The Cleveland crime family, also known as the Scalish crime family or the Cleveland Mafia, is an

Italian American Italian Americans () are Americans who have full or partial Italians, Italian ancestry. The largest concentrations of Italian Americans are in the urban Northeastern United States, Northeast and industrial Midwestern United States, Midwestern ...

Mafia "Mafia", as an informal or general term, is often used to describe criminal organizations that bear a strong similarity to the Sicilian Mafia, original Mafia in Sicily, to the Italian-American Mafia, or to other Organized crime in Italy, organiz ...

crime family A crime family is a unit of an organized crime syndicate, particularly in the Sicilian Mafia and Italian-American Mafia, often operating within a specific geographic territory or a specific set of activities. In its strictest sense, a ''family'' ...

based in

Cleveland Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

, and throughout the

Greater Cleveland The Cleveland metropolitan area, or Greater Cleveland as it is more commonly known, is the metropolitan area surrounding the city of Cleveland in Northeast Ohio, United States. According to the 2020 census results, the six-county Cleveland, OH ...

area. The organization formed during the 1900s, and early leadership turned over frequently due to a series of power grabs and assassinations. In 1930, Frank Milano became boss and was able to bring some stability to the Cleveland family. Under the control of the family's longest-serving boss, John T. Scalish, who led the organization from 1945 until his death in 1976, the Cleveland family exerted influence over the

International Brotherhood of Teamsters The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) is a labor union in the United States and Canada. Formed in 1903 by the merger of the Team Drivers International Union and the Teamsters National Union, the union now represents a diverse members ...

(IBT), profiting from labor racketeering and the skimming of revenue from

Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...

casino A casino is a facility for gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos also host live entertainment, such as stand-up comedy, conce ...

s. The family's membership peaked at around sixty " made men" during the 1950s. When Scalish died unexpectedly during heart surgery without naming a successor in 1976, the Cleveland family fell into turmoil. A violent gang war erupted during the late 1970s when Irish mobster

Danny Greene Daniel John Patrick Greene (November 14, 1933 – October 6, 1977) was an American mobster in Cleveland, Ohio, whose conflicts with the Cleveland crime family of the Italian-American Mafia ended in Greene's murder in 1977. Greene would build ...

attempted to take over the city's criminal rackets. James T. Licavoli, who became boss of the Cleveland family after Scalish's death, hired hitman Ray Ferritto to kill Greene. After several failed attempts on Greene's life, Ferritto succeeded with a

car bomb A car bomb, bus bomb, van bomb, lorry bomb, or truck bomb, also known as a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), is an improvised explosive device designed to be detonated in an automobile or other vehicles. Car bombs can be roug ...

, ending the mob war. The war drew significant law enforcement attention, however, reducing membership and influence of the family. Much of the family's weakening can be attributed to Jimmy Fratianno, who turned government witness and provided the

Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...

(FBI) with incriminating information on the organization. Following a series of convictions, including those of bosses Licavoli, Angelo Lonardo and John Tronolone, the Cleveland family nearly ceased to exist during the 1980s and 1990s. Lonardo became the highest-ranking member of the Mafia to turn government witness when he began cooperating with authorities in 1983.Lonardo told FBI elections were rigged

United Press International United Press International (UPI) is an American international news agency whose newswires, photo, news film, and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations for most of the 20th ce ...

(May 16, 1986) During the early 2000s, law enforcement agencies believed the family was a smaller group attempting to rebuild itself. In the 2020s, the organization has been characterized as a small crime family involved in

illegal gambling Gambling law is the set of rules and regulations that apply to the gaming or gambling industry. Gaming law is not a branch of law in the traditional sense but rather is a collection of several areas of law that include criminal law, regulatory law ...

and

loansharking A loan shark is a person who offers loans at extremely high or illegal interest rates, has strict terms of collection, and generally operates outside the law, often using the threat of violence or other illegal, aggressive, and extortionate ...

.One Of The Last Of The Mohicans In The Ohio Mafia, “Billy D” DiLeno Made His Mark: Cleveland Button Man Moves On To Big Casino In The Sky
Scott Burnstein, ''The Gangster Report'' (April 13, 2022)

History

Early organized crime in Cleveland

Semi-organized Sicilian American- and

-run " Black Hand"

extortion Extortion is the practice of obtaining benefit (e.g., money or goods) through coercion. In most jurisdictions it is likely to constitute a criminal offence. Robbery is the simplest and most common form of extortion, although making unfounded ...

rackets first emerged in

around the year 1900. The Cleveland Division of Police (CDP) soon established an "Italian squad" (also known as the "Black Hand squad") to deal with the problem. After a series of Black Hand-related murders in the city in 1906, the Italian squad largely suppressed this first expression of

organized crime Organized crime is a category of transnational organized crime, transnational, national, or local group of centralized enterprises run to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for profit. While organized crime is generally thought of as a f ...

in Cleveland. Loosely organized gangs emerged again in the 1910s. One Italian American

gang A gang is a social group, group or secret society, society of associates, friends, or members of a family with a defined leadership and internal organization that identifies with or claims control over Wiktionary:territory#Noun, territory in a ...

, known as the Mayfield Road Mob, formed in Cleveland's

Little Italy Little Italy is the catch-all name for an ethnic enclave populated primarily by Italians or people of Italian ancestry, usually in an Urban area, urban neighborhood. The concept of "Little Italy" holds many different aspects of the Italian cul ...

neighborhood about 1913. Elsewhere in Little Italy,

notary public A notary public ( notary or public notary; notaries public) of the common law is a public officer constituted by law to serve the public in non-contentious matters usually concerned with general financial transactions, estates, deeds, powers- ...

Angelo Serra oversaw a gang primarily specializing in auto theft that at one point yielded $500,000 ($ in dollars) a year. At roughly the same time, Dominic Benigno led a gang which monopolized in payroll

robberies Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take anything of value by force, threat of force, or use of fear. According to common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person o ...

. Meanwhile, another Italian American gang, the Collinwood Crew, operated around the intersection of St. Clair Avenue, E. 152d Street and Ivanhoe Road in Collinwood. A less organized criminal organization was the "reservoir gang", a group of criminals engaged in armed robbery, auto theft,

burglary Burglary, also called breaking and entering (B&E) or housebreaking, is a property crime involving the illegal entry into a building or other area without permission, typically with the intention of committing a further criminal offence. Usually ...

and other property crimes which established a base at the Baldwin Water Treatment Plant

reservoir A reservoir (; ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam, usually built to water storage, store fresh water, often doubling for hydroelectric power generation. Reservoirs are created by controlling a watercourse that drains an existing body of wa ...

. Following the institution of

Prohibition Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic b ...

in 1919, and nationally throughout the United States on January 16, 1920. many small, organized gangs emerged to illicitly import

liquor Liquor ( , sometimes hard liquor), spirits, distilled spirits, or spiritous liquor are alcoholic drinks produced by the distillation of grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar that have already gone through ethanol fermentation, alcoholic ferm ...

from Canada, diverting alcohol from legitimate purposes (such as medicine and industry) and distilling and distributing home-brewed alcohol. Small bootlegging operations were run by formerly legitimate businessmen like Michelino Le Paglia, August L. Rini and Louis Rosen. A number of small bootlegging gangs, run by

Jew Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, religion, and community are highly inte ...

ish residents, began operating in the "Little Hollywood" area of Hough, an area bounded by Lexington and Hough Avenues between E. 73rd and E. 79th Streets. The

brothel A brothel, strumpet house, bordello, bawdy house, ranch, house of ill repute, house of ill fame, or whorehouse is a place where people engage in Human sexual activity, sexual activity with prostitutes. For legal or cultural reasons, establis ...

speakeasies A speakeasy, also called a beer flat or blind pig or blind tiger, was an illicit establishment that sold alcoholic beverages. The term may also refer to a retro style bar that replicates aspects of historical speakeasies. In the United State ...

and gambling halls of Little Hollywood became the favorite hangouts of small gang leaders throughout Cleveland, many of whom established their offices in the city's tiny

red-light district A red-light district or pleasure district is a part of an urban area where a concentration of prostitution and sex industry, sex-oriented businesses, such as sex shops, strip clubs, and adult theaters, are found. In most cases, red-light district ...

. Larger organizations included an Italian American gang centered on Woodland Avenue and E. 55th Street, and an Italian American gang centered on Woodland and E. 105th Street. The Mayfield Road Mob grew larger as it focused more on bootlegging.

The Lonardo and Porrello brothers

Lonardo family memorial - Calvary Cemetery

The four Lonardo brothers (

Joseph Joseph is a common male name, derived from the Hebrew (). "Joseph" is used, along with " Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the modern-day Nordic count ...

, Frank, John and Dominic) and seven Porrello brothers (Rosario, Vincenzo, Angelo, Joseph, John, Ottavio and Raymond) were immigrants to the United States from

Licata Licata (, ; , whence or ''Plintis''), formerly also Alicata (), is a city and ''comune'' located on the south coast of Sicily, at the mouth of the Salso River (the ancient ''Himera''), about midway between Agrigento and Gela. It is a major se ...

Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

. Initially establishing themselves as legitimate businessmen, the Lonardos and the Porrellos dabbled in various criminal activities including robbery and

but were not considered a major organization prior to Prohibition. At the start of Prohibition, Joseph "Big Joe" Lonardo, the second eldest of the Lonardo brothers, became the first boss of the Cleveland crime family. His top lieutenant, Joseph Porrello, supervised various criminal operations throughout the early to mid-1920s.Angelo "Big Ange" Lonardo, One-time Highest-Ranking Mobster to Become a Federal Witness, Dead at age 95
Rick Porrello, AmericanMafia.com (April 2006)

Split factions (1926–1927)

In 1926, the Porrellos broke away from the Lonardos and formed their own faction, establishing their headquarters on upper Woodland Avenue, around E. 110th Street. In 1927, hostilities between the Lonardos and the Porrellos escalated as the families competed in the manufacture of corn sugar, the prime ingredient in bootleg liquor. In the summer of 1927, "Big Joe" Lonardo left Cleveland for Sicily amongst rising tension between the two factions. He left his brother John and his adviser, Salvatore "Black Sam" Todaro, as acting heads of the Cleveland family. When Lonardo returned, a sitdown was scheduled between the Lonardos and the Porrellos. On October 13, 1927, Big Joe and John were to meet with Angelo Porrello in a Porrello-owned barbershop. After the brothers were relaxed into playing a card game, they were ambushed and killed by two Porrello gunmen. This allowed Joseph Porrello to take over as boss of the Cleveland family and become the most influential corn sugar baron in

The Porrellos (1927–1930)

Through late 1927 and much of 1928, the remaining Lonardo loyalists, which included members of the Mayfield Road Mob and various Jewish allies within the Cleveland Syndicate, continued to rival the Porrellos for the leadership within the Cleveland underworld. They vied for control of the most lucrative rackets outside of the corn sugar business, which included gambling, the most profitable hustle for crime families of the period after bootlegging. To establish dominance, the Porrellos needed backing from the top Mafia bosses in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, as well as other leading Mafia families across the U.S. On December 5, 1928, one of the earliest-known Mafia summits in American history was held at Cleveland's Statler Hotel. Joseph Porrello, with the help of his top lieutenant Sam Tilocco, hoped to urge the other bosses, which included

Joe Profaci Giuseppe "Joe" Profaci (; October 2, 1897 – June 6, 1962) was an Italian-American Cosa Nostra boss who was the founder of what became the Colombo crime family of New York City. Established in 1928, this was the last of the Five Families to be o ...

and

Vincent Mangano Vincent Mangano (born Vincenzo Giovanni Mangano; ; March 28, 1888 – disappeared April 19, 1951, declared dead October 30, 1961) was an Italian-born mobster also known as "Vincent The Executioner" as named in a Brooklyn newspaper, and the head of ...

of New York, to declare him the official boss of Cleveland. However, the meeting turned into a fiasco as some of the well-known attendees were recognized by local law enforcement and arrested along with their associates. The Porrellos arranged for their associates to be bailed out of jail. In spite of the chaos, Joseph Porrello was declared the boss and recognized nationwide as head of the Cleveland family.The Golden Era of the Cleveland Mob
Frank Kuznik, '' Cleveland Magazine'' (August 1, 1978) On June 11, 1929, "Black Sam" Todaro was murdered. By the end of Prohibition, most of the Porrello brothers and their supporters had been killed or had sided with the Mayfield Road Mob. Joseph Porrello himself was ambushed and killed along with an underling at the Venetian Restaurant, owned by Porrello rival Frank Milano. Vincenzo "Jim" Porrello succeeded his brother as Cleveland boss, but was shot and killed three weeks later in a grocery store on East 110th Street and Woodland Avenue, in an area considered a Porrello stronghold. Raymond Porrello declared revenge, and on August 15, 1930, an explosion leveled his home. He was not present at the time.

Mayfield Road Mob (1930–1944)

During the early 1930s, Frank Milano and the Mayfield Road Mob gradually replaced the Porrello brothers as the Cleveland area's premier Mafia group, with Milano becoming the official boss of the Cleveland family. In 1931, Milano joined the

National Crime Syndicate The National Crime Syndicate was a multi-ethnic, closely connected, American confederation of several criminal organizations. It mostly consisted of and was led by the closely interconnected Italian American Mafia and Jewish Mob. It also involv ...

, a network of powerful criminals which included Charles "Lucky" Luciano and

Meyer Lansky Meyer Lansky (born Maier Suchowljansky; July 4, 1902 – January 15, 1983), known as the "Mob's Accountant", was an American organized crime figure who, along with his associate Lucky Luciano, Charles "Lucky" Luciano, was instrumental in the dev ...

. By 1932, Milano had become one of the top Mafia bosses in the country and a charter member of The Commission, the Mafia's governing body. On February 25, 1932, Milano finished off the Porrello brothers by having Raymond and Rosario Porrello, along with their bodyguard Dominic Gueli, murdered in a smoke shop on East 110th Street and Woodland Avenue while playing cards. The remaining Porrellos subsequently backed out of the Cleveland underworld and fled the area. In 1935, Milano fled to Mexico after being

indicted An indictment ( ) is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that use the concept of felonies, the most serious criminal offense is a felony; jurisdictions that do not use that concept often use that of an indi ...

for

tax evasion Tax evasion or tax fraud is an illegal attempt to defeat the imposition of taxes by individuals, corporations, trusts, and others. Tax evasion often entails the deliberate misrepresentation of the taxpayer's affairs to the tax authorities to red ...

. Alfred Polizzi, another leading member of the Mayfield Road Mob, seized power and reigned as boss until 1944, when he himself was convicted of tax evasion.

Scalish era (1944–1976)

Following Polizzi's ouster in 1944, John Scalish began the longest reign of any Cleveland boss. Under his leadership, the Cleveland family developed ties with important crime figures such as Lansky,

Shondor Birns Alex Birns (February 21, 1907 – March 29, 1975), best known as Shondor Birns, was a Jewish-American organized crime figure, racketeer and crime boss from Cleveland, Ohio, who was once labeled by the local newspapers as the city's "Public enemy ...

Moe Dalitz Morris Barney Dalitz (December 25, 1899 – August 31, 1989) was an American gangster, businessman, casino owner, and philanthropist. He was one of the major figures who shaped Las Vegas in the 20th century. He was often referred to as "Mr. Las ...

and

Tony Accardo Anthony Joseph Accardo (; born Antonino Leonardo Accardo, ; April 28, 1906 – May 22, 1992), also known as "Joe Batters" and "Big Tuna", was an American longtime mobster. In a criminal career that spanned eight decades, he rose from small-time ...

, as well as the

Chicago Outfit The Chicago Outfit, also known as the Outfit, the Chicago Mafia, the Chicago Mob, the Chicago crime family, the South Side Gang or the Organization, is an Italian Americans, Italian American American Mafia, Mafia crime family based in Chicago, I ...

and the

Genovese crime family The Genovese crime family (), also sometimes referred to as the Westside, is an Italian Americans, Italian American American Mafia, Mafia crime family and one of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City and Ne ...

in New York. Additionally, the family expanded its influence to areas throughout the

Midwest The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

and

.The Cleveland Mafia: The end of an era and demise of a Don
John Petkovic, ''

The Plain Dealer ''The Plain Dealer'' is the major newspaper of Cleveland, Ohio; it is a major national newspaper. In the fall of 2019, it ranked 23rd in U.S. newspaper circulation, a significant drop since March 2013, when its circulation ranked 17th daily an ...

'' (November 23, 2015) The family helped finance the construction of Las Vegas'

Desert Inn The Desert Inn, also known as the D.I., was a hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, which operated from April 24, 1950, to August 28, 2000. Designed by architect Hugh Taylor and interior design by Jac Lessman, it was the ...

casino hotel A casino hotel is an establishment consisting of a casino with temporary lodging provided in an on-premises hotel. Customers receive the benefits of both gambling facilities and lodging. Since the casino and hotel are located on the same premis ...

in the late 1940s and received a percentage of profits from the resort in exchange for providing protection. In the 1950s, the Cleveland family reached its peak in size, with about sixty " made" members, and several times as many associates. By the 1970s, however, the family's membership began to decrease after Scalish chose not to induct new members. The family's main streams of revenue during this period came from two primary sources; a partnership with other Midwestern crime families which allowed the organization to profit from the " skim" of various Las Vegas casinos, and an arrangement with the

Pittsburgh crime family The Pittsburgh crime family,CapeciChapter 5 "Mafia Families Poison the Northeast"/ref> also known as the LaRocca crime family''Organized Crime in Pennsylvania: Traditional and Non-Traditional''. Pennsylvania Crime Concession. April 15, 1988 or th ...

which entitled the Cleveland family to twenty-five percent of the Pittsburgh family's profits from rackets in

Youngstown Youngstown is a city in Mahoning County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Ohio, 11th-most populous city in Ohio with a population of 60,068 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Mahoning ...

. The Cleveland,

Kansas City The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...

and

Milwaukee Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...

crime families also exerted influence over the multibillion-dollar Central States Pension Fund of the

(IBT), and in 1974 the three groups backed a $62.75 million Pension Fund loan to buy two Las Vegas casinos.3 Mob Families Linked to Teamsters Fund
George Lardner Jr., ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'' (November 22, 1985) Additionally, the Cleveland family collected protection money from casinos in

Western Pennsylvania Western Pennsylvania is a region in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the Unite ...

and

Northern Kentucky Northern Kentucky is an urban area in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. Commonwealth of Kentucky consisting of the southern part of the Cincinnati metropolitan area. The three main counties of the area are Boone County, Kentucky, Boone, Kent ...

War with Danny Greene (1976–1977)

John Scalish died during open heart surgery in 1976, without officially naming a successor. It was decided afterward by the family's members that James "Jack White" Licavoli would take over as boss. During Licavoli's reign, an Irish gangster named

began competing with the Cleveland family for control of the city's rackets. Greene partnered with John Nardi, a rogue Mafia associate and Teamster, who arranged the murder of Calogero "Leo Lips" Moceri, Licavoli's

underboss Underboss () is a position within the leadership structure of certain organized crime groups, particularly in Sicilian Mafia, Sicilian and Italian-American Mafia crime families. The underboss is second in command to the Crime boss, boss. The un ...

. Moceri disappeared after attending a

Feast of the Assumption The Assumption of Mary is one of the four Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Pope Pius XII defined it on 1 November 1950 in his apostolic constitution as follows: It leaves open the question of whether Mary died or whether she was ra ...

festival in Little Italy on August 22, 1976; his blood-stained car was found in

Akron Akron () is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the fifth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 190,469 at the 2020 census. The Akron metropolitan area, covering Summit and Portage counties, had ...

days later, although his remains were never recovered. Moceri was allegedly killed by Keith Ritson, an enforcer for Greene.Mafia Hit List – Top Cleveland Mob Murders
Scott Burnstein, GangsterReport.com (July 17, 2014) Moceri's murder resulted in a violent mob war between the Cleveland family and Greene's gang, during which almost forty

ings took place in the city of Cleveland. Among the casualties was Nardi, who was killed on May 17, 1977, by a car bomb in the parking lot of the local Teamster Hall. Eventually, Licavoli and his crew began attempting to kill Greene. On one occasion, bombs were planted around Greene's home, one in the front and one in the back; the first bomb went off but the second failed, allowing Greene and his young girlfriend to escape. After several similarly failed hits, it became evident that the Cleveland family needed outside help, which came in the form of

hitman Contract killing (also known as murder-for-hire) is a form of murder or assassination in which one party hires another party to kill a targeted person or people. It involves an illegal agreement which includes some form of compensation, moneta ...

Ray Ferritto. On October 6, 1977, while Greene was performing a scheduled visit to his dentist, a car with a radiofrequency bomb placed inside its door was parked next to his. Upon return to his vehicle, the bomb was exploded remotely by Ferritto and Ronald “Ronnie the Crab” Carabbia. The two men were seen by a woman named Debbie Spoth, who was able to help police identify Ferritto. Greene's body lay under the ruins of his vehicle for at least an hour before his corpse was removed. Following the assassination, Ferritto heard that the Cleveland family wanted him dead and turned state's witness, leading to the arrest of Licavoli and other Cleveland mobsters.

Decline (1978–1990s)

In 1978, the CDP warned then-

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

Dennis Kucinich Dennis John Kucinich ( ; October 8, 1946) is an American politician. Originally a Democratic Party (United States), Democrat, Kucinich served as U.S. Representative from Ohio's Ohio's 10th congressional district, 10th congressional district fro ...

that the Cleveland family had put out a hit on him because of some of his initiatives were hindering their criminal activities. Police informed Kucinich that a hitman was planning on shooting the mayor while he marched in the

Columbus Day Columbus Day is a national holiday in many countries of the Americas and elsewhere, and a federal holiday in the United States, which officially celebrates the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas. He went ashore at ...

parade; Kucinich missed the parade as he was hospitalized with a ruptured

ulcer An ulcer is a discontinuity or break in a bodily membrane that impedes normal function of the affected organ. According to Robbins's pathology, "ulcer is the breach of the continuity of skin, epithelium or mucous membrane caused by sloughin ...

. However, the mayor took note of the threat and began keeping a gun in his home for protection. Emboldened by the sudden death of Cleveland ''

consigliere Consigliere ( , ; plural is a position within the leadership structure of the Sicilian, Calabrian, and Italian-American Mafia. The word was popularized in English by the novel ''The Godfather'' (1969) and its film adaptation. In the novel, a c ...

'' Anthony "Tony Dope" Delsanter from a heart attack in August 1977, Vincent "Two-Gun Jimmy" Prato, the local ''

caporegime A ''caporegime'' or ''capodecina'', usually shortened to ''capo'' or informally referred to as "captain", "skipper" or "lieutenant", is a leadership position in the Mafia (both the Sicilian Mafia and Italian-American Mafia). A ''capo'' is a "made m ...

'' from the Pittsburgh family, attempted to establish a

monopoly A monopoly (from Greek language, Greek and ) is a market in which one person or company is the only supplier of a particular good or service. A monopoly is characterized by a lack of economic Competition (economics), competition to produce ...

over gambling and extortion rackets in Youngstown, a territory which had historically been shared between the two families. This resulted in a mob war, consisting of twelve murders, which lasted between 1978 and 1981.The Flames Of Discontent In Youngstown (CrimeTown USA): Cleveland-Pittsburgh Mob War II Murder Timeline
Scott Burnstein, GangsterReportr.com (November 10, 2016) Crimetown USA: The city that fell in love with the mob
David Grann, ''

The New Republic ''The New Republic'' (often abbreviated as ''TNR'') is an American magazine focused on domestic politics, news, culture, and the arts from a left-wing perspective. It publishes ten print magazines a year and a daily online platform. ''The New Y ...

'' (July 10, 2000) This Week in Mob History
AmericanMafia.com (December 3, 2001) The Pittsburgh family emerged victorious after the disappearances of Cleveland capo Charles "Charlie the Crab" Carabbia in December 1980 and his crew's top hitman, Joseph DeRose, Jr., in April 1981.
Steel City Mafia: Blood, Betrayal and Pittsburgh’s Last Don
' Paul N. Hodos (2023) According to testimony from Pittsburgh mobster-turned-government witness Lenny Strollo, Carabbia was lured to a meeting at a Youngstown donut shop and killed on the orders of Prato and his chief underling, Joseph "Little Joey" Naples, in order to give the Pittsburgh family undisputed control over Youngstown. The killing, as per Strollo's testimony, was carried out with the permission of the Cleveland family leadership. Eventually, Licavoli was sent to prison for

RICO The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization. RICO was ...

charges related to the murder of Greene in 1982. Angelo Lonardo, the son of Joseph Lonardo, took control of the Cleveland family until 1984, when he was convicted of running a drug ring and was sentenced to

life imprisonment Life imprisonment is any sentence (law), sentence of imprisonment under which the convicted individual is to remain incarcerated for the rest of their natural life (or until pardoned or commuted to a fixed term). Crimes that result in life impr ...

. Angelo Lonardo then became an informant, making him the highest-ranking Mafia turncoat up to that time. He informed on powerful ''mafiosi'' from numerous families while in prison and caused serious damage to the Mafia's infrastructure.
Introduction to Criminology: Theories, Methods, and Criminal Behavior
' Frank E. Hagan, and Leah E. Daigle (2018) After Lonardo became an informant, John "Peanuts" Tronolone, a long-time

Miami Beach Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida. The municipality is located on natural and human-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean an ...

resident and

South Florida South Florida, sometimes colloquially shortened to SoFlo, is the Regions of the United States#Florida, southernmost region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is one of Florida's three most commonly referred to directional regions; the two others are ...

point man for the Genovese family, was named the new boss of the Cleveland family. In 1989, Tronolone became the only Mafia boss to have the distinction of being arrested in a hand-to-hand undercover transaction by local law enforcement when he accepted jewelry from Dave Green, an undercover

Broward County Broward County ( ) is a County (United States), county in Florida, United States, located in the Miami metropolitan area. It is Florida's second-most populous county after Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County and the List of the most ...

deputy in exchange for

bookmaking A bookmaker, bookie, or turf accountant is an organization or a person that accepts and pays out bets on sporting and other events at agreed-upon odds. History The first bookmaker, Harry Ogden, stood at Newmarket in 1795, although similar a ...

and loansharking debts. Tronolone died in 1991 before he could start his nine-year state prison sentence.John Tronolone, Reputed Cleveland Mob Family Chief
''

South Florida Sun Sentinel The ''Sun Sentinel'' (also known as the ''South Florida Sun Sentinel'', known until 2008 as the ''Sun-Sentinel'', and stylized on its masthead as ''SunSentinel'') is the main daily newspaper of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Broward County, and ...

'' (June 1, 1991) By 1990, the Cleveland family had been so aggressively dismantled by law enforcement agencies that the family had no "made" members who were not imprisoned, and the organization was reported to be virtually defunct.Cleveland Mob – Ohio Mafia History
clevelandcrib.org In addition to convictions, defections and deaths, the loss of the family's influence over the IBT also significantly weakened their stature. After Tronolone's death, Anthony "Tony Lib" Liberatore took over the remnants of the Cleveland family until he was imprisoned for racketeering and

money laundering Money laundering is the process of illegally concealing the origin of money obtained from illicit activities (often known as dirty money) such as drug trafficking, sex work, terrorism, corruption, and embezzlement, and converting the funds i ...

in 1993.Vintage Photos of Cleveland's Most Notorious Mobsters
''

Cleveland Scene The ''Cleveland Scene'' is an alternative weekly newspaper based in Cleveland, Ohio. The newspaper includes highlights of Cleveland-area arts, music, dining, and films, as well as classified advertising. The first edition of the newspaper was pu ...

'' (March 28, 2016) Following the imprisonment of Liberatore, two ''mafiosi'' who had been inducted into the family by Angelo Lonardo in 1983 – Joseph "Joe Loose" Iacobacci and Russell "R.J." Papalardo – became the leading figures in the Cleveland Mafia. Iacobacci, along with Alfred "Allie" Calabrese, was convicted of

bank fraud Bank fraud is the use of potentially illegal means to obtain money, assets, or other property owned or held by a financial institution, or to obtain money from depositors by fraudulently posing as a bank or other financial institution. In many ins ...

and sentenced to three years in federal prison in 1995, during which time Papalardo served as acting boss of the family. In May 1998, Anthony P. Delmonti, an associate of the Cleveland family and the Rochester,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

faction of the

Bonanno crime family The Bonanno crime family (pronounced ) is an Italian American Mafia crime family and one of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City. The family was known as the Maranzano crime family until its founder Sal ...

, became a confidential informant for the FBI's Cleveland office and provided the Bureau with information on a Mafia-controlled Rochester-to-Cleveland stolen car ring, a

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

-to-Cleveland cocaine ring headed by Cleveland businessman Robert E. Walsh and a $10 million-per-year numbers racket operated by Virgil Ogletree, a former associate of Shondor Birns and

Don King Donald King (born August 20, 1931) is an American boxing promoter, known for his involvement in several historic boxing matchups. King's career highlights include, among multiple other enterprises, promoting "The Rumble in the Jungle" and the ...

.Rat: Rejected by the Mafia, Tony Delmonti joined a less discriminating group: the FBI
Thomas Francis, ''

'' (October 8, 2003) Tony P. Delmonti: Secretly worked for the feds
Joel Rutchick and John Caniglia, AmericanMafia.com (February 24, 2001) Delmonti covertly recorded over 500 audio and videotapes which led to the seizure of $100,000 in illicit gambling money, $250,000 in stolen vehicles and 700 kilograms of cocaine, and over a hundred convictions in Cleveland and Rochester between 2000 and 2002.Mob has ebbed, but drug crime surges
Gary Craig, ''

Democrat and Chronicle The ''Democrat and Chronicle'' is a daily newspaper serving the greater Rochester, New York, area. Headquartered at 245 East Main Street in downtown Rochester, the ''Democrat and Chronicle'' operates under the ownership of Gannett. The paper's ...

'' (April 28, 2004) Mob informant's work is done, U.S. says
''

'' (October 27, 2005) Adventures with a made man of the Mob: Minister of Culture
Michael Heaton, ''

'' (June 14, 2016)

Current position

Despite the imprisonment of Iacobacci in the late 1990s, he and Papalardo were reportedly able to steadily rebuild the organization in the 21st century. Iocobacci inducted new members into the family, forged ties with the Chicago Outfit, the

Detroit Partnership The Detroit Partnership (also known as the Detroit crime family, the Detroit Combination, the Detroit Mafia, the Zerilli crime family (), and the Tocco–Zerilli crime family) is an Italian American Mafia crime family based in Detroit, Michigan ...

and the

DeCavalcante crime family The DeCavalcante crime family, also known as the North Jersey crime family or the North Jersey Mafia, is an Italian American Mafia crime family that operates mainly in northern New Jersey, particularly in Elizabeth, Newark, West New York and ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

, and reportedly oversaw rackets in Cleveland, Youngstown, Pittsburgh and Rochester.Joseph Iacobacci - "Joe Loose" of the Cleveland Mob
Mike Dickson, AmericanMafiaHistory.com (June 21, 2020) Ohio Mourns Loss Of Don, Fmr. Midwest Mob Chief “Joe Loose” Dies In Cleveland
Scott Burnstein, GangsterReport.com (April 17, 2020) Iocobacci retired in the 2000s after he reportedly relinquished much of his family's territory to the Chicago Outfit. Papalardo succeeded Iacobacci as boss of the Cleveland family upon Iacobacci's retirement. In 2020, crime reporter Scott Burnstein described the organization as: "These days, the Cleveland crime family is a small group of mostly old-timers, bookies and loansharks". According to Burnstein, the Cleveland Mafia is an "almost-benign group ... with a limited formal structure."

Historical leadership

Boss (official and acting)

*1920–1927 – Joseph "Big Joe" Lonardo – murdered in 1927. *1927–1929 – Salvatore "Black Sam" Todaro – murdered in 1929. *1929–1930 – Joseph "Big Joe" Porrello – murdered in 1930. *1930–1935 – Frank Milano – fled to Mexico in 1935, moved to California in the late 1950s; died of natural causes in 1970. *1935–1945 – Alfred "Big Al" Polizzi – arrested in 1944, retired to

in 1945, died of natural causes in 1975. **''Acting'' 1944–1945 – John T. "John Scalise" Scalish - died of complications during heart surgery in 1976. *1945–1976 – John T. "John Scalise" Scalish *1976–1985 – James "Jack White" Licavoli – imprisoned in 1981, died of natural causes in 1985. **''Acting'' 1981–1983 – Angelo "Big Ange" Lonardo – turned informant in October 1983, died of natural causes in 2006. **''Acting'' 1983–1985 – John "Peanuts" Tronolone *1985–1991 – John "Peanuts" Tronolone – died of natural causes in 1991 *1991–1993 – Anthony "Tony Lib" Liberatore – imprisoned in 1993, died of natural causes in 1998. *1993–2004 – Joseph "Joe Loose" Iacobacci – retired, died 2020 *2004–present – Russell "R.J." Papalardo

Underboss

*1930–1976 – Anthony Milano – retired in 1976, deceased in 1978. *1976 – Calogero "Leo Lips" Moceri – disappeared and murdered in 1976. *1976–1983 – Angelo "Big Ange" Lonardo – turned informant in October 1983, deceased in 2006. *1983–1985 – John "Peanuts" Tronolone – became boss in 1985. *1985–1991 – Anthony "Tony Lib" Liberatore – became boss. *1991–1995 – Alfred "Allie" Calabrese – imprisoned in 1995. *1995–2004 – Russell "RJ" Papalardo – became boss

Consigliere

*1930–1972 – John DeMarco – died in 1972 *1972–1973 – Frank "Frankie B" Brancato *1973–1977 – Anthony "Tony Dope" Delsanter - died of natural causes in August 1977 *1977–1983 – John "Peanuts" Tronolone – became underboss in 1983. *1983–1993 – Louis "Bones" Battista aka "The Bulldog" (deceased) *1999–2010 – Raymond "Lefty" LaMarca (deceased 2010)

Current members

Administration

* Boss – Russell J. "R.J." Papalardo – born on July 4, 1941.Russell Papalardo
Rachel Dissell, ''

'' (January 31, 2010) Papalardo was inducted into the family in 1983.Tommy James Sinito AKA The Chinaman: The Early Years Part 1
Amy A. Kisil, AmericanMafia.com (February 2007) In 1986, he was convicted for his role in a multimillion-dollar cocaine ring operated by the Cleveland crime family and served four years in federal prison.
''

'' (December 7, 2008) Papalardo was made acting boss while Joseph "Joe Loose" Iacobacci was imprisoned in the late 1990s and he succeeded Iacobacci as boss of the family in the mid-2000s.

Soldiers

* Ronald "Ronnie" Lucarelli Jr. – soldier and major cocaine distributor in the Cleveland area.Feds say area men guided drug ring
'' The News-Herald'' (June 15, 2000) He was among 28 members of a drug ring indicted on federal charges in June 2000. On December 27, 2000, Lucarelli was sentenced to 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of conspiracy to distribute cocaine.Drug plea nets prison
Tracey Read, '' The News-Herald'' (December 28, 2000) He was released on November 10, 2011.

Former members

* Amato "Tuttie" Bucci – former soldier. Born in 1927. Bucci was allegedly involved in drug trafficking and armed robbery. He died in January 2005. * Alfred "Allie Con" Calabrese – former underboss. Calabrese survived an attempted car bombing in September 1976 when an explosive device attached to his vehicle detonated and killed his neighbor when the neighbor tried to move Calabrese's car.Moceri dead... Agents say crime chief slain in mob war
John Dunphy and Douglas Balz, ''

Akron Beacon Journal The ''Akron Beacon Journal'' is a morning newspaper in Akron, Ohio, United States. Owned by Gannett, it is the sole daily newspaper in Akron and is distributed throughout Northeast Ohio. The paper's coverage focuses on local news. The Beacon Jo ...

'' (December 20, 1977) * John Calandra – former capo * Ronald "Ronnie the Crab" Carabbia – took control of the

faction for the family following the death of Anthony Delsanter in August 1977. Carrabia was an accomplice to Ray Ferritto in the October 6, 1977 car bomb murder of

.The Last of the Northeast Ohio Gangsters
Vince Guerrieri, '' Cleveland Magazine'' (December 28, 2021) In May 1978, he was convicted of aggravated murder for the killing.Mobster Released On Parole Despite Objections
(September 24, 2002) Carrabia was paroled from Chillicothe Correctional Institution on September 24, 2002. He died on December 22, 2021, aged 92. * Eugene J. "The Animal" Ciasullo – former soldier. Ciasullo was raised in Collinwood and became a debt collector, bookmaker and loan shark in the family under John Scalish and James Licavoli.Historic Cleveland Mafia Figure ‘Eugene the Animal’ Finally Tamed By Father Time, Dies At 85
Scott Burnstein, GangsterReport.com (August 8, 2016) He was believed by the FBI to have been a hitman. On July 21, 1976, Ciasullo was severely wounded in a bombing at his home in Richmond Heights.Bombings, bullets, bodies fill crime war's calendar
''

'' (December 20, 1977) He died of natural causes in August 2016, at the age of 85.Eugene Ciasullo Obituary
''

'' (August 6, 2016) * Pasquale "Butchie" Cisternino – former soldier. Cisternino assembled the bomb which killed

. He died in 1990. * Anthony "Tony Dope" Delsanter – former ''consigliere'' and leader of the Youngstown faction * William E. "Billy D" DiLeno – former soldier. DiLeno was a member of the Eastside faction of the Cleveland family. He was initiated into the family in the early 1990s. DiLeno died of natural causes at the age of 85, on April 6, 2022.Official Obituary of William E. "Billy" Dileno
''Vitantonio - Previte Funeral Homes'' * Joseph Gallo – former capo * Joseph "Joe Loose" Iacobacci – powerful member of the family, serving as boss from 1993 to 2005. Iacobacci was able to partially rebuild the family, with the help of the

. He died in April 2020. * Calogero "Leo Lips" Moceri – former underboss and leader of the family's

faction. In 1952, he was arrested and questioned over the murder of

Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel (; February 28, 1906 – June 20, 1947) was an American mobster who was a driving force behind the development of the Las Vegas Strip. Siegel was influential within the Jewish Mob, along with his childhood friend and fel ...

. Moceri disappeared on August 22, 1976; his killing was arranged by John Nardi and carried out by Keith Ritson, an enforcer for

. * Thomas Sinito – former capo

Former associates

* Milton "Maishe" Rockman – former associate, Rockman was a

Jewish-American organized crime Jewish-American organized crime initially emerged within the American Jewish community during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In media and popular culture, it has variously been referred to as the Jewish Mob, the Jewish Mafia, the Kos ...

figure affiliated with the Cleveland crime family. Rockman was the brother-in-law of Cleveland crime family bosses John T. Scalish and Angelo Lonardo, and was a top Cleveland crime family associate involved in labor racketeering and the Las Vegas casino interests of the Cleveland Mafia.

Government informants and witnesses

* Anthony P. Delmonti – associate involved in narcotics trafficking. He was sentenced to six years' imprisonment in 1987 after being informed on by his cocaine supplier, Carmen Zagaria. Owing $150,000 in restitution and addicted to drugs, Delmonti became a confidential informant for the

FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...

in 1998. Following a series of successful prosecutions resulting from Delmonti's cooperation, he went into hiding in Marco Island, Florida and died from a heart attack on April 26, 2007, aged 61. * Ray Ferritto – associate and hitman who turned government witness after being implicated in the murder of

in 1977. * Angelo Lonardo – acting boss of the family; turned government witness in 1983 after being sentenced to life imprisonment for drug trafficking and racketeering. * Jackie Presser – associate. Presser was a

labor union A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...

official and

Teamsters The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) is a trade union, labor union in the United States and Canada. Formed in 1903 by the merger of the Team Drivers International Union and the Teamsters National Union, the union now represents a di ...

president under control of the Cleveland family who became a confidential informant for the FBI in 1972.Jackie Presser: Media Muscle Man
Greg Stricharchuk, '' Cleveland Magazine'' (October 1, 1980) Presser Ties to Mafia Alleged: N.Y. Grand Jury Probes Efforts to Control Union
Ronald J. Ostrow and Robert L. Jackson, ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

'' (May 14, 1986) Mobbed Up: Jackie Presser’s High-Wire Life in the Teamsters, the Mafia and the FBI
Bob Sipchan, ''

'' (October 22, 1989) * Carmen "Mr. C" Zagaria – soldier and leader of a drug ring who turned government witness after being indicted on several murders.

List of murders committed by the Cleveland crime family

In popular culture

* The 2011

biopic A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or group of people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from docudrama films and histo ...

crime film ''

Kill the Irishman ''Kill the Irishman'' is a 2011 American biographical crime film directed by Jonathan Hensleigh, and starring Ray Stevenson, Vincent D'Onofrio, Christopher Walken, and Val Kilmer. Written by Hensleigh and Jeremy Walters, it is based on the ...

'' highlights three prominent figures in the Cleveland crime family: James "Jack White" Licavoli (the boss of the Cleveland crime family from 1976 to 1985), John Nardi (a key associate of the Cleveland crime family and nephew of Anthony Milano, the longest-serving

of the Cleveland crime family), and Ray Ferritto (a notorious

who worked for both the Cleveland crime family and the

Los Angeles crime family The Los Angeles crime family, also known as the Dragna crime family, the Southern California crime family or the L.A. Mafia, and dubbed "the Mickey Mouse Mafia" by former Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl Gates, is an Italian American Mafia crime fa ...

). They are played respectively by

Tony Lo Bianco Anthony LoBianco (October 19, 1936 – June 11, 2024) was an American actor. Born to first-generation Italian American parents in New York City, Lo Bianco began his career in theater, appearing in several Broadway productions throughout the 1 ...

( James Licavoli),

Vincent D'Onofrio Vincent Philip D'Onofrio (; born June 30, 1959) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for his supporting and leading roles in both film and television. He has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award. His roles include Private Leona ...

( John Nardi) and

Robert Davi Robert John Davi (born June 26, 1951) is an American actor, singer, and filmmaker. Over the course of his acting career, Davi has performed in more than 130 films. Among his most known roles are opera-singing Jake Fratelli in '' The Goonies'' (19 ...

( Ray Ferritto)

References

;Notes ;Citations

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cleveland Crime Family 1920 establishments in Ohio Gangs in Ohio Italian-American crime families Italian-American culture in Cleveland Organizations based in Cleveland Organizations established in 1920 Organized crime in Cleveland