 |
| 1970s |
Louis 'Louie Bell' Barbella was a member of the Genovese Family.
Before moving to Los Angeles in 1961, he was active with one of the Family's Bronx crews.
Born August 1, 1913 in Jersey City, New Jersey to Nicola (28y) and Jennie Nazzaro (21y). Parents from San Giorgio del Sannio comune of Benevento, Campania.
By June 1915 the Barbellas resided at 131 Thompson St in SoHo, Manhattan. Immediately north was Greenwich Village, a neighborhood later connected to several Genovese leaders.
By September 1918 the family moved to the 295 East 149th St in Melrose, The Bronx. Nicola worked as a barber at 110 5th Ave in Midtown, Manhattan.
Louis lived at various addresses throughout the Bronx over the next forty years.
By April 1930 he had been taken in at the borough's New York Catholic Protectory.
On September 24, 1931 he married Felicia 'Fannie' Sales (19y). Bride's parents identified as Michael and Olimpia Ferrara.
Louis gave his occupation as barber and listed an address at 2350 Beaumont Ave in the borough's largely Italian Belmont neighborhood.
By 1939 moved to 1824 Crotona Ave near Tremont.
On April 25 of that year arrested on fraud-related charges. Mount Vernon's The Daily Argus reported: "[Complainant Thomas Somma] told police he gave Barbello (sic) $175 to get his name on the civil service list but he got impatient after waiting more than a year for his appointment and had Barbello arrested." The New York Daily News noted: "[Barbella] admitted taking $265 from two men on the pretense he could 'fix' civil servant preference lists." Arraigned in Bronx Magistrate's Court and held without bail.
By the following year he resided with his second wife at 3313 Seymour Ave in Laconia and worked as a WPA laborer.
By Fall 1940 the Barbellas had moved to 1797 Washington Ave in Claremont. Louis listed employment with Howard Johnson's restaurant on Eastern Boulevard.
Around August 1944 moved to 810 East 178th St in Crotona.
As of April 1950 listed as an inmate at the state prison in Auburn, New York.
By 1958 he was a made member of the Genovese Family reporting to James 'Jimmy' Angellino, who headed a crew in based in the Bronx and Westchester County.
By 1960 made members of Angellino's crew included Louis Barbella, Joseph 'Gigo' Barra, Morris 'Mickey' Barra, Tobia 'Toby' DeMicco (Angellino's nephew), Matteo 'Matty Brown' Fortunato, Joseph Paul Marchione and Salvatore John 'Zackie' Savino. (Angellino died in 1967. His son, Vincent aka 'Jimmy', was inducted into the Colombos during the late 1970s and rose to Consigliere in that Family. He was murdered in 1988.)
In 1961 Barbella moved to Los Angeles, California.
By early 1963 his LCN membership was made known to authorities, likely through CW Joseph Valachi, and he was designated the subject of an FBI anti-racketeering investigation.
On September 4, 1967 FBI reported: "Louis Barbella has been identified by [CI] as a 'member' of the LCN 'Family' of New York headed by Vito Genovese...No information has been developed reflecting that Barbella has been associated with the Los Angeles LCN 'Family' in its activities."
In September 1968 included in the FBI's list of 209 identified Genovese Family members.
In November 1969 included in the FBI's list of 216 identified Genovese Family members.
On June 7-8, 1970 FBI CI reported: "[Redacted] and said that Louis Barbella left New York shortly after being released from prison in about 1957 or 1958. He said that Barbella took up residence in Southern California and continues to live there. He said that Barbella was never made into any of the Families of La Cosa Nostra. [CI] said it was his opinion that Barbella went to the West Coast to get away from his hoodlum associates and to try to go straight."
In October 1972 included in the FBI's list of 198 identified Genovese Family members.
In October 1973 included in the FBI's list of 190 identified Genovese Family members.
Barbella remained obscure despite his identification as a member. A later chart listed his address as 3758 Englewood Boulevard in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Mar Vista.
He died January 11, 1976 and was buried in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park located in Hollywood Hills.
In January 1977 posthumously included in the FBI's list of 198 identified Genovese Family members.
In June 1979 posthumously included in the FBI's list of 177 identified Genovese Family members.
Also included in the 1983 Senate Chart of Genovese Family membership.
Before moving to Los Angeles in 1961, he was active with one of the Family's Bronx crews.
Born August 1, 1913 in Jersey City, New Jersey to Nicola (28y) and Jennie Nazzaro (21y). Parents from San Giorgio del Sannio comune of Benevento, Campania.
By June 1915 the Barbellas resided at 131 Thompson St in SoHo, Manhattan. Immediately north was Greenwich Village, a neighborhood later connected to several Genovese leaders.
By September 1918 the family moved to the 295 East 149th St in Melrose, The Bronx. Nicola worked as a barber at 110 5th Ave in Midtown, Manhattan.
Louis lived at various addresses throughout the Bronx over the next forty years.
By April 1930 he had been taken in at the borough's New York Catholic Protectory.
On September 24, 1931 he married Felicia 'Fannie' Sales (19y). Bride's parents identified as Michael and Olimpia Ferrara.
Louis gave his occupation as barber and listed an address at 2350 Beaumont Ave in the borough's largely Italian Belmont neighborhood.
By 1939 moved to 1824 Crotona Ave near Tremont.
On April 25 of that year arrested on fraud-related charges. Mount Vernon's The Daily Argus reported: "[Complainant Thomas Somma] told police he gave Barbello (sic) $175 to get his name on the civil service list but he got impatient after waiting more than a year for his appointment and had Barbello arrested." The New York Daily News noted: "[Barbella] admitted taking $265 from two men on the pretense he could 'fix' civil servant preference lists." Arraigned in Bronx Magistrate's Court and held without bail.
By the following year he resided with his second wife at 3313 Seymour Ave in Laconia and worked as a WPA laborer.
By Fall 1940 the Barbellas had moved to 1797 Washington Ave in Claremont. Louis listed employment with Howard Johnson's restaurant on Eastern Boulevard.
Around August 1944 moved to 810 East 178th St in Crotona.
As of April 1950 listed as an inmate at the state prison in Auburn, New York.
By 1958 he was a made member of the Genovese Family reporting to James 'Jimmy' Angellino, who headed a crew in based in the Bronx and Westchester County.
By 1960 made members of Angellino's crew included Louis Barbella, Joseph 'Gigo' Barra, Morris 'Mickey' Barra, Tobia 'Toby' DeMicco (Angellino's nephew), Matteo 'Matty Brown' Fortunato, Joseph Paul Marchione and Salvatore John 'Zackie' Savino. (Angellino died in 1967. His son, Vincent aka 'Jimmy', was inducted into the Colombos during the late 1970s and rose to Consigliere in that Family. He was murdered in 1988.)
In 1961 Barbella moved to Los Angeles, California.
By early 1963 his LCN membership was made known to authorities, likely through CW Joseph Valachi, and he was designated the subject of an FBI anti-racketeering investigation.
On September 4, 1967 FBI reported: "Louis Barbella has been identified by [CI] as a 'member' of the LCN 'Family' of New York headed by Vito Genovese...No information has been developed reflecting that Barbella has been associated with the Los Angeles LCN 'Family' in its activities."
In September 1968 included in the FBI's list of 209 identified Genovese Family members.
In November 1969 included in the FBI's list of 216 identified Genovese Family members.
On June 7-8, 1970 FBI CI reported: "[Redacted] and said that Louis Barbella left New York shortly after being released from prison in about 1957 or 1958. He said that Barbella took up residence in Southern California and continues to live there. He said that Barbella was never made into any of the Families of La Cosa Nostra. [CI] said it was his opinion that Barbella went to the West Coast to get away from his hoodlum associates and to try to go straight."
In October 1972 included in the FBI's list of 198 identified Genovese Family members.
In October 1973 included in the FBI's list of 190 identified Genovese Family members.
Barbella remained obscure despite his identification as a member. A later chart listed his address as 3758 Englewood Boulevard in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Mar Vista.
He died January 11, 1976 and was buried in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park located in Hollywood Hills.
In January 1977 posthumously included in the FBI's list of 198 identified Genovese Family members.
In June 1979 posthumously included in the FBI's list of 177 identified Genovese Family members.
Also included in the 1983 Senate Chart of Genovese Family membership.