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Master Thieves

Page 24

by Kurkjian, Stephen


  FBI warning of Gardner heist plan and, 23–26

  Grossberg, Bernard, 143

  Guarente, Elene (wife), 120–121, 207

  Donati and, 204

  information that stolen art passed from husband to Gentile and, 90, 138–139, 141–142, 144–146, 179–180, 181, 214

  Guarente, Jeanine (daughter), 142–143, 145

  fake paint chips and, 143, 180

  Guarente, Robert, 99, 120, 157, 162, 210

  Donati and, 203–204

  drug trafficking investigation of, 139–141

  FBI deal brokering and, 136–137

  FBI investigation of, 138–142

  as FBI suspect, 130

  Kelly’s theory of Gardner heist and, 178, 179–180, 182

  Luisi and, 131–132

  organized crime figures and, 140

  reward and, 118

  Rossetti (Stephen) and, 140

  Salemme and, 140

  Turner and, 140, 149, 163

  wife’s claim he passed stolen art to Gentile and, 90, 138–139, 141–142, 144–146

  See also Gentile/Guarente/Turner theory of Gardner heist

  Hadley, Roland “Bump,” 23–26, 33, 34, 35, 38

  Hartford Courant, FBI press conference, 2013, 130

  Harvard University, 33

  Fogg Museum, 106

  Hatch, Francis, W., Jr., 35, 95–96

  Hawley, Anne, xxii, 57, 92, 97, 108, 160

  anonymous letters negotiating a return of stolen art and, 77–82

  arrival on crime scene and, 59

  on authenticity of stolen Rembrandt, 69

  on Boston Globe article, and defense of trustees, 36–37

  Boston mob and, 208–209

  Bulger (James “Whitey”) and, 83

  efforts to recover stolen art and, 77–82, 82–85, 85–86, 89

  hiring of British private investigator by, 85–86

  John Paul II and, 83

  Kennedy and, 83

  statements about the art loss by, 85, 105, 218

  Youngworth and, 70, 83

  Hearns, Kenny, 59

  Hestand, Randy, 60

  discovery of, in museum basement, 59

  FBI lie detector test and, 94

  as night watchman on night of Gardner Museum heist, 40, 44, 45–46, 47, 48, 56, 57

  Hewitt, Linda, 23–26

  Hiatt, Arnold, 70, 83, 143–144

  Hingham, MA, art gallery, theft, 1984, 109

  Hofmann, Charles “Bill,” 110–112

  Holland, Trent, 58

  Home thefts

  in Massachusetts, 106–107, 108

  Turner and, 154–157, 158

  Horton, Willie, 9

  Houghton, David, 69

  theory of Gardner heist and, 199–200

  Howard, Jeffrey R., 171

  IGI, 95

  Immunity from prosecution for return of stolen art, 65, 68, 70, 79, 98, 116, 136, 176

  Merlino and, 162

  Turner and, 172

  International Foundation for Art Research, NYC, 107

  Internet, 83

  Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. See Gardner Museum

  Italy, 107, 175

  John Paul II, 83

  Joyce, Dicky, 157

  Jozapaitis, John J., 71

  Keller, Steven, 35–36, 53, 108

  Kelly, Brian, 124

  Kelly, Geoffrey, 90–91, 98, 99, 100, 142, 145, 148, 178, 207–208, 210

  theory of Gardner heist and, 178–183

  Kennedy, Edward M., 83, 108

  Kerry, John F., 99, 136, 160

  Kroger, JonPaul, 55–56

  A Lady and Gentleman in Black (Rembrandt), 49, 73, 120, 139

  Lamentation Over the Dead Christ (Raphael), 2, 21–22, 25

  Landscape with an Obelisk (Rembrandt), 50, 51

  Lawton, James, 121, 122–123

  Leibovitz, Annie, 110

  Lenzner, Terry, 95–96

  Leppo, Martin, 72, 157, 158, 201–202

  Merlino and, 162, 163

  Limoli, Vincent “Jimmy,” 195

  Lowenthal, Constance, 107

  Luisi, Robert, Jr., 131–132, 141

  MacAleese, Karen, 157

  Manet, Edouard

  Chez Tortoni, 52 (photo), 53, 58, 160–161

  Markle, Peter, 119

  Marks, James, 142

  Martignette, Charles G., 86–88

  The Great American Pin-up (Martignette), 87

  Mashberg, Tom, 63–75, 83, 91

  Stealing Rembrandts: The Untold Stories of Notorious Art Heists (with Amore), 91

  Storm on the Sea of Galilee believed to be replica and, 69, 73–74

  viewing of Storm on the Sea in Brooklyn warehouse by, 67–70, 67 (photo), 73

  ”WE’VE SEEN IT: Informant Shows Reporter Apparent Stolen Masterpiece,” 68–69

  Youngworth as Gardner stolen art recovery lead and, 63–75

  Massachusetts, museum and home thefts in, 106–108, 109

  Massachusetts Department of Correction, 161

  Massachusetts State House, Bay Colony Charter document theft, 64

  Massachusetts state police

  FBI refusal to work with, 96, 99

  Turner and, 150–152

  Mauras, Donna Reissfelder, 160–161

  Mawn, Barry, 73

  Maxfield theft, 107

  McAuliffe, William P., 30–31, 31–32, 33, 35, 37, 38

  McCarthy, Francis J., 96

  McGuigan, A. Ryan, 118, 119–120, 121–122, 127

  search of Gentile’s house in Manchester (CT) and, 123–125

  Mead Art Museum, Amherst College, November 1989, heist, 93–94

  Melvin, James, 219–220

  Mercurio, Angelo “Sonny,” 186, 195

  Merlino, Billy, 166, 168, 169

  Merlino, Carmello, 86, 99, 139, 151, 155, 162–168, 203, 210

  armored car headquarters heist plan and, 159–160, 163–169

  four-year sentence in state prison for drug trafficking and, 162

  immunity and reward and, 162

  Kelly’s theory of Gardner heist and, 178, 179

  Nadolski and, 163–166

  Reissfelder and, 161–162

  Romano and, 159–160, 162–166

  Turner and, 156, 160, 163, 171

  Miller, William L., 31

  Mob. See Boston mob

  Monday, Florian “Al,” 135–138

  Monticelli theft, 107

  Mueller, Robert S., 99–100

  Mulvey, Joseph M., 40

  Murphy, Bishop William F., 83

  Murray, John, 60

  Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

  theft attempt (1975), 200–202

  theft attempt (February 1989), 29–31

  theft from (1970s), 106

  theft of Rembrandt (1973), 64

  Nadolski, David, 159

  Merlino and armored car headquarters heist plan and, 163–166

  New Scotland Yard, 95

  New York Times, 37, 63, 74

  Nichols, John “Joey,” 86–88

  O’Brien, Larry, 57–58, 58–59

  Ontario, Canada, 84

  Organized crime. See Boston mob

  Ortiz, Carmen, 112, 116

  Papasadero, Paul, 136–138

  Pappas, Charles “Chewie,” 149, 151, 152, 155–156, 179

  murder of, 156–157, 158, 162

  Patriarca, Raymond, 185, 193, 215

  Patriarca, Raymond, Jr., 185–186, 186–187, 188, 194

  Patriarca family, 188, 192

  Philadelphia, as possible location of stolen Gardner a
rt, 113, 129, 130, 131–132

  Pierce, Patricia Jobe, 109

  Police department. See Boston police

  Police officers in US, manpower devoted to art theft investigation by, 107

  Pollock, Jackson, 106–107

  Portrait of Lock Rollinson of Chadlington (Ramsay), 110–112

  Potts, Larry, 96

  Radcliffe, Julian, 114

  Ramsay, Allan

  Portrait of Lock Rollinson of Chadlington, 110–112

  Ranalli, Ralph, 209

  Raphael

  Lamentation Over the Dead Christ, 2, 21–22, 25

  Recovery of stolen art. See Stolen art recovery

  Reissfelder, George, 160–162

  Rembrandt, 70–71, 91, 106, 107

  Girl with a Fur-Trimmed Cloak, 200–202

  A Lady and Gentleman in Black, 49, 73, 120, 139

  Landscape with an Obelisk, 50, 51

  miniature self-portrait sketch, 24, 120–121

  paint chips to verify authenticity of recovered painting by, 69, 72–73, 143, 180

  The Storm on the Sea of Galilee (Rembrandt), xvi (photo), 49, 67–70, 73–74, 115, 120, 137, 142–143, 183

  Reward of $5 million (for return of Gardner Museum stolen art), 98, 100, 115, 116, 123, 176

  Chicofsky and, 164

  Ferrara and, 207, 216

  Gentile and, 118, 148

  Guarente and, 118, 188

  Guarente’s daughter and, 143

  Guarente’s wife and, 138

  Merlino and, 162

  Youngworth and, 162

  Rice, Dan, 59

  Rieff, David, 110–112

  Rokoszynski, Jurek, 85–89

  Romano, Anthony, Jr.

  armored car headquarters heist plan and, 159–160, 164–168

  Merlino and, 159–160, 162–166

  Roquefort, Donny “The Hat,” 201

  Rossetti, Mark, 28

  Rossetti, Ralph, 12, 18, 21, 26, 28, 150, 177, 210–211

  Rossetti, Stephen “Stevie,” 12, 18, 150, 157, 167 (photo), 177, 179, 210–211, 212

  armored car headquarters heist plan and, 166–171, 189

  Big Dig and, 158–159

  forty-year prison sentence and, 28

  Guarente and, 140

  Rossetti family, 188–189, 210

  Rossetti gang, 28, 47, 70, 71, 177, 189

  Newton home break-in and, 12–18

  Turner and, 130

  Royce, Louis, 1–28, 8 (photo), 157, 177–178, 179, 189, 199, 212, 220

  abilities of, as thief, 7

  botched robbery attempt/gunshot wound (1980) and, 13

  as boy of the streets, 6

  boyhood years of, 2–6

  brutal attack against, at a Quincy halfway house, 27

  casing of Gardner Museum by, 22

  criminal record of, as twelve-year-old, 18–19

  early life of crime and, 6–7

  in East Boston gang, 6

  family secret regarding paternity and, 3–6, 28

  FBI warning to Gardner Museum of heist plan and, 23–26

  as gay man, 7

  imprisonment of, for masterminding scheme to kidnap and hold for ransom Boston restaurant owner, 18

  interview with author and, 18–19

  at Jacques (bar in Boston), 11

  kidnapping and extortion of banker and family in Lincoln, RI, in early 1970s by, 8–9

  loyalty of, 7

  in Massachusetts state prison (1960s), 9

  as master thief who studied how to rob Gardner Museum, 19–20

  Newton home break-in and Rossetti gang and, 12–18

  Newton home break-in by, and FBI arrest, 18

  Newton home break-in by, and plan to sell stolen art, 15–18

  Newton home break-in by, and stashing of stolen art and, 13–15

  Newton home break-in by, and stolen art recovery, 18, 23

  Newton home break-in planning by, 11–13

  as original planner of Gardner heist, 27

  as owner of A-Z Trading (rundown antiques shop in Hyde Park), 14

  parole from state prison and, 1

  parole violation (2014) and, 26–27

  percentage of profits of theft and, 19

  petty crimes during youth and, 3

  plan to rob Gardner Museum and, 20–23

  reasons for wanting Gardner case solved and, 19

  release from state prison (2007) and, 26

  reputation as breaking and entering “artist” and, 13

  reward and, 27

  robbery attempt on Gardner Museum with cherry-picker by, 22

  Rockland Trust Company heist (1981) while on furlough from minimum security facility in Plymouth, MA, and, 9–11

  in Rossetti gang, 10, 11

  security system at Gardner Museum and, 21, 210–211

  sleeping in Gardner Museum as runaway youth and, 2–3

  theories of Gardner heist and, 27–28

  as trusted and respected figure in Boston’s crime world, 7

  Turner and, 130

  violent crimes of, 8

  violent nature of, 7–8

  Russo, Joseph A. “J. R.,” 186, 187. See also under Boston mob

  Sagansky, Harry “Doc,” 195

  Salemme, “Cadillac Frank,” 15, 70, 71, 86, 102, 167, 186, 187, 187 (photo), 194, 210, 215

  Donati and, 205

  Ferrara and, 192

  Guarente and, 140

  witness protection program and, 189

  See also under Boston mob

  Salemme and Ferrara/Carrozza/Russo factions of Boston mob

  war between, 188–189, 189–190, 193, 194–195

  See also Boston mob

  Security system. See Gardner Museum security system, vulnerability of

  Sessions, William, 198

  Sherman, Arthur, 107

  Social media, 83

  SocialSphere, 84

  Sollitto, Alfred A., 151–152

  Somerville, MA, xix

  Sontag, Susan, 110

  Sotheby’s, stolen art and, 110–112

  Standley, Caroline, 37

  State police. See Massachusetts state police

  Stern, Donald, 72, 73, 176

  Steven R. Keller & Associates, 35

  Stockbridge, MA, art theft, 1978, 113–114

  Stolen art recovery, 113–114

  auction houses and, 110–112

  transporting and selling and, 110–112

  Stolen art recovery, Gardner heist

  Boston gangsters joining recovery efforts and, 219–220

  British private investigator Rokoszynski and, 85–89

  Connecticut and Philadelphia as possible locations of, 113, 129, 130, 131–132

  crowdsourcing and, 83–84, 218

  FBI deal brokering and white-collar crimes and, 135–138

  FBI determination of Connecticut and Philadelphia as locations of stolen art and, 113

  FBI investigation of Donati and possible sights of buried art and, 207–208

  FBI search of Gentile’s house in Manchester (CT) and, 123–126, 125 (photo), 132–133, 138

  Internet and social media and, 83

  locations given at FBI press conference and, 129, 130, 131–132

  public appeal and, 83–84, 114–116, 130–131, 183, 218–219

  Youngworth as lead in, 63–75

  Stone, H. James, 107

  Storin, Matthew V., 80

  The Storm on the Sea of Galilee (Rembrandt), xvi (photo), 49, 67–70, 115, 120, 137, 142–143, 183

  paint chips to prove authenticity of, 69, 72–73, 143, 180

  painting from You
ngworth believed to be replica of, 69, 73–74

  Sullivan, John L., Jr., 92, 94

  Sullivan, Michael, 209

  Suspects. See FBI suspects in Gardner Museum heist

  Swensen, Richard S., 80, 81–82

  Tabel, Pierre, 85

  Tarbell, Edmund C., 109

  Tate Gallery, London, heist, 86, 89

  Tewksbury, MA, home theft, 1990, 155

  Thornburgh, Richard, 198

  Titian

  Rape of Europa, 53

  Tsarnaev, Dzhokhar, 84

  Turner, David, 153 (photo)

  armored car headquarters heist plan and, 166–172, 189

  Big Dig and, 158–159

  Chinese vase and, 151–152

  DiMuzio murder and, 155–156

  as FBI suspect, 130, 149–150, 150–154, 172

  Ferrara’s lobby for release of, 207

  Gentile and, 147–148, 172

  Guarente and, 140, 149, 163

  home thefts and, 154–157, 158

  Kelly’s theory of Gardner heist and, 178, 179, 180, 182

  Massachusetts state police drug trafficking surveillance and, 150–152

  Merlino and, 156, 160, 163, 171

  Pappas murder and, 156–157, 158

  Reissfelder and, 161, 162

  thirty-year sentence in federal prison for theft attempt and, 147

  See also Gentile/Guarente/Turner theory of Gardner heist

  Turner, J. M. W., 86, 89

  US Department of Justice, 198

  US Department of Transportation, 159

  Van Dyck theft, 211–212

  Vermeer

  The Concert, xvii (photo), 50–51, 73, 115, 120, 137, 139, 183

  Virgin Adoring the Child (Civitali), 3

  Washington, Carl, 96

  Webster, William, 109

  Weeks, Kevin, 94

  Weinstein, Moe, 195

  Weld, William, 158

  Whelan, Edward, 155

  White, Jeffrey, 71

  Willard, Simon, 93

  Wilson, Robert, 211–212

  Winter, Howard, 219–220

  Witness murders, 155–156, 156–157

  Wittman, Robert K., 100–101, 181

  Priceless: How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World’s Stolen Treasures, 101

  Wolf, Mark L., 205–206

  Wyeth paintings, 200

  Youngworth, Judith, 66, 74

  Youngworth, William, 47–48, 91, 157, 177, 219

  credibility of, 70

 

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