Acting boss seen as aspiring for the official slot
As the accused “acting boss” of the New England Mafia, Anthony DiNunzio was just a seat warmer for his caged big brother — but the taped rants in a federal indictment suggest the alleged second banana might not have been above plotting a coup d’etat, organized crime experts said yesterday.
“When I hear ‘acting boss,’ that means the boss is in prison. It’s also an opportunity to take over, if they’re that brazen,” said author Allan May, a noted gangland historian.
DiNunzio’s brother and predecessor, Carmen “The Cheeseman” DiNunzio, is due to be released in January 2015 on a six- year stretch he’s serving in New Jersey for bribery.
“It’s not uncommon for somebody to sit in a figurehead position,” while the real godfather is incarcerated, May said, but it’s “pretty rare” for someone as young as the 53-year-old Anthony DiNunzio to ride shotgun. “It’s usually an older person in the mob who serves as an overseer,” May said.
Carmen DiNunzio’s lawyer, Anthony Cardinale, said last night the brothers have remained close in the three years that ‘The Cheeseman’ has been locked up for trying to sell bad loa, to Big Dig officials.
“Anthony goes to see him. They talk on the phone,” he said.
After DiNunzio’s arrest Wednesday in the North End, and arraignment in federal court in Providence on charges of shaking down strip clubs and adult book stores in Rhode Island for “protection” tribute of up to $6,000 a month, prosecutors said he rose to be the new big cheese after his brother and the reputed Rhode Island boss were busted in 2009.
Prosecutors said DiNunzio was recorded last summer at My Cousin Vinny’s Restaurant in Malden boasting to a member of New York’s Gambino crime family that he could maintain respect and face down any disloyalty with threats: “As soon as I took over I changed everything.”
Not likely, said Robert Long, a retired state police detective lieutenant. “Organized crime is really very disorganized,” Long said.
“Nobody wants to stand up and be recognized as No. 1 because they’re targeted. They know everyone’s going to drop a dime on them. There is no honor today.”
Meanwhile, if DiNunzio is short on defense funds, he might turn to family.
His son, Louis DiNunzio, claimed a $1 million jackpot in 2008 from a Billion Dollar Blockbuster scratch ticket. He’ll receive $35,000 a year for 20 years after taxes, said Lottery spokeswoman Beth Bresnahan.
http://bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20220427little_bro_seen_as_aspiring_taped_boasts_show_designs_on_big_seat
“When I hear ‘acting boss,’ that means the boss is in prison. It’s also an opportunity to take over, if they’re that brazen,” said author Allan May, a noted gangland historian.
DiNunzio’s brother and predecessor, Carmen “The Cheeseman” DiNunzio, is due to be released in January 2015 on a six- year stretch he’s serving in New Jersey for bribery.
“It’s not uncommon for somebody to sit in a figurehead position,” while the real godfather is incarcerated, May said, but it’s “pretty rare” for someone as young as the 53-year-old Anthony DiNunzio to ride shotgun. “It’s usually an older person in the mob who serves as an overseer,” May said.
Carmen DiNunzio’s lawyer, Anthony Cardinale, said last night the brothers have remained close in the three years that ‘The Cheeseman’ has been locked up for trying to sell bad loa, to Big Dig officials.
“Anthony goes to see him. They talk on the phone,” he said.
After DiNunzio’s arrest Wednesday in the North End, and arraignment in federal court in Providence on charges of shaking down strip clubs and adult book stores in Rhode Island for “protection” tribute of up to $6,000 a month, prosecutors said he rose to be the new big cheese after his brother and the reputed Rhode Island boss were busted in 2009.
Prosecutors said DiNunzio was recorded last summer at My Cousin Vinny’s Restaurant in Malden boasting to a member of New York’s Gambino crime family that he could maintain respect and face down any disloyalty with threats: “As soon as I took over I changed everything.”
Not likely, said Robert Long, a retired state police detective lieutenant. “Organized crime is really very disorganized,” Long said.
“Nobody wants to stand up and be recognized as No. 1 because they’re targeted. They know everyone’s going to drop a dime on them. There is no honor today.”
Meanwhile, if DiNunzio is short on defense funds, he might turn to family.
His son, Louis DiNunzio, claimed a $1 million jackpot in 2008 from a Billion Dollar Blockbuster scratch ticket. He’ll receive $35,000 a year for 20 years after taxes, said Lottery spokeswoman Beth Bresnahan.
http://bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20220427little_bro_seen_as_aspiring_taped_boasts_show_designs_on_big_seat
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