Joe Massino - Bonnanno Boss Died in Witness Protection

Gangland Wire

Gary Jenkins

Documentary, Society & Culture, True Crime, History

4.6 • 647 Ratings

🗓️ 19 August 2024

⏱️ 71 minutes

🔗️ Recording | Apple Podcasts | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Retired Intelligence Detective Gary Jenkins brings you the best in mob history with his unique perception of the mafia. In this episode, I start with FBI agent Doug Fencl telling the story of revealing Joe Pistone's true identity as an undercover agent to Bonanno-Capo Sonny Black. This revelation set off a chain of events leading to the downfall of high-ranking members of the Bonanno crime family, including boss Joe Massino. Delving into Joe Messino's background, we explore his ruthless rise within the mob and the cunning maneuvers he orchestrated to maintain his criminal empire. Despite his affable facade, Joe Massino proved to be the most dangerous among his peers, orchestrating numerous murders and hits. As we encounter the seemingly unassuming Joey Massino, we witness his surprising criminal activities and his eventual rise in the mob scene, earning him the moniker Big Joey for his illicit ventures. Bonanno boss Rusty Rastelli mentored Big Joey as he went into various criminal enterprises, showcasing his intelligence, adaptability, and willingness to resort to violence. Through interviews and investigations, we uncover the intricate workings behind Joey's criminal operations and his ascent within the mob ecosystem, from truck hijackings to becoming a trusted fence for stolen goods. The narrative delves into the power struggles and violent actions within the Mafia, precisely honing in on Joe Messino's team and their meticulously planned murders, including the hit on three capos and the involvement of Donnie Brasco. Joe Messino's adept money laundering tactics and his unwavering loyalty to Rusty Rastelli come to the forefront as we witness the intricate web of crime and consequences within the Mafia unfold. Ultimately, financial investigations and FBI infiltration led to the demise of Messino and his cohorts like brother-in-law Sal Vitale, underscoring the treacherous landscape of organized crime. Our exploration extends to Barry Weinberg, who evaded millions in taxes through illicit means before law enforcement capitalized on his vulnerabilities to transform him into an informant. This catalyzed a series of revelations about mob activities within the Bonanno family, culminating in the shocking turn of events where Joe Massino, the powerful boss, transitions into a government informant. Through strategic legal maneuvers and riveting courtroom drama, the formidable mob empire crumbles, bringing Massino's reign of terror to a dramatic end. Join us as we unravel the chilling narrative of betrayal, survival, and the downfall of crime lords, shedding light on the dark underbelly of organized crime.

Support the Podcast
Buy me a Cup of Coffee click here!
Donate at Gangland Wire

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/gangland-wire--5504357/support.

Subscribe to Gangland Wire wherever you get your podcasts, and join us each week as we uncover the stories buried beneath the headlines—and the bodies.
Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast app.

Hit me up on Venmo for a cup of coffee or a shot and a beer use @ganglandwire
Click here to "buy me a cup of coffee"

To go to the store or make a donation click here.
To rent Ballot Theft: Burglary, Murder, Coverup, click here
To rent Brothers against Brothers, click here.
To rent Gangland Wire, click here.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Well, you know, decision was made that Joe was going to have to come out from undercover,
0:05.4	and I think what precipitated that was he had gotten the contract to kill Bruno and Delacotta,
0:12.8	who was the son of Sunny Red, and I think he was supposed to be at that meeting where the three
0:18.7	captains were killed, but he didn't go. Joe got the contract,
0:22.0	and they decided it was time that he should probably come out. It was getting too dangerous for him.
0:27.4	They wanted to try to roll somebody. They Joe thought the best candidate would be Sonny Black,
0:34.0	who he thought was, you know, pretty reasonable guy. They were trying to figure out who
0:38.2	they wanted to go talk to him, and they decided on me because Sonny Black had old Joe before
0:43.7	that I had talked to him on several occasions, and he said, for an FBI, he's a pretty stand-up guy.
0:49.9	So they decided I'd be the guy. We had a conference before we did it. And at that conference,
0:55.6	we took pictures. It was me and Joe. It was the police agent down in Florida. Joe was also down
1:02.3	of Florida and had cases down there. And then I think it was the case agent in New York, maybe,
1:07.5	but there was three of us. And they wanted to get him alone. Of course, he always
1:11.6	had his people under me, the captain, so he had people always with him. So we would go out early
1:17.5	in the morning and sit in the car. It was summer and hot. And when sit in the car and the surveillance
1:22.5	team would be were on Sunday's apartment, and there was always people around. So we were there
1:27.4	for about three days
1:28.3	before in the morning they determined that nobody was there except sunny so then we went and i
1:34.9	banged on the door the door at the bottom of the steps and he said who is it and i told him it was me
1:41.4	and he very cordially says come on up so myself and the two other agents went up. He said, have a seat, and we sat at his, like a little living room table, so we all sat there. He didn't seem anxious or nervous or anything. You just, what do you guys want? And I said, do you know Donnie Brasco? and I can't remember if she acknowledged he knew him or not
2:03.3	you know he was a he was a tough guy and he knew how to play the game I said well donnie
2:09.3	brosco is really Joe Pistone he's an FBI agent he was like it was nothing I mean he's like
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Gary Jenkins, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Gary Jenkins and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.