Cheat Sheet 9, FBI Files: Patriarca, Gov. Notte, Mayor Curley and So Much More

Name: Go Local Prov
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Monday, October 05, 2015

GoLocalProv News Team

Each week accompanying the segments of the FBI files on Raymond Patriarca and expert analysis on the documents released, GoLocal provides a “cheat sheet” of some of the key elements from the documents.

Make no mistake about it, the files are layered with information about a time where the scope and reach of the Patriarca crime family permeated nearly every aspect of life in New England.

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Page 2 FBI Follows Patriarca's Interests to Connecticut

Patriarca’s reach extends to Connecticut as the FBI tracks his involvement with a number of interests. The most important of these interests tracked by the FBI through informants was All State Vendors - a company that Patriarca had “invested in.”

Page 7 The Connection Between Boston Mayor Curley and Patriarca

In 1961, the FBI interviewed Frank Farrara, an inmate at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary in Kansas. Farrara was a former staff member to Boston Mayor Michael Curley. The infamous Boston Mayor did not one, but two stints in prison.

Farrara in the late 1950’s ran Sports Day Weekly - a weekly sports newspaper which included the “hot” horse tips on races.

The publication was distributed throughout New England and including RI and MA. Farrara had served in prison with Patriarca in the late 1930’s. Farrara told the FBI his business was not tied to the Patriarca crime family, but he was serving time for possession of stolen bonds — bonds that had been stolen by another Patriarca associate.

Page 11 How Much Did a Bookmaker Gross in 1961?

According to information provided by Cranston Police to the FBI, one bookie, Joseph Alia, was booking “about $3,000 per day.” That equates to about $24,000 a day in 2015 dollars or about $8.7 million annually.

Page 13 Patriarca’s National Reputation

One informant tells the FBI that after Patriarca appeared before the Select Committee on Improper Activities, it raised Patriarca’s reputation — he was a “big man” in the underworld.

Page 20 Col. Stone Tried to Remove Bookie’s Phones, But PUC Says "No"

Colonel Walter Stone raided one alleged bookie tied to the Patriarca family - the publisher of Hill House Publishing and News Company. Despite Colonel Stone’s attempt to remove the phones, the Public Utilities Commission ordered the phones be restored.

Page 222 RI State Police “Unable to Find Any Evidence That Links Patriarca to Any Illegal Activity”

An FBI memo raised questions about the State Police during Colonel Stone’s absence. In 1960, John Notte became Governor and when Notte assumed office he fired Colonel Walter Stone as Superintendent of the State Police.

In the early 1960s, the FBI planted a bug in "The Office" and, over three years, agents recorded hundreds of conversations between Patriarca and other mobsters. Some of the most damaging recordings involved a $25,000 bribe paid to the late Gov. John A. Notte Jr.

During the period of Stone’s absence from the State Police, the head of the Detective Division of the Rhode Island State Police told the FBI the investigation was conducted and he was "unable to obtain any shred of evidence that would link PATRIARCA with the bookies, gambling element, ore rackets in the State of Rhode Island and he was unable to obtain any type of evidence against Patriarca to show he was involved in any illegal activity, either on a Local, State or Federal level.”

The state police further reported to the FBI that “he further advised that his department has often received rumors that PATRIARCA controlled gambling in this area, but he was unable to locate anyone who would verify that fact or was in a position to know this.”

Page 294 Feds Gear Up for Grand Jury on Patriarca

According to FBI documents, the Bureau was looking to subpoena the following individuals before a Federal Grand jury (read the following overview in the papers):

Joseph Alia c/o Korner Spa, 115 Knight Street in Providence and known as Patriarca’s “errand boy.”

Gennero Anguilo, lead of the Boston Mob and associated with Patriarca. Of course, Anguilo is tied to the rein of Whitey Bulger and his connection to the FBI in Boston.

Salvatore Cufari, number 1 gambling boss in Springfield, MA.

Helen De Santis, the “paramour” of David Frank “Danna” Ricci.

Attorney Saul Friedman, the lawyer who handles many of Patriarca’s business matters,