Lion in the Basement Growing up in the Gallo Crime Family

by Frank DiMatteo

  Astro News, the major New York distributor for porno papers, is operated by Richard DiMatteo who is listed by the police as a member of the Gallo faction of Joseph Colombo crime family. Peter Diapoulas, a member of the Gallo group for 15 years until his recent defection, sais Mr. DiMatteo was the "front" at Astro News for Albert Gallo the leader of the Gallo group, who actually controls the company.

  Fear at Newstands

  The experience of Milky Way Productions in distributing Screw follows the pattern of most companies publishing pornographic newspapers. When Screw was first published, distributors and operators of newstands refused to handle the papers out of fear that they would be arrested on obscenity charges, the cofounders said. In fact, Mr. Goldstein and Mr. Buckley have each been arrested 10 times on obscenity charges, and they have had to pay $210.000 in legal costs for 162 newsdealers arrested for selling Screw.

  "It's the law that forced us into Mafia distribution," Mr. Buckley said during an interview in his office at 116 West 14th Street. Mr. goldstein and Mr. Buckley eventually signed a contract with Star Distributors, who agreed to handle the paper outside New York, but not in the city.

  Mr. Goldstein said that he did not know why Star refuesd to distribute the paper within the city, but law enforcement officials believe the reason is that Star is linked with the De Cavalcante Mafia family in New Jersey who fear angering New York Mafia families by encroaching on their territory. In need of a Nnew York distributor, Mr. Goldstein turned to an independent group of three menwho began distributing the paper in the city, but he quickly discovered that the men had little experience or competence in distributing newspaper.

  An Okay from Blast

  His dissatisfaction with his New York distributors reached the ears of Peter Diapoulas, the Gallo gang member, and his partner at the time, Robert Bongiovi, who is also Known as Bobby Darrow. They considered it an excellent bisiness possibility.

  "We went to see Blast [Albert Gallo] and got his O.K. To try to move in," Mr. Diapoulas recalled recently. "Then we went to Goldstein and told him we could solve all his problems for him if he'd let us distribute his newspaper. He told us it was O.K. With him if we would settle things with the three guys that were doing it."

  According to Mr. Diapoulas the three menwere at first reluctant to give up the distribution and maintauned that they were with Vincent Gigante, a reported captain in the family of the late Vito Genovese.

  Mr. Diapoulas arranged a "sit-down" - an arbitration meeting- with the three and Mr. Gigante, who, he said, disclaimed any connection with them. Nevertheless, the three still refused to turn over the distributorship, according to Mr. Diapoulas. "So we got a bunch of guys from president Street [the Gallo headquarters] and started busting up their trucks." Quickly the three indepentent distributors capitulated.

  At the start Mr. Diapoulas and his partner, Mr. Bongiovi, who is now serving a life term for murder, rented a truck and undertook the distribution of Screw by themselves. But it proved so profitable (the two paid themselves each $600 a week and the business made an average of $800 a week profit on top of that) that Albert Gallo decided to get a regular company th handle the distribution of Screw and other pornographic papers. "By that time I was tired of the whole thing," Mr. Diapoulas said, "and he put Ricky DiMatteo in there."

  I Don't Doubt It'

  Mr. Goldstein confirmed the details of the negotiations with Mr. Diapoulas and Mr. Bongiovi. But he said he did not know that strong-arm tactics had been used against his original New York distributors, although he added, "but i don't doubt it happened."

  During an interview in his East Side apartment, Mr. Goldstein said thet he not feel threatened by anyone at Astro News or Star Disdributors, "As long as I produce money for them I feel my life is safe," he said. But he said that he had had two "disturbing" encounters with underworld types. Once, he said, four men came to him and said he should end his relationship with Astro News and deal with them instead. "But I told Ricky [DiMatteo] about it and never heard from them again."

  The second incident occurred two years ago, he said. Two men walked into Mr. Goldstein's office, put a gun to his head and stole $2,000 from the office. "I was never so frightened in my life," he recalled. "I realized then what a real coward a am. Later I asked the people I deal with if the men were Mafia and they told me no, they were punks out to make a quick score."

  The agreement between Micky Way and the distributor of Screw are weighted heavily in favor of Astro and Star Under the agreement Milky Way has little control over printing, distribution or book keeping after the paper is put together. When an issue is ready, it is taken from the offices of Micky Way, at 116 West 14th Street to the paper's printer, Balan Printing Company, at 537 Kings Highway in Brooklyn. After the newspaper is printed trucks from Astro and Star pick up the papers and distribute them to newsstands and stores. According to Mr. Goldstein between 85,000 and 100,00 papers are printed each week. Slightly less then half are distributed in New York by Astro News and the rest to other cities by Star Didtributors. The New York edition sells for a dollar and the national edition for $1.25. Micky Way Productions gets 40 cents for each paper sold in New York and 30 cents for each paper sold outside the city.

  I Hate Myself for It'

  Out of Micky Way's piece of the pie the company musy pay its employes, its overhead and all Legal fees if there is an arrest involving the publication, whether it involves the distributors, the printers or the street- level sellers.

  "The deal stinks," said Mr. Goldstein. "I know I could do better if I dealt with so-called legitimate distributors, but they won't come near me." He said he had contracted with a legitimate distributor, P.D.C. Inc to distribute a forthcoming monthly periodical- a glossy magazine version os Screw.

  "The magazine will sell for $2 and ill get $1.07 of that which ia a much better split," he said. "But the distributor will have the right to censor what goes in the magazine. Its the only way I could make a deal, although I have myself for it."

  In addition to editorial freedom, Mr. Goldstein said, there are other advantages to doing business with the Mafia. For one thing he said he got his money faster then he would from other distributors, he explained, pay several months after the date of publication. "Astro pays me within two months and Star within six weeks" he said.

  Neither Astro nor Star has censored what goes into Screw. Mr. Goldstein said. "They've tried a few times, but when push came to shove they backed off," he said That is not to say, however, that Mr. Goldstein underworld associates are always happy with the content of Screw. "They say Screw ia a sex magazine and I should stick to that," he said. They get mad as hell when I run something ridiculing the Catholic church or the pope." he said. "In fact they don't like it when I attack anybody in authority."

  Although other publishers of pornographic papers grumble about the division of profits with their Mafia-connected distributors, law-inforcement officials believe that they are happy with one another.

  "Bolt the publishers and the organized crime people that they deal with know they need each other to keep the gravy train they're on rolling," said Detective Donald Gray of the Police Department "Its mutually rewarding arrangement."

  THE NEW YORK TIMES PUBLISHED OCTOBER 13, 1975

  Roy Roy Was One Of The Original Guys Who Put Screw Out On The Newsstands

  CHAPTER 14

  Joey's Killing

  Joey came to President Street once or twice a week, he was in the city most of the time with his new wife and friends. Pete or Bobby would pick him up if he had to go on a "meet," most of the time he was just walking around alone without a bodyguard. Joey had no fear, he always said that "they ain't going to kill nobody!"

  "1972" Blast was always telling Joey he didn't like him living in the city and going to clubs, and going to Mulberry Street. Blast said, "Joey was acting like he was invincible, and that it wasn't safe." Joey would say he had Darrow and "The Greek" with him, not to worry. Blast would throw his hands up and walk away, Joey would smile a
nd say "I know what im doing." Joey was shrewd and clever but not on this day. April 7th 1972, Joey's forty-third birthday, we all saw Joey that day and wished him a happy birthday and went our ways.

  That night Joey was having a dinner party with his wife, daughter, sister Carmela, Pete and his girl. And Darrow. Joey was meeting some new friends at the Copa Cabana in the city. Pete "The Greek" and Bobby Darrow were the only bodyguards or crew members for the night. Blast knew that there were going to be other wise guys there, and didn't want Joey to go, but Joey insisted on 'only Pete and Bobby' that's the way he wanted it. While at the Copa, people were sending drinks to Joey's table. Joey was having a great time, but it was getting late. Pete introduced Darrow to a girl early in the night and Darrow was rapping with her, Bobby wasn't going to pass on a piece of ass. Pete came over to Bobby at the end of the night and said "I'm taking Joey home," Bobby said 'OK lets go.' When they got back to the table Joey said to Bobby "Go take the broad and go get laid." Pete also said to "go" were going home. Bobby left with the girl and Pete was taking Joey home.

  On the way home Joey wanted "chink food" so they passed 'China Town,' the restaurant was closed, I didn't believe that, because we went for "chinks" at five in the morning many times. So Joey said "Go to Mulberry Street," Pete said 'no,' Joey said 'yes.' As they passed Hester Street they saw a new place that just opened, owned by Matty "The Horse" Ianniello, a "capo" in the Genovese family. So they went in, they stopped to speak to Matty first, Matty then gave them a table in the back. They were eating and talking there for a while, not knowing a low key hood named Joe Luparelli saw them go in. Joe knew there was an "open hit" on Joey, so he went back to his club and called Joey Yacovelli, the acting boss of the Colombo's Yak told Joe to get a few guys and kill Joey. Joe got Sonny"Pinto"Dibiase, Philip Gambino and 'two clowns' and went back and killed Joey and shot Pete in the ass.

  The story goe's that right after the shooting, Pete went to Matty "The horse" and asked if he set up Joey, and if "he did, he's a dead man!" Number one Matty being a "made man" is not going to set up anyone in his own place, with him in it, and guys shooting in the place. So that was all bullshit, it went down just like it did. He was at the wrong place at the right time. The whole thing was wrong from the beginning, Pete, if he was a good bodyguard would have told Joey "it's late you have your wife and a little girl with you," or "its late, you know that all the asshole's are out at this time of the morning." If Joey had respected Pete he would have listened. Then Joey and Pete were sitting with their backs to the door, again if Pete was a real bodyguard he would never have turned his back to a door. He would have jumped on Joey, covering him up when the shooting started, not letting him go running outside!, while he yelled at Matty, because the bullet that killed Joey hit him while he was outside. Joey might have liked Pete but he was better off with a real bodyguard. I heard the daughter of this guy, named Frank Shawnee told her, he killed Joey Gallo and Jimmie Hoffa, she writes a book and gets a movie deal! What bullshit, and everybody knows its bullshit.

  After Joey got killed all hell broke loose on President Street. All the guys came down to the block to see what happened and what to do.

  Mooney was the only "made guy" in the crew and was trying to be the big shot. I was in Roy Roy's club and Roy was in a bad mood. I never saw him like that I keep quite. My father Ricky got there late the next night, the talk that day and night was 'who shot Joey?' and 'what were we going to do about it.' At first no one knew who did it. Pete "The Greek" was in the hospital, and my godfather Bobby "Darrow" wasn't no where to be found, it was chaos.

  Louie "The Syrian" was trying to calm every one down, Blast got there late. The first thing he had to do was make arrangements for Joeys funeral, and deal with his mother and father Mama and Pop Gallo and his sister Carmela, who was there when Joey got killed, "she was a wreck."

  We then had the wake at "Guidos Funeral Home" on Clinton Street. There were over three hundred mourners, celeb wise guys and a shit load of plain clothes cops. As we left "Guidos" the hearse passed President Street, so Joey could pass the block for the last time. After everything calmed down, as much as it could, Bobby got to the club, Louie asked Bobby "What the fuck happened and why he wasn't there with Joey."

  Bobby's story goes, they were at the Copa partying, when Pete introduced Bobby to a girl, Bobby and the girl got lovey dovey and Pete told Bobby that it was getting late and he would take Joey home, and that he could leave with the broad. Bobby went to Joey and got the "OK," they kissed and Bobby left. Under everyones breath the guys were saying that Bobby might have had something to do with the hit, that he left because he knew they were going to kill Joey. Bobby heard the rumbling, he was so fucking mad that he was yelling and screaming that "If anyone thinks that, to kill me now!" then he left in a rage. Bobby Darrow was a pot smoking, pill taking maniac that killed five people for the family, and would have got killed first, before giving up Joey, one thing about this crew, they were loyal. Bobby then came to my fathers house and sat down with my father. They sat at the small bar my father had overlooking the bay.

  I made drinks for us. My father put his hand on Bobbys hand and said, "Bobby you know I love you, I want to know what happened." Bobby started crying and said, "Ricky, Pete and Joey told me to leave," my father said 'OK don't worry, I'll speak to Blast.' Bobby then said that he thought that Pete set up Joey and that he was going to kill Pete, and who ever else set up the hit. Dad told him just to stay low and do nothing and to stay on the block.

  What happened next. March 11th, 1973, Bobby Darrow goes into the "Broadway Pub" on 45th Street in Manhattan, Bobby gets into a "who has bigger balls contest" with the Bartender,, Sam Wuyak. Then the guy said the magic words, "I'm with Joey Yacovelli," it was the wrong thing to say to a whacko, Bobby followed him to the mens room and shoots him twice. All the papers said "Was that it was a poor bartender, "They don't say he was a "Hood or a wannabee hood," But he did say the wrong thing that night! Bobby was then arrested on President Street goes to trial and loses, then is sentenced to life in prison. It was one of the fastest trials on record. He got convicted of premeditated murder. How? We still don't know, but we do know it was right in the middle of the "Gallo Colombo War," and the Mayor needed a Scapegoat. Bobby was pictured as a Gallo hit man, so he got life in prison, he did it, but how did the law know it was premeditated, he didn't even know himself.

  I was surprised there wasn't more blood in the streets after Mary Gallo was screaming at Joeys funeral, that the streets would 'run with blood.' I guess some cool heads prevailed or Blast just didn't have the power to go the distance. With in a few weeks all the guys were wanting to know who was going to run the family. Blast had the family name and was supposed to take over.

  Mooney was a "made man" and wanted to be boss, the rest of the crew hated Mooney, and didn't think Blast had the balls or the strength to run it. So there was a secret meeting at a club on Summit and Hicks Streets attended by Ricky, Bobby B and Steve B, Steve C, Preston, Smokey, Sammy "The Syrian," Louie, Chitoz, and Sally B. Even Uncle Joe Shep a "capo" with the Genovese family, a well respected man, who started with Lucky Luciano and Frank Costello, was there to give his opinon. He told the crew that they should stay with Blast, there were a few more issues spoken about.

  Then the crew asked Ricky to be boss, My father said it was Blast's family name and that makes it his family, and that he would never go against Blast. He didn't like all his ways, but he made an oath with his brother Larry and would die by it.

  That night the boss of the Genovese family, Frank "funzi" Tieri also came to find out what was going to happen. When he came in, I was sitting at the bar with Goombaiel and Frankie Prosciutto. There was music playing, the boys were in the back room, suddenly the fucking music stopped by itself, we froze, and then greeted him. He was a scary guy, he had a 3/4 length black leather jacket on, and was wearing a pee cap, he was soft spoken but demanding.

  As it turned out some of the crew just didn't want to be with Blast,
so Mooney took, Sammy, Jerry, Tarzan, Smokey and 4 more guys and broke away from the family. They went back to the Colombos, and that started the second Gallo Colombo War.

  Then in August of 72, there was the "Neapolitan Noodle Shooting" a restaurant on East 79 Street in New York. The word out was that Carmine "The Snake" Persico, Jerry "Lang" Langella, Hugh "Mac" Mcintosh was going to be there for a meeting. So an outside hit man named Ted was imported from Las Vegas to kill them all, there. The problem was the hit man didn't know what they looked like! It was said, Bobby Darrow was there to "spot them" and let the shooter know where they were sitting. He did and the shooter came in and shot the four guys that were sitting, not knowing that they moved! so four innocent guys got shot, two dying. The guy was not too professional or that would not have happened., Not being a part of the plan, I don't know why this happened but speaking afterward, it don't sound right that Bobby was the "spotter," because all those guys knew Bobby well. He shot "Apples Mcintosh" a few years before in the balls, so he knew him well. The real "spotter" was a young guy that knew them all. After that, the kid left and was never seen again. The word is he went straight. The whole reason that an outsider came in was all the shooters from the crew were well known and would not be able to do the hit, bad idea, but what the fuck do I know!

  Crazy Joey Gallo he was a throw back from the early days

  Sina and Joeys' Wedding Photo 1972

  The CopaCabana night club Joey spent his last night there

  Pete "The" Diapoulas Joeys Bodyguard

  My Godfather Bobby "Darrow" Bongivioni

  Sonny "Pinto" Dibiase one of Joey's Killers

  Joe Luparelli fingered Joey for the hit

  Philip Gambino the other shooter on the Gallo hit