Feb
15
2009
In the 1990s, the Sicilian capital was torn apart by mafia turf wars. Now there’s history, culture and fantastic food on every street
For the life of me, I cannot understand why visitors to Sicily so often choose to steer clear of Palermo, or at best relegate it to a scurried day trip.
Of course, this beautiful island has an abundance of competing attractions, but why would anyone turn their back on one of the most vibrant, enticing and rewarding of Italian cities? Continue Reading »
Feb
13
2009
The macho image of the Italian mafia has been shaken by the arrest of a transsexual mobster who dresses as a woman, wears lipstick and insists on being called Kitty.
The cross-dressing criminal, whose real name is Ugo Gabriele, was arrested by armed police during a raid in the southern port city of Naples, home to the Camorra, one of Italy’s four mafia groups. Continue Reading »
Feb
12
2009
Two big time members of the Gambino crime family were indicted Wednesday for the murder of a real estate developer who crime boss John Gotti believed was a snitch.
On Sept. 11, 1989, Staten Island real estate developer Fred Weiss was gunned down as he entered his vehicle in front of his New Springville home on Wellington Court.
Investigators say John “Jackie the Nose” D’Amico and Joseph “Joe the German” Watts were part of a death squad that carried out the hit. Continue Reading »
