La Stella Restaurant was an Italian restaurant in Forest Hills, Queens.[1]

La Stella was opened by Joe and Jack Taliercio in 1960.[2] It closed in 1992.[3]

Tony Talierico later opened a location in Sunrise, Florida.[4]

On the morning of June 2, 1970, a pipe bomb exploded outside the restaurant knocking in the front door, smashing in the front window and starting a small fire.[5]

Organized crime

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On September 22, 1966, Queens County District Attorney Nat Hentel organized the arrest of 13 Mafia leaders.[1] Those arrested included Carlo Gambino, Joseph Colombo, Carlos Marcello,[6] Santo Trafficante Jr.,[7] Aniello Dellacroce,[8] Michele Miranda and Anthony Carollo. It was called “Little Apalachin” after the 1957 arrests.[1] Other reports say it happened on September 30[9] and 15 were arrested.[10]

No-one was charged with any crimes but they were held as material witnesses on $100,000 bail each for a grand jury investigation which resulted in no indictments.[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Marzlock, Ron (December 31, 2009). "Queens Boulevard power lunch — mob style". Queens Chronicle. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  2. ^ "The Star of Forest Hills". Gangsters Inc. 29 August 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  3. ^ DeStefano, Anthony M. (July 2015). Gangland New York: The Places and Faces of Mob History. Globe Pequot / Lyons Press. ISBN 978-1-4930-0600-7. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  4. ^ "LA STELLA SOUTH/SUNRISE". South Florida Sun Sentinel. August 29, 2003. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  5. ^ "Pipe Bomb Is Exploded Near Queens Restaurant". The New York Times. June 3, 1970. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  6. ^ Jones, Thomas L. "Carlos Marcello: Big Daddy In The Big Easy". Crime Library. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Carlos Marcello". jfkassassination.net. December 23, 2011. Archived from the original on December 23, 2011. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  8. ^ Scarpo, Ed (January 3, 2017). "Toppling Carlo Gambino on 1966 La Stella Meeting Agenda?". La Cosa Nostra News. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  9. ^ Greene, Gael (April 7, 1969). "The Mafia Guide To Dining Out". New York. Retrieved 20 May 2023 – via The Insatiable Critic.
  10. ^ "ON THIS DAY IN 1966 15 ARE ARRESTED AT LA STELLA". National Crime Syndicate. 22 September 1966. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  11. ^ Hevesi, Dennis (February 13, 2007). "Nat H. Hentel, 87, Former Judge and Prosecutor, Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 May 2023.

40°43′34″N 73°51′04″W / 40.726027°N 73.850993°W / 40.726027; -73.850993