South End Syndicate

"The last days of the Roman Empire, if it were populated by snitches, gamblers, mobsters, lowlifes, and homicidal maniacs. In other words, this book is entertaining as hell. In chronicling one small, parochial, though notorious faction of the American Mafia in Springfield, Massachusetts, Arillotta tells the story of the whole damn thing. South End Syndicate is a worthy addition to any organized crime bookshelf."

—T. J. English, New York Times bestselling author of The Westies, The Corporation, and Dangerous Rhythms

On a hot November day in 2003 in Springfield,Massachusetts, local Genovese family Captain “Big Al” Bruno got shot five timeswith a .45 caliber handgun as he walked out of the Our Lady of Mount Carmelsocial club—a lit cigar smoldering next to his lifeless body. Since VitoGenovese took his empire north from New York City, a string of mobsters datingback a hundred years have operated in the Greater Springfield area. With thismigration came murders, mayhem, treachery, criminal trials, and constant corruption.

Not until 2010 did authorities charge new Springfield Genoveseboss Anthony “Bingy” Arillotta with Bruno’s murder. At the time, Arillotta’sconnections spanned the Northeast—from the Patriarca family in Rhode Island to theAngiulos in Boston to the Gambinos and Bonannos in New York, and from BillyGrasso and Whitey Tropiano in New Haven to Whitey Bulger’s Winter Hill Gang. Duringhis seven-year reign, Arillotta had beautiful women, total power, and millionsin cash. But it eventually came with a devastating price.

South End Syndicate tellsthe untold story of a young man infatuated with Springfield wiseguys who rosefrom being a street criminal to becoming his city’s Mafia boss. How did a youngItalian-American kid from Springfield work his way up the chain to become aMade wiseguy in charge of Western New England? Arillotta, now a free man, tellsa timeless tale of power, money, and murder.