Secret wiretap recordings recently heard by the Charbonneau Commission a Quebec corruption inquiry unveiled links between the Rizzuto crime family including its former deceased boss Vito Rizzuto and construction kingpin Tony Magi among others. Some of the conversations involve the transforming of a industrial building at 1000 de la Commune in Montreal into modern luxury condominiums dating back to 2002. Seems Magi had run into some financial problems during the project and had to pay a sizable investment loan in approx 60 days which he would of been unable to meet. At this point Vito Rizzuto is brought into things offering Magi help and insuring him that the project would be completed with out incident. Vito can be heard on the secret wiretaps negotiating deals between Magi and John Norman Myette a local business man among others.
“Vito Rizzuto”
According to Eric Vecchio a Charbonneau Commission investigator Rizzuto pulled the strings on financing to insure the projects completion to get control of Magi but he never invested his own money. During some of the wiretap recordings played for the commission Rizzuto can be heard discussing the project with Michel Argento of Paramount Paving telling him that Terry Pomerantz of TRAMS Property Management along with Giorgio Tartaglino would be financing the Magi project. He also stated that in return Magi would be required to share 18 percent of the shares in the project which would be split between Argerito, Tony Renda a partner of Tartaglino’s, and Rizzuto himself.
Vecchio called Vito Rizzuto a “man of compromise” always more interested in mediating then he was in relying on violence to do business. His ability to keep everyone around him happy and making money is one reason why he was able to maintain his power for such a long time and remain head of the Montreal mafia.
“Rizzuto Wiretap Transcripts”
Other wiretap recordings only contained conversations from other players and reputed Montreal mafia members including Vito Rizzuto’s son Nick Rizzuto Jr. It is believed by many that Magi is the one who ordered the murder of Nick Rizzuto Jr as the relationship soured between Magi and the Rizzuto family over the years. With the Rizzuto family in shambles and the death of Vito Rizzuto among many other high rankings members of the Rizzuto family it is now unclear what if any effect these proceedings will now have on the mafia in Montreal.
Here is a link to the Rizzuto wiretap transcriptions presented to the Charbonneau Commission.
