Friends of Ours

Sonny Franzese Won't Be Home For Christmas

John Franzese, the 93-year-old reputed Colombo underboss convicted last July on federal racketeering charges involving the shake down of two NYC strip clubs and a loan shark operation, has been denied a bid to spend the next three weeks at home before he is sentenced next month as reported by Mitchel Maddux for the New York Post.  No word on whether Sonny was expecting a stripper in festive holiday wear under the tree.

On a historical note, the Colombo crime family long has been involved in the smut rackets -- massage parlors, porn distribution, sex clubs -- and Sonny Franzese allegedly had an interest in the porn classic Deep Throat.  At one time Franzese allegedly did business with reputed Genovese capo Matthew Ianniello who was a dominant player in the gay bar industry.  An October 8, 1967 article ("Mafia Increasing Investments in Business on L.I.") by Charles Grutzner from the New York Times states: '"Franzese is reported to have a concealed stake in several bars, motels and cocktail lounges, including places patronized by homosexuals. A sideline in the operation of such spots is the blackmailing of wealthy or prominent patrons."  Steve Ostrow, the owner of the infamous Continental Baths at 230 West 74th Street in the Hotel Ansonia, alleges in his 2007 memoir Live at the Continental:  The Inside Story of the World-Famous Continental Baths that the Colombo family provided his gay bathhouse with protection from rival mob families after he agreed to install its vending machines on the premises.

Joseph Colombo was shot by Jerome Johnson, a black mobster wannabe, during a rally of the Italian American Coalition at Columbus Circle on June 28, 1971.  Following the shooting Colombo remained in a coma for nearly seven years until he finally expired.  Many theories abound on the motivation for the hit, and perhaps it was the result of the violent war at the time between the Colombo and Gambino crime families for control over the Times Square massage parlors and strip joints.  The shooter, Jerome Johnson, was attempting to become involved with the porn rackets through his friend Gambino and Genovese associate Mike Umbers, and maybe Johnson was told that the price of admission for a piece of the action was the murder of Colombo.  Johnson, however, never reaped the benefits for his deed:  he was shot and killed by a presumed Colombo bodyguard at the assassination scene.

Sonny Franzese Convicted Of Racketeering

John "Sonny" Franzese, the 93-year-old reputed Colombo underboss, has been convicted on federal racketeering charges involving the shake down of two NYC strip clubs and a loan shark operation as reported by Janon Fisher for the New York Post:  "Jurors apparently didn't believe defense claims that Franzese was a doddering old man living off Social Security."  The jury also convicted "co-defendants, Joseph DiGorga, John Capolino and Christopher Curanovic . . . of various charges, including extortion"as reported by John Marzulli for the Daily News.  After the verdict, Federal Judge Brian Cogan revoked Franzese's bail as reported by Tom Robbins for The Village Voice:

Franzese . . . slid his belt out of his pants. The alleged underboss of the Colombo crime family then leaned back in his chair and reached into his pockets. First the wallet came out of the back pocket, then a handful of coins from the left front. An inch-thick wad of bruised business cards fastened by a rubber band emerged from the front right. He passed these items to his attorney, Richard Lind. This is how wiseguys prepare for prison where these things are either unnecessary or not allowed.

On a historical note, the Colombo crime family long has been involved in the smut rackets -- massage parlors, porn distribution, sex clubs -- and Sonny Franzese allegedly had an interest in the porn classic Deep Throat.  At one time Franzese allegedly did business with reputed Genovese capo Matthew Ianniello who was a dominant player in the gay bar industry.  An October 8, 1967 article ("Mafia Increasing Investments in Business on L.I.") by Charles Grutzner from the New York Times states: '"Franzese is reported to have a concealed stake in several bars, motels and cocktail lounges, including places patronized by homosexuals. A sideline in the operation of such spots is the blackmailing of wealthy or prominent patrons."  Steve Ostrow, the owner of the infamous Continental Baths at 230 West 74th Street in the Hotel Ansonia, alleges in his 2007 memoir Live at the Continental:  The Inside Story of the World-Famous Continental Baths that the Colombo family provided his gay bathhouse with protection from rival mob families after he agreed to install its vending machines on the premises.

Joseph Colombo was shot by Jerome Johnson, a black mobster wannabe, during a rally of the Italian American Coalition at Columbus Circle on June 28, 1971.  Following the shooting Colombo remained in a coma for nearly seven years until he finally expired.  Many theories abound on the motivation for the hit, and perhaps it was the result of the violent war at the time between the Colombo and Gambino crime families for control over the Times Square massage parlors and strip joints.  The shooter, Jerome Johnson, was attempting to become involved with the porn rackets through his friend Gambino associate Mike Umbers, and maybe Johnson was told that the price of admission for a piece of the action was the murder of Colombo.  Johnson, however, never reaped the benefits for his deed:  he was shot and killed by a presumed Colombo bodyguard at the assassination scene.

Sonny Goes To Trial Next Week

John "Sonny" Franzese, the reputed underboss of the Colombo crime family, goes to trial next week pursuant to a June 2008 indictment "on racketeering, loansharking, and extortion charges involving a Long Island pizzeria," and among those slated to testify against the 93-year-old smut king -- he allegedly had a piece of the 1972 porno flick Deep Throat -- is his son John Franzese Jr. as reported by Jerry Capeci for The Huffington Post:  "He'll be on the witness stand, pointing a damning finger at his old man. No matter what he says about that, Sonny is devastated by that betrayal, and surely distraught at being the only New York mobster in Gang Land's memory to have his son take the witness stand against him."  Earlier this month Franzese was hit with new charges alleging he shook down the Hustler and Penthouse strip clubs.  Capeci reports that "scheduled for trial with Sonny on various racketeering charges are local mob associates, John (Johnny Cop) Capolino, 41, and Joseph DiGorga, 69, who is also charged in the strip club extortions, as well as Los Angeles-based cohorts, Christopher Curanovic, 28, and Orlando (Ori) Spado, 65."

The Colombo crime family has been involved in the smut rackets -- massage parlors, porn distribution, sex clubs -- and Sonny Franzese allegedly did business with reputed Genovese capo Matthew Ianniello who was a dominant player in the gay bar industry from the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s.  An October 8, 1967 article ("Mafia Increasing Investments in Business on L.I.") by Charles Grutzner from the New York Times states: '"Franzese is reported to have a concealed stake in several bars, motels and cocktail lounges, including places patronized by homosexuals. A sideline in the operation of such spots is the blackmailing of wealthy or prominent patrons."  Steve Ostrow, the owner of the infamous Continental Baths at 230 West 74th Street in the Hotel Ansonia, alleges in his 2007 memoir Live at the Continental:  The Inside Story of the World-Famous Continental Baths that the Colombo family provided his gay bathhouse with protection from rival mob families after he agreed to install its vending machines on the premises.

FBI Investigated Deep Throat

The FBI has released its file on Deep Throat director Gerard Damiano who died last October, and to no one's surprise his 1972 porno flick Deep Throat was the subject of an investigation.  Indeed, according to Matt Sedensky from the Associated Press, the DOJ considered granting the director immunity for his cooperation in the investigation:

The FBI notes Damiano had been "somewhat cooperative," On Aug. 7, 1973, an assistant U.S. attorney general writes to [FBI Director Clarence] Kelley, saying Damiano is being considered for immunity. The memo doesn't specify the crime, though mentioned throughout the file is the charge of interstate transportation of obscene material.  * * * Authorities have long said the movie was made with mafia money - and the FBI has linked the mob with porn over the years - but the file includes no mention of mob links.

News: Gerard Domiano, Deep Throat & Colombo Crime Family; The Mafia in the Balkans; & ATF Undercover Agents & the Mongols Motorcycle Gang

***  Gerard Damiano, director of the Colombo crime family's 1972 porn classic Deep Throat starring an unwilling Linda Lovelace, has died at 80 in Fort Myers, Florida:

The Mafia controlled the distribution of the hardcore film, which grossed as much as $600m according to estimates by the FBI agents who attempted to follow the money trail throughout the rest of the Seventies.

***  Taking issue with a United Nations May 2008 report that "the Balkans region is one of the safest in Europe":

But this rose-colored report fell flat and was soon forgotten. Everyone knows the Balkans is the premier transit zone into Europe. Each year, 100 tons of heroin pass through the region. The human-trafficking business is worth some $5 billion to $7 billion annually. This kind of money buys a lot of power in such a poor region. * * * The European Union has already warned Croatia that it needs to crack down on corruption and organized crime. It has sent the same message to other governments in the region. The bloc has frozen hundreds of millions of euros of funding for new EU member Bulgaria because of its failure to curb powerful mafia organizations.  A recent U.S. university study of crime in the Balkans argues it will take at least 30 years to establish the rule of law in the region and root out the insidious partnership between politicians and the mafia.

***  After last week's round up of alleged members of the Mongols on federal racketeering charges, we are learning more about the undercover role of the four ATF agents who infiltrated the motorcycle gang.  The gang leadership was sophisticated enough to retain a private investigator to conduct background checks on and administer polygraph examinations to three of the four undercover "prospects" but the feds were prepared:

Weeks of drinking and carousing to win acceptance in a notorious motorcycle gang came down to a nerve-racking moment for three undercover federal agents: taking a polygraph examination in a room full of armed men. Flunking could threaten what would become a three-year probe into the Mongols Motorcycle Club — not to mention the agents' own safety. Federal prosecutors say all three Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents were prepared for the challenge and passed the tests, critical moments in the investigation that culminated last week in multistate raids and at least 64 arrests on charges including murder, drug trafficking and torture. * * * The Mongols ratcheted up pressure by standing directly behind the agents while they were hooked up to the polygraph, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Brunwin said. "Is it scarier to see the threat that is facing you, or ... taking a lie detector test while someone is standing behind you with a weapon?" the prosecutor said. "They could be getting ready to shoot."