Robert's Lounge
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Robert's Lounge was a saloon that was owned and operated by Lucchese crime family associate James 'Jimmy the Gent' Burke It was located on 114-45 Lefferts Boulevard in South Ozone Park, Queens and operated as his criminal headquarters from c.a. 1957 to January 1979.
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[edit] Location
Robert's Lounge was within driving distance of JFK Airport Kennedy Air Cargo Center, Don Pepe's Vesuvio Restaurant, the Aqueduct Race Track, the "Bargain Auto Junkyard" owned by Clyde Brooks, It was strategically next door to his (now defunct) non-union Moo Moo Vedda's dress factory which he owned and managed with Jimmy Burke and Dominick Cersani. Robert's was used as the hijacking headquarters. It was a dingy bar with five pay phones and a small concert stage for live music performances. James Quinlan from The New York Times described the establishment as a "Dodge City-style saloon". It was cited many times while in operation for underage sale of alcohol to Jimmy's son Frank James Burke who habituated the saloon since the age of sixteen. The "front man" who managed the day-to-day operations of the bar was Richard Eaton who was murdered in 1979 by Burke. It had three card tables, a casino craps table and was populated with enough bookmakers and loan sharks to cover all the action in Queens. It employed barmaids who were known to drink Sambuca in the morning hours while working. Parnell Edwards played blues-rock at the bar regularly, every Saturday and Sunday. Another regular entertainer at the saloon was lounge singer and actor John Ciarcia, who went by the stage name "Johnny Cha-Cha". John Ciarcia, later in life be hired by Martin Scorsese to act in a small role in Goodfellas as "Vito" a member of William Devino's crew who celebrate with him at The Suite where Devino was later murdered. John would later go on to star as Albie Cianfione in The Sopranos. The basement would be so packed with boxes of stolen goods that there was hardly enough room to play cards. A bartender that regularly worked at the bar was Michael "Spider" Gianco who was later shot to death in the basement by Thomas DeSimone over an insult. It had an enclosed private backyard with a boccie court and open grill barbecue.
[edit] Successful Hijacking Operation
According to a 1960's Joint New York State Legislative Committee on Crime study, at least 99.5% of hijacking arrests resulted either in charges being dismissed or in the defendants receiving small fines or probation. During one year covered by the report the committee traced 6,400 arrests for criminal possession of stolen property and found there were only 904 indictments, 225 convictions, and as few as thirty state prison commitments. A committee case study of eight defendants arrested at the time for the possession of more than $100,000 worth of stolen women's clothing noted that each defendant was fined $2,500 and placed on probation by New York Supreme Court Judge Albert H. Bosch. The men were all habituates of Robert's Lounge. But even then, and despite the fact that probation officers recommended that hearings for violation of probation be initiated, Judge Bosch continued the men on probation. Bosch later stated that he could not make a final decision concerning the violation of probation with associates of the Vario Crew until the guilt or innocence of the defendants had been proven.
[edit] The Upstairs Apartment
The upper floor of the lounge had at the time a small bachelor apartment which was used by the married Jimmy Burke and Phyllis DeSimone whom he had begin seeing when she was sixteen years old. The affair between Phyllis and Jimmy lasted from 1960 to 1979, when her brother Thomas was murdered. The apartment later would house Thomas DeSimone and his mistress Theresa Ferrara from c.a. 1970 to 1979.
[edit] Clientele
The saloon was once a legitimate blue collar bar. But soon after Jimmy Burke and other members and associates of the Lucchese crime family started frequenting the place, all the legitimate clientele were driven away. Gambino crime family Capo John Gotti's headquarters operated out of the Bergin Hunt and Fish Club, located at 98-04 101st Avenue in Ozone Park a short drive away. It also became a hangout for those interested in placing bets with bookmakers or buying stolen merchandise from the Lucchese family. The customers coming to buy stolen goods were often legitimate retailers. The more shady clientele consisted of mobsters such as Jimmy Burke, Frank James Burke, Paul Vario, Tommy DeSimone, Karen Hill (the wife of Henry), Tommy Lucchese, Martin Krugman, Stanley Diamond, Anthony Stabile and Thomas Stabile, Francesco Manzo, Joseph Russo, Fredrick DeLucia, Edward Finelli, Andrew Ruggiano, Peter "The Killer" Abbandante, Michael Franzese, Nicholas Blanda, Raymond Montemurro, Montague Montemurro, John Mazzolla, Bobby "The Dentist", Lawrence "Larry" Bilello, Richard Bilello, Donald Frangos, Dominick Cersani, Anthony Ciccione, Joseph DiPalermo, Carmine Avellino, Salvatore Avellino Jr., Salvatore Avellino Jr., Joseph Tangorra, Joseph Frangipane, Michael LaBarbera, Jr., James J. Abbattiello, Gerald Losquadro, Dominick Truscello, Joseph Giampa, Joseph Capra, Michael Capra, John Ciarcia, Alphonse D'Arco, Domencio Cutaia, Vincent Asaro, Jerome Asaro, Gandolfo Miranti, Joseph Carlino, Steven Crea, Thomas Dioguardi, Dominick Bondo, John J. Conti, Charles Tuso, Robert Germaine, Jr., Clyde Brooks, Daniel Rizzo, Alex Corlione and Michael Corlione, Clyde Brooks, Bruno Facciolo, Milton Wikler, Parnell Edwards, Salvatore Polisi, Dominick Trinchera,Phillip Giaccone,Ronald Jerothe, John Gotti, Angelo Ruggiero, Joe Manri, Robert McMahon, Bruno Facciolo, Louis Facciolo, Joseph Tangorra, Frank Abbandando Jr., Angelo Sepe, Louis Werner, Peter Gruenwald. The business was insured by Charles Kottler.
[edit] Murder of Dominick Cerami
Sometime in the late to early 1960s Jimmy Burke murdered his Italian friend Dominick Cersani, a.k.a. Remo, (referred to by his Italian-based nickname). Dominick was arrested on a small cigarette hijacking and agreed to become a cooperating witness and help the NYPD arrest Jimmy Burke. Burke first got suspicious of his friend's actions when Dominick invested only $5,000 in the $200,000 load when Dominick usually would take a third to 50% of the hijacked load. Burke asked him why his friend wasn't investing so much as Dominick's answer was that "he didn't need so much." Then when the transport truck was stopped by the police and the shipment was confiscated, this made Burke very suspicious of his friend. Burke asked the Queens County District Attorney who later confirmed Dominick had informed on Burke. Later that very same week Henry Hill, Jimmy Burke, Dominick and Thomas DeSimone including another member of the Vario Crew, most likely Stanley Diamond or Angelo John Sepe, were playing cards at Robert's when Jimmy suggested the group take a drive. They went to the enclosed back parking lot and climbed into a Cadillac DeVille. Dominick got in the front passenger seat and Tommy sat directly behind Remo in the backseat along with Burke with Sepe or Diamond in the driver's seat. Tommy garroted Dominick with piano wire. His corpse was buried in the enclosed backyard of the bar under a layer of cement next to the boccie court. Since that day, every time, Burke or DeSimone played cards in the court they would jokingly say, "Hey Remo, how're you doing?" (Referring to Dominick by his Italian-based nickname) Henry Hill witnessed the murder. Nobody was ever convicted of Dominick's murder. Burke had his body removed and relocated shortly before a search warrant was issued for Robert's Lounge. His remains were never found. This murder imitates the on screen depiction of Martin Krugman's murder in Martin Scorsese's 1990 film Goodfellas.
[edit] Riccardo Mazzolla Robbery Spree
Riccardo Mazzolla was the son of Lucchese crime family mob associate John Mazzolla. Riccardo became a stick-up man in his late teens and started sticking up neighborhood illegal sports book operations being operated out of Robert's Lounge in South Ozone Park, Queens, Bruno's restaurant in Cedarhurst, New York and the Presto Pizzeria in Brownsville, Brooklyn repeatedly. These illicit rackets were being overlooked by Lawrence "Larry" Bilello, Jimmy Burke, Salvatore, Paul and Theodoro Vario and Steven DePasquale. The Vario Crew warned Riccardo, but he was rebellious and did not pay attention to their warnings. Because John Mazzolla was a close associate and friend of Paul Vario, the Lucchese crime family postponed the execution, giving him a "pass" until Riccardo reached the age of nineteen. The family felt that if John could not deal with his rampuncious and rebellious son that they were going to have to. It is suggested by Henry Hill that Paul dispatched one of his trusted contract killers, most likely Jimmy Burke, who was known to have murdered a dozen or so children himself, or Peter "The Killer" Abbandante to execute Riccardo with three shots to the heart at close range killing him instantly. This way John could have an open-casket funeral for his only son. Paul arranged to have the body left in the open, unlike many mob hit victims, allowing for it to be discovered by a pedestrian and be given a proper burial by his parents. Henry Hill showed up for Riccardo's wake on behalf of his past relationship with John, but their capo and the remainder of the Vario Crew did not appear. After the murder of his son Riccardo in the early 1960's the Vario Crew severed all ties with John.
[edit] Union Labor Racketeering Sting Investigation
In 1972 Casey Rosado suggested that Jimmy Burke and Tommy DeSimone come down to Miami, Florida and help two local Tampa, Florida crime figures Luis and Raul Charbonier, two brothers, who were Haitians of French descent, collect a debt. The day before the intended trip Tommy DeSimone was arrested during a failed hijacking and wasn't able to post bail in time. So, in Tommy's place, Paul Vario suggested that Henry Hill who had been having marital problems with Karen Hill and financial stress over his night club, The Suite suggested he should take a "vacation". In 1972 Burke and Hill traveled to Florida with Casey Rosado, the president of Local 71 of the Waiters & Commissary Workers at Kennedy Airport. Rosado wanted the two men with him while he attempted to collect a gambling debt. When the collection attempt turned into a disaster. Jimmy Burke and Hill roughed up the victim and held him hostage for several hours until the debt was cleared up. Following Henry's return from Florida, Henry was on his way to the lounge, cruising down Lefferts Boulevard when he saw eight to twelve unmarked FBI cars blocking the street off from either side. James Santos, who was still employed as a NYPD police officer saw Henry in his car, from the street corner. He told Henry to "Get out of here" and "put on your radio." Henry followed his instructions, and heard that the FBI was "arresting union officials" and that "Jimmy Burke and others being sought." Jimmy Burke and Henry Hill were both later arrested and incarcerated.
[edit] The murder of Michael Gianco
Thomas DeSimone during July 1970 two weeks after he had shot the youth in the foot, DeSimone became angered at Gianco and started berating him, while he was playing poker again in the basement of Robert's Lounge with Angelo Sepe, Henry Hill and Jimmy Burke. All three of the mobsters were very inebriated. During the game Michael forgets to serve Tommy his Crown Royal after serving the others. Michael's murder would follow shortly after the execution of Gambino crime family made soldier William Devino on July 11, 1970. Michael then told Tommy to "go fuck himself." Tommy then pulled out one of his pearl-handled Colt revolvers and shot Michael three times in the chest as he sat at the card table & said "His Family was full of Rats - He would of grew up to be a Rat though Jimmy Burke was enraged at Tommy for murdering the young Lucchese crime family protege and made him bury Michael in the unfinished section of the basement in Robert's Lounge. It was after this murder that Henry Hill considered DeSimone, his childhood friend, a psychopath. DeSimone was never convicted of Michael's murder and his corpse was never discovered.
[edit] The basement gangland slaying graveyard
The basement of Robert's Lounge was unfinished with a section of the floor done in terazzo while the other half remained sandy ground. The basement was used for all night poker games, a storage room for swag and as as a burial ground personally used by Jimmy Burke. Jimmy Burke murdered his best friend and criminal partner Dominick Cersani and had him buried there, he also arranged from the burial of Michael "Spider" Gianco, a bartender who worked at Robert's Lounge murdered by Thomas DeSimone during an argument, and Lufthansa heist suspect Louis Cafora and his wife Joanna Cafora in the unfinished section of the basement. This was also most likely the prepared final resting place for the Lufthansa heist suspect and proprietor, Richard Eaton, before his corpse was discovered frozen in a transport truck trailer. When Henry Hill began cooperating with the FBI, they obtained a search warrant and dug up the basement to search for the bodies. But when they arrived they saw a very muddy and tired Burke appear from the building. He had found out about the search warrant in advance from the Long Island District Attorney and had transported the bodies to somewhere else. Henry Hill said that including Gianco, Rocco, Krugman and the Caforas, he suspected as many as nine more victims unknown to him were suspected of being buried in the basement. It is unknown exactly how many people Burke had arranged to have buried in the basement. Henry Hill would later state that Burke was a psychopath and a stone cold killer who would kill anyone in a heartbeat. Jimmy adapted the same modus of operandi for his murders as of John Wayne Gacy. John Wayne Gacy was convicted and later executed for the rape and murder of thirty-three adolescent boys and young men, twenty-nine of whom Gacy buried in a crawl space under the floor of his home, while others were found in nearby rivers, between 1972 and his arrest in 1978. When Henry first agreed to become the states' evidence against Jimmy Burke he said that Martin Krugman and Dominick Cersani were buried in the basement of the South Side Inn located in South Ozone Park, Queens which proved to be fruitless. Burke struck back at the newspapers, which continued to keep the finger pointed in Jimmy’s direction as being the mastermind of the robbery, after this latest incident. Jimmy and his attorney, Michael Coiro, at one time John Gotti’s lawyer, rented a bulldozer and had it brought to the former site of the South Side Inn. They made an offer to law enforcement authorities and reporters that they would dig in whatever area they designated. After all the media sensation brought on by the diggings, the police did not find anything.
[edit] The Lufthansa heist
On December 11th, 1978, several men, thought to be Louis Cafora, Jimmy Burke, Thomas DeSimone, Paolo LiCastri, Joe Manri and Robert McMahon burst into the Lufthansa terminal at John F. Kennedy Airport wearing black ski masks and brandishing pistols and rifles. They handcuffed nightshift employees and forced the terminal's cargo supervisor into opening the vault. In just over an hour, the gang had left $6 million richer. It was at the lounge where the suspects waited for the phone call from Louis Werner to inform them when the money had arrived. After the 1978 Lufthansa heist Robert's Lounge and The Owl Tavern in Brooklyn, New York started getting frequented by undercover police officers and FBI agents disguised as JFK Air Cargo Terminal back field airport workers and transport truck drivers. Robert's Lounge would be quickly be replaced as the Vario Crew headquarters by a classier nightclub owned by Vincent Asaro which was next door to his fence contractor construction business.
[edit] References
- Pileggi, Nicholas Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family Simon & Schuster (January 1986) ISBN 0671447343
- THE HEIST: How a Gang Stole $8,000,000 at Kennedy Airport and Lived to Regret It by Ernest Volkman and John Cummings
