Lenny was born April 21, 1931 in Youngstown, the son of the late Dominic and Antoinette (Cavallo) Strollo and was a lifelong area resident. Gains' victim-impact statement likely helped shorten former mob boss Lenny Strollo's prison term. cemeteries found in Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Another key figure working at the club was Ernie Biondillo, a close friend of Naples. "It was a tough time for me. He fared less well in tax court, though. Feeling outgunned, Strollo turned to Jimmy Prato, a Pittsburgh mobster who owned a bar just outside of Youngstown. You are unauthorized to view this page. "I thought, I'm gonna die," Gains recalls. Dee was a graduate of East High School and a member of St. Charles Borromeo Church. . There was a time when the industrial corridor stretching from Cleveland through Youngstown to Pittsburgh produced more steel than most European nations. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. "There was a tremendous amount of hard work that went into this case, but also some luck," says Morford, a forty-year-old who looks younger. To the shock and amazement of prosecutors, he was acquitted. The mob knew the FBI was watching, but that proved to be only an occasional annoyance--like when agents raided a 1995 Super Bowl party, seized $15,000 and some gambling equipment, and arrested Jeep Garono and Danny Strollo, among others. Current address 87 Meadowbrook Ave, Youngstown, OH 44512 $740: B. On August 9, 1982, Traficant was indicted for accepting bribes and filing a false income tax return. The funeral home hand to view this obituary, sign the guest book and send condolences to the Strollo family. What Gains didn't know was that Riddle, Harris, and Batcho were staking out his house. YOUNGSTOWN - A former mob boss whose criminal enterprise helped earn Youngstown the name "Crimetown U.S.A" before turning federal witness has died at age 90. The once-powerful organized crime figure was indicted Dec. 10, 1997, on Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations violations of aggravated murder (of rival Ernie Biondillo Jr. in June 1996), casino-style gambling and numbers lottery. Family and friends may pay their respects on Monday, January 30, 2017 from 10:00 am until 10:55 am at St. Charles Borromeo Church, 7345 Westview Dr., Boardman. Uncategorized She also loved her Golden Girls sisters trips to many Casinos and enjoyed spending family time with everyone. She was born June 4, 1929 in Youngstown, the daughter of Dominic and Mary Antoinette (Cavallo) Strollo and was a lifelong area resident. After I was released I was on parole for 10 months. Former Youngstown crime boss, Lenny Strollo, dead at age 80 The only ones who didn't cop a plea, he noted bitterly, were "two shines and a Jew.". Lenine Strollo 7000 Leffingwell Rd Canfield, OH 44406 Age 91 (Born Apr 1931) Background Check - Available . By the time Strollo was finished, the consensus was that Altshuler, Riddle, and Turnage had about as much chance of being acquitted as Biondillo did of surviving the shotgun slugs and pellets that were pumped into his body: None. Under questioning from Morford, Strollo described his induction ceremony, which Strollo said was attended by alleged Pittsburgh crime boss Michael Genovese, among others. Family members linked to this person will appear here. Bachelor's degree. Prato provided protection for Strollo's vending businesses, but he couldn't solve all of his problems. Words for Strollo Rich said Strollo can still enjoy his family, she can't, and "I used to hate you, now I pity you." The state charges included the attempted murder of Gains. He went to the meeting and was never seen again. The quarter-mile, one-way street, just east of downtown, has almost as many cars on blocks as it has houses, and certainly more dogs than people. Lenny was born April 21, 1931 in Youngstown, the son of the late. Please try again later. The indictments included two Clevelanders. His voice cracks, and his eyes get just the tiniest bit misty. "It didn't bother me at first, because I thought I had some inroads with him because I had two people talking to him.". In lieu of flowers and to honor Dees life, the family requests material donations be made to Hospice of the Valley, 5190 Market St., Boardman, Ohio 44512. Even though the mob lost its grip on the local government after Lenny Strollo turned state's witness in 1999, corruption still persists in Youngstown. Scroll to read more Cleveland News articles. May 20, 2021 - Disgraced former Youngstown (OH) mob don Lenny Strollo died of natural causes this week at the age of 91, living quietly in the shadows of his old mafia kingdom forced to wear the scarlet letter of a cooperator. Dee will always be remembered and loved by her family and friends for her generosity and kindness. The narrow two-story homes all sorely need fresh coats of paint. Biography [ edit] Early years [ edit] Anthony Strollo was born in New York City, the son of Calabrian immigrants Leone and Giovannina Nigro. Our support in your time of need does not end after the funeral services. "Jeff was very realistic from beginning to end.". She also loved her Golden Girls sisters trips to many casinos and enjoyed spending family time with everyone.Dee leaves to cherish her memories, her beloved sisters, Jennie Dundee and Vilma Cramer; as well as her loving brother and sister-in-law, Lenny (Antoinette) Strollo. While Gains fed his cats and made a call on his cellular phone, Batcho entered through the side door. After court, Synenberg said it was a fair sentence under the circumstances and Morford's remarks were "on point" about the help Strollo gave the government. Biondillo was known to frequent in and around Youngstown, Ohio. Random That raid would eventually lead to a major headache for Strollo, though he wouldn't know it until it was too late. He was convicted by a Fairfield County jury in 2001 of 32 crimes involving public money misspent on meals, trips and entertainment and then lying about it. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. The moment Biondillo was trapped, they pulled down their ski masks, brandished shotguns, and rushed his car. "Yes," Strollo responded. based on information from your browser. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Strollo had his own gambling operations, most notably the All-American Club in Campbell, a run-down suburb east of Youngstown where every flagpole seems to have a Greek or Italian flag hanging underneath its American counterpart. "So, they . International He was convicted of bribes, money laundering and racketeering. It had all the hallmarks of the mob stories in movie theaters: colorful gangsters with nicknames like "Lemons" and "The Crab." By Armstrong spent almost two years giving Morford and Lynch insider access to the mob. The list of bribes--a story in itself--is long and colorful. She was always there to give a helping hand to anyone in need.She was born June 4, 1929, in Youngstown, the daughter of Dominic and Mary Antoinette (Cavallo) Strollo and was a lifelong area resident.Dee was a graduate of East High School and a member of St. Charles Borromeo Church. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. The Fall Of Youngstown Mob Boss Lenny Strollo. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Dee had many passions throughout her life. Batcho allegedly went in for the kill, but his gun jammed. February 28, 2023, 5:00 AM. Morford, in explaining the extent of Strollo's cooperation to Judge O'Malley, said whatever information he provided was "like money in the bank." Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Fifty years ago this month, Mahoning Valley Mafia boss Lenny Strollo and two of his associates, Vince Serman and Bobby Armstrong, were arrested by U.S secret service agents and charged with possessing and passing counterfeit $10 bills. The money came from Cleveland, and Strollo gave Armstrong and others thousands of dollars to launder. Lenine Strollo is 91 years old today because Lenine's birthday is on 04/21/1931. Policy dropped the former University of Pittsburgh football star as a client, so Traficant--who changed his name early in life from Traficante--acted as his own attorney. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio A former mob boss who helped Youngstown earn the name "Crimetown U.S.A" has died at age 90. An enraged Licavoli demanded revenge for his cousin's murder, and, eventually, he got it. To the "young lady who spoke [Rich]," he hoped that the good Lord would give her comfort. In the past, Lenine has also been known as Lenny Strollo. Riddle's ex-wife, Angela Scott, entered the courtroom wearing piles of gaudy gold chains around her neck, a stud in her nose, and a football jersey with the word "naughty" emblazoned across her ample back. . With the death of Lenine Strollo, brings the an end of the era when the mafia controlled the the region. He became a government witness in 1997 . Podcasts People In 1997, a Pittsburgh jeweler paid Wilkins $255 for a ring. Three hours later, following stiff federal sentencing guidelines that left her with little choice, O'Malley sentenced the trio to life in prison. As if bribes and campaign contributions weren't enough, one of Strollo's own lawyers, Gary Van Brocklin, was elected to that office in 1984. Tags: Members Only . It's a rare moment for the kid who swept floors to put himself through Catholic high school and served as president of the Youngstown Fraternal Order of Police. "These people would go to work, drink their beer, go gamble, and never be involved with the police.". When he refused, Strollo knew his leadership was being threatened. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. He's still in Washington, the ultimate outsider, railing on the House floor about the need to put tanks on the Mexican border to keep out illegal immigrants and the need to increase tariffs to keep out foreign steel. Try again later. EDINA M. 'DEE' STROLLO CANFIELD - There will be a Mass of Christian Burial held on Monday, Jan. 30, 2017, at 11 a.m. at St. Charles Borromeo Church, 7345 Westview Drive in Boardman, with Father Philip Rogers officiating for Edina M. "Dee" Strollo, 87, who passed away peacefully Thursday morning, Jan. 26, 2017, with. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. Education. Strollo pleaded guilty to racketeering and tax charges . Strollo was the final mob boss in Mahoning Valley history. Garono, who once said a good way to get gamblers to pay up is by putting them in a bag and beating them with a baseball bat, agreed to racketeering charges four months later. Amazingly, Gains was sworn in as Mahoning County prosecutor ten days later, bits of the bullet still lodged near his spine. By Gangsters Inc. EDINA M. 'DEE' STROLLOCANFIELD - There will be a Mass of Christian Burial held on Monday, Jan. 30, 2017, at 11 a.m. at St. Charles Borromeo Church, 7345 Westview Drive in Boardman, with Father Philip Rogers officiating for Edina M. Dee Strollo, 87, who passed away peacefully Thursday morning, Jan. 26, 2017, with her loving family by her side.Dee will always be remembered and loved by her family and friends for her generosity and kindness. The force of the attack knocked Gains to the ground, and he lost consciousness. Strollo, using a cane, walked slowly into Judge O'Malley's court wearing a gray sweat shirt and navy blue sweat pants. All it took was for one of the players to be nabbed by the feds with a fist full of dollars, and the rest was history. As for Altshuler, Riddle, and Turnage, even their lawyers were not completely sure why they took a bad gamble on a life sentence. Nearly fifty years later, "Big Ange" entered the witness protection program and became the highest-ranking mafioso to defect. Armstrong said he was supposed to rob the 13th Frame bar on the West Side, but things went wrong. CLEVELAND -- Mahoning County Prosecutor Paul J. Gains' victim-impact statement likely helped shorten former mob boss Lenny Strollo's prison term. Unlike Scalish, the white-haired, cane-carrying Prato also named a successor before he died--Naples, now answering only to Pittsburgh. He was given credit for time served and with good time could be out in late 2008. You know what? "But the drug dealers they were ripping off started turning on them.". All contact info about Lenine Strollo, 91 from Canfield, Ohio - address, e-mail, phone, public records, etc at Vericora FOR FREE Lawyers, FBI agents, federal marshals, reporters, and family members dutifully filed into Judge Kathleen O'Malley's first-floor courtroom. Burial will take place at Calvary Cemetery, Youngstown. Prosecutors accused the Strollo brothers and Mandel, a former assistant U.S. attorney and University Heights law director, of skimming hundreds of thousands of dollars from a Conneaut fireworks company Mandel owned. Kroner eventually got permission to bug Strollo's phones and sprawling Canfield farmhouse. Strollo needn't have worried. You are unauthorized to view this page. Strollo was ultimately arrested and became a government informant. "Jeff Riddle said, going into this case, 'Don't make me a snitch, and make my accusers look me in the eye,'" Milano says. This browser does not support getting your location. Password * Remember Me . Altshuler went to Riddle, who recruited drug dealers Mo Man Harris and Mark Batcho. "I had lost any sensation of pain. When I got off parole I went back to Lenny. Edina M. "Dee" Strollo. 0 cemeteries found in Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio, USA. Gains's office is in the Mahoning County Courthouse, a magnificent four-story building erected in 1908. "He had no respect for anybody," Strollo said of Biondillo during the trial. Informants told the FBI that Strollo feared Naples would try to take over his gambling operations while he was away. In 1963 Strollo was arrested for counterfeiting $10 bills and, after a lengthy appeal, served jail time in 1967. Then in February, Danny Strollo agreed to testify against his brother. Featured On the first count, for the murder of Biondillo--guilty. That's why I did it," says attorney Jay Milano, who defended Riddle. Both the Pittsburgh and Cleveland Mafia factions had been paying bribes to recently elected Mahoning County Sheriff James Traficant to protect their gambling interests. STATE OF OHIO, MAHONING COUNTY IN THE COURT OF APPEALS SEVENTH DISTRICT STATE OF OHIO, ) ) CASE NO. He went to the Draught House, a Youngstown bar where he caught up with some lawyer friends, then made his way to the Caffe Capri in Boardman. Strollo was the final mob boss in Mahoning Valley history. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. Please enter your email and password to sign in. The government needed to go "high, broad, wide and deep" to break the criminal enterprise, he said. Strollo implicated Altshuler, his friend of more than twenty years, in the murder of rival gangster Ernie Biondillo Jr. and attempted murder of Mahoning County Prosecutor-Elect Paul Gains. Other family members and associates include Isabelle Costello, Sabita Pradhan, Eileen Colantone, Carolyn Adderty and . 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