According to federal prosecutors he is...

Federal prosecutors say a New York City mob boss purposefully ordered a hit on an associate because he had been disrespected.

Vincent "Vinnie Gorgeous" Basciano is on trial for capital murder, racketeering and other charges. He is already serving a life term for a conviction in a separate case and could face the death penalty if convicted on the new charges in the death of Randy Pizzolo.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Frank said in closing arguments Monday that Basciano continued to run the Bonanno crime family from his prison cell.

The case relies heavily on conversations between Basciano and jailed mafia boss Frank Massino who secretly wore a wire. Massino was the highest-ranking New York mobster to testify against another of the same crime family.

Basciano's attorney says his client is innocent.

http://fivefamiliesnyc.blogspot.com/

http://online.wsj.com/article/AP32a4704d13b14d529317d133378c8dbb.html

i don't see how he could possibly be running the family from jail right now. there's no way in hell. Maybe 5-6 years ago or whenever Massino made those tapes he was. Since then the lawyer they used to pass messages has got busted.

He's on the most extreme, most strict form of lockup at MCC or MDC or wherever he is, and when he's not locked in a coffin basically, he's probably preparing for the death penalty trial. unless the guy created his own language and/or had access to messenger pigeons on the roof of the jail, it'd be next to impossible for him to run the family from jail at this point

the whole basciano trial really irks me. death penalty - first time in like 60+ years - for ordering (not trigger pulling) the murder of another gangster? on top of that the Daily News, who's been itching for another Gotti trial, printing articles every day about the guy even making a story about what he has for lunch. im surprised they haven't told us whether he folds or crumples his toilet paper yet

you are absolutely right !!!!!!!

Yankees127,

I sent you a pm a couple of weeks ago. Look for the flashing red light near "My Stuff" at the top of your computer screen.

Four million to try this case. Four MILLION, to try a guy already doing life.

Do murderers belong in jail?

Absolutely; I'm no mob apologist.

You kill people, you belong in jail. But to spend four million to prosecute a guy who's already doing life, during the worst economic climate in almost a century, is obscene.

No wonder the country is in debt. No wonder the rest of the world laughs at us.

100% right on

well put the govt should think of the rest of the country and hard economic times before they indulge in this self seeking behavior

check this out

In "King of The Godfathers" there is a description of the fateful meeting between Massino and Basciano in the jail holding cell during which Massino was secretly taping his loyal underling. The tapes, transcripts of which are now available, continue to give insight into the way the Bonanno family was trying to regroup itself after Massino was convicted in July 2004. Massino annointed Basciano as a street boss who was supposed to consult two or three other trusted captain. But Basciano was so smitten by the power that he considered himself a first among equals, as this exchange with Massino shows. Basciano said that other captains had to check with him before ordering hits but he didn't have to check with anybody.

Basciano: They had to check with me.

Massino: Yeah, but you don't have to check with them.

Basciano: No.

Massino: Why? What makes the difference...you understand where I'm coming from?

Basciano: ...What I did what I tried to do, Joe, I tried to give a structure because everybody was all over the fuckin' board. And what I did, by me taking the reigns, I annointed myself, through you, as acting boss. I made Michael acting underboss and Anthony acting consiglieri. I told everybody: nobody makes a move without coming to me....

Basciano was apparently talking about Michael Mancuso and Anthony Rabito. Massino seemed a bit puzzled by Basciano's remarks, saying that he should sit down with the other so-called ruling panel members to discuss things. Massino said discussion was the way to do things, even when he was the boss. "I was the boss, and I used to sit down with Tony Green and Joe C., hey discuss things." Basciano agreed with Massino.

Basciano: My objective over here was for Joe Massino, not for Vinny Basciano. I put everybody together as a tough guy and told everybody that this is for you, it's not me. I made certain decisions over there to avoid all the bullshit of comin'back and forth in the can and I hadda make them in street. I told everybody, these decisions that I'm making aren't set in stone. If Joe wants to change 'em, he changes them. I'm doin' this right now for the good of this [borgata]. Everybody agreed. Michael Nose says Vinny, you know somethin'? I'm proud of ya. ...

Massino: Well, there's somethin' wrong now because...

Basciano then tried to explain the problems with Mancuso.

Basciano: The problem is over here, the first message I think that went out. What happened was, Michael might have moved too fast...after I got pinched, he went to Dominick and he started askin' Dominick questions about what I had goin' on the street. Dominick caught a delusion 'casue I know they had an argument.

Massino: Okay, okay.

Basciano then said that it wasn't Mancuso's business what he had. But Massino interjected and said Basciano couldn't say it wasn't Mancuso's business "if it's comin' to La Cosa Nostra." In other words any crime family business was something Mancuso had to be aware of, said Massino.

I don't think that transcript means anything at this point. That was several years ago BEFORE some serious had happened: Such as Massino flipping, and the new prison confinements of Basciano.

I doubt very much Basciano has any say in the current affairs of the Bonannos. When Capeci broke with news that Baladamenti was the new Acting Boss he mentioned that Basciano no longer running things. Everything coming out of the Bonannos right now seems to point to Baladamenti and Anthony Calabrese being the top dogs along with other guys like Santora, Rabito and Asaro.

Yeah I think you nailed it there PhillyKid. People in the know seem to be saying Vinny TV is everything over there now. And the No. 2 guy is probably Anthony Calabrese. The consigliere is either Anthony Rabito or Nicky Santora.

this was AFTER Massino had flipped but before it was revealed he had taped Basciano. check out the first line

"Massino was secretly taping his loyal underling."

i agree on the leadership, what does anybody know about anthony calabrese?

The Bonanno Family is to the mob kind of like Zeppo is to the Marx Brothers. They're pretty lame.

Is anyone here in or from the tri state area (NY/NJ/CT or even PA)? As I've probably mentioned before, I'm from Staten Island. I know 'the barber' is from the North End of Boston. Are there 'area' based forums here? If not, that might be a good idea. You know, a place for Staten Islanders, Boston North Enders, Philly people, etc. I assume we're all from the northeast but for all I know, half of you are posting from Oklahoma, LOL.

No offense intended of course; but I am curious as to just WHERE the people I'm talking to are from, ya know?

[hope this didn't offend anyone ;)]

I saw earlier where there are some people wondering what a waste of time and especially money to prosecute some like Basciano already doing life but if they don't and some how he wins appeals on earlier convictions then he walks.I used to wonder that too but some of these mobsters especially in the Philly area have had successful appeals.Sometimes the juries are getting tired of seeing how much some of these informats and rats are paid.That's how the current Philly boss got out,he won a new trial and beat it [Joe Ligambi],they said the jury was shocked when they found out co-operating witness's like Tommy DelGiorno were paid 750,000 thousand dollars, at one point.There was nothing else to hold him in already getting time served for a gambling conviction.

Yeah, Zachary. I'm from the South Fork of Long Island. I get all the Tri-State news and television. Like to think it gives me an interesting perspective (or no perspective at all), because I live in a crime free area, but if I drive a few miles up, I'm in light mob territory near a couple MS-13s. And an hour away is NYC. I was hesitant to give away my location while the Long Island thread was running (been chased around the internet by various creeps), but I feel I'm obligated to contribute by saying this: there is absolutely NO violent crime in Suffolk, Long Island. That's half of the entire island that's right off of Queens. A month ago there was a murder-suicide attempt where miraculously, no one was killed. But that's the worst we've seen in many years.

On topic. I wouldn't be surprised if Nicky Santora has a hand in the leadership. He was one of the few guys in the Black faction to make it out of the Brasco fiasco with no trouble, and he never had a falling out with Massino or Rastelli. He also took over Sonny Black's old crew, and we all know it would be hard to match Sonny's profits. So I'm sure he's a decent earner. Unfortunately, we just can't know until another informant pops up - Vinny TV and the rest of the possibles are too low key.

By the way I live in Florida but grew up in South Jersey.[Cherry Hill,Marlton,Burlington.Does anybody know if That killing that got Basciano first convicted that drug dealer from Throgs Neck,Frank Santoro the one who was going to kidnap his son,is he the son of Frank Santoro I read that killed a high-ranking mob associate back in 02 I think named Paninni or something like that.These 3 women were fighting outside a doctor's office in Pelham Bay and one of them was this other guy[Frank Santoro's]girlfriend she called him and he came and pistol-whipped the guy then shot him in the stomach.This Santoro was 59 at the time and also from the Bronx.Was that his son that Vinnie killed?

Nicky Santora is probably very high up there. A lot of people point to Rabito, but he could very well be retired. The sources I trust the most tell me Vinny TV is the final word as far as the Bonannos go. Calabrese is probably underboss.

Ha! I see Ralphie for Vinny & its crackin' me up!! Ha!

Vinny Basciano still running Bonanno Family = Bullshit

I remember reading (cpl years ago though) that Rabito was all but retired, old and in poor health, living in Williamsburg taking care of his sister on extremely tight parole restrictions. But who really knows. Like its been said in other threads recently, until these guys get popped none of us know what theyre really doing

What's funny is that taped conversation between some Bonnano guys saying they're not following Basciano anymore, because Massino put him in, and Massino's word doesn't count for anything anymore. But Basciano is obviously a tough guy, who would never rat, and probably an extremely effective leader on the street and also in lockup as well (if he weren't on those terrorist convictions)

re: Basciano and the Frank Santoro hit - is it true Basciano who was boss at the time actually went along on the hit? That's pretty ridiculous. The boss of a family hanging out the window of a car with a gun in his hand

Zachary to answer your question I'm from the city. I think theres a bunch of ppl that post on here from the city or boros

im from the boogey down bronx

Me, too, for 51 years. But everyone here already knows that .

I grew up on 187th and Hoffman Streets, and I've lived in Throggs Neck, near the Marina del Rey, for the past 25 years.

We spend about four months a year in Florida now (Delray Beach), but I don't think we'll ever leave the Bronx all together. I'm way to thick headed to leave .

So when Michael clipped Sollozzo at Louis Restaurant, you were in the neighborhood?

Well, I was around when they filmed it .

But yeah, I guess I was around twelve years old when they shot Part 1. My Dad took me to see it when it came out at an old movie theatre on Fordham Road. I think it may have been the first "R Rated" film I ever saw, but I'm not sure.

dapper how old are you? just out of curiosity?

im a younging, im 24 going on 25 in a few months

25 is a good age. I dated a nympho nurse when I was 25.

I bet it didn't end with only dating then.