| THE LONG REACH OF THE MOB |
|||
| Mike Rizzi hated Walter Stevens. Mike and the Animal had even been about to blast him, one day in the garment center. They had to call it off when they saw some LAPD OC Squad guys tailing them around the streets. Walter had no idea how close he came that day to meeting his maker. Walter Stevens was a big time criminal, that had nightclubs, porn places, bookmaking operations and some shylocking. He was a winter summer guy, meaning he was locked up in prison all the time. The problem with Walter was the he did not want to share any of his criminal proceeds with Mike Rizzi or the LA Family. When a person opens a Candy Store he has to pay State Taxes and Federal Taxes on his sales. So when you operate a criminal enterprise you have to pay the local Mob Family, its street tax. The criminals all know they have to pay the Street Tax, in Chicago they kill you and leave you in your trunk to show others they have to pay. Walter had a large wholesale Porn business in the Valley and his partner was Mike Esposito. Mike was friendly with most of the wiseguys around town. Mike had grown up in what was then Italian Harlem, right across from the famous Rao's restaurant. Mikes father Sal had been with Tony Ducks Corallo, boss of the Luchese Family. The Animal liked Mike, but when Mike Rizzi decided to move in on Walters Porn business, the Animal was all business. Mike Rizzi decided that they would take over Walters assets in the porn company. The Animal first went to Mike Esposito as a friend to see if Mike would jump on board with the LA Family. Mike Esposito decided for his own reasons to stick with Walter. Mike and his father began to reach out to anybody that they felt could help, get this Animal off their backs. Mike actually reached out for Mike Rizzi, Mike had no idea that it was a Mike Rizzi operation. They sought help from the chased Colombo solider Tony Perano and his wannabee son Butchie. They told the Animal that Butchie said hello... The Animal had to laugh at that thought because Butch was a nobody, he was no gangster. The real problem was that Mike and Walter operated in LA without giving up a dime to the guys who ran the town. No other family could interfere with the LA Family in its own backyard. This time the Animal went to see Mike with his Shylock partner Puggy, maybe the sight of Puggy would have helped Mike do the right thing. The Animal left after Mike was told that he had three days to walk straight. Sal Esposito tried to be the diplomat, so he sat down with the Animal at his club. Sal was a little more savvy than his son, asked the Animal if Mike Rizzi was behind this move. The Animal just told him to shut the fuck up and the Sal tried to use Jimmy Frattiano's old guy Sal Amarena to get the Animal to lay off. The Esposito's even tried freelance muscle guys like Tony Sposato and Ronnie Rome to no effect. The Animal let them think all their crying had worked by letting the deadline pass. The Animal then dispatched two of his men to throw some fear Mikes way. The men Steve Munichello and Carl Cataldo went into Mike and Walters office like an invading army and beat Mike Esposito to a bloody pulp. When they were leaving,they told the broken Mike that the Animal said hello. The same day the beating was going down, some Mexican Mafia guys, locked up with Walter acting on orders from Red Morgan, stuck a shank into Walters neck. Walter was told that they had reached a point and that he must call his girlfriend on the outside, so she could deliver some cash to the LA Family. The girlfriend soon delivered a hundred thousand dollars in cash to the LA Family bagman Jimmy, at Carmine's restaurant. The LA Family and the Mexican Mafia cut up the score. They raped Walter and Mikes business for everything. Tough guy Tony Sposato made a call to Puggy to say...Tell the Animal I want no part of this..... |
|||