The biggest Mafia sweep in American history
Ten years ago, the FBI and other law enforcement agencies executed a massive crackdown on East Coast crime families Published: January 20th, 2021 - By Scott M. Deitche
Last Updated On: January 19th, 2021 A handcuffed Mafia suspect arrested on January 20, 2011, is processed at an Army base in Brooklyn.
The morning of January 20, 2011, was a particularly early one for many in law enforcement. Before dawn, more than 700 federal agents spread out across the Northeast and rounded up 127 mobsters in the largest single-day takedown of organized crime in American history.
Ten separate agencies (including the FBI, DEA and Secret Service), with assistance from ten others, including the Italian National Police, provided assistance and logistical support. Attorney General Eric Holder said at the time, “Today’s arrests and charges mark an important step forward in disrupting La Cosa Nostra’s
the recent arrest of more than 100ment issed mobsters could end a 30-year-long nightmare for one new york family. cnn s susan candiotti twaungts widow and son of a man who was killed over a spilled drink. reporter: deng kids a after 1981 murder of richard godkin and his partner, john doing aniece, godkin s widow and children thought the case would never be solved. after all, a trial of two suspects ten years earlier ended in acquittal. by all accounts, the prosecutor s case fell short. two months ago, a glimmer of hope. the u.s. attorney general announced the arrest of more than 100 suspected mafia wise guys and singled out the shamrock bar murders that happened 30 years ago. dispute over a spilled drink.
kind and gentle. reporter: richard gotkin appeared to have a happy life. he married a former catholic nun and they had four children. he ran a local boys club in queens, new york. in 1981, he and a young partner bought a tavern called the shamrock bar. here i am married to my wild irish rose, he used to call me and the shamrock bar, got to be an omen. reporter: a bad omen. about two months later, godkin and his partner were shot dead at the shamrock. 30 years ago that night this grocery store was a bar. it was 2:30 in the morning, the bar is crowded a young man accidentally spills his drink on a woman seat ted bar with her boyfriend. he explodes and he won t calm down so the bartender throws him out, but he vows to come back. and about 20 minutes later, he does, with two accomplices. court pain state bartender john
doing alease is shot point-blank in the head. the bar s co-owner, richard godkin tries to help but he is shot in the chest. suddenly, katherine godkin was a widow with four young children. did you ever see the crime scene photographs? no. i don t want to see a picture of somebody that you loved look like that. i want to remember him like he was the night he left, smiling and happy. reporter: godkin s son, brian, was only 8 years old at the time. it took a while to sink n. that s when my sisters and i began to cry, our dad is never coming home. reporter: the double-murder was never solved, even though the fbi helped new york police locate a suspect. the fbi says he was on their radar for mob ties, but the police case went cold. the victim s son, brian godkin,