Aladena Fratianno
Called "an FBI informant" by the Ninth Circuit, which describes his testimony on the organization of La Cosa Nostra at the 1980s Los Angeles RICO trial. The FBI Director told the Senate in 1983 that he was a protected government witness.
- Aliases
- Jimmy the Weasel, James Fratianno, Jimmy Fratianno
- Rights
- Biography on this page is limited to what the cited federal records state. Sworn testimony is labelled as his own testimony; court statements as the court's; agency statements as the agency's.
On the record
- 1976-1977 — A Cleveland case summary printed in the 1980 Senate hearings (Part 2, printed pages 408 and 409) says four admitted "hit men" cooperated with federal authorities after the Nardi and Greene bombings, "including the alleged west coast LCN enforcer, James "Jimmy the Weasel" Fratianno." That is the summary's wording, not a finding.
- Trial, Los Angeles — United States v. Brooklier (9th Cir. 1982): "Aladena "Jimmy the Weasel" Fratianno, an FBI informant, described the internal organization and operations of La Cosa Nostra," gave details including "plans to murder Frank Bompensiero, an informant," and "was thoroughly cross-examined." The court held his accomplice testimony sufficient on the Sturman extortion charge. The opinion does not print the trial date; the appeal was decided 3 September 1982.
- Trial, Los Angeles — Same opinion: the government introduced his plea agreement, "which required Fratianno to testify truthfully," after the defense attacked him as a paid informant; the court noted he had been "still under investigation" when a conversation with Brooklier was taped.
- 27 January 1983 — FBI Director William H. Webster to the Senate Judiciary Committee (printed pages 72 and 73): "Jimmy Fratianno who is an LCN member and has been a Government witness who is under our witness protection program."
No family or role is set. The Ninth Circuit calls him an FBI informant, and the FBI Director called him “an LCN member,” but no record filed here states which family he belonged to or a rank. The 1980 summary’s phrase “west coast LCN enforcer” is labelled there as “alleged.”
No record of a hearing at which Fratianno himself testified has been found, and no opened opinion records his testimony in the Tieri trial in New York or in Cleveland.
Records
itemUnited States v. Brooklier, 685 F.2d 1208 (9th Cir. 1982)The Ninth Circuit affirmed RICO convictions of Los Angeles defendants. It describes Aladena "Jimmy the Weasel" Fratianno, "an FBI informant," testifying to the internal organization of La Cosa Nostra, holds his accomplice testimony sufficient on the Sturman extortion charge, and upholds admission of his plea agreement.itemOrganized Crime in America, Senate Judiciary Committee hearings, Part 1 (1983)Part 1 of the 1983 Senate Judiciary Committee hearings, opening with the Attorney General and FBI Director William H. Webster. Webster called Jimmy Fratianno "an LCN member" and a government witness in the witness protection program; a note for the record reports Angelo A. Lonardo's 1983 conviction.itemOrganized Crime and Use of Violence, Senate hearings, Part 2 (May 2 and 5, 1980)Part 2 of the 1980 Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations hearings on organized-crime violence. A Cleveland case summary printed in the record says four admitted "hit men" cooperated with federal authorities after the 1976-77 bombings, naming James "Jimmy the Weasel" Fratianno and Raymond Ferritto.