Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Witness Puts Price Tag On Mob Membership

By George Anastasia
For Bigtrial.net

An outsider can buy his way into the Philadelphia mob for $10,000.

Cash.

That, at least, is what New York mob informant Anthony Aponick said he was asked to cough up to George Borgesi while they were cellmates in a federal prison in West Virginia back in 2003.

"He said I would become a member of his crew," said Aponick as he testified today at the racketeering conspiracy retrial of Borgesi and his uncle, mob boss Joe Ligambi. "He wanted $10,000."

The membership fee was just 10 percent of what Boston mobster Bobby Luisi said he had to pay Joey Merlino back in the late 1990s to become a made member of the organization. Whether that was a reflection of an economic downturn in the underworld or whether Aponick was getting a special discount could not be determined. Like Aponick, Luisi became a close associate of Borgesi's. And like Aponick, he eventually became an FBI informant.

Aponick said his dealings with Borgesi also came with an ominous warning.

"Listen, no matter what, don't fuck me," he said Borgesi told him as Aponick was about to be released from prison in 2003. "If you fuck me, I'll kill you and your whole family."

Aponick, who was already cooperating with the FBI by that time, disregarded the warning.


Aponick celebrated his 43rd  birthday this morning by making his public debut as a government witness. Describing himself as an associate of the Bonanno crime family in New York, he said he befriended Borgesi after being transferred to the federal prison in Beckley, W. Va., in 2002.

Borgesi was serving a 14-year sentence for a racketeering conviction. Aponick had been sentenced to 93 months for a series of armed robberies. They and several other mob members and associates hung out together in the federal institution, Aponick said.

He described Borgesi as a "serious" mobster, but also as a funny and witty individual whom he genuinely liked. He said that laughed, joked and cooked meals together, and eventually became cellmates.

While reticent to discuss mob business at first, Aponick said Borgesi eventually confided in him and also urged him to move to Philadelphia after he was released from prison. While he was not a full-blooded Italian-American (his mother was Italian, but his father was Ukrainian and Lithuanian), Aponick said Borgesi assured him that he could become a made -- formally initiated member -- of the Philadelphia mob.

The price tag was $10,000.

Aponick is due back on the stand when the trial resumes tomorrow. His testimony is considered crucial to the government's case against Borgesi who prosecutors allege continued to run a mob operation from prison while serving his 2001 sentence for a racketeering conviction.

Dressed in a gray, sharkskin suit, white shirt and tie, and speaking with a thick Brooklyn accent, the five-foot-six Joe Pesce-look-alike gangster testified for nearly four hours. Much of what he said supported and corroborated the testimony of Louis "Bent Finger Lou" Monacello, another Borgesi associate who finished three days of testimony on Tuesday.

Among other things, Aponick said Borgesi boasted of his own involvement in 11 mob murders, some of which he had been charged with and acquitted, and others for which he had avoided prosecution.

"He told me he beat 11 murders," said Aponick. "I'm from the streets. When you say you beat something, that means you did it."

Like Monacello, Aponick described Borgesi, 50, as someone who enjoyed his status as a mob leader and his reputation for violence.

"He told me he was the `coon-see' (consigliere)," Aponick said. He also said that Borgesi told him his uncle (Ligambi) was the boss but that the crime family "belonged" to Joey Merlino, Steven Mazzone and Borgesi, all three of whom were convicted in the 2001 racketeering case.

Borgesi is the only one of seven defendants in that case still in jail.

"He said the family belonged to him, Merlino and Mazzone," Aponick said. "His uncle was minding the store (and) would have a step aside" when they came out of prison. If not, Borgesi said, Ligambi or anyone else trying to run the organization "would have serious problems."

Aponick said he began cooperating with the FBI in September 2002 while he was Borgesi's cellmate. He said he did so because he was finishing his 93-month sentence and didn't want to go back into the mob life. His cooperation earned him a six-month reduction in that jail term.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Aponick said he was a Bonanno crime family associate for more than 20 years and was engaged in gambling, drug dealing, hijacking, extortions and robberies for the organization. He said Borgesi encouraged him to leave New York and move to Philadelphia where he would become part of the crew being run by Monacello while Borgesi's was in jail.

He said he described Monacello as "his man on the street."

"I had never been to Philadelphia," Aponick said. But he went along with the plan as part of his cooperating agreement with the FBI.

He, like Monacello, also said he was surprised that Borgesi used his wife Alyson to communicate  about mob business with him and other associates.

"It's not customary to get a woman involved to that extent," he said after detailing messages relayed to him in letters and phone calls by Borgesi's wife.

He said he and Borgesi discussed setting up an after hours club and a men's clothing store through which they could run gambling and loansharking operations in the Philadelphia area. But he said Borgesi told him repeatedly to stay away from his uncle.

"He said his uncle was greedy," Aponick said.

The jury was also shown a video of Aponick meeting in Brooklyn with Borgesi's brother Anthony and Mauro Goffredo, a Borgesi associate in the trash business, while Aponick was in a halfway house in New York completing his prison term.

The jury has already heard a phone conversation Borgesi had with Monacello and Aponick after Aponick came to Philadelphia and met with Monacello at Ralph's, a restaurant on Ninth Street. The tape is expected to be played again so that Aponick can explain parts of what the government contends was coded conversation. Borgesi made the call from prison where all phone calls are taped and monitored.

Aponick's motivation for testifying and his credibility are both expected to be challenged when cross-examination begins some time tomorrow. One of the things the jury has yet to hear is that shortly after his release from prison in 2003, and while he was cooperating with the FBI, Aponick robbed several banks in New York. He was arrested for those robberies and his cooperation agreement negated.

But he managed to convince federal authorities to give him a second chance. His new deal resulted in a three-year sentence for the bank robberies and his agreement to help make the case against Borgesi.

Aponick was not called as a witness in the first trial that ended with a hung jury on the conspiracy count that Borgesi and Ligambi now face.

The defense will argue that Aponick has used Borgesi as a trading chit to get out from under his own criminal problems. That same argument has been presented to the jury in an attempt to undermine Monacello's testimony.

George Anastasia can be contacted at George@bigtrial.net.

76 comments

  1. Who would pay $10,000 too become a
    Philly RATFELLA???!!!

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  2. Philly mob!! There worst mob wifes...

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  3. Everybody george brought to the table became a rat from boston,new york,the fixer and the scumbag bent finger.Way to pick them george now you know why you are still in jail

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    Replies
    1. Yeah it looks that way. Most people who are in that lifestyle are no one to be trusted period. Who vouched for all the ones who ratted before, the likes of Natale he was a put in a so-called boss who stood for him? That goes back even Crow, Del giorno, Veasey all of them had someone vouch for them. What about the many others that have "ratted" who wear vouched for that was in not so popular cases? Don't forget the dry rats that are out there also. The main thing is George and his Uncle haven't . They have taking their time before and so far now. Keep in mind the credibility of those who testimony and how much of what they are saying is true. They are up there to save their skin. Believe nothing of what you hear and half of what you see. It always sounds worse on paper than the actual truth. Lets see how the cross examination goes.

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    2. Start lighting candles at the church....

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    3. All that stand up shit for things there lawyers say they had nothing to do with. hows that working out for them. Well if they like life in jail for things they havn.t done GOOD FOR THEM because if NICODEMO talks thats were there staying for LIFE. But i guess he.s a lier also. I hope this THING OF OURS is worth it sounds like real stand up shit. And before u call me anything how u know if i dont have my button.Not gonna do one day for these clowns!

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  4. He called his brother Anthony a idiot well George looks like you are a bigger one....

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  5. George i wish you the best of luck i can't stand lying rats ....

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    Replies
    1. Ya good luck BOY GEORGE

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    2. You mean good luck BOR GAY Z !!!!!!!!!

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  6. You can tell this dude is a liar, you're father has to be Italian to be made.

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    Replies
    1. .....said the guy who watched goodfellas..wow...thank you....some detective work...case over..whew...

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    2. They make up there own rules there is no organize.crime in south philly r u kidding me .y do u think they all RAT there is no LOYALTY IN PHILLY

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  7. Philly Mob!! These guys would RAT on their
    MOTHER!!!!!,,,,,,

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  8. Tooo be MADE" you got to be ASSHOLE!!

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  9. Philadelphia Mob! DRUNKS and RATS...,,,

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  10. Philly wise guys? How do you do a hit
    And use you're own car and leave the
    gun in it? Wow!!! Dumfellas!!!!....

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    Replies
    1. Lets not forget about the ski mask DNA all over that mask.the clothes that the eye witness described and the ???? You'll hear the rest when this case is over & the other case begins Im sure NICODEMO will tell all.I heard he's already singing like the rest of them.

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    2. Yeah lets not forget he didn't do this alone .That Grandy KID was involved also.I dont think he wants to end up just like his father Wayne behind bars half his life.so now u have ANOTHER RAT.my God wher the uck did these jerk××× come from the philly mob must have been really desperate to have assholes like this hanging around them.

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  11. Wow, he robbed several banks while being in the witness protection program!?!! What the hell is he doing on the stand for?! This is desperation on behalf of FBI. The FBI is losing its respect

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    Replies
    1. The only thing losing respect here is the philly mob. Hate the players not the game. We all new the down side. Made guys or associates. There just doing there job . We have to do ours a little better time forsome house cleaning

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    2. Every city, every organization has people who became "rats". This city gets a lot of exposure since its smaller and only has one so-called "mob". NYC has its fair share of them and do many others. Either way they are men who don't want to face the charges, and will say anything to get out of it, even if it means fabricating stories, like Monacello and Aponick..

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  12. And you would pay these morons $10,000
    What a JOKE!!!!

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    Replies
    1. Yep, who would pay that ? So who would believe that story. This guy is a flunkie, Monacello had said the guy asked him for 10,000, for what, to give back to join his alleged "crew"? Come on....

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  13. How could anybody pay Steve Mazzone $10,000
    Tooo join his so called crew! I rather pay the girl
    Scouts!!!,,,,,,,,

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  14. Oh ya NICODEMO gives a SHOUT OUT! For his boy BILLY MOTTO

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  15. philly rat city.from Trenton no rats here..leave these guys alone. there gonna walk again.this is there neighborhood ...sure they made this aponick punk pay..hes a fluncky not from the neighborhood outsider..leave these guys alone .u know how many people run a book on sports thats not Italian regular guys everyones doing it..

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  16. The Philly mob can't even doo that Right!!!!
    Bunch of Clowns!!......

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  17. How many wise guys on the street
    Are wearing a wire??????

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  18. Maybe nickys boys have an old solution

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  19. Well i know one who is.nt and rumor has it he joined the A Team NICODEMO train is rolling out get on or get lost

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  20. Another fine day in life of
    THE PHILLY MOB
    AS THE TAPE TURNS

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  21. I would be a shame too say I know
    The Philly Mob Rats!! It's a disgrace!

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  22. Wow!!.how bad can it get for the
    Philly Mob Rats....,,,,,,,

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  23. Safe to say won.t be any clams or steaks down the shooore! For this crew anymore

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  24. Who The Hell Is Steve Mazzone??

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  25. Was a pitching coach for Atlanta braves.....oh wait.....

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  26. Probably another RAT!!!

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  27. Didnt he bitch slap anthony borgesi

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  28. No I don't think soo Mazzone never went
    back too Stoogie Joe's after he got crack!

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  29. .....the coach got in a fight???..where..?

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  30. phillip narducci is a man of honor a real stand up guy . he is old school solid as a rock. and don't forget he is in south philly.

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    Replies
    1. Yeah I,m sure he is. Him and his group are last of the old school ruminants who grew up around the low profile old timers. With acceptations to the few of this group. You wont see to many of them around anymore, only little boys who portray the "jersey shore'...steroids and tans..lol

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  31. Nicodemo became a rat ? ?

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  32. Yesss where you been!!!!!!

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  33. I don't believe that at all . People just write shit on here and have no clue of what is really going on.. #Phillymobstrong

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    Replies
    1. I guess u fit the profile

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    2. Then y is the blogs longer than the 9Billiion $ bridge in SHO CHI LOL

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  34. You mean phillymobrats!!!!!....

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  35. no real mob members rat. these are all associates , wannabes . who are scared . theres only a couple made guys who have ever rated in philly . #nyratcity

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    Replies
    1. Signed„ R.Natale..P.s. I made myself..

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    2. No real mob members talk
      HOLD THAT THOUGHT

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    3. Anybody seen lance

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  36. Yo cus!! Philly is the capital of mob RATS!!

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  37. Yo!!!! Johnny Chang still hiding from
    John John Veasey???

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  38. John john haha another rat who got to scared to live the life ..

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  39. Nicodemo is stand up!!!!

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  40. He did not put his wife on 60 Minutes
    Rat Move!!!!

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  41. Phil Narducci is the Real Deal !!!!!!!!!!!

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    Replies
    1. Thats what iv been hearing He's the New Mob Boss

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  42. Nicodemo the Fag!!! Is working with
    the Feds.......

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    Replies
    1. True True True ..Try & find out when hes next court date is ......

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    2. Moron..no idea what you are talking about stick to fantasy football. ^^^^^_^^

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  43. $10K is a joke. Now we know why the Russians have taken over in Philly. They're making a million plus a year on medicare ambulance scams alone and the South Philly guys are fighting over $300 a week from a Dodge City machine...... sad

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  44. Cus!! They don't know how too
    make money!! They shake down
    old guys! They don't know about
    scams! If it hit them in the face.

    ReplyDelete
  45. May be nickys boys will bring some respect back?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What happen to Testa's son ?

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    2. Jackass^^^ writer

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    3. I agree. On anothet note skinnny george. Johnny. Stevie.lancelott gonna get theres soon

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    4. So much respect they killed there childhood friend for Scarfo and their own jealously. Respect is the wrong word . We're they called the " gang that couldn't shoot straight" !?

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  46. No more steaks or lobsties from castles lol

    ReplyDelete
  47. Nicky's boys are staying far away
    from those Rats!!!

    ReplyDelete
  48. Must be nice .rob a couple banks and get three years,the feds lack credibility giving this low life deal after deal to snitch.

    ReplyDelete

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