Lenny was blessed with a very large and loving family. Altshuler, Turnage and Riddle, all of Youngstown, were sentenced to life in prison with no parole on the convictions of racketeering, conspiracy to racketeering and illegal gambling. Born in Glen Ellyn June 17, 1945, to parents William and Isabel Avery, she got the nickname Midge at an early age and went on to be a life-long Glen Ellyn resident. [12] Monastero, controlled a large organization of bootlegging supplies throughout several warehouses on the North side of Pittsburgh. Through family I considered him a strong role model. Authorities allowed him to return to his Canfield mansion, which he was permitted to keep, along with his "ill-gotten gains," said de Souza. Www. [1][3][11], In 1956, Sebastian "Big John" LaRocca became the boss of the Pittsburgh family and reigned as boss for nearly thirty years. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Lenine Lenny Strollo, please visit ourfloral store. Rossi & Santucci Funeral Home confirmed Strollo's death to Mahoning Matters. Sorry for your loss. Gains, who was badly wounded, remains county prosecutor. Besides his parents, Lenny was preceded in death by his daughter, Gale Rudolphi; two sisters, Alvina Palermo and Edina Strollo and his two brothers, Dante and Dominic. Lenny Strollo obituary is not public at the time, we will share more as we learn about the obituary and possibly the funeral. [3] LaRocca's influence also grew through close ties to Gambino crime family boss Carlo Gambino, Bufalino crime family boss Russell Bufalino, Philadelphia crime family boss Angelo Bruno and Kansas City crime family boss Nick Civella. [1][3], Michael Genovese became the new boss of the Pittsburgh crime family, with the death of LaRocca. "I think the prosecutors very effectively used the threat of very long prison sentences against each other. In the Mahoning Valley of the 1960s and 70s, I suspect someone in his position would not have lived to take the witness stand. CLEVELAND -- Mahoning County Prosecutor Paul J. Gains' victim-impact statement likely helped shorten former mob boss Lenny Strollo's prison term. ", Commowealth Pennsylvania v. Robert Iannelli, "The "I" Of The Storm: Steel Town Mobster "Bobby I" Busted For Sports Book", "13 suspects in gamling ring appear in North Huntingdon court", "Pennsylvania Reputed Gambling Ring Leader and Son Plead Guilty, to Pay $300K Fine", "The Leader of the Gambling Business of Pennsylvania Pleaded Guilty! In 1996, Gains was running for his first term in office against incumbent prosecutor Philomena, who ultimately admitted to accepting mob bribes to fix criminal cases in their favor. Lenny was born April 21, 1931 in Youngstown, the son of the late Dominic and Antoinette (Cavallo) Strollo and was a lifelong area resident. Its believed he spent his remaining years living in Canfield. Watch the Scribbler podcasts about Strollo and the a. Prosecutors claimed Strollos three employees arranged the 1996 killing of Biondillo and the woundings of Gains days before he took office and former Prosecutor Gary Van Brocklin. [1] Amato ruled until 1956, when he became ill of a kidney ailment and resigned becoming underboss. BOARDMAN One-time Valley mob boss Lenine "Lenny" Strollo, 90, the former organized crime boss who cooperated with the FBI and provided testimony on several Youngstown-area . [13][3][15] LaRocca was born in 1901 in Sicily and moved to the United States in 1910, he later moved in 1933 with his wife to Pittsburgh. The business later expanded to include vending machines and gambling. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP) A former mob boss whose criminal enterprise helped earn Youngstown the name "Crimetown U.S.A" before turning federal witness has died at age 90. At the time, the city was big enough that betting rackets were lucrative, but small enough that they could be kept safe from law enforcement, prosecutors said. Strollo then became the boss of the Mahoning Valley operation: bookmaking, poker machines, narcotics trafficking and vending machines aided by his brother Dante. I believe Lenny Strollo orchestrated the settlement of that case from top to bottom, Milano said. Devoted daughter of late Edward and Nora Wille. Uncle of Mark Carol Ruth Petersen nee: Wille. [7], On July 8, 2021, Pittsburgh family boss Thomas "Sonny" Ciancutti died. Lisa Abraham, former Tribune Chronicle reporter, spent weeks in Cleveland covering the federal trial of Altshuler, Turnage and Riddle, where Strollo was the star witness. She is survived by her son Robert (Joan), grandchildren Jillian and Jason, and Helen Holmgren age 99 of Glen Ellyn, IL passed away February 19, 2023. Lenny Strollo spent 13 years behind bars and was convicted of ordering the shooting of then Mahoning County Prosecutor elect Paul Gains. [1][3][5][11], Vincenzo Capizzi became the new boss after Bazzano's murder, but he eventually resigned in 1937,[3] and was replaced by Frank Amato. Strollo was a former Pittsburgh mobster "who ran the Youngstown rackets," according to Cleveland Scene. May 19, 2021 2:55 PM YOUNGSTOWN Lenine "Lenny" Strollo, the former organized crime boss indicted in the 1990s on federal and state racketeering charges, has died at age 90. The family would like to thank them for their sympathetic professionalism throughout this difficult time. From that perspective, it felt very historic, very end of an era,' she said. A wide-ranging FBI investigation in the 1990s led to the prosecution of dozens of Strollo associates, attorneys and public officials. De Souza is a former Vindicator columnist who for years followed the local trail of public corruption that started with people like Strollo and led all the way to the U.S. Capitol. In 1990, Strollo pleaded guilty to running the largest illegal casino in the country the city of Campbell's All-American Club according to the FBI. Rossi & Santucci Funeral Home in Boardman on Wednesday confirmed Strollo's death to Mahoning Matters. Not only was Strollos enterprise responsible for the death of Strollo rival Ernie Biondillo but also for the conspiracy to murder Gains before he took office, federal documents stated. [20] His reputation and power had increased over the years allowing him to be successfully accepted as the family's new boss. Strollo said he grew in power until he was made head of the Youngstown family after the death of boss Naples. His arrangements are being handled by Rossi and Santucci Funeral Home, which confirmed his death and said details are pending. Sister of late Grace Biarnesen &Dorothy Lilja. Strollo began his criminal career with the Pittsburgh crime family. Tony fought a long, hard battle on dialysis. Jim was devoted to family and friends through thick and thin. His arrangements are being handled by Rossi and Santucci Funeral Home, which confirmed his death and said details are pending. It was part of the business, Strollo replied. Strollos lawyer, Herbert Greenman of Buffalo, N.Y., in explaining why Strollo pleaded guilty rather than letting a jury decide his fate at trial, said: They made us an offer we couldnt refuse.. " Gordon Flowerdew VC, Canadian Expeditionary Force officer (31 March 1918), mortally wounded at the Battle of Moreuil Wood in World War I "But we coped with . [6] In 2021, the boss Thomas "Sonny" Ciancutti died, he was also the last known made member of the family. He was released in 2012. When Gains was first elected, Gains was shot several times but survived. God bless you all.Vinnie Mantegna. Abraham, who works as a senior writer for Kent State University, recalls thinking at the time how organized crime in the Valley had changed so dramatically and that was a good thing. In addition to her husband, she is survived Mary Anderson, 77, passed away peacefully on January 27, 2023, at Atria Park of Glen Ellyn where she had been in residence for four years. On Dec. 23, 1996, Gains, having defeated Philomena the month prior to become prosecutor-elect, was ambushed by a gunman in the kitchen of his Boardman home. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. ''Notorious Youngstown mob boss Lenny. Lenny was blessed with a very large and loving family. [20] Genovese had spent years closely working with then Boss Sebastian John LaRocca, powerful Pittsburgh mobsters Gabriel "Kelly" Mannarino and Joseph Pecora. Loving fianc of Lisa Sobala. Youngstown and those who called it home struggled under the weight of the town's reputation for crime and corruption. We stand ready to assist you. : Pittsburgh Mob Power Goes Under The Microscope Amid Another Gambling Pinch", "9 Suspects in Southwestern Pa. Gambling Ring Waive Hearings, Head to Trail", "Iannelli gambling organization cracked; arrests today. He had just celebrated his 90 birthday with family and friends a few weeks before. A wide-ranging FBI investigation in the 1990s led to the prosecution of dozens of Strollo associates, attorneys and public officials. [16] When the Police raided the Apalachin meeting LaRocca was able to escape the federal authorities but Mannarino and Genovese were unsuccessful and were arrested. His cooperation in public corruption investigations brought down two Mahoning County judges, as well as former sheriff Phil Chance, former prosecutor James Philomena who admitted to taking mob bribes to fix criminal cases and even the Valley's former congressman, James Traficant. Special uncle and godfather of Jordan & Aaron Hovde; and niece Michael Aaron (Mike) Hovde age 39 passed unexpectedly at home on February 4th , 2023. On September 24, 1919, Pittsburgh Mafia boss Gregorio Conti was shot and murdered. He was shot dead in 1991, allowing Strollo to rise. Gains, who was on the receiving end of one of the mobsters more famous attempted hits. [12] Siragusa emigrated in 1910 from Sicily to Brooklyn and later to Pittsburgh, where he manufactured and traded in illegal alcohol in Allegheny County. Rossi & Santucci Funeral Home in Boardman on Wednesday confirmed Strollo's death to Mahoning Matters. Large illegal drug trafficking network Santucci Funeral Home, which confirmed his death said. 18 places to try pure maple syrup, sugar, candy, coffee and more or less controlled the and... Justice for sale in the Pittsburgh area have good memories of Lenny when I at! Coffee and more or less controlled the area and did whatever you wanted to do, he said the. 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