That was a joke

Thanks - here's the list if anyone is interested

 

http://www.cleveland.com/countyincrisis/index.ssf/2012/01/jimmy_dimora_trial_witness_lis.html

 

That's one theory.  Or, it might be that he received a two year suspension, which expired more than a year ago. 

^I think you quoted the wrong post, but I was going to say the same thing.  I think the reinstatement was triggered by the federal judge's action ending probation, but not sure why that would have anything to do with Dimorra's trial timing.

^I think you quoted the wrong post, but I was going to say the same thing.  I think the reinstatement was triggered by the federal judge's action ending probation, but not sure why that would have anything to do with Dimorra's trial timing.

 

Despite his non-appearance on the witnesses list, I'm pretty much convinced the whole thing started with O'Malley's arrest.  Why else did he accept such a harsh sentence for what he pled guilty to?  The whole thing didn't make sense, until the FBI started their raids.

^so you think he got a harsh sentence because he wouldn't testify as a witness, but still gave up information that led to the entire unraveling?  Not disputing that, just seems odd to give information, but not testify, in exchange for a LONGER sentencing.

 

Related note, is it standard for attorneys to get their law license reinstated after crimes such as this?

IIRC, they found Kiddie porn on OMalley's computer, which made him jump at the chance to strike a deal... even if what was offered really wasn't that great of a deal

IIRC, they found Kiddie porn on OMalley's computer, which made him jump at the chance to strike a deal... even if what was offered really wasn't that great of a deal

 

Exactly.  I think he spilled the beans to get the deal he got.  I know some of what they found on his computer, and wish I didn't.

IIRC, they found Kiddie porn on OMalley's computer, which made him jump at the chance to strike a deal... even if what was offered really wasn't that great of a deal

 

Exactly.  I think he spilled the beans to get the deal he got.  I know some of what they found on his computer, and wish I didn't.

 

What was found and how do you know?

Cleveland Scene magazine spelled out alot of the details in their article...

Cleveland Scene magazine spelled out alot of the details in their article...

Link? Since you mentioned it.  I dont feel like searching for it.

Cleveland Magazine not Cleveland Scene  http://www.clevelandmagazine.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=E73ABD6180B44874871A91F6BA5C249C&nm=Arts+%26+Entertainment&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=1578600D80804596A222593669321019&tier=4&id=1CA7502A5AD34C7299913758CB0D1270

 

Regarding the Dimora activities....I always wondered why there were federal agent looking guys lurking around the condo building.  I even let them in once (door is secured). Too funny. Never knew this was going on right in the building while I slept. LOL

Cleveland Magazine not Cleveland Scene  http://www.clevelandmagazine.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=E73ABD6180B44874871A91F6BA5C249C&nm=Arts+%26+Entertainment&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=1578600D80804596A222593669321019&tier=4&id=1CA7502A5AD34C7299913758CB0D1270

 

 

I heard about "the black and white photo" elsewhere.  If that's not "kiddie porn", I am not sure what is.

Closing arguments today for Dimora's defense slipped up & told the jury "I trust you'll find him guilty" then returned to clarify "not guilty"....  are we seeing the seeds planted for a mistrial based on his inept defense team?

Not a chance.

Not a chance.

All I can say is, JD and his team got a break this week because of the incident in Chardon.

Only in the court of public opinion..... which is *supposed* to count anyway

^^ I'm sure it is obvious and I am completely missing it, but why?

Closing arguments today for Dimora's defense slipped up & told the jury "I trust you'll find him guilty" then returned to clarify "not guilty"....  are we seeing the seeds planted for a mistrial based on his inept defense team?

 

So far, 19 for 19  26 for 26 29 out of 30: GUILTY!!!

Guilty of 33 out of 34 - nice job.

 

Here is the breakdown of all the counts for both defendants:

 

GUILTY: Count 1: RICO (racketeering) that Gabor and Dimora ran a criminal enterprise and Dimora accepted bribes for county policy decisions. Gabor is accused of being a go-between, as well as paying $10,000 to try fix his divorce case before Domestic Relations Judge James Celebrezze.

GUILTY: Count 2: Conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud of both soliciting and accepting bribes, including a Las Vegas gambling trip where he is said to have accepted money for gambling and a prostitute from Ferris Kleem.

GUILTY: Count 3: Hobbs Act conspiracy, where Dimora accepted bribes that included travel, meals and money, from Alternatives Agency.

GUILTY: Count 4: Conspiracy to commit bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, where Dimora accepted other bribes from Kleem for county contracts

GUILTY: Count 5: Bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, for other bribes by Kleem, like accepting meals, entertainment, a refrigerator and a discount on a Rolex watch, etc.

GUILTY: Count 6: Bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds -- other bribes from Kleem

GUILTY: Count 7: Hobbs Act -- additional bribes involving Kleem

GUILTY: Count 8: Hobbs Act -- bribes that involved the Cuyahoga County engineer's office

GUILTY: Count 9: Conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud, for Dimora using his position as county commissioner to ask for and accept sexual favors from Gina Meuti-Coppers who was looking for a job.

GUILTY: Count 10: Hobbs Act conspiracy -- Dimora is accused of accepting bribes from Salva Stone in exchange for using his county commissioner's seat to help a friend of John Valentin with an immigration issue

GUILTY: Count 11: Hobbs Act -- additional bribery involving Salva Stone

GUILTY: Count 12: Hobbs Act conspiracy -- relates to bribery in a plan to help a relative of Nicholas Zavarella get a job.

GUILTY: Count 13: Hobbs Act:  -- additional bribery involving Nicholas Zavarella

GUILTY: Count 14: Hobbs Act conspiracy, relating to bribery involving Reliance Mechanical and the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Justice Center project

GUILTY: Count 15: Hobbs Act -- involves bribery involving William Neiheiser and Reliance Mechanical

GUILTY: Count 16: Conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud for bribery also related to William Neiheiser and Reliance Mechanical

GUILTY: Count 17: Conspiracy to commit bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds for bribery involving Gabor, Steve Pumper and the HUD-financed Parkview Apartments project

GUILTY: Count 18: Bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds -- for bribery involving former D-A-S President Steve Pumper and court proceedings

GUILTY: Count 19: Bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, for bribery involving Gabor, Steve Pumper and other county projects

GUILTY: Count 20: Hobbs Act for bribery involving Steve Pumper

GUILTY: Count 21: Hobbs Act conspiracy for bribery involving Gabor and Steve Pumper

GUILTY: Count 22: Hobbs Act conspiracy for bribery involving Anthony Melaragno and Vandra Brothers Construction

GUILTY: Count 23: Hobbs Act for bribery involving Melaragno and Vandra Brothers Construction

GUILTY: Count 24: Hobbs Act conspiracy for bribery involving Robert Rybak and attempts to conceal bribes

GUILTY: Count 25: Hobbs Act for bribery involving Robert Rybak

GUILTY: Count 26: Hobbs Act conspiracy for bribery involving Charles Randazzo

GUILTY: Count 27: Hobbs Act for bribery involving Charles Randazzo

GUILTY: Count 28 : Conspiracy to obstruct justice for conspiring with Gabor and others to obstruct the FBI's county corruption investigation

GUILTY: Count 29: Destruction, alteration or falsification of records in federal investigations for obstructing the FBI's county corruption investigation

NOT GUILTY: Count 30 : Mail fraud by defrauding his Dimora Boosters campaign fund out of money by having Executive Caterers' Harlan Diamond  bill the fund for a 50th birthday party for Dimora's wife Lori

GUILTY: Count 31: Conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud for bribery involving Gabor and Joe Gallucci

GUILTY: Count 32: Mail fraud and honest services mail fraud also for bribery involving Gabor and Joe Gallucci

NOT GUILTY: Count 33: Conspiracy that also involved Gabor

GUILTY: Count 34: False statements on tax returns for failing to report income on tax returns for 2005-2008

GUILTY: Count 35: False statements on tax returns for failing to report income on tax returns for 2005-2008

GUILTY: Count 36: False statements on tax returns for failing to report income on tax returns for 2005-2008

GUILTY: Count 37: False statements on tax returns for failing to report income on tax returns for 2005-2008

 

I'm still trying to figure out how the wife can keep the house.  She  had to know what was going on and secondly how can a house in Independence be worth 400k??

I'm still trying to figure out how the wife can keep the house.  She  had to know what was going on and secondly how can a house in Independence be worth 400k??

 

Well, with all the contractor work done, I don't doubt the value. 

 

I oppose pretty much any and all "asset forfeiture" in principle anyway, but in Mrs. Dimora's case, there was never any evidence that she was actively participating and spousal privilege excused her from any conceivable duty to snitch.

http://www.cleveland.com/countyincrisis/index.ssf/2012/03/most_colleagues_of_jimmy_dimor.html

 

Buried in the story:

 

"Russo had already faced similar job-selling accusations as county recorder in 1998. State auditors investigated allegations that he took kickbacks in exchange for giving employees raises and that his employees did campaign work for him on county time.

 

The auditors turned their findings over to then-County Prosecutor Stephanie Tubbs Jones, but she cut short an investigation by her office without taking the case to a grand jury. Instead, she opted to charge Russo with dereliction of duty, a misdemeanor that allowed him to remain in power. "

 

Obviously the former Congresswoman is no longer here to defend herself (legally or otherwise). but I'm surprised (not really) that this didn't receive more media mention.

Why should it?  Tubbs is no longer representing our district.  What would be the use of trampling on her grave with a ressurected story that, if anything should have been reported, it should have occured in 1998.  Plus, there only is indication that there was an investigation..... but what were the investigative findings?  For all we know, the charges might have been appropriate for what the investigators actually found.

 

As far as Dimora's wife is concerned, there is something in Ohio called the Innocent Spouse Statute.  But that won't protect her from the IRS.  If she filed jointly with Jimmy all of those years, she is far from out of the woods in terms of having to answer for his crimes.

Why should it?  Tubbs is no longer representing our district.  What would be the use of trampling on her grave with a ressurected story that, if anything should have been reported, it should have occured in 1998. 

 

Why should it?  Because if she had the cahones to prosecute Russo with something more than a slap on the wrist back then, instead of kicking up to a fellow dem, Russo probably would've been kicked out of office and not continued his growing criminal acts which cost the tax payers millions.  THat's why.  I'm sorry she's passed away & cannot defend herself against any allegations, but this definitely newsworthy and should be investigated

I know you are bursting at the slightest opportunity to trample on her grave..... but what really is the end game besides a potential "ah-ha!" moment?  What would you hope to acccomplish?  First and foremost, before even accusing Jones of any impropriety, you must first know more about the auditor of state's findings which were given to her office?  Did they warrant anything significantly more than a misdemeanor?  Did she assign the investigation to herself, someone within her office, or to a special prosecutor?  Shall we just assume her guilt and complicity because she is a 'libtard' from Cuyahoga County?

it has nothing to do with trampling anyone's grave, save the drama.  How many millions did Russo scheme taxpayers out of with the phony appraisal service he contracted?  Pretty safe to assume this never would've happened had he gotten more charges back in 98.  You know that.  Don't act like you don't

Why should it?  Tubbs is no longer representing our district.  What would be the use of trampling on her grave with a ressurected story that, if anything should have been reported, it should have occured in 1998. 

 

Why should it?  Because if she had the cahones to prosecute Russo with something more than a slap on the wrist back then, instead of kicking up to a fellow dem, Russo probably would've been kicked out of office and not continued his growing criminal acts which cost the tax payers millions.  THat's why.  I'm sorry she's passed away & cannot defend herself against any allegations, but this definitely newsworthy and should be investigated

 

Sweetie, if you're going to use Spanish words to describe something at least use the correct spelling of the word!  It's Cajónes!  ;)

Why should it?  Tubbs is no longer representing our district.  What would be the use of trampling on her grave with a ressurected story that, if anything should have been reported, it should have occured in 1998.  Plus, there only is indication that there was an investigation..... but what were the investigative findings?  For all we know, the charges might have been appropriate for what the investigators actually found.

 

As far as Dimora's wife is concerned, there is something in Ohio called the Innocent Spouse Statute.  But that won't protect her from the IRS.  If she filed jointly with Jimmy all of those years, she is far from out of the woods in terms of having to answer for his crimes.

I wondering what the IRS would do.  I hope they tear her a new ass!

 

it has nothing to do with trampling anyone's grave, save the drama.  How many millions did Russo scheme taxpayers out of with the phony appraisal service he contracted?  Pretty safe to assume this never would've happened had he gotten more charges back in 98.  You know that.  Don't act like you don't

 

Pretty safe to assume that the political machine would have found somebody just as or more crooked than Russo had he been removed.  So, again, what is the end game?  You want to go after STJ's estate for the millions Russo costed the taxpayers because she may have failed to prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law? 

 

This is old news anyways.  Don't get all fired up by the typical Fox-esque "buried in the story" line.  This was all fully investigated and reported on by the media prior to the above article.

 

Once again, I couldn't disagree more.  Russo's schemes worked because he had been in office for so long, he was very well aware of what he could get away with.  Replacing him with someone, assuming that person was just as corrupt and intent on personally profiting from the position, that person would still take years to get a system in place where he/she could steal millions.  But hey you're not worried about it, apparently this stuff happens all the time so whatever. 

Correct.  At least to the extent that I'm not terribly worried about what the late Congresswoman could've or should've done 14 years ago when presented with allegations from Pat O'Malley that Frank Russo was corrupt.  I'm moving forward.  Have fun with it.

Correct.  At least to the extent that I'm not terribly worried about what the late Congresswoman could've or should've done 14 years ago when presented with allegations from Pat O'Malley that Frank Russo was corrupt.  I'm moving forward.  Have fun with it.

 

You mean McCormack?  O'Malley was part of that clique.

Why should it?  Tubbs is no longer representing our district.  What would be the use of trampling on her grave with a ressurected story that, if anything should have been reported, it should have occured in 1998. 

 

Why should it?  Because if she had the cahones to prosecute Russo with something more than a slap on the wrist back then, instead of kicking up to a fellow dem, Russo probably would've been kicked out of office and not continued his growing criminal acts which cost the tax payers millions.  THat's why.  I'm sorry she's passed away & cannot defend herself against any allegations, but this definitely newsworthy and should be investigated

 

If she was in the game, that provides two other possible routes to investigate.  One would be her allies on the east side.  The other:  well, at that time Bill Mason was doing the bulk of the work in that office....

^^No.... I mean O'Malley, which is kind of the point why I don't follow your conspiracy theory.  I'll give you a quick synopsis and hopefully put this one to bed for now on here.  O'Malley takes over the Recorder's Office in 1998.  After assuming the post, he claims that some employees told him that Russo had made them pay for their jobs and/or raises.  The State of Ohio does an investigation and forwards its findings to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor.  The State's documents have since been destroyed pursuant to the records retention policy.  The investigation is assigned to Paul Soucie, who still handles many of the white collar crime for Mason.  Without taking it to the Grand Jury and calling all of the witnesses, Soucie doesn't have much more than O'Malley's accusations.  Prior to taking it to the grand jury, a deal is struck and Soucie is told not to take it to the grand jury.... or at least that is what he is saying now and, with STJ now deceased, there is really no way to contradict him.  Nobody is burying this story.  It is all out there and is rather stale at this point.  A bad exercise of prosecutorial discretion most likely, but a lot of the evidence has since been destroyed, and STJ's can never hold public office again, so a witchhunt 14 years after the fact is a monumental waste of resources.  Prosecutors strike deals all of the time and the butterfly effect is not always a net positive. 

^^No.... I mean O'Malley, which is kind of the point why I don't follow your conspiracy theory.  I'll give you a quick synopsis and hopefully put this one to bed for now on here.  O'Malley takes over the Recorder's Office in 1998.  After assuming the post, he claims that some employees told him that Russo had made them pay for their jobs and/or raises.  The State of Ohio does an investigation and forwards its findings to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor.  The State's documents have since been destroyed pursuant to the records retention policy.  The investigation is assigned to Paul Soucie, who still handles many of the white collar crime for Mason.  Without taking it to the Grand Jury and calling all of the witnesses, Soucie doesn't have much more than O'Malley's accusations.  Prior to taking it to the grand jury, a deal is struck and Soucie is told not to take it to the grand jury.... or at least that is what he is saying now and, with STJ now deceased, there is really no way to contradict him.  Nobody is burying this story.  It is all out there and is rather stale at this point.  A bad exercise of prosecutorial discretion most likely, but a lot of the evidence has since been destroyed, and STJ's can never hold public office again, so a witchhunt 14 years after the fact is a monumental waste of resources.  Prosecutors strike deals all of the time and the butterfly effect is not always a net positive. 

 

So what was the deal?  Was it unethical or potentially illegal political horse trading?  As we've seen, Russo's actions continued on a higher level until the FBI finally got involved.

 

STJ may be gone, but allies and associates remain.

The deal was Russo agreeing to enter a plea of guilty if STJ agreed to reduce the charges and not seek an indictment from the grand jury.  The guy closest to the situation (Soucie) claims ignorance as to the reasons why.  He says he simply did as his boss (STJ) told him.  The late Congresswoman can't answer these accusations.  The only other direct source would be Russo.  I'm sure he would volunteer to talk (again), and will tell you whatever you want to hear, if some time was knocked off his sentence.  Looks like a dead end to me Holmes but happy hunting  

Ironically, all of these politicians are puppets. Their puppetmasters are still out there, pulling new strings. I'll give you a hint of who they are -- they lived in Dimora's neighborhood. There is a PD article from four years ago that ID'd them -- one guy in particular.

Ironically, all of these politicians are puppets. Their puppetmasters are still out there, pulling new strings. I'll give you a hint of who they are -- they lived in Dimora's neighborhood. There is a PD article from several years ago who ID'd them.

 

So Independence is a hotbed of white collar crime?

Ironically, all of these politicians are puppets. Their puppetmasters are still out there, pulling new strings. I'll give you a hint of who they are -- they lived in Dimora's neighborhood. There is a PD article from several years ago who ID'd them.

 

So Independence is a hotbed of white collar crime?

 

I don't think the crimes occurred there, but their players lives there, and in Avon Lake, Mentor, Brecksville, Pepper Pike, Macedonia and a few other places. I'm thinking of the individuals who are involved. I'm not singling out these suburbs because they are some hotbed of organized crime. They aren't.

Ironically, all of these politicians are puppets. Their puppetmasters are still out there, pulling new strings. I'll give you a hint of who they are -- they lived in Dimora's neighborhood. There is a PD article from several years ago who ID'd them.

 

So Independence is a hotbed of white collar crime?

 

I don't think the crimes occurred there, but their players lives there, and in Avon Lake, Mentor, Brecksville, Pepper Pike, Macedonia and a few other places. I'm thinking of the individuals who are involved. I'm not singling out these suburbs because they are some hotbed of organized crime. They aren't.

 

Thats what I mean.  The players are located in these communities.

I think I know the individuals you are eluding to KJP and am having a hard time believing any of them were or still are puppet'masters'.  They may have had some (even significant) involvement in the corruption ring, but I think it is a stretch to infer they were and still are behind some grand scheme of organized white collar crime in the City.  Besides, who exactly are the new and willing puppets?  Fitzgerald?  Mason?  I highly doubt they are that stupid.

 

JMO.... but I think you are underestimating DiMora and overestimating the effectiveness and impact of old style mafia type dealings.

The deal was Russo agreeing to enter a plea of guilty if STJ agreed to reduce the charges and not seek an indictment from the grand jury.  The guy closest to the situation (Soucie) claims ignorance as to the reasons why.  He says he simply did as his boss (STJ) told him.  The late Congresswoman can't answer these accusations.  The only other direct source would be Russo.  I'm sure he would volunteer to talk (again), and will tell you whatever you want to hear, if some time was knocked off his sentence.  Looks like a dead end to me Holmes but happy hunting  

 

Was it STJ who cut the deal, or Bill Mason?  It's pretty widely understood that he was running things at the prosecutor's office long before he got the title.

^Nobody knows and nobody really cares.  Mason is finished.  His influence is shot.  Soucie says he took his direction on this issue from STJ.  There is nothing to refute that.  Plus, Mason and O'Malley were the best of buds..... roommates I believe.  So I am not sure how much I buy into your conspriacy theory when it was O'Malley who was out for Russo's blood in this whole thing.  Give it up, my man.  Move on with your life.  It was an exercise of prosecutorial discretion and a very strong level of immunity attaches no matter how ill-advised the decision was and the consequences that ensued.  Are we going to start locking up prosecuters when the criminals they plea down go out and commit another crime?

I think I know the individuals you are eluding to KJP and am having a hard time believing any of them were or still are puppet'masters'.  They may have had some (even significant) involvement in the corruption ring, but I think it is a stretch to infer they were and still are behind some grand scheme of organized white collar crime in the City.  Besides, who exactly are the new and willing puppets?  Fitzgerald?  Mason?  I highly doubt they are that stupid.

 

JMO.... but I think you are underestimating DiMora and overestimating the effectiveness and impact of old style mafia type dealings.

 

I have written a lot about organized crime in Cleveland and ran a website about it. I have much, much more material than I could ever use in a book. And some of it I will never publish because the information is still current -- that is, the crimes may still be ongoing. I walked away from that life because it was getting too crazy and this was when a close friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer. I'd lost the heart for it.

 

Here's some of what I can tell you.... Some of my sources went to Dimora indirectly for favors such as for getting a license, a court case fixed, or other "service". Sometimes they would to go to judges directly -- and if you want to find corruption that's a good place to look! Sources would go to friends of theirs who would then go to Dimora and tell him what they needed. Dimora would deliver. He wasn't a mobster. He was go-fer. A tool. And he is not the only one, but he was the least afraid of getting caught. You can say he either had balls or was careless. Either way you'd be right.

 

But he's not the only one in town. Many, many politicians have zero moral compass, so when someone comes along flashing money at them, they're only too happy to oblige and not ask questions. I think FitzGerald is clean. He and I had lunch downtown when he learned about my website, as he wanted to learn who were some of the organized crime players here. He recently moved here from Chicago and elected to Lakewood City Council. I've talked with him about other things since, and I feel he's clean. But there are other elected officials who may not be at any and all levels of government.

 

I can tell you a little tidbit that came from a source for the website I once ran and for articles I've written that Dimora was given a "shot across the bow" by people who worked (and still work) for one of Dimora's neighbors. That warning was that they would pay for his legal defense, that he should keep his mouth shut and that if he did he wouldn't have to worry about a thing. Now, for those of us living on the outside of the world that Dimora was living in, what he was told would mean only that his sugar daddies would pay for a top-notch legal defense. But, for those living inside the world Dimora chose to be a part of, he was told to keep his mouth shut about various activities that truly mattered to them, or else his life and possibly those of people he cared about was over.

 

The county is a big government, and so are many municipal, regional, state and federal governments. Even if most of the top elected officials aren't plugged in right now, some surely are. But moreso many of the bureaucrats are in great positions to be corrupted. Stop fighting the last war against crime. Try fighting the next one. If you were in control of others engaged in criminal activities, where would you seek to earn the most money with the least exposure?

 

I can tell that you one of the most brilliant criminal enterprises I was notified about is a workman's comp scam where the mob-run labor union, the mob-owned employer, the mob-owned clinic and some key bureaucrats and elected officials were involved (including the then-governor who was the beneficiary of a lavish fundraiser in Little Italy). Considering who owned the participants, there was no way this was going to get exposed -- except that the corrupt, managing physician was screwed over when the the whole scam was being set up. They forged his name to documents and when he complained, he got a call at dawn from a man he knew had committed some murders. The murderer said something innocent to him like "I haven't heard from you in a long time and I wondered if everything was all right." But when a known murderer calls you out of the blue at 6 a.m., that's when you realize you f*cked up. Even though that was 13 years ago, the last I'd heard, this scam or something similar is still continuing. They were making millions of dollars per year in phony workmen's comp and medicaid claims. And it all looked totally legit from the outside.

 

Or there's other scams, like forcing bars in some cities to accept their vending machines. So why those bars? Because they're run by immigrants or people who are convicted felons yet have liquor licenses listed illegally in the names of their relatives, making them vulnerable to coercion. And why those cities? Probably because the mayor or the police chief is being paid to look the other way. The family who ran that scam were convicted felons and had their Hunting Valley house built by a tough SOB and convicted felon who lived in Macedonia with a private airstrip so he could fly back and forth to his quarries on Kelly's Island. It was the only house I've ever heard of built by this guy. And he was buddies with Dimora's neighbors. They were all seen meeting at various times at the Macedonia man's club in Valley View, with the same people who had offered Dimora legal representation/veiled threats. There are other linkages but I can't cite them from memory right now.

 

And then there's after-hours clubs where gambling and prostitution goes on. Or there bar- or web-based gambling, shylocks, escorts and, of course, drugs, guns and stolen cars. By the way, speaking of stolen cars, one of my sources would receive cars stolen here and drive them to the East Coast to meet with their "colleagues" so they could be sold. Or his attorney would file claims with an airline, dealing only with an employee who was related to another criminal friend of my source, that his suitcase with lots of expensive suits was lost by the airline. So he got paid for the "loss."

 

Another source of mine ran a crew of burglars who only targeted the homes of drug dealers, and why not? The drug dealers couldn't go to the police. They wouldn't even report the crimes to police. And these burglars were bad asses who weren't afraid of anyone. Yet another source worked in a crew where they ran drugs and extorted protection money from immigrant businesses. They paid off cops and politicians to look the other way. This source was trying to set his life straight after his new wife had a kid; he wanted to clear his conscience by telling me things he done. There was one incident in particular. He felt terrible about helping to beat up a Chinese man who owned a shop in Euclid or Wickliffe. One of his crew members used a baseball bat on the Chinese man when he refused to pay protection money. The shop owner's wife was there when he was assaulted, and my source said he never saw so much blood after the shop owner's skull was cracked. These punks were in a crew run by a mobster who answered to another mobster who answered to one of Dimora's neighbors. I'll end by saying that this answering ended with Dimora's neighbor who appeared to run Dimora.

 

Do you believe that Rosemary Vinci died of natural causes? I'd be amazed if Dimora believed it too, and I'm sure that affected his decision to keep quiet. I had interviewed Rosemary a few times after she had called me to defend various nuisance bars or corrupt politicians she was connected with. She had a big mouth and love to tell stories. So did her late father James who was executed in his restaurant, Diamond Jim's. Rosemary told me a few weeks before she died that she just started dating a man from Sicily, but she refused to give me his name. She said he was something special, and bragged that he drove a Mercedes. I wanted to go by her house on Duck Island and run his car's license plate number, but I never did. To show you how one's mind works from being around some of these characters for a while, you start to question otherwise innocent things. Perhaps this man was simply Rosemary's last great love? Or perhaps something else was at work?

 

I developed a paranoid way of thinking during my years of research into organized crime, always questioning what might otherwise seem innocent. But that's not why I highly doubt that the characters who ran things while Dimora and Russo were in office will suddenly behave themselves now that Dimora and Russo have decided to keep their mouths shut and go off to prison quietly. They won't behave themselves because they don't know how to earn an honest living, they believe in their view of "pure capitalism" and they get a thrill from living the way they do.

 

But many in that world remember that Cleveland's Underboss Angelo Lonardo, one of the most respected mafioso in the U.S. in the early 80s, went quietly to prison on a 100-year sentence. After a few years in prison, he decided he didn't want to die there and became a top echelon FBI informant, bringing down wiseguys nationwide. Dimora's neighbors remember their history. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a prison fight and one or both of them were killed. I know my history too, as Clevelander Alfred Calabrese was killed in prison in  1999 by a fellow Clevelander incarcerated in the Atlanta federal pen. Some of Allie's friends suspected that then-boss Joe Iacobacci had Allie killed for some past offenses.

 

Just remember, organized crime has only gotten stronger, more global and more ethnically diverse. As long as there is money to be made, it will never go away. It just takes new forms, and we haven't imagined those new forms it will take or has already taken in Cleveland yet. We will find out, probably after the fact. Always keep your eyes open for it. You may find it in the darndest of places.

That was enlightening KJP. I wish you could've written your book, but it's probably better that you didn't.

 

Echoes of NJ. Growing up it was commonplace to have friends whose parents were under indictment - usually for embezzlement and the like. People who otherwise seemed so normal.

 

Oh, and it was funny that no matter what restaurant you went to, half of your plate was always stuffed with a huge, inedible hunk of parsley. If you had a restaurant, you HAD to buy and serve parsley.

KJP, some time we can have an offline discussion about the brief period of time I was involved there. I'd love to get your more knowledgeable take on how small or big the fish were in the sea I was swimming in.

KJP, some time we can have an offline discussion about the brief period of time I was involved there. I'd love to get your more knowledgeable take on how small or big the fish were in the sea I was swimming in.

 

Deal.

I'd agree that organized crime has evolved.  I just don't believe that, at least here in Cleveland, it has any level of centralized control like it used to.... even though there may be groups of people who want to give off the appearance that they still carry that weight (cough, cough.... Rattlesnake).

 

Interesting theory about DiMora being approached when the heat came down on him but it has some flaws.  It was not to long ago that we saw DiMora asking for his defense to be funded by the State and he is in fact being sued for unpaid fees (close to $80,000) for services rendered by his first attorney...... and took out another mortgage on his home to pay his trial attorneys.  Also, the lawyer he hired for trial, while respected and putting aside that horrible blunder he made in closing which will haunt him for the rest of his career, is not what I would consider "top-notch"

I'd agree that organized crime has evolved.  I just don't believe that, at least here in Cleveland, it has any level of centralized control like it used to.... even though there may be groups of people who want to give off the appearance that they still carry that weight (cough, cough.... Rattlesnake).

 

No question about it.

 

Interesting theory about DiMora being approached when the heat came down on him but it has some flaws. 

 

Theory? That suggests I thought of it. Sorry, but I don't package my thoughts in the words of others. I was told it by people close to Dimora and people close to those who "advised" Dimora. Whether those who advised Dimora actually followed through on their promises is another matter. And considering the Cleveland mob's penchant for being cheap, it wouldn't surprise me. The reason why they've had so many turncoats over the past 35 years is that that would rather kill people than pay them.