The Last Gangster: From Cop to Wiseguy to FBI Informant: Big Ron Previte and the Fall of the American Mob

by George Anastasia

"It's over. You'd have to be Ray Charles not to see it." —former New Jersey capo Ron Previte, on the mob today As a cop, Ron Previte was corrupt. As a mobster he was brutal. And in his final role, as a confidential informant to the FBI, Previte was deadly. The Last Gangster is his story—the story of the last days of the Philadelphia Mob, and of the clash of generations that brought it down once and for all. For 35 years Ron Previte roamed the underworld. A six–foot, 300–pound capo in the Philadelphia–South Jersey crime family, he ran every mob scam and gambit from drug trafficking and prostitution to the extortion of millions from Atlantic City. In his own words, "Every day was a different felony." By the 1990s, Previte, an old–school workhorse, found himself answering to younger mob bosses like "Skinny Joe" Merlino, who seemed increasingly spoiled, cocky, and careless. Convinced that the honor of the "business" was gone, he became the FBI's secret weapon in an intense and highly personalized war on the Philadelphia mob. Operating with the same guile, wit, and stone–cold bravado that had made him a force in the underworld—and armed with only a wiretap secured to his crotch—Previte recorded it all; the murder, the mayhem, and even the story of mob boss Ralph Natale's affair with his youngest daughter's best friend. Previte and his FBI cronies eventually prevailed, securing the convictions of his nemeses, "Skinny Joey" Merlino and Ralph Natale.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, History, Audiobook

352 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 16, 2004

Reviews

[Brooklynne Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book about the mob in Philadelphia in the 90s. I will admit some of it got me a little lost because there are SO many players in this, but it’s still a very interesting read. I recommend it if you’re interested in organized crime.

[Kalfassss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review:
In 2007, I recommended to read this book by a man Sonny that I know through the water ice stand I work at. He knew I was interested in 'ghetto' books that are all about crime & drama. I decided to pick up the book out of the library & read it.

Once I started reading it, I couldn't stop! The viscous criminal activity were events I could relate to & kept me interested. There was never a dull moment in the book. At times, it was almost to brutal for someone like me to read but I couldn't put it down. Besides the harsh images put in your head through the detailed imagery, the book was one of the best I have ever read.

I think I was more interested then I would be with the book because it was about people I know. Considering I knew them well, things in the book that were written about them were wrong. It was humorous for me to read things like this about people I knew it wasn't true about.

Lastly, I didn't have a favorite part of the book. My favorite part was the whole book! There wasn't a high point because the book gave you a type of fix you wanted. It always had you jumping or on the tip of your seat.

In conclusion, if you're from rural areas or know italian people you should read this book to see what their up to (not a stereotype). In this criminal book you can learn about the activity with the mob and gangsters. As advice, I would tell you to follow this book with an episode of The Sopranos!

<3

[Stefanie Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was about Ron Previte, a corrupt cop turned into a brutal capo level gangster in the Philadelphia crime syndicate. He had his hand in many illicit activities, up to and including prostitution and gambling. He wound up turning informant for the federal government, giving them inside information about the Philadelphia crime syndicate. This was a good read, but I do enjoy most Mafia related material.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything you wanted to know about the Philly mob, but were afraid to ask.

[Scott McCormick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good stories but all over the place and maybe too much.

[Manrrique Morales · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ron Previte is a capo in philadelphia and he runs everything in the underworld of cartel and mobsters. if anything illegal was happening than it would go thru him first. After 1990, he started getting old so he slowly had to start answering to the younger mobsters. He slowly started to feel like the “Pride” in running things started to fade. this caused him to turn on his mobster ways and become a secret weapon to the FBI. He was used to infiltrate all the underworld crimes that were being committed and not once got caught. He had a turn of heart and decided to bust every single mobster he knew of. he was pardoned by the FBI and was killed by a hitmen hired by one of the man he helped put away. The character i see myself as is the main character himself. i don’t have the “Killer Mentality” But i do have the will to have a change in mindset and i am also able to process my thoughts about the society i live in.
I feel like people who like crime would love this because it goes into great detail about how a crime is planned and how it develops in time. The book talks about how you need to hire a certain amount of people and must have time to begin a crime. Another group of people that will like this book is probably also people who like to see how the government deals with big time criminals and how our big cities came to be what they are today. this is because the book shows how the FBI was able to stop mobster crime in philadelphia.
I really loved the book. It was fascinating to see how Ron Previte was a U.S Air Force combatant in his early years of life and slowly started to turn into a power and control hungry mobster. than after he commits crimes and becomes a top dog in the underworld, he starts to see the switch in generations and decides to join the side of the people who were trying to put him away for years. I also love the detail in which the book was written it kind of helps defend the ways that Ron Previte used to think.

[Kalle Wescott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read /The Last Gangster/, by George Anastasia:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-last...

The Philly Mob doesn't get as much press or attention as, say, the five top Cosa Nostra families in the New York area... but they're just as likely to whack a guy if he steps out of line.

Ron Previte was a cop, and then became a made man, ultimately becoming a FBI informant and wearing a wire for over two years, helping the Department of Justice take down over 50 mobsters who are now in prison.

The most interesting part of the book was how Previte made millions a year as a crooked cop... and then, in a strange twist, he was committing so many crimes and making so much money as a cop that he had to pay tribute to the Mob.

[Adam Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story with serious structural problems. At times it seems to have no organization, as rather than a straight forward narrative, the author has a lot of flashbacks and the flow is interrupted frequently. To many cute teases for me, and the author has a deranged view of the mob. He editorializes about the current mob being losers, as if the old mob was something to admire. The mafia were ALWAYS honorless thugs(I've read enough mob memoirs to understand that) but perhaps the author got to close to his sources to see that.

[Mandi Farley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really digs deep into the Philadelphia mafia. The details are great and it seems that they left nothing out. It is scary to think that Ron put his life on the line everyday for 2 years to be a government witness. It seems tho that no one was safe with the new reign of these young PA mafia bosses and under bosses!

[bill malott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome..........throwback to the realistic mob books of yesteryear...convincing and real!!!!

Great read in every way.............awesome writing style , gritty , real , like the good mob books of the ole days

[Steven jb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good accounting of the fall of the Philadelphia crime family. Well written, and researched.

[Shannon at Siren Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second time reading this and I love it every time. Merlino was constantly in the news growing up so the inside info is fascinating. Would reread again.

[Michael Cawley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-written history of the Philadelphia Mafia during the violent Natale and Merlino regimes

[Olga Vannucci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't like the law? You want to live outside it.
It makes a difference if you're smart about it.

[Paul Sheldon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Felt like I was wearing the wire while reading.

[Joy Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book going through my mother's books after she passed and took it home to read.

To a person who spent most of their life in South Jersey, right outside of Philadelphia, this book was eye-opening for me! How did I not know this was going on back in the '80s and '90s? I guess I was raising my three children....LOL.

It was very interesting and gave an in-depth look at the mafia in Philadelphia. I highly recommend!

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book that details the demise of the Philadelphia Mob a/k/a The Gang that couldn't shoot straight. This book details the life of former crooked cop/mobster/FBI informant Ron Previte. This book details his adventures with the Philly Mob and there various battles in leadership from Angelo Bruno to Joey Merlino.

[Mark dlV · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the few good things about getting older is that you can say that you remember actual history. As a kid, I was always interested in the Philly Mafia from Scarfo to Merlino. The Last Gangster lays out the history and how Natale and Merlino were taken down. I wolfed this thing right down.

[Pattie Crider · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this almost unbelievable mob story. Keeping the names straight was a challenge but was worth the effort. Anastasia did a great job making you feel like you were right there during the action.

[Ellenjsmellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very true to the story of his life.

[Darla Frey]

About the Philadelphia Mob

[Glenn Liguori · Rating 3 out of 5]

X

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love reading about organized crime, excellent book recommend to anyone.

[Layne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Kerrie Skidmore]

.

[Acullen007 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit choppy, but very interesting for true, modern organized crime.

[John Scouler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book by a great author!

[Jay Hancock · Rating 5 out of 5]

the philly mob is like the artie to the new york mob's gilbert grape.

[Joey Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very exciting and true inside look at the Philadelphia Mob.
A little tedious at times, but otherwise a very good read

[Kimberly Raimondi-rinyu]

Couldn’t finish it. Didn’t grab me enough to want to finish