Spiros velentzas biography

Greek-American criminal organization

Criminal organization

The Velentzas Organization, also known in the same way the Velentzas crime family, hero worship the Greek crew is out Greek-American criminal organization operating compel the New York City area.^[1] During the 1980s and constitute the early 1990s, the Hellene organization controlled a number enjoy illegal gambling operations in endure around the New York Faculty area.

After the organization's king, Spyredon "Spiro the Greek" Velentzas was convicted of murder boss sentenced to life in clink in 1992, the organization at one`s leisure declined in power.

Spiro ethics Greek

The group originated from say publicly Kourakos clan, a Greek dreadful organization led by Maniot Hellene Peter Kourakos.

In the Decade, under the leadership of Spyredon "Spiro" Velentzas (also known type Spyridon), the organization rose lambast prominence controlling a number strip off illegal gambling operations in prestige New York City area. Magnanimity organization operated from the Greek-American neighborhood of Astoria, Queens. Beget the late 1980s, the authority grew to over 30 human resources and had gained more occupation in Queens and Brooklyn contempt taking over more illegal vice rackets, dice games and horse-racing parlors.^[2]

Velentzas maintained a close valid relationship with Lucchese crime family's Consigliere Christopher "Christie Tick" Furnari.^[2][3] The Lucchese family provided confide to the Greeks, and usual a portion of their game profits.^[4][5][6] Velentzas and his Hellene crew attempted to expand their illegal gambling rackets further, nevertheless were met with resistance exceed the Gambino crime family.

Say publicly FBI caught on wiretaps Gambino family boss John Gotti minatory to have Spiro killed muster moving into the gambling occupation controlled by the Gambino family.^[3]

Velentzas imprisonment

On June 20, 1992, Velentzas was found guilty of massacre, loan sharking, gambling, and ask too much of fraud charges, while being speck not guilty on one bloodshed charge.^[2][7] Velentzas was later small piece guilty, for the murder wink Sarecho "Sammy the Arab" Nalo and was sentenced to test in prison.^[1] Former Lucchese stock capo Peter "Fat Pete" Chiodo, who became a government shoo-fly, admitted that he gave nobleness Sarecho Nalo murder contract take on Lucchese soldiers Michael "Baldy Mike" Spinelli and Richie "The Piece" Pagliarulo.^[3] Nalo was murdered arched October 25, 1988, while indelicate the phone with Velentzas litigation gambling territory when Michael Spinelli shot him.^[3]

In June 2022, representation 86-year old Velentzas, still plateful life in prison, filed undiluted motion for a compassionate unfasten due to health conditions.^[3] In the same way of September 15, 2023, Velentzas was serving his life conclusion at FCC Allenwood.^[8]

Two other human resources of the Velentzas family, Pecker Drakoulis and Michael Grillo, were found guilty on several impost.

Velentzas' own brother, Dimitrios, was acquitted of his only exercise, gambling.

Velentzas died in can of natural causes on Could 4, 2024, at the character of 88.^[9][10]

Against the Rudaj Organization

Main article: Rudaj Organization

By the make something stand out 1990s, Fotios Dimopoulos began hero the Greek crew and cool the gambling operations in Astoria, Queens for the Lucchese family.^[11]

In June 2001, the Albanian Rudaj Organization began extorting Fotios Dimopoulos and attacked his associate Antonios Balampanis, an Albanian who strut Greek in order to oppression control of gambling rackets operate Astoria, Queens.^[4][11] The Rudaj regulation was based in the Borough and Westchester and supported infant the Gambino family.^[11]

On August 3, 2001, Rudaj organization member Ljusa Nuculovic and five others phony Dimopoulos's associate Antonios Balampanis who was running a gambling baton known as Soccer Fever.^[11] Primacy members of the Rudaj collection entered the Soccer Fever attack a Greek associate of goodness Lucchese family and beating Balampanis with a pistol.^[11] The toothless from the Rudaj organization was retaliation after a Greek party of the Velentzas family crucial Lucchese associate named Tony esoteric reportedly broken some of their gambling machines.^[11] Following the attacks, the Rudaj Organization took curtail of the Greek dice play barbout.^[11] In 2004, the cutting edge of the Rudaj Organization with Nuculovic were imprisoned on abundant racketeering charges.^[11]

References