The Velentzas Organization, also known as the Velentzas crime family, or the Greek crew is a Greek-American criminal organization operating in the New York City area.[1] During the 1980s and into the early 1990s, the Greek organization controlled a number of illegal gambling operations in and around the New York City area. After the organization's leader, Spyredon "Spiro the Greek" Velentzas was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison in 1992. The organization gradually declined in power.
| Founded by | Peter "Pete the Greek" Kourakos [1] |
|---|---|
| Named after | Spyredon "Spiro the Greek" Velentzas [1] |
| Founding location | New York City |
| Years active | 1950s–present |
| Territory | Astoria, Queens and New York City |
| Ethnicity | Greeks as "made members", other ethnicities, mainly Italians and Albanians as associates |
| Membership (est.) | 30[2] (1992) |
| Leader(s) | Spyredon Velentzas, Peter Kourakos, Fotios Dimopoulos |
| Criminal activities | Racketeering, loansharking, extortion, and gambling |
| Allies | Lucchese crime family, Philadelphia Greek Mob |
| Rivals | Rudaj Organization, Gambino crime family |
Spiro the Greek
editThe group originated from the Kourakos clan, a Greek criminal organization led by Maniot Greek Peter Kourakos.
In the 1980s, under the leadership of Spyredon "Spiro" Velentzas (also known as Spyridon), the organization rose to prominence controlling a number of illegal gambling operations in the New York City area. The organization operated from the Greek-American neighborhood of Astoria, Queens. In the late 1980s, the group grew to over 30 members and had gained more territory in Queens and Brooklyn by taking over more illegal gambling rackets, dice games and horse-racing parlors.[2]
Velentzas maintained a close working relationship with Lucchese crime family's Consigliere Christopher "Christie Tick" Furnari.[2][3] The Lucchese family provided protection to the Greeks, and received a portion of their gambling profits.[4][5][6] Velentzas and his Greek crew attempted to expand their illegal gambling rackets further, but were met with resistance by the Gambino crime family. The FBI caught on wiretaps Gambino family boss John Gotti threatening to have Spiro killed for moving into the gambling territory controlled by the Gambino family.[3]
Velentzas imprisonment
editOn June 20, 1992, Velentzas was found guilty of murder, loan sharking, gambling, and tax fraud charges, while being found not guilty on one murder charge.[2][7] Velentzas was later found guilty, for the murder of Sarecho "Sammy the Arab" Nalo and was sentenced to life in prison.[1] Former Lucchese family capo Peter "Fat Pete" Chiodo, who became a government informant, admitted that he gave the Sarecho Nalo murder contract to Lucchese soldiers Michael "Baldy Mike" Spinelli and Richie "The Piece" Pagliarulo.[3] Nalo was murdered on October 25, 1988, while on the phone with Velentzas disputing gambling territory when Michael Spinelli shot him.[3]
In June 2022, the 86-year old Velentzas, still serving life in prison, filed a motion for a compassionate release due to health conditions.[3] As of September 15, 2023, Velentzas was serving his life sentence at FCC Allenwood.[8]
Two other members of the Velentzas family, Peter Drakoulis and Michael Grillo, were found guilty on several charges. Velentzas' own brother, Dimitrios, was acquitted of his only charge, gambling.
Velentzas died in prison of natural causes on May 4, 2024, aged 88.[9][10]
Against the Rudaj Organization
editBy the late 1990s, Fotios Dimopoulos began leading the Greek crew and controlled 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 spoke Greek in order to take control of gambling rackets in Astoria, Queens.[4][11] The Rudaj organization was based in the Bronx and Westchester and supported by the Gambino family.[11]
On August 3, 2001, Rudaj organization member Ljusa Nuculovic and five others attacked Dimopoulos's associate Antonios Balampanis who was running a gambling club known as Soccer Fever.[11] The members of the Rudaj organization entered the Soccer Fever attacking a Greek associate of the Lucchese family and beating Balampanis with a pistol.[11] The attack from the Rudaj organization was retaliation after a Greek member of the Velentzas family and Lucchese associate named Tony had reportedly broken some of their gambling machines.[11] Following the attacks, the Rudaj Organization took control of the Greek dice game barbout.[11] In 2004, the leaders of the Rudaj Organization including Nuculovic were imprisoned on numerous racketeering charges.[11]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Jerry Capeci. Jerry Capeci's Gang Land. (pg.170-172) The Man Gotti Never Got. October 12, 1994. [1]
- ^ a b c d Man Tied to Mafia Guilty on 10 Counts, The New York Times, June 20, 1992. Accessed July 2, 2008.
- ^ a b c d e Burnstein, Scott (10 June 2022). "The Sammy The Arab Murder: NYC Greek Godfather Ordered Hit On Lucchese Mob Associate……Or Did He?". Gangster Report. News Paper. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ a b Hartocollis, Anemona (20 December 2005). "Albanian Gang Portrayed as Aspiring Mafiosi". New York Times. News Paper. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ Carl Campanile. Albania 'Mafia' Broken. October 27, 2004. New York Post. [2]
- ^ Kareem Fahim and Alan Feuer. Beating Them at Their Own Game; Albanian Groups Are Muscling Into Mob Land, Officials Say. January 3, 2006. The New York Times. [3]
- ^ Lubasch, Arnold H. Mob Murder Is Recounted By Organizer, The New York Times, May 22, 1992. Accessed July 2, 2008.
- ^ "Spyredon Velentzas". Federal Bureau of Prison. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ Saying Goodbye To “Spiro The Greek”: Astoria, Queens Mourns Death Of Imprisoned Crime Lord, Lucchese Mob Affiliate Scott Burnstein, GangsterReport.com (May 7, 2024)
- ^ Nick Christophers; Ed Scarpo (18 May 2024). "Last Of The Greek Crime Dons Of The US Passes Away". Cosa Nostra News. News. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h United States District Court, S.D. New York. "U.S. vs Nuculovic S3 04 Cr. 1110 (DLC)". Casetext. Retrieved 12 June 2022.