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| 1963 |
Felice 'Little Phil' Teti was a member of the Gambino Family.
Born January 31, 1914 in Philadelphia to Luigi and Angelina Teti. Father from San Floro comune of Cosenza, Calabria. Mother from Messina, Sicily.
By 1915 the Tetis moved to New York, resided at 2407 Beaumont Ave in Belmont, The Bronx. Luigi worked as a tailor of women's clothing.
Felice was first arrested May 2, 1933 on a petit larceny charge in Yonkers. Two weeks later the case was dismissed.
By March 1935 the Teti family had moved around the corner to an apartment at 703 East 187th St.
In March 1936 Felice was convicted on a local disorderly conduct charge and received a suspended sentence.
In May 1937 Luigi Teti filed his Petition for Naturalization. Witnesses were Belmont residents Giuseppe Alesci (62y) and Sam Pagano (29y), both of Messinese descent.
On October 30, 1938 arrested by NYPD on charges of felonious assault and criminal possession of a weapon. Convicted on final charge manslaughter 1st degree and given three-and-one-half to seven years in New York State prison.
He began serving the sentence at Sing Sing on March 31, 1939.
By 1950 resided at 18 Washington Ave in Morrisania. Operated an auto repair shop.
On March 27, 1954 Teti's son Philip was arrested by the NYPD on a burglary charge. In the course of executing the warrant, Detectives searched the Teti residence and found a loaded gun. Felice pleaded guilty to a CPW charge and served sixty days at the Rikers Island Workhouse.
By 1958 Felice Teti was a made member of the Gambino Family, likely in the crew headed by Vincent 'Jimmy Jerome' Squillante.
By 1962 Teti reported to Capodecina Anthony 'Tony the Geep' Sedotto, who inherited a portion of Squillante's regime after the latter disappeared two years prior.
By 1963 members of the Sedotto crew included Salvatore 'Fat Sal' Bonfrisco and Felice Teti. Possible members included Frank LoCascio and brothers Aniello and Gennaro Mancuso.
On May 2, 1963 arrested by NYPD on consorting charge.
In 1964 temporarily moved from New York to California, residing on Gault St in the Van Nuys neighborhood of Los Angeles. While there he ran an ice cream and coffee shop in nearby Northridge.
By May 1968 Teti was back in New York, now at 88 Crescent Place in Yonkers.
On July 29, 1968 the FBI noted Teti's presence at Gambino Soldier John Angelone's Tiara Social Club located on Morris Park Ave.
In early October 1968 he was interviewed by the FBI and denied any knowledge of organized crime.
In June 1970 an FBI informant reported Teti's attendence at the wake for Gambino Soldier Michael Sedotto's son.
Around late August 1970 an informant reported that Teti was attempting to go partners with Tony (Tommy?) Milo in a Yonkers numbers operation.
That October he was identified as handling numbers out of the A & P Pet Shop at 626 East 180th St in the Fordham section. The FBI initiated a gambling investigation that spanned several years and grew to include Frank LoCascio and others, but was ultimately abandoned for lack of evidence.
On May 3, 1971 Teti and Anthony Sedotto were surveilled in discussion outside a social club located on East 187th St between Crotona and Prospect Aves in Belmont, where Agents noted Teti was a habitual presence.
On December 2, 1971 Sedotto was observed leaving the Teti residence in Yonkers.
By March 1972 Teti listed employment with Custom Stereo located on Yonkers Ave. He was also linked to the R & R Tropical Den on the same avenue; an FBN informant later claimed heroin was distributed from the location in five kilo lots.
In February 1973 Teti and Anthony Sedotto were again observed in discussion outside the East 187th St social club.
In April 1973 he was again interviewed by the FBI and continued to deny any knowledge of organized crime.
In December 1973 an informant told the FBI was Teti had become 'very disgusted' with New York due to the constant law enforcement pressure. He was still running numbers but planned to leave the city for Las Vegas.
Health issues prevented a move and he remained in New York where, an informant noted in May 1974, he did not have 'anything going for him' and was 'more or less just hanging around' the East 187th St club.
He reportedly bought into an unnamed Las Vegas business and may have spent time there later in the year.
By 1975 he was overseeing a number business with pickup spots that included a Belmont candy store and a beauty shop in adjacent Crotona.
By 1977 resided at 200 Hoover Ave in Yonkers.
In November of that year Anthony Sedotto died. Some or possibly all of his crew members were eventually placed with Capodecina Joseph Zingaro.
By 1980 members of the Zingaro crew included John 'Big John' DeGregorio, Frank 'F.F.' Fiumara, Robert 'Sonny' Guippone, Frank LoCascio, James 'Jimmy Ward' Massi, Frank 'Rummy' Mastroiacova, Anthony 'Porky' Porcelli and Felice Teti.
Felice Teti died July 1995 in Lee, Florida.
Edit1: Added 1968 info re Teti's presence at Angelone social club.