Years ago, I had a friend who put a small reflective decal on his parents’ big black Oldsmobile that read: MAFIA STAFF CAR. It was so fitting that they left the decal on. I see those stickers are still available, yet I know of no new vehicles that’d be appropriate to sport one. Back in the day, large black Cadillacs, Lincolns, Pontiacs, and Oldsmobiles fit the mafia profile perfectly. Stereotype comes to mind here.
In 1977, an article appeared in newspapers throughout the country, written by a conglomerate of investigative reporters for UPI, or United Press International. The article originally argued that mafia-connected individuals were turning newly established Lake Havasu City into a base of operations for illegal activities in the West. The article mentioned several names, and I recognized a few. More on that later.
This article mentioned the Havasu 100, with that namesake tied to three different factions. Around twenty years ago, one of the Havasu 100 groups supposedly comprised the most influential movers and shakers in town. I never saw an actual list, and supposedly, through grumbling in the social community, a few individuals were miffed that they didn’t make it. Evidently, I wasn’t on the list because I was never invited to their supposed fancy shindigs.
The 100 Club of Arizona is a group of benefactors who support families of first responders. The group is still active, and you can find it by Googling it. People often confuse the 100 Club of Arizona with the Havasu 100.
The archived 1977 newspaper article mentions another Havasu 100, made up of 100 Italian residents of our city. They represented the Italian Anti-Defamation League, led by Edward Eugene Frederico. There was an Italian connection in town back then, but I’d refrain from labeling them all as mafia, as that newspaper article vaguely insinuates.
Two of those Italians mentioned in the story are the late Joseph Scavuzzo, a former real estate tycoon, and Quinto Leo Polidori. I can see Quinto’s former home from my house, as it sits high on a hill overlooking the city and lake. I met Mr. Polidori once before he passed away. He was an automobile aficionado with many collectible cars, and his garage was phenomenal.
The former ‘Polidori House’ for ailing senior citizens was named after the family because they donated land for it, including much of the building materials. This hospital, or hospice center, is now permanently closed. The large building now houses Lakehouse Assisted Living.
It’s doubtful anyone can say one bad word about Joe Scavuzzo, and I don’t know how his name and Quinto Polidori’s ended up in a story about the mafia. I met Joe through Randy Randall, a former realtor here in town. Mr. Scavuzzo was quite old at the time, yet still working hard to sell homes and property.
Unfortunately, Italians for years have had to fight off the mafia stigma, especially if they have names even vaguely resembling mobsters. Had former Mayor Jim Spezzano moved to town before 1980, he too would’ve found his name in that piece.
Just like the mafia staff-car stigma of a black Cadillac or Lincoln back in the day, some last names will always arouse suspicion. John Gotti comes to mind here, although I found no record of him ever doing business in Lake Havasu City, at least not under that name.
Where else can I take this story? I couldn’t find any record of anyone being arrested in Lake Havasu City on mafia-related charges. I doubt UPI would even run the story these days, as it seems more like innuendo than anything else.
Then again, we’ve seen stories from past years where factual information was out there, yet no one wanted to cover it. The Hunter Biden laptop fiasco is a good one. Perhaps there’s more to the Havasu mafia connection than what I came across, but I’ll let someone else do the digging. After making it this far in life, I’d hate to become another Jimmy Hoffa!
