Law change would undermine confiscation of Mafia property

A BILL to come before the Italian parliament could foil one of the most effective anti-Mafia measures.

For years Mafia holdings have been confiscated and some of them converted for social purposes. The Neapolitan villa where the soccer player Diego Maradona was photographed celebrating with its drug-running owners during the 1980s is now an office providing help for victims of the underworld. A cement factory in Palermo, whose boss is an imprisoned Mafioso, is now owned by its workers.

Conversion of the Mafia's ill-gotten gains into successful enterprises has undermined the Mafia's claim that only it provides jobs.

The Government legislated for confiscation of Mafia property in 1982, following the Mafia assassination of General Alberto Della Chiesa, head of the investigation into the kidnapping and murder of the former prime minister Aldo Moro. Since then there have been 1081 confiscations in Sicily, 617 in Calabria, 544 in the Naples region, and 172 in Apulia in the heel of the Italian boot.

New charges for 'Mafia cops'

The "Mafia Cops" have something else to digest over Thanksgiving: a new version of the federal indictment accusing them of being hitmen for the mob.

Brooklyn federal prosecutors Wednesday released a retooled indictment, their fourth version, in the racketeering charges against ex-NYPD detectives Louis Eppolito and Steven Caracappa. Eppolito and Caracappa already face a total of 10 homicide charges in the racketeering case that started with their arrest in March. The new indictment didn't add any new murder victims but did add two murder-for-hire allegations to cover the killings of Gambino mobster Edward Lino in 1990 and diamond dealer Israel Greenwald in 1986. The new charges also added a 1982 bribery allegation against Eppolito,56.

Secrets of The Dead: Gangland Graveyard on PBS

Gangland Graveyard airs on PBS tonight at 8:00 PM Pacific Time.

Like other New York crime families, the Bonanno Family was founded in the aftermath of the Castellamarese War of the late 1920s and early 1930s, which pitted Chicago's Al Capone against members of the Castellamarese family (whose members hailed from the Castellamarese region of Sicily) for control of the bootleg liquor business. Castellamarese members had formed a faction in New York, led by Sal Maranzano, and were in a fierce battle with Capone supporter Joe Masseria. When Masseria was murdered -- allegedly set up by his capo, Lucky Luciano, who had switched allegiance -- the Castellamarese War ended, and Maranzano became the most powerful mobster in New York. He dubbed himself the Capo di tutti capi -- "boss of all bosses" -- and helped to establish The Commission, a board of directors, composed of mob bosses, that arbitrated mafia family disputes. Maranzano's reign was short-lived; in September 1931, he was assassinated by Luciano and others.

	Bonanno Crime Family leaders, Joseph Massino and Frank Cappa

Following Maranzano's death, the New York Castellamarese family elected a new boss, 26-year-old Joseph Bonanno, who became the youngest boss of the "Five Families" that formed the national crime syndicate. The family -- which soon became known as the Bonanno Family -- prospered for the next 30 years under Bonanno, profiting from gambling, labor racketeering and drug trafficking. Bonanno spread his operation to California, Arizona, and Wisconsin, and expanded into Canada and Cuba. By the early 1960s, however, Bonanno's power began to wane. In 1962, his ally, Joe Profaci -- boss of what is now the Colombo Family -- died of liver cancer. Bonanno attempted to regain his status and exert control over the family's illegal operations by conspiring with Profaci underboss Joe Magliocco to take out rival New York bosses Carlo Gambino, Tommy Lucchese, and Stefano Magadino, and Los Angeles boss Frank DeSimmone. The two sent hitman Joe Colombo to do the deed, but Colombo turned on them and informed the bosses of the plot. Bonanno and Magliocco were called before The Commission to explain themselves. Magliocco appeared and was allowed to retire because of his poor health. Bonanno, a no-show, was stripped of his title, and Gaspar DiGregorio was named leader of the Bonanno Family. Throughout the 1960s, Bonanno unsuccessfully attempted to regain control for himself and for his son (and anointed successor) Salvatore "Bill" Bonanno, in what became known as the Bonanno War. In 1968, Joe Bonanno retired to Arizona.

		Bonanno Family Boss, Joseph Massino

By 1975, the Bonanno Family had come under the control of Carmine Galante, former underboss to Bonanno. Galante began a battle with the Gambino Family over drug operations, angering The Commission. He was executed, under the orders of The Commission, in July 1979, leaving Philip "Rusty" Rastelli in charge. Rastelli expanded the family operations and formed a network of front businesses that trafficked narcotics, called the "Pizza Connection." During his tenure, however, the family was infiltrated by undercover FBI agent Joe Pistone, "Donnie Brasco," whose later testimony led to the conviction of over 120 Bonanno Family members. In 1986, Rastelli was convicted of federal racketeering charges, and Joseph Massino, his capo -- a ranking member in the mob family, who runs a group of "soldiers" -- took over as leader of the family. Massino, who was soon dubbed "The Last Don," rebuilt the family, but was himself convicted in July 2004 of participating in eight murders -- including the killing of Dominick "Sonny Black" Napolitano, the capo who allowed Joe Pistone into his inner circle (and who, along with Massino, participated in the 1981 murders of Rastelli capos Philip "Philly Lucky" Giaccone, "Alphonse "Sonny Red" Indelicato, and Dominick "Big Trin" Trinchera). Massino was sentenced to life in prison. He avoided the death penalty by agreeing to turn government informant -- the first mob boss to ever do so. Taped conversations he provided to the feds led to the arrest of Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano, acting Bonanno boss, in November 2004.

De Niro returns to the Mafia

Robert De Niro is attached to star in The Winter of Frankie Machine, Variety reports.

An adaptation of a yet-to-be-published novel by Don Winslow, it tells the story of a former Mafia hitman who has taken to a quiet life running a shop. However, when he finds that he is being targeted for a hit he soon returns to his old ways.

De Niro and Jane Rosenthal's Tribeca Films will produce. Rosenthal told Daily Variety: "He did say that (he wouldn't play another Mafia character). But along came Don Winslow, who created a perfect character. The lesson here is, never say never."

Winslow's novel is expected to hit shelves next year.

Salem admits his crime: 1993 blasts

After a long time, the hand of mafia-don Abu Salem who was interrogated by the Central Bureau of Investigation for his hand in Mumbai serial blasts, has been confirmed. At that time Salem use to work for don Dawood Ibrahim. Later both separated. The RDX used for blasts was brought by Salem against whom the police has registered 25 cases. In all 250 people had lost their lives and 400 injured.

Mobster's son can star in "House Arrest"

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The son of an infamous Mafia don can remain under a lenient house arrest that allows him to do a reality TV show in which he visits a strip club and parties with poker pals, a federal judge ruled on Monday.

Christopher Colombo, son of the assassinated mob chief Joseph Colombo, was indicted on racketeering charges in March 2004 and released on $1 million bail. His bail terms were eased for "family needs."

Prosecutors said the show "House Arrest" for the cable channel HBO "makes a mockery" of the house arrest set up initially to give Colombo more time to spend with his family. He used it "to generally gallivant around town with his associates" for the "docu-comedy," they said, and argued he should be barred from making more episodes of the show.

But Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald disagreed, saying she would reconsider her ruling "if the government can produce evidence that Mr. Colombo has violated the terms of his bail."

The initial HBO episode, which is set to air November 24, purports to show a day in the life of Colombo, who wears an ankle bracelet that tracks his movements.

Lawyer: Cleared mobster may be dead

Lawrence Ricci vanished in the middle of his trial

NEW YORK (AP) -- Two executives of the International Longshoremen's Association and a reputed mobster who went missing mid-trial were acquitted Tuesday of charges that they helped the Mafia keep its grip on the New York waterfront.

Supporters gasped and burst into tears as a federal jury in Brooklyn found union officials Harold Daggett and Arthur Coffey not guilty of extortion and fraud charges.

The jury also acquitted Lawrence Ricci, an alleged Genovese crime family associate who had been accused of wire and mail fraud.

But the victory may turn out to be empty for Ricci, who vanished in the middle of the trial and is suspected to have been slain by the mob.

His attorney said after the verdict that he believed Ricci had been killed, but he hoped the verdict gave his family solace.

Prosecutors had accused Ricci of working to award a lucrative union contract to a mob-tied pharmaceutical company. Daggett and Coffey were charged with conspiring with the Genovese crime family to install Daggett as the mob-controlled puppet president of the ILA.

Gun and drugs seized in pub raid

A HANDGUN, ammunition and drugs were discovered when armed police raided a Liverpool pub on its first night under new management.

Dozens of police, including armed officers, swooped on The Inglenook pub, on Ullet Road, in Aigburth, around 10.30pm on Saturday night.

Four men were arrested following the operation which started at The Inglenook and then continued at a private address on Wood Street, in Liverpool city centre.

It was just after 10.30pm on Saturday when a convoy of police vehicles arrived at the Inglenook and surrounded the premises, preventing anybody from leaving.

Pete Rose Jr. Admits to Drugs

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Pete Rose Jr., the son of baseball's all-time hits leader, pleaded guilty Monday to charges that he distributed GBL, a drug sometimes sold as a steroid alternative, to his minor league teammates.

The 35-year-old Rose appeared before a federal judge and said nothing but "yes, sir" when asked if he understood the charges and his plea.

Under a deal with prosecutors, Rose could be sentenced to 21 to 27 months in federal prison and fined up to $1 million. His sentencing hearing is set for Feb. 20.

The Drug Enforcement Administration said Rose's arrest was part of a larger investigation into a major GBL trafficking organization. Rose surrendered to authorities shortly before he entered his guilty plea.

Former USF professor was terrorist group crime boss, prosecutor says

TAMPA -- A former college professor acted for years as one of the top "crime bosses" for the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, an organized, murderous gang that operates much like the Mafia, a federal prosecutor told a jury Monday.

Although Sami Al-Arian and three co-defendants standing trial here the past five months are not charged with directly killing anyone, they conspired to facilitate terrorist attacks and are every bit as guilty under federal law as the suicide bombers and others who carried them out, prosecutor Cherie Krigsman said in her closing arguments.

"The men of the PIJ you got to know in this case, they didn't strap bombs to their body," she said. "They leave that to somebody else."

Al-Arian, 47, and his co-defendants are charged in a 51-count indictment with raising money in the United States and directing the mission of the PIJ, a U.S. State Department-designated terrorist group that killed hundreds in attacks in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Authorities Break Up 'Black Mafia Family' Crime Ring

DETROIT -- Federal authorities say they have broken up a cocaine-trafficking ring that laundered more than $270 million over 15 years in an operation that began in Michigan and branched out across the country. The organization, known on the streets as the Black Mafia Family, had ties to the rap music industry, and its two leaders have appeared in rap videos, said Robert L. Corso, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Agency in Detroit. "They were in fact just another group of thugs who brought fear, intimidation and violence to the streets of Detroit," he said. Local and federal authorities in Michigan, California, Florida, Kentucky, Texas, Georgia, Arkansas and Mississippi arrested 23 people Friday, and two suspects remained at large, authorities said. They face charges that include conspiracy, drug possession with intent to deliver and money laundering, according to a federal grand jury indictment unsealed Friday in Detroit. U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Murphy said local and federal authorities have been after the ring since 2000 and recently were able to pull several old cases together from many different states. Authorities said the gang dealt in "multi-kilogram" quantities of cocaine. Since 1999, authorities seized cocaine from the group in Polk County, Texas; Flagstaff, Ariz.; Kansas City, Mo.; Collin County, Texas; Crawford County, Ark.; Florissant, Mo.; St. Louis; and Woodland Hills, Calif.

Italian mafia's criminal revenue over 43 billion dollars in 2004

The Calabria-based mafia organisation made 36 billion euros (43.6 US dollars) last year, Italian media reported on Sunday.

The report by Italian social research institute Eurispes said the criminal revenue in 2004 equalled 3.4 percent of Italian GDP.

Drug trafficking was the organisation's most profitable business, generating 22.3 billion euros (26.7 billion dollars), Eurispes said.

Skimming off money from public works contracts and general business corruption were the next most lucrative activities, netting the group more than 4.7 billion euros (5.7 billion dollars) .

Prostitution and arms trafficking made the 'Ndrangheta an estimated 4.6 billion (5.6 billion dollars) while extortion and loan-sharking brought in 4.1 billion (4.9 billion dollars), the report said.

Report: Police Crack Mafia Extortion Ring

Police have foiled a mafia group's attempt to extort 1.5 million euros from a British company, law enforcement officials said Friday.

"The extortionists were caught red-handed," a law enforcement source told RIA-Novosti, saying three men were arrested in the foyer of Moscow's Renaissance Hotel during the exchange of a payment order for the sum of 1 million euros.