The Bonnanos think they’re the Corleone family, but not even Mario Puzo could have made up these clowns. Based on recordings former boss-turned-rat Joseph "Big Joey" Massino made of his successor Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano while wearing a wire, the "Godfather" character he and his crew most resemble is not Vito or Michael. It’s Fredo. "[Anthony] Ace Aiello is like a Luca Brasi," Basciano said, comparing the Bonnano associate to the Corleone’s loyal hitman, on one of the recordings played in Brooklyn Federal court today. He’s your Luca Brasi," Basciano said. After playing the recording, prosecutors asked Massino – the first mob boss to spill his guts on the stand – if he was familiar with "The Godfather" movies. "Yes, I am," he replied. Asked to describe the significance of a Luca Brasi?" Massino exlained, "if they sent him out to kill someone, he’d do it." The Bonnanos do apparently share the Corleone’s flair for the dramatic. "Did your wife get the money, by the way," Basciano asks on the recording. "I sent your wife money." Massino replied that she did in fact receive the $50,000 tribute, which was stuffed inside a bottle of Dom Perignon. "A bottle of Dom Perignon. $50,000. It came from Vinny," Massino explained on the stand. Prosecutors played the recordings Massino made in prison as he and Basciano stood six inches apart in adjacent exercise cages to prove that Basciano was behind the murder of associate Randy Pizzolo, for which he faces the death penalty. "Randy — you OK’d it?" Massino asked Basciano. "I gave the order," Basciano replies. "Randy was a f—-ing jerkoff." Massiano then pushed him further. "Did it warrant the clip?" Basciano explained that Pizzolo went to meet a made man while carrying a pistol – a major Cosa Nostra no-no. "Randy went into Villa Sonoma. He went with a gun, he got drunk and he says he’s the only one capable of killing anybody — in this family He says he was an ex-SEAL," Basciano said. Rather than just shun him from the family, Basciano said he had him whacked to set an example. "He’s a a f——ing dangerous kid, who don’t listen. He’s just an annoying kid," Basciano said. "These guys were out there doing whatever the f—- they want," he added, referring to the behavior of other Bonnano members. "I thought this kid would be a good wake up call for everybody." Massino, who turned informant in 2005 to avoid the death penalty after getting convicted of seven murders and facing charges on an eighth, complained that Basciano didn’t clear the hit with him first, "Why didn’ you ask me?" Massino asked. "It was already in the works, bo," Basciano said. "This kid though...this kid deserved it. This kid was a f—-ing thorn. He didn’t listen to no f——ing body." Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/mob_boss_confirms_hit_while_wearing_aCKVAsMuK1eCNxWf8j6YIP#ixzz1JTG5HT6z
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Joseph 'Big Joey' Massino recordings reveal delusions of grandeur
The Bonnanos think they’re the Corleone family, but not even Mario Puzo could have made up these clowns. Based on recordings former boss-turned-rat Joseph "Big Joey" Massino made of his successor Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano while wearing a wire, the "Godfather" character he and his crew most resemble is not Vito or Michael. It’s Fredo. "[Anthony] Ace Aiello is like a Luca Brasi," Basciano said, comparing the Bonnano associate to the Corleone’s loyal hitman, on one of the recordings played in Brooklyn Federal court today. He’s your Luca Brasi," Basciano said. After playing the recording, prosecutors asked Massino – the first mob boss to spill his guts on the stand – if he was familiar with "The Godfather" movies. "Yes, I am," he replied. Asked to describe the significance of a Luca Brasi?" Massino exlained, "if they sent him out to kill someone, he’d do it." The Bonnanos do apparently share the Corleone’s flair for the dramatic. "Did your wife get the money, by the way," Basciano asks on the recording. "I sent your wife money." Massino replied that she did in fact receive the $50,000 tribute, which was stuffed inside a bottle of Dom Perignon. "A bottle of Dom Perignon. $50,000. It came from Vinny," Massino explained on the stand. Prosecutors played the recordings Massino made in prison as he and Basciano stood six inches apart in adjacent exercise cages to prove that Basciano was behind the murder of associate Randy Pizzolo, for which he faces the death penalty. "Randy — you OK’d it?" Massino asked Basciano. "I gave the order," Basciano replies. "Randy was a f—-ing jerkoff." Massiano then pushed him further. "Did it warrant the clip?" Basciano explained that Pizzolo went to meet a made man while carrying a pistol – a major Cosa Nostra no-no. "Randy went into Villa Sonoma. He went with a gun, he got drunk and he says he’s the only one capable of killing anybody — in this family He says he was an ex-SEAL," Basciano said. Rather than just shun him from the family, Basciano said he had him whacked to set an example. "He’s a a f——ing dangerous kid, who don’t listen. He’s just an annoying kid," Basciano said. "These guys were out there doing whatever the f—- they want," he added, referring to the behavior of other Bonnano members. "I thought this kid would be a good wake up call for everybody." Massino, who turned informant in 2005 to avoid the death penalty after getting convicted of seven murders and facing charges on an eighth, complained that Basciano didn’t clear the hit with him first, "Why didn’ you ask me?" Massino asked. "It was already in the works, bo," Basciano said. "This kid though...this kid deserved it. This kid was a f—-ing thorn. He didn’t listen to no f——ing body." Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/mob_boss_confirms_hit_while_wearing_aCKVAsMuK1eCNxWf8j6YIP#ixzz1JTG5HT6z
