State of the Mafia in New England

BOSTON - Organized crime in New England has been reorganized and it's a major development for anybody living in and around Boston.

After a long reign, the Providence-based boss of the New England Mafia is out, replaced by a veteran gangster here in Boston.

Fox Undercover was in East Boston Tuesday night when a high-level Mob meeting was taking place inside Carmen's Kitchen. In attendance were the men who now run the Mafia for all of New England.

Seated at a table in the back of the restaurant was the new boss, Peter Limone, a veteran Boston gangster. To his right was Bobby DeLuca, up from Providence. He is the new underboss.

Also at the table was Anthony DiNunzio, a Mafia captain, or Capo Regime, and a key member of Limone's inner circle.

The mobsters gathered at Carmen's kitchen after attending a wake for the mother of another Mafia captain held just around the corner from the restaurant.

The meeting, captured on video by Fox Undercover, is visual evidence of the new order in the New England Mob.

For the last five years, Carmen "The Cheeseman" DiNunzio was the face of the Mafia in Boston, He rose through the ranks to become the underboss, the number two man in New England, in 2004, the same year he was thrust into the public eye by Fox Undercover.

It turned out DiNunzio was also under the close eye of law enforcement. First he was arrested by the State Police and charged with illegal gambling and extortion. Then he was indicted by the federal government, accused of bribing an undercover FBI agent to win a multi-million dollar Big Dig contract.

DiNunzio pleaded guilty to the state and federal charges and was shipped off to federal prison last month to serve a six year sentence.

While he was the underboss, DiNunzio could frequently be found at his shop, Fresh Cheese, on Endicott Street in the North End. That business is now shuddered and the Cheeseman is out of business as Boston's top mobster.

But DiNunzio's departure is just one of the latest developments as the leadership of the local Mob undergoes major changes.

"There's been a transition period that's occurred... transitioning to another regime, so to speak," said State Police Lieutenant Steve Johnson, a veteran organized crime investigator. He confirmed the center of power in the New England Mafia is moving north, from Rhode Island to Massachusetts.

For the last 60 years -- except for a brief period from 1991 to 1995, when Boston-area gangster Francis P. "Cadillac Frank" Salemme ran the show -- the Mob in New England has been run out of Providence, Rhode Island. More specifically, it has been headquarted on Atwells Avenue in the Federal Hill section of Providence.

But now the man in charge of the New England Mafia is here in Boston.

"It appears the transition's been very low key and non-violent and it seems to have worked out that way," said Johnson. "I think that they realize that violent efforts that previous bosses or underbosses may have had just draws more attention, law enforcement attention, and consequently it's just good for business."

The previous New England boss, Luigi "Baby Shanks" Manocchio of Providence has reportedly retired after nearly 15 years in charge. Law enforcement sources told Fox Undercover Manocchio has been replaced by Peter Limone.

Limone's career in the Mob dates back decades. He was sent to prison for life for a murder in the 1960's. After spending 33 years locked up, Limone was let out in 2001 after long-hidden evidence revealed he and three other men were set up to take the fall for the real killers -- all with the knowledge of the FBI. Two years ago, Limone and the other men won a record $101 million judgment against the federal government.

But in January, Fox Undercover reported that Limone had returned to his old ways and quietly replaced his friend, Carmen DiNunzio, as the Mafia underboss in Boston.

Down in Rhode Island, with "Baby Shanks" Manocchio stepping aside, Robert "Bobby" DeLuca, also a veteran New England gangster, is now in charge.

In the new Mob hierarchy, DeLuce serves as underboss, reporting directly to Limone in Boston.

How long the Mafia's reshuffled leadership team will last is unclear. Limone, out on bail since December, still has to deal with illegal gaming, extortion and loan sharking charges. If Limone is convicted and goes back to prison, he's be out of a job, and law enforcement sources say Anthony DiNunzio would likely take over as boss.

According to Johnson, that's an occupational hazard for whoever holds New England's top Mafia job.