Illuzzi – Shakedown artist or business genius?

[MaxPowers]

I am curious… what is everyone’s opinion of Illuzzi?
I have a lot of friends through the state and all see his website as a real, reputable news source. None of them know that the site and the mag are pay to play.
So my question is Illuzzi ….. Shakedown artist or business genius?

[nickelcityhomes]

He's a scam artist, pure and simple. Visiting his website only puts more duckets in his pocket because of the way online advertising revenue is generated.

If I owned a restaurant, barber shop, nail salon, or any other service oriented business I would refuse service and do my best to make a public mockery of him while he stood in my establishment, although he might shove a pistol in my face and make me empty the cash register.

http://www.kernwatch.com/mediawatch1.html

Oftentimes, in local politics, the reality is more absurd than anything you can make up. PoliticsWNY.com is clearly a website in this vein.

The whole concept of PoliticsWNY, both the website and the new, slick magazine, is to shake down money from politicians. Here’s how it works: Joe Illuzzi, the Dr. Frankenstein of this operation, is tied in his pal Anthony Orsini, Jr. Chairman of the Erie County Independence Party, whose endorsement can, theoretically, swing a close election. An ad on PoliticsWNY.com might be seen as a way to curry favor with said Independence Party. The site is also a notorious political rumor mill – another reason to stay on Mr. Illuzzi’s good side by taking out an ad. So there’s two main motivations for politicos to advertise: the safety of an extra line on the ballot and protection from nasty gossip.

http://www.buffalobeast.com/75/buffinbriefs.htm

Joe Illuzzi has never made it a secret he has served time, as many people have. Joe has told people, beside me, he was a cellmate of John Gotti for a shot time. He parades this period as a badge of...

http://www.gossip-1.com/john-gotti-060630.htm

Like OJ Simpson, he capitalizes on his criminality, and some people actually pay to hear it.

The guy is a prize cumbucket in the highest standing. Keep your children away from this asshat.

[buffy]

Whoa, I don't know THAT much about him but, what I DO know if that he is a big ILLIAR. His allegiance is to whomever is paying him at the time. He's not even worthy of my time typing about him.

He's ILLOSER as far as I'm concerned.

[FJB]

Don't you or anyone else think he is dragging those in office down to his level? Here is what aggravates me about him. First he will write nasty things about politicians who don't advertise with him or anyone who disagrees with him. Then those who do advertise, take the hard earned cash that you donated to them to help your guy/gal get elected and then pay the convicted bank robber who is currently having IRS problems. I bet he and Holt sat down and wrote the book on how to try and cheat the IRS. Any way it seems to me he hasn't stopped stealing, he just changed his tactics.

[Edisonic]

One would think that ARMED BANK ROBBERY is enough to discredit anyone, but then we get into USA politics. Charles Dickens was apparently correct - he thought that American politics = the most corrupt, ignorant mess in history .

[FJB]

I heard some disturbing news today about Illuzzi. I really don't want to repeat it until I find out if it is true. So if anyone out there knows what happened to his family will you please PM me. I'm just looking for verification. If what I heard is true than maybe he deserves some sympathy.

[PaulJonson]

I heard some disturbing news today about Illuzzi. I really don't want to repeat it until I find out if it is true. So if anyone out there knows what happened to his family will you please PM me. I'm just looking for verification. If what I heard is true than maybe he deserves some sympathy.

Looking for verification?? I haven't been around too long but this seems like the first time you have looked to verify something before you started posting.

[FJB]

Looking for verification?? I haven't been around too long but this seems like the first time you have looked to verify something before you started posting.

Your absolutely right so here it is. I'm told by good sources that his wife committed suicide. The circumstances are unclear. Also that his daughter isn't really his and after his wife died he dumped the girl on his wife's parents and refused to pay child support. Yet he touts her accomplishments on his site day in and day out. A real winner here!! Any one have any clarification on how his wife did it or why? Could it be because she was trapped living with a bank robber and thinking there was no way out? Poor woman, god rest her soul.

[kernwatch]

I am perhaps one of Illuzzi's 'most hated'.

I posted his bankrobbing & child non-support history on my website long before many knew much about him.

I was never able to establish whether he was married to the mother of his daughter, who committed suicide long after they had split-up. His daughter now apparently lives with the maternal grandparents in Cheektowaga, as Illuzzi has also apparently moved from North St in Bflo to an apartment in Cheektowaga.

I became familiar with Illuzzi when I began a primitive version of a "blog" exposing city corruption long before the word "blog" was invented. He and his then-business-partner (now senior writer) Frank Parlato Jr approached me to become a 'partner' of their new inter-net venture.

Upon researching Illuzzi's background of bankrobbing, scamming & being on $25000 bail for a year for almost $50,000 of unpaid child support, I opted out. It is my photo of him on my now-dormant website coming out of Cheektowaga Court, where the child support charge mysteriously fell to $5000, that dominates most alternative media reporting on him.

SEE: http://www.kernwatch.com/mediawatch1.html

Illuzzi has said lots of unflattering things about me ever since & refuses any communications from me. And Frank Parlato Jr, Bflo's biggest hosuing scammer in history boasts on his website of making me "toothless" . .

SEE: http://frankreport.com/Reports/Kern.html

Parlato, now in Niagara Falls but still writng for Illuzzi (along with the city's biggest residency scofflaw, City Comptroller media -man Tony Farina), is half-right. A Corrupt DA did finally force me to leave Bflo, with a powerful appearance that Parlato, his then-Independence Party Chair crony Charles Flynn & Frank Clark worked hand-in-hand.

Illuzzi has a relentless need for money which, according to one of his early scam victims Mike Attardo of "Get Dressed" on Elmwood Avenue where Illuzzi ran up an early $100,000 bankruptcy, gets him in deep trouble about every 10 years.

Dick Kern (in Mpls)

[kernwatch]

I failed to add that the mother of Illuzzi's daughter used her maiden name, another indication that Illuzzi & she never married. It would be helpful to know his daughter's last name.

Illuzzi always claimed he did not pay child support because his daughter's mother was on welfare & used drugs. She allegedly died of a drug overdose when she committed suicide long after Illuzzi & she had split-up.

Illuzzi's many lifelong scams are hard to keep track of. The most recent major scam, never reported in the media was a check-kiting scheme against BonTon Stores, who filed a $26,040 lien against Illuzzi & Samuel E Illuzzi (a brother?) on 1/13/1996, merely 10 years ago.

At about the same time, on 12/22/95, Carl Paladino filed a $1858 lien for rent non-payment against Illuzzi & Samuel E. Illuzzi, apparent roommates at a time in Paladino's 1240 Delaware, apartment 203. Illuzzi's daughter would have been about 3 years old.

Rent lien plus check-kiting charge is an interesting combination. You may recall that at age 23, Illuzzi & his roommate robbed the bank at Elmwood & Auburn to pay the rent?

Another particularly troubling issue is the allegation of Sheldon Farber that Illuzzi forged a $17,000 check against his inheritance. "Shelly", from an affluent "old Bflo" family, was a somewhat pathetic victim of cerebral palsy, who also had suffered from drug abuse. One of my sources on Illuzzi, he consistently complained that the DA broke promises to prosecute Illuzzi.

Meanwhile, Illuzzi launched his www.Illuzziletter.com on the Inter-net, pushing his new "Born Again" status. He posted new Scripture every day & began selling "smiling-face-with-Scripture", his first customer Tony Masiello . . . to the tune of $3000.

This was during the same period that Illuzzi was on $25,000 bail (posted by relatives 6/26/01) for about $50,000 of unpaid child support, which defended by David Jay, mysteriously fell to merely $5000 after a repeatedly delayed trial in Cheektowaga before Judge Kmiotek, now deceased. After the trial Illuzzi endlessly praised Kmiotek.

Somewhere during that period, Farber, about 45 years old, suddenly died of 'a fall' in his BMHA-Stuyvesant apartment . .as Illuzzi lived around the corner on North St. Unsettling!!??

In addition to the widely publicized recent tax delinquency of over $20,000, Illuzzi also just had another judgement for $7556 filed against him by Colorado Capital Investments on 6/20/06, sent to his new address at Williamstowne Apartments in Cheektowaga.

Once again, is history repeating itself? Illuzzi was sentenced to mere 5 yr. probation by Judge Curtin for robbing the bank, but went to jail for violating probation with a new securities scam. What kind of 'Capital Investments"??

There is more, but I am an old man & my memory is failing me!

How ironic that this man has become a "financial expert" repeatedly telling Giambra & the County Legislature how to manage their money.

Dick Kern (in Mpls)

[FJB]

If Illuser has the new judgement against him, why hasn't any assets been seized? How does that work? Aren't judgements supposed to be paid out of income? Just like if OJ was to work again he would have to pay the Goldman family the cash.

[PBAguy]

I do know much of what he posts , come true. Maybe 90% is correct. Regardless of what kind of guy he is he must know somebody that gives him info. I check his site out a few times a week and he is usually right about things.

[buffy]

I do know much of what he posts , come true. Maybe 90% is correct. Regardless of what kind of guy he is he must know somebody that gives him info. I check his site out a few times a week and he is usually right about things.

The 10% that is incorrect must be all about ECMC and Michael Young.

[count alucard]

Give the guy a break. Everybody is entitled to make a living. He has marketed himself well. Give him credit for that. He is one of the few in the area that actually makes money on the internet by selling ads. How many of you bloggers out there are supporting themselves via your website. Like him or hate him, he has accomplished something that few others in the area have.

Money talks BS walks!

__________________________________________________ _______________

The count says:

"It's better to look forward than backward."

[kernwatch]

Count:

Are you Sam Illuzzi? You certainly do share the Illuzzi-outlook . . .

Is so, what new source of income have you found to keep up with Joe?

Its folks like you that perpetuate the philosophy of 'anything goes' in public life . . and just look at how well Bflo is doing as a result!


Dick Kern