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Born in United States · Nationality American — organised crime / New England Mafia / racketeering / conspiracies

Raymond Patriarca

Documented profile covering 11 controversies, including “1950s–1984: alleged leadership of New England Mafia for several decades” and “1982–1984: several trials postponed for medical reasons, then death without judgment on latest indictments”.

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Profile No. 1994 · Updated on 12 October 2026

11Documented controversies

8Sources

· 1 followed by a conviction

§ Legal statuses reflect the documented sources as of the date shown; they replace neither court decisions nor the presumption of innocence. Counts are not a rating. Methodology

I. Documented controversies

Case · 6 documented stages

1950s–1984: alleged leadership of New England Mafia for several decades

Conviction

années 1950–1984

1950s–1984: alleged leadership of New England Mafia for several decades

Conviction

Authorities and the press identified Raymond L.S. Patriarca as the principal organised crime boss in New England, leading a network active particularly in illegal gambling, loan-sharking and racketeering.

State of the evidence: Reported by the press
Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 2

[1]
The Washington PostRaymond Patriarca, Reputed New England Crime Boss, DiesPressHigh reliability
[2]
UPIRaymond L.S. Patriarca, reputed head of organized crime in New England, diesNews agencyHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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1975

1975: parole following sentence for murder conspiracy

Conviction

Patriarca was granted parole after serving part of his ten-year sentence for conspiracy to murder.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 1

[1]
The Washington PostRaymond Patriarca, Reputed New England Crime Boss, DiesPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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June 1972

1972: acquitted of accessory-to-murder charges in Marfeo and Melei cases

Acquitted / conviction overturned

At the retrial of the counts on which no verdict had been reached, Patriarca was acquitted of being an accessory before the fact in the murders of Marfeo and Melei.

Sources · 1

[1]
Supreme Court of Rhode Island / JustiaState v. Patriarca, 308 A.2d 300Court decisionVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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April 1968–1970

20 April 1968: murders of Rudolph Marfeo and Anthony Melei — state prosecution against Patriarca

Conviction

Following the murders of Rudolph Marfeo and Anthony Melei, Patriarca was prosecuted in Rhode Island for conspiracy to murder and as an accessory before the fact to both homicides.

Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 1

[1]
Supreme Court of Rhode Island / JustiaState v. Patriarca, 308 A.2d 300Court decisionVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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1970

1970: convicted in Rhode Island of conspiracy to murder Rudolph Marfeo

Conviction

A Rhode Island jury convicted Patriarca of conspiracy to murder Marfeo. The state's Supreme Court subsequently upheld the conviction.

State of the evidence: Established by a court
Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 1

[1]
Supreme Court of Rhode Island / JustiaState v. Patriarca, 308 A.2d 300Court decisionVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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1967–1968

1967–1968: federal conspiracy to arrange the killing of Rudolph Marfeo

Conviction

Patriarca was federally convicted of a conspiracy involving interstate travel and communications to have Rudolph Marfeo, a gambling establishment operator who resisted the group's demands, murdered.

State of the evidence: Established by a court
Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 1

[1]
U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit / JustiaUnited States v. Patriarca, 402 F.2d 314Court decisionVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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Case · 2 documented stages

1982–1984: several trials postponed for medical reasons, then death without judgment on latest indictments

Formally charged

1982–11 July 1984

1982–1984: several trials postponed for medical reasons, then death without judgment on latest indictments

Formally charged

During the final years of his life, several racketeering and murder conspiracy prosecutions were not tried, as judges found him too ill to appear. Patriarca died in 1984.

State of the evidence: Documented

Sources · 2

[1]
UPIRaymond L.S. Patriarca, reputed head of organized crime in New England, diesNews agencyHigh reliability
[2]
The Washington PostRaymond Patriarca, Reputed New England Crime Boss, DiesPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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September 1981

1981: federal RICO indictment over union-related kickback scheme

Formally charged

Patriarca was indicted alongside union officials in a federal racketeering case involving more than $250,000 in hidden commissions and insurance schemes.

Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 2

[1]
The Washington PostLaborers Union Official Indicted in KickbacksPressHigh reliability
[2]
UPIRaymond L.S. Patriarca, reputed head of organized crime in New England, diesNews agencyHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

Case · 2 documented stages

1981: new indictment for conspiracy and complicity in Robert Candos murder

Formally charged

March 1981

1981: new indictment for conspiracy and complicity in Robert Candos murder

Formally charged

A grand jury indicted Patriarca in another gangland murder case, that of Robert Candos, for conspiracy and complicity.

Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 1

[1]
UPIPatriarca indicted in another gangland murderNews agencyHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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December 1980

1980: arrested as accessory before the fact in Raymond 'Baby' Curcio murder

Formally charged

Patriarca was arrested and accused of being an accessory before the fact in the murder of Raymond 'Baby' Curcio, an old gangland killing.

Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 1

[1]
UPIReputed New England crime boss Raymond L.S. Patriarca arrested in Curcio killingNews agencyHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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1962–1965

1962–1965: FBI secretly bugs office without warrant — Fourth Amendment violation

No legal proceedings

The FBI secretly installed a listening device in Patriarca's office without a warrant. A federal court later concluded that this surveillance violated the Fourth Amendment.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Protagonist is the victim

Sources · 1

[1]
U.S. District Court / JustiaUnited States litigation concerning FBI electronic surveillance of Patriarca officeCourt decisionVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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II. Constellation of documented links

No documented link with another published profile for now.

Two profiles are linked when a documented controversy of one names the other. The link points to that controversy and its sources; it does not indicate a personal relationship.

III. Has something changed?

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