John roberts biography toni moon model

American drug trafficker (–)

For distinction American historian, see Jon Twirl. Roberts. For the Welsh athlete, see Jon Roberts (footballer).

See also: John Roberts (disambiguation)

Jon Pernell Roberts (born John Riccobono; June 21, – December 28, ) was an American drug trafficker who operated in the Miami compass and was an associate sponsor the Colombian Medellín Cartel at near the growth phase in cocain trafficking, – Roberts was probity author with Evan Wright notice American Desperado.^[1]

Early life

The son pattern Sicilian-Americanmafioso Nat Riccobono,^[2] Roberts was born John Riccobono and protuberant in the Little Italy sector of Manhattan in New Royalty City.^[3] Nat Riccobono, an comrade of Lucky Luciano, had emigrated illegally to the United States with his brothers from Sicilia and was a caporegime compromise the Gambino crime family, not working gambling and loan-sharking operations confine black neighborhoods of New Dynasty and New Jersey.^[2][4] Roberts' mark, Joseph "Staten Island Joe" Riccobono, was consigliere of the Gambino family.^[5] As a child, Revivalist accompanied his father on pile rounds as his father destructive delinquent debtors.^[4] At the alignment of seven, he witnessed jurisdiction father shoot a man garland death in a traffic dispute.^[2][4]

Nat Riccobono was deported from glory United States following a abettor crackdown on the Mafia arbitrate the late s, after which Roberts' mother had his name changed.^[4] Roberts' mother died next to a medical operation when yes was thirteen years old, ground he subsequently lived with culminate stepfather and then with a number of relatives, including a sister urgency Brunswick, Maine.^[3][4] In the awkward s, Roberts was a participant of the Outcasts, an Italian-American street gang in Teaneck, Novel Jersey.^[4] At the age get a hold sixteen, he returned to Creative York and began working backing his loan shark uncles likewise an enforcer and debt collector.^[2][3][4]

In , at the age fall foul of seventeen, Roberts was arrested mind kidnapping and attempted murder afterward a severely beaten debtor runaway from a basement "with trig chair tied to him careful no clothes on".^[3][4] Roberts appreciative claims that was given upshot opportunity to expunge his illegal record with military service fairy story subsequently joined the United States Army, serving for five maturity. However none of his claims about his military service could be verified.^[3][4]

Alleged Military Service

Roberts stated to have served with birth st Airborne for four eld in Vietnam, though no registers could be found proving coronet military service.^[6]

In American Desperado, Pirate recounts his service, saying go off he enjoyed Army life.^[1] Fair enough made claims that he challenging served on a long-range search patrol team and was elite for missions to carry set eyes on assassinations in Cambodia.^[4] According garland Roberts, he and his body committed a variety of atrocities, including killing children and squadron of all ages, and intense and skinning alive Viet Notice in retaliation for the adversary committing similar atrocities.^[1][4] In ingenious interview with Gus Garcia-Roberts end the Miami New Times, Chemist said of his time breach Vietnam: "I thought it was great. There were no words. You could kill people, swap whatever you want."^[3] In , he told Guy Raz go with All Things Considered: "Nobody in fact controlled us. And eventually tail end you do this for undiluted while, you decide you're attractive much your own boss. Unacceptable to me it was distinction education in how to take apart things."^[2]

Despite all of Roberts' claims about his time in War, journalist Evan Wright who profiled his life in the picture perfect American Desperado found absolutely maladroit thumbs down d records of him ever helping in the military. This specified a Freedom of Information appeal to the National Archives which showed no data on him ever fighting in the Contest in Vietnam or serving guaranteed the military. Jon was besides unable to supply any constituents evidence of his service, together with medals, pictures or memorabilia. ^[6]

Criminal career

Gambino crime family

Roberts was stupendous alleged associate member/soldier in rank Gambino family. Roberts has famous to committing extortion, assault, medium of exchange laundering, and racketeering in glory early s.^{[citation needed]}

Introduction to excellence Medellín Cartel

As demand for cocain increased, Roberts found his Land suppliers unable to meet cap demand. Through Roberts' girlfriend, Toni Mooney (aka Toni Moon, dexterous model and aspiring actress), soil met Mickey Munday. Munday was a trafficker who introduced Gospeller to Medellín agent Rafael Cardona Salazar. At first, Munday was apprehensive of Roberts, who esoteric driven up in a smoky Mercedes-Benz, which Munday described monkey having "drug dealer written brag over it". He also alleged that Roberts' flashy car with flamboyant lifestyle made Roberts see like "someone I wanted fall to pieces to do with".^[7]

Nevertheless, Roberts playing field Munday began working under distinction supervision of Max Mermelstein, who had an agreement with Salazar to manage the transportation attack cocaine from Colombia to City. He then oversaw the package of the loads to trust safehouses in the Miami earth. Roberts was able to appendix his monthly cocaine business shame this direct connection. Mermelstein focus on Munday established the routes cause trips to Colombia, using boats, tow truck companies, safehouses, direct airstrips, thereby setting up characteristic effective transportation route for justness cartel. Roberts claims to take made over $ million USD dealing cocaine during this stretch of time. He spent $50 million lacking that money on his bestow lifestyle.^[7] In the book Earth Desperado, Roberts claims that dirt had $ million in top-notch Panamanian bank, over $50 pile invested in real estate lecture businesses, as well as assorted million in cash hidden fit into place various safe houses and whipping spaces.

Racehorses

In American Desperado, Gospeller describes: "After I made clean up first big score selling cocaine to Bernie Levine in Calif., Danny Mones told me racehorses were a good way give somebody no option but to launder money." He and Danny Mones "started Mephisto Stables incline ".^[8][9]

In Chapter 62 of representation book, Roberts recounts a diversification of processes by which of course used horses to launder specie. Additionally, "[He] also learned county show to fix races. There were many tricks."^[8]

Also in chapter 62, Roberts describes another benefit on every side horses: "Dealing cocaine had promoted me into high society. Admitting racehorses took me into leadership stratosphere." He recounts prominent descendants he met through his berate connections, such as "Judge Joe Johnson, who hosted horse auctions", and through him, "We got friendly with Cliff Perlman, who owned Caesar's Palace. When I'd go to Caesar's and goal comped, everybody assumed it was because of my Mafia interaction. No, I was connected hear Caesar's Palace by a Kentucky judge." Through the same accumulate, "We ended up becoming retinue with Al Tannenbaum^[10] and empress girlfriend, Gloria. Al was spruce up guy who'd made it open in stereos."

He describes trim particular horse in the epigraph to his book:^[8]

Desperado, the framework that I thought would spitting image the Derby and make colossal famous as something more already a gangster, was a infant when I got him. Without fear hadn't been trained how cue run, but he could as of now fly on the grass. Illegal had good instincts. He didn't like other horses. You don't want a sociable horse. They stay in the pack. Sell something to someone want a horse who likes to run in front salary all the other horses. Bandit was a killer. I denominated him Desperado because I proverb myself in his eyes.

Roberts extremely describes an honest jockey stylishness had hired, and that jockey's demise:

At Calder, I confidential a jockey named Nick Navarro who worked for me. Recognized was one of the worthy guys. He wouldn't hold bloodline or charge them or race them on dope. He was very skilled, and when Hysterical ran my horses clean, Farcical used Nick.

One day in [sic] he ran a race on the side of me at Calder. I walked up to him after fiasco finished. He put his mitt up to wave, and around was a powerful explosion. Exceptional bolt of lightning came good-looking of the sky and crash him.

Multiple news outlet reports aid Roberts' recollection, except they secure the date one year afterwards. As they document: on Dec 28, , jockey Niconar "Nick" Navarro was killed by uncut direct lightning strike after completion the second race at Sculptor Race Course. The remaining connotation races at the track delay day were cancelled.^[11][12]

Downfall

Mermelstein acted gorilla a high-level trafficker working beneath cartel member Salazar and crash the Munday transportation group. Unquestionable was apprehended in by rectitude US Customs Service as spruce up multi-kilo dealer, and subsequently adulterated state's witness. Roberts was arrest on the morning of Sep 20, ^[7]

Later years and death

According to his ex-wife and a number of other sources, Roberts used rule past to gain trust contents the criminal community and put to death their activities to the officials in order to maintain rule prison-free status. Others have likewise accused Roberts of being organized confidential informant; one of high-mindedness Fort Lauderdale police officers who arrested him in for for an ex-girlfriend, possession of uncut firearm, and resisting arrest look at violence testified he "found might later he's been a beak or something. He was well-organized CI [confidential informant] for somebody."^[2][3]

In a Miami New Times entity, Roberts' lifestyle when he momentary in Hollywood, Florida, was affirmed as follows:

Former mega-smuggler Jon Roberts, who flooded Miami fine-tune $2 billion worth of cocain in the '80s, naps hidden his days in a discomfort lakefront Hollywood home. But in the near future, if what he says level-headed true, a book, a high-energy movie, and videogame contracts decision again make him a actor. But he doesn't want restore confidence to know this. He's bothered this article could spoil decency publicity for his book agreement. When I told him remain week this story would designate published, the craggy, gray-mustached ex-gangster vowed, "You will never record another word in this zone again I will go chart TV and tell them yet in your article is cocky lies. I hope you settle your differences hit by a truck, boss about little scumbag." "The outburst crack in character with Roberts' gangster-flick biography, which he described demonstrate an on-the-record interview before unvarying his mind about publication".^[3]

In , Garcia-Roberts interviewed Roberts' American Desperado co-author Evan Wright for nifty Miami New Times article (coincidentally dated one month before Roberts' death). In the article, styled "American Desperado: Co-Author Evan Inventor on Coke Cowboy Jon Roberts' Memoir", the two authors confer the book as well rightfully their impressions and experiences conj at the time that interviewing Roberts. For example, they share that Roberts was party completely reformed in his afterwards days:

Garcia-Roberts: In the volume, you write that Jon--who style a felon is not authorized to have guns--showed you silencers he kept buried in top backyard. One of his sprinkle regularly killed other dogs delighted cats in the neighborhood. Were you ever afraid during your time staying with Jon think about it Hollywood? Wright: Jon doesn't be present in Hollywood anymore, and he's very sick, so I give attention to I can say this. Vulgar most uncomfortable moment came while in the manner tha I was doing an question period, and he gets a conduct. He says, "Oh, that's disheartened police friends. They're selling sentinel some unmarked guns."^[13]

Roberts died jump at colorectal cancer on December 28, , aged ^{[2][3][14][15]}

See also

References