Giovanni Riggi

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Giovanni Riggi
John Riggi in 1969.jpg
Riggi in 1969
Born(1925-02-01)February 1, 1925 [1]
DiedAugust 3, 2015(2015-08-03) (aged 90)
Other names"John the Eagle"
Occupation Crime boss
Criminal penalty12 years' imprisonment (1992)
10 years' imprisonment (2003)
Spouse
Sara DiLeo
(m. 1950;died 2000)
Children7

Giovanni "John the Eagle" Riggi (February 1, 1925 – August 3, 2015) was a New Jersey mobster and member of the DeCavalcante crime family since the 1940s, before the family had acquired its name. Riggi was the leader of the "Elizabeth crew" in the family when he was a Caporegime. He had been the acting boss during the 1970s and became the official boss around 1982. Riggi was incarcerated at the Federal Medical Center (FMC) Devens, Massachusetts, on extortion and labor racketeering convictions. He was released on November 27, 2012.

Contents

Early career

John Riggi had been a business agent of the "International Association of Laborers and Hod Carriers", in New Jersey for years. He was promoted to the position of official boss of the DeCavalcante crime family (a crime family within the criminal world of "Cosa Nostra") with close ties to the Five Families of New York and represented at meetings of The Commission by the Genovese crime family, Riggi reaped the enormous benefits of large labor and construction racketeering, loansharking, illegal gambling activities as well as a large legitimate income. Riggi also had the family maintain their old traditions. Riggi established a close friendship with new Gambino crime family boss, John Gotti. It was thought that Riggi still ran the family from prison despite being very sick.

His release date was in late 2012, but he was due to stand trial for ordering the shooting and murder of Staten Island, New York, resident Fred Weiss, a former journalist for the Staten Island Advance newspaper and real-estate developer in September 1989.

The murder was allegedly a favor for John Gotti, who was worried that Weiss was a government informant and that this would put the Gambino and DeCavalcante families at high risk. Weiss and two mob partners had purchased a vacant property in Staten Island and started illegally dumping large amounts of dangerous medical waste there. When local authorities uncovered the scheme and started investigating Weiss, the two mob families became nervous. Gotti, who worried that Weiss might become a government witness in exchange for leniency requested that the Decavalcantes murder Weiss to protect them. On September 11, 1989, Vincent Palermo and Anthony Capo, as well as a crew of twelve other DeCavalcante associates in a convoy of four vehicles, drove to the New York condominium of Weiss' girlfriend. As Weiss left the building and climbed into his car, Palermo and Capo got out of their vehicle, approached Weiss and murdered him by shooting him in the face multiple times. Both of them would become "made men" as a result of this. [2] [3] [4]

Leading from jail

In 1990, Riggi was indicted on state and federal extortion and labor charges, pleading guilty in 1992 and sentenced to 12 years in prison at Butner in North Carolina. [5] While in jail, Riggi appointed a ruling panel to take control of the DeCavalcante crime family until his release, but the acting boss of the panel, Gaetano "Corky" Vastola was arrested and jailed as well. John D'Amato was then appointed as acting boss. D'Amato's reign was short, as it soon became clear that he had been recruited by the Gambino crime family and had been conspiring to murder Vastola. Later in 1991, D'Amato got into an argument with his girlfriend, who was also involved with Anthony Rotondo. She told Rotondo that when she and D'Amato were out at clubs during the evenings, D'Amato would be swinging and have sex with other men. Reportedly, Rotondo became quite upset that someone within the family was taking part in homosexual acts and shared it with the current administration members Giacomo Amari, the reputed underboss, and Stefano Vitabile, the powerful consigliere, who decided to have D'Amato murdered after informing the incarcerated Riggi. In January 1992, D'Amato was reported missing; his body has never been found. Vincent Palermo, Anthony Capo and Anthony Rotondo would later testify about this murder against their former associates. In September 2003, Riggi was sentenced to an additional 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to ordering the 1989 murder of Weiss. [5] In 2006, Philip Abramo, Giuseppe Schifilliti and Stefano Vitabile were sentenced to life imprisonment for their involvement in the murder. Riggi was released from the Federal Medical Center, Devens on November 27, 2012.

Death

After his release, Riggi lived in a small house in Edison, New Jersey, with his nurse/doctor. He died there on August 3, 2015, at the age of 90. [5]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vincent Palermo</span> American mobster

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Girolamo "Jimmy" Palermo was an Italian-born American mobster and longtime underboss of the DeCavalcante crime family in Elizabeth, New Jersey, under the imprisoned boss Giovanni "John the Eagle" Riggi.

Francesco "Frank" Guarraci was an Italian-born American mobster. He was a prominent member and reputed acting boss of the DeCavalcante crime family.

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Gioacchino "Jake" Amari was an Italian-American mobster who served as acting underboss and later acting boss of the DeCavalcante crime family of New Jersey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John D'Amato</span> American mobster (d. 1992)

John "Johnny Boy" D'Amato was an American mobster and former acting boss of the DeCavalcante crime family in New Jersey from 1990 to 1992. He was a prominent made man of the DeCavalcante family and was appointed head of the organization by Giovanni Riggi under the influence of Gambino crime family boss John Gotti. D'Amato was murdered in Brooklyn in January 1992 after he was suspected of engaging in homosexual activity.

Louis "Fat Lou" LaRasso was an American mobster and the longtime official underboss of the DeCavalcante crime family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthony Capo</span> American mobster (d. 2012)

Anthony "Tony" Capo was an American hitman in the DeCavalcante crime family who later became a government witness and entered the Witness Protection Program. His aliases included Marshall Beach, Mathew Beach and Wade Beach.

Francesco "Frank" Polizzi was a New Jersey mobster and captain in the DeCavalcante crime family.

Frank "Franky the Beast" Scarabino is a New York City mobster and former soldier in the North Jersey-based DeCavalcante crime family,

Gaetano "Corky" Vastola is a New Jersey mobster who became a captain in the DeCavalcante crime family in New Jersey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthony Rotondo</span> American mobster

Anthony Rotondo is a former capo in the DeCavalcante family of New Jersey and police informant.

Joseph Anthony Miranda was an American mobster and member of the New Jersey-based DeCavalcante crime family. A longtime "soldier" to Simone "Sam the Plumber" DeCavalcante and later boss Giovanni Riggi, he became acting underboss for Girolamo "Jimmy" Palermo following the imprisonment of many high-ranking members in 2003.

References

  1. "Organized Crime in America". google.ca. 1983. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  2. Smith, Greg (September 27, 2003). "Sick Don Gets 10; Real Soprano Too Ill for Court". New York Daily News.
  3. McDonald, Devin. "New Jersey". American Mafia.com.
  4. "Hit man's confessions Mob turncoat tells court of his blood-soaked life". New York. Archived from the original on June 29, 2010.
  5. 1 2 3 "John Riggi, Jersey mob boss who inspired 'The Sopranos,' dead at 90". nj.com. August 4, 2015.

Notes