Breakshot: A Life in the 21st Century American Mafia [Hardcover]

Kenny Gallo (Author), Matthew Randazzo V (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2009

THE EXPLOSIVE TRUE STORY OF ONE OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL, VIOLENT, AND UNLIKELY GANGSTERS IN AMERICAN HISTORY . . . AND HOW HE FLIPPED TO HELP THE FBI BRING THE MOB DOWN.

Born to a Japanese-American family in ritzy suburban Orange County, California, Kenny “Kenji” Gallo was a bookish, hyperactive kid who lived a double life as a car-bombing, gun-toting international drug trafficker. He owned a nightclub, produced porn movies, and was arrested for the murder of his own best friend—all before he could legally drink. Gallo graduated to life as a jet-setting playboy thug, refining his gangster style under Mafia legends, marrying a legendary porn star, and making millions in credit and stock fraud, extortion, gambling, and the sex trade. Then, after more than two daredevil decades, Gallo voluntarily wired up as an undercover FBI informant in exchange for a fresh start, nearly losing his life in the process.

From 1980s cocaine cowboys, to the modern mob and its Tony Soprano wannabes, to the porn industry’s dirty secrets, this riveting and redemptive memoir captures the American underworld in all its tawdry spectacle.

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Crammed with the kind of characters and detail that make pages turn and moviemakers salivate, self-described “mobster, drug lord, and porn kingpin” Gallo’s story of life as a criminal and mafia associate is tantalizing material. Straying far from his roots—an Orange County, CA childhood with parents in publishing—Gallo made so much money selling drugs that he was owner of a Palm Springs night club months before he could legally drink. Impressing various mafia family members with his success and arrogance, Gallo moved into the big leagues. Gallo’s ability to capture the absurdity of a situation gives the book a fast, no-nonsense pace: for instance, mob boss “Jackie,” “one of the Colombo Family’s toughest enforcers,” also did voiceover work for Sizzler’s TV ads. Ultimately, after a quarter-century in the business, a disillusioned Gallo would turn FBI informant, changing the Mafia landscape by helping gather the evidence that brought New York’s Colombo family to its knees (“As far as the New York Mafia was concerned, I drove off the edge of the Earth). Honest, critical, occasionally remorseful and always entrancing, this criminal memoir will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Book Description

Breakshot: A Life in the 21st Century American Mafia is the memoir of Kenny 'Kenji' Gallo, one of the most unlikely and controversial gangsters in the history of the American underworld. Born to a Japanese-American family in ritzy Orange County, California, Kenny was a bookish, hyperactive suburban kid who lived a double life as a car-bombing, gun-toting international drug trafficker. “One of the top cocaine smugglers on the West Coast” in the words of journalist Luke Ford, Gallo led his own narcotics crew, which was aligned with Pablo Escobar's Medellín drug cartel, owned his own nightclub, produced porn movies, and was arrested for the murder of his own best friend—all before he could legally drink.

When the police cracked down on his drug-trafficking empire, Gallo abandoned the cocaine trade for life in the American Mafia as a jet-setting playboy gangster, marrying porn star Tabitha Stevens, and making millions in prostitution, credit fraud, 'pump-and-dump' stock fraud, gambling, extortion, and the porn business. As the protégé of Mafia legends like John 'Sonny' Franzese, Jerry Zimmerman, and Vincent 'Jimmy' Caci, Gallo quickly earned the reputation as one the smartest and most capable young mobsters in America.

After over two daredevil decades as a violent gangster, Gallo voluntarily made a deal with the F.B.I. to act as a wired-up, undercover informant against New York's Colombo and Lucchese Mafia Families in exchange for a fresh start in life. Given the codename “Breakshot” by the FBI, Gallo risked his life to send some of the most dangerous criminals in America to jail—in the process participating in one botched Mafia hit, narrowly escaping a Mafia attempt on his own life, and earning two contracts on his head. Breakshot includes Gallo's redemption as a legitimate businessman and an enthusiastic crime fighter who works to put Mafia bosses, capos, and soldiers in jail and to solve the decades-old, cold- case murders of his friends and enemies.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 383 pages
• Publisher: Phoenix Books (August 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1597776157
• ISBN-13: 978-1597776158
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #999,546 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars non-stop action, June 30, 2009

By 

vinny ferrara "lcn man" (boston,ma usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Breakshot: A Life In the 21st Century American Mafia (Audio CD)

kenji gives us a 1st hand account about his criminal past. he started at a young age commanding a crew and supplying cocaine in california and the west coast. he met and worked for joe avilla at his club and dealing with people like gisleda bianco (who has at least 40 homicides to her credit). gallo wasn't just into cocaine, he was into every thing that could make money. eventually his past caught up to him,getting arrested for murder. during this time he worked with a cop ,who was a crook. kenji found out that the "game is rigged". his life led him to porn and then new york to work with the colombo and lucchese family as an informant. once you pick up this book you won't put it down. its not just a mafia book. its a book about crime and redemption. gauranteed non-stop action.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a crazy book!, July 21, 2009

By 

J. K. tanaka "Wizard Fan" (Franklin, Tn) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Breakshot: A Life in the 21st Century American Mafia (Hardcover)

I was given this book. I do not read true crime. I started reading about the life of Porn Stars and I was drawn into the book.
I started at first page on Friday night and I was done Sunday by 10am!
It was a non-stop barrage of Violent crime and action. I could see how he grew and the love of one women helped him.

A great read if you like crime.

JK

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars hardcore crime novel, July 22, 2009

By 

The Bay Parkway Kid "Bill Cutolo RIP" (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Breakshot: A Life in the 21st Century American Mafia (Hardcover)

Great read.The drug game,the porn ,LCN, with a mix of violence.. and scams that would be a grifters wet dream.Kenny puts it all out there and holds nothing back...if he is taunting his haters on his blog he is living the life in the OC ,no hiding for this guy.A straight up rollar coaster ride that you wont want to get off.This book ranks up there with Murder Machine and The Mexican Mafia.No holds barred..