THE BLACK HAND FORUM

B. wrote: ↑Mon Aug 24, 2020 5:33 pm

cavita wrote: ↑Mon Aug 24, 2020 5:00 pm I believe, from the FBI files I've seen referencing his cooperation he started informing in late 1963/early 1964.

Thanks, man. So it was after his father's death. No doubt there were other factors (like undermining Balistrieri's leadership), but it may have played a role. Like Ed says in his article, Anthony Lima began cooperating around the time his uncle/sponsor died, then you have George Fresolone saying he cooperated knowing that his mentor Pat Martirano would die of cancer before his cooperation became public. Not the main motivation for cooperating in these cases, though it seems like something they'd all consider.

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What about the Maniacis' Sicilian hometown?

Records for Nunzio say Palermo, though sometimes immigrants from smaller villages in upper Palermo province simply say "Palermo" though they weren't from the central metro area.

Augie Maniaci's Rockford father-in-law was from Casteldaccia, right by Bagheria/Santa Flavia, where the majority of the Milwaukee members were from. Augie Maniaci was named for his maternal grandfather Agostino Mercurio and the name Agostino is common in nearby Termini Imerese as St. Agostino is the patron saint. The surname Mercurio is also heavily associated with Termini, so pretty sure the mother's side is from there.

I suspect Maniaci's father was also from that Bagheria-Casteldaccia-Termini coastal area given all the other ties. Def Palermitano either way.

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Interestingly, Augie Maniaci's first cousin moved to Australia and became an actor and radio personality:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gus_Mercurio

cavita wrote: ↑Mon Aug 24, 2020 5:00 pm I believe, from the FBI files I've seen referencing his cooperation he started informing in late 1963/early 1964.

B. wrote: ↑Mon Aug 24, 2020 3:14 pm What about Nunzio Maniaci's brother-in-law Vincent Mercurio? There is one report where he is said to be a non-member, while another report refers to him as a member.

I believe Augie Maniaci was the source of both reports. If so, was he attempting to protect his uncle at one point given that Mercurio was a non-criminal involved in local politics and legitimate civic activities? The report where he is said to be a member is more descriptive of Mercurio's occupation and activities, stating Mercurio was part of the anti-Balistrieri faction. The other report was part of an interview where a list of Milwaukee figures was read to the informant and for Mercurio it simply says "not a member". I would lean toward the more detailed report which refers to him as a member.

I suspect Nunzio was a member given the statement you mentioned (probably from his son) and that Augie Maniaci seems to have been born into the tradition like most of the other Milwaukee members, especially given Augie's historic knowledge of the organization. There's also Augie Maniaci's marriage to a Rockford mafioso's daughter, which could indicate a mafia connection between both parental in-laws.

Nunzio died in 1962. Did Augie began cooperating after that? As I believe you've noted before on Rat Trap, sometimes cooperation coincides with the death of an older relative in the mafia.

cavita wrote: ↑Sat Aug 22, 2020 5:13 pm

Ed wrote: ↑Sat Aug 22, 2020 4:36 pm Milwaukee had at least one more member informer in the 1960s, though not on the level of Maniaci.

Seriously? I've never heard this before. Who is it?

Ed wrote: ↑Sat Aug 22, 2020 4:36 pm Milwaukee had at least one more member informer in the 1960s, though not on the level of Maniaci.