Originator: FBI
From: CHURCHILL, WINSTON T.
To: DIRECTOR, FBI
Document date: 1963-03-14 00:00:00
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

# DOCID-32290674

## Page 1

JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Agency Information

Date:

5/14/201

AGENCY:

FBI

RECORD NUMBER:

124-10205-10450

RECORD SERIES: HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER : 92-6054-208

Document Information

ORIGINATOR:

FBI

FROM: CHURCHILL, WINSTON T.

TO: DIRECTOR, FBI

TITLE :

65994 Date: 11-02-2021

DATE: 03/14/1963

'PAGES:

98

SUBJECTS :

LCN, JZ, BKG, ASSOC, REL, COMMISSION, ILLEGAL ACT, B/F

INT, IDENT RECORD, DESCR, TESUR

DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION: Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS: 4

CURRENT STATUS:

Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 05/21/1998

OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE

COMMENTS :

RPT, TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGES 1a, 1b, INDEX PAGES a-f

V9.1

NW 65994 Docld:32290674 Page 1

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## Page 2

A-port Fori

FD-263 (5-12-55)

Reporting Otice

DETROIT

TITLE OF CASE

LA CAUSA NOSTRA

DETROIT DIVISION

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

Office of Origin

NEW YORK

Date

Investigative Period

3/14/63

2/1 - 3/8/63

Report made by

SA WINSTON T! CHURCHILL

CHARACTER OF CASE

Typod By:

PJB

AR - CONSPIRACY

Synopsis:

REFERENCES: Report of SA JAMES P• FLYNN, dated 1/31/63, at lew York.

Bureau letter to New York, dated 1/28/63.

Detroit airtel to Bureau, dated 2/5/63.

-P.=

ENCLOSURES

TO BUREAU

Two (2) copies of letterhead memorandun

reflecting characterizations of Informants.

LEAD

DETROIT

AT DETROIT, MICHIGAN

W111, through Informants,

attempt to identily additional

members of the commission in the Detroit area.

Approved

Special Agent

In Charge

Copies

6

> Bureau (92-6054)

6 - New York (92-2300)

Do not write in spaces bolom

42-6054 - 208 nc 38

MAS

18.1963

3 -

Detroit

(2 - 92-914)

COPTES DESTROTED

10 MAR 20 1065

tell in

properlie

16 M

don In local to you by the FBi, and neither it nor

its contents are to bo distributed outsido the agency to which loaned.

I U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: ¡ONE O S4A7BO

NW 65994 Docld:32290674 Page 2

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## Page 3

DE 92-914

INFORMANTS

Identity of Source

DE T-I 1s Legat, Rone

DE T-2 is

CARL GELLISH

Internal Revenue Service

Detroit, Michigan

DE T-3 15

JOHN OLSZEWSKI

Intelligence Division

Internal Revenue Service

Detroit, Michigan

DE T-4 1s

JOSEPH GRAJEWSKI

Detroit, Michigan

DE T-5 is

DI. W. K. USHER

1206 Balfour Street;

Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan

DE T-6 Is DE 889-C-TE

DE T-T 15 DE 370-C

DE T-8 is

PCI RUSSELL TRILCK

Detroit Division

DE TO9 is

JOHN BOLOGNA

Internal Revenue Service

Detroit, Michigan

DE T-10 1s

HERMAN SCHWARTZ

Catering Service

Sheraton - Cadillac Hotel

Detroit, Michigan

Agent to Whom Turnished

SA WINSTON T. CHURCHILI

SA JOSEPH E. ISEMAN

SA WINSTON T'. CHURCHILL

SA WINSTON T. CHURCHILL

SA WINSTON T. CHURCHILL

SA JOSEPH E. ISEMAN

SA PALMER M. WEE

SA PALMER M. WEE

SA JOSEPH E. ISEMAN

SA WINSTON T. CHURCHILL

- B .

COVER PAGE

NW 65994 Docld:32290674 Page 3

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## Page 4

DE 92-914

Identity of Source

DE T-I1 is

PCI MILTON HONDRINOS

Detroit, Michigan

DE T-12 1S DE 337-C

DE T-13 is

ROSS ELLIS

Supervisor in Charge

United States Narcotic Bureau

Detroit, Michigan

•DE T-14 is

PCI HOWARD KERR

DE T-15 is DE 728-C

DE T-16 15

EDWARD NIEW INSKI

FOrmer PCI

Detroit, Michigan

DE T-17 15

CHARLES SHERMAN

Former PCI

Detroit, Michigan

DE T-18 1s

PCI GEORGE CARDARELLI

Detroit, Michigan

DE T-19 1s CG 6343-C*

DE T-20 1s DE 718-C

DE T-21 1s DE 878-C-TE

DE T-22 1s NY 213-C*

DE T-23 is

CARMEN MITCHELL

Former PCI

Detroit, Michigan

Agent to Whom Furnished

SA JOHN L. SHELBURNE

SA JOSEPH E. ISEMAN

SA WINSTON T. CHURCHILL

SA JOSEPH E. ISEMAN

SA DOUGLAS W. HIBBIE

SA JAMES I. SHANAHAN

SA JOSEPH E. ISEMAN

SA LEO C. SHIRLEY

SA JOSEPH E. ISEMAN

SA ROBERT N. FITZPATRICK

FOrmer SA GEORGE L'. BLUE

c -

COVER PAGE

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## Page 5

DE 92-914

Identity of Source

DE T-24 is NY 3123-C*

DE T-25 is NY 3864-C-TE

DE T26 is NK 2251-C*

DE T-27 is

LAWRENCE GALLO

New York City

Racketeer

DE T-28 is DE 906-C*

DE T-29 is

DE 868-C-TE

DE T=30 is

BS 837-C*

Agent to Whom Furnished

SA BARRON T. CONKLIN

• Di

COVER PAGE

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## Page 6

DE 92-218

WTC/cam -

.26

Source: DE I- 166

The above source advised on March 24, 1958, that

gambling in Detroit is controlled by what is considered the

"Italian Syndicate". He stated that the top men are JOSEPH

CARILLI,

WILLIAN TOCCO, JOIN PRIZIOLA, MIKE

RUBINO, JOE "SCARFACE" BOMMARITO and PETE LICAVOLI®

Source

stated that this syndicate controlled the numbers racket to

'a large extent, handbooks, barbute and football pools. Source

stated that none of these top men to his knowledge perform

any duties that would link them to gambling but they have

trusted lieutenants to do the day to day work, maintain

accounts and split up the profits.

Source: DE I- 6/

The

above source advised on April 29, 1950,

that

the leaders of the so-called "Italian Gambling Syndicate" in

Detroit, Michigan, consisted of JOSEPH ZERILLI, WILLIAM TOCCO

and ANGELO MELI.

Source stated that PETE LICAVOLI and JOE

"SCARFACE" BONMARITO, are also close to the level of these

three men.

Source stated that this group divides up the

numbers operation, handbooks, wire service and football

pools among various smaller groups but the top fellows control

the operation and keep peace among the workers. Source stated

he believes a percentage of the profit from the

gambling operation

is turned over to the top group and it is their pay for controlling

the gambling syndicate.

JOSEPH ZERILLI, who died in

1957, in a numbers house known as the Murphy House.

stated that PETE CORRADO actively ran this business during

1946-

1948 and source believes that zErIlal and Balt Tocco were

partners with CORRADO although neither of them ever took part

or appeared in the operations of the Murphy House. 'Source

stated that he considers arILLI as one of the powers in the

- Italian

gambling syndicate and he believes that ZERILLI re-

ceives some profits from gambling operations.

•36 -

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## Page 7

DE 92-914

WTC/sal - 1

Source: DE T- 6

On February 12, 1963, source furnished the follow-

ing information concerning JOSEPH ZERILLI, whom he has known

for over forty years.

JOSEPH ZERILLI came to the United States in 1914

from Terrasini, Sicily, and entered the United States at

New York City, New York.

Source stated that after ZERILLI arrived in

New York City, he immediately came to Detroit, michigan,

THOMAS, Livedest sister, JOSEPHINE ZITO, and her husband,

Upon his arrival in Detroit, ZERILLI took

up residence with his sister and her husband at 2259 East

Congress Street and secured a job as a milkman.

Source advised that after working at this job for

a year or so, ZERILLI got married and rented the upper flat

of the ZITO house on East Congress Street. Shortly after

ZERILLI's marriage, he secured a laborer's job with the old

Morgan-Wright Company which did all of the construction work

for the Michigan Consolidated Gas Company in Detroit.

After World War I, ZERILLI with his brother-in-law,

WILLIAM "Black Bill" TOCCO, started a small Italian bakery

in Detroit which, according to source, prospered very well

and ZERILLI and TOCCO both worked very hard at the bakery

making it a success.:

Source stated that along with the bakery, ZERILLI

and TOCCO sold imported Italian cheese and other imported

Italian foods retail. It was through selling the imported

Italian cheese and foods, according to source, that ZERILLI

and TOCCO became acquainted with the late JOSEPH PROFACI

of Brooklyn, New York, who was in the importing and exporting

business.

Source advised that he had heard it was through

this business that PROFACI, ZERILLI and TOCCO became very

close friends and business associates inasmuch as ZERILLI

and TOCCO were the only Italians in Detroit who were selling

Italian cheese, foods and spices.

- 78 -

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