Joseph Abinanti is probably the Mafia’s most powerful man in porn.
He’s either a made member of the Lucchese crime family or an associate.
Abinanti owns the duplication company Video Images, located at 1580 S. Stagg St in Van Nuys, 91406.
According to Alphonse “Little Al” D’Arco, the former Lucchese boss in New York from 1991-92 who then switched sides and gave evidence to the FBI, Abinanti is a Lucchese associate.
Civella reportedly told D’Arco that two of Civella’s sons were “active” in the mob. The sons were in the pornography business with Lucchese family associate Joseph Abinanti , D’Arco said. The Kansas City crime family wanted to induct Abinanti as a “made” member, D’Arco said. (Kansas City Star, 7/15/92)
D’Arco gave evidence during the trial of Anthony “Tony Ripe” Civella, described by the New York mobster as the most powerful Mafia leader in Kansas City.
According to D’Arco, Civella told him that two of Civella’s son were active members of the Mafia’s porn trade with Abinanti. And that the Kansas City crime family wanted to induct Abinanti as a “made” member, D’Arco said.
In 1989, Teddy Snyder’s VCR company owed thousands of dollars to Martin Taccetta, named in court documents and by federal prosecutors as an organized crime figure. Martin’s older brother Michael ranks high amongst members of the Lucchese crime family, an Assistant District Attorney in Newark told the 8/20/89 LA Times. “Martin was his right hand man who engaged in certain activities outside of New Jersey.”
Snyder’s VCR was one of several companies that received about $100 thousand dollars worth of stolen videotape from Martin’s company Ollinor Video. Bobby Genova, Ted’s VCR partner, stamped his signature on a $2000 12/29/87 check from VCR to Marty. Former VCR salesman Joseph Abinanti handled the payroll for one of Taccetta’s companies in Los Angeles. While under surveillance, Taccetta met several times with Abinanti, whose “godfather,” according to law enforcement ranks near the top of the Luccheses.
5/21/01
The most connected guy in the porn business now is probably former VCR salesman Joseph Abinanti. Abinanti was good friends with Martin Tacetta and Peter Vario, the son of Paul Vario. Peter ran the hijacking at Kennedy airport.
Joseph Abinanti runs a duplication shop (located by the old Western Visuals) and with a guy named Trez they loanshark out money for 3-5% a week. They also offer bookmaking.
Abinanti is good friends with Lenny Montana Jr, whose father Lenny Montana Sr played Luca Brazi in the Godfather. Lenny Sr was a real hood. Lenny Jr has become a real hood. He was head of security at the House of Blues. Then he was in Las Vegas until they kicked him out. Lenny owns some restaurants. He partnered with Joey Merlino, Skinny Joey. They loaned out money to Russell Hampshire’s best friend Javier, his step-son (the son of Russ’s wife before Betty). Javier owned the porn production company Mystic.
Javier stole from Russell and people wanted to hurt Javier. And some people stepped in and Javier ended up selling the company to Michael Esposito and Tony Spasado (sp?). Big Tony was a huge drug dealer who just got out of prison after ten years.
Big Tony, a volatile Italian, used to own a restaurant in Tolucca Lake called The Money Tree. He bought it for $900,000 though on paper he only paid $100,000. Movie stars and organized crime guys used to go there. The bar has been part of the LA mob scene forever. In 1948, Jimmy Caci and Sonny machine gunned the back of the bar and the bullet holes are still there.
Big Tony was a big drug dealer with a guy called Ronnie Rome and Uncle Mike who owns an Italian restaurant on DeSoto Ave and Victory by the 7-11.
Big Tony likes to reminisce with fellow connected porners about the old days and why John Gotti killed Robert DiBernardo.
Joseph Abinanti is good friends with Vinnie “The Duplicator” DeStephano (Link no longer exits), who does porn duplication. Vinnie and Michael Esposito were close to LA mobster Mike Rizzitello.
Abinanti is known to his friends as low key “Joey The Duplicator,” who runs a small duplicating business. “If Joey’s the Mob’s big guy in porno Luke, why does he call people up looking for their work?” asks a porner. “Joey’s a hard working great guy who duplicates videos.”
Joseph Abinanti Connected To 1990 Murder Of Ex-Gangster Anthony Dilapi?
According to law enforcement, Abinanti used to hang out with Anthony Dilapi and may have helped set him up for the 1990 murder in a bid to become a made-guy in the New York Lucchese crime family.
A Detective Story Alleging Hit Men in Blue: Details of Hollywood Killing Helped Indict 2 Former NYPD Cops Long Suspected of Mob Ties (Josh Getlin, July 15, 2005, LA Times)
As misting rain fell in the late afternoon, Anthony Dilapi strolled into the darkened, underground garage of his Hollywood apartment. Suddenly a masked gunman rushed toward him and fired.Five bullets to the face. Four to the body. The killer jumped into a waiting car and raced away. His victim died instantly. The Feb. 4, 1990, shooting never made headlines. Dilapi, 53, was listed on his death certificate as a used-car salesman.
In fact, he was a New York mobster, a member of the Lucchese crime family. He had fallen out of favor with his bosses and fled to the West Coast.
Dilapi had covered his tracks well. How did the New York Mafia find him?
Prosecutors were mystified. Their investigation hit dead ends. Then, this year, they uncovered startling evidence: The trail led to two of New York’s most respected detectives.
In 1969, drug dealing, burglary, robbery and rape were soaring in New York. Muggers on the subways and in the parks terrified many; there was a widespread feeling that the city was out of control.
Nervous officials relaxed background checks and began hiring more police. Stephen Caracappa and Louis Eppolito joined the NYPD during this time.
Alphonse “Little Al” D’Arco knows Abinanti. Little Al had a son who is reported to be one of the shooters on the Dilapi job. They are both in Witness Protection.
I saw Joseph Abinanti at Lenny Friedlander’s suite at the AVN Expo in January 2005. Joey didn’t seem pleased to see me. I walked over to say hello but Rob Spallone pushed me away.
Joey got a visit from law enforcement in late 2004 after I published some articles about him.
It’s possible that Abinanti might be charged as an accessory in the Dilapi murder.
