Theodore Persico
Theodore "Teddy" Persico, Sr. (b. 1937), is a high-ranking member of the Colombo crime family, who served as former acting boss in the Committee/Ruling Panel for his Boss and older brother, Carmine "Junior" Persico.
Early life
Theodore Persico was born in 1937 in Brooklyn, New York, as the youngest of three brothers. They would all eventually be recognized as criminals in their early life, as he and his brothers Carmine and Alphonse Persico joined the Profaci crime family in the 1950s.
Junior takes over
Promoted
After two internal wars, and three different bosses with three different types of leadership, Teddy Persico's oldest brother Carmine "Junior" Persico took over in the early 1970s, promoting his family in the organization. Both Alphosne and Teddy Persico were recognized as "made members" under the leadership of Joseph Profaci and Joseph Colombo, but as Junior Persico stepped up in 1973, Teddy Persico was recognized by law enforcement as caporegime of the Colombo crime family, as well as Alphonse Persico.
Illegal activities
Teddy Persico became higly involved with racketeering, loansharking and extortion in the early 1980s, as well as illegal gambling, money laundering and hijacking, where he would eventually be arrested and indicted on conspiracy and illegal gambling businesses.
Loyal to Persico
After Carmine "Junior" Persico received life imprisonment in the Mafia Commission Trial in 1986, it wasn't long before Brooklyn capo Vittorio "Vic" Orena was eventually promoted by Persico as acting boss in 1988. But after becoming attached to wear the title, Orena betrayed his cousin Persico, and became the cause for starting the third Colombo War in 1991, when Carmine Persico used Teddy Persico, Carmine Sessa and John Pate to organize the [...] of Orena, but managed to escape. This led to a bloody war between Orena supporters and Persico supporters.
Orena's fall and the Ruling Panel
The downfall of Vic Orena came in 1992, when he was arrested and removed off the streets, after fighting an never-ending battle with Persico, that ended with twelve murders in 1993, when the Persico faction claimed victory in the Colombo War.
It was during the early of 1993, that Teddy Persico was promoted within the Colombo crime family, as a member of the famiily's Committee/Ruling Panel, along with Joseph Baudanza and Joseph "Joe T." Tomasello, both Persico caporegimes. After being recognized as a top member and acting boss under Carmine "Junior" Persico, law enforcement coverged both Teddy Persico and consigliere Carmine Sessa, who had been a fugitive for nine months, on April 20, 1993, and charged Persico with harboring Sessa, who also became a federal witness and turncoat only months later.
In 1994, federal government put Persico under house arrest, as he was still a caporegime of the Colombo crime family.
Caporegime
Persico kept on as a capo under his brother's leadership, as he has been indicted several times during the last decade, on extortion, loansharking, illegal gambling and [...] and conspiracy charges along with Alphonse "Little Allie Boy" Persico, Carmine Persico's son and Teddy's nephew, who were both considered the most powerful members of the Colombo crime family during the late 1990s.
Imprisonment
Teddy Persico would eventually be victim along with his nephew Alphonse "Little Allie Boy" Persico and former underboss John "Jackie" DeRoss, as they plead guilty in several loansharking, extortion and conspiracy charges from 2000 to 2004, and were sentenced to 13 years in federal prison.
As of November 2007, Teddy Persico, at age 69, is still on trial, regarding [...] charges from the Colombo War, along with Allie Persico. Teddy Persico currently serving time at the Federal Medical Center (FMC) in Massachusetts, after certain heart troubles. Teddy Persico's son, Theodore, Jr. is recognized as a member of the Colombo crime family, as he is also serving time in the United States Penitentiary-Canaan in middle Pennsylvania.
Teddy Persico's project release date is 10-09-2013, unless he is found guilty of [...] and conspiracy, as he will be sentenced to life imprisonment if convicted.