You've heard of The Irishman, Jimmy Hoffa, The Godfather, and Goodfellas.
Do you know about "Ori" Orlando Spado?
Known as one of the five mob bosses in Hollywood, Ori Spado was Hollywood's Fixer with mob connections.
Famous for his "favors" for the top celebrities until his abrupt arrest in 2008, he's written a new Mafia book filled with great details. The Accidental Gangster tells his true story for fans of organized crime and books on Mafia.
Here are eight facts about the man himself, Ori Spado, to give you an introduction.
1. Ori Spado Found Success as an Insurance Agent
Ori Spado always had a mind for business and wasn't willing to settle for anything less than success.
He graduated from Rome Free Academy in New York and then served in the army. After an honorable discharge, he moved back home to save some money. He took a short-lived job at Revere Copper.
Spado jumped from Revere to Kelsey-Hayes manufacturing, and then finally to Prudential and the insurance business. He became one of their top agents quickly. From there, he used his know-how to start his own insurance agency, Ori Agency.
Spado was very successful in this line of work and had more than a few large auto dealers as clients.
Before long, Spado was booking millions in premiums through his insurance business. It was ultimately the business ties he'd make in Rome, NY, that would lead him to his mob connections.
2. He Knew Some Big Names
You might not find JFK mentioned, but among the people who were friendly with Ori Spado, you will find Hollywood royalty like President Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan, talent agency head Jack Gilardi, and the legendary Dean Martin.
Spado drank, smoked, and dined with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Jon Voight, Milton Berle, and Academy Award-winning producer Agostino (Dino) De Laurentiis.
Musician Wyclef Jean, Danni Simms, and others were part of the circle. Spado enjoyed the social company of the A-listers, and he soon developed a business reputation with them.
3. A-Listers With Problems Came to Spado
Spado moved to Beverly Hills, California, with a pocket full of social connections and some ambition to boot.
This was where he first became the Hollywood Fixer — someone who celebrities could count on to take care of problems. He was the one to turn to for collecting owed debts or scaring away stalkers.
It didn't hurt that his rumored connections with notorious mob bosses like Meyer Lansky, Sonny Franzese, and Russel Buffalino happened to be true. People like Jeffrey Epstein, Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, and Hillary Clinton could have used a friend like Ori Spado.
4. He Helped Naomi Campbell Get Rid of Her Stalker
Rapper Wyclef Jean called up Spado one day and told him that his good friend, Naomi Campbell, had a stalker problem.
As a top-tier fixer, he quietly decided to take care of the issue.
Spado met with Naomi at a Christmas party and worked out the details with her. He sent two men out to the stalker's address and got on the phone with the stalker. A few well-placed threats and the stalker did not approach Naomi again.
Haitian Jack (music executive famous for working with Tupac and Notorious B.I.G.) took credit for stopping the stalker, even though Spado's nonfiction account spares no detail.
5. Spado Got Suge Knight His Money
Music producer Ron Winters made the mistake of trying to scam Ori Spado.
He wanted to buy a collection of Universal DVDs and CDs from Spado. But Winters gave Spado a fake number and never wired the money. This naturally failed to amuse Spado.
Spado and Winters met to resolve their differences. Also present was the calming influence of Suge Knight. It was Knight who convinced Spado to skip giving Winters a "piece of his mind."
Knight and Spado struck up a friendship despite the trying circumstances. Eventually, Winters attempted to skip out on paying debts to Knight. At this, Spado offered to collect the money owed to Knight for a cut of the sum owed.
Of course, Ori Spado delivered.
6. Spado Is Friends With the Writer of Goodfellas
Spado and Nicholas Pileggi, the writer of Goodfellas, are good friends to this day.
Pileggi was one of the first people to read the manuscript for The Accidental Gangster.
Spado has a great appreciation for Pileggi and his research skills. When Spado was preparing his book, he didn't want it lost among other new mob books.
7. Spado Hates Informants and Believes in Old-Fashioned Honor
Although a fan of entertainment, books on the Mafia, and movies like Casino, Spado does not have an appreciation for the real Henry Hill, the mobster informant depicted in films.
According to Spado, the best acting school in the world is the one FBI agents put their informants through.
Spado thinks of himself as a man of honor. He refused to squeal on members of the mob multiple times.
8. Spado Spent 62 Months in Prison
Because of his lifelong friendship with Sonny Franzese and a career as a Hollywood fixer under the careful watch of the FBI, Spado was indicted, tried, and convicted.
At age 63 he entered prison, spending 62 months behind bars.
The Story of Ori Spado Continues
The glamour of mob life isn't just a Las Vegas musical.
There's a lot more to the story of Ori Spado than just eight facts. His book, The Accidental Gangster, co-written with the author of Policing Las Vegas, spans the fixer's whole life and career.
It includes some incredible and heart-pounding stories to rival those of any notorious gangsters in history.
Spado has truly earned his spot among names like Franzese and Buffalino.
Check out the rest of the website for information on how to purchase The Accidental Gangster, and for more on Ori Spado. And contact us with any comments and questions. We'd be happy to hear them.
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