Mob boss Carmine ‘The Snake’ Perisco was actually a ‘rat’, court papers reveal

The infamous Colombo crime family boss Carmine ‘The Snake’ Perisco was a ‘Top Echelon Informant’, according to newly released court documents.

Perisco’s name appeared on a Government document, dated November 1971, which listed the names of members involved in a ‘Top Echelon Informant Program’.

‘The Snake’ was just one of four members of the Colombo family whose names appeared on the document, the New York Daily News reports.

The document has come to light as part of a Freedom of Information lawsuit by David Schoen, who represents one-time Colombo boss Victor ‘Little Vic’ Orena, 87, who is currently serving a life sentence.

Carmine Perisco took control of the Colombo family following the shooting of former boss Joe Colombo in 1971 – and despite stints in prison, ‘The Snake’ maintained control of the family and built up their fortune.

He initially earned his nickname of ‘The Snake’ in the late 1950s while the Profaci family were embroiled in an internal war, with Perisco initially siding with the Gallo Borthers, before being convinced to switch allegiances and side with Joe Profaci. 

It is believed that Orena challenged Perisco in the early 1990s to take over as head of the crime family, leading to a bloody mob war.

The war led to 12 people, including 3 innocent bystanders being killed, and the crime family seeing 58 members being imprisoned. 

However, Orena, who is now senile, has claimed that he was set up by Gregory Scarpa Jr – a turncoat member of the family – and his handler Lindley DeVecchio.

Perisco was charged alongside the heads of four other crime families as part of the Mafia Commission Trial, which was led by Rudy Giuliani.

He later died in prison at the age of 85 in 2019 while serving a 139-year sentence. 

Schoen is attempting to seek compassionate release of his client from prison.

And the newly filed list of informants part of a claim that Orena was imprisoned as a result of FBI misconduct. 

Speaking about the newly disclosed document, Schoen said: ‘I think it changes the entire dynamic of how this so-called Colombo war has been sold.

‘I never wanted to disclose this document. I think it potentially puts people in danger.’ 

Schoen also said that his newly submitted document explains ‘many events’ which relate to Orena’s case, among others. 

The attorney claimed to have been so confident in the legitimacy of his list of names, that he approached the Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz and other federal agents, who did not indicate any reason to believe the document was not legitimate or that it was inaccurate. 

Responding to Schoen’s list of names, attorney Anthony DiPietro, who previously served as Carmine Perisco’s lawyer, said: ‘There is no truth to this allegation and the supporting record is substantively worthless… I can attest that he was not an informant nor did he provide information to the Government.’