Mafia & Organized Crime

"...I was surprised at how much action there was, right out on the streets."

1987. As part of his 'New Godfathers' national special, Geraldo Rivera looks into the downfall of John Gotti. He visits the Ravenite social club and describes how top mob bosses sit right outside in Little Italy, NYC. Returning a few months after what would be Gotti's final arrest, we find most of the social clubs closed down. The majority of this reporting takes place in 1991.

On to a bookie the FBI does half a million a year in business. At this time, in New York alone hundreds of illegal gambling parlors generate half a billion of mob revenue per year.

Later in the clip Geraldo briefly catches up with John Gotti's daughter Victoria. "My father is the last of the Mohicans...they don't make men like him any more and they never will."

Organized crime continues to exist in the United States, although considered a diminished threat from the 80s and 90s.

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1980s. Joining 20/20 ABC news for an interview is Joe Pistone, previously an undercover FBI agent known as 'Donnie Brasco' infiltrating the mafia.

"...anything that you can make money on, anything you can get over on somebody on, that's a score to them..."

The drive continues through Brooklyn where 'Donnie Brasco' originally spent time with members of the Colombo crime family, his back story as a jewel thief from Florida. 'Donnie' went on to befriend Lefty Ruggiero and become associated with the Bonanno crime family.

The evidence collected by Joe Pistone led to over 100 convictions.

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1987. During one of the many trials of John Gotti, alleged mafia man Anthony Muscatiello is charged as a co-defendant. Geraldo Rivera approaches him to discuss outside the courthouse. Tony denies all charges.

The trial at the time of this confrontation did not result in convictions.

Anthony Muscatiello was sentenced to life in prison in 2001 for his role in the murder of a South Florida businessman.

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To say the he infiltrated the mob would be an understatement. Joe spent 6 years undercover with the mob, working for the FBI. 1988.

"When you go undercover, you have to stay as close to the truth as possible...while you're undercover you do basically the same things that you do in your normal life..."

Joe Pistone is on set to talk about the days when he was living a secret life as Donnie Brasco and what his life has been like since then. First of all, is he still afraid of the mob?

He gives tips on how to not give up your identity, and tells of a close call when pretending to be a gangster. A man he had arrested a year before was in the same room, but fortunately didn't seem to recognize Joe.

What about his wife, and children? Sometimes the call of duty would bring him away for two months and that strain is very real on the relatinoship.

To close out the segment, the former FBI agent gives us a picture of a real mafia man.

This day, Geraldo's Television History.

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Ex-mobster who cut a deal with the FBI steps out of witness protection after two decades, the agent who made the deal shares his story. May 20th, 1997.

"...it was a sick existince, I mean it was crazy. And violent and vulgar, disgusting, it's a terrible life..."

The program begins with some of ex-mobster Henry's previous appearances on the show before he walks on set. Muffled and difficult to understand it comes out later that he is high on heroin. His girlfriend Kelly is joins and talks about his decline.

Former Federal Prosecutor Ed McDonald is brought on stage where he talks about the techniques used and how in 1980, Henry Hill was a very useful witness and one of the highest-ranking mob figures to cooperate so far. The families have not put a contract on his life yet but someone could recognize him in a bar and commit murder to distinguish himself.

Audience questions and the movie based on Henry's life, 'Goodfellas' are discussed before Peter Maas joins the conversation. Peter wrote the book Underboss and he talks about his research concerning Sammy the Bull and others. His opinion is that coming out to the public could be dangerous to Henry Hill.

Mr. Maas continues with discussion about how the mafia men felt about drugs. They weren't necessarily for or against heroin, it was the money that made it inevitable. The real danger was family members getting hooked.

Robert Simels, Henry's attorney, talks about the strain of witness protection. Many moves, many relocations, each time with a new social security number and no financial background. Robert contends that the government paying ex-mobster Henry Hill $1,500 a month is pretty shabby considering his client made lots of money committing crime for the mafia.

Angela Mosconi of the New York Post makes an appearance saying what Mr. Hill did was brave and courageous. Matthew Fogg a supervisory inspector and Deputy U.S. Marshall addresses concerns people in the program are cut loose once the deal is made.

Henry Hill's life has been documented in books and inspired movies. He died in 2012.

This day, Geraldo's Television history.

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1987. Geraldo Rivera as part of his "New Godfathers" TV special, shares with us one of a kind FBI surveillance audio. This secret wire tap for the first time captured an induction ceremony into that famed secret organization, the mafia. "We get in alive in this organization and the only way we get out is death."

The audio is heard alongside a video reconstruction of what it may have looked like inside the building.

The recording was made at a secret gathering of the Patriarca Crime family, or the 'New England mafia', in Bedford Massachusetts. It was used by the FBI in a multitude of cases resulting in successful convictions and marked the first time such a ceremony was recorded, putting to bed the idea that 'La Cosa Nostra' doesn't exist.

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An in-depth look at the crime-ridden world of mafia man John Gotti which asks, amongst other questions, why is the criminal so popular? March 2nd, 1990.

John Gotti's ruthless charm is becoming a sort of folk hero. He roams free after facing multiple government indightments and investigations. A special prosecutor and two former mobsters join the program with insight. When this real-life godfather was in the courtroom reporters, actors, agents were regularly there to get close, or maybe strike a movie deal...

A history of the man begins with his first accusation of assassinating a fellow mobster to control the Gambino crime family. Bruce Cutler, Gotti's lawyer insists there's no evidence his client is associate with any sort of 'so-called mafia' and doesn't answer questions when approached on the street.

Back in studio Henry Hill tells us if Gotti is 'immune'. He claims to have had a childhood relationship with John but says he personally never committed crimes with him. Joe Cantalupo another informant gives some history of the organisation, saying Gotti took over from Paul Castellano. The government won't catch him, he's too careful and rules with an iron hand.

Ed McDonald says the government's case is far from over. Claire Sterling author of Octopus tell us the romantic mafia image has always been as a gentleman. Only the underlings are thugs, the bosses are princes.

An audience member wants to know if the informants know so much why isn't he in jail? Jerry Capeci of the NY Daily News says John Gotti beating the government's case three times over has made him the folk hero. Ed McDonald the prosecutor is pressed on what actual crimes he is charged with, and goes on to detail the mafia's poisoning of labor unions and other institutions. Claire chimes in with a thorough explanation of who controls who, the Sicilian mafia or the American mafia. The former mobsters claim American is independent but all agree Sicilian gangs are much bigger and more powerful.

Ed McDonald details Joe Cantalupo the former mobster present, from mob boss Joe Columbo being gunned down in 1971 and brings that history to the present, how the government got him. An audience member claims the prosecutors' cases have been weak so far, why?

Despite his depiction as Robin Hood, John Gotti actually killed someone but a plea bargain by Roy Cohen got him off the hook. But a question again brings us back to another argument: all this talk of the Italian mafia makes Italians look bad. Italians should be proud of themselves, Claire counters that some of the most aggressive investigators of the mafia are themselves Italian.

Jerry Capeci says traditionally mafia bosses do keep neighborhoods safe, they keep the other criminals out and have rules about breaking and entering things like that. Is there really honor among thieves though? Ed McDonald says it's greed, the Godfather and Hollywood are the places where mafia honor exists.

Henry Hill's case is detailed and he speaks for himself. One mafia person allegedly used a lottery winning, that's where the money came from. It can work on IRS forms. And what about taxes, well the organized crime types are becoming a lot more sophisticated about those..

More audience questions, a reminder that there are many more criminals than just Sicilian mobsters, amongst Italians a miniscule percent are associated with crime, and John Gotti is vulnerable to other gangsters in the street.

The show closes with a prediction that unfortunately, the mafia will be with us for the forseeable future.

This day, Geraldo's Television History.

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December 12th, 1989. Geraldo Rivera on his namesake talk show brings us this introductory segment on the unstoppable killing power of the mafia.

"The cops wanted this guy bad, but their manhunt came up empty. So law enforcement did the next best thing, they put tremendous heat on the mob..."

In what must be a television first, in studio are two mob affiliates one of whom brought his mother. We are presented with a backgrounder on the case of Gus Farace and other mafia killings. Did the mob pull the trigger after being pressured by law enforcement?

Michael Heart, a member of Murder Inc and his mom Shirley are at the other end of the stage from Michael Milan and William Roemer Jr, a former FBI agent who has tangled with the mob.

This day, Geraldo's television history.

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Will these women ever live down their childhood connections and were they happy to be mafia princesses? November 28th, 1996.

"..I think the media and the press has done the greatest amount of damage...than any one thing that I have read or seen or..."

Antoinette Giancana, daughter of Chicago gangster Sam Giancana, talks about what it was like with a dad like that. She says he was actually a gentle man, and it was the press that creates demons out of the mobsters. Is she in denial?

Linda Schiro-Scarpa was married to a mobster turned FBI informant. She is relatively certain he killed over 20 people, but she still loved him. Did those twenty people deserve to die?

Nancy Nicolson says she is the daughter of Lucky Luciano, and she describes being a 4year old and her father gifting a teddy bear. She has a Phd in molecular biophysics despite her family beginnings, during college had plenty of money trouble. But what about that one time the bank president called her and said are you aware of a 3 million dollar deposit in your account?

Audience questions begin and we learn the FBI did indeed follow some of these women. Ms Giancana claims she was totally insulated from the violence and saw none of it as a girl.

This day, Geraldo's Television History.

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