Charles Majuri

Carlo Majuri aka. "Charlie Big Ears" (b. December 28, 1940) is a New Jersey mobster and Caporegime within the DeCavalcante crime family, which he attempted to gain control of in the 1990s.

Early life & crimes

Born in Newark, New Jersey, Majuri became involved in the DeCavalcante crime family as a teenager. His father, Frank Majuri, was once the Underboss of the DeCavalcantes, and later longtime Consigliere. The younger Majuri's criminal record would eventually include illegal gambling, larceny, stolen property, and bookmaking, in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

DeCavalcante captain

At some point between the early and late 1970s, Majuri is to have become inducted into the DeCavalcante crime family, but toward the early 1980s and longtime and infamous Mob boss, Simone "Sam the Plumber" DeCavalcante retired, Giovanni "John the Eagle" Riggi, the longtime Underboss, substently promoted Majuri to the rank of Caporegime or Captain of the family in the Newark faction.

On the Ruling Panel

By the 1990s, the DeCavalcante boss, Giovanni "John the Eagle" Riggi, became imprisoned and the family was under the limited control of acting boss Giacomo "Jake" Amari. When Amari died of stomach cancer, several factions within the family began maneuvering for power. To prevent open conflict, the imprisoned Riggi decided to create a panel of high-ranking members to oversee the family unofficially. This panel included Capos Vincent "Vinny Ocean" Palermo, Girolamo "Jimmy" Palermo (no relation), and Charles Majuri, with the longtime Consigliere, Stefano "Steve the Truck Driver" Vitabile to Contribute in any conflicts of the DeCavalcante crime family.

[...] & conspiracy

Much to his promotion, Majuri somehow disliked his position as it would only serve the family more than serve him alone. According to Jerry Capeci and US law enforcement, Majuri conspired with his Newark faction of North Jersey to [...] his rivals of the Elizabeth faction, Girolamo "Jimmy" Palermo and Vincent "Vinny Ocean" Palermo (the two were not related). Reportedly, both the Palermos heard of the [...]-plot, and sent two soldiers, Anthony Capo and Jimmy Gallo, to [...] Majuri outside his house. Vincent Palermo was reportedly the main conspirator behind the plot, as he was eager to control Majuri's racketeering and union operations in Newark, New Jersey.

His attempted [...]

According to one of the hitmen, Anthony Capo, who later turned government witness, he and Jimmy Gallo were to shoot Majuri as he walked out the door from his home, but at some point, both of them had gotten could feet, as they sat in a car outside his house for hours before eventually driving away from the house. They didn't managed to [...] Majuri, as they reportedly flew down to Florida to report to Vincent Palermo that they had failed. In the end, the Palermos somehow agreed to spare his life, as there were already enough problems within the DeCavalcante crime family at the time. The Ruling Panel kept running the family throughout the late 1990s.

Indictment and trial

In 2000, two years after he had nearly been murdered, Majuri was indicted for 19 counts of bookmaking, illegal gambling, loansharking, extortion, and labor racketeering, as well as two counts of conspiracy to commit [...]. On the indictment, his character and charges were described as "An acting boss on the ruling panel of the DeCavaclcante LCN (La Cosa Nostra) crime family. Among Majuri's criminal activities were participation in a conspiracy to commit [...], the collection of extortionate extenions of credit (i.e. loansharking), an illegal bookmaking business and the extortion of money from various businesses. Following his indictment, he was officially excluded from the State of New Jersey on March 17, 2004. Majuri was shipped off to prison in 2006. As of December, 2007, Charles Majuri, at age 67, is still incarcerated in the Federal Correctional Institution Loretto, in Western Pennsylvania. His projected release date is April 28, 2009.

References

• Smith, Greg B. Made Men: The True Rise and Fall Story of a New Jersey Mob Family. Berkley Publishing Group, 2003. ISBN 0-425-18551-6

External links

• This Week in Gangland: Apalachin by Jerry Capeci
• This Week in Gangland: The Gang's All Here by Jerry Capeci
• This Week in Gangland: Gallo's Humor by Jerry Capeci
• Charles Manjuri - N.J. Excluded Person
• Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator Website