Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: FITZPATRICK
To: DE
Document date: 12/9/63
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107 Hote).

DATE: 11-14-2017

JFK Assassination System

Date:

5/7/2015

Identification Form

Agency Information'

AGENCY :

RECORD NUMBER :

FBI

124-10342-10372

RECORD SERIES: DE

AGENCY FILE NUMBER : ELSUR 92-228-1010

Document Information

ORIGINATOR: FBI

FROM: FITZPATRICK

TO:

DE

TITLE :

DATE :

PAGES:

SUBJECTS :

12/09/1963

7

DOCUMENT TYPE :

CLASSIFICATION:

RESTRICTIONS :

CURRENT STATUS :

DATE OF LAST REVIEW:

ANTHONY GIACALOANE (ELSUR)

PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

Unclassified

4

Redact

12/09/1998

OPENING CRITERIA : INDEFINITE

• COMMENTS :

v9.1

DocId: 32315654

Page 1

---

## Page 2

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

DATE: 11-11-2017

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT

MEMORANDUM

TO:

FROM:

RE:

SAC, DETROIT (137-2879)

Date: 12/9/63

SA ROBERT N. FITZPATRICK /X/ CI / / SI

DE 878-C-TE

1. / PCI

/ I PSI

Dates of Contact

October 31, 1963

Titles and File. Nos on which contacted

HYMAN "LINDY" NISKAR, aka, ITSP

PETER AMORMINO, aka,

UFAD - B&E n/t

PETER LICAVOLI, aka, AR

JOSEPH VERILL, aKa, AR

ANTHONY "TONY"

GIACALONE, aka, AR

MATHEW "MIKE" RUBINO, aka, AR

JOHN JUDSON WHITE, aka, AR

WILLIAM "BLACK BILL' TOCCO, aka, AR

MITCHELL RAHAAL, aka, AR

SAMUEL JOSEPH GIORDANO, aka, AR

LOUIS LA HOOD SARKIS,

aks, AR

JOSEPH "HOOKS" MIRABILE,

aka, AR

NICK DITIA, ARE, AR

CURTIS LEWIS, aka, AR

CRIME CONDITIONS IN MICHIGAN

ELIAS "RIP" KOURY, ak&, AR

aka, AR

PETER CAVATAIO, aka, AR

EDWARD "TARZAN" CHRISTOPHERSKI, aka

NUMBERS CONTROL FILE

GAMBLING IN NATIONAL SPORTS, FOOTBALL

PETER LICAVOLI, aka, ITWI

Purpose

and Results of contact

/./ Negative

/x/ Positive

Rating

EXCELLENT

RNF : BJM

(24)

87-8561 (R. F.. O'Neil)

885838

(Archer)

92-217 (Montefiore)

92-218

(Churchi1])

92-228 (Lunt)

92-229

(Montefiore)

92-433

(Moseley)

92-490

(Shirley)

92-585

(Montefiore)

92-660

(Fitzpatrick)

92-672

(Fitzpatrick)

92-771

(Moseley)

92-833

(Transeth)

92-872

(Moseley)

92-876

(Montefiroe)

92-925

(Arnett)

92-963

(Walters)

92-1007

(Montefiore)

92-1140 (Cammarota)

157-62 (Carroll)

162-19 (Camnarota)

162-45 (Shirley)

165-247 (Montefiore)

Coverage

SAME

92 - 228-1010

Searched

Indexed

Serialized

Marie my

12/9/63

LUNI

DocId: 32315654 Page 2

---

## Page 3

Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107 Hote)

DATE: 11-14-2017

DE 137-2879

Informant advised that he has been in frequent contact

with NICK DITTA throughout the previous

week. He stated that

DITTA claims to him to be in "bad shape" financially. He said that

he and DITTA have occasionally talked about "burn Jobs" but that

DITTA claims that he has been unable to come up with a "score".

Informant advised that DITTA gets "so much" money "in front" for

"burn job" and then he also gets a percentage of the

"burn ins

surance"

He revealed that DITTA told him that he was interviewed

by the FBI the other day and that DITTA apparently considered him-

self "real clever! when he complained to the FBI Agent that he

wished it was true that

that he com notake i

"backed" by the' Detroit criminal

syndicate as then he (DITTA) would not have all the bills that he

does.

Informant said that DITTA told him that he put on a good

"cry act" about his bills and that he even got them out to show

the FBI.

Informant advised that, to his knowledge, NICK DITTA does

not have any

checking or savings

account.

He said that he does

not believe

that DITTA has an account at

any bank covering financial

transactions of his carlot either.

He revealed that DITTA has

"nothing but iron" i e., junk cars, on his lot and that all of

DITTA's business is "out of pocket" anyway.

Informant advised that

DITTA

occasionally uses the Public Bank at Van Dyke and Seven Mile

Rd. for some type of banking transaction involving his lot, DITTA

AUTO SALES, 10400 Gratiot Ave.?

however

does not believe that

DITTA carries an account

at Public Bank.

Informant advised on 11/1/63, that he

was with NICK

DITTA most of that day.

He said that he bought a car from DITTA

at DITTA's used car lot and that he gave DITTA his Cadillac as a

trade-in.

He added that DITTA bought this car lot, which is

continues to bang around

Informant advised that NICK DITTA tOld him that he has

a "mooshine still""

• that he wants to sell. He revealed that DITTA

has this "still" hidden in his garage and that it is crated.

In-

formant related that DITTA told him that his "still" is actually

worth $4200.00 but that DITTA only wants $500 for it.

He claimed

that DITTA desired that. Informant attempt to sell this "still" and

that he (Informant) could keep any amount of money he made for it

over $500.00.

Informant advised that during the time of year when the

night harness tracks are running around the Detroit area there

DocId: 32315654 Page 3

---

## Page 4

Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107 Note)

DATE: 11-14-2017

DE 137-2879

exists in Detroit a gambling operation known as "night numbers"

Informant stated that the Detroit Italian syndicate has nothing

whatsoever to do with "night numbers", which betting is

confined

solely to the Negro Numbers operators

in Detroit. He added that

the payoff in "night numbers" is still the same, 500 - 1, however,

there is only one winning number each night and

this number is

taken from harness race results each Monday through Saturday even-

ings at Hazel Park, Wolverine, Northville and Jackson Park Harness

tracks.

Informant advised that another form of gambling presently

exists in the Detroit area which is controlled by the Detroit

Italian syndicate. He identified this gambling game as the Italian

Lottery.

He said

that the Italian lottery has been under the direct

control of "BLACK BILL" TOCCO for many years and that the Italian

Lottery was run by "the people" before they got into the numbers

racket.

Informant explained that the Italian Lottery sheet is sold

Monday and that the bettor picks

six numbers.

He added

that the winning number each week comes out of Italy. Informant

advised that there is no longer much "action" with Italian Lottery

tickets in Detroit, however, PATSY CUVELLO, the barber for many years

of the syndicate people, still has them in his barber shop in the

Glan Gables Apt. building, 631 Selden Ave., Detroit..

Informant advised that during the years that he ran a

"unit" for MIKE RUBINO in PETE LICAVOLI's numbers house he operated

under some very strict business rules.

He revealed that RUBINO

allowed him, and others in his "unit", to pick up any numbers

"business" or "stops" around

town that he wanted to with the

distinct ex ception of any numbers "business" belonging to JOHN

WHITE's operation or to the Murphy House.

Informant advised that

just prior to the time that he went to work for RUBIN he and

SAMMY GIORDANO were "in partners" in their own independent numbers

He said that he and "SAMMY G." were doing about

$3500.00 a day "action" too.

He stated that they used to "turn

in" around $700.00 to $800.00 a day numbers

layoff to a Negro

numbers man named CURTIS LEWIS. Informant related further that

in the early 1950's he used to be "in partners" with ODUS TINCHER

in an independent numbers house operation and that, even then, they

"turned in" numbers "layoffs" each day to CURTIS LEWIS.

Informant advised that each Friday morning prior to

8:00 a.M., EDWARD "TARZAN" CHRISTOPHERSKI leaves his apartment in

the Glen Gables Apts., 631 Selden Ave., Detroit, and he drives to

Lansing, Michigan, in his 1963 blue Ford convertible.

He stated

that he does not know any details regarding "TARZAN's" strange

Friday morning trips,

however "TARZAN" either is picking up a

- 3-

DocId: 32315654 Page 4

---

## Page 5

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

DATE:, 11-14-2017

DE 137-2879

"package" of money from some individual who lives in the Lansing

area who he has blackmailed or else "TARZAN" is picking up foot-

ball pool ticket bets from the Michigan State University campus.

Informant advised that in the numbers business in Detroit

it is customary that all big numbers "hits" are paid off in $100

and $50.00 bills. He furnished the following recent winning numbers

in Detroit:

First Race

Second Race

Thursday 10/31/63

420

045

Wednesday 10/30/63

413

368

Tuesday 10/29/63

712

263

In regards to this office's investigation into allega-

tions regarding PETE LICAVOLI and the range of LICAVOLI's activities

in the numbers business in Detroit, Informant advised specifically

as follows:

The "green sheet" is peculiar to the Detroit numbers

business and it has never been distributed in any other city in

the United States except Detroit.

He explained that the "green

sheet" would be useless anyplace

but Detroit because Detroit is

the only city which gets its winning numbers from daily race results

of various tracks, which are selected, in fact, by PETE LICAVOLI

and "RIP" KOURY.

Informant emphasized

that LICAVOLI has handled

the "green sheet" deal and the

• "service" for almost twenty-five

years in the numbers in Detroit and that LICAVOLI has employed

"RIP" KOURY, whom Informant refers to as "The Old Man"

, as the

"general superintendent" of both of these lucrative operations.

Informant stated that the "dago numbers houses" ceased

activity in the numbers on Friday, October 25, 1963, however,

Detroit still received the winning numbers each day even though

the syndicate "went out of action". He stated further that such

numbers gambling is operated differently thrughout the country

and that he knows of no other city which has such a sophisticated

numbers operation as does Detroit.

Informant said that Toledo,

Ohio

uses the daily U.S. Treasury balance to select their winning

number; Cleveland uses stock exchange results; Chicago

polley "wheel"; and New York has; what he tarned "one in the

pocket", where

"you bet two numbers and you got four going for

you." Informant, in expanding his comments about the syndicate

-4.-

DocId: 32315654

Page 5

---

## Page 6

Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107 Notej

DATE:, 11-14-2017

DE 137-2879

control over gambling in Detroit stated generally "if you think

JOE ZERILLI OF MIKE RUBINO is a fool, forget it.

He emphasized

that "they"have dominated the Italian "working stiffs" all their

lives

in this town.

# said that "a RUBINO cannot dominate the

intelligent, he dominates the ignorant."

Informant advised that THOMAS FRANCIS "BOO BOO" DAVIS,

who is LOUIE LA HOOD's uncle, is selling narcoticsaround town.

said that "BOO BOO" is selling black morphine tablets and that he

"headquarters" his sales of "junk" out of the Strathmore Hotel,

Informant advised that he continues

to hear the story

around town that JOE "HOOKS" MIRABILE "took a beating" from MIKE

RUBINO recently. He stated that "JOE HOOKS" has been employed for

years in the numbers with RUBINO and that he has been stealing from

RUBING throughout

that time. He said that "JOE HOOKS" "knows the

rules of the game" and if he had a beating coming he will take it and

"keep his mouth shut" about it

Informant revealed that, on the

other hand, "JOE HOOKS" MIRABILE has a younger brother who is about

twenty-six years old and who is

called

"LITTLE HOOKS" MIRABILE.

He

claimed that "LITTLE HOOKS" is a "real vicious kid" and that he

hates the "syndicate Dagoes" and will go out on his own to "avenge"

his brother's beating if need be. He added that "LITTLE HOOKS"

MIRABILE usually hangs around the Field and Jefferson area.

Informant advised that about a year or so ago MITCHELL

RAHAAL saved "JOE HOOKs" from a beating.

He explained that TONY

GIACALONE and his brother, BILLY, were looking for "JOE HOOKS"

one day around the Field and Jefferson area to set him up for a

beating. He stated that they grabbed a little guy named "GAIDO",

who is a close friend of JOE CORRADO, and who the GIACALONES be-

leeved would know "JOE HOOK's" whereabouts. Informant advised that

location but that he telephoned MITCH RAHAAL instead and that

RAHAAL came over immediately, met TONY GIACALONE,

and talked him out

of carrying out his intentions upon "JOE HOOKS"

Informant advised that he has not seen "BIG TIME PETE"

AMORMINO around town in the last four or five months. He claimed

that AMORMINO is supposedly

"on the lam" from the FBI and is in

hiding out of town.

He stated that AMORMINO knows the Tampa, Florida

area very well and could be located there.

He added that SAM RUBIN

an attorney in Detroit who owns the Chateau Frontenac Apts. at

DocId: 32315654

Page 6

---

## Page 7

Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (44 USC 2107 Note)

DATE:. 11-14-2017

DE 1372879

10410 E. Jefferson Ave., where AMORMINO lived for years, would be

one individual who ought to know "BIG TIME PETE'S"

whereabouts

Informant advised that PETE DI LORENZO owns the Dilorenzo

Imported Foods store at 13227 Mack Ave., telephone VA 2-7454 and

alSO DI LORENZO's Pizzeria,

13231 Mack Ave

telephone

e VA 1-4951,

which are adjacent business places.

Informant stated that DI LORENZO

is about 50 years old and that he has three sons, AUGIE DI LORENZO,

age 24, JIMMY DI LORENZO, age 22, and JOEY DI LORENZO, age 18 years.

He said that PETE DI LORENZO lives at 4874 Kensington Ave, Detroit,

telephone TU 5-0317, and that DI LORENZO's mother and father-in-law.

Live with them.

Informant advised that it is his belief that

PETE DI LORENZO is the source of the counterfeit $20.00 bills which

have recently been flooding the Detroit area.

He claimed that

earlier this year PETE DI LORENZO had disappeared from town and

that in conversation with DI LORENZO's wife he (Informant)

was told

that PiTk was visiting in Italy.

Ya company with PeTE DEC

Informant advised that a month or

so later when in company with PETE DI LORENZO he had learned, through

a "slip" on PETE DI LORENZO's part, that Di LORENZO had actually

the years wonts often hadd ratherera stan expert printer oe

He added that over

counterfeit U.S. bills who lives in Montreal. Informant recalled

that he had once been given

$60,000.00 in counterfeit $20.00 bills

by JOHN JACOB SAMARIN of Cleveland, Ohio, from a "batch"

of one

million dollars which SAMARIN told him had been printed up by a

"contact" of his, a printer, in Montreal, Canada.

Informant mentioned that PAULIE LEGO, who is now in

Milan Prison having been sentenced in

USDC Detroit for passing these

counterfeit 20's, is a close friend of PETE DI LORENZO's and that

LEGO used to hang around DI LORENZO's Pizzeria all the time.

revealed also that LANEY COBB,

"DUCKY! DIETZ, JOSEPHINE FOUREZ, and

"PIXIE"

IMBRUNONE used to frequent DI LORENZO's Pizzeria and that

all four of them were arrested for

• passing counterfeit $20.00 bills

and, at present,

COBB and DIETZ are on probation. Informant added

that PAULIE LEGO had earlier told him that LANEY COBB had "signed

a statement" against him (COBB) with the U.S. Secret Service and

that COBB had also appeared as a Government witness

against him at

his trial.

Informant advised that early this past summer he was in

company with JIMMY DI LORENZO and he brought DI LORENZO into the

Master Realty to introduce him to some friends of his in this real

- 6=

DocId: 32315654

Page 7

---

## Page 8

Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 (11 USC 2107 Hote).

DATE:. 11-14-2017

DE 137-2879

estate office. Informant stated

that Master Realty is located

at 13331 Mack Ave., which is just in the

next block east of

DI LORENZO'S Pizzeria.

He advised that, on this particular

day, he introduced JINNY DI LORENZO tO HYMAN

"LINDY" NISKAR, DAVE

EDWARDS,

"MOPS" LICAVOLI and "JOCKO" LOWE, all of won were e

ployed at Master Realty.

Informant said that he

had heard that

"LINDY" NISKAR had recently been picked up out of town for passing

these counterfeit $20.00 bills. He said too that JOHNNY JARJOSA's

former girl friend, SANDRA (INU), who uses the name "SUNNY" SMITH

and who used to work at the Kismet Lounge, was also arrested for

passing these same counterfeit twenties.

Infornant commented

that this past summer LINDY NISKAR Lived on the 12th floor of the

Royal Palms Hotel, 2305 Park Avenue, in a room just down the ball.

from "SUNNY" SMITH, who is a prostitute.

Informant advised that he has recently been with

PATRICIA HEDGES, whom he has known as a neighbor and friend

for

many years, and

that HEDGEs is a prostitute.

He stated that

HEDGES is married and has a family and that

she lives at 1432 Sey-

burn Ave. Detroit, with her husband, EDDIE HEDGES.

Informant

revealed

that EDDIE HEDGES' brother, JIMMY HEDGES, is a "legitimate

kid" who fancies himself to be an inventor but who works in a

printing shop on Van Dyke Ave. near the Conant Heating and Supply

Co., 18409 Van Dyke Ave., Detroit.

night at his home he was contacted by PAT HEDGES and that, during

the course of conversation, she asked him if he (Informant) knew

anyone who wants to pass any counterfeit money or counterfeit pay

roll checks.

He said that apparently PATRICIA HEDGES is being

used as a passer" and that, on her own, she is attempting to

recruit otber "passers" of counterfeit to assist her.

that HEDGES

assured him that the individual from who she can get

counterfeit will check closely on any

"passer" before he is given

the actual counterfeit and that, if need be, "phony" identification

"can easily be provided."

Informant added that he is personally

about all this and

he will endeavor to gain additional

information from HEDGES regarding this operation. He stated

further that PATRICIA HEDGES has four children and that she occasion-

ally operates as a prostitute for JOE CORRADO out of the Motor City

Bar, 235 Bagley Ave. s

Detroit.

fIt is noted that JOE CORRADO is

presently being sought as a fugitive by the Secret Service being

charged with passing these counterfeit $20.00 bills.)

7•0

DocId: 32315654

Page 8

---