Lucchese crime family mobster Christopher Londonio and mob associate Terrence Caldwell have been indicted on murder charges in the mob hit on Michael Meldish former leader of the infamous NY Purple Gang.
Meldish was shot to death back on November 15, 2013, while sitting in his car in front of his home. According to the Bronx District Attorney’s office, both men have been linked to the crime by phone records, license plate readers, and DNA evidence.
The Purple Gang led by Michael and his brother Joseph were a feared crew in the 1970’s and 80’s controlling the Harlem and Bronx drugs trade. The group was affiliated with the New York Mafia through the Lucchese, Bonanno, and Genovese families working in part as muscle and freelance killers. They took the name “Purple Gang” from a feared crew who once ruled in Detroit in the prohibition era and had become a powerful force on streets back in the 1970’s.
At one point authorities believed the group had become powerful enough to ignite a mob war by attempting to become the area’s sixth organized crime group. Then in the mid to late 1980’s the crew’s power began to dwindle as many of its members were convicted in various drug busts. Authorities say Meldish is believed to have carried out at least 10 hits during the 1970’s and 80’s with his brother Joseph believed to have been part of as many as 70 contract killings. Joe Meldish is currently serving a 12-year sentence for his role in a 1999 mafia hit.
Londonio was out on bail for a Bronx weapons charges indictment before being hit with federal gun charges putting him behind bars while the state presented evidence of his alleged involvement in the Meldish hit. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges although Londorio’s attorney Robert Blossner withdrew from the case because of an undisclosed conflict of interest. Blossner also represents Lucchese family capo Matthew Madonna who sources say is part of a continuing investigation into the Meldish murder.
Likely be looking to press these guys hoping one of them flips in an effort to nab a few more guys maybe some higher ranking members like Madonna. Although with the cases already pending against Madonna and at his age it would most likely only be relevant for a headline.
i am not sure madonna okayed it i know he had medish beaten up in 2013 but having him killed i am not sure he was facing rico problems did he really need to have someon whacked? i think it was one of either three reasons. One it was personal londinio has every reason to hate medilsh they have done alot of bad things, hat joey did in throggy neck and londino brother getting killed in 2003 could be part of the reason. Secondly it was over drugs it is common knowledge that medilsh was broke he could have started to deal with these guys and they killed him over money why not medlish was not popluar with anyone after what joey did in 1999 hell lucheses had him beaten in 2013 and genovese are not fans either. Third is that madonaa ordered the hit if he did i think it was over drugs i dont think madonna would have ordered t but he might have okayed but i could be wrong medilsh was getting on alot of peoples nerves around this time alot of people were fed up with him he start getting more and more involved again around 2010 he needed the money
Right he had a ton of enemies at that point and it really could of been for so many reasons. We may not know for sure unless one of those guys in custody now flips or someone else down line is already feeding the feds info on the hit which helped lead to these arrests.
very true the medish brothers are hated by many especially joey after the throggy neck murder in 1999 the genovese put open contract out on his head its part of the reason joey went on the run if he stayed no doubt about it he would of been whacked