Turncoat New England mob boss attended Patriots watch parties while in witness protection
Not even a life undercover could stop a former mob boss from cheering for his beloved Pats.
Francis “Cadillac Frank” Salemme — who entered the Witness Protection Program after cooperating with the government to nab other mobsters — attended several New England Patriots watch parties in his new home of Atlanta before he was arrested earlier this month, fan club organizers said.
“He seemed a little different, but he was Patriot fan so we embraced him,” club president John Gray told WPRI. “When the Patriots scored he raised his hands like everyone else, got all excited and fit right in.”
Francis "Cadillac Frank" Salemme was arrested earlier this month.
The 82-year-old was charged last weekfor witnessing a murder in 1993. Prosecutors claim he helped arrange the disposal of Boston nightclub owner Steven DiSarro’s body.
Salemme was first arrested in 1999 on a slew of charges including eight murders, but he agreed to cooperate with police and testified against two of his mob friends: James “Whitey” Bulger and Stephen “The Rifleman” Flemmi. For his help, prosecutors gave the killer just eight years behind bars, and put him in the Witness Protection program when he got out.
According to court documents unsealed after his new arrested, Salemme moved to Atlanta and used the name Richard Parker after he was released.
But there was one thing he couldn’t shake from his past: His love for the Patriots.
Atlanta Patriots fan club members said “Richard Parker” attended at least three watch parties over the course of two seasons, entered club contests and chatted with other members about their treasured team.
Salemme attended several New England Patriots watch parties in Atlanta, club officials said.
“I knew the name because he bought some raffle tickets from us,” Gray said, adding that he only learned of the man’s true identity when club members started sharing articles about his arrest.
Gray said he was surprised a former gangster trying to hide his past would be so open to joining a large group of sports fans — especially a 1,000-member club that includes some retired Boston police officers.
“Obviously that’s not typically the background of our members to say the least,” Gray said of Salemme’s murderous past. “In retrospect maybe it was a little unnerving but fortunately there wasn’t any problems or trouble, he was just there as a fellow fan.”
Francis “Cadillac Frank” Salemme — who entered the Witness Protection Program after cooperating with the government to nab other mobsters — attended several New England Patriots watch parties in his new home of Atlanta before he was arrested earlier this month, fan club organizers said.
“He seemed a little different, but he was Patriot fan so we embraced him,” club president John Gray told WPRI. “When the Patriots scored he raised his hands like everyone else, got all excited and fit right in.”
Francis "Cadillac Frank" Salemme was arrested earlier this month.
The 82-year-old was charged last weekfor witnessing a murder in 1993. Prosecutors claim he helped arrange the disposal of Boston nightclub owner Steven DiSarro’s body.
Salemme was first arrested in 1999 on a slew of charges including eight murders, but he agreed to cooperate with police and testified against two of his mob friends: James “Whitey” Bulger and Stephen “The Rifleman” Flemmi. For his help, prosecutors gave the killer just eight years behind bars, and put him in the Witness Protection program when he got out.
According to court documents unsealed after his new arrested, Salemme moved to Atlanta and used the name Richard Parker after he was released.
But there was one thing he couldn’t shake from his past: His love for the Patriots.
Atlanta Patriots fan club members said “Richard Parker” attended at least three watch parties over the course of two seasons, entered club contests and chatted with other members about their treasured team.
Salemme attended several New England Patriots watch parties in Atlanta, club officials said.
“I knew the name because he bought some raffle tickets from us,” Gray said, adding that he only learned of the man’s true identity when club members started sharing articles about his arrest.
Gray said he was surprised a former gangster trying to hide his past would be so open to joining a large group of sports fans — especially a 1,000-member club that includes some retired Boston police officers.
“Obviously that’s not typically the background of our members to say the least,” Gray said of Salemme’s murderous past. “In retrospect maybe it was a little unnerving but fortunately there wasn’t any problems or trouble, he was just there as a fellow fan.”
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ex-mob-boss-attended-ne-patriots-watch-parties-hiding-article-1.2756078
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