He ended up serving an eight-year sentence. 6 of 18 7 of 18 Auctioneer Paul Erickson, of Worster, MA, leads an auction of seized property of James Galante's at Metro Auto Body & Towing in Harford, CT, Friday, Nov. 6, 2009. [21] Former State Assemblyman Willis Stephens, who also served as the legal counsel to the town of Southeast, New York, accepted over $9,000 from Galante. Jimmy said of the incident, He was a defenseman and hit a kid. [19] Amidst these allegations, the Trashers suspended operations and released their players. Many of whom AJ found by browsing websites like hockeyfights.com, and whose services the Trashers were able to afford thanks to some allegedly creative accounting tricks pulled by AJs father. So even when I was younger I knew my daddy owned a restaurant in Canada. No, hockey guys are the most humble guys. Edie Falco played Carmela on "The Sopranos." HBO; Taylor Hill/FilmMagic. NEW HAVEN - Roseanne Galante, the wife of trash kingpin James Galante, is asking a judge to unfreeze accounts seized by prosecutors when her husband was indicted June 9 in a mob-connected . How much was signing those two brothers at the same time influenced by Slapshot? [17], Galante also agreed to forfeit a horse farm he bought for a former girlfriend, six racing cars, a racing trailer and $448,000 in cash that federal agents seized in 2006, and must pay at least $1.6 million in back taxes to the IRS. Celebrity.fm #1 Official Stars, Business & People Network, Wiki, Success story, Biography & Quotes, What does a dead bunny mean? I didnt feel anything at the time. [4], Galante was owner of twenty five different trash disposal businesses based out of Danbury, Connecticut and estimated to be worth over $100 million. Angela has fond memories of these trips. Bonanno and Galante would play a significant part in flooding the United States with their product. Jimmy admitted to paying the players on the hockey team more than the salary cap stipulated by the league by having them enrolled as no-show employees in his businesses. Senator Joe Lieberman, received campaign funds raised by Galante, but had not been linked to any actions on Galante's behalf. And I went to college on the Monday, and Im watching the tape of this guy. They were nuts. 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Jimmy Galante turns out to be a Capo in the Genovese family. He's still relying on the notion that his success is "a total fluke." Jimmy has been suspected of paying upwards of $120K a year to mob boss "Matty the Horse" Ianniello. Hockey, a lot of teams, you have to have that, but a lot of teams dont want it, they just need it. Since 1993, they have been accused of muscling out local competition , Widely regarded as one of the greatest TV series of all time, The Sopranos is the iconic American crime drama created by David Chase, which has long been praised for its sharp writing, impressive cast and slick stylisation and for dealing with themes like violence, gender roles and Italian-American family culture in a smart, engaging way. He was a Native American Indian, from somewhere in Saskatchewan. James Galante. He trusted the Sicilian people more than he trusted anyone else. After claims that the government violated their plea agreement, he was given the remaining $3.1 million. What is the best hockey fight of all time? While a senior at New Fairfield High, he was an alternate captain on the schools hockey team but couldnt play for long because of a serious injury. James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano and Burt Young as Bobby Baccalieri, Sr. act in a scene from 'The Sopranos.' | HBO While Chase clearly took freely from the Boiardo family and its associates,. , Erik Goddard Vs Brian McGrattan. I mean, there was a lot of stuff, away games were crazy too, because usually, hockey teams, theyre tough at home, but when they go away, they kind of shy away from it. As of November 2007, a State Senate Committee was considering an appropriate sanction for DeLuca. Among the allegations, Stirling and Galante allegedly violated the UHLs $275,000/team salary cap by giving several players and their wives no-show jobs with AWD and hiding illegitimate payments as housing allowances, according to the indictment, which stated that the Trashers real payroll was nearly $750,000. Did Wayne Gretzky's brother play in the NHL? It seems like such a funny combination to me. I was like, We have to have him. The drama follows mobster Tony Soprano. Your email address will not be published. Galante was now moving among the elite of the underworld. Celebrity.fm #1 Official Stars, Business & People Network, Wiki, Success story, Biography & Quotes, Who is the richest Roblox player? You need to be a member of Gangsters Inc. - www.gangstersinc.org to add comments! He saw drugs as his opportunity to almost take over the world, Angela says. I dont know if it was adrenaline, but then I just couldnt get up. The team played in the Danbury Arena. Oh God, Jon Mirasty. His daughter Angela talked about her father and what it was like growing up with a man aiming to take over the underworld. Responding officers found it . In June 2008, Jimmy decided to make a deal and pleaded guilty to racketeering, conspiracy to defraud the IRS, and wire fraud conspiracy. The government seized most of his assets after his arrest and conviction. He was born to garbage magnate@COMA Jimmy Galante. AJ's viewed as a local hero by the citizens of Danbury, Connecticut. Untold: Crime And Penalties premieres August 31st on Netflix. morton ranch junior high bell schedule. "The Sopranos" creator David Chase said he ended the series with the Journey song "Don't Stop Believin'" simply because the show's production . Want more Thrillist? As of 2023, James Galante's net worth is estimated to be $3 million. [3] The indictment included allegations that Galante and others conspired to commit arson and kidnapping by damaging a truck owned by one of Galante's competitors and by kidnapping the driver of that truck at gunpoint. We wanted and needed it. Actor: The Sopranos. James Galante, of Marblehead, avoids a tackle on a punt return in the Division 3 Elite 8 playoff football game against Masconomet at Marblehead High School on Friday, Nov. 12, 2021. Your email address will not be published. He also admitted to witness tampering. Naturally, Slapshot plus The Sopranos was extremely my wheelhouse, so I jumped at the chance to speak with AJ Galante. On November 13, 2007, DeLuca cut the investigation short by announcing his resignation from the State Senate. In 2014, after serving seven years in prison, Galante was released, having served his time. When you say you set it up, obviously, fans love hockey fights, I like watching hockey fights, but its not in the rule book. In the movie there were the brothers, there was Beauregard, there was Wingfield, and the Nigerian Nightmare. I mean, too many to name. Unfortunately I didnt get to see a lot of it live. The character of Tony Soprano is said to have been inspired by DeCavalcante crime family boss, John The Eagle Riggi as detailed in an episode of the American Greed series, titled Mob Money. Im a prime example. I was looking into them actually a few months back, kind of reaching out, seeing where people are. I just went down. In an interview with New Jersey Monthly, David Chase also revealed that the HBO show was modelled partly on a Genovese family who ran mob operations in the Newark, New Jersey area. For the Galante family, the Sopranos parallels are unavoidable. I was very surprised he wasn't killed earlier, much sooner, and that's probably why I was so shocked when he died. Petty gang crimes led to a career in bootlegging and connections to powerful figures in the Mafia. Jimmy Galante was born in 1953 and is now 68 years old. Part Slap Shot, part The Sopranos (Galante was rumored to be the real-world inspiration for Tony Soprano, after all), . And the enforcers are the best guys off the ice. I think thats in Michigan or Illinois. His estimated net worth is $100 million if the government returns his entire assets. After all, he gave his dad his word that he would. So, I was playing. I don't know what I'm doing, first of all. It was tough. Marblehead High School senior James Galante and his teammates achieved success last season that few athletes reach. Celebrity.fm #1 Official Stars, Business & People Network, Wiki, Success story, Biography & Quotes, Who is Theodens son? In 1999, Galante was sentenced to 12 months and a day in federal prison after pleading guilty to tax evasion. The US Attorneys office also stated that Jimmy and some of his associates burned a competitors truck in 1992 after leaving the driver bound. He also had to promise to never work in the industry again, ultimately destroying his empire. There were so many guys. What he did have were his passions: playing video games, watching professional wrestling, and, of course, hockey. He was also (allegedly, *wink*) working with the Genovese crime family to cut out the waste removal competition. Yet whereas AJ Sopranos football career was cut short by panic attacks and a love of n metal, AJ Galante was a hockey player. The fans went wild at every league game, and AJ was the successful general manager at the helm. Addison Rae Net Worth. Galantes goal for the Trashers to kick the other teams asses, both with their sticks and their fists, drove him to put together a rag-tag team of unlikely scorers and unrepentant goons that included Wayne Gretzkys brother, Brent, David Beauregard a former top prospect who washed out of the NHL after losing an eye two brothers highly reminiscent of the Hanson Brothers from Slapshot, and a rogues gallery of bruisers that included Brad Wingnut Wingfield and Ruman The Nigerian Nightmare Ndur. You can access his archive of reviews here. He is an American businessman and social personality who earns most of his income from his own businesses. Your email address will not be published. My father said, out of nowhere, If I ever buy a hockey team, youre going to run it. I was like, Yeah, sure. Then, two days later, he said, Okay, I bought the team., Between 2004 and 2006, the Danbury Trashers gained a reputation for their fights and toughness on the rink. Because he wasn't home a lot. The New York Times described him. The story of Jimmy Galante and his garbage empire he built in Danbury, Conn., spans through the '90s and into the early 2000s. Were about an hour north of New York City. The property . 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. the team was bought by James Galante who made A. J. Galante, 17-years-old at the time, president and general manager. And people are like, Oh, I get it. By now, Galante had established himself as a capable and reliable hitman. "People that get up in the morning to grind every day that, maybe, don't feel too fulfilled in their jobs. Gandolfini began acting in the New York theater. The heroin pipeline that now flowed from Europe to North America was dubbed the Pizza Connection. ", After a beat, he dropped the fight promoter bravado and said humbly, "Hopefully, it turns out well. MARBLEHEAD Marblehead High School senior James Galante had a lot to celebrate. Galante as general manager - trumpeting that he'd co-captained his high school team the season before among. You guys are kind of like streetwise Italian guys, New York kind of guys, and then, youve got these rustic Canadians that are playing hockey, who seem kind of like the opposite thing, but you guys are all just thrown together in this hockey environment. James Galante and 28 others were indicted by the U.S. attorney for involvement in an alleged racketeering scheme (Hartford Courant, August 6, 2007) June 9, 2006 . Police said James Galante, 18, died from his injuries after his car crashed off Ocean Avenue, a causeway in Marblehead. I was always trying to put on a show for my father. It's been a decade and a half since James and AJ Galante disrupted the minor league hockey world and their story is still alive and kicking. Secret location (WITSEC) I heard James (Jimmy) was Galantes son, not nephew. Galante pushed his high school wants aside to lead this crew, anyway. And with no experience managing a professional sports team, AJ cobbled together a formidable hockey teameven tapping Brent Gretzky, hockey legend Wayne Gretzky's lesser-known brother, to lead the roster. "On behalf of . But I tell you what, he was one of the greatest athletes I ever saw in my life. [3] In June 2006, Galante was issued a 98-count indictment describing Galante as a man who ran an illegal enterprise by carving up the garbage business in western Connecticut and Putnam County and using mob muscle to strong-arm any competitors who might get in his way. What were the craziest ones that maybe didnt make it into the film or that you remember, but you just didnt have footage for? He is a boxing promoter and hockey team "Danbury Trashers" manager based in America. Putnam Victory Fund. Who is the most powerful crime family? Thankfully. Jimmy Galante is married to a lady named Roseanne. "James was a great athlete. The team, owner James Galante and former coach J. Todd Stirling were accused Friday, June 9, 2006, of defrauding the United Hockey League, violating its salary cap by giving some players and. The film goes into a lot of the fights that were going on. Maybe the funniest press release ever written came from the Trashers announcing A.J. [6] As a result, municipalities, businesses and residents paid artificially inflated carting prices for years. Powerful bosses relied upon his areas of expertise. But Jimmys upward climb to success would soon come to an end. Watch Untold: Crimes & Penalties drops on Netflix on Aug. 31. But he was also a loving husband and doting dad. BRIDGEPORT H. James Pickerstein, a former top federal prosecutor in Connecticut and a popular figure among generations of state lawyers, was sentenced Tuesday to 30 days in prison for stealing . His Broadway debut was in the 1992 revival of "A Streetcar Named Desire" with Jessica Lange and Alec . AJ Galante is an American boxing promoter and former hockey team manager of Danbury Trashers. He was a well-known philanthropist, but because of his controversy, he eventually had to stop, and by taking the wrong turns in his life, his life was turned upside down. Someone, I dont know, a Christmas gift or something, gave me a box set DVD. It amazed me, but it was true., It was surreal. The government seized most of his assets after his arrest and conviction. AJ later said of the teams approach, We were trying to develop a hockey town out of a town thats never had hockey. He did contract murders for some of the biggest names in the New York underworld of the 1930s and 1940s. However, the minor league team, the Danbury Trashers, made a name for itself as the players were called the leagues bad boys. So, lets find out what AJ has been up to since then, shall we? On Stephens' recommendation, the town board then awarded a $1.5 million no-bid garbage contract to Galante's company. Her father didnt have a job working 9 to 5 and it was cause for a lot of guesswork. He was primarily active as an enforcer. Even in the early stages he feared nothing, and I think that that was a big part of him becoming what he was and who he was.. Powered by. The rink in Danbury is cold. Celebrity.fm #1 Official Stars, Business & People Network, Wiki, Success story, Biography & Quotes. When AJ was 17 years old, he was hurt during a hockey match and was told he could never play hockey again. What happened to Jimmy Galante, and where is he now? A movie adaptation of their improbable tale, aptly titled Trashers, inspired by the Sports Illustrated article "This Hockey Mogul Was 17. I know when my dad started the team, one of his main reasons was, Hey, I want to bring an identity to the city. It only lasted two years, but were still talking about it to this day. By Tom Fordy 22 September 2021 3:55pm. No-bid contracts and old-fashioned ass whippings! I didn't have any contacts in the league and no one really wanted to talk to us." [20], Galante was accused of donating to a PAC (Political Action Committee) which laundered money to several politicians who may have used their influence to award contracts to Galante's trash hauling business. And thankfully, it was just us two in the gym at the time. So, we were looking to replace him. So, it was a weird dynamic to learn how this stuff works, but no, I mean, like I said, its the personalities. He followed the American dream. His hockey team did decently well, but it and his other business ventures were involved in a series of scandals over the years, eventually surmounting in Galante's arrest. And theyre sick. I watched little parts here or there, but I never sat down and watched Slapshot. But we kept it very balanced, so a lot of the away games were crazy too. Save my name, email, and site URL in my browser for next time I post a comment. AJ stepped away from hockey for a while, and his father served time in federal prison. What he did might be wrong, but he excelled at it. James Galante, who had direct ties to the Genovese crime family, who have been cited as part of the inspiration for The Sopranos, was arrested under a massive FBI indictment and was charged. The Danbury Trashers were a Minor Professional hockey team based in Danbury, CT playing in the United Hockey League from 2004 to 2006. Like any father, you want to be able to do something for your son. So, in April 2004, Jimmy bought a franchise in minor league hockey and named it the Danbury Trashers. Despite this, he has been known to be a community-minded philanthropist, and his donations have included a new football stadium at New Fairfield High School and a pediatric emergency department at Danbury Hospital. It was definitely a tough injury, and it was just a fluke thing. The FBI was investigating Jimmy for suspected ties to the mob. That doesnt seem like a big deal, but if youre in the middle of the third period, and your legs are tired and you dont want to hop over the boards Those are little stupid things that things would happen. He owned a trash collecting business that grew substantially before he purchased a minor league hockey team that was set up in Danbury, Connecticut. And hes actually on pace to hopefully represent America in the 2024 Olympics. One of my favorite guys is in the UK, coaching in a big league out there. He was contacted by The Atlantic for a profile in May 2018 and told the outlet the only thing he was up to was enjoying life., While his son, AJ, is no longer in charge of the Danbury Trashers, he's reportedly started a boxing club close to his hometown and told The Atlantic he was attempting to make the area a reputable location for boxing, in competition with Oxnard, Calif.. Jimmy was born in the Bronx, New York, in January 1953. Please check your browser settings or contact your system administrator. Upon completing their second season as a full-fledged hockey crew, it all abruptly ended. He was often accused of working with local mob families, specifically the Genovese crime family, to secure this control over the area. It's a notion he humbly accepts but still isn't sure he deserves. That knack, even as a teenager, connected with the people of Danbury immediately. He said Mr. Galante, 56 years old, was an inducted member of the Bonanno family and the nephew of Carmine Galante, who the authorities said was the boss of the Bonanno family when he was shot to death in a Brooklyn restaurant in 1979. I used to hear it, hes named AJ! and the kid was a little kid douchebag kid, I think. Chase learnt of Ruggerio Richie the Boot Boiardo and his relatives from relatives in Newarks North Ward. Theres two Connecticuts. // ]]>, Report an Issue | He just has an inherent knack for storytelling.". How? So, when they came here, for them, it was heaven, because we, in so many ways, we wanted that. This was based on the practice by many of the participants to use pizza parlors as fronts for their drug business. No agents. Who was Jimmy Galante? Stephan James co-stars with Layne in the film, which earned Regina King an . What I learned is that for most of the enforcers, it was their job. A lot of them are coaching now, actually. [11], Although he initially entered a plea of not guilty, in June 2008, Galante agreed to a change-of-plea hearing. [9], Galante was charged in 93 counts of the indictment, with various alleged violations of federal law, including racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, Hobbs Act extortion, mail and wire fraud, witness tampering, tax fraud and conspiracy charges. And its weird, because this part of Connecticut, its like New York will never claim us, because were in Connecticut, but Connecticut doesnt claim us, because were so close to New York. However, in hockey, fighting is part of The Code. Fighting has been an officially accepted part of hockey at the professional level for almost a century. Jimmy Galante or James Galante owned his own company a trash collection business that grew tremendously before he purchased a minor age league hockey team that was set up in Danbury, Connecticut. brothers Maclain and Chapman Way's new series of Netflix documentary films, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Soprano and Galantes sons even had the same name AJ. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. The film claims that James Galante was the inspiration for the character Tony Soprano, although it is disputed and many have said it is loosely based on New Jersey mobster Vincent Palermo. It was responsible for picking up trash in most of Connecticut and some counties in New York. martin guitar service center; white stuff in bottom of canned green beans I heard some things, allegedly. We may or may not have planned some of these things, but no, I mean everything from the stupidest pranks. Copyright 2023 Distractify. The New York Times called him a Danbury trash hauler suspected of mob ties with a plot right out of The Sopranos ., But, in a twist thats even darker than Tonys tortured psyche, theres real-life inspiration behind the on-screen Soprano family. One of his first brushes with the FBI came when he was arrested and sentenced to 1 year in prison for federal tax evasion in 1999. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. A lot of those guys they were shunned from other teams, because they were a little nuts. Revolving around the thuggish antics of Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano, played by the late James Gandolfini, the show became famed not only for its twisted storylines of gang brutality and power play, but also for its comments on family dynamics, mental health and the dark underside to the American dream. My father started opening up pizza restaurants. A teenage boy died after he was involved in a car crash on the causeway in Marblehead early Friday morning, officials said. The James R. Galante Memorial Fund was launched online through GoFundMe and through Grand National Bank. A cut-throat business, literally. Galante was owner of twenty five different trash disposal businesses based out of Danbury, Connecticut and estimated to be worth over $100 million. After enjoying lunch on an open patio at Joe and Mary's Italian-American Restaurant, Galante was confronted by three men wearing ski-masks. While just a teenager, AJ was able to acquire players on the roster and, along with his father, was very clear about the kind of game they wanted to play. I'm sure that this made him get into the wrong company., She believes it also gave her father a mindset that helped him overcome any obstacle he faced in the violent environment he moved in. In June 2008, Galante pleaded guilty to these charges. File photo. In May 1979, Jimmy set up Automated Waste Disposal in Danbury, which eventually became a wildly successful empire. Great show. Loading. All Rights Reserved. AJ worked as a truck driver for quite a while after the whole fiasco, but through all of that, he maintained a close relationship with his father. But from what he told me, it was an accident. Sometimes in sports, with siblings, you kind of separate them a little bit, but they just, I mean, theyre not even twins, but they were so in sync with each other, it was incredible. While a senior at New Fairfield High, he was an alternate captain on the school's hockey team but couldn't play for long because of a serious injury. It also estimated that the Genovese familyconsists of about 270 @COMILLASmade@COMILLAS members. The other guys didnt know that, but we knew that. But unfortunately, a lot of NHL teams, foolishly, in my opinion, kind of steered away from him, because hes got one eye. They thought we were insane. Celebrity.fm #1 Official Stars, Business & People Network, Wiki, Success story, Biography & Quotes. They recovered a substantial amount of money and evidence. I read about the equipment manager, that you guys had maybe playing some tricks on the other teams [such as soaking the home jerseys in Crisco so the other team couldnt grab them]. I was just messing with him. I saw a tape of him once when Wingfield got hurt, we lost our big enforcer at the time. Most of his earnings come from his business and side projects. AJ Galante lived with his family in New Fairfield, Connecticut, at the time. Netflixs Untold: Crime and Penalties brings to the viewers this rather unusual story of the meteoric success that AJ achieved as a teenager before an FBI investigation into his fathers businesses changed everything. August 31, 2021 Jimmy Galante was one of the more divisive personalities in Connecticut during the 1990s and early 2000s. I put a kid in, 12-years-old, five years ago, when I was pushing 30. Libby Torres. [22] The investigation culminated with raids of Putnam County Executive Robert Bondi's office, although no charges were ever filed. Deadline has reported that Stranger Things star David Harbour will star in The Trashers as Jimmy Galante, said to be one of the inspirations for The Sopranos. Its crazy. The old days when you could do fun stuff like that. Its my buddy Jon Mirasty. Hes in Bakersfield, California at the time. I heard there mightve been fire alarms pulled at hotels, 2:00, 3:00 in the morning, things like that. My knee cap was actually on the side of my knee which I didnt know at the time, because I had all my gear on. [7], In 2006, Federal authorities infiltrated Automated Waste Disposal with an undercover agent and taped hours of phone conversations, precipitating a raid on AWD offices in Danbury and Galante's home in New Fairfield, Connecticut, acquiring trailers full of documents. Chief among them, Joseph Bonanno, the leader of the Mafia family Galante had become a member of and would one day come to lead himself. It is what it is. I mean, its a rink, but excessively cold for some reason. But yeah, the brothers, we had a mutual friend, and they ended up coming on board. The second thing I realized was this kid is going to be special. Michael turned heads and gained respect as an actor in his major-film debut, playing young Tony Soprano in The Many Saints of Newark. The film claims that James Galante was the inspiration for the character Tony Soprano, although it is disputed and many have said it is loosely based on New Jersey mobster Vincent Palermo. "Oh, God, You want me in my nerdy glasses?" James Galante, 18, a senior at Marblehead High School, died of his .