Mob Wives: Anthony Graziano, Hector Junior Pagan Arrested

Both Anthony Graziano and Hector Pagan, father and ex-husband of Renee Graziano, were arrested last week on separate charges.  We felt it was insensitive to blog about the stories at the time, out of respect for the families and the Thanksgiving holiday.  However several blogs and newspapers have been writing about the details of both stories and we want our readers to also have the facts, as they have been reported.

Anthony Graziano had been released from prison to a halfway house in the summer, and then to home confinement weeks ago.  While out of prison, he allegedly tried to collect on an old loansharking debt.  Federal prosecutors obtained evidence about the alleged extortion crime through wiretapping and a government informant.  The taped transcript of the conversations were in the arrest warrant.  The debt itself reportedly goes back to 2005.  According to tape conversations, Mr. Graziano allegedly said he was willing to settle for $25,000 of the $150,000 owed to him.  Mr. Graziano’s attorney is prepared to fight the new alleged charges in 2012, after his client has finished serving out the rest of his sentence.

The allegations against Hector Pagan are based on information received from two members of a five man crew who have since become co-operating witnesses.  Hector Pagan was allegedly part of a five man crew that reportedly robbed a weekly card game which was allegedly sponsored by the Bonnano crime family, in the summer of 2009.  The card game was allegedly held at an illegal gambling club. The crew reportedly walked away with a disappointingly small amount of money, five thousand dollars.

Whether the Mob Wives will deal with either of these arrests on the show remains to be seen.  I’m sure this has been a disappointing turn of events for the Graziano family.  It only reinforces what they have always said on the show about the lifestyle, that it isn’t easy being a mob wife or mob daughter.

Mob Wives: What City Is Next?

       Mob Wives of Miami      OR      Mob Wives of Los Angeles

Which one is next?

Jennifer Graziano has sealed the deal for a Chicago franchise of Mob Wives. A city as rich in mob history as Chicago is bound to have some great personalities for a reality show.  In fact, the cast has been picked because filming is due to start very soon.  In true mafia tradition though, almost to the point of taking the Omerta, no one is talking about who is going to be in the cast.  They must like to keep us guessing?

As I sit in front of my laptop, I am wondering which lucky city will be next. I follow all the mob wives and their executive producer as closely as I can.  When they tweet, I read between the lines and blog about what I think.  It may not be fact, but I clearly separate what is fact from my own opinion.  I draw conclusions based on logic.  So what is the next city or cities we can expect to see in the Mob Wives future?

Based on Jennifer’s flyer miles the past few months, and she must have plenty of frequent flyer rewards coming to her, the next two probable cities are Miami and Los Angeles.  In fact, Jennifer is in Miami as I type, and she is working.  What could she be working on?  The Mob Wives of Miami maybe.  After all, the mob seems to be a big presence in south Florida. In March, 2010, the FBI arrested three men allegedly part of the Cosa Nostra operations of extortion, money laundering and drug trafficking.  The Miami family allegedly has connections to the mafia in Palermo and Trapani, Sicily.

What about Los Angeles?  Jennifer has made several trips to the west coast in recent months.  Los Angeles has a long and very fascinating mob history.  The history dates back to the early 1900’s and they secured their business during prohibition by bootlegging.  They rose to power during the 1940’s and 1950’s under the direction of Jack Dragna.  The LA operation never was as big as New York and Chicago and these days is considered to be a small operation dealing with fraud, extortion, money laundering and drug trafficking.  However, there were plenty of made men and associates there over the years and a downsized “family” is still up and running today.

With all the talk and success of our Staten Island Mob Wives, I expect many mob wives to be coming out of the Miami and Los Angeles woodwork to contact Jennifer.  After all, how do you advertise for a cast of a Mob Wives reality show and keep it hush hush? (I should do a blog on that!)  I think all the behind the scenes stories would make for an excellent book.  Meanwhile there are many more years of Mob Wives ahead of us, that much I am sure of.  Miami and Los Angeles bring it on!  The more Mob Wives, the better!

*************

P.S. Guess where Karen Gravano is this morning?  She is off recording the audio version of her new book, MobDaughter, coming out February 14th, 2012. You can pre-order the book now and avoid long lines later!

Mob Wives: Chicago's Mae Capone

Mae Capone was a beautiful and private woman

Jennifer Graziano has managed to pull off a huge coup!  A Chicago spin off can only be a hugely successful show, after the already popular Mob Wives of Staten Island. It got me to wondering about the mob wife behind the notorious mobster, Al Capone. Who hasn’t heard of Al Capone?  Capone’s name is synonymous with the Chicago mob.  I wonder if his wife, Mae Capone, had any stories she could tell?  If she did, they are gone with her.

Mae (Mary) Coughlin Capone was born on April 11, 1897 in Brooklyn, N.Y. and died on April 16, 1986, in Hollywood, Florida.   She lived a long life of 89 years. She was born to Irish parents. Mae worked as a sales clerk in a department store when she met Al.  She didn’t married Al until after giving birth to their first and only child, Albert Francis Capone (Sonny) on December 4, 1918.  The marriage took place on December 30, 1918, three weeks after Sonny was born.

Mae Capone was beautiful.  She was also a mystery because she liked to keep her private life, private.  It’s very hard to find anything of substance on her or any pictures.  Maybe that’s because Al, like all good mobsters back in the day, kept his family life and mob life separate.  Also, like virtually all mobsters, Al was known to have his share of mistresses and contracted syphilis from a prostitute he had known before marrying Mae.  The disease went unnoticed.  Capone became the mob boss, in 1925 at only 26 years old.  By the time he was 32 years old he had gotten into a lot of legal trouble, and by 1934, was sent to Alcatraz.  Mae stuck by her husband through it all. While at Alcatraz, the long term effects of syphilis had taken hold of Al and he began to become disoriented, had convulsions, slurred speech, and shuffled walking.  He was paroled in 1939.  Mae took him to many doctors, none of whom could help him.  She then took him to live out his remaining years in his home in Florida.  Al died at the age of 48, on January 25, 1947.  Sonny grew up to be an upstanding citizen with no mob ties.

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Mob Wives: Chicago Done Deal!

Biggest Mobster of Chicago: Al Capone

In case you don’t follow every little thing that is going on with Mob Wives, you definitely should.  Those of us that do, know that Jennifer Graziano has been making trips back and forth to various locations working on deals for new shows.  As we mentioned in earlier blogs, Jennifer has been looking for other cities to add to her successful hit show.  One of those cities is Chicago, the home of Al Capone, one of the most notorious mobsters in American history.

Negotiations for a spin off show of the Mob Wives of Chicago seems to be a done deal according to Chicago's "Sun-Times."  The word is that the new show is set to start filming next month! The only thing yet to be revealed is who are the cast members willing to expose their mob lives?  The series is expected to start airing in the spring.  Jennifer is quoted as saying, “I’ve got some family contacts here, people that have known my family and friends of mine.”  I guess it would be safe to say that the new cast will some of  Jennifer’s family associations.  Jennifer still vows that no mob secrets are going to be revealed unless they have already been in the media.

Back in the day, Al Capone’s mob wife, Mae, wasn’t so anxious to be in front of the cameras, even for a picture.  Today we have mob wives coming out of the woodwork to tell their stories, and that of their mobster husbands and fathers, on television, in interviews, and in books.  Boy have times changed!

I wish Jennifer the very best of luck with the Chicago deal.  Everyone keep your fingers and toes crossed that filming goes off without a hitch.  Maybe, when our Staten Island Mob Wives wrap it up, we will have a new set of mob wives on the scene!  I just can’t wait!

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Mob Wives: A Cast Shakedown

Say it ain't so!

The Blog Gods have been merciful recently.  They know I'm in pain and working nonstop.  I have zero time for blog business.  The last 48 hours I've gotten a windfall of information.  I don't have time with my work schedule to blog it all.  I also don't want to burden Chiara with blogging about it.  She's been under the weather too.

I usually cross check and research before I run with something.  Today, I am just going to go for it.  My source is extremely credible.  If you are reading and have my number DO NOT CALL ME.  I will not take this post down.  I will not edit it.  It is what it is or it isn't anything at all.

*BREAKING MOB WIVES NEWS*

The way they were.  Are we losing one of the original Mob Wives?

Word is the powers that be (think VH-1) are allegedly considering whacking (letting go) a mob wife.   My source thinks it could be a poor decision & wanted the pulse of what some of the Mob Wives viewers would feel if one of their beloved Mob Wives were no longer on air.  Now they refused to tell me which one may be let go during production of season 2.  When I pressed they simply said, "You won't be happy Mistress."  I was like, "What the f*ck!"  I did include the u, by the way.  I pushed for a specific name.  However, my source would not be moved.  He/she said simply, "Leak it, I'd like the pulse on the ramifications." 

How am I to do this without a name?

"You're smart.  I got to go.  We'll chat again soon."

My stomach is turning with the possibility of losing one of my beloved Mob Wives (Drita not included).  They are currently filming season 2.  So of course we're going to see our four original Mob Wives plus new Mob Wives on January 1, 2012.  However, I am worried about the future.  He/she said I would not be happy.  All I can write is; me not happy is like road rage on steroids.  It isn't a good situation.

I mean really, they're dealing with Mob Wives.  Did they think it would be a walk in a park dealing with different issues and agendas?  If so that would be like Lady Gaga walking into a lion's cage wearing that meat dress & expecting the lions to play nice.  Oh by the way, if you are a media source or blog, I expect our site to receive full credit as a source and a working link to our site.  End of story.

Now in more important news, it's Veteran's Day.  So happy V-day to all those who have served honorably.  And a belated Happy Birthday to the Marine Corps, it was their birthday yesterday. Major shut out goes to Roann, Lucy, Rosey, Speaking Roses, Barby a.k.a. BB, Meghan and my sources.  I love most of our readers and every last one of my sources.

So, there's a new poll up to the right of the screen and a quick scroll up. We want to know if one of your favorite Mob Wives gets the axe midway season 2 or doesn't return for a possible third season of Mob Wives would you stop watching?  We know what we think.  However, we need to know what you think,  PLEASE VOTE NOW!

Mob Wives: What Up?

It’s been ages since any new news has been leaked anywhere about Mob Wives or season two.  Believe me when I tell you I have searched high and low for any tidbit to write about.  Unfortunately, I am not like Mob Mistress, who can make a long blog out of two words that she comes across that strike her fancy.  This week I came across four words that peaked my interest.  I asked for details and got none.  So I sit here trying to make something out of nothing.  Here we go.

First of all, a couple of the mob wives reported/tweeted they were going on a “road trip.”  Two words.  I asked where, I got a smiley face back.  I still have no clue where they went.  However, a few days later, I read that they were at a “promo shoot” (2 more words) for season two.  Season two starts January 1st, 2012, for all of you still in the dark.  

Frankly, I loved the promo for season one and I will add it to the bottom of this blog for old times sake.  I was thinking of why they needed a new promo and then remembered the article I read in the New York Post back in June.  Jennifer Graziano told the reporter that there was a good chance they were going to add one or two more ladies to the mob wives cast.  Well then, of course, if they add anyone, they would need a new promo!  Jenn said she had been talking with some women with great stories and personalities and said, “They're childhood friends and friends of current cast members…our goal is to make the show with authentic relationships, so that someone who comes in won't be a total outsider."

I wish they would leak the promo for season two now that they have filmed it.  It would give us something to cling to while we wait in anticipation the next few weeks.  Here is the promo we all know and love from season one.

Picture and video credit: VH1

Mob Wives: Drita Does A Rabid Rabbit

Drita D'avanzo as Jessica Rabbit for Halloween.  I give her an A-.

Alright so around here I am known as a Drita hater.  *rolling eyes*  On the record, I don't hate Drita.  I don't believe or buy into her woof woof ticket.  Not every Mob Wives' viewer is going to like or love every mob wife.  I wish Mrs. D'avanzo the very best in life.  However, I just find her fake & inauthentic as Kim Kardashian's eyelashes.  I can see her bumping her gums to the wrong individual and getting her narrow @ss whooped.  That's my official opinion and I am sticking to it.

Moving along, Drita is a beautiful woman.  She also has personality for days.  The mother of two is perfect for reality television.  And even I have to admit Drita D'avanzo is one of the reasons Mob Wives is a success.  Though I am hoping for season 3, she gets the Jill Zarin treatment.  Yeah, I wrote it and I mean it.  I don't see things the same way this feisty mob wife does.  However, a small miracle happened today.  The clouds parted and I heard angels singing; I agreed with Lee D'avanzo's love muffin.  Drita wrote on her Facebook fan page 10:49 AM on November 1, 2011 the following:

"So last night I was walking through the club like Jessica Rabbit...and I see this kid putting his hands on his girl...I told my security to kick his ass out...and he was gone. But for that little punk...if you are on my fanpage get the F^%k OFF... and just know if I was not dressed like a lady n that dress was dif..I would personally have loved to beat you bad. Just saying. People like you make people like me not able to change. Violence does not solve everything but would like for you to feel what she did. (Shoes Off )"

Drita stands up against physical abuse! Click picture for larger view.

I don't like abusive people either.  I would like to beat O.J. Simpson's @ss.  However, I am a realist.  I think he'd win easily.  Well in closing she made a really gorgeous Jessica Rabbit.  She has the face.  She has the boobs.  All she was missing was the @ss!  We all know Miss Rabbit has back, even Sir Mix-A-Lot knows this.  I have to give Drita an A- as Jessica Rabbit for lack of butt.  She gets an A+ for making sure security handled an unfortunate situation.

Picture Credit: Drita D'avanzo's Fan Page