Belair Market Gang

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The Belair Market Gang aka Central Garage Syndicate and the Baltimore Central Syndicate was a numbers syndicate that was formed in Baltimore. Members of this syndicate were Angelo Perrera, Frank Corbi, Luigi Morici, Mario Anello, and Isaac Sapperstein. Its believed that Frank Corbi, Luigi Morici, and Angelo Perrera were all member of the Gambino Crime Family. The Belair Market Gang goes all the way back to the 1930s during prohibition. I will give you a breakdown on who these men were and the set up of their numbers operation in Baltimore.

Isaac Saperstein was a former boxer who was known to hang around with the fight crowd in Baltimore and was closely associated with the numbers rackets and was in 1944, described as a member of the Belair Market gang. He was also known had connection with Nig Rosen of New York and Willie Weisberg of Philly.

Frank Corbi was a member of the Gambino crime family and capo of the Baltimore crew. When Gambino capo Luigi “Louie” “Moro” Morici (1896-1971) stepped down due to ill health, Frank Corbi and his wife Rose Romeo were godparents to Luigi Morici son Serafino F. Morici. Frank Corbi took over the crew first on acting basis and reported to Joe N. Gallo (the future Gambino consigliere) before being named the official capo. In 1967, Frank Corbi was shot through his leg during an argument in a card game possibly by Antonio Ripepi (1902-1996), a mobster with the Pittsburgh Mafia. Antonio Ripepi and his wife were the godparents to Frank Corbi son Lawrence A. Corbi. Frank was also shot at on Oct 9th 1960 outside of his house. The reason behind the shooting was that Frank was involved in a love triangle and the husband of his girlfriend took a shot at him. The husband was a assistant engineer for the Isthmian Steamship Company, Baltimore MD.

Angelo Perrera was believed to be a member of the Baltimore faction of the Gambino Crime Family. Angelo was born on June 13, 1912, in Enfield, Hartford, Connecticut. Angelo was known to be a “muscle man” in Baltimore. According to newspaper articles In 1934 Perrera was found guilty of perjury and served 30 days in jail. Then in 1944 according to newspaper articles, Perrera along with Joseph M. La Terza and others were arrested for manslaughter in connection with the death of Christopher Cibelli of Newark, NJ. Angelo and three others were found guilty and were sentenced to two years in prison. In 1961 Angelo along with his younger brother Orlando Perrera (1921-1965) and Benjamin Wildstein was all charged with the slaying of Edward J. Castranda who was a used car salesman, The charged was later dropped. Perrera died on April 23, 1972, in Baltimore, Maryland.

Luigi Morici aka Lou Jean aka LOUIDICIENA was was a soldier in the Gambino family. He was possibly sent to Baltimore, by Frank Scalici, to organize the local Italian underworld. Gathering together a few fellow Sicilians, he began to dominate gambling and other rackets. Several arrests followed. When the Family membership expanded he became a Capo and recruited local Calabrian into his crew. By now Scalici had become Under-Boss, so Morici’s NYC contact was Joseph Gallo.

Mario Orazio Anello (1905-1972) was an associate of Frank Corbi and the crew. Mario arrived in the U.S.A in 1921 and started to work as a bricklayer and a construction worker. During the late 1950s, he ran a development corp called, “Mario’s Development Inc”. At this corporation his son, Vincent J. Anello was the vice president and Luigi Morici was secretary of this Inc. According to FBI files, it stated that his family and Frank Corbi family both came from the same town in Calabria Italy.

The Setup on the numbers syndicate that was formed in Baltimore by the Belair Market Gang:

According to fbi files it stated that the operation was headed by
Frank Carbo of New York. Frank Carbo was the godfather of Benjamin “Benny Trotta” Magliano son.

Lou Jean (alias of Luigi Morici) was to be the direct connection in Baltimore with Carlo Gambino in New York.

Frank Corbi was to be the local representative under Lou Jean.

Angelo Perrera was the contact man who would attempt to convince the operations that a syndicate should be formed.

Benjamin “Benny Trotta” Magliano was to be the “fixer”.

Tom Andra and Ike Saperstein were to be numbers operations.

Benjamin “Hitty” Wildstein (1911-1985) was the numbers “pick up” man. Benjamin “Hitty” Wildstein was known to be a “hustler” and “hanger-on” of the Corbi’s. Benjamin was also close to Gambino crime family member Dave Iacovetti. It seems that Iacovetti was getting money from the “Jew Boys” from Baltimore. Both “Hitty” and Frank Corbi had a piece of a club in Baltimore. According to FBI files it stated that both Corbi and “Hitty” reportedly brought in two New York hoodlums, Pasquale Zirpoli (believe to be a member of the Bonanno crime family) and Sal Romano (real name could have been Salvatore Granello who was a member of the Genovese crime family) to extort money from Baltimore numbers operator Julius “The Lord” Salsbury.

Frank Corbi
Benjamin “Benny Trotta” Magliano
Julius “The Lord” Salabury
Ike Saperstein
Luigi Morici
Angelo Salvatore Perrera
(photo courtesy of Angelo great grand-niece)
Orlando Perrera
(photo courtesy Orlando great grand-niece)
Antonio Ripepi
Mario Anello in the hat with his family in front of 411 Central Ave, Little Italy, Dec 1946
(photo courtesy of Mario Anello family members)

Published by Baltimore Mobtown

Hello everyone, I'm a Baltimore native. I do a lot of independent research on the colorful history of organized crime in the state of Maryland.

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34 thoughts on “Belair Market Gang”

    1. I’m not sure. I don’t have much info on Sal Romano. The only info I have on him was that he was from NY possibly was born in 1916. May have been from Brooklyn, NY. Maybe you can help me out with that.

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  6. I have a question in the 60s around Belair. Market a numbers guy by the name of Little Sammy ran a numbers operation was he a part of ant ceime family

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  7. Do you have and more information on my relatives Ike Saperstein and Billy “Sporty” Landsman. I have a couple of newspaper clipping but data is spotty at best!

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      1. Ike Saperstein was married to my grandmother’s sister Rose. I believe they lived in the Ruxton Towers apartments. Ike had a jukebox business in a building across the street from the old Sunpaper’s building. I remember going there as a child with my father.

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    2. I believe my ex wife’s uncle was Ike Saperstein. He was married to Rose. My ex wife referred to Ike’s shady associations. He was in the vending machine business. I did go to a birthday party for the “Big Boss” and he was given a money tree with cash from all the guests.

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  8. Pingback: The Murder Of Edward J. Castranda – Baltimore Mobtown

  9. My book WOLF is a life of Harry B. Wolf, local criminal defense lawyer. Have you information on Jack Hart, who was Ike Sapperstein’s partner at the time of the Norris Murder, Aug. 18, 1922? Fine research. Whatever you can tell me. Hart was from NY, Five Points. Thanks. SA

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  10. Mario Anello was my great(great?) Uncle. I dont have any history on him. I remember my grandmother talking about him, just saying he was apparently involved with the mafia. and have heard my mother say a story or two(nothing interesting) any info you have on him would be great to read. Thanks.

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  11. Hi my name is Christina Castranda I am happy to see these articles about my family history. I always heard the stories but I was born after most of them were deceased. My grandparents where Edward & Dorothy. I have lots of old pics my father Robert Castranda gave me . Thank you for putting this together

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