Untold story of how Frank Sinatra ended up ‘begging for his life’ in a seedy Harlem basement

Frank Sinatra had to beg for his life after the New York mafia beat him up in the early 1970s, according to a new book.

Mafia takedownwritten by former FBI agent Mike Campi, reveals that the singer had so enraged the Genovese crime family that he was summoned to a secret meeting in an East Harlem basement by ruthless mafia puppeteer “Fat Tony” Salerno.

It was here that one of Campi’s informants, the Genovese “soldier” George Barone, was ordered to kill Sinatra.

The crooner’s ties to the mafia are the stuff of Hollywood legend – so much so that Johnny Fontane’s character in The Godfather is said to be based on his life.

“There have long been rumors that he had close ties to gangsters and that these boosted his career from the start,” writes Campi, who led one of the most successful attacks on organized crime in the US.

“There is ample evidence to support this claim.”

For starters, Sinatra’s godfather was the infamous New Jersey sage Willie Moretti.

But the connections don’t stop there.

“Sinatra’s name and home address were once found by Italian authorities in the possession of Charles ‘Lucky’ Luciano, and Sinatra is said to have once delivered a suitcase full of cash to Luciano in Cuba,” Campi writes.

He adds, “Sinatra was also good friends with Louie “Dome” Pacello, an old Genovese soldier who operated out of an office above Veniero’s Bakery in New York City. Pacello once refused to answer under oath whether he knew Sinatra at all, citing his Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination.

“After being vaccinated and legally required to respond, Pacello still refused to answer – voluntarily choosing to be incarcerated rather than respond to this simple question.”

Campi claims the mafia was even behind Sinatra’s Oscar-winning role in From Here to Eternity after he was initially turned down for the role of soldier Angelo Maggio.

“Columbia Studios was reportedly closely associated with the mafia,” Campi wrote. Sinatra asked Columbia boss Harry Cohn for a role, but he turned him down.

“Sinatra then apparently approached an intermediary for Genovese power, Frank Costello, who selected Chicago gangster Johnny Roselli to deliver a message.”

Roselli is said to have ‘persuaded’ Cohn to cast Sinatra anyway, telling him he was a ‘damn dead man’ if he didn’t do as he was told.

But through his personal conversations with George Barone, Campi uncovered even more damning details about Ol’ Blue Eyes’ ties to the Genovese family.

“According to Barone, at some point Sinatra became too friendly with other crime families (Sinatra was famously photographed with several Gambino members),” he writes.

Word had also reached the family that he was throwing around his weight in Las Vegas and became rude and offensive when drunk.

Stories of his violent outbursts are infamous: he apparently once paid a waiter $50 to punch Vanity Fair writer Dominick Dunne in the face, and after an argument about politics with a woman, he allegedly demanded a clerk hit her with a plate. hit. of grilled spareribs.

Enough was enough. Genovese street boss “Fat Tony” Salerno called Sinatra to a meeting in an East Harlem basement. Barone was told to get there early and when Tony gave the signal, he had to kill Sinatra.

But when the singer was confronted with his fate, he cried “like a baby” and begged for his life.

It seems that fat Tony took pity on him.

“Sinatra… was reprimanded and promised not to violate his relationship with the Genovese,” or he would be dead.

For the time being, ‘his life was spared.’

Sinatra wasn’t the only star associated with the mafia.

Campi writes that Robert De Niro consulted Gambino capo ‘Fat Andy’ Ruggiano for his role in Analyze This, and that Tony Sirico – who plays Paulie Walnuts in The Sopranos – was linked to the Colombo crime family.

James Caan, he claims, also had an ‘extremely close’ relationship with then Colombo captain Andrew Russo. The actor’s Godfather character, Sonny Corleone, is said to be based on Russo.

Gangsters even used their considerable muscle power to dictate control over film content, he writes.

“Capone, for example, was concerned about his fictional portrayal in the original 1932 Scarface film, so he sent in gangsters whose threats ensured his satisfaction with the film.”

Even in The Godfather, he says, the crowd was determined to make sure they were seen in a positive light.

‘Mafia boss Joe Colombo used his control of the Italian-American Civil Rights League to pressure Paramount against the proposed film.

“He also made it clear that he would exploit the mafia’s control over the unions and other influences to hinder its establishment.

“In addition, the mob threatened the film’s producer and other executives and stole expensive film equipment.

‘After this was followed up with bomb threats, Paramount complied with their demands. A hush-hush deal was made and the film’s story was changed to the mob’s satisfaction.’

Mafia Takedown: The Incredible True Story of the FBI Agent Who Destroyed the New York Mafia by Mike Campi is published by Skyhorse