Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: SAC, PG
To: DIRECTOR, FBI
Document date: 12/29/1960
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Agency Information

Date:

5/28/201

AGENCY:

RECORD NUMBER :

FBI

124-10213-10443

RECORD SERIES:

HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER: CR 62-9-39-219

Released under the John F.

Kennedy Assassination

Records Collection Act DI

1992 (44 USC 2107 Notel.

Case#:NW 45854 Date:

Document Information

ORIGINATOR: FBI

FROM:

SAC, PG

TO: DIRECTOR, FBI

TITLE:

. DATE: 12/29/1960

PAGES:

22

SUBJECTS :

SMO, THP, INCOME TAX, ASSOC, B/F INT, TESUR

DOCUMENT TYPE :

PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION: Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS: 4; 11(a)

CURRENT STATUS : Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW :

01/29/1999

OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE, APPROVAL OF IRS

COMMENTS : INC LHM

v9.1

HH 45854

DocId: 32294667

Page 1

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## Page 2

A No. 1oe

TES

memoran

MENT

m

• B

TO

Director, FBI (02-9)

DATE: 12/29/60

• FROM

g Pittsburgh (92-407)

REVEWED BY FOVUFK TASK FORCE

SUBJECT

•ORIMINAE NRIME AND RACKETEERINGON 1-20=98

CRIMINAL INTELLIGENGE

PROGRAM

RELEASE

ReBulete to Albany, 12/13/60.

RELEAS

.E TOTAL/

Attached are the original and sive copies of a letterhead

nemorandim concerning the nature and extent of the tarocca-

Generation desertetson to the Department, together

as follows,

identified

PG T-1 Lis

PCI of the Pittsburgh

Office who is intimately acquainted with both GENOVESE and

LA' ROCCA through association with them when they began their

racket careers in Pittsburghts East Liberty Section.

was contacted initially by SA ROBERT A. VOEGE on 2/27/58,

and, has been utilized on a continuing basis in the Pittsburgh

Top Hoodlum Program.

PG T-2 is information received from the Internäl Revenue

Service through Bureau liaison on Bureau letter dated 12/20/57;

Letter of SA JOHN C. SCHWARTZ, Pittsburgh, Pa. Internal

Revenüe Service dated 12/5/57 and photostatic copies of the

Income tax reports of MIKE GENOVESE from 1951 through 1956.

DOUCE on.

PGIT-3 Is PG 612-C who was contacted by SA RICHARD. GORDON

-20/14/60.

come ba ca 6343-6 who was contacted oy sAs of the enscago l

office of the FBIon 9/8/59,

and whose information was

subsequently furnished to the Pittsburgh Office on 9/9/59.

-Bureau

- Pittsburghs

(1 - 92-226

92-235

L6:

0601

T4-1030)

6240129219

RAV: mz

is ĐE 30 :9

9 FEB 101961%

Sis.

NW 45854 DooId: 32294667

Page 2

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## Page 3

+ 92=407*

G T-4 is PG 505-C who was contacted by SA ROBERT A. VOEG

in 2/19/58 and has been utilized on

nuing basis

che Top Hoodlum Program Of the pitt

office.

PG T-5 is the report of 6-

"WILSON-STITELER,

Intelligence Division

internal Revenue Ser

Reviewer Conferee,

'ce,

dated.

4/18/55.

PG I-6 1s parvec contacted by.

SPORTELLA on 17/25/57.

The Special AgentAto

Whom SEBAS

TAN

JOHN LA ROCCA explained

his bustnessau

North Star

dement

Block Companywin

Pittsburghcon

50:13

SA

ROBERT A

*VOEGE of the Pittsburgh

Office

The Specia

in connect

SA ROBERT

*Agent who interviewed ARTHUR DINEESON On 9/1/59

on with the Phoenix Motel at Monroeville, Pa. is

MoncE of the Pittsburgh orrace

PG T-T is ROBERT GANLEY of the Intelligence

Division, Internal

Revenue Service,

Pittsburgh, Pa., whow

contacted by SA ROBERT A.

VOEGE on 10/29/59.

The Special Agent to whom Mrs. ELIZABETH LOUTSENHIZER talked

about the operation of the Toll Gate Motel at Monroeville, Pa.

on 4/25/60 is SA ROBERT A. VOEGE of the Pittsburgh Office.

PG T-8 is L

JFK Act 6(4)

a PCI of the Pittsburgh Office,

who was contacted by SA ROBER!

A. VOEGE on 9/12/60, and who

is being utilized for continuing information in the Pittsburgh

Top Hoodlum Program.

-2-

913-10043

NW 45854 DooId: 32294667 Page 3

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## Page 4

In Reply, Please Refer to

File No.

UNTIED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION-

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

December 29, 1960

WEK Act 6 (4)

THE LA ROCCA-GENOVESE ORGANIZATION

I. CHARACTERIZATION AND ORIGIN OF THE ORGANIZATION

The most complete understanding of the origin and background

of the LaRocca-Genovese Organization can probably be

obtained from infopmation relating to the early activities

of SEBASTIAN JOHNALA ROCCA ana MIKE GENOVESE furnished to

a roller one denhe Fadeal aureau of investon

as fOllows: OHN

HENNOT TANGEGENONE.

on Februat 27, 1958,

6325 SVETLAND

advised-that he had been pree..

in the numbers writing activity since about 1928 and 18 still Pea

active: in this regard. He said that most of Pittsburgh's

present day "big racket men" once depended on him solely

protection purposes since he knew local and state police

figures and recalled that JOHN LA ROCCA was one of these

racketeers.

I stated that LA ROCCA became acquainted

with him in about 1941 or 1942 when LA ROCCA was handling all

the numbers activity in the East Liberty section of Pittsburgh

and had set himself up as a "little God."

When LA ROCCA

became dissatisfied with his financial

gains, he left Pittsburgh

on a trip to Chicago to see friends about paste reel machines

with which he felt he could make more money.

said a

paste reel was similar to a "one-armed bandit" with the excep-

tion that a small paper-wrapped mint was dispensed after the

coin was placed in the slot and the play was registered. The

Chicago manufacturer of this machine circumvented the "strictly

for gambling purposes" phraseology in the law in this manner.

While LA ROCCA was

in Chicago,

said he moved into the

East Liberty section and

took over the entire numbers operation.

He turned in his numbers returns to one GEORGE CHRISTY (nOW

deceased) in Pittsburgh. When LA ROCCA returned to Pittsburgn

he became angry with

and his move and had someone drive

a car over

one night as he was crossing a

street.

said when he was discharged from the hospital he found out that

COPIES DESTROYED

FEB 7 1964

08

ENCLOSURE

62-9-39-219

NW 45854 DooId: 32294667 Page 4

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## Page 5

his automobile had numerous bullet holes in it. Jk Act 6 4) said

that because he thought he would make money in the East Liberty

section, he stayed in the business of writing numbers and

actually forced LA ROCCA out of the numbers business.

FK Act 6

advised that in about 1943,

he and LA ROCCA became

friendly and LA ROCCA invited him to share equally in the

ownership of the Coin Machine Distributing Company which later

set up offices at 5746 Baum Boulevard in Pittsburgh. JFK Act 6 (4)

recalled that LA ROCCA was completely bankrupt at that time

because of numbers setbacks but managed to raise enough money

to put up his share.

JFK Act 6 (4)said he personally travelled to

Chicago to arrange for the purchase of machines to be distributed

To be one mout ed

by this company and had a verbal agreement with ART ROONEY who

allowed him to place these machines throughout the Fast Liberty, I

Homewood and Garfield sections of Pittsburgh where ROONEY was

not operating.

According tok Act 61) ROONEY, who is the present

owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, professional football club,

was the only man who could get paste reels before LA ROCCA

tried, and controlled the entire Pittsburgh vicinity in this

regard. Jk Act 6(4)said that the government placed a $100 tax

stamp on each machine and the City of Pittsburgh put a $50 tax

stamp on each machine. He said that other owners of the

company, in addition to himseli ana LA ROCCA,

BARNEY MC GINLEY, SAMUEL MANNARINO and F. W. ZOGG, the latter

from chicagorA,

JFK Act 6(4) advised that the company was doing well financially

before Allegheny County authorities raided establishments

where the machines had been placed and forced it out of business.

He recalled that although each of the six aforementioned

individuals owned an equal share in the company, SAM MANNARIN®

and LA ROCCA seemed to run everything and held meetings at

which important subjects were discussed in Italian, which he

did not understand.

He advised that he realized that LA ROCCA

was only using him for his proven protection methods and kAct 6 (4)

did not mind as long as

he got his cut of the profits. He

recalled that during 1946 or 1947, MIKE GENOVESE came on the

scene.

He stated that this individual had been a pickup man

for LA ROCCA in the East Liberty-Homewood section of Pittsburgh

and was a tough kid who, according tok Act 6 (4)

"was almost begging

He said LA ROCCA turned GENÓVESE over to him

PH

-2-

45854 DocId: 32294667

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## Page 6

for future plans.

He recalled that FRANK/VALENTI, whO

Nas presenu

at the Apalachin conference of hoodlums,

and ANTONIO RIPEPI, a Pittsburgh hoodlum, visited the

7PA

offices of the Coin Machine Distributing Company regularly

and always took orders from MANNARINO and LA ROCCA.

said RIPEPI was a more important racket man than VALENTI

but that LA ROCCA

seemed to be the key man in the Pittsburgh

area.

He said he would place LA ROCCA and MANNARINO as

the two men controlling the rackets in Western Pennsylvania

and he sees MIKE GENOVESE as the logical successor to

the top position.

PG T-1, who has expressed an unwillingness to appear before

any future Federal or State proceedings, advised that in

about 1947 Pittsburgh labor leader NICHOLASSTIRONE visited Ph*

the offices of the Coin Machine Distributing Company and

asked SAMUEL MANNARINO to get some "gorillas" to handle some

men who were giving STIRONE labor trouble on a highwagy

vicinity and more

specificallyto give the dissenters a "going over" at the

same time they were upsetting their equipment.

According to

the informant, this job was carried out by SAMUEL MANNARINO

for STIRONE buttMANNARINO became incensed when he learned

his "gorillas! had hurt some older Italian men. The informant

said that MANNARINO had been under the impression that the

men who had defied STIRONE were young punks.

The aforementioned informant advised that the term "Mafia"

was never used when he was closely associated with LA ROCCA,

He said that everyone

knew these individuals during the late 1930s and early 1940s

as "blackhanders" and that this term was bandied about without

fear at the offices of the Coin Machine Distributing Company

when LA ROCCA held sway. He said that the aforementioned

individuals hired groups. of "toughs" to do their work for

them and that these hoodlums of low intelligence and poor

Italian background carried no knives or guns.

He said that

he recalls that they were armed with cue sticks which they

had ostensibly stolen from poolrooms throughout the Pittsburgh

area and which had been sawed off to 12-15-inch lengths.

He explained that the heavy. end of the cue stock was used

bottom and lead used as a further weight. He said that after

-3-

"lions??

NW 45854 DooId: 32294667 Page 6

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## Page 7

III.

POSSIBLE ACTIVITY OF OPERATIONS

PG T-5, another government agency conducting intelligence

investigations,

JFK Law 11(a)

PG T-6, who has expressed an unwillingness to appear before

any future Federal

or State proceedings, stated that he was

with PAT TIANI, described by the informant as a used car

salesman on the afternoon of November 25, 1957, when TIANI

met MIKE GENOVESE and they entered the Genovese Cocktail

Lounge together.

He said he met TIANI two hours later and

was told that GENOVESE had been discussing the meeting at

Apalachin, N. Y: According to TIANI,

GENOVESE remarked that

"They'll never find out what went on in New York and

when they do no one will ever believe it." The informant

explained that according to TIANI, GENOVESE said the meeting

in New York took place in order to plan legitimate enterprises

in which the group might make an investment and it was agreed

that motels should be bailt throughout the country and be

operated legitimately.

The informant said that according

to TIANI, GENOVESE said the local representatives were to

begin the construction of a motel in their territory and if they

encountered any financial trouble the group meeting at

Apalachin would

be called upon for assistance.

PG T-2 on January 13, 1958, advised that

-9-

62-9-39-219

Il (a)

913-19483

45854 DooId: 32294667 Page 7

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## Page 8

In Reply, Please Refer to

File No.

VITED STATES DEPARTMENI OF JUSTICE

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

Fistsburgh, Pennsylvania

December 29, 1960

THE LA ROCCA-CENOVESE ORGANIZATION

I. CHARACUERIZATION AND ORIGIN OF THE ORCANIZATION

The most complete understanding of the origin and baokground

of SEBASTIAN JOHN LA ROCCA and MIKE

GENOVESE furnished to

the Pittsburgh Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation

as follows:

On Pebruary 27, 1950,

advised that he had been

in the numbers

writing

activity since about 1928 and is

s6111

active in this regard.

He said that most of

pletsburgh's

present day "big racket men"

once depended on him solely for

protection purposes sinee he knew local and

figures and recalled that JOHN LA ROCCA was

racketeers. Jk Act 6(4)stated that LA ROCCA became acquainted

with him in about 1941 or 19:2 when LA ROCCA was handling all

the numbers, activity in the last uberty

and had set himgelf up as a

nilotle dod. Necuton of Pittaburen

When LA ROCCA

became dissatisfied with his financial gains, he left Pittsburgh

on ₴

trip to Chleago to see friends about paste reel machines

with which he felt he could make more money.

JFK Act 6 (4) Bald a

paste: reel was similar to a

"one-armed bandit with the excep-

tion that a small paper-wrapped mint was diapensed after the

coin was placed in the slot and the play was registered. The

Chicago: manufacturer of this machine circunvented the

"strictly

for gambling purposes" phrascology in the law in this manner.

While LA ROCCA was in Chleago,IK At 6(4 said he moved into the

Last Iberty section and took over the entire numbers operation.

he tamed in his numbere returns to one GORCE CHRISTY

deceased) in Fittsburgh..

he became angry withik Act 6 4and his move and had someone drive

ney were thana mil

(now

When LA ROCCA returned to Pittsburgh

a car over fk Act 6 4one night as he was crossing a

• street. JK Act 6 (4

said when he was discharged

from

the hospital

he found

I out that

NW 45854 DooId: 32294667

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