Latest news with #Alite
USA Today
22-04-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
How a former killer for a major crime family became a New Jersey councilman
How a former killer for a major crime family became a New Jersey councilman Show Caption Hide Caption Former hitman John Alite now serves Englishtown as a councilman Former Gambino crime family mobster John Alite, who admitted to two murders and four murder conspiracies, now serves as an Englishtown councilman. ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. – Two hours into a town hall meeting in this small New Jersey town, a man took out his phone, hands shaking, and began filming. "Are you aware that he's committed welfare fraud?" the man asked Englishtown Mayor Daniel Francisco, referring to the borough's newest councilman, John Alite, whose mob past has drawn an unusual amount of attention to the quiet borough east of Princeton. "He's started a new life!" a resident shouted back. "We don't want to hear any of this!" another resident declared. "Go! Go! Go!" residents chanted. The support for Alite was palpable. The man who brought up the accusation of welfare fraud, who admitted to working for Alite's former boss John Gotti Jr., left the room, leaving a packet of handouts on a seat on his way out. A resident snatched up the stack of papers before anyone could read them and later handed them to Alite. More: Englishtown council loses four members, gains ex-mobster as critics slam mayor as autocrat More: Englishtown clerk: I was fired for being a whistleblower who questioned police spending It's certainly not the back-and-forth you would expect in a town meeting for a small historic place like Englishtown, which has a population of about 2,300 people. Alite by his own admission is a former mobster who ran with the Gambino crime family, one of the five major families who for decades controlled organized crime in New York City. He pleaded guilty to racketeering activity in federal court, which included two murders, four murder conspiracies, at least eight shootings and two attempted shootings. He has also acknowledged that he was part of armed home invasions and robberies in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida. Alite said in an interview that the home invasions and robberies were committed against drug dealers. In New Jersey, disqualification from serving a public office is limited to crimes involving a person's public office or public employment. Jersey Shore mob history: Mafia kingpin Vito Genovese lived in these Monmouth County homes Drugs, gambling, kidnapping and murder Alite had a reputation for brutality, according to his 2021 book "John Alite Mafia International," which was cowritten with Lou Romano. It was that reputation and his connection with John Gotti Jr. that drew him into the mob. Gotti Jr. is the son of John Gotti Sr., who was the boss of the Gambino crime family from 1985 to his imprisonment in 1992. A 1989 New York Times article placed Alite, then 26, with Gotti Jr., then 25, at a restaurant in Long Island where they got into a brawl. Alite would later move to New Jersey and then Florida, where he was involved with drug trafficking and extortion. As investigators were closing in, Alite fled to Brazil in early 2004, according to a St. Petersburg Times article at the time. Alite was accused of "controlling illegal businesses, illegal gambling, extortion, drug trafficking, money laundering, kidnapping and murder as a top lieutenant in New York's Gambino family," according to the article. After spending 10 months in Brazil, the FBI tracked down Alite at an internet cafe. Alite would then fight extradition for over two years in a prison in Brazil before being handed over to the FBI in late 2006. In early 2008, Alite pleaded guilty to a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act conspiracy charge and admitted to the two murders and shootings, local news outlets reported at the time. He began to cooperate with prosecutors, including in a case against Gotti Jr., who had succeeded his namesake father as boss of the Gambino crime family. In 2011, Alite was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Some of the 10 years was considered served due to time spent in jails in the US and Brazil and, according to the Tampa Bay Times, he received an additional 20-month reduction in his sentence. He was released in 2012. Gotti Jr.'s case ended in a mistrial, with some jurors stating they did not believe Alite, who was the chief witness. Life after the mob Since Alite's release in 2012, he has declared himself to be a reformed man, doing interviews with news stations about his former life and recording podcasts. Alite said he moved to Englishtown after his daughter Chelsea died from using fentanyl in 2022. His family had owned a house in Englishtown but had been renting it out. Alite said after his daughter's death, he decided to move to the sleepy town to forge a new life. In March, Alite was appointed to the town council to fill a vacancy with support from Francisco, the mayor of Englishtown, and other local leaders. Francisco said he and Alite have known each other for a few years. "Our understanding of each other is hanging out at these local businesses, hanging out with our business owners and talking about the issues that our town faces, mostly around the prospect of trying to get development going," Francisco said. Alite described Francisco as a nonjudgmental person who doesn't care about his past criminal record. The two don't discuss the past much, but Francisco has taken an interest in Alite's role as a speaker, sharing cautionary tales from his days in the Gambino crime family. NJ mobsters: 8 notorious Jersey Shore wise guys "I have a big interest in drug issues, whether it's this town or around the country," said Alite. "(I) took a big interest in that after being devastated like hundreds of thousands of families have." Alite's talks also discuss the dangers of drug use but mainly center around his life of crime and how he managed to turn his life around. "I don't run from (my past). I'm not proud of it. I'm ashamed of it," he said. Alite is not up for election until 2027. Contributing: Christopher Cann
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How a former killer for a major crime family became a New Jersey councilman
ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. – Two hours into a town hall meeting in this small New Jersey town, a man took out his phone, hands shaking, and began filming. "Are you aware that he's committed welfare fraud?" the man asked Englishtown Mayor Daniel Francisco, referring to the borough's newest councilman, John Alite, whose mob past has drawn an unusual amount of attention to the quiet borough east of Princeton. "He's started a new life!" a resident shouted back. "We don't want to hear any of this!" another resident declared. "Go! Go! Go!" residents chanted. The support for Alite was palpable. The man who brought up the accusation of welfare fraud, who admitted to working for Alite's former boss John Gotti Jr., left the room, leaving a packet of handouts on a seat on his way out. A resident snatched up the stack of papers before anyone could read them and later handed them to Alite. More: Englishtown council loses four members, gains ex-mobster as critics slam mayor as autocrat More: Englishtown clerk: I was fired for being a whistleblower who questioned police spending It's certainly not the back-and-forth you would expect in a town meeting for a small historic place like Englishtown, which has a population of about 2,300 people. Alite by his own admission is a former mobster who ran with the Gambino crime family, one of the five major families who for decades controlled organized crime in New York City. He pleaded guilty to racketeering activity in federal court, which included two murders, four murder conspiracies, at least eight shootings and two attempted shootings. He has also acknowledged that he was part of armed home invasions and robberies in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida. Alite said in an interview that the home invasions and robberies were committed against drug dealers. In New Jersey, disqualification from serving a public office is limited to crimes involving a person's public office or public employment. Jersey Shore mob history: Mafia kingpin Vito Genovese lived in these Monmouth County homes Alite had a reputation for brutality, according to his 2021 book "John Alite Mafia International," which was cowritten with Lou Romano. It was that reputation and his connection with John Gotti Jr. that drew him into the mob. Gotti Jr. is the son of John Gotti Sr., who was the boss of the Gambino crime family from 1985 to his imprisonment in 1992. A 1989 New York Times article placed Alite, then 26, with Gotti Jr., then 25, at a restaurant in Long Island where they got into a brawl. Alite would later move to New Jersey and then Florida, where he was involved with drug trafficking and extortion. As investigators were closing in, Alite fled to Brazil in early 2004, according to a St. Petersburg Times article at the time. Alite was accused of "controlling illegal businesses, illegal gambling, extortion, drug trafficking, money laundering, kidnapping and murder as a top lieutenant in New York's Gambino family," according to the article. After spending 10 months in Brazil, the FBI tracked down Alite at an internet cafe. Alite would then fight extradition for over two years in a prison in Brazil before being handed over to the FBI in late 2006. In early 2008, Alite pleaded guilty to a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act conspiracy charge and admitted to the two murders and shootings, local news outlets reported at the time. He began to cooperate with prosecutors, including in a case against Gotti Jr., who had succeeded his namesake father as boss of the Gambino crime family. In 2011, Alite was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Some of the 10 years was considered served due to time spent in jails in the US and Brazil and, according to the Tampa Bay Times, he received an additional 20-month reduction in his sentence. He was released in 2012. Gotti Jr.'s case ended in a mistrial, with some jurors stating they did not believe Alite, who was the chief witness. Since Alite's release in 2012, he has declared himself to be a reformed man, doing interviews with news stations about his former life and recording podcasts. Alite said he moved to Englishtown after his daughter Chelsea died from using fentanyl in 2022. His family had owned a house in Englishtown but had been renting it out. Alite said after his daughter's death, he decided to move to the sleepy town to forge a new life. In March, Alite was appointed to the town council to fill a vacancy with support from Francisco, the mayor of Englishtown, and other local leaders. Francisco said he and Alite have known each other for a few years. "Our understanding of each other is hanging out at these local businesses, hanging out with our business owners and talking about the issues that our town faces, mostly around the prospect of trying to get development going," Francisco said. Alite described Francisco as a nonjudgmental person who doesn't care about his past criminal record. The two don't discuss the past much, but Francisco has taken an interest in Alite's role as a speaker, sharing cautionary tales from his days in the Gambino crime family. NJ mobsters: 8 notorious Jersey Shore wise guys "I have a big interest in drug issues, whether it's this town or around the country," said Alite. "(I) took a big interest in that after being devastated like hundreds of thousands of families have." Alite's talks also discuss the dangers of drug use but mainly center around his life of crime and how he managed to turn his life around. "I don't run from (my past). I'm not proud of it. I'm ashamed of it," he said. Alite is not up for election until 2027. Contributing: Christopher Cann This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: This New Jersey councilman was once a killer for Gambino crime family
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mafia hitman-turned-pol John Alite heckled at NJ town hall meeting by ex-Junior Gotti ‘underling' — as disruptor met with swift retribution
This is getting whacked on a whole different level. John Alite, a former Gambino crime family enforcer-turned-mob turncoat now serving as a councilman in the sleepy New Jersey borough of Englishtown, was heckled during his first town hall meeting by a former underling of John Gotti Jr. However, Alite didn't have to lay a finger on his critic — 39-year-old Christopher George of Huntington, LI — as dozens of townspeople shouted him down. George stepped up to a microphone and confirmed he once worked for 'Junior' Gotti, Alite's ex-best friend and the son of late Gambino godfather John Gotti Sr. on various media projects — including some critical of Alite, who testified against Junior in a 2008 federal racketeering trial that ended in a hung jury. George asked Englishtown Mayor Daniel Francisco if he was 'aware' of the newly appointed councilman's 'criminal activities' — only to be drowned out by the angry mob. 'Stop harassing this guy! He did what he had to do. He did his time. That's it! Go! You don't belong here!' one resident shouted. 'Do me a favor! Step the f–k out of here!' raged another man gesturing toward the door. 'Who the f–k is this dude?' Another told George if residents are unhappy with Alite's March appointment they'll have a chance to vote him out of office later this year, adding 'I don't need to listen to you badger somebody at this meeting.' Others shouted in unison, 'Go! Go! Go!' and demanded cops escort George out before he exited Borough Hall on his own. George promotes himself online as a writer, director and 'investigative journalist' called 'Chris Kasparoza.' He has websites devoted to Gotti Sr., Alite and other past and present mobsters. Alite — who reinvented himself as a motivational speaker since becoming a free man in 2012 — said George has been 'harassing' him for years. The Queens-born goodfella claimed George has popped up at the homes and businesses of family members to confront him — as well as at speaking events he appears at where he tackles topics like domestic violence and the nation's drug epidemic. Alite claimed to the crowd that George was 'hired by guys from my ex life, and had his own fallout with the Gottis himself.' 'You don't have to explain!' replied an supporter. 'I just want you guys to know I appreciate what you did, but this is part of my old life that they don't want me to change,' Alite told the crowd. 'They want me to lose my temper. I won't do that.' Alite doubled down on his remarks, telling The Post Thursday he's been 'literally harassed nonstop' by 'Kasparoza.' 'He's obsessed,' insisted Alite. Alite spent 14 years in prison on convictions that include six murders, at least 37 shootings and countless beatdowns while working as a Gambino henchman. The President Trump-loving Republican was appointed to fill a vacancy through the end of the year after being recruited by Francisco and other local leaders impressed by his civic work helping youths. George insisted to The Post Friday he wasn't 'sent' to the meeting by anyone and only went to ask Alite and other Englishtown officials questions for a new book and documentary project he's working on. He also denied harassing Alite or his family. George said he previously worked with Junior Gotti on 'investigative journalism projects regarding career criminals turned government cooperators' they believe are still lawbreakers, including a website dedicated to Alite. The two parted ways professionally in 2022 over disagreements they had about a documentary both were partnering on about Alite, George said. George also said he wasn't fazed by Englishtown residents' spirited defense of Alite at the meeting. 'He had numerous friends in the crowd that night, and I'm sure some of them are good people,' said George. 'But like many of his other unwitting victims, I believe at a certain point they'll realize who John Alite really is and that his only friend is himself.'
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ex-Gambino mobster John Alite — who served time for murders, beatdowns — now a NJ councilman: ‘Here to redeem my whole life'
He's gone from lawbreaker to lawmaker. John Alite, a former Gambino crime family enforcer-turned-mob turncoat, was sworn in Wednesday as a councilman representing the sleepy New Jersey borough of Englishtown. 'You know what? I can really do some good. I already had a bad past, and I'm here to redeem my whole life, and I would like to go out doing everything in a positive way,' Alite, 62, told The Post. His work in the 1980s and 1990s as a top 'earner' for the 'Teflon Don,' Gambino boss John Gotti, and son John 'Junior' Gotti, will serve him well in politics, he explained. 'I understand the Machiavelli stuff, the treachery,' said Alite. 'I mean every aspect of the street is like the government, so I understand the maneuvering these candidates are doing, so I feel I'll be able to bring my knowledge and past history into politics.' Alite said he spent 14 years in prison on convictions that include six murders, at least 37 shootings and countless beatdowns while working as a Gambino henchman. But he didn't have to put any rivals in cement boots to score his council seat. He was appointed to fill a vacancy through the end of the year after being recruited by Englishtown Mayor Daniel Francisco and other local leaders impressed by his civic work helping youths. At first there were skeptics – including some members of the Council — but Alite eventually convinced them he was someone they couldn't refuse. 'Yeah, there were people who opposed it — but I don't run from my past at all,' he said. 'I use it as a way to move forward, to influence kids and get them off the street, to turn a negative into a positive.' The ex-mobster will hold the seat for an additional two years through 2027 — unless someone dares file paperwork by March 21 to challenge him in an election. 'I've been told I won't be challenged because there's other seats held by people less popular than me, and obviously I'm in the public eye and do lots of media and [motivational] talks around [Monmouth] County,' he said. 'Everybody knows me, so I'd be hard to beat in a race.' The former wiseguy said he's more qualified than any lefty Democrat currently holding higher office. 'You hear some of these people like [Texas Democratic Rep.] Jasmine Crockett talk, and they don't sound educated,' added Alite, who graduated Franklin K. Lane High School in Brooklyn and went to University of Tampa on a baseball scholarship only to drop out a few years later after blowing out his arm. And he's already looking at his next move. 'I was asked — I can't talk about names, but I was already asked to go for a higher position,' said Alite, who confided he's eyeing someday running for Congress, and aims to model himself after President Trump, whom he's campaigned for since 2016 and personally met five times. 'He's not your typical politician; he gets the job done; he's a workaholic. I mean he's got so many good qualities,' said Alite, who records show has donated $6,501 to Trump and other Republican candidates since 2020. The Queens-born goodfella reinvented himself since becoming a free man in 2012 — four years after becoming the star government witness in a 2008 racketeering case against his one-time best friend Junior Gotti. The trial ended in a hung jury. Alite said he wants to mend fences with Junior, but he's not holding his breath. Gotti did not return messages. However, he told The Post in 2016 that he's a 'forgiving guy' — but not when it comes to Alite. 'He is one of the most shameless human beings that God has created . . . He uses the Gotti theme to enhance his career,' Gotti said. Alite co-authored five books about mob life, is a prolific podcaster and also earns a paycheck as a traveling motivational speaker who tackles topics like domestic violence, bullying and the nation's drug epidemic. He makes a good enough living that he waived the modest $3,500-a-year borough council salary, but admitted it's a far cry from the 'millions of dollars' he earned 'during a good year' in the mob, when his portfolio included owning four NYC nightclubs and a dozen homes along the East Coast. At the top of Alite's political platform is speaking out against the dangers of illegal drugs. His 30-year-old daughter Chelsea died three years ago of a fentanyl overdose. The tragedy led him move to Englishtown. Alite — who could never rise to being a made man in the Italian mob because he's 100% Albanian — said he wants to make sure there are enough after-school programs to keep 'kids off the street' and away from drugs. 'The drug influence in this county is terrible,' said Alite, whose one-time employer was notorious for trafficking cocaine. 'As a kid I was part of that, and now I have a chance to change that.' Alite, who is divorced and has four sons, was surrounded by his mother and other family members when he was sworn in Wednesday at Englishtown Borough Hall. Afterwards, he participated in his first Council meeting. On the agenda for the tiny Central Jersey community with a little over 2,300 residents: filling potholes, Christmas lights, eyesore fencing, and appointing an acting police chief. Francisco, Englishtown's mayor, said Alite deserves a chance. 'I can only judge him on what I know,' he said. 'John is a guy that is quick to being open and friendly. He has vast experience and connections in the political and business world.' 'I know he does a lot of outreach work,' the mayor added. 'He shares a vision for development in our local downtown, and I think he's going to be instrumental to this effort to redefine our community's landscape.'
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
New Yorkers Trying To Fool License Plate Readers Shocked That Flimsy Piece Of Material Bought Online Does Nothing
License plate scanners are big business for police, with thousands of departments across the country using the tech to help fight crime and issue citations. Technology improvements like AI and automation have given these scanners the ability to scan thousands of cars a day. Los Angeles spent over $11 million on AI scanners for city buses that could issue parking tickets, while in New York city, automated scanners could possibly be streaming your info online. Sometimes police act on the information received from these scanners and have previously wrongly arrested individuals. To get around these plate scanners, many drivers have turned to license plate covers to protect their information, but as drivers in New York are finding out, these covers don't usually work. Read more: Apparently It's Illegal To Put A 'For Sale' Sign In Your Truck Now CBS News reports a company called Alite claims that it sells anti-radar license plate stickers and covers, and drivers in New York are falling for it. Alite's sticker cover has a material it calls Nanofilm Ecoslick, and from the description on Alite's site you can't really tell what the material is made out of or what exactly it's supposed to do, save for this description from one of the frequently asked questions at the bottom of the site's page: What does the camera see when using nanofilm? The camera only sees the illuminated area where the symbols are hidden under the Ecoslick stickers, which blends into the white background. Accordingly, the digital system does not recognize the number and does not record it in the database of traffic violations. There is no one to give a fine! Social media posts by the company prominently feature New York and New Jersey license plates and claim the products it sells are "100 percent legal." That's far from the truth, though. If you fall for Alite's claims that its products are legal, you're going to be fined. NYPD Transportation Bureau Deputy Chief Thomas Alps told CBS News that any type of plate covering or film is 100 percent illegal in New York and New Jersey. "The biggest concern is the threat to public safety. If someone wanted to do harm to the city or the residence they're in, they're not gonna use a vehicle that is traceable to them, they're gonna use a ghost vehicle," Alps told CBS. Drivers that do get duped into buying one of Alite's stickers find that they don't actually do anything. One driver from Queens named Tim McNichols told CBS that he paid $56 for two of Alite's stickers to avoid speeding tickets, saying he uses them as a way to avoid the city's unfair ticketing practices. In one of the most New York responses ever, the driver argues that he's too busy to slow down. "You really can't drive 25 anywhere in the city and expect to get anything done. The way I see it is I don't see myself doing something illegal, either. If you look at my plates, you can see all the numbers are visible any time of the day," he told CBS. McNichols said the police discovered the film from Alite on his plate and still ticketed him. CBS says he's one of three New York drivers they spoke to who said that despite buying Alite's product off the claim that it would protect their plates from readers and cameras, their plate was still picked up by the cops' scanners. CBS reached out to Alite for a response about its products. Despite the website saying that its film won't let cameras or scanners detect the plate, an email to CBS admitted that "some modern traffic cameras ... may still pick up plate details." Alite's email continued, essentially saying that a flash or sunlight can overpower the covers. From CBS News: "The email went on to say "in some cases, the strength of the infrared flash" from cameras "may not be sufficient to completely obscure the symbols" and nearby "headlights, streetlights, or sunlight ... could reduce the effectiveness of the reflection." Certain details about the company don't seem to add up either. If you go searching for reviews of Alite's products online you'll find many positive reviews, but read them carefully and you'll notice that they come across as generic, like these reviewers were paid to make their posts. There may be a reason for that — in a review from November 2024, one user pointed out that none of Alite's positive reviews seem to be real. "Please be aware of the negative reviews given by United States customers only but not other countries. I believe the positive feedback he gets from other countries is fake and written by the owner since this company is located away from the US. This product does not work and the return policy is horrible. I'm located in Washington DC, and this product doesn't suit or fit in our license plate because the fonts and letters are blue. This scam company only sells them in black and does not offer returns." It also doesn't seem to be clear where exactly the company is located. CBS News says that Alite is allegedly based in London, which is backed up by an address that can be found on the bottom of Alite's webpage, but a customer told CBS their order came from Ukraine. That same customer also said they were ignored by Alite when they requested a refund. Alite may not even be the manufacturer of the film it sells either, as CBS noticed another company's name was on the back of the strips that one of the drivers purchased. Even in spite of this, some drivers remain defiant. Tim McNicholas, the customer who said he was too busy not to speed, had a message for people who say that instead of going through all this trouble to avoid a speeding ticket, he should just slow down. "My response to those people would be grow up, become an adult and gain some common sense and then drive a little bit on your own to see what 25 miles an hour does. It'll increase the time that you need to get any tasks done ... and I understand it if they're doing it in school zones, right? I get that, that's safety. But they're doing it everywhere." Read the original article on Jalopnik.
