I think Joe Valachi was the informant back in 59' at Sperlings trial. Not enough to say for sure, but there are a few comparisons between Valachi and the informant, also Sperling was innocent in that trial, but not in the 1970's.

Vincent Papa, the guy the killed in prison, was a Luc soldier. He was related to Sammy the Bull's old pal, Gerard Papa (cousin or brother, not sure).

Thanks for the news Hollander. Sounds like a ruthless guy.

Vincent Papa was a lucchese made man and was killed because he made a deal with the fed but Giuliani for become famous for the future busts made pubblicato that Papà was a informant and the Luccheses ordered to whack him not Sperling.

I read that Papa was not made, but an associate of a few top mob members. Papa was said to be giving up some detectives that had testified in hearings against him. Sperling having him killed in prison was likely more out of a personal dispute, maybe an old feud.


Before he went to prison, who were Sperlings main associates and the men under him?

Herbert Sperling co defendants who stood trial with him:

Norman Goldstein
Jack Bless
Juan Serrano,
Frank Bassi, Jr.,
Fred Berger
Frank Serrano,
Luis Valentine,
Octavio Del Busto,
Nelson Garcia and
Edward Schworak


Does anyone have any information on any of them?

Papa’s supplier was Louis Cirillo major drug dealer, who may have been made in the Genovese family.

Was he his only supplier or did he use others?

Definitely not a brother.

Maybe a cousin, but the last name has a different spelling so possibly no relation at all.

Louis Cirillo was Quiet Dom's Brother.

At least his main supplier. Thx downtown I thought about that.

Burnstein posted an article about Herbie Sperling.

http://gangsterreport.com/legendary...-at-79-leaves-legacy-of-heroin-hedonism/

He says that the LoBianco character was based on Papa, but it was based on a man who's last name was Fuca, who owned. store lie the one in the movie that LoBianco's movie character had. It was mentioned many times in books on the French Connection case, right down to the wife who ran the place with him. I'm surprised Scott missed it.

The French Connection was not a single group, but many gangs involved in the traffic of H to the US via Canada.There were Corsicans, but also Armenians and Algerians.

I have a question. The French Connection and the stealing of the drugs from the case stored in a police evidence room being stolen by detectives and sold to Papa were 2 different cases. Is Sperling getting mixed into the wrong case, possibly in both instances? The French Connection was in the 1960's, the French Connection heroin theft came years later. Until this thread I had Never heard Sperling mentioned in the first case. I am not saying he was not, but if so I was unaware of it. I also thought he had his own drug ring, and he had Papa killed In prison over some sort of personal gripe. I am wondering if they are tossing the name of a famous case like the French connection into news stories carelessly. If anyone has information on this I'd apreciate it.

This story is from the trial of Sperlings son in a heroin case. It regards the testimony of Nicky Barnes against Sperling and his son. Barnes says that he was their supplier.

https://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/16/nyregion/major-heroin-dealer-testifies-for-us-in-drug-trial.html

Sperling led a drug ring with Montreal and French connections. There were four other drug rings led by John Capra, Louis Inglese, Gernardo Zanfardino and Joseph Cappuccilli they were all tied to lucchese powerhouse Carmine Tramunti.

Was Barnes lying when he spoke on the stand about his deals with Sperling? I saw a documentary about prisons, and Sperling was interviewed. He really ripped into one of the top Harlem drug bosses, I cannot remember if it was Barnes.

This is a good interview of Sperling, an outtake from a prison documentary, cut in with a clip of a news broadcast about his son's case. It is also a good look at Sperling and his personality, or at least I found it as such.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfsXp2b7ZBc

herbie looked the part. how you keep your teeth so white. theres some pictures of him from a few yrs back looks like 2 different people. this video im guessing was mid 1990tys

Probably 80s. Giulianni was Mayor in the 90s.

theres pics of him and abunch of mob guys at devens up here in mass from year or 2 ago. he looked 99