MiSsSaRaH's blog: "REAL Mobs and Mobsters"

Modern History:

[From "Organized Crime: 25 Years After Valachi," Hearings Before the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Governmental Affairs, United States Senate, 100th Congress, Second Session, US Government Printing Office, Washington: 1988]

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CHRONOLOGY OF VIOLENCE:

CLEVELAND ORGANIZED CRIME

1968

5/21/68            PATRICK CATALANO         reported missing - body never found.

6/21/68            PETE DI GRAVIO                  murdered

1971

10/31/71          ARTHUR SNEPERGER          killed by bomb

11/26/71          MICHAEL FRATO                 shot and killed

1972

1/1/72              POST AND PADDOCK RESTAURANT      Autos of SANDY DUBLO,

PHIL BONADONNA and JOSEPH BRANCATO damaged by bomb

1973

10/6/73            SALVATORE CARCIONE    shot and wounded

10/6/73            ROBERT BOGGESS              shot and killed

10/6/73            WILLIAM WHITCOMB        shot and killed

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1975

3/29/75            ALEX "SHONDOR" BIRNS   killed by bomb

4/12/75            DANNY GREENE                  injured by bomb

9/19/75            JOHN CONTE                        beaten to death

1976 

7/22/76            EUGENE CIASULLO injured by bomb

8/20/76            JOSEPH KOVACH                shot and killed

8/20/76            JOSEPH ILLILUS                   shot and killed

8/22/76            LEO MOCERI                        reported missing

9/10/76            JOHN NARDI                         shot at (not injured)

9/24/76            FRANK PERCIO                    killed by bomb placed on auto of ALI CALABRESE

9/26/76            EUGENE CIASULLO             home damaged by bomb

10/26/76          LARRY CASSANO                shot and killed

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1977

4/5/77              ENIS CRNIC                          killed placing bomb on auto of JOHN DEL ZOPPO

5/17/77            JOHN NARDI                         killed by bomb placed on auto

5/28/77            HENRY GRECCO                  shot and killed

10/6/77            DANIEL GREENE                  killed by bomb placed on auto

11/14/77          KEITH RITSON                     home damaged by bomb

11/17/77          ELMER BRITTAIN                 shot and killed

1978 

1/11/78            POST AND PADDOCK RESTAURANT damaged by bomb

7/3/78              ORVILLE KEITH                   reported missing

11/16/78          KEITH RITSON                     reported missing

12/3/78            CHARLES GRISHAM            shot and killed

1979 

1/11/79            JAMES CONONICO             shot and killed

4/8/79              LABORERS AFL-CIO LOCAL 860  damaged by bomb

4/12/79            ROBERT FUREY                    shot and killed

7/25/79            JOHN TOBIN                         shot and killed

10/4/79            ASGARD LOUNGE               damaged by bomb

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1980

1/6/80              JOHN MAGDA                      shot and killed

2/13/80            ROBERT CERBO                   shot and killed  

3/6/80              JOSEPH BONARRIGO          shot and killed

5/14/80            JOSEPH DE ROSE. JR.          injured by gunfire

6-80                 DAVID HARDWICK             murdered

6/18/80            WILLIAM BOSTIC                murdered

6/27/80            SAM FOSSESCA                   injured by gunfire

7/5/80              CURTIS CONLEY                 murdered

8/16/80            WILLIAM BOSTIC                body found

10/2/80            DOMINIC SENZARINO       shot and killed

12/13/80          CHARLES CARABBIA          murdered

1981

1/5/81              DAVID PERRIER                   shot and killed

1/17/81            JOSEPH GIAIMO                   murdered

1/23/81            LAWRENCE DEL GRECCO shot and killed

2/24/81            JOSEPH DE ROSE. SR          killed when mistaken for his son

ANGELO LONARDO being duly sworn deposes and says:

            1. I am the same Angelo Lonardo who appeared before the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (hereinafter 'Committee') on April 15, 1988.

            2. This Affidavit is submitted to answer the inquiry made of the Committee concerning a document captioned, "Chronology of Violence: Cleveland Organized Crime."

            3. In response to the questions put to me by the Committee, I respond as follows with regard to each of the events seriatim by name and date.

                        A. 5/1/68 PATRICK CATALANO: I believe that Danny Greene and John Nardi were responsible. I did not organize, and was not involved in the same.

                        B. 6/21/68 PETE DI GRAVIO: I have no knowledge concerning this matter.

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                        C. 10/31/71 ARTHUR SNEPERGER: I believe Danny Greene was involved with this murder. I did not authorize and did not participate in the same.

                        D. 11/26/71 MICHAEL FRATO: Frato was shot and killed by Danny Green in a gun battle between the two of them. Green was tried and acquitted for this murder. I did not authorize or participate in the same.

                        E. 1/1/72 POST  AND PADDOCK RESTAURANT: I believe Danny Greene was responsible for the auto bombings referred to. I did not authorize or participate in the same. Dublo, Bonadonna and Brancato did not work for the family.

                        F. 10/6/73 SALVATORE CARCIONE. ROBERT BOGGESS and WILLIAM WHITCOMB: I have no knowledge of who the shooter was, and I did not authorize or participate in the same. As far as I know, the three named individuals were burglars.

                        G. 3/29/75 ALEX "SHONDOR" BIRNS: I believe he was killed by a bomb placed by either Danny Greene or Keith Ritson. I did not authorize or participate in the same.

                        H. 4/12/75 DANNY GREENE: I have no knowledge who placed the bomb on Greene. I did not authorize or participate in the same.

                        I.  9/19/75 JOHN CONTE: I heard from various individuals that Conte was beaten to death by Danny Greene. I did not authorize or participate in the same.

                        J. 7/22/76 EUGENE CIASULLO: I understand the bomb was placed by Greene or at his orders because Greene was having trouble with him. I did not authorize or participate in the same.

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                        K. 8/20/76 JOSEPH KOVACH and JOSEPH ILLILUS: I have no knowledge of who either of the individuals were or who shot and killed them. I did not participate in the same.

                        L. 8/22/76 LEO MOCERI: I believe that Moceri was murdered by Danny Greene and Keith Ritson. This was done because John Nardi was having trouble and headaches from Leo Moceri, who at the time was the underboss of the Cleveland family. Nobody in our family authorized a hit on our underboss or participated in the same.

                        M. 9/10/76 JOHN NARDI: As far as I know, Al Calabrese and Butch Sistenino (SP) shot at Nardi. They were having their own problems with Nardi and Greene. They were not part of the Cleveland. family. We did not authorize or participate in the shooting.

                        N. 9/24/76 FRANK PERCIO: I believe he was killed by a mistake when a bomb placed in Calabrese's car by Danny Greene who was trying to kill Calabrese. We did not authorize or participate in this killing.

                        O. 9/26/76 EUGENE CIASULLO: I understand that Danny Greene had the bomb placed in Ciasullo's home. It was not authorized, nor did we participate in the same.

                        P. 10/26/76 LARRY CASSANO: I have no knowledge of who Cassano was or who shot and killed him.

                        Q. 4/5/77 ENIS CRNIC: I have no knowledge of either Crnic or John Del Zoppo, in whose car it is alleged the bomb was placed.

                        R. 5/15/77 JOHN NARDI: I understand Nardi was killed

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by a bomb placed in an automobile which was parked next to Nardi's by Curly Montana and Poppalardo.. Nardi's death was authorized by Jack White Licavoli who was .the boss of our family at the time.

                        S. 5/28/77 HENRY GRECCO: I have no knowledge of who Grecco is.  I did not authorize or participate in the killing.

                        T. 10/6/77 DANIEL GREENE: Greene was killed when a bomb was placed in an automobile by Ferrito Sistenino and Ronnie Carabbia. Greene's murder was authorized by Jack White

                        U. 11/14/77 KEITH RITSON: Tony Liberatore, later became a member of our family, placed the bomb. believe that Jack White talked to him before it was done.

                        V. 11/17/77 ELMER BRITTAIN: I have no knowledge who Brittain is.

                        W. 1/11/78 POST AND PADDOCK RESTAURANT: I did not authorize or participate in the same.

                        X. 7/3/78 ORVILLE KEITH: I have no knowledge who Orville Keith is. I did not authorize or participate in any matters with him.

                        Y. 11/6/78 KEITH RITSON: Was killed by Carmine Zagaria and Hans Graew. Segaria thought Ritson would finger him as a narcotics trafficker. I did not authorize or participate in the killing, nor did the Cleveland family.

                        Z. 12/3/78 CHARLES GRISHAM: I have no knowledge of Grisham. I did not authorize or participate in any matters relating to him.

                        AA. 1/11/79 JAMES CONONICO: I have no knowledge who Connonico was. I did not authorize or participate in any matters relating to him.

                        BB. 4/8/79 LABORERS AFL-CIO LOCAL 860: I have no knowledge of the matter except that the local was the local controlled by Tony Liberatore.

                        CC. 4/12/79 ROBERT FUREY: I have no knowledge of who Furey was. I did not authorize or participate in the shooting.

                        DD. 7/25/79 JOHN TOBIN: I did not know Tobin. I have no knowledge of him.  I did not authorize or participate in the shooting.

                        EE. 10/4/79 ASGARD LOUNGE: I have no knowledge of the bombing.

                        FF. 1/6/80 JOHN MAGDA: I have no knowledge of Magda.

                        GG. 2/13/80 ROBERT DE CERBO: I have no knowledge of De Cerbo.

                        HH. 3/6/80 JOSEPH BONARRIGO: Joe Yacavelli (SP) shot and killed Bonargio with a member of the Hells Angels. I testified concerning this in my written statement, to which the Committee's attention is respectfully directed.

                        II. 5/14/80 JOSEPH DE ROSE. JR: The shooting was by the Youngstown Group who were at that time under the control of Pittsburg.

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                        JJ.  6/80 DAVID HARWICK: Was killed by Carmine Zagaria's orders. He was a narcotics dealer.  I did not authorize or participate in the same.

                        KK. 6/18/80 WILLIAM BOSTIC: Was murdered by Carmine Zagaria. He was another narcotics trafficker.

                        LL. 6/27/80 SAM FOSSESCA: I have no knowledge of the same.

                        MM. 7/5/80 CURTIS CONLEY: This was a Carmine Zagaria murder. I did not authorize or participate in the same.

                        NN. 8/16/80 WILLIAM BOSTIC: This was a Carmine Zagaria murder.          

                        OO. 10/2/80 DOMINIC SENARINO: I have no knowledge.

                        PP. 12/13/80 CHARLES CARABBIA: The Committee's attention is respectfully directed to my prior written submission and testimony before you of April 15, 1988.

                        QQ. 1/5/81 DAVID PERRIER: The Committee's attention is respectfully directed to my prior written submission and. testimony before you of April 15, 1988.

                        RR. 1/17/81 JOSEPH GIAIMO: Was murdered by Zagaria and others. I did not authorize or participate in the same.

                        SS. 1/23/81 LAWRENCE DEL GRECCO: A narcotics user. I have no knowledge of who may have been involved with his death. I think he committed suicide.

                        TT.  2/24/82 JOSEPH DE ROSE. SR.:

                        UU. 4/17/81 JOSEPH DE ROSE. JR.: Joseph DeRose, Jr. was a close friend of Charlie Carabbia, who after Carabbia was

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killed sought to revenge Carabbia's death against the Youngstown group. Pat Farucci (SP) spoke to me sometime before DeRose Jr's. death and told me a man named 'Skinny Sam", close fried of Joe DeRose, Jr. had told Farucci that I had a contract out on "Skinny Sam". I told him this was totally untrue. Farucci asked me if the contract could be considered lifted if 'Skinny Sam" would kill Joseph DeRose, Jr. Since I knew that both the Pittsburg and Youngstown crowd wanted to get rid of Joseph DeRose, Jr., I told Farucci "yes". Thereafter I learned that whoever was trying to get rid of DeRose, Jr. mistakenly killed Joseph DeRose, Sr., thinking it was DeRose, Jr. Thereafter I heard that DeRose, Jr. was killed.

            4. Greene, Nardi, Ritson, McTaggart and Cappolo were all part of a group called the "Greene Gang", who were engaged in gambling and bombings on the west side of Cleveland. They were not part of the Cleveland family, part [sic] no tribute to it, did not act at our request and were no accountable to us.

            5. Zagaroa was not a member of the Cleveland family and did not ever receive any permission from us to commit any of the acts which he may have committed.

(signed)  Angelo Lonardo

Sworn to before me this day of August, 1988.