AmericanMafia.com

Feature Articles


August 2005

Multi-million dollar loss: Judge rules against Bonanno crime family Gangster Ronald Massie.


Million dollar question: Will gangster Massie (identified informant) become the next hit for the Mob?

By Clarence Walker, Investigative Journalist & Organize crime documentary producer. (Houston, Texas)



...You're judged by the company you keep.

 

Ronald Massie
  Ronald Massie.
Ronald Massie, A Bonanno crime family gangster lost an opportunity in court recently to add millions into the family illegal enterprise involving the phone service business.

Massie's affliation with the Mafia played a key role for a Judge to deny his company, Global Network Communication Inc., a license to franchise telephone services in New York city.

And if Massie isn't on guard, according to underworld sources who emailed Americanmafia a list of names marked for death(including Massie).He might lose his life because word on the street the wealthy gangster is a mob rat.

In June, Judge Louis L. Stanton of the U.S. District court for Southern district of New York characterized Massie as an "associate of the Bonanno crime family...an organization with a flagrant criminal record of using its Mafia connections to defraud consumers and government".

Gangster Massie lawsuit alleged when the Department of Information, Technology and Telecommunication(DOITT)... denied application to obtain a pay phone franchise such action violated Telecommunications Act of 1996 and Global's constitutional rights.

 

Massie's Crime  History

To prove its case against Massie company to deny franchise license attorneys for the city subpoenaed state and government investigators to testify at length to link Massie with the Bonanno crime syndicate operation.

Between 2000-2001,   investigators testified in court that Massie had been charged in a mob-related extortion and loansharking case linked to Bonnano capo Frank(curly) Lino.

Last year a New York paper wrote a profile about Lino titled: My Life as a Mob Rat.  In the article it details how Lino became an FBI informant and ratted on his own son, Joseph, cousins, and several Bonanno members.

One agent said, "Frank Lino hired Massie and Bonanno soldier, Richard Riccardi, to beat a businessman who specialize in accounting over a $30,000 loan".

According to FBI agent Leo Thaddeo, "Massie mentioned Lino's name to intimidate the accountant".

Afraid of serious harm or death the accountant contacted law enforcement.

FBI wired the man with a recorder.

When Massie and Riccardi met with the wired gentleman at a bronx diner---Riccardi called a source to confirm the loan was still owed. Next came violence. Riccardi nodded at Massie as he slapped the accountant as a warning to "repay the outstanding debt", FBI records showed.

In a FBI tape-recorded phone conversation between  Lino and his son, Joseph, Lino spoke about the unpaid loan.

Lino said, "I want Massie to take loan off my account".

FBI charged Lino, Massie and Riccardi in federal court on charges of extortion and loansharking. Massie and Riccardi was freed on bond while Lino, already serving a prison sentence on stock fraud remained in jail.

Once Massie realized possibility of serving a long prison sentence he began to sing 'like a bird'.

Bonanno Crimeboss, Joey Massino
  Bonanno Crimeboss,
  Joey Massino.
He wasted no time giving the feds the low down on numerous mob-related crimes committed by the Bonanno syndicate including details of crimes committed by Bonanno's notorious mob boss Joey Massino.

On June 23, 2005, Massino was sentenced to double life prison terms for eight mob-related murders and numerous racketeering and extortion charges.

Massino earned the pathetic distinction as the first crime boss in mob history to become a government informant.

Although Massino possessed the gall to kill others including members of his group he feared death from the U.S. government and snitch on every mafiosos he associated with. His cooperation with the feds prevented their intention to kill him with the silver needle.

 

Legal Findings against Massie's Multi-million dollar Enterprise

Ruling against Massie's claims against the city   Judge Stanton referred to Section 253(a) of the Telecommunication Act(TCA). TCA bars any state or local regulation that prohibits a company offer to provide telecommunication services.

Written in the same provision includes a "safe harbor" rule that gives local authorities the power to manage public rights of way that require fair and reasonable compensation for its use.

Stanton said the city's action to deny Massie's company a license fell within the safe harbor provision.

Documented evidence from previous court trial records included testimony during the criminal case against Massie's boss identified as mob rat Frank(curly) Lino. Massie said: "I was allowed to use Lino's name to intervene on behalf of threats or problems toward Global business".

Stanton's ruling further concluded Global defrauded their clients of earned commission through the use of Global's phone operating in  businesses owned by their clients.

In typical mob fashion records showed that Massie and the Bonanno crime family skimmed $1.8 million off the top of revenues generated from the phone service.

Stanton made this binding order: "No federal law or regulation should be construed to force the city to franchise Global to provide public pay telephone services on New York city's public property and rights-of-way...when the record shows that Global cannot be expected to pay its obligation to the city in a timely or honest fashion".

He also rejected Global's due-process claim alleging the city failed to give Global proper notice of the city's claim against the business. Stanton ruled that Global had ample opportunity to present its case.

Stanton's denial to issue franchise license to the mob-owned company effectively dismissed Massie's lawsuit against the city of New York and its DoITT division.

 

Bonanno Crime family History

Originally regarded as the smaller of New York's five crime families the group was founded in  by Joseph Bonanno(1905-2002). Bonanno lived in Brooklyn.

Bonanno once wrote a book(Man of Honor) about his life as a powerful mob chieftain. In the book he detailed how he became the youngest of 24 Mafia bosses sanctioned in 1931 by the newly formed Mafia commission.

This legendary gangster spent 33 years as the family boss even when FBI Hoover denied the mob existed.  He was expelled from the commission in 1962. But the boss continue to operate his syndicate in Florida and Arizona.Bonanno died in 2002.

The story of the Bonanno crime family is no doubt the work of Hollywood best sellers. Boss Joe Bonanno was the model for Don Coreleone in Mario Puzo's "The Godfather".

FBI agent Joseph Pistone's infiltration into the family produced the "Donnie Brasco" movie starring Al Pacino and Johnny Depp.

Despite numerous indictments and convictions against many Bonanno mob members down through the years they could always rely  on their people to uphold the code of silence.

Those days are now gone as members of La Cosa Nostra will flip like a pancake to save their hide from a long prison sentence or death penalty.

 As for the Bonanno clan, the only member to testify against the family was FBI Pistone.

After the Pistone affair the family restricted the inductions to relatives of made men. 

"When one guy flipped, there was an avalanche", said mob expert Jerry Capeci, author of Mafia books and producer of Ganglandnews.com

Joey Massino, the first and perhaps the last crime family boss to sing for the government went far as to wear a wire to nail his hand-picked successor,  Vinnie "Gorgeous" Basciano.


 

Thereafter, an owner of a Bronx beauty salon was captured on tape discussing the slaying of a mob associate and a plot to kill a federal prosecutor.

As underworld gangsters become government turncoats at an alarming rate anyone should ask this question: Who wants to join the Mafia?

Bonanno gangster Ronald Massie has been identified as a mob rat and underworld sources have said he is  a marked man. Nevertheless one should also ask: If an assassin wants to kill mob rats---why haven't anyone whacked turncoats like Sammy Gravano, Joey Massino, Frank Lino, Henry Hill, and so many others

Could the reason be there is just too many rats safely behind bars or too many to find running and hiding on the streets?

End

 Journalist Clarence Walker can be reached at: CWalkermafiastories@myway.com


Got a scoop on organize crime? Any comments? Journalist Clarence Walker can be reached at:Mafia101@myway.com



Clarence Walker, is a true-crime journalist, civil law investigator and news reporter. A native of Arkansas-Mississippi he currently lives in Houston Texas. A veteran writer of 15 years he has written for Texas newspapers and National magazines as well serving as associate story producer and researcher for Court TV, American Justice(A&E). He currently write and produce stories for America's Most Wanted T.V. show and crime magazine. Journalist Walker also write extensively about organize crime for Americanmafia.com He is collarborating with a producer and publisher to write a book series of cold-case murders.

* * *



Any comments? Give us your thoughts. Contact Clarence Walker, at mafia101@myway.com or CWalker261@excite.com

Important warning: In accordance with federal law, Title 17 U.S.C., Section 107, the entirety of the material in this story is not for reprint or distribution. Such action violates copyright laws and constitutes plagiarism. Thereby use of material without prior consent from the author, credited news sources or publishers of americanmafia.com and its news media affiliates are prohibited.



© 2005


Past Issues


AmericanMafia.com
div. of PLR International
P.O. Box 23
Cleveland, OH 44072


Copyright © 1998 - 2005 PLR International