Wiseguy: The 25th Anniversary Edition

by Nicholas Pileggi

Hill taught to drive at, 13

  F

  Facciolo, Bruno, 19, 31, 52, 56

  DeSimone murder and, 196

  Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), 50, 103, 142–43

  helicopter surveillance by, 212–16

  Hill watched by, 211–12

  mobsters followed by, 200–02

  Federal Hill, Providence, R.I., 34,

  Federal Witness Protection Program, 247–59

  convictions after Hill’s participation in, 256–57

  and documentary evidence of Hill’s existence, 2

  Hill as government employee in, 258

  Hill children affected by, 247–51

  Hill family’s new life after, 258–59

  Hill’s decision to join, 1–2

  Hill’s lifestyle changed by, 252–53

  Karen Hill’s hope for, 250–51

  Lufthansa case and, 236, 239, 242, 257

  Mrs. Freid and, 247–48, 250

  terms of Hill’s agreement with, 251–52

  Ferrara, Theresa, 208

  52/52 Club, 60

  fireworks, illegal trade in, 16, 38

  Fischetti, William, Flip, Charlie, 203–05

  For Men Only, 183

  Fort Bragg, N.C., 37–38, 39

  Forty Yards, 192

  Fountainblue Florist, 10

  Freid, Karen (wife), see Hill, Karen Freid

  Freid, Mr. (father-in-law), 60–61, 65–66, 77

  Freid, Mrs. (mother-in-law), 2, 60–61, 65, 68, 76–78, 161, 248, 250

  front men, 43

  Fulton Fish Market, 90

  furs, hijacking of, 90

  Fusco, Patsy, 79

  G

  Gallo, Crazy Joey, 20

  Gambino, Carlo, 42

  Gambino crime family, 115, 117

  gambling, 54–56

  policy (numbers) racket and, 14–15, 49

  on Superfecta races, 55–56 see also bookmaking operations; card and dice games

  Genovese, Vito, 60

  Germaine, Bobby, 172

  arrest of, 228, 236

  Hill’s partnership with, 211, 212, 215–17, 228, 236

  son of, 240, 244, 255

  girlfriend night, 78 “give-ups,” 88 Godfather, The (Puzo), 67

  Gotti, Johnny, 115

  Gotti crime family, 196–97

  Gruenewald, Peter, 209

  testimony of, 209

  guns, illegal trade in, 172–73, 212–16

  Burke as customer of, 172–73, 212–13

  and FBI search of Hills’ home, 211–12

  helicopter surveillance of, 212–17

  Gurino, Vito “Socko,” 31

  H

  Haiti: slaves imported from, 109–10

  stolen cars exported to, 48

  “hawks,” 56

  hijackings, 120–23

  conviction rates for, 92

  rip-offs of booty in, 50

  as uncodified crime, 92 see also Kennedy Airport hijackings

  Hill, Carmela Costa (mother), 6–7, 12, 23

  son’s wedding opposed by, 65

  Hill, Elizabeth (sister), 61

  Hill, Henry: in Air France heist, 96–02

  appearance and style of, 15

  in army, 28, 36–38, 39

  arrests of, 1, 26–27, 72–76, 92–94, 106–07, 112, 211–18

  arson jobs of, 25–26, 51

  author’s first meeting with, 2–4

  in bookmaking operations, 104–07, 153,

  bricklaying jobs of, 22–23, 40, 66, 67

  in card and dice games, 19–22

  cars stolen by, 48

  childhood of, 5–28

  in cigarette smuggling business, 38, 46–48, 72–76, 90, 96

  clothing and jewelry owned by, 125

  conversion of, to Judaism, 66, 129

  convicted of extortion, 143

  in counterfeit money operations, 17–18, 48

  courtship and weddings of, 58, 66, 77

  driving lessons for, 13

  drug dealing of, 156–57, 161–64, 171–72

  federal witness program entered by, 1–2, 247–48

  feds as viewed by, 240

  first arrest of, 26–27

  first hijacking job of, 87

  first kickback taken by, 20

  first shooting victim seen by, 24

  first suspended sentence received by, 27

  Florida vacation of, 139–43

  gambling of, 54–56, 173–79

  on getting arrested, 72–75

  girlfriends of, 125–38, 172

  going-away party for, 148–49

  gun business of, 172–73, 212–16

  helicopter surveillance of, 212–16

  imprisoned at Allenwood, 165–71

  imprisoned at Lewisburg, 145–67

  Las Vegas vacation of, 104

  legal expertise of, 92–93

  lifestyle of, 57–58

  in loan-sharking operations, 22, 37

  local childhood heroes of, 30–31

  in Lufthansa heist, 181–85

  as maître d’hotel at Azores, 42–44

  mob life entered by, 5–17

  in numbers racket, 14–15, 22

  obscene phone caller and, 110–12

  plans to murder, 2

  in point-shaving scheme, 173–79

  restaurant and hotel management degree of, 153

  restaurant tabs run up by, 51–52

  Sicilian heritage of, 6, 11

  as silent partner in The Suite, 107–09

  social life of, 57–58

  spending habits of, 57–58

  in stolen credit-card racket, 18, 26–27, 45–46, 48, 109

  stolen jewelry fenced by, 173

  truancy of, 23

  veteran’s benefits -received by, 153, 160

  youthful ambition of, 12

  Hill, Henry, narcotics case against, 212–45

  arraignment in, 256–57

  arrest in, 212–18

  Burke and, 234, 235, 237–45

  danger in, 233–35, 239

  evidence in, 233, 238–39

  feds’ ineptitude in, 240,

  feds’ questioning in, 236–37, 239

  Germaine’s arrest and, 228

  Hill’s associates implicated in, 226

  Hill’s cooperation in, 240–41

  Hill’s disappearance in, 237–39, 240

  informant in, 219–23, 240

  Karen Hill’s role in, 215–18, 232–35, 247–48

  lawyer in, 232–34

  Mann’s report in, 226–27

  mob protocol in, 224

  Vario in, 221, 233, 234–35

  wiretap used in, 222–23,

  Hill, Henry, Sr. (father), 6, 71

  anger of, 7

  guns owned by, 27–28

  poverty of, 14

  son beaten by, 14, 23

  son’s bricklaying job and, 40

  son’s driving and, 13

  son’s enlistment and, 28

  son’s truancy and, 23

  son’s wedding opposed by, 61, 65

  Hill, Judy (daughter), 2, 107, 132, 135, 159, 232, 247–50

  Hill, Karen Freid (wife), 2, 59–79, 104, 109–112, 125, 181

  background of, 60, 61

  on cigarette smuggling business, 72

  courtship and weddings of, 57–66

  first pregnancy of, 76

  on girlfriend night, 78

  gun hidden by, 64–65

  husband’s arrests and, 75

  husband’s drug dealing and, 152, 162, 163–64, 214–18, 231–35, 247–48

  husband’s infidelity and, 126–38

  husband’s life threatened by, 134

  husband’s nights out and, 76–78, 128

  husband’s prison sentence and, 145, 147, 152–64, 165, 166, 167, 169–70

  husband’s takeover of The Suite and, 107

  Linda discovered by, 132–33

  Linda’s opinion of, 133

  luxury items purch
ased by, 125–26

  on mobsters’ frequent jail terms, 69, 71

  mob world entered by, 67–79

  neighbor’s assault on, 62–65

  obscene phone calls received by, 110–12

  physical appearance of, 60

  possible indictment of, 247

  Riker’s Island visited by, 136–38

  slave purchased for, 109–10

  on wiseguys’ wives, 68–70

  Hill, Michael (brother), 67, 212, 214–15

  Hill, Ruth (daughter), 2, 107, 131, 132, 159–61, 172, 232, 247–50

  holidays, money-making schemes for, 17–18

  Hoover, J. Edgar, 36

  horse races, 30

  betting on, 55, 56

  hostess parties, of wiseguys’ wives, 67–70

  I

  Idlewild Golf Course, 30, 81

  IDs, fake, 45

  Inglese, Fat Gigi, 237

  insurance scams, 53, 54, 87, 92

  arson in, 51

  J

  Jade East Motel, 99

  Jamaica Raceway, 29

  jewelry, stolen, fencing of, 173

  Joint New York State Legislative Committee on Crime, study by (1960s), 92

  Judaism: at Allenwood, 167–68

  Hill’s conversion to, 66, 129

  Junior Chamber of Commerce (Allenwood, Pa.), 168

  Junior High School, New York, N.Y., 19

  Justice Department, U.S., 1

  witness program of, see Federal Witness Protection Program

  K

  Kannon, Jackie, 67

  Kennedy Airport, 30, 42, 81–104

  Air Cargo Center at, 95

  airline ticket racket at, 82–109

  mobsters’ people working for, 86

  security at, 95–96

  value of goods stolen from, 95 see also Air France heist; Lufthansa heist

  Kennedy Airport hijackings, 81–94

  Burke’s control over, 83–86

  customers for goods in, 88

  fencing of booty from, 88, 89, 90

  Hill arrested and tried for, 92–94

  Hill’s first participation in, 87

  inside information in, 81–82

  and items most in demand, 90–91

  murders related to, 82, 89, 123

  order taken before, 88

  pay for workers in, 88–89

  police corruptions and, 82

  standard procedures in, 89

  truck drivers’ collusion in, 88

  union pressure in, 86–87, 121–23

  unloading in, 89–90

  Kew Motor Inn, 148

  Krugman, Fran, 181, 191, 197–98

  husband’s disappearance reported by,

  Krugman, Marty, 108

  Burke’s hatred of, 183

  money demanded by, 192, 198

  murder of, 191–92, 197–99

  rigged basketball games and, 175, 191

  Werner’s tip to, 181–82

  Kuhn, Rick, 174–79

  Hill’s testimony against, 256, 258

  L

  LaGuardia Airport, 42

  Lansky, Meyer, 30

  Las Vegas, Nev., 30

  Hill’s trip to, 104

  Lauder, Estée, 173

  lawyers, mob-connected, 51, 93–94

  Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary, 145–67

  bookmaking operations in, 153–54

  chosen by Hill, 146

  daily schedule in, 152

  drug dealing in, 156–57, 162–63

  educational programs in, 153

  food smuggled into, 151–52, 162

  Hill family’s visits to, 159–64

  Hill’s arrival at, 149

  Hill’s entry into, delayed by two years, 145–46

  Hill’s transfer out of, 165–67

  honor dorm in, 151–52, 154

  organized-crime members in, 147, 150–52

  parole eligibility rules in, 147

  rehabilitation programs in, 147

  riot in, 154

  tennis playing in, 153

  Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary farm, 154–67

  description of, 155

  Hill assigned to, 154–55

  Hill’s privileges in, 165

  Karen Hill’s secret visits to, 156, 163–64

  lack of supervision at, 155–56

  LiCastri, Paolo, 184

  murder of, 235

  Liddy, G. Gordon, 165–66

  Linda (Hill’s girlfriend), 126–38

  Bahamas vacation of, 133

  Bridal Land job of, 127–28

  Hill’s break with, 146

  Hill’s fights with, 130, 136, 138

  Hill’s first meeting with, 126, 129

  Karen Hill as viewed by, 129, 133

  Karen Hill’s discovery of, 131–33

  Karen Hill’s reactions to, 132–38

  lonely for Hill, on holidays, 130–31

  Riker’s Island visited by, 136, 137

  suspected as undercover cop, 126–28

  wiseguys as viewed by, 130

  liquor, hijacking of, 90

  liquor-distribution routes, 30–31, 41–42

  loan-sharking, 10, 22, 37–38, 107

  Lucchese, Gaetano “Three Fingers Brown” (Tommy Brown), 30–31, 41–42

  Azores owned by, 41

  power of, 41–42

  Lucchese crime family, 37, 84

  Hill’s testimony against members of, 257

  strong-arm work in, 30–31

  Vario’s role in, 10

  Luciano, Lucky, 11

  Lufthansa heist, 1, 2, 181–210

  alarm system in, 185, 187

  booty in, 181, 182

  Burke briefed on, 183–84

  Burke’s cut in, 213

  crew chosen for, 184–85

  Edwards murdered after, 193–95

  employees detained in, 185–88

  eyewitness accounts of, 200–01

  Hill as informant in, 235–36, 240–41, 256–58

  Hill’s arrest after, 211–18

  Hill’s discovery of, 189

  Hill’s role in, 181–84

  Krugman murdered after, 190–90, 197–98

  McMahon murdered after, 210

  Manri murdered after, 210

  media coverage of, 199

  police surveillance after, 195, 200, 201, 212–19

  success of, 188, 189

  van used in, 194

  Werner convicted after, 209

  Werner implicated in, 202–06

  Werner’s lead in, 181–82, 184, 195

  witnesses murdered after, 206–10

  M

  McClellan, John, 67

  McConnach, Angelo (Sonny Bamboo), 91

  McDonald, Edward A., 199–210, 231, 235–37

  DeSimone murder and, 206–07

  Eaton murder and, 207

  Edwards murder and, 206

  eyewitnesses and, 200

  family of, 199–200

  Hill as prime witness for, 235–37, 240–41

  Hill’s cooperation with, 247–53

  inside job detected by, 202

  Karen Hill threatened by, 247

  Mann’s deal with, 231

  rigged basketball games, 255–56

  surveillance methods of, 200–01

  Werner’s conviction and, 208–10

  Werner tracked by, 202–06

  McMahon, Bobby “Frenchy”: in Air France heist, 96–102

  in Lufthansa heist, 185

  murder of, 210

  Mafia, first acknowledged by Hoover, 36

  Manhattan Foundling Home, 84

  Mann, Danny, 219–29

  Germaine arrested by, 228

  informant and, 219–22, 228, 240

  McDonald’s deal with, 231

  on mob hierarchy, 223–24

  report prepared by, 226

  wiretaps ordered by, 222, 225–26

  Manri, Joe “Buddha,” 184

  murder of, 209

&nbs
p; Manzo, Frank “Frankie the Wop,” 31, 52

  Hill’s testimony against, 257

  newspaper account of, 70

  Marcantonio, Vito, 42

  Maxwell’s Plum, 148

  Mazzei, Paul: drug dealing of, 156, 171, 217, 226–28

  Hill’s testimony against, 256

  in Lewisburg, 153, 156

  Mazzolla, Johnny: counterfeit bills cashed by, 17–18

  Mazzolla, Johnny (cont.) hit on son of, 113

  Mele, Angelo, 151

  Menna, Frank, 205

  Michael’s Steak Pub, 126

  Midnight Rose’s (candy store), 30

  mob, see organized crime Montemurro, Monte, 97

  Montemurro, Raymond, 97, 98, 132

  Moo Moo Vedda’s (dress factory), 191

  Morton, Tommy, 43–44

  Mother’s Day, as big-money holiday, 17

  Mount Loretto Reformatory, 85

  “Muldoons,” 18

  Murder Incorporated, 8, 30

  murders, 113–23

  of Batts, 115–18, 196

  of Burke’s best friend, 114

  enjoyed by wiseguys, 115

  everyone kept in line by, 113–14

  first, by Burke’s son, 113

  Kennedy Airport hijackings and, 82, 89, 120–23

  after Lufthansa heist, 190–95, 197, 206–10, 257

  of Mazzolla’s son, 113–14

  of Mickey Burke’s ex-boyfriend, 83–84

  of Spider, 119

  Murray, John, 186

  N

  Nalo, Bobby, 173

  Nassau County jail, 71

  neighborhoods, mob-controlled: street crime in, 34–36

  wiseguys protected in, 33 see also Brownsville–East New York, N.Y.

  Newman, Al, 106, 112

  Hill’s bond carried by, 148

  New York Daily News, 70, 103

  New York Times, 30, 103

  New York Times Magazine, 48

  New York Tribune, 29

  numbers racket, 14–15, 49

  O

  Oddo, Richie, 232–33, 240

  Off-Track Betting (OTB), 56

  Orena, Little Vic, 108

  organized crime: first acknowledged by Hoover, 36

  first multiethnic alliances in, 30

  government investigations into, 36, 67

  protocol in, 223–24

  Organized Crime Strike Force, 1

  P

  Palm Shore Club, 60

  Pantaleone, Santa, 7

  Perla, Rocco, 174–79, 256

  Perla, Tony, 173–79

  Hill’s testimony against, 256

  Perry, Rich, 55

  Pine, Joe, 151

  plainclothesmen, 19, 107

  point-shaving schemes, see Boston College basketball point-shaving scheme

  police: arbitrary beatings by, 32

  cigarette smuggling business and, 47

  gambling and, 11, 19–20

  payoffs to, 8, 50–51, 82, 106

  unnecessary violence and, 8

  Wekar’s bookmaking operation and, 105–06

  wiseguys as viewed by, 106–07

  policy racket, 14, 49

  politicians, 53, 154–55