Peter "Fat Pete" Chiodo

Peter Chiodo

Peter "Fat Pete" Chiodo (born 1940) was a capo in the Lucchese crime family who later became a government witness.
In 1991, Chiodo was charged with violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). At this point, he decided to plea guilty in return for a lighter sentence. Uncertain of Chiodo's loyalty and angry at his guilty plea, Lucchese crime family leaders Vittorio "Vic" Amuso and Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso decided to kill him. They ordered the current acting boss of the family Alphonse 'The Professor' D'Arco, to take him out, D'Arco was surprised by Casso's decision to kill Chiodo as they had been good friends for years. Following Casso's order so he himself did not get whacked D'Arco ordered the hit. On May 8, 1991 three shooters shot Chiodo 12 times, but failed to kill him, doctors credited Chiodo's obesity for saving his life. He is the nephew of Lucchese crime family mobster Frank Signorino and brother to Patricia Capozallo.
Following this assassination attempt, Chiodo decided to become a government witness, it was the only way it seemed he could survive. In an attempt to thwart Chiodo's plans Casso and Amuso had D'Arco get some soldiers to threaten Chiodo's family. Quickly his family were whisked into the Witness Protection programme, his uncle and sister decided to risk life on the street, Amuso and Casso then had Chiodo's uncle killed in an unsuccessful effort to dissuade him and his sister Patricia Capozallo was shot in the arm, back and neck by a masked gunman but it failed to kill her. Chiodo provided valuable evidence that helped convict both Amuso and Casso as well as many other gangsters. He had to be flown around in a special plane while a witness because of his weight. Chiodo is currently in the Witness Protection Program. He was sentenced in September 2007 on racketeering charges but will serve no prison time due to his agreement to testify.

Jimmy Hoffa hit

Americans' fascination with the Mafia has produced a slew of best-selling stories, from "The Godfather" to "The Sopranos." Behind these riveting tales of crime, murder and corruption are writers who sought out true stories.
As a trial attorney with a knack for cross-examination and interrogation techniques, part-time Ketchum resident Charles Brandt embarked on a career as a true-crime writer. Brandt's works reveal the activities of the nation's most notorious crime families, and include the long-unsolved mystery behind the murder of Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa.
"They helped elect a president and kill a president," Brandt said. "I didn't intend to write about the Mafia, that's how it worked out."
In a free talk, "Writing About the Mafia," at the Community Library in Ketchum tonight, Nov. 12, at 6 p.m. Brandt will discuss his work and experiences.
Brandt gained the trust and respect of Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran, who confessed to Brandt about his mob hits, which included Jimmy Hoffa. "I Heard You Paint Houses" is a result of Brandt's five years of recorded interviews with Sheeran and will become a major motion picture directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro.
"Confession is a basic human need," Brandt said. "Sheeran wanted to tell his side of the story."
Brandt is working on another book about an FBI agent framed by the Colombo crime family.
Mr. Brandt wrote a fascinating and great book in "I Heard You Paint Houses" which is extremely important to understanding the latter half of the 20th century. A must read...

"I Hear You Paint Houses" finally reveals how James Hoffa died and what became of his body. Thanks to Charlie Brandt we can all stop sneaking into the Meadowlands in the middle of the night and digging for him.