Carmine Persico the boss of the Colombo crime family is currently serving a 100 year sentence after being convicted on RICO and murder charges in the 1980’s. Perisco was part of the historic Mafia Commission Case led by Rudy Giuliani which targeted the mafia ruling body known as the commission. Carmine was convicted for being a member of the commission and for being part of a racketeering conspiracy that ordered the mob murder of fellow mobster Carmine Gigante in 1979. Defense lawyers have filed a 71 page brief, which includes 44 exhibits which they believe proves Persico was not the Colombo family boss and a member of the Mafia Commission from 1972 to 1985 making him innocent of the pivotal allegations.
Giuliani was part of an eight part TV series called “The Making of the Mob: New York” this summer and recalled his 30 year old success in the historic case. Since then, multiple informant reports from the 70’s and 80’s have surfaced which may prove that other mobsters led the Colombo family after the death of former boss Joe Colombo in 1971, and that Carmine didn’t take over as boss until 1980 according to court documents. These documents seek to dismiss Persico’s sentence, calling it an illegal consequence of an unjust crusade against him by prosecutors, including former U.S. Attorney Guiliani.
These new allegations charge that Giulinai and former FBI agent Lin DeVecchio were key parts in securing the illegal conviction. Defense attorney Anthony DiPietro argued that these new FBI reports establish that his client was not the boss of the Colombo family 1970’s and therefore could not have been a member of the Mafia Commission during the time frame alleged in the indictment and could not have conspired with other commission members to kill Gigante in 1979. DiPietro also outlined various examples of false allegations made agains his client by DeVecchio and prosecutors which were wrongly used to get a conviction.
One of the main FBI reports being filed by DiPietro states that DeVecchio learned from a top informant which was most likely Colombo captain Greg Scarpa Sr on November 5, 1980 that Carmine Persico had been bumped up to the official boss of the Colombo crime family taking over for Thomas DiBella who had stepped down with the approval of the Commission. Scarpa was identified as a mob informer and as a source of information on the Mafia Commission case in DeVecchio’s 2011 book We’re Going to Win This Thing. Other aspects of the DeVecchio book are also being used as proof that Perico has been falsely accused.
The defense attorney has also questioned the use of prosecution witnesse and former FBI agent Joe Pistone, who provided vital testimony in the Commission case. DiPietro believes the use of piston as a witness is also the reason for the sentence against his client to be vacated because the former agent had taken part in various crimes while working an an undercover agent from 1976 to 81. These crimes included being part of a conspiracy to murder Persico co-defendant Bruno Indelicato who was sentenced to 20 years as part of the Commission trial.
DiPietro claims proof is found in Pistone’s own words from his book Donnie Brasco: Unfinished Business: Shocking Declassified Details from the FBI’s Greatest Undercover Operation and a Bloody Timeline of the Fall of the Mafia, where he says “I was guilty of once conspiring to murder Bruno, and committed an overt act in furtherance of such plot.” Pistone wrote that he took part in the plot to kill Bruno to maintain his cover and he is quoted as saying “If Bruno’s there, he’s gone. If I have to put a bullet in his head, I will, and I’ll deal with the federal government and Staten Island D.A. later.”
The government replied to the allegations of misdeeds asking the judge not to consider the merits of the motion which only revives decade old issues which have already been extensively litigated. Co-counsel Mathew Mari said it’s high time for Persico to go home and spend some time with his family. He also said “Enough is enough is enough,” said Mari. “The government won the war. Junior Persico is a prisoner of war for 30 years, and the war is over. Even POWs get released when the war is over.”
Even if some of these new allegations have some merit and these new FBI reports may be somewhat viable i can in now way see the feds letting Perisco out of prison before his death.
I think these lawyers want to make a pay day before Persico checks out,,, give the old man some hope bang him with legal fees ,,,got tk love lawyers
Agreed , Sure these new FBI files may shed a little more light on certain aspects but in the end seems like a real real real long shot that this ever makes it past the motion stage much less gaining him a release.
In the end all these guys are guilty but I think the gov without there shady deals ,, bullying witnesses and ofcourse informants, which I understand they are valueable but are usually used to avoid real police work ,, I mean they get a high level rst whom they “believe” is telling the truth , they just sit back and coast,, no fact checking no more invesigative work,,, its crazy,, they would have such a hard time getting these guys,, some are actually smart and can be a bitch to get any “real ” evidence on,,,,, sorry if I rambled ,, fourth cup of coffee,,, ????
Agreed. Many dying gangsters try this, it does sometimes work. I don’t see this one working.
I dislike donnie brasco personally I don’t like his personality but I don’t blame him you have to understand you have to break some rules if he was going to get in. Jack falcon got none of the things Donnie got
True , i really don’t care for as well at least from what i have seen of him in interviews and read. Now i totally agree with your point that to be an effective undercover agent esp in the mob you have to be willing to break some rules and i think both he and the feds knew that going in and that has to be considered.
Brasco is a real sleaze,, backing Deveccio ,, lying about his Bonnano crimes,, he was also known as a violent guy when he started with Jillys crew on 15th ave,,but I guess he was playing the role ????,, They say Persico is only 82 and with all his money and that big house upstate he could die peacefully if let out but like TM said he aint gettin out,… The last real mob boss alive ,, OG ????
Joe Pistone does seem quite pompous. Although the FBI screwed him in the end anyways. He’s made a killing off movies, TV, books etc. Diveccio is a blantant liar. He knew Greg was killing people. I came across this random interview from 1992 on YouTube. It’s worth checking out, Greg actually sat down with reporter and speaks candidly. I think it was months before he died.
Persico is grasping at straws. He’s 82 I believe. I also understand his son indirectly represents him as attorney.
Which son? ,,Allie is pretty smart but I dont think he would play lawyer with his dad,,going to look for scarpa interview ,,,had anyone seen the Persico interview with 60 min ? Did it really happen?
Michael Persico is attorney in New York. He’s not a made man apparently.
Never heard of 60 minutes interview, but I would definitely watch
Wait. I’m wrong. I swear I read that some where but i’m wrong
That Scarpa interview was great ,, thanks,, if see Persico pics u see a 60 min logo and some video clips but no audio,,, Micheal is the owner of Romantique limos and has been for decades ,, he doesnt practice law ,, he just got sentenced
You are right, I was wrong, I don’t know why I thought that. Maybe thinking about Bellomo’s daughter.
Allie went to college but never graduated ,, they are like mob royalty in Brooklyn ,, for good or bad ,, huge family alot of cousins lots of legit buisnesses now,,
Allie boy is a scary man I will say that very bitter defo his fathers .Tons of periscos or relations a perisco cousin got whacked a few years ago
The Corrozo’s have son attorney, I was confused. Off topic, also found old Sally Jesse Raphel episode with Louis Eppilito that’s pretty funny.
Off topic,, going thru Youtube interviews caught one of Henry Hill,, the interviewer had the wrong info on Sonny Black ,, and Hill at first didnt recognize him ,, then said ” true story” this guy was part of the purple gang and he was killed for short selling kilos. ,,, too funny
lol! What a pathological liar
Don’t bring up hill every time I see that guy I get aggravate a low level junkie who would of been whacked in the early 70s if not for paulie a guy everyone knew was a joke he never met anyone. Funny thing about hill in his original book he never mentions guys like gotti or sonny black but when there names became famous he suddenly starts remembering all these storys
Thata boy
I’m the same way. Everything I’ve read and watched on Donnie Brasco made me dislike him. Just something about his personality. He has this I’m better than you attitude bc he was undercover for years. With that being said yes you have to break rules in order to be undercover. No way Perisco gets out. The Colombo family is way better off without him.
He is not getting out never and any one who thinks he should does not know the things this guy did forget about the Colombo war and all the other things he got up to remember he tried to have a that prosecutor whacked and they hit is father instead
Even if he gets out what’s th ere for him he is nearly a 100 what’s he going to do and his kids are going to the can or in it.
He even forced teddy sr into it
U think u know alot huh?
The POW view was funny,but most do get released when war is over. Thing is i didn’t know/hear Feds say it was over,since they’re still around. Anyway Persico,is really locked up b/c of his own words. Those on tape and what he said at Commision Trial,
I dont think they ever got him on tape,, could be wrong,, acting as his own lawyer was no help though
This guy still runs the Colombos essentially , he has half the made guys as family members and is considered the official boss . The only way persico is coming out of prison is in a body bag
oh look John Grant commented on this just like every other article to ever be posted on this site
Other Mobsters have said on record that Persico is the one who cut their fingers and made them, so isn’t that case closed right there?