Frank Piccolo
Frank Louis Piccoloalso known asFrank Lanza(July 2, 1921 – September 19, 1981), was acaporegimein theGambino crime familyin theBridgeport, Connecticutfaction who became involved in a famousextortioncase with the singerWayne Newton.[citation needed]
Biography[edit]
Born on July 2, 1921, in New York City, Piccolo was the only son of Francesco Piccolo and Fannie Lanza. Frank Piccolo stood at 6 ft (1.8 m) tall and weighed 200 pounds (91 kg) with black hair, brown eyes, and a husky build. He was married to Virginia Paglinco and was the father of four children.[1]Piccolo and his family lived inBridgeport, Connecticut.He was the cousin ofGuido Penosi.[2]
In 1980, Piccolo attempted to blackmail money from Wayne Newton. Newton was trying to disengage himself from a financial investment in aLas Vegas, Nevadatabloid newspaper,but was being threatened by his partners in the venture. When theLas Vegas Police Departmentwas unable to stop the threats, Newton turned to his friend Guido Penosi for help. Penosi referred Newton to Piccolo, who then used his influence to stop the threats. Piccolo then performed a similar favor for Newton's business advisor.[3]
At this point, Piccolo wanted aquid pro quofrom Newton. Piccolo started pressuring the business advisor[who?]to purchase life insurance for singerLola Falanafrom a selected insurance agent. Piccolo also told some of his associates in New York that he was going to be a "silent partner"with Newton in his attempt to purchase theAladdin Hotel and Casino(now called the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino) in Las Vegas. By this time, theFederal Bureau of Investigation(FBI) was listening in on Newton's conversations with the mobsters.[3]On June 12, 1981, Piccolo and Penosi were indicted inConnecticuton charges of conspiring to extort money and "valuable rights" from Newton and Falana.[4]However, Piccolo was dead by the time the trial started.
On September 19, 1981, Piccolo was shot to death in a telephone booth on a street in Bridgeport.[3] Piccolo was reportedly killed on the orders of Gambino bossPaul Castellano.[5]Piccolo was killed because he had been trying to encroach on theGenovese crime family's control of rackets in Connecticut. Not wanting to risk lucrative construction rackets the Gambinos shared with the Genovese family, Castellano ordered Piccolo's murder.[6]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Giancana, United States Treasury Department, Bureau of Narcotics; foreword by Sam (2007).Mafia: the government's secret file on organized crime(1st ed.). New York: Collins. p. 77.ISBN978-0061363856.
{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^Two men indicted, arrested in alleged entertainer schemeThe Hour(June 13, 1981)
- ^abcAbrams, Floyd (2005).Speaking freely: trials of the First Amendment.New York [u. a.]: Penguin books.ISBN0143036750.
- ^"The Region; 2 Allegedly in Mobs Accused of Extortion".New York Times.June 13, 1981.Retrieved15 December2011.
- ^"FBI document registered in court case against Sammy Gravano".Archived fromthe originalon 2006-09-15.Retrieved2006-09-25.
- ^Sifakis, Carl (2005).The Mafia encyclopedia(3. ed.). New York: Facts on File.ISBN0816056943.
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