A New York mobster, Ralph DiMatteo, 68, was recently sentenced to three years in prison after a topless photo led to his capture by the police. His son, Angelo, posted the photo, which featured DiMatteo wearing a gold cross around his neck and had the rat emoji in the caption. The photo inadvertently helped the police determine DiMatteo’s location, leading to his arrest.
DiMatteo, a member of the Colombo crime family, has pleaded guilty to charges involving extortion and money laundering. He was unapologetic about the photo that led to his arrest, stating that it was a “great picture”. In court, his lawyer describes him as “old school” and urged the judge to be lenient in his sentencing. However, prosecutors insist that being a member of the Colombo family is a lifetime obligation and that “ageing out” is not an option.
The Colombo crime family, one of the five families that have dominated criminal activities in New York, has seen several of its members face legal troubles in recent years. Despite this, former New York Mafia prince Michael Franzese believes that the new breed of gangsters could be even more dangerous due to their secretive nature. He emphasizes that predictability makes them a significant threat.
Overall, the New York mafia has been weakened in recent years due to multiple arrests, internal conflict, and competition from other criminal groups. Yet, the potential danger of the new, silent breed of gangsters should not be underestimated.