Tropicana Casino Skimming

In this episode, Tropicana Casino Skimming, Aaron and I talk about how KC boss Nick Civella used Joe Agosto to

infiltrate the Tropicana casino. I use the below actual wiretap audio to help tell the story. Nick Civella is concerned with the skimmers stealing and Civella wants a moratorium on all Tropicana skimming.

The code names are:

Carl DeLuna is Deluna

Nick Civella is Zio or uncle

Joe Agosto (Tropicana employee) is Caesar

Carl Thomas (Tropicana employee )is Mr. C

Don Shepard (Tropicana employee) is Pecoradu (Sicilian for Shepherd)

Lefty Rosenthal is Crazy

Joe Cusamano (Stardust emplyee)is Car Dealer

Tony Spilotro (Chicago Outfit member) is Little T

Diel Gustafason (Tropicana investor) is Hunter

Jack Urich (Tropicana investor) is Transmission

DELUNA: So we talked for, they talked for quite a long time, you know I’m not sticking my mouth in there too much but once in a while and in the final end, Zio (uncle) asked him what do you think happens to “C”? He says well, I think that maybe you should go ahead

and declare this moratorium, go ahead and do it, uh, for whatever period of time. And Mr. Zio says well, I would be hard put if Little Joe re-, Caesar’s requesting this, to tell him not to, you know we’ll rely on Mr. “C” to tell us.

AGOSTO: Right.

DELUNA: We asked him another question. We asked him if Tu Pecoradu (The Shepard) was capable of spotting any bad leakage.

AGOSTO: Yeah.

DELUNA: He says he positively thinks so because if we used ‘im, this guy was cu noi-altri (with us) down at the big place with Crazy.

AGOSTO: (unintelligible).

DELUNA: He said we used him down there, he did a wonderful job, had him in both joints. The other one downtown.

AGOSTO: right

DELUNA: — You know had him in bo-, he said he did a good job. Yes, he is capable.

DELUNA: Uh, we pushed on him that when he gets with you, when youse two gets together, that he should try to push you, we know how busy you are in and outta town —

AGOSTO: Yeah.

DELUNA: But to try to get, to meet you once a week like we been talking about, you know?

AGOSTO: Right.

DELUNA: Someplace away, not his joint or your joint.

AGOSTO: Right.

DELUNA: Some little coffee, someplace else. All right. Also we’ll put it in his head to put in your head

that, look forward to, let’s see if we could work out the mechanics of a safe, discreet way that Caesar and Mr. DC” could sometime in the next couple of months have a nose to nose meeting with Mr. Zio (Mr. Uncle or Nick Civella).

AGOSTO: I see.

DELUNA: Let’s start thinking about it now. Let’s say the moratorium is going to last two, three months, whatever it last us, you know?

AGOSTO: Umph.