‘Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107 | DATE: ii- 14- 7017 ; - C a a a PG 137-1593 PG 157-154 PG 92478 PG 92-329 a Because of the fact that this was the first time informant really began to open up, SA PORTELLA © chose not to make copious detailed notes and chose not to ask detailed questions because he felt that to ' do either of these things might cause the informant - to suddenly stop talking. During the interview informant touched upon the following items: 1. TONY GROSSO of Pittsburgh is an independent '* numbers operator whose only ally is the Deputy Superintendent of Pittsburgh Police Department LAWRENCE J. MALONEY. GROSSO is the biggest book and/or bank in Western Pennsylvania and . it is generally conceded that he supplies the Pittsburgh Police Department, through MALONEY, with information that they use to eliminate competition for him. GROSSO has a current girlfriend in the Greentree section of Pittsburgh, whose husband drives a Pittsburgh ‘Post-Gazette or Pittsburgh Press newspaper truck, The husband is aware of GROSSO's relationship with his wife and tolerates it. He- allegedly purchased for this girlfriend | a new 1963 Cadillac automobile. GROSSO has been the topic of discussions many times among the soldiers or workers. Several , offers were extended to cause him trouble, but. JOHN: LA ROCCA vetoed any of these moves because he did not want trouble stirred up AV in Pittsburgh. 2. When informant ran the Bachelor's Club in East Liberty for CHUCK TEEMER (in essence for JOHN LAROCCA), he had complete control and recalled that for a two year period he paid Deputy Superintendent LAWRENCE J, MALONEY of the Pittsburgh Police Department, $1, 500. a week cash, - 5-6 ae ——————_—_————— nvm Docld: 32305083 Page
‘Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1997 (44 Ise 2107 Hover DATE: 11-14-2017 mag yet C ; © - PG 1572154 ; \ PG g2e478 PG 92=329 3. PONY RIPEPPI, enee a boss or leader, has been ‘permitted to -vgraeefuliy retire from aetion primarily beeause ef his three sens, He has ne veiee in preblems new, but should he desire an audience he could easily arrange one, 4, Use of dynamite or other explosive is strictly. against all organization current rules unless it is approved by the leaders as the only way to settle a dispute. The reason fer this regulation is that too many innocent people can be hurt and it attracts alot of attention. 5. In the Pittsburgh area if anyone has a bank roll and desires to get into some form of gambling, he can automatically do so provided he gets police protection. If he goes along fairly well someone from the organization will try to become his partner. but,. before. the approach is made, it will necessarily have to be cleared with JOHN LA ROCCA and/or KELLY MANNARINO. If they should approve the move, the person desiring to ‘cut. in’ can.make. ; his attempt. But, if they deny authority - to make the approach, it would be best to forget the whole thing. SONNY CIANCUTTTioft: New Kensington, Pa., is a close personal | friend of GABRIEL MANNARINO but holds no ~ official position in the group. When ..... CIANCUTTI: desired’ to become a partner of BENNIE FROMME of Pittsburgh, it was okayed by GABRIEL MANNARINO. Informant helped \ ~ CIANCUGTE: but the alliance with FROMME flopped because of the heavy losses. 6. JOSEPH.MEROLA, formerly of Pittsburgh and now of Miami, is considered an outlaw. | : . MEROLA lost favor with GABRIEL MANNARINO . and was never approved as a worker or Soldier, ~6- ae ne ——___I DoctId: 323050383 Page 6
DATE: 11-14-2017 PG 137-1593 PG 157=254 PG 92-478 PG 92-329 8. SAM MANNARINO, New Kensington, Pa., has no voice at either New Kensington or Pittsburgh. His brother, GABRIEL, controls - the money and makes the decisions. 9. The dice and card game which operated in Braddock, Pa., until several months -ago, was managed by BENNIE PLOTKIN. This game was a New Kensington operation bankroliled by GABRIEL MANNARINO. 10, Meetings were held periodically by JOHN LA ROCGA, FRANK’“AMATO, KELLY MANNARINO, and others, but the meeting, date and place were carefully guarded secrets and hardly ever do they meet at the same place twice. 11. NICK TWEEL of Huntington, W. Va., is very close to a very good close friend of JIMMY HOFFA. It was through this very good close friend that HOFFA and the Teamsters . Union invested $3,000,000 in the Continental Distributing Company of’ Huntington, W. Va., a firm in which TWEEL has-a big interest. The Cleveland Organization or Syndicate Informant stated that from personal knowledge ,. he knows this to be the hierarchy of ‘the Cleveland, Ohio setup. JACK WHITE, also known as JACK: LICAVOLI;...JOHN SCALICH, also known as SCALISE; and JOE DE CARLO are ‘considered to be the three leaders. Below them there are two lieutenants--TONY DEL SANTER and FATS AIELLO. He stated that Cleveland definitely controls Youngstown, Ohio, and FATS AIELLO who lives in Youngstown, Ohio, is the boss because he is married to JACK WHITE's ~~? . y -7- a rte ~~ - a Docld: 32305083 Page 93
eleased under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1997 (44 USC 7107 Hote DATE: 11-14-2017 PG 137-1593 PG 157-254 PG 92=478 PG 92-329 sister. FATS, through his barbout gambling, owes the Cleveland group about $500,000. They put him in -business at the A Lounge and because of his gambling it was forced to. goa but of business, CHARLES MURGIE of Pittsburgh, Pa., was ‘sent oT, to Youngstown, Ohio, to control MIKE FARAH who opened the Jungle Inn, This incident took place about 15 or 20 years ago and Pittsburgh and Cleveland agreed that MURGIE could handle the job in Youngstown, Ohic, because they desired to become MIKE FARAH's partner. FARAH was making very good money at the Jungle Inn and the Pittsbargh - Cleveland group wanted 50 per cent of the Jungle Inn to provide. money for soldiers of the Cleveland group who were serving a life sentence as a result. of work they were doing for the organization. The men serving the life sentence were as follows: \ JOHNNY RAY \ (FNU) ENGLISH of Toledo TOM LICAVOLI JAKE SUKIN (Phonetic) of ' RALPH CARSELLO Toledo — (Phonetic) | The wives of the men named: above, ‘for as long as 16 years, received monthly payments from the Cleveland organization for as long as their husbands were in prison. This is one example of how the organization cares. for its faithful soldiers, CAVBOMB Informant stated that the killing of CHARLES CAVALLARO. is not related to other killings in Youngstown such as NAPLES, DE NIRO, and so forth. He said that there are. many separate groups in Youngstown; Ohio, trying to improve their position.'. The "old outfit" lost control many years ago and even in the old days Youngstown was not tightly supervised from either Cleveland or Pittsburgh. - 8 - See ~ enn ENE G Doclda: 32305083 Page 10.
“Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 Sc 2107 Ho - _ DATE: 11-14-2017 . e PG 137-1593 PG 157-154 PG 92-478 PG 92-329 Today Youngstown is up for "grabs" but all decisions concerning Youngstown emanate from Cleveland. VINCE DE NIRO': bankrolled the Sang Souci Club in Havana,, Cuba for EDDIE TOBIN and TOBIN took him for $500,@0 cash. DE NIRO began to extend his po operations in numbers and gambling in Youngstown, Ohio, in order to regain some of this lost cash and no one seemed to interfere. The NAPLES brothers also wanted | a piece of Youngs own, Ohio, aud SANDY NAPLES was serious ‘competition,so much so that VINCE DE NIRO arranged for his murder. BILLY NAPLES, brother of SANDY, learned that DE NIRO was responsible for his brother's death and he, BILLY, personally wired up DE NIRO's automobile which caused his de@ath. .: LOUIS DE NIRO was able to obtain the ~ 7 proof that. BILLY NAPLES killed his brother-so he. arranged for BILLY NAPLES to be included on an = alleged big burglary score and as BILLY was getting , ready to. participate on this score. BILLY's car was blown.up. Informant stated the record will show ‘that BILLY NAPLES was dressed in black clothing, an X the type used by burgiars in the Youngstown aréa. At the present time, BILLY SUNDAY is operating a barbout game in Struthers, Ohio. According to informant, SUNDAY was once the partner of NICK DEDA : (Phonetic) of Buffalo, New York. SUNDAY is operating . a game not approved by the Cleveland group and SUNDAY has been marked for a “hit". and informant predicts that his life will be taken in the very near future. . Informant has no idea who,-when, and where it will | happen. The only reasonshe could offer for the hit is that SUNDAY is operating without sanction,chée li: refused to close, and he was close to CAVALLARO. MIKE. ROMEO, also known &s MIKE. ROMANO, of Campbell, Ohio; one of the old timers, was shot at some time, before CAVALLARO was dynamited. ROMANO's attacker missed and ROMANO and. his group, after making their inquiries, =coneluded that CHARLIE CAVALLARO was responsible for this attempt and a dhit® was omered.on -OHARBIE. Cai CHAR aS, . = 9 = rere Oe Doclda: 32305083 Page il
Released tinder the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 Use 2107 Hofer DATE: 11-14-2017 . PG 137-1593 PG 157=154 PG 92=478 PG 92-329 JOE MASSI Informant consideres JOE MASSI to be one of "the Mr. Bigs" in nationewide gambling, ranking in stature on the same level of MEYER LANSKY, MOE DAWIS, also known as DALITZ or DALITS,of Cleveland, Asis Lu -MASSI's partner. MASSI owns the. Miami Provision , | -Company and sells meat to most of- the hotels and motels in Miami Beach and Miami, Florida. In addition he has a "sizeable" interest in the Desert Inn and the Stardust at Las Vegas, Nevada-and also in the Riviera before it was sold, From the enterprises listed-above MASSI earns approximately $7,500 per day without ever leaving Miami Beach, Florida. Informant said that MASSI is probably one of the most generous men in the racket~gambling element in the United States, ‘He said that MASSI, on a daily basis, hands out over. $500.in $20 bills.to his old buddies who did not do as well in the business as he has done. He stated that these handouts take place every morning when MASSI goes to the barber shop for a shave. Informant related that MASSI put, MICKEY LETBOWITZ in business by giving Him $27, 000 ¢eash to . buy a tavern in. either Cleveland or Miami. On the , night LEIBOWITZ opened®™ his: tavern, MASSI- spread the word to his friends to: >: ‘oe. MASSE's Glue and on re opening night LEIBOWITZ did $35,000 worth of business. He tried to pay back the $27,000 and MASSI refused to accept it. Informant stated that MASSI is definitely worth several million dollars and is married to a Jew. - ll - Doclda: 32305083 Page 153
eLlea . _ DATE: a ae . PG 137-1593 PG 157-154 PG 92-478 PG 92-329 - ' MEYER LANSKY | According to the informant, MEYER LANSKY is considered by all to be the father of big-time gambling in the United States and informant estimates that he must: be worth about $100,000,000 or more. LANSKY is associated’ -in his ventures. with his brother, JAKE, and a person known as DOC STACHER, also known as DOC HARRIS. Informant stated that LANSKY desired to pull away from the entire operation but the Italian group, who control gambling, refused to allow him to disassociate himself at this tim . Informant stated that LANSKY's long-time partner in the nation-wide gambling setup has been JERRY CATENA of Newark, New Jersey. CATENA, while VITO GENOVESE is in prison, is the real boss of the entire United States insofar as Gambling, and rackets are concerned, LEADS CLEVELAND Advise whether or not MIKE ROMEO, also known as MIKE ROMANO, was fired upon some time shortly before CAVALLARO was dynamited. At Struthers, Ohio . Edentify BILLY cTDAY anc evaluate ‘aformation furnished by informant concerning SUNDAY. At Cleveland, Ohio 1. Advise whether or not setup furnished by informant agrees with setup obtained by yor office from other informants. - ‘12 = Doclda: 32305083 Page i4 een under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 5c 2107 HoPer -11-14-2017
eleased under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1997 (44 Use 2107 Feo DATE: 11-14-2017 ‘ . w G Y PG 137-1593 PG 157-154 PG 92-478 PG 92-329 = 2. Advise whether or not there is any truth to the remark that CAVALLARO testified ‘before the KEFAUVER Committee. MIAMI At Miami, Florida “Attempt to learn the identity of TOE MASSI's barber ‘and consider putting MASSI under surveil lanes to determine if he does pass out money to his oid eronies every morning at the barber shop. NEW YORK | At New York, New York Identify JOE MASSERIA and comment on whether ~or not a murder took place at MASSERIA banquet’ about 15 _to 20 years ago where the ‘vietin was stabbed by 32 ice ‘picks. PITTSBURGH At Pittsburgh, Pa, (Allegheny County Will keep in touch with informant and attempt to develop and enlarge on information already furnished by him and attempt to elicit from him any information about specific instances that could be of interest to this office, -~13- - a wae He ee DoclIda: 32305083 Page 15.