Brought to book; Ex-gangster gives talk in public library.Byline: By JOANNE DOUGLAS News Reporter HE was feared as a Mafia gangster in the States. And now he is coming to Dewsbury. Louis Ferrante has been involved with some of the most lucrative robberies in US history. As a teenager, the Queens-born Ferrante and his crew would often hijack delivery trucks and drive them to drop-offs all over New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , reselling the merchandise and profiteering from their crimes. He gained the attention of the Gambino family, a feared mob, and was involved in a series of armed robberies, beatings and violent crimes. But the crime caught up with him when he was arrested after an armed robbery. After refusing to co-operate with police investigating the mob, he was sentenced to eight years' jail. The Gambino family are said to be one of five families who control organised crime activities in New York. The family's crimes are believed to include labour and construction racketeering, loansharking loan·shark·ing n. Informal The practice of lending money at usurious, often illegal interest rates. , extortion extortion, in law, unlawful demanding or receiving by an officer, in his official capacity, of any property or money not legally due to him. Examples include requesting and accepting fees in excess of those allowed to him by statute or arresting a person and, with , drug trafficking, money laundering The process of taking the proceeds of criminal activity and making them appear legal. Laundering allows criminals to transform illegally obtained gain into seemingly legitimate funds. , prostitution and murder for hire. Ferrante spent time in some of America's most feared maximum security prisons. During his time inside, Louis read his first ever book - and also appealed his own conviction - which led to him being released. He has now walked away from the Mafia and become an author and public speaker, talking about his life in the Mafia and his journey away from crime. That journey is brining him to Dewsbury Library. He will be at Dewsbury Library, Railway Street, on Monday, March 2, from 7.30pm. Tickets for the talk cost pounds 3 and can be booked by calling the library on 01924 325 080. CAPTION(S): CRIME FIGURE: Jailbird turned author, Louis Ferrante (above and left), is to give a talk in Dewsbury about his life of crime (S) |
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