupulosity: How to repent during Lent (and how not to). From the post-war 1950s to the 1970s, members of the network were tied to burglaries and theft operations all along the East Coast. Before you can comment, you need to update your profile to include your first and last name, as required in our, A Reflection for Saturday of the First Week of Lent, by Christopher Parker. Rough men returned from war, jaded by their adventures in Europe and the Pacific, and resentful of life in the racialized neighborhoods to which they were returning. One such case was Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran, a WWII veteran who returned to Philadelphia and took on some extracurricular work. See more of history's most infamous mob hits in the gallery above. Since youre a frequent reader of our website, we want to be able to share even more great, As a frequent reader of our website, you know how important, trial on racketeering and gambling charges, arrest along with 45 other alleged members, allegedly sold a run-down bar in Atlantic City to Donald J. Trump. Police, security agencies advise Jews to be on alert ahead of planned National Day of Hate on Shabbat, March comes in with a roar of new Yiddish music, A graphic novel of the Purim story, from a Batman comics editor, In Mel Brooks History of the World Part II, Jewish jokes reign from BCE to the Beatles. Talking to police officers or other members of the judicial system is highly discouraged. Password reset instructions will be sent to your registered email address. Even if the significant digital de-aging of the actors involved is a bit distracting, the films good reviews hold up thanks in large part to its legendary director and cast Scorsese and none other than Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Al Pacino. At the time, US Attorney Edward Dennis claimed in a press release that the gang was "one of the largest methamphetamine organizations in the nation". They also traded the clich burglary attire for professional suits, while on the job, in case they were stopped. But those are often neighborhood nicknames, say locals, not necessarily the monikers of Sopranos-style criminals. We can't do it without youAmerica Media relies on generous support from our readers. The street fights would often end in major rioting, two of which were huge battles during the American Civil War. Still others point out that the realities of immigrant crime communities are what they are. To be included in this list, the person must have a Wikipedia article and/or references showing the person is Irish American and a mobster . The Galante hit is just one of many like it, yet one more tale of greed, betrayal, violence, and death. In the short period that they were active, they claimed responsibility for close to 100 murders. The Italians far outnumbered the Irish, were more organized, and had a larger national territory coverage. Why, then, does the government continue to pursue Mr. Merlino and his associates? This time, they allied themselves with the Italian Mafia, and kept their membership to under 20 members at all times. The USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey learned the state remains a hunting ground for mobsters tied to Philadelphia and New York City. In fact, many Irish-American gangsters chose to ally themselves with the Italians, and acted as racketeers, bootleggers and hitmen for the Italian mob. In [] * Meyer Lansky (born Meier Suchowlaski in Poland) ran a wide gambling network and helped develop the National Crime Syndicate. Martorano, hit in the stomach, arm and chest, was rushed to Pennsylvania Hospital in critical condition. In a self-published book, Izzy: A Life Inside the Old Philadelphia Jew Mob, a Jewish mobsters nephew writes that Cadillac Linen is really run by a man named Willie Weisberg. With the exception of closing arguments and the expected verdict, the viewing gallery usually only held half a dozen viewers each day, largely local reporters and occasionally family members and friends of Mr. Merlino. In the aftermath, Mr. Merlino accepted a plea deal whereby he would serve time on gambling charges. After having pushed his luck one too many times in Philadelphia, he went to New York City, where he would live only two years before being killed in a bar fight by Bowery Boy member Reddy The Blacksmith. Logging in will also give you access to commenting features on our website. When you register, youll get unlimited access to our website and a free subscription to our email newsletter for daily updates with a smart, Catholic take on faith and culture from. Edward Loney was to arrange the procurement of 50 gallons of P2P, a precursor chemical, along with Waldemar "Walter" Roeder from Toronto, while Jackson sold mass quantities to contacts in New York. He was sentenced to death the only mob boss to receive the death penalty and executed in 1944. The truth is, viewers love a good mafia film and the Italian mobsters are not the only ones with a voice! By 1925, there was nothing left of the gang, and the Italian mafia took full control of the NYC limits. It started in the early 1800s with street gangs like the For There are long hours where you wait for the jury, wait for the judge or watch lawyers whispering in a sidebar, and you end up chatting with each othereven if one of you is an editor at a Catholic periodical and the other has been charged with murder. David Criniti who was involved in the operation soon testified against the defendants, dealing a blow to the K&A Gang. He was a hitman for the Bufalino crime family, and was allegedly mentored by Russell Bufalino, who played a very patriarchal role in Franks life. Various Irish groups, namely the North Side Gang and the ODonnell Brothers, were in strict competition with Al Capone and his men to take total control over the trade. Michael Caputo - Member of the Stocker drug ring. Springsteen: "Well they blew up the Chicken Man in Philly last night/ They blew up his house too.". Mr. Brunos alleged successor and Mr. Scarfos predecessor in the Philadelphia mob, Philip Chicken Man Testa, was killed by rivals in a brazen South Philly porch-bomb attack later in 1981, designed to look like the work of Irish-American mobsters from Philadelphias Northeast neighborhoods. In 1983, Philadelphia garnered a reputation as the "meth capital of the world", according to a statement published by the Associated Press, from a local police officer. The Kerryonians spent most of thier time mugging and beating up English. wire to detail his criminal activities, stated under oath his reason for testifying against Mr. Merlino was a desire to avoid prison time. This is a retired contemporary of Sheeran's, a fellow Irishman from Philadelphia named John Carlyle Berkery, who allegedly headed the city's Irish mob for 20 years and had many close mafia . Like Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes. The murder earned mention from Bruce Springsteen in the first stanza of his 1982 song (which does not appear on the soundtrack to "The Irishman"),Atlantic City: The suspected killers of the Chicken Man were all murdered in the ensuing years, reputedly on the orders of Mr. Testas son, Salvatore Testa, a charismatic alleged gangster who had been profiled in The Wall Street Journal as a rising star in the underworld. EDDIE HUTCH SR - father-of-five and taxi-driver brother of Gerry, shot up to seven times in his flat by gang. Eddie Ryan was subsequently killed by the Keanes in an act of revenge, which angered the McCarthy-Dundon gang, who had recently formed and had planned to take out both families and rise to the top. The Mario Lanza Museum was nearby. The group was mainly a burglary ring for much of its early history, but shifted into loansharking, illegal gambling, racketeering, and ultimately drug trafficking in its later existence. According to a 1950 U.S. Congress investigation into organized crime in interstate commerce, Hoffman and Weisberg were Strombergs first and second in command. An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. In the 1960s, a new generation of Irish-American mobsters emerged on the scene in the Hells Kitchen borough of New York City. The Irish Mob was the Irish-American organized crime which had formed in the United States by Prohibition, consisting of various Irish crime syndicates. The working class roots of Northeast Philadelphia grew people tough and cynical, and made the wealthy neighborhoods surrounding them appealing targets. 9 Places Where Mobsters Were Whacked Michael was prominent from the 1920s until his death in 1959. PHILADELPHIA - United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that a Superseding Indictment was unsealed today against 15 defendants, including alleged members and associates of the South Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey-based criminal organization La Cosa Nostra (LCN), known as the "mafia" or the "mob." My office was just a couple of blocks from the Italian Market; I ate at Dante and Luigisand loved Villa di Roma (which also is the locale ofseveral scenes in "The Irishman"). Leo Gillis - Member of the K&A burglary ring. The diminutive "wet work" specialist was bumped off . Rob "Juvie" Stewart - Member of the notorious DZP/Local 666 gang. Sadly, Traynor did not approve of this and hired a hitman to shoot Guerin in the leg. Philadelphia's Irish Mob - GangsterBB.NET Forums for Mafia Movies & More 4 registered members ( Liggio, jace, 2 invisible), 39 guests, and 3 spiders. The nicknames of Mr. Merlinos alleged associates, mentioned over the years in government documents, are straight out of central casting: Beeps, Horsehead, Snitch, Scoops, Chickie, Mousie, Penknife, Windows, Handsome Stevie,Baby Dom, Uncle Joe and many more. The universal story in the mafia is that Tony Jack had Hoffa killed, not Frank Sheeran as told in The Irishman. Rothstein put together the largest gambling empire in the U.S. during the 1920s, realizing business opportunities during Prohibition. Back in the 1980s and 1990s, Trump's buildings and his casinos attracted underworld figures. Jewish mobsters. The beer names are equally Irish-strong, with options like the Mighty Ego, Devoted, and Irish Loyal. After being indicted for 14 counts of trafficking in methamphetamine and the chemical P2P in January 1982, Berkery fled to Ireland to avoid prosecution, where he supposedly had contacts in the Irish Republican Army. Released late last month on Netflix, The Irishman stars Robert De Niro as Darby-raised Philly mob associate Frank Sheeran a former president of Wilmington's International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 326 and purported mafia hit man who claimed to have murdered ex-Teamsters leader Jimmy Hoffa in author Charles Brandt's 2004 book I Heard You They are a tight group and thats why the only info you have on the group is the top guys name. Among them include The Departed, The Boondock Saints, A History of Violence, and of course, Gangs of New York. Although they had quite a large membership (close to 50 people) many of these would end up dead or imprisoned after going head to head with the Winter Hill Gang. The Irish Mob is the oldest criminal society in the U.S. Born William Michael Cusick to Polish immigrants in Grays Ferry, Philadelphia, he changed his name to fit . But it is still a problem and is still allegedly committing serious federal crimes, which is why we at the Department of Justice are focused on stamping it out. After this ceremony, these men (who must be of 100% Italian ancestry) are then referred to as made members of the LCN. Here are some highlights: * J. Edgar Hoover called Louis Lepke Buchalter the most dangerous criminal in the United States. In 1932, Lepke helped organize the group known as Murder, Inc., bringing together a wide-ranging group of Jewish and Italian crime bosses. Between the post war period and 1970, the K&A gang operated almost entirely off the proceeds of their burglaries and subsequent liquidation of stolen property.
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