After a tough battle San Gennaro got to keep its length last year and, if a just unsealed indictment in Brooklyn federal court holds true, that wasn't the only thing the unending Little Italy food fest has been able to keep in recent years. According to prosecutors the mob—which Rudy Giuliani so proudly declared the feast to be free of in 1996—is back. Or maybe it never left? more ›

A mobster who is set to be released this fall is reportedly looking to seize control of the Bonnano crime family. And he's making sure he's in fighting shape by... not eating meat. Well, red meat will kill you, according to science. more ›

Vanity Fair is publishing "The First-Ever Oral History of The Sopranos" in its upcoming issue, and one of the topics is the HBO's series' legendarily abrupt finale, which earned mixed reviews at first but is now considered as being groundbreakingly anticlimactic. James Gandolfini, Tony Soprano himself, says, "When I first saw the ending, I said, ‘What the f--k?’. I mean, after all I went through, all this death, and then it’s over like that?" more ›

A joint investigation between the DEA and FBI culminated this morning with the arrest of five high-ranking members of the Bonanno crime family, officials announced. The five alleged gangsters include "made" Bonanno member Vincent Badalamenti, a.k.a. “Vinny TV, and Nicholas "Nicky Mouth" Santora, who previously did 15 years in prison after undercover FBI agent Joseph Pistone—dubbed "Donnie Brasco"—infiltrated the family by posing as a gangster in the late 1970s. In the movie about that investigation, Santora (played by Bruno Kirby) was killed; in real life he was released from prison in 2009, and now it looks like he's going back. more ›

A caterer on Staten Island, who allegedly has ties to the Genovese crime family, was found guilty of threatening a rival for a high school cafeteria bid. U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch said, "This case demonstrates organized crime still conducts its business in its traditional way — by relying on threats and violence to intimidate hard-working individuals trying to make a legitimate living. Here, the defendant sought to use fear and intimidation to obtain business, rather than honest competition. Such efforts will always be met with the full force of the law." more ›

Michael "Mike the Butcher" Virtuoso, who owns old-school Williamsburg butcher shop Graham Ave Meats & Deli, has unexpectedly pleaded guilty to extortion charges thanks to his side business as a loanshark for the Bonanno mafia. more ›

Sandwich lovers in Williamsburg took a hit this summer when Mike "The Butcher" Virtuoso, owner of Graham Ave Meats & Deli (purveyors of a truly excellent Italian sandwich called "The Godfather"), was busted for alleged Mob ties. Now, more details are emerging about Virtuoso's business wheelings and dealings, and they're not specifically too good. more ›

A bail hearing for a Colombo mobster accused of assaulting his rival in Staten Island turned into something of a food fight yesterday, with dueling pizzerias at the center of the battle. more ›

The financial crisis has hit us all in unique and unforeseen ways—even robbers have had to downgrade to using branches for their stickups. And it seems that it's no different for the mafia: three Gambino associates were arrested and charged with running three marijuana grow houses and a cocaine distribution ring on Staten Island. more ›

The best quote of the day is from the Daily News' mob law enforcement source, who discusses the appointment of the new Gambino crime family boss. The ascension of Domenico Cefalu, a 64-year-old convicted drug trafficker who was born in Sicily and lives with his mother, "marks a stunning break with the late John Gotti's infamous era," according to the News. And the source says, "I think they picked a Sicilian because they're tired of the old, fat, lazy American Italians who turn into rats." more ›

If you're an alleged gangster with a strict, court-mandated 7 p.m. curfew, that probably cramps your style. Which is why Anthony Durso, nicknamed "Baby Fat," is asking a judge for some help. The Daily News got a hold of the letter his lawyer wrote to a federal judge, "He goes home and eats dinner with his mother and stepfather and then has to stay home every night with them. He is a 27-year-old man and would like to have some leisure time away from his parents and his home. He would like to leave his home after work and perhaps go on a date or just go out of the house." more ›

What with all the massive busts and small-time stabbings, the mob just ain't what it used to be. Nowadays nobody takes any pride in their work, as evidenced by a recent Albanian mob hit gone awry in the Bronx. According to the Post, Bajram Lajqi was upset at an associate who had helped him smuggle drugs so Lajqi set out kill the man as he left the Tosca Cafe. After he and a partner slashed their target's tires, the plan was to wait for him to leave the restaurant and quietly kill him before he could escape. At the last second Lajqi felt this wasn't an inspired enough plan, and ended up punching him in the face in the restaurant. A punch? Where's the ice pick? Where's the head-in-the-vice? more ›

Say it aint so! Michael "Mike the Butcher" Virtuoso, owner of Williamsburg's Graham Ave Meats & Deli, was arrested yesterday on extortion charges, thanks to his side business as a loanshark for the Bonanno mafia. But what will become of his signature sandwich?! more ›

With the capture of notorious Boston gangster James "Whitey" Bulger yesterday, we're all in Mafia-mode today. And lo and behold, there was a Mafia-related auction close-to-home yesterday: a NJ man paid nearly $11,000 for a vintage government file filled with photos and facts about more than 800 Mafia members during the 1950s and early 1960s, including Meyer Lansky, Salvatore "Lucky" Luciano and Carlo "Don Carlo" Gambino. more ›

The death penalty trial of convicted mob boss Vincent Basciano, aka Vinnie Gorgeous, who was already serving a life sentence, resulted in no death. But it did result in a steady paycheck for Basciano's court-appointed lawyers, and the flushing of millions of taxpayer dollars down the can. Which is exactly what Judge Nicholas Garaufis warned prosecutors before the trial started. Now Times columnist Jim Dwyer does some back-of-the-envelope calculations and guesstimates that the whole trial cost "more than $10 million in public money." Hey, that's show biz! Think those bologna sandwiches don't pay for themselves? more ›

Diabetic Colombo mafia don Thomas "Tommy Shots" Gioeli has taken to his blog to beg prosecutors to charge him for the 1982 death of former nun Veronica Zuraw (which they say he already has admitted to). "I demand that AUSA Elizabeth Geddies or FBI Agent Scott Curtis charge me with the crime of killing a former nun so I have the opportunity to show the government's persecution of me and prove my innocence at trial," he posted on a blog he co-writes with his daughter. "I will not stop blogging the truth." more ›

Talk about keeping it in the family! The seemingly endless saga of upcoming mob biopic "Gotti: Three Generations", which hasn't even started filming yet, takes two more strange turns this week, as more details about the cast and crew come to light. more ›

Vinnie Goregous just isn't adjusting well to this whole "on trial for murder and racketeering" thing. First, he needed to borrow a dress shirt from the judge. Now, Vincent Basciano is unhappy with the cuisine on offer from the US Marshal, whose selection is limited to one slice of bologna on bread. Where's the beef? Fuggedaboutit! more ›

It might cost you $50,000 for messing around with a mobster's wife, but think of all that peace of mind you get as a result: a cuckolded mobster testified yesterday in the trial of former Bonanno crime-family boss Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano, and related the sordid tale of his own wife's affair, and the unusual tax brought against him. "They wanted to take [the restaurant owner] to the basement of the restaurant and kill him...Instead of him getting killed, he'd have to pay a tax. It was basically a penalty," said Salvatore Volpe. more ›

The FBI is again pursuing the 2004 disappearance of Genovese boss Dominick Cirillo's son, Nicholas, after ex-Bonanno boss Joseph Massino testified that Cirillo ordered his drug-addicted son killed...on Mother's Day, of all days! One source said Nicholas was high on crack during a fight just before his disappearance: "There was concern the kid [Nicholas] was out of control and he was going to cause problems for the [Genovese] family." more ›

Just when we were getting psyched to see Linds go all blond and brassy for her role as Victoria Gotti in the upcoming mob biopic Gotti: Three Generations, producer Marc Fiore announced yesterday that he had dropped La Lohan from the project due to "the various demands of her management team getting out of control." We were bummed, because this seemed like the perfect opportunity for Lindsay to return to her Long Island roots; plus we were kind of curious to see her play daddy's little girl to John Travolta, who's been cast as the Dapper Don, John Gotti. But a few hours later, hope returned! more ›

Joseph Massino, the former Bonnano crime family head currently serving a life sentence, has been testifying against fellow Bonnano crime associate Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano and we're learning all sorts of things. Terms like "Clip. Boob. Strip. Brokester. Chase." How Massino's wife received $50,000 in a Dom Perignon bottle from Basciano after Massino was arrested. And that he had $7 million in cash and hundreds of gold bars in his Howard Beach home. more ›

Six years ago, the world of La Cosa Nostra was rocked by Bonnano crime family head Joseph Massino when he agreed to testify for the government against acting don Vincent "Vinnie Gorgeous" Basciano, who was accused of killing a mob associate. Now, as Massino is expected to sing today, it's time to get sentimental about the mob. Over the weekend, the Daily News' headline declared, "Mafia legends 'turning in graves' as ex-Bonanno boss to rat out Vinny Gorgeous at trial," while the NY Times reports today, "When he takes the witness stand on Tuesday, he will make history as the first official boss of one of New York’s five mob families to break ranks and testify for the government." more ›

Mobsters can often be quite charming in the movies, but it seems that they're not nearly as persuasive in real life: several Brooklyn federal judges are at their wits end with alleged mobsters and mafia associates bizarre (or entitled) bail requests. Reputed Genovese associate Peter Pace recently complained that his electronic bracelet doesn't allow him to stroll on his outdoor patio or garden in his backyard. "Move your tomatoes inside. I don't want to be bothered with this," Judge John Gleeson responded. more ›

Getting naked as an initiation ritual for fraternities we knew about—but getting naked as an initiation ritual for the mafia? Better than "wildings" on Easter, we guess. Gangland [sub. required] reports that recent court testimony has confirmed that the Genovese crime family started stripping their inductees back in 1989 after the feds had secretly taped one of the family's inductions. more ›

One of the alleged mobsters arrested in last week's massive criminal sweep has been accused of "reaching out" to wayward mafia members prior to the bust, and threatening them if they didn't recommit to the family. Andrew "Andy Mush" Russo, the alleged acting street boss of the Colombo family, has a coldhearted and bloody reputation, but he has at least one big-name friend defending him: actor James Caan. more ›

The Post has a hilarious article about the horrifying state of alleged mobster fashion, lamenting that the days of sharply dressed wise guys—a la the Dapper Don John Gotti, Jr. in his Italian suits and Carlo Gambino and Paul Castellano who "looked sharp in three-piece suits and starched white shirts"—are over, at least judging from photographs of those arrested in the federal authorities' massive organized crime takedown last week. Seriously—if your mob nickname is "Fatty" (or "Lumpy" or "Fats"), isn't it too expected that you'll be wearing a boring black t-shirt during your arrest? more ›