Back In The Day, This Connecticut Town Was A Mafia Mecca
When you think of the Mafia, Connecticut probably isn’t the first place that comes to mind. Nowadays, we have very low rates of both property crimes and violent crimes — we’re typically listed among the safest states in the country, in fact! But believe it or not, half a century ago, New Haven, Connecticut, was a haven for the New England branches of the Mafia.
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This bootlegging industry would later grow into the American Mafia. The American Mafia is organized into families that each have their own territory. Much of Connecticut's criminal activity fell under the control of the New York-based Genovese family.
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Annunziato resided in Connecticut because his presence drew relatively little attention there. He committed many crimes, including murder, and was regularly in and out of jail.
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It was a surprise to no one when Mele was shot and killed in New Haven in 1951. Annunziato was a suspect in the murder, but nothing was ever proven. It was thought that he killed Mele to enter the Genovese family and gain Mele's territory.
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Mobsters like Annunziato frequently owned construction companies. With connections in government, it was easy to make money by getting lucrative contracts. However, as new officials were elected, things began to change. Gradually, the Mafia fell out of power in New Haven. Annunziato went missing and other powerful mobsters were imprisoned or murdered.
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Legendary crime boss John Gotti went on trial in New York in 1992. Jurors heard about how his racketeering and gambling activities stretched all the way to Connecticut.
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Were you aware of the Mafia history in Connecticut? What other aspects of Connecticut history would you like to see articles about? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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