Local author’s mob tale puts a new spin on a line of credit

As mafia chronicles go, local author Dennis Griffin’s “Surviving the Mob: A Street Soldier’s Life Inside the Gambino Crime Family” does a capable job of telling the violent story of New York hoodlum Andrew DiDonato.

Although he offers little Las Vegas material, DiDonato does tell about a casino marker scam his friends once pulled. Griffin writes about a “Lucchese associate” at a local casino who arranged credit for mob-connected visitors.

DiDonato recalls, “A visitor approached the Lucchese guy, identified himself, and asked for a credit line of, say twenty Gs. The Lucchese guy took the visitor to the cage, which verified he was who he said he was and was good for the money. If everything checked out okay, a marker was approved.

“If the player lost the twenty grand, he got together with the Lucchese guy to settle up. At that time, he was offered a special deal: fifty percent off his debt to settle up in cash before he left. It was an offer that couldn’t be refused. They went back to the cage, where the borrower paid the ten grand, which was split between the fixer and his cashier confederate. Then the marker was ripped up and it was as if it never existed. Everybody was happy — except for the casino, which didn’t see a dime.”

Was Las Vegas better when mob guys had substantial sway in the casinos?

It was if you had friends who could grant phantom credit.

MAYOR SHECKY: Mayor Oscar Goodman is about to exit the City Hall stage after 12 years. He is still working the room, recently telling a whopper in an interview with Deborah Solomon of The New York Times.

Solomon: “Your decision to honor the city’s founding fathers, like the gangster Bugsy Siegel, is not without controversy.”

Goodman: “The Italian-American group was very upset. I appeared in front of them, and it became so hostile at one point that I told them I didn’t say ‘mob museum.’ I said I am going to have a ‘mop museum.’ Fortunately they gave me the opportunity to escape.”

AIMLESS REBELS: I watched Wednesday night’s lackluster UNLV basketball game against scrappy Colorado State, and it’s good I hadn’t eaten beforehand. What I saw made me queasy.

It’s easy to see why the Rebels struggle despite all their talent. Even the team’s most ardent fan would be hard pressed to find a floor leader. One game does not a season make, but it’s getting awfully late in the schedule for auditions.

ON THE BOULEVARD: If you’re looking for some classic Vegas entertainment at an affordable price, check out singer and pianist Laura Taylor at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Winchester Community Center. Her show is titled “Have Mercer On Me ... A Tribute to Johnny Mercer.” ... Speaking of classics, the 18th annual Dunes Reunion is 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the New York City Bar & Grill at 6168 Spring Mountain Road.

BOULEVARD II: Former Henderson Police Chief Michael Mayberry can’t stay away from public service. He’s coming out of retirement to run for Henderson City Council. ... With a sizable bankroll and quarter century of political experience, Clark County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani will be very competitive should she decide to run for Las Vegas mayor. Meanwhile, Commissioner Larry Brown is sending a clear message by going up early with billboards announcing his mayoral candidacy.

BOULEVARD III: Has Kendall Tenney’s “Run for a Wish” to benefit Make-a-Wish of Southern Nevada really been around 10 years? This year’s event is Feb. 5 at Town Square. Sign up at runforawish.org. ... Gluttons for punishment and charity will want to ride with the Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation of Nevada team in the Tour de Summerlin bicycle race on April 30. For information: candlelightersnv.org.

Have an item for the Bard of the Boulevard? E-mail comments and contributions to Smith@reviewjournal.com or call (702) 383-0295. He also blogs at lvrj.com/blogs/smith.