Alfonso Mosca – “Little Mob Engine Hood That Could”

Alfonso (Funzi) Mosca was open to any opportunities (he liked to gamble) but “specialized in narcotics” (getting supplied from several Harlem sources.) Although never a “large-scale” importer; instead, Funzi was a distributor of both “small” retail and “kilo” quantities.

Alfonso (Funzi) Mosca - aka "Alphonse" and "Al" - was born in 1913 in NYC. He resided early on at 99-32 62nd Ave. in the Rego Park area, as did several brothers (he had four.) His brother Ralph (Bones) became a capo.

Another brother was a barber named Ray (a strictly legit guy but knew many mob guys from his brothers and having grown up around everyone,) a sweetheart of a guy who ran a barbershop in Rego Park for decades which was frequented by many guys.

Alfonso Mosca

FBI # 517354, NYCPD # B-99100

“Funzi” had been active since the 1930s and was known early on as a “junk” dealer. He was always a rough and tumble “street guy.” He was identified by the FBI as an (inducted) soldier in the Gambino Family.

His criminal activities included narcotics (heroin) both wholesale and smaller “retail” quantities, dice games, strong-arm, labor rackets, and fraud.

Funzi was open to any opportunities (he liked to gamble) but “specialized in narcotics” (getting supplied from several Harlem sources.) Although never a “large-scale” importer; instead, Funzi was a distributor of both “small” retail and “kilo” quantities.

Mosca held partnerships in several bars, a restaurant, and a car lot over the years but never actually ran them. His focus was always “in the streets”. So, he was not most the most successful of businessmen.

Early mugshot of Funzi.

He was mostly active in the East and West Harlem areas all his life. He hung around there and Queens since he was a kid and knew many hoodlums from all the crews.

A gambler all his life, he frequented all the crap games. He also invested for a “percentage” several times.

Mosca was close to Anthony (Tony Baker) Napolitano, another Harlem alumni, and Anastasia/Gambino “senior” capo who made his home for years in Astoria, Queens.

Additional associates included:

• His brother Ralph • Paul Castellano • Frank (Farby) Serpico • Robert Sasso • Santo Iamone • John Ross (or Rosa) • Michael (Porky) Nicoline • Charles (Charlie Bullets) Albero • Angelo (Pudgy) Loiacono

...the FBN suspected he dealt with some of the above in narcotics.

Paul Castellano and Frank Serpico

Arrest Record

Since 1931, he had an arrest record for assault and robbery, narcotics violations (several times), mail fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy, and racketeering conspiracy.

A voracious heroin peddler, he had an early drug conviction being indicted in 1960 under a brand new law that made narcotics “conspiracy” a felony from a misdemeanor. In later years, he would be charged again.

Side Note: Another reason why so many guys dealt was that early on drugs was a minor arrest. After 1960, anyone who fell faced much heavier time.

In 1971, he was among seven federally indicted in several states (including his son Al Jr., “Little Funzi,”) in a complex bank fraud case. They were accused of defrauding several banks by inducing the lending institutions to pay their companies' (shell corporations) “fees” to manage failing construction firms in efforts to salvage defaulting loans.

In 1977, he was one of four people nabbed by agents in the sale of several kilos of heroin to agents. Set up by an informant, narcotics officers alleged a value of $1,500,000 for the narcotics. They exaggerated because even sold retail that’s pushing the number for two kilos.

One defendant was John Ross, a longtime drug associate of Mosca who was nailed with him back in 1960.

Later mugshot of Mosca.

By the early 1980s, he was alleged to have become a conduit and bagman for the Family, collecting money from contractors in the construction industry.

In 1986, he was thrown into a major mob case of several Families and was among 15 indicted (this was a much-publicized case) tying into Paul Castellano, Tony Salerno, Vinny DiNapoli, and other top mob figures. All were charged with various RICO violations.

Mosca was jailed, but shortly later was reportedly released on bail when he fell very sick. Alfonso “Funzi” Mosca died in 1987 at age 73.

Alfonso Mosca – “Little Mob Engine Hood That Could”

You May Also Enjoy

L.I. Mob: Mob Sharks Migrate to Long Island

Lumpy Rides a Bike

Joe and Rosario Gambino – Mafia Hijackers?

Welcome Back!

Create New Account!

Retrieve your password

Are you sure want to unlock this post?

Are you sure want to cancel subscription?

Alfonso Mosca – “Little Mob Engine Hood That Could”

Unlock This Door to the Underworld

Take the Journey!

You May Also Enjoy

L.I. Mob: Mob Sharks Migrate to Long Island

Lumpy Rides a Bike

Joe and Rosario Gambino – Mafia Hijackers?

Welcome Back!

Create New Account!

Retrieve your password

Are you sure want to unlock this post?

Are you sure want to cancel subscription?