Jimmy "The Weasel" Fratianno (1913-1993) was a Cleveland mobster and later acting head of the Los Angeles crime family, before becoming a government informant. After Joe Valachi first publicly acknowledged the existence of the Mafia, many mobsters agreed to become informants during the 1970s and 80s. Fratianno was the highest ranking to become a federal witness - until Sammy "the Bull" Gravano during the early 1990s. Mobster is a slang term for a person who participates in organized crime, which is known as belonging to the Mob. In western stories and movies, cowboys as mobsters are known as outlaws. ... Joseph Valachi Joseph Joe Cargo Valachi (September 22, 1903 – April 3, 1971) was the first Mafia member to publicly acknowledge the existence of the Mafia. ... Sammy Gravanos mugshot from 1990 Salvatore Sammy the Bull Gravano (born March 12, 1945) was underboss of the criminal Gambino family in the 1980s under John Gotti. ...

Born Aladena Fratianno in Cleveland, Ohio, Fratianno began stealing from fruit stands as a child and supposedly earned his nickname "the Weasel" from outrunning policemen while growing up in the streets of Little Italy. Soon becoming involved in the city's organized criminal syndicate, he soon earned a reputation as a prominent hitman in the city's underworld. Eventually finding his way to the West Coast he frequently worked with fellow hitman Frank "The Bomp" Bonpensiero, and later claimed to be responsible for at least 11 gangland slayings under Los Angeles crime boss Jack Dragna. Nickname: The Forest City Motto: Progress and Prosperity Location in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, USA Coordinates: Country United States State Ohio County Cuyahoga Founded 1796 Incorporated 1836 Mayor Frank G. Jackson (D) Area    - City 82. ... Little Italy is a region of Cleveland, Ohio located at the base of Murray Hill, between Clevelands University Circle neighborhood and the suburb of Cleveland Heights. ... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... Frank Bomp Bompensiero (September 29, 1905–February 10, 1977), was a capo in the Los Angeles Mafia from way back but was demoted to a soldier upon the retirement of Jack Dragna in the 1950s by the new boss, Frank DeSimone. ... Jack I. Dragna (*1891-04-18 - †1956-02-23) was a organized crime figure from Chicago active in Los Angeles, California. ...

However, upon learning the family had put out a murder contract on his life, Fratianno agreed to become a government informant during the 1970s. Despite his role as an informant, Fratianno eventually rose through the ranks to become acting boss of the crime family for a brief time while supplying federal authorities with questionable information. Unlike Valachi, who had been a low level "soldier" limited to knowledge within New York, Fratianno was a high ranking organized crime figure privy to information on the detailed hierarchy of organized syndicate operations across the United States as well as facts regarding crime boss Santo Trafficante, Jr.'s plans to assassinate (while cooperating with) Cuban dictator Fidel Castro as part of Operation Mongoose. Official language(s) English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq mi (141,205 km²)  - Width 285 miles (455 km)  - Length 330 miles (530 km)  - % water 13. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (born on August 13, 1926) is the current President of Cuba but on indefinite medical hiatus. ... [1] first page of a meeting report on Operation Mongoose, October 4th 1962. ...

After his testimony in federal prosecutions against the Los Angeles syndicate in 1981, Fratianno entered the Witness Protection Program until being dropped for violations of the program. He would later write an autobiography with author Ovid Demaris entitled The Last Mafioso and Vengence is Mine with Michael J. Zuckerman enjoying his years as a criminal celebrity with appearances on CBS's 60 Minutes and various documentaries before his death from natural causes in 1993. In the United States, the Witness Protection Program (also known as WITSEC) is established by the Witness Protection Act, which in turn sets out the manner in which the U.S. Attorney General may provide for the relocation and protection of a witness or potential witness of the federal government... 60 Minutes is an investigative television newsmagazine on United States television, which has run on CBS News since 1968. ...

References

• Sifakis, Carl. The Mafia Encyclopedia. New York: Da Capo Press, 2005. ISBN 0-8160-5694-3
• Sifakis, Carl. The Encyclopedia of American Crime. New York: Facts on File Inc., 2005. ISBN 0-8160-4040-0

Further reading

• Moldea, Dan E. Dark Victory: Ronald Reagan, MCA, and the Mob. New York: Penguin Books, 1987. ISBN 0-14-010478-X
• Neff, James. Mobbed Up: Jackie Presser's High-Wire Life in the Teamsters, the Mafia, and the FBI. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 1989. ISBN 0-87113-344-X
• Pizzo, Stephen; Fricker, Mary; and Muolo, Paul. Inside Job: The Looting of America's Savings and Loans. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1989. ISBN 0-07-050230-7