Strollo said he was able to carry out his illegal dealings by paying off public officials, in particular, the police chief of Campbell and turn sergeants. Beloved son of Jeffrey Hovde & Shelley Hovde. You had the politicians and more or less controlled the area and did whatever you wanted to do, he said. [12], As boss of Pittsburgh, LaRocca attended the 1957 Apalachin Meeting along with his capos Gabriel "Kelly" Mannarino and Michael James Genovese. [11] Two of the surviving Volpe brothers went to the "Commission" in New York, and it was decided Bazzano would be held responsible for his unsanctioned hit. [13][3][15] LaRocca was born in 1901 in Sicily and moved to the United States in 1910, he later moved in 1933 with his wife to Pittsburgh. Funeral Home website by. Barnes Undertaking CO -293 South Lincoln. [21] After Pecora's death Genovese promoted Charles "Chucky" Porter to Underboss of the family. Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, he was a varsity track athlete at Lower Marion High School and at his alma mater, Penn State University. Dear nephew of Lindsey (Ric Probst) Nix, Amy (James) Williams, Jim (Becky) Hovde, Clint (Cindy) Hovde. PALATINE - Visitation for Geraldine E. Potaniec, 90, will be held Monday, February 27, 2023, from 9:00 am until the time of the Funeral Mass at 10:00 am at St. Thomas of Villanova Catholic Church . Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. Family and friends will be received from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Wasko Funeral Home in Campbell. Strollo, 67 at the time, pleaded guilty to charges of racketeering and filing a false 1992 federal income tax return. [19] LaRocca died on December 3, 1984. Strollos story as played out in court testimony told of justice for sale in the past in Mahoning County. Lebanon a neighborhood outside of Pittsburgh. They have to operate even further below the surface," Lawson said. [11], By 1925, Stefano Monastero, became the new boss of the Pittsburgh Mafia family, as Salvatore Calderone stepped down and retired. If a death has occurred, please call us on the number below: Helen Holmgren age 99 of Glen Ellyn, IL passed away February 19, 2023. Beloved wife of her late husband Robert Andrew Petersen. [2][5] The LaRocca family is one of the original 26 mafia families in United States. Abraham, who works as a senior writer for Kent State University, recalls thinking at the time how organized crime in the Valley had changed so dramatically and that was a good thing. Strollo was a former Pittsburgh mobster "who ran the Youngstown rackets," according to Cleveland Scene. During the zenith of mob activity, the furthest reaches of Pittsburgh and Cleveland outfits bristled in the Mahoning Valley. But by the 1990s, federal law enforcement "had the technology and policies and laws on their side like RICO to actually come after mafiosi and take them down," Lawson said. In 1999, Strollo, at 68 years old, pleaded guilty to leading the Mahoning Valley's organized crime operations, to ordering hits on a rival mobster as well as Mahoning County Prosecutor Paul Gains and to bribing numerous local officials. Federal investigations revealed that Gains assassination attempt was ordered by Strollo because Gains would not cooperate with the local mob. She taught kindergarten in Minneapolis and in Chicago where she once had sixty-four students in her classroom. You set Charlie Carabbia up? Special Prosecutor Steve Dever asked. [3][5][15] LaRocca and capo Mannarino became partners with Tampa crime family boss Santo Trafficante, Jr. in the Sans Souci hotel-casino in Havana, Cuba. A wide-ranging FBI investigation in the 1990s led to the prosecution of dozens of Strollo associates, attorneys and public officials. He had just celebrated his 90 birthday with family and friends a few weeks before. He was convicted of bribes, money laundering and racketeering. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) - Notorious Youngstown mob boss Lenny Strollo has died.. Strollo spent 13 years behind bars. [20] Genovese had spent years closely working with then Boss Sebastian John LaRocca, powerful Pittsburgh mobsters Gabriel "Kelly" Mannarino and Joseph Pecora. On August 19, 1991, mob figure Joey Naples was killed in a mob hit in Youngstown so Strollo then became the boss of the Mahoning Valley operation: bookmaking, poker machines, narcotics trafficking and vending machines aided by his brother Dante. Besides his parents, Lenny was preceded in death by his daughter, Gale Rudolphi; two sisters, Alvina Palermo and Edina Strollo and his two brothers, Dante and Dominic. [12], In the late 1980s, the FBI increased its investigation into Pittsburgh's top cocaine traffickers, Charles "Chucky" Porter and Louis Raucci, Sr.[22] In March 1990, an indictment charged Charles "Chucky" Porter and Louis F. Raucci Sr., along with seven associates, on charges of drug distribution, extortion, conspiracy to commit murder, robbery, gambling and racketeering. [12][13] Amato began expanding his influence over the gambling rackets in and around Allegheny County, and formed a strong alliance with the Genovese family in New York City, who represented Pittsburgh at meetings of the eastern Commission. We will forever carry your memory in our hearts. 1983)", "Law enforcement agents arrested six Pennsylvanians who allegedly were", "Primo v Mollica (1935 - 2001) - Glassport, PA", "TV Review: A&E's 'Godfather of Pittsburgh', "Numbers kingpin pleads guilty in operation that netted $2.5 million a year", "ADOLPH WILLIAMS Obituary (2016) - Pittsburgh, PA - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette", James Ridgway de Szigethy. [10] Calderone controlled the Mafia Network from Apollo a town north of Pittsburgh. The former organized crime leader, who faced 12 years in prison on federal and state charges including racketeering and murder and who stunned by breaking a mafiosi vow of secrecy to become a federal informant, has died at age 90. [18], In the early 1980s, the family consisted of Boss Sebastian LaRocca, Underboss Joseph Pecora, Consigliere Michael Genovese and caporegimes John Bazzano Jr., Antonio Ripepi and Joseph Regino. Married for 48 years, he was preceded in death by his wife Nancy Bast Kopf and his father and mother Paul Peter Kopf. Loving fianc of Lisa Sobala. At the time, Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Morford said Strollo wanted Gains dead because he had an in with former Mahoning County Prosecutor James Philomena and could fix cases. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio A former mob boss whose criminal enterprise helped earn Youngstown the name "Crimetown U.S.A" before turning federal witness has died at age 90. Gains, who was badly wounded, remains county prosecutor. Thank God that his organization has been completely abandoned., 2023 Trib Total Media | All Rights Reserved, Architect named to Pittsburgh's revamped Art Commission, Oakland zoning package gains final approval, Pittsburgh man pleads guilty to robbing a Dormont bank in December, Vento's Pizza, home of 'Franco's Italian Army,' to close, Heinz offers to buy boat for sailor who survived on ketchup while lost at sea, Pa. Chick-fil-A bans customers under 16 from dining in restaurant without adults, Review: Michael B. Jordan delivers a brawler in Creed III, Western Pennsylvania's trusted news source. As bootlegging operations expanded throughout America violence erupted as criminals fought for dominance. Gains, who was badly wounded, remains county prosecutor. Organized crime was a lifestyle Strollo started in his early teens, as a bag runner, according to de Souza. YOUNGSTOWN One-time Valley mob boss Lenine "Lenny" Strollo, 90, the former organized crime boss who cooperated with the FBI and provided testimony on several Youngstown area killings and. In the suburbs of Pittsburgh, the Mafia factions fought for control of New Kensington, Arnold, Wilkinsburg, McKees Rocks, Wilmerding and Braddock. We will offer prayers and light a candle. [24], In 2008, Thomas "Sonny" Ciancutti became boss of the Pittsburgh family. Katie Kathryn Jane Katie (Hall) Mueller passed away peacefully at home on February 1, 2023. Lenny was blessed with a very large and loving family. Antoinette, lots of good memories. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP) A former mob boss whose criminal enterprise helped earn Youngstown the name Crimetown U.S.A before turning federal witness has died at age 90. His first-person story deserves to be memorialized," Bertram de Souza, former Vindicator columnist, told Mahoning Matters. Father of Pamela Fedor (Cary Broniszewski). The fact that people like Strollo agreed to be government witnesses "really spoke to the fact that organized crime families and associates knew they were in trouble," Lawson said, to such an extent that, in providing testimony, Tobin wrote Strollo "drew the final curtain on the fabled northern Ohio mob. The funeral home handling arrangements on Thursday confirmed Lenine "Lenny" Strollo's death. Video produced by Bertram de Souza, Cindi Rickard and Robert McFerren. Prosecutors claimed Strollos three employees arranged the 1996 killing of Biondillo and the woundings of Gains days before he took office and former Prosecutor Gary Van Brocklin. A wide-ranging FBI investigation in the 1990s led to the prosecution of dozens of Strollo associates, attorneys and public officials. [20] His reputation and power had increased over the years allowing him to be successfully accepted as the family's new boss. Www. Loving mother of Mark (Bonnie Klemm), Randy(Donna), April (Paul) Meyers &Robin (James) McVickar. He was released in 2012. Copyright The Vindicator | https://www.vindy.com | 240 Franklin Street SE, Warren, OH 44482 | 330-841-1600 | Terms of Service. The funeral home handling arrangements on Thursday confirmed Lenine Lenny Strollos death. Strollo's information "opened the flood gates," Stoll said. Strollo testified in the U.S. District Court trial that Altshuler arranged the Biondillo killing. Nothing gave him greater joy than to cook for his family, especially grilling and using herbs from his garden. "Youngstown has had 75 bombings, 11 killings in a decade, and no one seems to care," wrote John Kobler in that so-titled 1963 article in the Saturday Evening Post. [12] In 1953, Immigration and Naturalization Service tried to use LaRocca's criminal record to deport him but several prominent figures testified on his behalf during the hearings and he was able to remain in the country until his death in 1984. Uncle of Mark Carol Ruth Petersen nee: Wille. Special uncle and godfather of Jordan & Aaron Hovde; and niece Michael Aaron (Mike) Hovde age 39 passed unexpectedly at home on February 4th , 2023. Gains, gunned down in his Boardman home Dec. 24, 1996 -- on Strollo's order -- spoke at the Canfield Township man's sentencing Tuesday in U.S. District Court. The Pittsburgh crime family,[3] also known as the LaRocca crime family[4] or Pittsburgh Mafia, is an Italian American Mafia crime family based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Katie graduated from St. Catherines High School in Racine and Wisconsin State College (now UW-Milwaukee). [7], The last known made member was boss Thomas "Sonny" Ciancutti who died on July 8, 2021. Rossi & Santucci Funeral Home in Boardman on Wednesday confirmed Strollo's death to Mahoning Matters. I have good memories of Lenny when I worked at The Stagecoach with Millie Maloney ,Toni ,and Raymond . [3] His family also maintained control of labor unions through Local 1058. BOARDMAN One-time Valley mob boss Lenine Lenny Strollo, 90, the former organized crime boss who cooperated with the FBI and provided testimony on several Youngstown-area killings and other violent crimes, has died. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. [14] He owned a coffee shop in the Middle Hill and a mansion in Mt. Strollo reportedly rebuffed him, adding de Souza "owes me a lot of money for all those newspapers he sold writing about me.". She is survived by her son Robert (Joan), grandchildren Jillian and Jason, and Helen Holmgren age 99 of Glen Ellyn, IL passed away February 19, 2023. [10] On January 17, 1920, Prohibition began in the United States, banning all production, importation, transportation and sale of alcoholic beverages. According to the Associated Press in 1999, three men who arranged the shootings of two prosecutors were convicted of working for the mafia in Youngstown. [7], The Pittsburgh family used associates to control the illegal gambling and loansharking operations in Youngstown, Ohio and throughout the Mahoning Valley. Ill never understand that, said Mahoning County Prosecutor Paul Gains. The federal justice department, armed with the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act of 1970 which was designed to combat organized crime made La Cosa Nostra, or the Sicilian Mafia, a primary target in Boston, New York, Cleveland and other hotbeds across the country. All rights reserved. Strollo said he grew in power until he was made head of the Youngstown family after the death of boss Naples. 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