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when some people hear me say those were the good ol' days, they might think of me as a member of or supporter of the families that ran Wheeling, WV. But, the facts are, at that time you could walk from one bar to another with out getting mugged, robbed, offered drugs to buys from slime balls on the streets. If they were around back then they I wouldn't even walk across it today at mid-night, not even with a gun! Wheeling was a safer place then, mucher safer. To the people who deny there was any organized crime in Wheeling back at that time, they are only fooling themselves. Some people will point out that Wheeling is better off today, but take a good look, Wheeling is a dying town in the rust bucket era and no it is not better off. The Hanish crowd was not perfect, but they ran a better Wheeling, for sure...............................good bye to Paul and Chris and may they rest is peace
Abdul Thomas
There are other factors at play.
It has more to do with the decline of manufacturing than the mafia.
My father was responsible for bringing down dozens of these orgainized crime figures, police officers, and poltical figures. He is still alive and well at 74 years. Their charges were brought against them in the late 70's and early 80's by the WV US Attorney. Contact me and we can discuss.
I've been offline for quite some time - computer issues at home and I can't do personal work at the office - but I would love to talk more.
It has more to do with the decline of manufacturing than the mafia.
This is true. Though Michael Genovese, Charles Porter, etc ran most of the Northwest. Pittsburgh, Youngstown, and Parkersburg. Colombo is still found in Parkersburg. Racketeering used for drugs nowadays. Women are also taking more control. Michael Genovese I would call the last Godfather as of now, before John Gotti Jr. who wanted out.
The Italiano mafioso mainly run through Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. There is some in West Virginia just not as much. Marasco does run mobile operations in eastern Ohio; 25 and made. He also is a true Italiano fratello and speaks it. If you go to Parkersburg, West Virginia, you will find Jimmy Colombo's restaurant and a church with Colombo as reverend. John Gotti Jr. of the Gambino family backed down. To much media attention. Now he wants a movie "In the Shadow of My Father". I doubt it's going to be produced. There are many more padrino's. If you need to know about the mafioso just ask.
Last edited by Cosa Nostra CO1821; 03-18-2013 at 02:56 PM..
Reason: To much language.
The Italiano mafioso mainly run through Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. There is some in West Virginia just not as much. Marasco does run mobile operations in eastern Ohio; 25 and made. He also is a true Italiano fratello and speaks it. If you go to Parkersburg, West Virginia, you will find Jimmy Colombo's restaurant and a church with Colombo as reverend. John Gotti Jr. of the Gambino family backed down. To much media attention. Now he wants a movie "In the Shadow of My Father". I doubt it's going to be produced. There are many more padrino's. If you need to know about the mafioso just ask.
Whether it is the Italiano mafioso or something else, I've heard for many years that members of the Manchin and Oliverio families in NCWV are associated with organized crime activities. Do you have any knowledge about activities in the Clarksburg/Fairmont area?
Yes. Oliverio's does have ties with convicted felons for insurance fraud. Oliverio's are located in the Clarksburg region were there is a lot of fake ID activity. Fairmont recently had a shakedown; firearms and drugs violations, including marijuana, crack cocaine, and illegal prescription drugs. Not particularly because of Oliverio's. Manchin's used to be associated for POLITICAL reasons. They're not anymore. That's all I know as far as NCWV.
Last edited by Cosa Nostra CO1821; 03-19-2013 at 08:45 PM..
Reason: Knowledge
I don't know much about this subject, but I can say that my father reported that his bookie in Fairmont was "whacked" a number of years ago - prolly about 10 yrs ago now.
In the old days, when Thomas says Wheeling was safer (and he is correct about that) the organized crime in the Wheeling/Moundsville area had little in the way of an Italian connection. There were some laying off of bets and so forth with the Italian mafiosos in Steubenville, but their influence stopped at the Brooke County line in West Virginia, and the Jefferson County line in Ohio. That was be agreement with all the parties involved.
Race track betting operation were controlled by Greek interests, who also operated a clandestine casino. Booking operations were connected with, but not controlled by the Italians. They were mostly operated by Lebanese, who also controlled the fencing of stolen goods in the area. Prostitution was controlled by Irish and German families, who also had strong connections to a family in Marion County (the Wheeling kingpin was intermarried with that family that happened to be in the same business) with whom they frequently traded hookers. That particular family (the one in Marion) later became quite respectable and had connections to higher education in our state. The Wheeling kingpin's family also attained fame and fortune in legitimate business operations and real estate. Slot machines were controlled by Irish, German, and Jewish families. Today, it is the state that rips people off with those.
The poster who said the US Attorney busted up a lot of this is correct, but much of it was gone before that happened, largely due to the deaths of the people involved. Paul Hankish was still alive, but he had both his legs blown off in the early 60s when somebody planted dynamite under the hood of his car in Warwood. He was left sitting on a car seat in the middle of a street with windows on houses blown out for a 4 block area.
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Charleston Mafia
Italiano Mafia
