Born to Steal

This account of the Mafia's infiltration of Wall Street uses as its chief source a fast-talking Staten Island kid named Louis Pasciuto who, from age l9-25, moved stocks for l7 different brokerage houses-most of that time without even a fake license. Louis was the consummate liar, selling overpriced and phantom stocks to naive Americans and leading a lifestyle worthy of Caligula. To avoid a long prison sentence, he ultimately became a witness for the state. Among the book's scenes: morning pep rallies filled with Dr. Seuss poetry and 'Rocky' theme music; tie-'em-up-in-knots cold-call sessions that netted for each hood-broker as much as $500, 000 per month; 36-hour cocaine binges; orgies; and tussles with Mafia thugs toting Mac l0 machine pistols.