Investigators sit down to talk about the latest case that may have finally taken down the New England mafia. Nine reputed members and associates of the Patriarca crime family the New England branch of La Cosa Nostra are serving time behind bars as part of the latest mob bust. Among the mobsters taken down was former reputed Patriarca family boss Luigi “Baby Shacks” Manocchio and reputed acting boss Anthony DiNunzio. Manocchio is currently serving a five and a half year prison sentence after a 2011 guilty plea on racketeering conspiracy charges. DiNunzio has also pleaded guilty to charges in the case and is scheduled to be sentenced.
Investigators began the case against the New England mafia in 2007 which spread over several years. The case took a dramatic turn when a high ranking member of the New England mob decided to turn rat and cooperate. Court documents confirm that the turncoat mobster wore a recording device while discussing mob business with his fellow wiseguys. To date, the feds refuse to identify the identity of the mobster turned informant but many mob sources believe it to be former New England mafia capo Robert “Bobby” DeLuca. DeLuca was also charged in the case but has been missing ever since indictments were handed down and his whereabouts have been kept secret. The informant was scheduled to testify against Manocchio before he decided to plead guilty and avoid trial.
Investigators claim that the New England Mafia family has been decimated and its threat has been substantially minimized to the point that they are almost nonexistent. But many American mafia families have been claimed for dead by authorities only to bounce back so it will be interesting to see if time, in fact, proves that the New England mafia is on its last breath.
