After his arrest at the Gemini Social Club on Endicott Street in the North End last April, Anthony DiNunzio, acting boss of the New England La Cosa Nostra, pleaded guilty on Thursday in a Providence court. DiNunzio, 53, of East Boston, admitted to receiving protection payments from Rhode Island strip clubs (Cadillac Lounge, Satin Doll, Foxy Lady and Desire). Sentencing will happen in November and is expected to total about 5 to 6.5 years in federal prison.
Part of the indictment recorded DiNunzio at Billy Tse’s Restaurant on Commercial Street where he met with a senior Gambino crime family member. This is the latest in a case where federal prosecutors have made several indictments and plea agreements, including from former mob boss Luigi “Baby Shacks” Manocchio. In total, nine have been indicted and seven convicted.
Anthony DiNunzio is the brother of Carmen “The Cheese Man” DiNunzio, currently serving time in prison. Carmen DiNunzio’s “Fresh Cheese” was located on Endicott Street and closed in 2009.
U.S. Attorney Peter Neronha is quoted speaking outside the courtroom, “We have driven a stake through the heart of organized crime in Rhode Island and we’ve cut off its head in Boston.”
As a longtime mob observer and researcher (for several authors), this latest guilty plea has demonstrated that Anthony DiNunzio couldn’t lead a pop warner football team. First, he was the worst choice as acting boss. Did he learn anything from John Gotti? He spent his days hanging out at the Gemini Social Club on Endicott St. with the FBI watching his every move. What happened to dons like Carlo Gambino, Raymond Patriarca & Tony Accardo? The mafia is supposed to be a secret and DiNunzio was so stupid, he got caught on tape bragging about burying people alive. He dressed like a peasant with his sweatshirts and reebok’s, which shows that he has no class. As the CEO of a criminal organization taking in millions of dollars each year, he didn’t even carry a legitimate job for income tax purposes. After all the heat that was going on with Manocchio and the Rhode Island crew, this spaccone continued to extort payments while the FBI was watching. He was also caught on tape talking about extorting a pornographer and Suffolk Downs. No wonder Bobby DeLuca decided to cooperate!! Do you blame him? When the boss is known in mob circles as a baffoon who nobody respects, you get total organizational breakdown which is clearly what happened in New England. Peter Limone should retire and count the millions he got from the Feds and who is really left in Rhode Island but a few wannabe’s and low level street hoods? The power base should have never left Rhode Island, as the Boston faction have proved time and time again that they are totally susceptible to wiretaps and FBI penetration. At least Manocchio had a strong reign, at least 12 years and he got about 5 years for his part in the extortion plot with jiggle joints. Rossetti is garbage and is now gone forever (prison & informant). Going back to Jerry Angiulo and now to the king of idiots, Dinunzio, Boston is a joke compared to other families around the country. Take a page out of the Pittsburgh Family’s book. Two bosses since 1956 and neither one of them went to prison. Pittsburgh is a relatively smaller family/city, but their Crime Family dominated the rackets in PA, Ohio and the panhandle of West Virginia virtually unscathed until the early 90’s when younger guys got into narcotics trafficking. When you walk around the North End and everybody knows who you are, it’s NOT a secret. Close down your stupid espresso social clubs and stay home!!!! On top of DiNunzio pleading guilty for a reduced sentence, he had to admit to the existence of the mafia and to the fact that he was the acting boss!!!! When being inducted into la cosa nostra, those are the two things you never do!!!! New England needs to bring some heavy hitters from New York or Chicago to get things running smoothly or bring in some Italians from the other side to instill mafia code and values. DiNunzio’s only talent was making a provolone and capicola sandwich!!! Anthony…dress the part, stay in the shadows and insulate yourself from your underlings so “NOBODY” could testify directly against you. Take a page out of Michael Genovese’s or John LaRocca’s book from Pittsburgh and DO NOT communicate but through one person and NEVER make yourself a visible target for the Feds. You flaunted who you were and got what you deserved!!! Bragging about burying people alive to impress Gambino Family members got you no where, especially when who you were bragging to was an FBI infomant!!! DiNunzio is a joke as a boss and couldn’t hold Manocchio’s cup of espresso! Any thoughts on who the next acting boss will be or will Peter Limone step back in to try and right the quickly sinking ship?