The Real Teflon Don

Book excerpt: The two most famous mobsters of the twentieth century were Al Capone and Don Corleone. The most powerful American mobster of the twentieth century was Stefano Magaddino. This book tells the story of a decade-long war against the Magaddino crime family waged by an elite stealth New York State police team. Veteran crime reporter Matt Gryta, who covered many of the events and trials described in the book, and former State Trooper George Karalus, a member of the undercover unit that shadowed Magaddino, have teamed up to tell the story of the secret unit's war against the Mafia. From The Real Teflon Don: "Magaddino quieted the complaints about his Apalachin strategy by issuing "assignments" that led to the deaths of several of his biggest mob critics. As Magaddino always did when he approved an "assignment" to have someone killed he said nothing, but raised his right hand over his head. His henchmen knew that meant the "assignment" had his approval. His Apalachin "critics" were handled that way, quieting the criticism fairly quickly within years of that public embarrassment for the entire mob family nationwide."