A Fife woman searching for her biological father has discovered he was a mafia super-grass who the mob tried to have blown up.
Paula Colville was born in Manhattan but brought up in Scotland by her single mum, Elizabeth, who fell pregnant while working as an au pair in New York in the 1960s.
Despite asking about her dad throughout her childhood, Paula’s mum never once revealed his true identity.
Her mum even lied about him to her own parents, telling them the father was Jewish, 20 years older, and the owner of a New York City hotel.
Dad ratted out the Mafia in New York City
Years later, Paula, 60, from Lochgelly, was finally given the name of Billy Eldon Lawson – the true identity of her father – by her gran and uncle.
But, despite hiring a private detective for more than a year, Paula failed to track down the mystery Mr Lawson.
In one last effort to trace her father, Paula took a DNA test and was amazed by the results.
It revealed relatives, unbeknownst to Paula, living in America.
However, what she was about to discover was right out of a Hollywood gangster movie.
Mob tried to assassinate Lochgelly woman’s dad
It led to Paula discovering that father was a high-level informer passing on vital information about Mafia activity in New York City.
“Throughout my life, I’ve wondered who my dad was and what he looked like,” Paula told The Courier.
“But whenever I asked my mum, she got angry and defensive and would say it’s none of my business.
“When I was a teenager, my gran and uncle eventually gave me his name.
“I rang dozens of Billy Lawsons listed in the New York telephone directory, but drew a blank every time.
US Government gave Fifer’s father a new identity
“It was the DNA results that eventually put me in touch with nieces, cousins and half-sisters who gave me the news about my dad’s mafia links.
“It’s ridiculous and incredible and is something straight out of a Hollywood gangster movie.”
Paula was shocked to learn that there had even been an assassination attempt on her father’s life.
“He must have been passing on some pretty serious information, as I was told the mob even tried to blow him up to shut him up,” said Paula.
“There was an explosion at his New York flat, but thankfully, he was out.
“The US Government later put him on the witness protection programme, complete with an assumed name of Why Wakeen.
“No wonder I’d never been able to track him down.
“I’d been looking for Billy Lawson, who, as far as the US Government wanted you to believe, didn’t exist.
“It’s incredible to think that he must have been living a lie for the rest of his life in an effort to keep the mafia crime bosses from finding him.”
Through new-found family members in the US, Paula learned that Billy had fled New York and the mob with his new identity.
He married and divorced twice, living in Texas and New Jersey, before finally settling in Arkansas.
Neither of his ex-wives was ever told about his secret mob life and his US Government protection.
He died in Arkansas in 2009 from a cancer-related illness.
Visit to US sees sisters meet for first time
In February, as part of her 60th birthday celebrations, Paula and her husband flew to New York City.
She was met on arrival by her two half-sisters, Cherie and Lisa.
Her new-found family took her to the George Washington Hotel (now the Freehand Hotel) on Lexington Avenue.
This is where her mother and father met.
She was also taken to the hospital where she was born and the house where her father once lived.
“All I ever wanted was a photograph to know what my dad looked like,” Paula explained.
“Instead, I got much more, including a Hollywood gangster story and, most cherished of all, a new family on the other side of the Atlantic.”
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