THE BLACK HAND FORUM

Patrickgold wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 4:09 pm Who attended Ricca’s funeral?

Ed wrote: ↑Wed May 12, 2021 5:19 pm I wrote a piece on Louis Bombacino, an Outfit informer from the 1960s. Bombacino's testimony put John Cerone in prison and compelled Paul Ricca to break his oath of silence.

I reveal Bombacino's symbol code and some Intel from declassified FBI intelligence reports. He was a minor hoodlum from what I can gather, and I doubt very much he was "made," notwithstanding former FBI agents Roemer and Inserra who say otherwise.

Bombacino is interesting because he was one of the last significant mob informers from the pre-Witsec era. As a result, the Chicago office had to create their own little program to hide Bombainco. He would have survived if he kept his head down, but Bombacino reverted to form and brought the wrong kind of attention to himself.

I don't go into it, but Bombinaco's nephew (and namesake) Louis Bombacino was part of Frank Calabrese's crew in the 1980s and 90s.

https://mafiahistory.us/rattrap/infbombacino.html

SolarSolano wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 11:43 am

PolackTony wrote: ↑Wed May 12, 2021 8:34 pm As always, great write up. I agree with you, of course, that the “Nardi” pseudonym was possibly derived from Bombacino’s ex-wife’s surname Nardella. Also nice detail on Ricca’s dietetic baked goods lol.

“Sam Lewis” was born Carmine Salvatore Lusi in Troia, Foggia. While Bombacino overstated Lusi’s importance in describing him as one of the “five fingers of the Black Hand” (he wasn’t even a capo), Lusi was a made guy and a close confidant who answered directly to Ricca. Even when these claims are not quite accurate, they are still interesting if we’re careful to place them in context as reflecting the perspective of a guy not in the inner circle on how he perceived the hierarchy and power structure. I’m sure Bombacino saw Lusi from his POV as a top guy because he was always next to Ricca.

I’m curious to know the exact statement about Bombacino having received a “promotion” and pay bump. I of course doubt that Bombacino was ever made, and this might also shed some light on that. Per my understanding, “Outfit guys/soldiers” (what the Feds would call “LCN associates”) were basically employees of the family, who were placed on the company payroll after being “sponsored” or spoken for by a made guy. Made guys, in contrast, were like shareholders and partners in the family and thus entitled to a cut of the company proceeds.

Somewhat off-topic, but Luisi's sons became police and I believe one of them was a CI as well. The same son who had an infamous fight with Michael Mags some years ago and was scared the Outfit was going to hit him because of it.

PolackTony wrote: ↑Wed May 12, 2021 8:34 pm As always, great write up. I agree with you, of course, that the “Nardi” pseudonym was possibly derived from Bombacino’s ex-wife’s surname Nardella. Also nice detail on Ricca’s dietetic baked goods lol.

“Sam Lewis” was born Carmine Salvatore Lusi in Troia, Foggia. While Bombacino overstated Lusi’s importance in describing him as one of the “five fingers of the Black Hand” (he wasn’t even a capo), Lusi was a made guy and a close confidant who answered directly to Ricca. Even when these claims are not quite accurate, they are still interesting if we’re careful to place them in context as reflecting the perspective of a guy not in the inner circle on how he perceived the hierarchy and power structure. I’m sure Bombacino saw Lusi from his POV as a top guy because he was always next to Ricca.

I’m curious to know the exact statement about Bombacino having received a “promotion” and pay bump. I of course doubt that Bombacino was ever made, and this might also shed some light on that. Per my understanding, “Outfit guys/soldiers” (what the Feds would call “LCN associates”) were basically employees of the family, who were placed on the company payroll after being “sponsored” or spoken for by a made guy. Made guys, in contrast, were like shareholders and partners in the family and thus entitled to a cut of the company proceeds.

Ed wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 9:17 am The Outfit politics aside, I think it's significant that Ricca willingly testified and essentially became a government witness against the "acting" boss. Of course, the prosecution did not "need" Ricca's testimony to make a successful case against Cerone and the others, but it shows Ricca was in it for himself and reflected poorly on him. (Can't blame him, mind you.)

From reading the intelligence reports, there was something like a hierarchy of manipulation. Ricca used Accardo, who used Giancana, then Battaglia, then Cerone, etc. All to keep out of prison.

Villain, can you elaborate on why Cerone and others might have died if Ricca went to jail? Do you mean Ricca would have been pissed and killed Cerone and others in relation, or that there might have been a power struggle for control with Ricca out of the way?

PolackTony wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 8:36 am My understanding is what Villain said. Further, bringing Bombacino into the bookmaking op was ultimately on Cerone’s head, so he would have to take the fall for it.

Patrickgold wrote: ↑Thu May 13, 2021 7:33 am Never knew that about Ricca. Does anyone have the transcripts from his testimony? That’s crazy an old school don like him wouldn’t do the time. I know Accardo would have. I think this shows that he was not the true power despite some claims. He had legal troubles throughout the 50s and 60s