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PODCAST

Milwaukee Mafia

Did you know Milwaukee had a Mafia? Many people don"t realize how powerful the Milwaukee Mafia was - especially during Frank Balistrieri"s impressive 30-year reign! Gavin Schmitt has been researching and writing published works on the Milwaukee Mafia for over a decade, and is considered the top expert on the subject. Join Gavin Schmitt and Eric Wulterkens as Gavin takes you through stories of the Milwaukee Mafia, and related Wisconsin true crime. For more information, visit MilwaukeeMafia.com

true crime documentary

All Episodes

44:21

The Latin Kings of Milwaukee Part 4 of 4

Milwaukee Mafia ·

2022/07/05

Alberto discusses some of the high profile people he met during his stay in prison, and touches on what drove him to walk away from the life he had been living once he was released from prison.

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39:38

The Latin Kings of Milwaukee Part 3 of 4

Milwaukee Mafia ·

2022/06/21

In Part 3 of Alberto's story we talk about Alberto becoming a leader of the Latin Kings 19th Street subchapter and what happens up to his eventual arrest.

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50:46

The Latin Kings of Milwaukee Part 2 of 4

Milwaukee Mafia ·

2022/06/07

Alberto Vallejo shares some personal stories being in the Latin Kings. This time we focus on his early years -- how do you get in, and what is daily life like.

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35:27

The Latin Kings of Milwaukee Part 1 of 4

Milwaukee Mafia ·

2022/05/24

In this episode, our special guest Alberto Vallejo talks about the basic structure and rules of the Latin Kings, particularly in Milwaukee.

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26:01

The Provinzano Brothers

Milwaukee Mafia ·

2022/05/10

An informant claimed that Angelo Provinzano would be the next Mafia boss after John Alioto. But who the heck was Provinzano? We cover a bit on this mystery man and his brother.

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44:09

The Scanlon Heist

Milwaukee Mafia ·

2022/04/26

Possibly the most complex episode ever, how the Milwaukee and Detroit mobs worked together to defraud an endless team of wholesale suppliers. How did they use a shaky credit report to obtain toys, appliances and more?

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41:55

Ralph Capone

Milwaukee Mafia ·

2022/04/12

Everyone has a story about Al Capone... but the family member with the biggest impact on Wisconsin was his brother Ralph. We briefly cover Ralph's time in the Northwoods.

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34:45

Sheriff Lombardi & Dominic Picciurro's Club 166

Milwaukee Mafia ·

2022/03/29

On April 18, 1958, Waukesha County Sheriff Michael Lombardi was convicted of willful dereliction of duty in connection with numerous events occurring in Waukesha County. One count was related to Club 166, a licensed tavern and night club, in Menomonee Falls (Milwaukee suburb) that belonged to Dominic F. and Shirley Picciurro. (Dominic was Frank Balistrieri's maternal uncle). Lombardi was convicted of permitting Club 166 to violate laws related to prostitution, gambling, and the sale of liquor. A

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29:16

Parole & Pardon Scandal Involving Louis Fazio

Milwaukee Mafia ·

2022/03/15

It was alleged by the Board of State Bar Commissioners that Attorney Mark Catlin, Jr. induced or led various people to believe that he possessed influence in pardon or parole matters; that he accepted money from people who had the corrupt intention of influencing official conduct; and that Catlin knew of such intention.Louis Fazio, John Mandella, Jerome Mandella, and Dominic Lampone were convicted of murder in 1946. [An exclusive write-up about Mike Farina's murder is available on our Patreon:

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41:28

Mafia Genealogy with Justin Cascio

Milwaukee Mafia ·

2022/03/01

In the podcast's first ever guest appearance, Justin Cascio from Mafia Genealogy, talks about his research into his family roots that lead to Giuseppe Morello, aka “The Clutch Hand” - a member of the mafia in Corleone.https://mafiagenealogy.wordpress.com/https://www.facebook.com/mafiagenealogyMacaroni WarsMoral Basis of a Backward Society by Edward C. Banfield: Analyzing families in southern Italy in 1955, Moral Basis of a Backward Society discusses how poverty is a result of the inability to trust

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34:32

Jack Enea

Milwaukee Mafia ·

2022/02/15

Jack Enea was a member of the Milwaukee Mafia, and was considered to be one of the “Young Turks”, which also included John DiTrapani and Frank LaGalbo, who had angled to take over leadership from Milwaukee Mafia boss John Alioto. Under Alioto’s rule, the muscling of gamblers and legitimate businesses stopped, but internal dissent continued. DiTrapani spread the word that he would pay for “hits” in order to get the leadership role. This would lead to his eventual death, Enea’s death, and cause

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33:37

John DiTrapani

Milwaukee Mafia ·

2022/02/01

John DiTrapani rose to prominence within the Milwaukee Mafia in the early 1950s. He was considered to be one of the “Young Turks”, which also included Jack Enea and Frank LaGalbo, who had angled to take over leadership from Milwaukee Mafia boss John Alioto. Under Alioto’s rule, the muscling of gamblers and legitimate businesses stopped, but internal dissent continued. DiTrapani spread the word that he would pay for “hits” in order to get the leadership role. This would lead to his eventual death,

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28:38

Blackie Sullivan

Milwaukee Mafia ·

2022/01/18

Frequent mob target John Sullivan, more commonly known as “Blackie”, and later “Blackie the Sieve”. He earned the nickname due to how many times he's been shot, and survived.For more on Blackie Sullivan, visit: https://milwaukeemafia.com/blackie-sullivan/Links:Visit MilwaukeeMafia.com for more informationGavin's Books: https://amzn.to/3ssKOQHPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/Milwaukeemafia

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23:26

Gambler Sidney Brodson

Milwaukee Mafia ·

2022/01/04

Sidney Brodson was very smart, and was able to use his intelligence to profit, legally, as a gambler. On March 24, 1951, Sidney Brodson testified before the Kefauver Committee to provide his advice on how Congress could address illegal gambling. Brodson opted to overshare by revealing the names, addresses and telephone numbers of individuals across the country with whom he placed bets. The hearing was televised, and police officers viewing the televised proceedings learned for the first time of the

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03:23

Patreon Clip - Requesting Records

Milwaukee Mafia ·

2022/01/01

To jumpstart 2022, we are giving you another sample of our exclusive Patreon audio. It's a more casual podcast where Gavin answers listener questions.Patreon is $2/month, and includes 2 exclusive podcast episode of behind the scenes content each month: https://www.patreon.com/MilwaukeemafiaThis Patreon clip is from our 11/30/2021 release where Gavin talks about requesting records, and the various agencies he's worked with. He discusses who has been the best to work with, and which have been the

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23:35

Meat Hijacking

Milwaukee Mafia ·

2021/12/21

The 1950s were a time of great heists in the Milwaukee Mafia. Most notably there was the burglary at the Reno home of Lavere Redfield. Lesser known was the fraudulent bankruptcy surrounding Scanlon's Music in downtown Milwaukee. And then, one of the least successful... the hijacking of meat.This episode includes names such as Anthony LaRosa, Joseph "The Viper" Guarniere, Harold Klein, Thomas "Tommy Fish" Piscitello, and Sam "Banjo Eyes" Vermiglio.Additional information can be found at:

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02:50

Patreon Clip - Chicago Mafia

Milwaukee Mafia ·

2021/12/14

We wanted to give you a sample of our exclusive Patreon audio. It's a more casual podcast where Gavin answers listener questions.Patreon is $2/month, and includes 2 exclusive podcasts each month: https://www.patreon.com/MilwaukeemafiaThis Patreon clip is from our 12/14/2021 release where Gavin discusses a listener-submitted question: Was Frank Balistrieri ever more powerful than Sam Giancana? (For reference, Sam Giancana was the boss of the Chicago Outfit from 1957 to 1966.)To listen to the whole

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31:19

Steve DiSalvo - Balistrieri's Right-hand Man

Milwaukee Mafia ·

2021/12/07

This episode focuses on Steve DiSalvo's criminal endeavors, including a business deal with an undercover FBI agent that would ultimately land many, including Frank Balistrieri, in prison.DiSalvo is considered to be the right-hand man to Frank Balistrieri. Although it is not clear how DiSalvo was initially affiliated with the Milwaukee Mafia given that he had no immediate family in the mafia, he became very active in the criminal organization. By 1959, when the FBI took an active interest in

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19:00

The Mafia and Grande Cheese

Milwaukee Mafia ·

2021/11/23

In this episode, Gavin and Eric discuss a Fond du Lac, Wisconsin cheese company's ties to the Mafia.According to federal investigators, the Grande Cheese Company of Fond du Lac “was born out of a Chicago gang war in 1939”. Chicago mobster Ross Prio is credited with starting the business in 1941.In January 1963, Wisconsin Governor John W. Reynolds claimed that a “network of organized crime” existed in Fond du Lac, Milwaukee and Kenosha counties, the center of Wisconsin’s Italian cheese industry

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30:01

John Alioto - Milwaukee Mafia Mob Boss

Milwaukee Mafia ·

2021/11/09

Join Gavin and Eric as they discuss John Alioto, former boss of the Milwaukee Mafia from 1952-1961.The Aliotos were deeply connected to crime through blood and marriage, setting up the Milwaukee Family to be among the most intra-related in the country.He was largely in the background during his reign. Early in life, he was a murder suspect in the death of Albert Scorsone, and was loosely tied in to an insurance scam in New York City. Alioto tended to focus more on his legitimate business prospects,

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