The Life And Time Of Big Mike Craft, 1968 to Present
Mike Craft was a nice kid, from a nice family, from a nice neighborhood. His father was a Supreme Court Reporter and member of a Legal Firm! His mother, a nurse,liked staying home! Mike was raised very well but did not like attending public school. He played golf with his father and his fathers friends because the older players liked to see a young 12 year old kid hit the ball 300 yards. Yes 300 yards but he could not put. Drive for show and put for dough! The Years went on and on until Doc Farone asked Mike to do some things with him in 1968! Mike did many courier jobs for Doc until his death. Paul DiCocco Sr. became Mike Craft's partner in the hi-jacking, and Warehouse theft business that Big Mike set up. Paul and Nick Robolotto were partners and took 30% total from Mike Craft for the reliable information on trucks, loads, and warehouse security! Mike never shorted Paul or Nick and theit secret deal lined many pockets in both the New York State Democratic and Republican Parties! Mike Craft was a master hi-jacker and was very proud to always say that no thief or cop was ever injured on any job in New York by he or his associates! Craft made a million dollars by 1975 and was happy but lonely! His new ventures in the Lansky Group, as Meyers personal trouble shooter were getting heckteck! Mike had become a General International NCS/Lansky Group member (made to you all) in 1973. He was the 25 year old golden boy of the national crime syndicate commission. He had produced, with out a flinch, on the hit contracts on Pierre Trudeau of Canada, and Fidel Castro of Cuba in the Summer of 1974. More to come!
The rail at the track and Ice Pick Willie Alderman
Ice Pick Willie Alderman was Bill Crafts friend and the former enforcer for the Purple Gang in Detroit and for Meyer Lansky and Ben Seigal. He was also the horse betting friend of a little known court reporter for the Workmans Compensation in 1947. Bill Craft and Willie Alderman became friends over a drink at the track in Saratoga N.Y. They became fast friends, over the objection of Betty Craft, Mike Craft's mother. Meyer Lansky was also brought into the picture by Willie Alderman for Bill Craft. Meyer liked Bill and asked him if he could possibly help one of Meyers friends in the Catskill's out. My father, Bill, said "sure" Meyer wanted Bill Craft to pay off a hearing administrative judge, if he could! Bill Craft said he could because the money was very bad after the War! Meyer asked my father how much, and my father asked about the case. It was a straight labor dispute over pay by many employees of a hotel. My Dad said that it would be $1000.00 to the Judge. Meyer gave My Father $2000.00 and they shock hands for the first business time. The Business arrangement would last until Meyer Lansky died, and Bill Craft would fix many, many, Supreme Court Cases including the Famous Johnny Dio case in the early 60's. Bill Craft would not be knowing that he was, by taking money, and influencing cases, that he was condemming his son to a life of crime.