Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: SAC, CV
To: DIRECTOR, FBI
Document date: 09/21/1963
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 744 USC 2107 Hotey.

DATE: 11-14-2017

JFK Assassination System

Date:

5/14/201

Identification Form

Agency Information

AGENCY: FBI

RECORD NUMBER :

124-10215-10254

RECORD SERIES: HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER :

92-6054-450

Document Information

ORIGINATOR: FBI

FROM:

SAC, CV

TO: DIRECTOR, FBI

TITLE:

DATE: 09/21/1963

PAGES:

5

SUBJECTS :

LCN, ASSOC, BKG, GAMBLING, RACK AND SUBV,

CRIMINAL ACT

DOCUMENT TYPE :

CLASSIFICATION:

PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS: 4

CURRENT STATUS :

Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 06/25/1998

OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE

COMMENTS :

v9.1

DocId: 32295478

Page 1

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released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (14 USC 2107 Hote)

DATE: 11-14-201

OPTIONAL FORM NO. 10

10-0-04

• UNITED STATES G ERNMENT

Memorardum

TO

DIRECTOR, FBI

DAT8/.21/63

SAC, CLEVELAND (92-748) (137-1130)

SUBJECT:

LA COSA NOSTRA

TOP ECHELON

CRIMINAL INFORMANT PROGRAM

ReCVlet

to Director, 9/7/63, re captioned matter.

On September 4-and 6, 1963, cv 553-PC was interviewed

and information obtained

during this

interview is somewhat

repetitious to that furnished in ReViet, however 1t

clarifies certain points and is therefore being set forth

in the following manner:

CV 553-PC stated he came to Cleveland, Ohio, from

Italy in 1919 or 1920 to stay with his sister.

At the time

he arrived in Cleveland, he was 15 years of age.. He said

he worked at different

jobs in the Cleveland area,- including

that, of driving a cab.

he was "active

In 1923 or 1924, he indicated

in Cleveland, and was harassed by members

of the Cleveland Police Department.

He said on one occasion

he received a 30 day jail sentence being accused of putting a

razor in someone's car.

He said that shortly thereafter,

received a 60 day jail sentence on another minor charge.

2-Bureau

I-Cincinnati (Info)

1-Dotrolt (into)

I-Las Vegas (Info):

I-New York (Info)

15-Cleveland

(1]

- 92-167)

92-168

92-176

92-179

REC- 56

92-397

92-400

92-477

10 SEP 24 1963

92650,

92-718

92-810

92-846

92-869)

-137-1570)

45°

JEB:ktk

(20)

DuDe

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Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Retorus COllection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107 kote).

DATE: 11-14-2017

CV 92-748

137-1130

He said he was beat up physically by cleveland police fe

on several occasions and so in 1924 went to Detroit.

indicated he held several miscellaneous jobs in Detroit

until he became closely acquainted with YONNIE LICAVOLI.

He said he became very active in running whiskey in the

Detroit area, and considered himself a member of the

Purple Gang.

He mentioned that he became acquainted with ANCELO MELI

during this period, however, he did not elaborate on the

extent of this relationship.

In 1928, he was convicted on a narcotics charge

in Detrait and was sent to the U.S. Penitentiary (USP)s

Leavenworth, for a two-year period. While at Leavenworth,

he bacame acquainted with JAMES LICAVOLI, aka Jack White.

(It is to be noted that JAMES LICAVOLI, according to his parole

Ille at Use, Leavenworth, served there from June, 1929 to June,

1930.) Informant was paroled at Leavenworth to his sister

at Cleveland, Ohio. He said although he was not permitted to

leave the Cleveland area, he did become involved in making

trips to Detroit and at one time was accused of being

involved in the murder of two Detroit policemen in about

1930-1932.

He said he hid out in Canada for a while and

later went to Brooklyn, New York.

In Brooklyn, he looked up "LITTLE AUGIE" PISANO

whom he had previously met through AI POLIZZI of Cleveland,

at a funeral or wedding.

He said through PISANO, ne met

VITO GHNOVESE and aLSO ALBERT ANASTASIA. He said he was

not closely associated with these individuals, but did know

then

while he was in Brooklyn.

He claims to have been

convicted in an armed robbery in which he was not involved,

and

was sentenced 15 to 40 years.

He served time for this

sentence at Dannemora Prison in New York on this robbery

charge from 1932 until 1945.

While at Dannemora, he served

three years in

solitary confinement for beating a guard.

He was

released on life parole but this was terminated

in

1960 because of a change in the New York laws.

He stated

he has been living in Cleveland, Ohio since his release on

parole in 1945.

Informant, during the interview, remarked that

he had read the recent article in the Saturday Evening Post"

about La Cosa Nostra.

He said "everything that appeared

in that article is true."

He was questioned as to whether or

2

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eleased under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (11 USE 2107 Rote)

DATE: 11-14-2017

CV 92-748

137-1130

SCALISH

not he had ever heard of the organization La Cosa Nostra

before this article.

He said he had not, but indicated

he was aware that a nation-wide organization of this

type was in existence.

He was questioned as to what in his

opinion was the present set-up of tUSCALISH is the top

organization in the

man in Clevelandat the present time, then follows JOHN

and then FRANK BRANCATO. He said that back in the 1930s,

FRANK MILANO Was head man and that AL POLIZZI followed.

He said "AL POLIZZI put the shoes on JOHN SCALISH. "

He said

that TOMMY SCALISH, brother of JOHN, was "taugh and sharp,"

but that, at no time in his opinion did TOMMY

CALISH rank

as the top man. Informant said that in his opinion JOHN

SCALISH is not

tough, but is brainy.

Informant was questioned as to where JAMES

LICAVOLI

flis into the Cleveland picture, and he remarked that

LICAVOLI has special powers and is not directly under

JOHN SCALISH.

He said that LICAVOLI operates on his own,

out that he is believed to be under the jurisdiction of the

Detroit outfit.

He said that TON

DELSANTER is the racket

boss in the Warren, Ohio area and

operates under JAMES

LICAVOLI. The informant said that JAMES LICAVOLI Is better

known under the nickname JACK WHITE.

He explained that LICAVOLI

is so dark complexioned so rather than referring to him

as Blackie or Black, he has

been referred to as White.

The informant mentioned that TONY

the Italian-American Brotherhood (IAB) on Mayfield

MILANO Operates

Road in Cleveland.

He said TONY is a

brother of FRANK

MILANO a former boss in Cleveland, and that althnugh TONY

is not considered the active boss, he said that JOHN SCALISH

does have contact with TONY MILANO and the informant believed

that TONY makes major decisions.

He said years ago, TONY

MILANO Loaned him $2,000 and that he collected interest

on this money. He said he has had some contact with TONY

MILANO. The informant has indicated to TONY that he wants

to obtain a liquor license.

He said that one Sunday

(during the past year or two), TONY MILANO called him

asked him to come to the IAB. At the IAB there, was an

Italian who owned a bar on Woodland Avenue in Cleveland,

which was going to be torn down because of the new Freeway.

MILANO asked the owner of the bar how much he wanted for his

liquor license and the owner replied he wanted $15,000. MILANO

asked the informant if he would take the license at that price

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Kereased under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 141 USC 2107 Harey.

DATE: 11-14-2017

CV 92-748

137-1130

and the informant said he did not have any money. MILANO

told the bar owner he would give him $8,000 down

and

the balance in regular payments. When the owner

refused to accept this agreement, MILANO cursed him

and chased him out of the club.

Informant was aked as to whether or not

CHARLES POLIZZI WaS

ever considered the top man at

cleveland. He said that CHARLES

POLIZZI is considere

the brother of "BIG AL XPOLIZZI, however, CHARLES is

actually Jewish, since

he was adopted by the POLILLI family.

He said he "tried to put on the shoes of the top boss"in

the 1930's, however they refused to go along with this and

POLIZZI IS

still living in Cleveland today, but is not

considered a power.

Informant said that he believes that PETE

E

is in the group. PETE has been active in gambling in

prior years, but at the present time he is active in

shylocking.

With regard to control in the Detroit area,

not com

informant

that ANGle ELI was one of the higher ups but 15 now an old

He indicated

manana notas active as he was at one time.

IcavOlt is very powertul and also that zoNnytIcAvItI

even though he has been in prison for 25 yeas, still holds

much power and is contacted for decisions.

Informant was questioned as to who the active

men in the

arganization were in other Ohio cities.

A FATCH is the top man in Akron, and

does not khow anything regarding the present set-up in

present set-up 10,

that he

Toledo, Canton, or the other areas.

The informant said that everyone is avare that

JOHN SCALISH and JOHN DE MARCO from Cleveland went to the

Apalachian meeting, November, 1957, but that actually

there were

two men who went with JOHN SCALISH and DE MARCO.

He declined to reveal the identity of the other two individuals

but later admitted

he heard "through the grapevine", that

FRANK BRANCATO : went

to the Apalachian meeting and

escaped

without being caught and

he believed the fourth individual

waS FRANK

AMBRASCIA (EMBRASCIA is in partnership with JOHN

SCALISI and MILTON

ROCKMAN in the Buckeye Cigarette Service

in Cleveland.)

Informant was reluctant to discuss

information of this nature and the matter was dropped.

4

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eteased under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 744 USC 2107 HoteT

DATE: 11-14-2017

CV 92-748

137-1130

60110

Information was set out in relet that the informant

in May, 1963, went to the Ohio State Penitentiary (OSP) to

see YONNIE LICAVOLI about borrowing some money.

It was

to the residence of MIKE

Ohio, where he saw PETE LICAVOLI and LEC

oile

the current interview

Informant olabrated on this licident

and said that present at the meeting at DE ANGELO's res. dence

in May, 1963, were PETE LICAVOLI of Detroit, LEO MOCERI Of

Akron-Cleveland, an individual named "NUNZIO" from Akron,

TONY DELSANTER,

Warren, Ohio and JAMES LICAVOLI, aka Jack

White figom Cleveland.

(NUNZ1O is possibly identical with

NUNCI

DESTRO of Akron,

Ohio, who was convicted during the

of 1963, for armed robbery in Columbus, ohio.

not known if he is in the penitentiary at the present time

or is out on appeal.

He has a brother, TONY DESTRO, who is

on the Akron PD).

At the DE ANGELO home, informant

overheard

conversation between these individuals and they were

discussing the obtaining of funds for operating gambling

houses in the Bahamas.

The informant remarked that DE ANGELO'S

home is a gathering point for many groups and that different

problems are discussed there.

He said that anyone going to

the DE ANGELO home calls first to see if the coast is clear

before going there.

Informant said that about three years ago, he heard

good friend of his, whom he refused to identify, that

KLEINMAN brought $1,000,000 to Cleveland in a suitcase

alone and took the money to the residence

of a woman who is an aunt or cousin of LOU ROTHKOPF, aka Lou

Rhody, now deceased".

He said the woman was supposed to

distribute or deliver this

money, but she refused.

For the information of the Bureau, close contact

will be maintained with this informant in an effort to obtain more

detailed information concerning his knowledge of criminal

intelligence matters and La Cosa Nostra.

Any pertinent

information developed will be furnished to the Bureau and

interested offices.

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