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Perri, Canada's Most Notorious Bootlegger
Rocco Perri came to Canada almost a century ago from Calabria, Italy. Even today his name is well known to historians, police and organized crime - and especially to the people of the city he called home - Hamilton, Ontario.
A poor immigrant, Perri along with his common-law wife Bessie Starkman, built an unequalled crime empire for the time.
During the Prohibition years, Perri provided alcohol to a thirsty clientele in Canada and the United States - a business that was very illegal and highly lucrative.
Al Capone and Joseph Kennedy were among Perri's customers.
The Perris also ran gambling, drug trafficking, and prostitution rackets. Their corruption of members of Parliament and the local police was Larger view
well known to media and people on the street, but so was Rocco Perri's legendary generosity to those who needed a hand or a dollar.
ROCCO PERRI: The Story of Canada's Most Notorious Bottlegger is more than the biography of a man and his empire; it is a riveting portrait of a time when corruption was rampant, murder a business necessity, and entrenched discrimination against newcomers to Canada who at times had to turn to crime as a means of survival. This book also solves a half-century-long mistery about the fate of Rocco Perri.
VANCOUVER SUN
Canada's Al Capone
NATIONAL POST
Maybe it wasn't Rocco in Hamilton Harbour
QUILL & QUIRE
A fantastic rags-to-ill-gotten-riches read
THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR
My uncle: King of the bootleggers
By DAN NOLEN
Giuseppe and Serafina Perri never got to meet their infamous relative Rocco Perri, but the elderly couple certainly felt the imprint the King of the Bootleggers left on Hamilton.
NEWSWATCH 50 WWTI - ABC
Did Canadian mobster retire in Massena?
ECHO WEEKLY
A gangster's favourite get-a-way
THE VAUGHAN CITIZENS
Celebrated crime author follows own advice By FRANCES CICCIA
A news story is never written with "but" or "if". One writes with solid documents, evidence and, as rule of thumb, always double-checks sources. This is the advice of Antonio Nicaso, best-selling author and internationally recognized expert on organized crime.
THE GUELPH MERCURY
Mobster not swimming with fishes after all?
By ERIC VOLMERS
Gangster Rocco Perri avoided being murdered in 1944 and fled to the U.S. after a tip from a Guelph criminal, an author says. Until roughly a year ago, Rocco Perri was believed to have met the sort of violent death that befitted his role as one of the country's most notorious gangsters.
HAMILTON SPECTATOR
Perri ended up in coffin
By PAUL LEGALL
A new book on Hamilton mobster Rocco Perri adds more mistery to his death. The fate of Hamilton mobster Rocco Perri has become the subject of a whole new round of speculation, rumour and intrigue 60 years after his mysterious disappearance from the Steel City.
HAMILTON SPECTATOR
Revisiting Rocco
By PAUL LEGALL
History says Hamilton's legendary gangster bootlegger met a violent end and lies beneath Hamilton Harbour. But credible information in a soon-to-be-released book suggests history is wrong.
HAMILTON SPECTATOR
Perri uncovered?
By DAN NOLAN
A crime writer has found a letter apparently written by Hamilton's King of the Boottleggers years after he was reportedly murdered and dumpend in Hamilton Harbour.
NATIONAL POST
Italian villagers vie in vain for slice
of Hamilton mobsters's loot
By LEE LAMOTHE
News that Italian government officials are trying to dispose of a million-dollar fortune left by a Hamilton-based Mafia boss has sparked a frenzy in a small Italian village as residents try to prove the dead gangster’s blood runs through their veins.
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I loved your book, I actually read it within the first four days and I've given it to a couple of friends to read since. It really shows how hard you worked on it from all the research that you've put in to support all of your findings. I thought it was just a great story and I couldn't put the book down until I was finished.
Basil, Toronto
Read your most recent book on Rocco Perri. Enjoyed it very much. I've taken a real interest in this topic because my wife's Grandfather was one of the crown witnesses that Paul Martin was involved with. I talked to him about it and he had a lot of interesting things to say about it. His name was Vic Bernat and was in the James Dubro novel. Thanks for the interesting reading.
Wayne
I finished your book on Rocco and thought it was totally fascinating. I loved the extra detail and the possibility that he went to Mexico is fabulous.
I really think Rocco deserves a big-time TV production in a docu-drama format.
David
The meticulous quality of the research is impressive...it fleshed him out quite a bit and makes him more human and real. I feel I know Rocco even better now!
James Dubro, co-author of King of the Mob: Rocco Perri and the Women Who Ran His Rackets
I'm really excited about your book.
Audrey, British Columbia
Sir,
Your history interested me most. My family went to Brasil from Calabria, Cosenza, Catanzaro and Reggio during the crisis involving political changes and just after Italy's unification. They returned back to Italy in 1889 and one of my 16 living uncles [at the beginning of the XX century] went to Canada and them to Cleveland [Ohio] as an engineer, to emigrate from there to Brazil in 1922 where he rejoined the entire family again in São Carlos, State of São Paulo. Make me know when your book is published in Italy and perhaps we could translate it to Portuguese and find out some editor to publish it there. There are many living Perris in Brazil. Best regards,
Flávio, Rome
Mr. Nicaso,
I recently read a story on your research into Rocco Perri's life, and if he was or was not murdered in 1944. I've always been fascinated by Organized Crime and in Rocco Perri in particular.
I applaud another book on Rocco. Best of luck,
David, Toronto
I am writing to you in regards to your article on your website. One of the most intriguing I have read as of yet in regards to more personable information on the Perri family.
Tania
Dear sir,
I am writing to you about an article on Rocco Perri I found on the internet. My father-in-law was his nephew. I have found the article very interesting.
Margaret
I'm looking forward to reading your book.
Sue, NY
Dear Antonio,
I look forward to the release of the book. I, like the rest of the family are still gob-smacked by this revelation. Nonetheless it will be fascinating to read about Rocco.
Robin, Australia
Hi,
I found your article quite interesting.
So you can understand the shock my family and I were in when we discovered that this man is a not to distant relative. In fact, he is my grandmother’s first cousin.
Francesco
Dear Antonio,
I write to you regarding my great uncle Rocco Perri, who left Plati in the early 1900,s as a young teenager and ended up in Canada. I currently reside in Australia and am originally from Plati, Reggio Calabria. Have read your books and seen the television movies about him and I read you are about to release a new book. I would dearly like a copy when you release this book and was wondering if there is any published material on my uncle in Australia? If so can you direct me?
Joe
I am looking forward to reading your book. Good luck
Joan, Sault Ste. Marie
Dear Antonio:
I read with great interest the article in the July 5/03 Hamilton Spectator, about your impending book on Rocco Perri. I eagerly await its release. Do you have a target date?
Ted, Guelph
Your story about Rocco Perri is quite interesting
Edda, St. Catharines
Hi Antonio. I read your article about Rocco Perri in the Hamilton Spec. Coincidentally I took my daughter only last week to visit Bessie's grave. I presume you know she (and recently her first husband I presume) is buried at the small Jewish cemetery on Hwy#6 in Hamilton? Unfortunately somebody removed her photograph from the headstone.
I've always just been interested in Mafia stories and I am looking forward to your book. Regards.
Paul.
Dear Antonio,
I'd very much like to read your new book
Neil, United States
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