Michael Rizzitello

Michael Anthony Rizzitello (March 29, 1927 – October 26, 2005), also known as "Mike Rizzi", was a high ranking Italian American mobster in the Los Angeles crime family.

Rizzitello was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on March 29, 1927.

He later moved to New York City and as an adult became associated with organized crime.

Rizzitello's criminal record stretched back to 1947.

He was also featured in several biography novels by mobsters-turned-informants Jimmy Fratianno (The Last Mafioso and Vengeance Is Mine), Anthony Fiato (The Animal in Hollywood), and Kenny Gallo (Breakshot).

He worked for "Crazy Joe" Gallo in the 1950s who was a member of the Profaci crime family (later named the Colombo crime family).

When Gallo attempted to take over the Profaci crime family, Rizzitello was one of his key gunmen.

Soon in 1956, Mike Rizzitello moved to California.

In California, Rizzitello first became affiliated with the Los Angeles crime family working as a debt collector and extortionist for Salvatore "Dago Louie" Piscopo along with a friend of his named Louie "Lefty" Castiglione.

He was also mentored by Joseph Sica; an associate of Piscopo.

Rizzitello allegedly participated in the murder of mobster John Guariglia and Paul Ricci at the HiFi Lounge in Brooklyn on November 11, 1961, along with future LA mob soldier Tommy Ricciardi.

In 1962, Rizzitello was arrested by the LAPD for a string of armed robberies of restaurants and businesses in the Hollywood area, and after conviction he served nine years in prison.

In 1970.

Rizzitello met inmate William Carroll in prison at Chino prison.

The two men became quick friends.

In the mid 80's Carroll would become the manager of the Mustang Club, a well known exotic dance club in Santa Ana that Rizzitello received "protection" money from.

Carroll later testified in court the protection amount was $5,000 per week.

Allegedly, he became associated with Joe "Pegleg" Morgan and Rodolfo Cadena, two members of the Mexican Mafia while in prison.

During his time in Los Angeles, Rizzitello also became associated with the Los Angeles crime family.

He became involved in illegal gambling, loan sharking, mail fraud, insurance fraud, and extortion.

After working extensively with the L.A. Mob, On June 6, 1976, Louie Piscopo allegedly sponsored Rizzitello to become a made man.

Attending the ceremony were, consigliere Frank Bompensiero, acting boss Aladena "Jimmy the Weasel" Fratianno and co-acting boss Louis Tom Dragna.

Later in 1976, he was arrested and convicted of insurance fraud and was subsequently arrested and acquitted of strong-arming an acquaintance over a gambling debt.

In 1977, he was arrested in a mail-billing scheme and convicted.

He was sentenced to three years for the two convictions.

Rizzitello quickly moved up in the L.A. family and was promoted to caporegime by acting boss Jimmy Fratianno a year later, in 1977.

In 1977, Rizzitello was charged with extortion and filing a false insurance claim.

Rizzitello pleaded no contest on May 2, 1977 to one count of insurance fraud.

A second grand theft charge was dismissed.

On May 22, 1977 he was sentenced to serve 2 to 3 years in state prison, but was allowed to remain free after a $20,000 bond was secured.

Rizzitello had quickly become well respected, and was a large cash earner for the L.A. family.

In 1977, the Chicago Outfit sent Rizzitello to pressure casino owner Moe Dalitz into giving the Outfit $1,000,000.

However, the FBI was tipped off by new informant Jimmy Fratianno, and they intervened in the extortion incident.

In 1978 mob boss Dominic Brooklier had tried to get Rizzitello to set up the murder of Jimmy Fratianno.

Fratianno later turned state's evidence and testified against many of his fellow mobsters.

Rizzitello was later put on trial for conspiring with Fratianno to attempt to kill a government witness for Pennsylvania crime boss Russell Bufalino, but was acquitted.

In November 1980, Rizzitello was convicted of racketeering and extortion, and sentenced two months later to five years in prison.

He was released from prison in 1986, he was put on trial again on charges that he and others tried to defraud a Montana firm in a fraudulent transfer of stock.

He was acquitted.

In 1987, he was put on trial again; this time charged with trying to market $1 million in stolen bonds.