* History
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-- Major New Jersey Crimes and Criminals
Reality vs. Perception
While New Jersey has had crime problems, the perception that it is a haven for criminals is misleading. The stae consistently ranks among the states with the lowest crime rates in the United States. According to data from the FBI, in 2020, New Jersey's violent crime rate was 195.4 incidents per 100,000 people, which was the fifth lowest among the 50 states. In terms of specific crimes, New Jersey has notably low rates of assault and sex offenses. A study highlighted that the state had the least reported assaults per capita and the lowest number of sex offenses nationwide. In recent years, violent crime in Newark, Camden, and other cities has dropped significantly due to policing reforms, community programs, and economic investment. New Jersey also has strict gun laws compared to most other states, leading to lower gun violence rates.  The purported portrait of Lord Cornbury in the New York Historical Society. Image: Wikipedia
"He was a clever man. His great insanity was dressing himself as a woman. Lord Orford [Walpole] says that when Governor in America he opened the Assembly dressed in that fashion. When some of those about him remonstrated, his reply was, 'You are very stupid not to see the propriety of it. In this place and particularly on this occasion I represent a woman (Queen Anne) and ought in all respects to represent her as faithfully as I can.'"
Horace Walpole (1717-1797), referring to Lord Cornbury, Royal Governor of New Jersey from 1701 to 1708, in a conversation with his friend George James Williams 
The perception of New Jersey as a haven for crime has been shaped by a mix of historical realities, media portrayals, and cultural narratives. While the state has had its share of organized crime, corruption, and urban violence, the idea that it is a crime-ridden haven is often highly exaggerated. Historical Foundations of the Perception Indeed, a legacy of corruption may be traced to colonial times. Edawrd Hyde, Lord Cornbury was appointed governor of New York and New Jersey in 1701, largely due to his family’s connections to the English monarchy. A cousin of Queen Anne, Cornbury used this relationship to secure political power despite lacking any real administrative experience, reflecting the British practice of rewarding loyal aristocrats with colonial positions, regardless of their qualifications. As governor, Cornbury was tasked with consolidating British rule in New York and New Jersey, managing relations with Indigenous groups, and overseeing colonial trade. Instead, he quickly became notorious for his extravagant spending, favoritism, and disregard for colonial governance. Although some recent historians have questioned the credibility of the accounts, he was widely attacked for bribery and embezzling public money intended for colonial defense and infrastructure. Instead of using funds to fortify New Jersey’s defenses or improve governance, Cornbury's opponents also targeted his purported dressing as a woman, which some used to question his sexuality but his defenders contending that it reflected his admiration for Queen Anne. Bribery and Cronyism: He handed out political offices and land grants to his friends and supporters in exchange for bribes and loyalty, consolidating his control over the colony. Extortion of Local Officials: Cornbury demanded high fees from local officials and magistrates to maintain their positions. Those who refused to pay often found themselves dismissed or harassed. His corrupt practices led to widespread resentment among both New Jersey’s settlers and the colonial elite, who began petitioning for his removal. In the 20th century, New Jersey was home to several influential organized crime families, including factions of the Genovese, Gambino, and Lucchese families. Cities like Newark, Jersey City, and Atlantic City became known for mob-related activities, from illegal gambling to labor racketeering. The infamous "Commission" of the American Mafia had strong ties to the state. However, New Jersey was not unique in this regard—organized crime was just as entrenched in New York, Chicago, and other major urban centers. Organized Crime and the Mafia In the 20th century, New Jersey was home to several influential organized crime families, including factions of the Genovese, Gambino, and Lucchese families. Cities like Newark, Jersey City, and Atlantic City became known for mob-related activities, from illegal gambling to labor racketeering. The infamous "Commission" of the American Mafia had strong ties to the state. However, New Jersey was not unique in this regard—organized crime was just as entrenched in New York, Chicago, and other major urban centers. Political Corruption New Jersey has had a long history of political corruption, with numerous scandals involving bribery, bid-rigging, and fraud. Cases such as the FBI's Abscam sting operation of the late 1970s, which exposed corruption among public officials, reinforced the idea of a lawless political landscape. Even in recent years, politicians at various levels have been indicted on corruption charges. Urban Crime Waves Cities like Camden, Newark, and Trenton have struggled with high crime rates, particularly in the late 20th century. During the crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s, violent crime surged, reinforcing negative stereotypes. Camden, in particular, was once ranked among the most dangerous cities in the U.S., which fueled the idea of New Jersey as a crime hub. Media Influence and Pop Culture The popularization of organized crime in New Jersey owes much to movies and TV series. The Sopranos (1999–2007) depicted a fictional but highly influential version of the New Jersey Mafia, making the state synonymous with mob activity in the public imagination. Films like On the Waterfront (1954), which highlighted corruption in New Jersey’s docks, and American Hustle (2013), which referenced real-life political scandals, further cemented this image. In the mid-20th century, New Jersey's organized crime families, with the most prominent the Genovese, Gambino, and Lucchese families, had roots in waterforont unions and businesses, garbage collection and disposal, trucking and the construction industry and racketeering. Although the state's strict regulation of casino-hotels when they were approved in 1976 largely kept organized crime out of casino ownership, mafia influence soon was evident in the unions serving casino-hotel workers. News Coverage Sensationalized crime stories in newspapers and television have often focused on New Jersey's crime-ridden neighborhoods while ignoring broader trends, such as crime declines in many areas. The state’s proximity to New York City, where major news outlets operate, means that New Jersey crime stories often receive disproportionate attention. Reality vs. Perception While New Jersey has had crime problems, the perception that it is a haven for criminals is misleading.New Jersey consistently ranks among the states with the lowest crime rates in the United States. According to data from the FBI, in 2020, New Jersey's violent crime rate was 195.4 incidents per 100,000 people, which was the fifth lowest among the 50 states. In terms of specific crimes, New Jersey has notably low rates of assault and sex offenses. A study highlighted that the state had the least reported assaults per capita and the lowest number of sex offenses nationwide. In recent years, Violent crime in Newark, Camden, and other cities has dropped significantly due to policing reforms, community programs, and economic investment. New Jersey also has strict gun laws compared to most other states, leading to lower gun violence rates. New Jersey’s criminal history is marked by several high-profile cases and eras of intense law enforcement focus, particularly in political corruption and organized crime. For better or worse, relatively recent popular media productions have used that history as adaptations of fictionalized profiles which furthered the view of Nw Jersey as a haven for criminals.. The HBO award-winning series, The Sopranos, ran for six seasons between 1999 and 2007 featuring a more contemporary profile of organized crime in New Jersey. Its creator, David Chase, grew up in Clifton and North Caldwell in the latter 1940s and 1950s, maintained that the plots depicting the criminal and blood family headed by Tony Soprano (played by Rutgers graduate James Gandolfini) were fictional, but inspiration for some characters has been suggested as drawn from the DeCalvacante family of Simone"Sam the Plumber" DeCavalcante. DeCavalcante's s nickname was derived from his ownership of a plumbing and heating business in Kenilworth which was used as a front and source to report legal income. In 1969, during a federal racketeering trial of DeCalvacante, transcripts of tapes illegally recorded over 1964-65 by the FBI were surprisingly introduced in response to a pretrial motion by DeCalvacante's lawyers seeking evidence of electronic surveillance which disclosed graphic conversations of mob murders and boasts of ties to New Jersey congressmen and local elected officials. In addition to DeCalvacante, those recorded included Ruggiero "Richie the Boot" Boiardo and his son "Tony Boy" Boiardo and his son alleged re, in part, the inspiration for the fictional DiMeo crime family of HBO's dramatic series  Jersey City Mayor Frank Hague. Image: Library of Congress
--Bosses and corruption
From the end of the Civil War into the next century, New Jersey politics went through a period when it enacted laws to attract the giant corporations of the Gilded Age. Somewhat akin to the arrangement that had been fixed earlier in the century with the Camden and Amboy Railroad, state lawmakers attempted to avoid imposing taxes on their own residents by crafting legislation that would bring revenues from monopolies and trusts which established their legal headquarters in the state. In 1905, Lincoln Steffens, the prominent "muckraker" journalist, Lincoln Steffens wrote an article branding New Jersey "the traitor state" for allowing monopolies and other practices which were prohibited by most of her sister states. Apart from the solicitation of corporate revenues by the state, county and local governments would increasingly be dominated by powerful political organizations. In northern counties, bosses formed strong voting blocs of recent immigrants, with control maintained through patronage and kickbacks in the award of jobs and contracts, as well as manipulation of voter rolls and election counts. Hudson County emerged as the most powerful Democratic base, most prominent in the later machine of Jersey City Mayor Frank Hague, who was elected mayor in 1917 and served until 1947.Republicans established a comparable domination of Atlantic County, first led by Louis "the Commodore" Kuehnle, and later under the flamboyant Enoch "Nucky" Johnson, fueled additionally by revenues from illegal gambling, bootlegging, prostitution and kickbacks from local businesses and public employees. From 1868 through 1892, Democrats elected governors in nine straight elections and also produced majorities for their presidential candidates. Within the state, however, political power remained more balanced and dispersed. Between 1869 and 1896, Democrats held majorities in both houses of the legislature for seven years; Republicans for fourteen; and control was divided between the two parties in another seven years. * "New Jersey: A Traitor State," by Lincoln Steffens, April 1905, McClure's Magazine New Jersey’s proximity to New York and Philadelphia made it a prime location for smuggling alcohol into the country. The state’s long coastline, especially in areas like Sandy Hook and Cape May, became critical points for importing illegal liquor from Canada and the Caribbean.Absecon Island, on which Atlantic City was built, also beceame a center for bootleging from ships, aided by cooperation from local politicians and officials who ignored any efforts to block onshore deliveries.
Organized crime thrived in the bootlegging business, with mobsters like Abner “Longie” Zwillman emerging as major figures in New Jersey’s illicit liquor trade. Zwillman, sometimes called “the Al Capone of New Jersey,” controlled bootlegging operations, speakeasies, and bribed law enforcement to keep his operations running smoothly. Rum-running was especially prevalent in the Atlantic Ocean, where ships known as “rum-runners” would anchor just beyond U.S. territorial waters. Smaller boats would then ferry liquor to the shore under the cover of night. The infamous “Rum Row,” a stretch of sea off the East Coast, became a lifeline for the state’s bootleggers. Atlantic City’s Open Defiance of Prohibition No place in New Jersey was more openly defiant of Prohibition than Atlantic City. Under the leadership of political boss and racketeer Enoch “Nucky” Johnson, the resort town became a haven for illegal alcohol, gambling, and vice. Nucky Johnson famously declared that "we have whisky, wine, women, and song" and made no attempt to enforce Prohibition laws. Instead, he ensured that local businesses and speakeasies could operate freely, as long as they paid him for protection. Hotels and nightclubs in Atlantic City continued to serve alcohol, attracting tourists from Philadelphia and New York who wanted to drink without fear of law enforcement. Johnson’s influence extended to the state’s politicians and law enforcement agencies, allowing Atlantic City to become one of the most openly lawless places in the country during Prohibition. The city’s defiance became so well known that it later inspired the HBO series Boardwalk Empire, which depicted Johnson’s reign. When the 18th Amendment and the Volstead Act ushered in Prohibition (1920–1933), New Jersey became a center of resistance, No place in New Jersey was more openly defiant of Prohibition than Atlantic City. Under the leadership of political boss and racketeer Enoch “Nucky” Johnson, the resort town became a haven for illegal alcohol, gambling, and vice.bootlegging, and illicit alcohol production. The state’s geography, economic ties to alcohol production, and political climate made it a major player in the nation’s struggle over Prohibition. From rural distilleries producing applejack to the defiant speakeasies of Atlantic City, New Jersey played a critical role in both sustaining and ultimately undermining Prohibition.
New Jersey’s Relationship with Alcohol Before Prohibition Before Prohibition, New Jersey had a well-established alcohol industry, particularly in brewing and distilling. Newark and other cities were home to major breweries, while the state’s rural areas—especially Monmouth and Hunterdon counties—were known for producing applejack, a high-proof apple brandy with colonial roots. Many of these operations were devastated when Prohibition took effect. The Applejack Campaign and Illegal Production New Jersey’s applejack industry played a key role in the state’s defiance of Prohibition. Applejack, also known as “Jersey Lightning,” had been produced in the state since colonial times, with the first distillery founded by William Laird, a Scotsman who settled in Monmouth County. Within 150 years, the state would hold hundreds of applejack distilleries. In 1871, the Camden Press claimed Monmouth County’s famed applejack production “accounts for the Democratic majority which is uniformly large.” Laird;s distillery, continues as the nation's oldest licensed distillery still in production. and many distillers simply went underground after Prohibition began. Edward Edwards, a New Jersey state senator and former state comptroller from Hudson County, took on the protest for the Garden State. Edward I. Edwards Vowing to make New Jersey “as wet as the Atlantic,” the Democratic candidate was staunchly anti-Prohibition. His Republican opponent and successor as comptroller, Newton Bugbee, thought it better to enforce the looming constitutional amendment. Bugbee called Edwards an advocate for treason and anarchy. Edwards' fight for the governor’s office became known as the "applejack campaign.” One of the most infamous incidents was the government’s attempt to shut down applejack production in New Jersey, which became known as the "Applejack Campaign." Federal agents raided farms and orchards suspected of illegally fermenting and distilling apples into alcohol. However, enforcement proved difficult, as many producers operated in remote locations and enjoyed local support. Some applejack makers turned to creative methods, such as distilling in hidden cellars and transporting the liquor in milk jugs to avoid detection. Despite federal efforts, applejack remained widely available throughout the state, and its popularity actually increased during Prohibition. Bootleggers saw it as a viable alternative to imported whiskey and gin, making New Jersey a key supplier of homemade spirits to speakeasies across the Northeast. Bootlegging and Smuggling Operations New Jersey’s proximity to New York and Philadelphia made it a prime location for smuggling alcohol into the country. The state’s long coastline, especially in areas like Sandy Hook and Cape May, became critical points for importing illegal liquor from Canada and the Caribbean. Organized crime thrived in the bootlegging business, with mobsters like Abner “Longie” Zwillman emerging as major figures in New Jersey’s illicit liquor trade. Zwillman, sometimes called “the Al Capone of New Jersey,” controlled bootlegging operations, speakeasies, and bribed law enforcement to keep his operations running smoothly. Rum-running was especially prevalent in the Atlantic Ocean, where ships known as “rum-runners” would anchor just beyond U.S. territorial waters. Smaller boats would then ferry liquor to the shore under the cover of night. The infamous “Rum Row,” a stretch of sea off the East Coast, became a lifeline for the state’s bootleggers. Atlantic City’s Open Defiance of Prohibition No place in New Jersey was more openly defiant of Prohibition than Atlantic City. Under the leadership of political boss and racketeer Enoch “Nucky” Johnson, the resort town became a haven for illegal alcohol, gambling, and vice. Nucky Johnson famously declared that "we have whisky, wine, women, and song" and made no attempt to enforce Prohibition laws. Instead, he ensured that local businesses and speakeasies could operate freely, as long as they paid him for protection. Hotels and nightclubs in Atlantic City continued to serve alcohol, attracting tourists from Philadelphia and New York who wanted to drink without fear of law enforcement. Johnson’s influence extended to the state’s politicians and law enforcement agencies, allowing Atlantic City to become one of the most openly lawless places in the country during Prohibition. The city’s defiance became so well known that it later inspired the HBO series Boardwalk Empire, which depicted Johnson’s reign. The Impact of Repeal (1933) and Its Aftermath By the early 1930s, public sentiment had shifted against Prohibition, as crime rates soared and the Great Depression increased the demand for legal jobs and tax revenue. New Jersey, which had always been skeptical of Prohibition, was one of the first states to ratify the 21st Amendment, officially ending the nationwide alcohol ban in 1933. The repeal of Prohibition had several immediate effects on New Jersey: The Jersey Shore was a vital entry point for illegal alcohol during Prohibition. Atlantic City’s infamous Republican head Nucky Johnson facilitated the bootlegging via trade boats running international waters and took fees for his troubles. Economic Recovery: Breweries, distilleries, and bars reopened, providing jobs and tax revenue for struggling cities. Atlantic City quickly rebranded itself as a legitimate entertainment destination. Decline of Bootlegging: While organized crime remained powerful, the need for large-scale bootlegging operations diminished, leading to a shift toward other illegal enterprises, such as gambling and labor racketeering. Continued Legacy of Applejack: Legal applejack production resumed, and brands like Laird & Company (America’s oldest licensed distillery, based in New Jersey) continued producing the spirit. Although the organized crime networks built during Prohibition didn’t disappear, the end of the alcohol ban significantly changed the nature of illegal business in the state. Atlantic City, for example, struggled to maintain its status as a vice capital but later reinvented itself with legalized casino gambling in the 1970s. Prohibition and Bootlegging
New Jersey's opposition to Prohibition was evident even before its approval in 1920. In 1919, Edward I. Edwards ran a successful gubernatorial campaign known as the "applejack campaign," promising to make New Jersey "as wet as the Atlantic Ocean" despite Prohibition becoming the law of the land. This campaign reflected the popular sentiment against Prohibition in the state. When Prohibition went into effect in 1920, it sparked a new era of illicit alcohol production and distribution in New Jersey. The state's long coastline, large ports, and proximity to major cities made it a hub for rumrunning and bootlegging. Newark, in particular, became known as the bootleg capital of the United States and Absecon Island, on which Atlantic City is located, . At Ralston Cider Mill, distilling and bottling operations were moved underground into hidden basements. Illegal applejack produced there supplied speakeasies in Newark and New York. In Newark, bootlegging became a significant industry. Trucks loaded with illegal alcohol would make night runs, protected by armed men. One captain who organized these runs was a Newark boxer who was paid $50 for each operation3. Many ordinary citizens were involved in bootlegging. In the Weequahic Section of Newark, for example, residents on Lehigh Avenue were reportedly involved in coloring and bottling illicit alcohol3. Despite the state's general opposition to Prohibition, sporadic law enforcement efforts were still carried out: Over the 14 years of Prohibition, approximately 2,000 stills were raided in New Jersey. and police confiscated property valued over $8.6 million with 4,768 arrests for violations involving manufacture, sale, possession, and transportation of alcohol. However, resistance to Prohibition remained strong. New Jersey was the last state to ratify the 18th Amendment, doing so on March 9, 1922, long after it had already become law5. Prohibition had a significant impact on New Jersey's applejack industry. In 1917, even before national Prohibition, Congress mandated the end of fruit and grain distillation as part of World War I food production control laws. This dealt a blow to New Jersey's legal applejack industry, which was already in decline1. After Prohibition ended in 1933, there was a brief resurgence in applejack production, with more than two dozen distilleries opening in New Jersey. However, most of these closed within a few years due to economic factors1. New Jersey’s proximity to major cities like New York and Philadelphia, combined with its extensive coastline, made it a hub for smuggling during Prohibition (1920–1933). Bootleggers like Abner "Longie" Zwillman—dubbed the "Al Capone of New Jersey"—dominated alcohol trafficking through networks extending to Canada and the Caribbean. Zwillman collaborated with figures like Joe Adonis and Willie Moretti (a Genovese family underboss) to control gambling and prostitution, establishing early ties between New Jersey and New York’s Five Families 38. The state’s lax alcohol regulations post-Prohibition, such as complex licensing systems, inadvertently fostered continued illicit activity 11. Post-WWII Expansion: Labor Racketeering and Mob Families By the mid-20th century, organized crime shifted toward labor unions and industries. The Genovese crime family solidified control over the New York–New Jersey waterfront, exploiting the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) to monopolize dockworker jobs, extort businesses, and orchestrate no-show jobs. For instance, union shop steward Ralph Gigante (nephew of Genovese boss Vincent "Chin" Gigante) earned $400,000 annually for minimal work 5. Other prominent families included: DeCavalcante Family: Led by "Sam the Plumber" DeCavalcante, this New Jersey-based group operated gambling, loan-sharking, and racketeering networks, later inspiring The Sopranos 38. Lucchese Family’s Jersey Crew: Under Anthony Accetturo and Michael "Mad Dog" Taccetta, this faction dominated illegal gambling and narcotics in Newark before internal power struggles led to their downfall in the 1990s 8. The Sopranos Era and Cultural Impact The late 20th century saw organized crime embedded in suburban New Jersey. The DeCavalcante family’s operations—particularly their base in Union County—reportedly inspired HBO’s The Sopranos (1999–2007), which dramatized the tensions between mob life and suburban respectability 38. Real-life figures like John Riggi (DeCavalcante boss imprisoned in the 1980s) mirrored the show’s themes of loyalty and betrayal 8. 4. Modernization and Diversification By the 1980s, traditional Italian-American groups faced competition from emerging syndicates: International Groups: South American drug cartels, Asian triads, and African syndicates established operations in New Jersey, diversifying into human trafficking, cybercrime, and pharmaceuticals 3. Prison Gangs: Groups like the Aryan Brotherhood and Peckerwoods expanded drug trafficking networks, as seen in recent convictions of figures like Ronnie Griffin, tied to meth and fentanyl distribution 14. Despite law enforcement crackdowns, the Genovese family retains influence on the waterfront. In 2023, the dissolution of the Waterfront Commission (established in 1953 to combat corruption) raised concerns about renewed mob control over port operations. Key Cases and Legacy 5814 Lawrence Ricci’s Murder (2005): A Genovese associate found dead in a car trunk amid a corruption trial highlighted ongoing mob violence. Paul Moe’s Fraud (2018): A dock foreman collected $500,000 annually for minimal work, exposing systemic graft. 2024 Convictions: Recent racketeering cases against gangs like the Marion Street crew underscore persistent ties between street gangs and organized crime. More recently, in Boardwalk Empire, loosely adapted from a nonfiction book by the same name authored by New Jersey Superior Court Judge Nelson Johnson, Atlantic City's heritage of political corruption and crime centered on the reign of the flamboyant Enoch "Nucky" Johnson, the Republican boss who controlled the City and its county from 1910 until his conviction and imprisonment in 1941. Johnson (whose character's last name in the HBO series was changed to "Thompson"), blatantly ignored open gambling, prostitution and illegal alcohol sales and bootlegging in return for kickbacks and bribes. "We have whisky, wine, women, song and slot machines" Johnson was famously quoted in defending the lawlessness. "I won't deny it and I won't apologize for it. If the majority of the people didn't want them they wouldn't be profitable and they would not exist. The fact that they do exist proves to me that the people want them." 'In 1929, Johnson hosted national crime bosses, including Al Capone, Meyer Lansky, Lucky Luciano, Bugsy Siegel, Frank Costello, Vito Genovese and several others in what is considered the earliest step toward establishing the National Crime Commission which later controlled major organized crime activities in the nation. 
- Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping (1932) New Jersey's most famous crime was the kidnapping of the 18-month old son of the aviator Charles Lindbergh and his wife, the former Anne Morrow, on the evening of March 1, 1932. Over two months later, on May 12, the body of the child was discovered in the woods in Hopewell Township, a short distance from the Lindberghs' home in East Amwell. A medical examination determined that the cause of death was a massive skull fracture, which some analysts believe may have occurred when the boy was dropped as he was carried down a ladder by the kidnapper from his second-floor bedroom. In the weeks before the discovery of the body, Charles Lindbergh and New Jersey State Police Superintendent Norman Schwarzkopf (father of Desert Storm general Norman Scwarzkopf, Jr.) personally worked to establish contact with the perpetrators and deliver a $50,000 ransom for the return of the child. In recent years, some analysts have questioned the accuracy of the traditional accounts of the kidnapping, indeed even suggesting that Lindbergh himself may have played a role in his son's abduction in an effort to hide disclosure of the infant's purported mental disabilty.
- Megan Kanka Murder (1994) – Hamilton Township The murder of seven-year-oldMegan Kanka by a neighbor, aconvicted sex offender, gained national attention and sparked legislation in New Jersey and other states to require sex offenders to register their locations of their residences for public disclosuRE, Megan’s Law, which mandates the public disclosure of sex offenders' whereabouts. Howard Unruh “Walk of Death” (1949) – Camden Howard Unruh, a WWII veteran suffering from severe mental health issues, went on a 12-minute shooting spree, killing 13 people and wounding several others in his Camden neighborhood. This was one of the first documented cases of a mass shooting in U.S. history. Michael Maltese Murder (2008) – South Brunswick On October 8, 2008, Michael A. Maltese, 29, of South Brunswick strangled both of his parents-- Michael J. Maltese, 58, and Kathleen Maltese, 53--following an altercation with his father at their home in the Monmouth Junction Mobile Home Park. At Maltese's trial, evidence and testimony was presented that Maltese purposely killed his parents and then buried their bodies in a shallow grave in Beech Woods Park in South Brunswick. Maltese claimed he acted in self-defense after his parents drank heavily that night and his father became violent while arguing with his son and that his mother then attacked him for assaulting his father and he also strangled her,. . - Dutch Schultz "Chophouse" Murder (1935) - Newark
On October 23, 1935, Dutch Schultz was shot and killed at the Palace Chophouse in Newark, apparently a murder ordered by the National Crime Commission after Schultz defied the Commission's order not to continue planning an assassination of US Attorney for New York Thomas E. Dewey. Another Atlantic City attendee, Abner "Longy" Zwillman of Newark, would continue a long criminal career during which he was described in press accounts as the "Al Capone of New Jersey." In the 1920s during Prohibition, Zwillman focused on bootlegging from Canada, but he later evolved into a hidden financial interest in the Columbia Pictures motion picture studio (along with an affair with famed star Jean Harlow) and in the 1940s and 1950s control of illegal gambling and vending machines in Newark and its region. In 1959, after being subpoenaed to testify before the US Senate committee investigating organized crime chaired by Senator George McClellan, Zwillman, was found dead hanging from a noose strung up in the basement of his West Orange home, a death officially ruled a suicide but which some continue to question as possibly a staged killing by fellow crime bosses concerned over his potential disclosures of the operations of the national crime network. - Abner "Longy" Zwillman suicide (?) (1959) - West Orange
Another Atlantic City Conference attendee, Abner "Longy" Zwillman of Newark, would continue a long criminal career during which he was described in press accounts as the "Al Capone of New Jersey." In the 1920s during Prohibition, Zwillman focused on bootlegging from Canada, but he later evolved into a hidden financial interest in the Columbia Pictures motion picture studio (along with an affair with famed star Jean Harlow) and in the 1940s and 1950s control of illegal gambling and vending machines in Newark and its region. In 1959, after being subpoenaed to testify before the US Senate committee investigating organized crime chaired by Senator George McClellan, Zwillman, was found dead hanging from a noose strung up in the basement of his West Orange home, a death officially ruled a suicide but which some continue to question as possibly a staged killing by fellow crime bosses concerned over his potential disclosures of the operations of the national crime network. - "Operation Bid Rig" 2002-2014
"Operation Bid Rig" resulted in the indictment of more than 60 public officials and politically connected individuals. The operation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, and the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey from 2002 to 2014. The first phase became public in 2002 when former Ocean Township Mayor Terrance D. Weldon pleaded guilty to extorting cash from developers to influence the approval of building projects. The second phase of the investigation resulted in the February 2005 arrests of 11 elected officials in Monmouth County, who were charged with taking bribes from an undercover cooperating witness. In July 2009, sting operations resulted in the arrest of 44 people in New Jersey and New York, including 29 public servants and political operatives and five orthodox rabbis from the Syrian Jewish community. The prominent figures included mayors, assemblymen, and other elected officials such as Jersey City Deputy Mayor Leona Beldini, Hoboken Mayor Peter Cammarano, and Secaucus Mayor Dennis Elwell: In response to the corruption exposed by Operation Bid Rig, New Jersey implemented reforms to enhance transparency and accountability, including stronger oversight of campaign finance and more severe punishments for public officials convicted of corruption. The scandal also was seen as a factor in Republican Chris Christie's victory in the 2009 gubernatorial election since he had been the U.S. Attorney who initiated the investigation.. 
- Harold Giles Hoffman corruption Harold Hoffman served as the 41st Governor of New Jersey, from 1935 to 1938. He also served two terms representing New Jersey's 3rd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives, from 1927 to 1931. On March 18, 1954, Governor Robert B. Meyner uncovered a significant embezzlement scheme perpetrated by Hoffman while he was serving as Unemployment Compensation Commission Director. Three months later, in June 1954, Hoffman died in a New York City hotel room of a heart attack. Just before dying, he wrote a confession and admitted that he had embezzled over $300,000 from the state. |
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- Willie Moretti murder (1951) - Cliffside Park
On October 4, 1951, mobster Willie Moretti reportedly was assassinated while having lunch with four other men at Joe’s Elbow Room Restaurant in Cliffside Park. The killing was reportedly by order of the Mafia Commission due to the mob bosses anger over his overly candid testimony during the U.S. Senate Kefauver Hearings. From 1933 to 1951, Moretti, in association with Joe Adonis, Settimo Accardi and Abner "Longy" Zwillman, ran gambling dens in New Jersey and upstate New York, with his operations based out of his homes in Hasbrouck Heights in Bergen County and Deal in Monmouth County, Moretti was the godfather of then-little-known singer Frank Sinatra. Sinatra's first wife, Nancy Barbato, was a paternal cousin of John Barbato, a Moretti associate. Moretti helped Sinatra get bookings in New Jersey clubs in return for kickbacks. Finally, in 1939, Sinatra signed a recording contract with band leader Tommy Dorsey. Hall-Mills murders (1922) - Somerset
The Hall–Mills murder case involved an Episcopal priest and a member of his choir with whom he was having an affair, who were murdered on September 14, 1922, in Somerset. The suspected murderers, the priest's wife and her brothers, were acquitted in a 1926 trial. In the history of journalism, the case is largely remembered for the vast extent of newspaper coverage it received nationwide; it has been regarded as an example of a media circus. It would take the Lindbergh kidnapping trial in the 1930s to eclipse the high profile of the Hall-Mills murder. Attorney and liberal activist William M. Kunstler published a 1964 book titled The Minister and the Choir Singer, which he re-released with added editorial material in 1980 as The Hall-Mills Murders. In his book, Kunstler theorized that the Ku Klux Klan had been responsible for the couple's demise, based on the facts that the Klan was a very violent organization and was active in New Jersey in the 1920s. But he acknowledged that the Klan had not previously killed anyone in the state, and his reasons for thinking the group would target this particular couple were admittedly speculative. Newark Schoolyard Murders (2007) - Newark
On August 4, 2007, three young college-bound friends in a school playground were killed in execution-style shootings. A fourth victim, a sister of one of those killed, was shot and critically injured but survived. The four friends were hanging out behind a local middle school when they were confronted by a group of armed attackers who forced them to kneel against a wall and shot them execution-style, with one of the victims also attacked with a machete, suffering horrific wounds before being killed. Authorities quickly identified the suspects, who were believed to be part of the MS-13 violent street gang. Six individuals, including an illegal immigrant from Peru, were eventually arrested and charged who were linked to the gang. All six suspects were subsequently convicted, with the ringleader, Jose Carranza, convicted of multiple counts of murder, robbery, and weapons charges, receiving a life sentence; his accomplices also were sentenced to long prison terms. The murders intensified debates over gang violence, illegal immigration, and urban crime in New Jersey. Paul Sherwin bribery conviction (1971)
In 1971, Paul J. Sherwin, who was serving as the Secretary of State of New Jersey in the administration of Governnor William Cahill, was convicted for his involvement in a bribery scheme relating to state highway contracts. The case centered on allegations that Sherwin conspired to manipulate the bidding process for a $600,000 state highway project. Specifically, he was found guilty of attempting to ensure that the lowest bid, submitted by Centrum Construction Company, was rejected in favor of the second-lowest bidder, Manzo Contracting Company. In return, Manzo Contracting provided a $10,000 contribution to Republican fundraisers. Sherwin's conviction was part of a broader crackdown on political corruption in New Jersey during the 1970s, and undermined the electoral prospects of Governor Cahill, who was defeated in the 1973 Republican primary election in his bid for re-election to a second term. Senator Robert Menendez (2025) United States senator from New Jersey from 2006 until his resignation in 2024 following his conviction on charges including bribery, extortion, wire fraud, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and acting as a foreign agent. He was subsequently sentenced to 11 years in prison. First appointed to the Senate by Governor Jon Corzine, and chaired the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations from 2013 to 2015 and from 2021 to 2023. Beginning in late 2022, questions were raised about whether Menendez or his wife accepted allowable gifts from an Edgewater halal meat provider and whether an Egyptian firm received unwarranted favorable treatment. Investigators found $480,000 in cash and more than $100,000 worth of gold bars at Menendez's home, followed by federal prosecutors in Manhattan charging five people, including Menendez and his wife Nadine, with corruption. The allegations included that Menendez "provided sensitive U.S. Government information and took other steps that secretly aided the Government of Egypt" and that he intervened in an investigation of a local real estate developer. Robert C. Janiszewski (2002) - Jersey City
As Hudson County Executive from 1988 to 2001 after serving in the state Assembly from 1978 to 1984, Janiszewski pleaded guilty in 2002 to accepting over $100,000 in bribes and in 2005 was sentenced to 41 months in prison, Beginning in 1999, Janiszewski later admitted that he accepted more than $20,000 from a Union City psychiatrist in exchange for renewing contracts to provide psychiatric services to the Hudson County jail, juvenile detention facility, and psychiatric hospital. Some of the payments to Janiszewski were funneled through a Hudson County Freeholder who was romantically involved with the psychiatrist. Agreeing to cooperate with the FBI, the psychiatrist arranged a meeting with Janiszewski in November 2000 to deliver another payment at an Atlantic City hotel room, a meeting which was videotaped by FBI agents showing the acceptance of the bribe, after which Janiszewski also agreed to cooperate with the FBI corruption investigations. His cooperation with federal investigators marked him as the highest-ranking elected official in New Jersey to work undercover for the FBI. - Organized crime families There were several bosses in North Jersey during the Prohibition era controlling transportation of alcohol and whiskey into New York City. There were two Mafia families based in New Jersey: the Newark family headed by Gaspare D'Amico, and the Elizabeth family headed by Stefano Badami. The New York City families had crews operating in New Jersey: the Masseria family's New Jersey faction, and the Reina family's Jersey crew. There was also Abner Zwillman, a Jewish gangster operating in Newark and Philadelphia crime family operating in South Jersey. When Prohibition ended in 1933, the Luciano family's New Jersey faction expanded into other crimes. The most powerful caporegime in the faction was Guarino "Willie" Moretti who controlled numerous illegal gambling operations in New Jersey. Moretti formed an alliance with Jewish mobster Abner "Longie" Zwillman, who the media refer as the "Al Capone of New Jersey" because Zwillman had once controlled the majority of the illegal alcohol in Newark. The alliance between Moretti and Zwillman dominated illegal gambling in New Jersey. In early 1937, Newark family boss Gaspare D'Amico fled the U.S. after a foiled hit ordered by Joseph Profaci. The Mafia Commission divided up D'Amico's territory among the Luciano (Boiardo crew), Gagliano (Jersey crew), Mangano, Bonanno, Badami family, Profaci and Philadelphia (North Jersey crew) families. In 1937, family boss Luciano was arrested leaving Frank "the Prime Minister" Costello as the new acting boss of the family. Moretti, a cousin to Costello, was promoted to underboss. Zwillman continued to align with the Luciano family, while Moretti was replaced by Newark capo Ruggiero "Richie the Boot" Boiardo.[4] Zwillman and Boiardo were previously enemies fighting for control of territory in Newark but the two men put there differences aside and focused on controlling illegal gambling throughout Newark. The alliance between Moretti, Zwillman and Boiardo continued to operate peacefully together for years until Moretti became mentally ill in the early 1950s. A contract hit was put on Moretti and he was executed while eating lunch on October 4, 1951.[5][6] The New Jersey alliance was weakened but continued to operate between Zwillman and Boiardo. The murder of Moretti became a key factor in weakening Frank Costello's leadership position within the Luciano family, as his only major remaining supporter was Mangano family boss Albert Anastasia. A few years earlier in 1946, Costello's strongest ally and powerful mobster Lucky Luciano was deported in to Italy. Costello promoted Vito Genovese to underboss, but Genovese believed the family belonged to him and plotted to take control from Costello. After his promotion to Underboss Genovese gained the support of Lucchese boss Gaetano "Tommy" Lucchese and Mangano underboss Carlo Gambino. In May 1957, Genovese and his allies ordered the assassination of Costello but failed and only wounded him. The attack made Costello aware that Genovese would never stop and Costello retired leaving Genovese as the new boss.[3] The Genovese crime family's New Jersey faction is a group of Italian-American mobsters within the Genovese crime family who control organized crime activities within the state of New Jersey. The New Jersey faction is divided into multiple crews each led by a different caporegime who oversees illegal criminal activities in labor racketeering, illegal gambling, loansharking and extortion. The Genovese crime family's New Jersey faction has maintained a strong presence in the Northern Jersey area since the early prohibition era. A number of powerful mobsters within the New Jersey faction such as Guarino "Willie" Moretti, Gerardo "Jerry" Catena and Louis "Bobby" Manna have each held positions within the Genovese family's administration. From the 1990s until his death in 2010, Tino "the Greek" Fiumara was one of the most powerful caporegimes In 1935, Vincenzo Troia, a former associate of Salvatore Maranzano's, conspired to take over the Newark family, and he was murdered. Two years later, in 1937, D'Amico fled the United States after a failed assassination attempt on his life, ordered by Joseph Profaci. The Commission decided to divide up his territory among the Five Families and Badami's Elizabeth family. Stefano "Steve" Badami became the boss of the Elizabeth-Newark family; however, his reign proved to be very disruptive, as members of the Newark and the Elizabeth factions began fighting for total control of New Jersey. Badami kept controlling the crew up to the 1950s, but he was suddenly murdered in 1955 in what appears to have been another power struggle between the two factions. Badami's underboss and fellow mobster Filippo Amari stepped up to run the illegal operations. Filippo "Phil" Amari was a mobster recognized by US law enforcement as being heavily involved with extortion, labor racketeering, loansharking, and narcotics activities in Newark and New York City. He was considered the new head of the New Jersey organization, but his reign proved to be very short, as there were multiple factions operating underneath who all conspired to take over. While still in charge, he relocated to Sicily and was replaced by Nicholas "Nick" Delmore. Delmore attended the infamous 1957 Apalachin Convention to represent the small New Jersey crime family, with underbosses of Elizabeth and Newark Frank Majuri and Louis "Fat Lou" LaRasso.Using information provided by Guarino, US law enforcement launched a large scale arrest on December 2, 1999 of over 30 members and associates of the DeCavalcante crime family. Palermo realized they would likely spend the rest of their lives behind bars and decided to cooperate with the FBI in exchange for a lenient sentence. This resulted in the arrest of 12 more men less than a year later. This decimated the crime family's hierarchy and put it on the brink of extinction. Other top members, like Anthony Rotondo and Anthony Capo, also agreed to become government witnesses. In 2001, 20 mobsters were charged with racketeering, seven murders, 14 murder conspiracies, attempted murder, extortion in the construction industry, and stock fraud. This was the fourth indictment of the family since 1999. Since then, several other top mobsters agreed to become government witnesses in exchange for being given lenient or no sentences at all. US law enforcement even put Giovanni Riggi on trial, who was hoping to be released in 2003, and he was sentenced to 10 additional years in prison. DeCavalcante crime family
'The DeCavalcante crime family was involved in a range of illicit activities from extortion and gambling to violent murders. Their operations, particularly in areas such as Atlantic City, and Elizabeth and surrounding areas included bookmaking, building, cement, and construction violations, bootlegging, corruption, drug trafficking, extortion, fencing, fraud, hijacking, illegal gambling, loan-sharking, money laundering, murder, pier thefts, pornography, prostitution, racketeering, and waste management violations. The DeCavalcantes are, in part, the inspiration for the fictional DiMeo crime family of HBO's series The Sopranos. The DeCavalcante family was the subject of the CNBC program Mob Money and The Real Sopranos TV documentary - William Nelson Gross (1974)
Gross was a Republican Party politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly after he was elected at age 29 in 1961 to a single two-year term , as Chairman of the New Jersey Republican State Committee 1969-70 and candidate for the US Senate, winning the Republican primary with the backing of Governor William T. Cahill. Gross lost in the general election by about 250,000 votes to Democratic incumbent Harrison A. Williams. His political career ended in 1974 when he was convicted on federal charges involving the 1969 campaign of Governor Cahill.on five counts of tax fraud and perjury, alleging that he advised a businessman to conceal a $5,000 campaign contribution as a tax-deductible business expense and then telling him to lie to a federal grand jury. After several appeals failed, Gross surrendered in June 1976 to begin a two-year prison term, eventually serving just over six months of the sentence. After his release from prison, he had a successful business career as a real estate developer and owner of a restaurant in Edgewater. On the morning of September 17, 1997, Gross went missing, last seen driving his BMW in Edgewater near his restaurant. Other men were seen in the car with Gross as he drove to a bank near the restaurant and withdrew $20,000. A weeklong manhunt ensued, ending with the discovery of Gross's bludgeoned body on an embankment between the Henry Hudson Parkway and the Hudson River. Three teenagers from Washington Heights in Manhattan, were arrested for the robbery and murder of Gross, one of whom worked as a busboy at the restaurant owned by Gross, They admitted to abducting Gross at gunpoint, forcing him to drive to a bank to withdraw money, and then killing him in a secluded spot along the Henry Hudson Parkway. Two of the accomplices were given the maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, while a third, who had entered into a plea agreement, was sentenced to 17 years. - Joanne Chesimard Born in 1947 and named JoAnne Deborah Byron and later known as Assata Olugbala Shakur, she is a political activist who was a member of the Black Liberation Army (BLA and still wanted for a murder of a New Jersey State Trooper. In 1977, she was convicted in the murder of state trooper Werner Foerster during a shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike in 1973. At the end of the gunfight, Foerster was dead on the ground, shot in the head with his own service weapon. She escaped from prison in 1979 and is currently wanted by the FBI, with a $1 million FBI reward for information leading to her capture, and an additional $1 million reward offered by the New Jersey attorney general. Born in Flushing, Queens, she became a political activist while attending City College of New York, later using the name Assata Shakur, and briefly joined the Black Panther Party and then the Black Liberation Army Between 1971 and 1973, she was charged with several crimes and was the subject of a multi-state manhunt. In May 1973, she was arrested after being wounded in a shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike. Also involved in the shootout were troopers Werner Foerster and James Harper, and BLA members Sundiata Acoli and Zayd Malik Shakur. Harper was wounded, and Zayd Shakur and Foerster were killed. Between 1973 and 1977, Shakur was charged with murder, attempted murder, armed robbery, and kidnapping in relation to the shootout and six other incidents. She was acquitted on three of the charges and three were dismissed, but convicted of the murder of Foerster and of seven other felonies related to the 1973 shootout. Her defense had argued medical evidence suggested her innocence since her arm was injured in the shootout. While serving a life sentence for murder, Shakur escaped in 1979 from the Clinton Correctional Facility for Women in New Jersey and was granted political asylum in Cuba in 1984. Shakur has lived in Cuba since, despite US government efforts to have her returned. She has been on the FBI Most Wanted Terrorists list since 2013 as Joanne Deborah Chesimard and was the first woman to be added to this list. Abscam scandal (1982)
"Abscam" was the FBI codename for the two-year investigation which included videotaping politicians accepting bribes from a fictitious Arabian company in return for various political favors. The "Abscam" label used for the probe was a contraction of "Arab scam" from the American-Arab Relations Committee made complaints, which was revised to "Abdul scam" based on the name of its fictitious company. Charges of bribery and corruption led to the convictions of seven members of Congress. including those of New Jersey's US Senator Harrison A. Williams. who resigned in 1982 before a planned expulsion vote by the Senate. The investigation initially targeted trafficking in stolen property and corruption of prominent business people, but later evolved into a corruption investigation. Other New Jersey politicians convicted Congressman Frank Thompson and Camden Mayor Angelo Errichetti. |
Background
Operation Bid Rig originated with investigations of public corruption among New Jersey officials in Monmouth and Ocean counties. The first phase became public in 2002 when former Ocean Township Mayor Terrance D. Weldon pleaded guilty to extorting cash from developers to influence the approval of building projects. The second phase of the investigation resulted in the February 2005 arrests of 11 elected officials in Monmouth County, who were charged with taking bribes from an undercover cooperating witness.[4]
Peter Cammarano: Elected as Hoboken's mayor in 2009, Cammarano's tenure was arrested just 22 days after taking office during Operation Bid Rig, a major corruption probe, for accepting $25,000 in bribes. He resigned and later pleaded guilty to extortion, resulting in a 24-month federal prison sentence.
Tony F. Mack: As mayor of Trenton from 2010, Mack faced multiple controversies, including the arrest of his chief of staff and the resignation of his law director. In 2012, he was arrested for accepting bribes in a corruption scheme and was subsequently convicted, leading to a nearly five-year federal prison sentence.
Daniel Van Pelt: A member of the New Jersey General Assembly representing the 9th legislative district, Van Pelt was arrested in 2009 during Operation Bid Rig for accepting a $10,000 bribe. He was convicted and sentenced to 41 months in federal prison.
The Lucchese crime family (pronounced [lukˈkeːze; -eːse]) is an Italian-American Mafia crime family and one of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the American Mafia. Members refer to the organization as the Lucchese borgata; borgata (or brugard) is Mafia slang for criminal gang, which itself was derived from a Sicilian word meaning close-knit community.[8] The members of other crime families sometimes refer to Lucchese family members as "Lukes".[9]
The family originated in the early 1920s; Gaetano Reina served as its boss until his murder in 1930.[10] It was taken over by Tommy Gagliano during the Castellammarese War, and led by him until his death in 1951. Known as the Gagliano crime family under Gagliano, the family kept their activities low-key, with their efforts concentrated in the Bronx, Manhattan, and New Jersey.
The next boss was Tommy Lucchese, who had served as Gagliano's underboss for over 20 years. Lucchese led the family to become one of the most powerful families to sit on the Commission. Lucchese teamed up with Gambino crime family boss Carlo Gambino to control organized crime in New York City. Lucchese had a stronghold on the garment industry in New York and took control of many crime rackets for the family.[11]
When Lucchese died of a brain tumor in 1967, Carmine Tramunti controlled the family for a brief time; he was arrested in 1973 for funding a major heroin network and died five years later.[12] Anthony Corallo then gained control of the family. Corallo was very secretive and soon became one of the most powerful members of the Commission. He was arrested and convicted in the famous Mafia Commission Trial of 1986.
For most of its history, the Lucchese family was reckoned as one of the most peaceful crime families in the nation. However, that changed when Corallo named Victor Amuso as his successor shortly before going to prison. Amuso later promoted one of his closest allies, Anthony Casso, to underboss. Starting in 1986, Amuso and Casso instituted one of the bloodiest reigns in Mafia history, ordering virtually anyone who crossed them to be murdered. It is estimated that Casso himself murdered between 30 and 40 people and ordered over 100 murders during his reign; he was sentenced to 455 years in prison. Casso also had authority over NYPD detectives Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa; both carried out at least eight murders for him.
Amuso was arrested in 1991 and sentenced to life in prison. Several Lucchese family members, fearing for their lives, turned informant. The highest-profile of these was acting boss Alphonse D'Arco, who became the first boss of a New York crime family to testify against the mob. This led to the arrests of the entire Lucchese family hierarchy, with Casso also becoming an informant. Testimony from these informants nearly destroyed the family, with as many as half of its members winding up incarcerated. Amuso continues to rule the family from prison.
The family originated in the early 1920s; Gaetano Reina served as its boss until his murder in 1930.[10] It was taken over by Tommy Gagliano during the Castellammarese War, and led by him until his death in 1951. Known as the Gagliano crime family under Gagliano, the family kept their activities low-key, with their efforts concentrated in the Bronx, Manhattan, and New Jersey.
The next boss was Tommy Lucchese, who had served as Gagliano's underboss for over 20 years. Lucchese led the family to become one of the most powerful families to sit on the Commission. Lucchese teamed up with Gambino crime family boss Carlo Gambino to control organized crime in New York City. Lucchese had a stronghold on the garment industry in New York and took control of many crime rackets for the family.[11]
When Lucchese died of a brain tumor in 1967, Carmine Tramunti controlled the family for a brief time; he was arrested in 1973 for funding a major heroin network and died five years later.[12] Anthony Corallo then gained control of the family. Corallo was very secretive and soon became one of the most powerful members of the Commission. He was arrested and convicted in the famous Mafia Commission Trial of 1986.
For most of its history, the Lucchese family was reckoned as one of the most peaceful crime families in the nation. However, that changed when Corallo named Victor Amuso as his successor shortly before going to prison. Amuso later promoted one of his closest allies, Anthony Casso, to underboss. Starting in 1986, Amuso and Casso instituted one of the bloodiest reigns in Mafia history, ordering virtually anyone who crossed them to be murdered. It is estimated that Casso himself murdered between 30 and 40 people and ordered over 100 murders during his reign; he was sentenced to 455 years in prison. Casso also had authority over NYPD detectives Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa; both carried out at least eight murders for him.
Amuso was arrested in 1991 and sentenced to life in prison. Several Lucchese family members, fearing for their lives, turned informant. The highest-profile of these was acting boss Alphonse D'Arco, who became the first boss of a New York crime family to testify against the mob. This led to the arrests of the entire Lucchese family hierarchy, with Casso also becoming an informant. Testimony from these informants nearly destroyed the family, with as many as half of its members winding up incarcerated. Amuso continues to rule the family from prison.
Murder of Willie Moretti by Albert Anastasia
Guarino "Willie" Moretti, also known as Willie Moore, served as underboss of the Genovese crime family and top member of New Jersey faction under the administration of his cousin Frank Costello. Born Guarino Moretti in, southern Italy, Moretti immigrated to the United States with his family to live in New Jersey. On January 12, 1913, after being convicted of robbery in New York City, Moretti was sentenced to one year in state prison in Elmira, New York. He was released after several months. From 1933 to 1951, Moretti, in association with Joe Adonis, Settimo Accardi and Abner "Longie" Zwillman, ran lgambling dens in New Jersey and upstate New York which were based out of his homes in Hasbrouck Heights in Bergen County and Deal in Monmouth County. Mob boss Albert Anastasia, who resided atop the Palisades in Fort Lee, had Moretti murdered for testifying in the Kefauver Hearings on organized crime in the US Senate.While other suspected mobsters pled the Fifth Amendment, Moretti spoke candidly for the cameras. Moretti was gunned down on October 4, 1951 while dining with other mobsters at Joe's Elbow Room Restaurant in Cliffside Park.
Guarino "Willie" Moretti, also known as Willie Moore, served as underboss of the Genovese crime family and top member of New Jersey faction under the administration of his cousin Frank Costello. Born Guarino Moretti in, southern Italy, Moretti immigrated to the United States with his family to live in New Jersey. On January 12, 1913, after being convicted of robbery in New York City, Moretti was sentenced to one year in state prison in Elmira, New York. He was released after several months. From 1933 to 1951, Moretti, in association with Joe Adonis, Settimo Accardi and Abner "Longie" Zwillman, ran lgambling dens in New Jersey and upstate New York which were based out of his homes in Hasbrouck Heights in Bergen County and Deal in Monmouth County. Mob boss Albert Anastasia, who resided atop the Palisades in Fort Lee, had Moretti murdered for testifying in the Kefauver Hearings on organized crime in the US Senate.While other suspected mobsters pled the Fifth Amendment, Moretti spoke candidly for the cameras. Moretti was gunned down on October 4, 1951 while dining with other mobsters at Joe's Elbow Room Restaurant in Cliffside Park.
Ruggiero "Richie the Boot" Boiardo
(December 8, 1890 – October 29, 1984), also known as "the Boot", was an Italian-American mobster and powerful Caporegime in the New Jersey faction of the Genovese crime family. He was named Capo after Willie Moretti was promoted to the position of underboss by Frank Costello. Richie the Boot ruled the greater Newark and North Jersey gang territories for over three decades.
Born in 1890, in Naples, and was raised in an orphanage as a child. After emigrating to the US and settling in Newark,
In the early 1930s, Boiardo was ambushed and seriously wounded with 12 buckshot pellet wounds. He survived. At the time, the press suspected Abner Zwillman was responsible, but later evidence pointed to the members of another rival gang led by the Mazzocchi brothers, whom the Boot subsequently had murdered "None of Ritchie's gang is above suspicion of planning the murder of their leader," the Newark Evening News reported. "There are also said to be men who would like to see Ritchie out of the way because of certain women who favored him with their regard."[5] Other likely suspects included the Mazzocchi brothers, Willie Moretti, and even his close friend Al Capone. The number-one suspect, however, was Abner "Longy" Zwillman, a man sometimes referred to as "gangster number two". When the Boot's thirty-eight-caliber revolver fell to the hospital floor, after the attempt on his life, prosecutors had a case against him. It was an unusual one that appeared to be putting the victim of a crime on trial, rather than the perpetrators. The men who tried to assassinate the Boot were never found, at least by the authorities. The police were convinced the Boot knew who was behind the shooting. In his hospital room they gave the seriously wounded gangster descriptions of the men who had allegedly shot at him, but the Boot shrugged and said he did not know.[6] In the 1930s, Boiardo became a made man, or full member of the Luciano crime family established by Lucky Luciano. In 1957, this family became the Genovese family under boss Vito Genovese. With Abe Zwillman's death in 1959, Boiardo became the undisputed mob boss of Newark, who also owned residences in Havana, Cuba and Florida, where he had major gambling interests.
In April 1969, Boiardo was convicted of conspiracy to violate gambling laws. Accordingly, he was sentenced to two-and-a-half to three years in State Prison and fined $1,000. He was incarcerated on November 18, 1970 at the New Jersey State Prison, Leesburg, New Jersey. The Boiardo family's association with Newark's Mayor Hugh Addonizio led to Addonizio's conviction, in 1969, on racketeering charges.[7] This eliminated Addonizio as a contender to become the next governor of the State of New Jersey. Addonizio was sentenced to ten years and served 5 years and 2 months in a federal prison. The same federal grand jury that returned an indictment against Addonizio, also indicted 14 others including Richie Boiardo's son Anthony Boiardo, also known as "Tony Boy" Boiardo. The younger Boiardo is believed to have been in control of the Newark underworld at the time. During the criminal proceedings Tony Boy suffered a heart attack. He was never found by the courts to be healthy enough to stand trial on his extortion and conspiracy charges.[8]
[edit]Boiardo died of natural causes on October 29, 1984, aged 93, and was interred at Holy Cross Cemetery in North Arlington, New Jersey.[9]
Boiardo's son, Anthony "Tony Boy" Boiardo (1918–1978), was also involved in organized crime. At the time of Anthony's death, he was awaiting trial on an indictment that had resulted in the conviction of Mayor of Newark, Hugh Joseph Addonizio.[10]
(December 8, 1890 – October 29, 1984), also known as "the Boot", was an Italian-American mobster and powerful Caporegime in the New Jersey faction of the Genovese crime family. He was named Capo after Willie Moretti was promoted to the position of underboss by Frank Costello. Richie the Boot ruled the greater Newark and North Jersey gang territories for over three decades.
Born in 1890, in Naples, and was raised in an orphanage as a child. After emigrating to the US and settling in Newark,
In the early 1930s, Boiardo was ambushed and seriously wounded with 12 buckshot pellet wounds. He survived. At the time, the press suspected Abner Zwillman was responsible, but later evidence pointed to the members of another rival gang led by the Mazzocchi brothers, whom the Boot subsequently had murdered "None of Ritchie's gang is above suspicion of planning the murder of their leader," the Newark Evening News reported. "There are also said to be men who would like to see Ritchie out of the way because of certain women who favored him with their regard."[5] Other likely suspects included the Mazzocchi brothers, Willie Moretti, and even his close friend Al Capone. The number-one suspect, however, was Abner "Longy" Zwillman, a man sometimes referred to as "gangster number two". When the Boot's thirty-eight-caliber revolver fell to the hospital floor, after the attempt on his life, prosecutors had a case against him. It was an unusual one that appeared to be putting the victim of a crime on trial, rather than the perpetrators. The men who tried to assassinate the Boot were never found, at least by the authorities. The police were convinced the Boot knew who was behind the shooting. In his hospital room they gave the seriously wounded gangster descriptions of the men who had allegedly shot at him, but the Boot shrugged and said he did not know.[6] In the 1930s, Boiardo became a made man, or full member of the Luciano crime family established by Lucky Luciano. In 1957, this family became the Genovese family under boss Vito Genovese. With Abe Zwillman's death in 1959, Boiardo became the undisputed mob boss of Newark, who also owned residences in Havana, Cuba and Florida, where he had major gambling interests.
In April 1969, Boiardo was convicted of conspiracy to violate gambling laws. Accordingly, he was sentenced to two-and-a-half to three years in State Prison and fined $1,000. He was incarcerated on November 18, 1970 at the New Jersey State Prison, Leesburg, New Jersey. The Boiardo family's association with Newark's Mayor Hugh Addonizio led to Addonizio's conviction, in 1969, on racketeering charges.[7] This eliminated Addonizio as a contender to become the next governor of the State of New Jersey. Addonizio was sentenced to ten years and served 5 years and 2 months in a federal prison. The same federal grand jury that returned an indictment against Addonizio, also indicted 14 others including Richie Boiardo's son Anthony Boiardo, also known as "Tony Boy" Boiardo. The younger Boiardo is believed to have been in control of the Newark underworld at the time. During the criminal proceedings Tony Boy suffered a heart attack. He was never found by the courts to be healthy enough to stand trial on his extortion and conspiracy charges.[8]
[edit]Boiardo died of natural causes on October 29, 1984, aged 93, and was interred at Holy Cross Cemetery in North Arlington, New Jersey.[9]
Boiardo's son, Anthony "Tony Boy" Boiardo (1918–1978), was also involved in organized crime. At the time of Anthony's death, he was awaiting trial on an indictment that had resulted in the conviction of Mayor of Newark, Hugh Joseph Addonizio.[10]
Genovese crime family New Jersey faction
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Genovese_crime_famil...
A number of powerful mobsters within the New Jersey faction such as Guarino "Willie" Moretti, Gerardo "Jerry" Catena and Louis "Bobby" Manna have each held ...
DeCavalcante crime family
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › DeCavalcante_crime_f...
The Long Life and Times of Richie "the Boot" Boiardo ...
dokumen.pub
https://dokumen.pub › in-the-godfather-garden-the-lon...
He personally met with the Boot and Longy at the Robert Treat Hotel to settle matters.39 Capone was close to Longy's friend Willie Moretti and predisposed to ...
Missing: numerous | Show results with: numerous
http://www.njsp.org/ucr/crime-reports.shtml
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Genovese_crime_famil...
A number of powerful mobsters within the New Jersey faction such as Guarino "Willie" Moretti, Gerardo "Jerry" Catena and Louis "Bobby" Manna have each held ...
DeCavalcante crime family
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › DeCavalcante_crime_f...
The Long Life and Times of Richie "the Boot" Boiardo ...
dokumen.pub
https://dokumen.pub › in-the-godfather-garden-the-lon...
He personally met with the Boot and Longy at the Robert Treat Hotel to settle matters.39 Capone was close to Longy's friend Willie Moretti and predisposed to ...
Missing: numerous | Show results with: numerous
http://www.njsp.org/ucr/crime-reports.shtml