During the ’70s and ’80s, Casella’s Restaurant at the corner of First and Jackson in Hoboken was the Hudson County headquarters of the the Mafia.
From La Cosa Nostra – State of New Jersey Commission of Investigation 1989 Report – The Genovese/Gigante Family
Manna’s New Jersey base of operation was Casella’s Restaurant in Hoboken, from where he oversaw gambling, loansharking, labor racketeering, corruption and pier thefts in the region. The owner of this restaurant, Martin Casella, is subordinate to Manna and is considered to be a significant member, acting as Manna’s deputy and chief assistant in the organization. Recent investigative findings reveal that Casella controlled portions of Hudson County once believed to be the domain of the late John DiGilio. Furthermore, there are strong indications that Casella acted as a conduit of information for Manna.
Manna, who had been jailed for three years in the 1970’s for refusing to answer questions about organized crime before the SCI, was successfully targeted by law enforcement in the 1980’s. He was convicted in June, 1989, of ordering the murder of New York businessman Irwin Schiff and of plotting the murder of Gambino boss John Gotti and Gotti’s brother, Gene. These convictions, along with those for racketeering and conspiracy, make it likely that Manna eventually will be replaced as consigliere of the Genovese family, but that designation has yet to be made. In fact, sources report that Manna continues to issue instructions from prison and had a voice in picking a successor to take over John DiGilio’s operations.
La Cosa Nostra – State of New Jersey Commission of Investigation 1989 Report
