Carmen “The Cheeseman” DiNunzio, known as one of the last of Boston’s old-school mobsters, died Sunday at the age of 68.DiNunzio had been dealing with health problems in recent years, including two strokes.”He was just a really good guy,” said his former attorney, Anthony Cardinale. “He was a serious man. He was a very respected man. But he was also a big hearted guy. He was also a very gracious guy, a very well read guy.”Retired Massachusetts State Police Maj. Pasquale Russolillo, who ran the organized crime unit, said DiNunzio was “very charismatic, very respectful not only to his own people in the neighborhood but to law enforcement.”Russolillo recalled times when he and his partner Nunzio Orlando and his boss Jack O’Malley would sit down with DiNunzio at a sub shop to “break bread” with him. “He knew we had a game to do and if he got caught he understood what his ramifications were,” he said.DiNunzio earned the nickname “The Cheeseman” from running Fresh Cheese in Boston’s North End for years. He gave up the cheese shop after pleading guilty to federal charges in 2009 for conspiring to bribe a state official to secure a lucrative Big Dig contract. That same year, he also pleaded guilty to state extortion and illegal gambling charges, resulting in a six-year federal prison sentence. Today’s Mafia is a shell of its former self, according to Russolillo, with fewer than 30 members in New England.Cardinale said that law enforcement unfairly portrayed DiNunzio.”They create the image and then they decide they’re gonna take it down so it looks like they’re taking down big game,” Cardinale said.Russolillo disagreed.”There’s always a boss of a gang and Carmen was the boss,” he said. However, both men agreed that DiNunzio was one of a kind. “He was always a gentleman he was always just a very respected and very respectable man,” Cardinale said.”You’re not going to replace somebody like Carmen. Carmen’s from the old school. Carmen was taught the old way. Carmen was one that would want people to sit down and talk things out instead of turning to violence,” Russolillo said.
Carmen “The Cheeseman” DiNunzio, known as one of the last of Boston’s old-school mobsters, died Sunday at the age of 68.
DiNunzio had been dealing with health problems in recent years, including two strokes.
“He was just a really good guy,” said his former attorney, Anthony Cardinale. “He was a serious man. He was a very respected man. But he was also a big hearted guy. He was also a very gracious guy, a very well read guy.”
Retired Massachusetts State Police Maj. Pasquale Russolillo, who ran the organized crime unit, said DiNunzio was “very charismatic, very respectful not only to his own people in the neighborhood but to law enforcement.”
Russolillo recalled times when he and his partner Nunzio Orlando and his boss Jack O’Malley would sit down with DiNunzio at a sub shop to “break bread” with him.
“He knew we had a game to do and if he got caught he understood what his ramifications were,” he said.
DiNunzio earned the nickname “The Cheeseman” from running Fresh Cheese in Boston’s North End for years. He gave up the cheese shop after pleading guilty to federal charges in 2009 for conspiring to bribe a state official to secure a lucrative Big Dig contract. That same year, he also pleaded guilty to state extortion and illegal gambling charges, resulting in a six-year federal prison sentence.
Today’s Mafia is a shell of its former self, according to Russolillo, with fewer than 30 members in New England.
Cardinale said that law enforcement unfairly portrayed DiNunzio.
“They create the image and then they decide they’re gonna take it down so it looks like they’re taking down big game,” Cardinale said.
Russolillo disagreed.
“There’s always a boss of a gang and Carmen was the boss,” he said.
However, both men agreed that DiNunzio was one of a kind.
“He was always a gentleman he was always just a very respected and very respectable man,” Cardinale said.
“You’re not going to replace somebody like Carmen. Carmen’s from the old school. Carmen was taught the old way. Carmen was one that would want people to sit down and talk things out instead of turning to violence,” Russolillo said.
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