Overview
A vain man of good looks but no family ties to the Mob, Vincent ""Vinny Gorgeous"" Basciano worked his way up to acting boss of the Bonanno crime family, becoming its leader when official boss Joseph Massino went to prison in 2003. When the Mafia was crawling with secret operatives and informants caving to government pressure to flip, Basciano steadfastly obeyed the code of La Cosa Nostra. ""I got faith in one guy,"" he said during a secretly taped meeting. That man was Massino, head of the Bonanno borgata. But for all his loyalty, Basciano was still a hot-headed, cold-blooded killer, which ultimately led to his arrest and downfall.Then in a remarkable betrayal that rocked the Five Families to their foundations, Massino secretly cooperated with the FBI—the first head boss ever to roll over. As a result, Basciano faced the death penalty, but a federal jury, disturbed by the prosecution's use of deadly criminal informants, reached a surprising verdict. Here from veteran crime author Anthony M. DeStefano comes the riveting story of the last true believer in the Mob's cult of brotherhood and his betrayal at the hands of the only man he ever trusted.
Full Product Details
Author: Anthony M. DeStefano, author of Gangland New York: The Places and Faces of Mob History, The Big Heist and other true crime books
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Imprint: Globe Pequot Press
Dimensions:
Width: 15.00cm
, Height: 2.00cm
, Length: 22.60cm
Weight: 0.021kg
ISBN: 9780762785414
ISBN 10: 0762785411
Pages: 272
Publication Date: 02 July 2013
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Manufactured on demand
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.
Reviews
Critical acclaim for Anthony M. Destefano's King of the Godfathers DeStefano's book tracks the downfall not only of Massino himself but all of the oldorganized crime families. ... DeStefano gives us unique insights. -- New York Law Journal The last word and best work on the life and times of Joe Massino ... DeStefano brings the story to life ... and adds special insight into Massino. --Jerry Capeci, creator of GangLandNews.com Thrilling American crime writing. --Jimmy Breslin, author of The Good Rat and winner of the Pulitzer Prize
Critical acclaim for Anthony M. Destefano's King of the Godfathers <br><br> DeStefano's book tracks the downfall not only of Massino himself but all of the old<br>organized crime families. ... DeStefano gives us unique insights. <br>-- New York Law Journal <br><br> The last word and best work on the life and times of Joe Massino ... DeStefano brings the story to life ... and adds special insight into Massino. <br>--Jerry Capeci, creator of GangLandNews.com<br><br> Thrilling American crime writing. <br>--Jimmy Breslin, author of The Good Rat and winner of the Pulitzer Prize<br><br>
Author Information
Anthony M. DeStefano is a staff reporter for Newsday, covering legal affairs and criminal justice in New York City. Formerly a staff reporter at the Wall Street Journal and Fairchild News Service, he has appeared on Biography Channel programs about Joseph Massino and Mafia killer Thomas Pitera as an expert on organized crime.
