Federal prosecutors are planning to charge Lucchese crime family leaders Steven (Stevie Wonder) Crea and Matthew (Matty) Madonna with racketeering charges according to a GanglandNews report.
The charges stem from a long-running grade jury probe which included the investigation into the 2013 mafia hit on mob associate and former Purple Gang leader Michael Meldish. According to law enforcement, Crea and Madonna are the top two ranking members and are in control of the New York mafia family while official boss Vittorio Amuso serves a life sentence. Various reports have ranked Crea as the families current acting boss but some law enforcement sources believe he may have been acting as underboss behind Madonna but regardless of official titles its agreed they are in control.
“Matthew Madonna”
A grand jury will be asked to indict Madonna for ordering the mob rubout of Meldish which was allegedly carried out by mob underlings Christopher Londonio and Terrence Caldwell. Both Londonio and Caldwell were indicted last month previously reported here for their alleged role in the Meldish murder who was killed after he had a falling out with family leaders. It is still unclear as to the exact charges prosecutors plan to hit Crea with. According to the report, both Crea and Madonna were the main targets of the probe which may also include an indictment of Crea’s son Steven (Stevie Junior) Crea Jr. on racketeering charges who authorities claim is also a “made man” in the Cosa Nostra family. Crea Jr has no criminal record but law enforcement sources believe he has been involved in various criminal activities in Westchester County.
“Steven Crea”
The court filing indicates that federal prosecutors told White Plains Federal Judge Nelson Roman that unnamed high-ranking members of the Lucchese family were involved in the Meldish murder. Prosecutors claimed they have “proof to show that Londonio was commissioned to commit the murder of Meldish by the leadership of the Lucchese Family.” They also explained in a four-page letter to the judge that the Lucchese family “is heavily tied to Westchester County.” The case was filed in White Plains even though Meldish was killed in the city because according to prosecutors a substantial part of the planning and execution occurred in Westchester County. It was noted that several Lucchese family leaders and Londonio were all residents of Westchester.
Wow …. well it seemed like a good chance that Madonna was gonna get hit in a case surrounding the Meldish hit but Crea too woah … what a hit by the feds. This could really cripple the Lucchese family once again.
First big boss targeted recently! Cali and Bellomo beware
This is no surprise they want steve badly always go after him if I had to guess Cali will be next
he is not getting hit with the murder charges though that is not true
Well Crea may have actually been acting boss as it seems no one is exactly sure. One source seems to have been noted as believing Madonna was actually acting boss which is far from a sure thing.
No shock at all the feds were watching that Christmas party either as from other reports we know they have been doing that for a while with all families including Bonanno’s etc.
I don’t know john i have my doubts more i think about it makes sense but these two have been the power for years that we do know Westchester is where the power is in that family
Interesting these Christmas parties been going on since the beginning of this thing feds are always watching remember the philly one a few years back mazzone parole got violated because of it of course had the Bonanno and Colombo parties in recent years
for those interested the party was held at The Olde Stone Mill in Tuckahoe
Right after all these years of the feds clearly watching these parties you would think everyone would make these more private and at least try and duck the guys with the eye’s. Esp guys on parole lol
in theory they should but no boss would ever stop doing them they make a killing your talking hundreds of thousands at these Christmas parties plus i think people forget these are people they want to enjoy themselves i always see people saying they should live simply but what sort of life is that 99% of these guys are not gigantes they have dignity they wont be walking around pretending to be crazy the reason these guys get into the life in the first place is for the lifestyle these Christmas party help create a sense of unity but also for them all to enjoy themselves.
Why guys on parole think its a good idea to turn up is beyond me aswell but these guys are not the smartest and sometimes they don’t have a choice or they want to make sure they are being friendly with the boss
but what’s the point about closing down classic hangouts like social clubs if you still meet the entire family for the annual xmas party? adaptation? how many headlines does it need until they find another format to rake in their profits and respects? i know, sounds easy in theory but cmon…
The food is good there!
they are not going to hit steve with murder charges john the article capeci wrote said he is getting hit with other charges not murder
“Prosecutors will ask the grand jury to indict Madonna, 81, for ordering the Meldish rubout that defendants Christopher Londonio and Terrence Caldwell allegedly carried out on November 15, 2013, the sources say. Madonna began serving an indeterminate sentence of up to five years for bookmaking in a New Jersey state prison 18 months ago. Sources told Gang Land this week that despite his incarceration, he is the acting boss. It’s doubtful that Crea, 69, whom law enforcement sources say is the official family underboss, will be charged with any complicity in the murder.”
Yea I didn’t mean he was the article clearly says he isn’t in line at least for now with murder charges although he will get hit with various other racketeering charges. My guess is a rat will be revealed some where along the way here. And this thing may end up pulling in quite a few more Lucchese family mobsters before all is said and done.
probably there is always a rat somewhere Londino looks like he is in big trouble unless he flips he will die in prison. I hope they give more info on vic amusos influence today i remember his wifes funeral a few years ago the entire family turned up including steve that was 2013 amuso put the word out everyone had to go
Should be very interesting to see exactly how much evidence the feds have collected as you mentioned this seems like a case they have been developing for some time now. Would figure if they do have a rat they could really really do some major damage to the family here.
if they have tapes they are in trouble a lot of rats lately having a hard time testifying but tapes you cant cross examine a tape. I want to see out of the Bronx faction who gets taken down that faction is the strongest how hard that’s it maybe power could switch back to Brooklyn if these guys are hit hard enough who knows whats going to happen will be interesting
Interesting, did not know that. That’s pretty good influence
it is suprising how much influence has been able to keep over the years he was the guy who got scarfo junior his capo position in 2007 because him scarfo senior were good friends in prison. Scarfo junior was demoted a couple years later partly because the pernas were street and had the connections with New York scarfo junior was too white collar not really with the streets pernas did not like him he was also more interested in taking philly of ligambi. At the scarfo junior trial in 2015 feds said that through vic and his own connections by 2008 he had members of three of the five familys willing to back him against Ligambi he had apparently in exchange of kicking up part of that scam he had going on got there support scarfo junior was also caught on tape saying that he and his crew needed to avoid philly stay in ac that they needed another year before he would make a move against Ligambi. He felt that he did not have enough have guys on the streets ready to back him according to the feds he approached joey chang (remember the guy who mikey chang and joey merlino crippled in that the stanfa war in the 90s). Always interesting what would have happened if he did not get busted there would have been violence eventually it was coming
Steve has worked for vic as his acting boss in the late 90s it makes sense he carried on doing it even if they are from rival factions after vic demoted defede steve kicked up a lot more than he had to vics family
that is good info mate.
steve is NOT getting hit with murder charges feds don’t have anything linking him according to capeci Madonna is in trouble it seems. This is going to be a Massive rico case expect a lot of guys getting hit in this its clear they have been building this for years steve son who is a wiseguy in his 40s looks like he is in big trouble surprised he has not already been indicted he has been mentioned at two recent mob trials as a big player by rats
one thing that I have found very interesting about the article is this
“Crea’s and Madonna’s specific mob titles vary depending on whom you ask and when you pose the question, but sources agree that the duo is running the crime family for imprisoned-for-life boss, Vittorio (Vic) Amuso.”
How much you guys want to bet that Steven Crea and his son will both flip and enter the witness protection program? Along with Matthew Madonna and Christopher Londonio.
I would be absolutely shocked if Crea flips.
I said the same thing about Joseph Massino, yet he and his entire administration flipped.
True there is always that chance especially when a guy or guys are looking at life in prison.
If I chose to live that lifestyle there’s no chance that I would flip. Just look at how pathetic these rats look after they resurface from the Witness Protection Program. I could never be those guys I’d have too much pride.
Agreed if you don’t wanna take the chance of spending time perhaps extended time in prison then choose a different lifestyle. Either way have the class and self respect which these rats lack.
You do have a point after Massimo you can never say never but I would be shocked if he flipped even with his son involved he was a big player since the old days its not like he is facing life in prison or the death pentatly like Massimo either dont know much about the son to be honest think he is also into construction. Madonna won’t flip he has spent most of his life in prison this he is used to 81 as well nothing to get out for.
Londino is a possibility
We have to wait and see maybe they will stand up maybe they will flip Steve flips he could be the worst rat since gravano if not worse the damage he could do
At 81, what can make Madonna flip? Crea? Who knows these day. What’s the consequences for flipping? It’s not like they will kill anyone. When was the last made man killed?
Interesting ideas on ranks, guess they hid the boss pretty well. Although I still see Crea as boss.
I don’t think the Mafia’s power should be measured by the last time a made man was killed. They shouldn’t be killing unless it’s really necessary. The only time a made man should be killed is when he steps out of line and compromises the good of the crime family. Power struggles, gangland warfare, and senseless, petty murders should never happen. Angelo Bruno should have never been killed. Adolfo Bruno should have never been killed. Same for Paul Castellano and many others.
I would say ability to instill fear is very important to the mafia. I’m not talking about senseless killing, but killing is why people feared mafia. Otherwise, it’s just some short old man with empty threats.
My point was not about what murders were justified, but that without repercussions anyone will flip. Which is why so many rats are all over tv. They have nothing to fear. It’s also why nobody messes with cartels, they will kill you.
Instill fear, yes. But killing a made man just for the sake of killing a made man in order to instill fear doesn’t make any sense. If the Mafia had guys who would walk up to a rat outside the courthouse and blow him away along with any cops who stood in the way in front of everyone and didn’t care about the consequences, how many rats do you think there would be? Exactly, hardly any!
Whose said kill for no reason? The context was potential for flipping. Meaning, today a mademan doesn’t have to fear reprisal. Which makes flipping an easier decision I would assume.
Yea that aspect is def one of main reasons why we have seen so many more guys rat than we had in the old days, the price for doing so is no longer at least potentially so high.
agreed like I said to Clinton there has still been murders and there is still fear on the streets people but its not like it was in the past guys are more likely to be shelved but it is still there people are still getting killed over bullshit. Especially rats feel a lot more safe than they used to be times have changed guys can now go into the program and not worry about getting killed I remember when gravano was telling newspapers where he lived everyone thought he was crazy this was in the late 90s the gambinos even sent guys who were on the way to kill him when he got busted now most of these rats are in plain sight and don’t feel anyone is coming after them. I know some of the more high profile like scars changed there name but its not like he was hiding away if you really wanted to find him its possible guys on the streets just don’t want to spend the rest of there lifes in prison you cant blame them why take the risk over something that’s already happened and they cant stop
not for the sake of killing a wiseguy but there is people on the streets who would have in the past been killed but have instead been shelved or demoted. There is still murders going on and it is possible but its not like the old days the fear is there but not comparable to how it was
paul was going to die in prison anyway he caused his own death everything that happened to him was because of his arrogrence he got what was coming to him. Even with all the countless stupid decisions he made he could have kept himself alive all he had to do was choose someone capable to run things when he went away to die in prison instead he chose the worst two people bilotti acting boss the guy was just pauls driver and tommy Gambino was no gangster he was just a legit guy with the right family name. Decicco? Jimmy Brown? joe piney any of those guys would have done the job and been accepted. He also underestimated gotti if he wanted to stop him he would have had to kill him people don’t realize how powerful gotti was at that time
Also, there’s been plenty of grandfathers in the Mafia who flipped using the excuse that they don’t want to be in prison and not be able to see their grandchildren grow up. Which I think is a bullshit excuse. If you are concerned about your grandchildren then you shouldn’t have chose to get involved in the first place now take your f*****g sentence like a man.
True, but I’m talking about Maddona, he’s been in prison most of his adult life, I doubt he flips at this point
there is always a chance but i am pretty sure the 5 families have adopted the zips attitude towards rats and they target your family or anyone close to the rat now, as before the family was off limits.
2 leaders in a rico case this hasn’t happened for a while, should be interesting.
Should def be one of the more interesting cases of late.
yes definitely john, merlino and now Madonna/crea. i am always rooting for the mobsters but it does make it interesting.
Well as usual, if everyone keeps their mouths shut and accepts whatever legal consequences come their way then the Luccheses will be fine. But if everyone flips like usual then the Lucchese family is in for a world of hurt.
The ratting is bad but not as bad as you imagine 95% of guys do there time without flipping only rats who get attention. No made guy has flipped since 2011
As for rooting for the mobsters, I don’t know if me cheering for the so-called bad guys is more about me loving the Mafia or my hatred for the government and law enforcement. There’s a certain satisfaction I get from seeing the government lose their cases. Mobsters should quit ratting. Make law enforcement work hard, rather than making it it so easy. Giving up your honor in exchange for freedom is not worth selling your soul to the devil, the devil in this case being the government.
You are so right. These guys have done too much, to grt to where they are. Then to “Rat Out” another Friend,that worked as hard as you,making Feds job easier shows you weren’t really into “your Job”. Oh well,as long as the Feds let these guys keep most of their money,there will always be “Rats”
As long as the feds say, “Look, we don’t care about how many people you robbed and killed, just give us so and so and we will give you immunity,” there will always be rats. The feds don’t give a shit about justice. Sure, they may claim they are out for justice in their press conferences and whatnot, but all they really care about is winning and protecting their egos. Also, they want to send a message to the public that the legal system, the government is not to be fucked with. Organized crime pisses the government off because they make their money outside of the law and don’t go to work every day from 9-5. They can’t stand that. It eats them alive inside which is why they will do anything to bring these guys down and put them out of business. It wouldn’t surprise me if one day they let a serial child rapist go scott free just so they can take down some wiseguy. That’s how low the government is.
Breaking news! What was probably the nation’s biggest Mob prosecutor Preet Bhahara has been fired!
Fav. Of all 5 families