THE BLACK HAND FORUM

The concensus is definitely not that Cotroni still held the position until 1984 although he was still charted that way sometimes. Sciascia was already a captain by May 1981 according to Massino when they were both placed on the Family ruling panel and although Sciascia appears to have had select NYC-based members/associates (Giuseppe Arcuri and Joe Renda before he moved), he very likely assumed Cotroni's position at that time. Cotroni had already been taking a considerable step back in the 1970s, hence Paolo Violi acting and taking on more power, and power in both NYC and Montreal was shifting to the Sicilian faction so it would make sense Sciascia was in place over them.

While Sciascia had to step down from the ruling panel for a time due to his legal trouble, there's no evidence he ever stepped down as Montreal capodecina between 1981-1999. He rejoined the Bonanno ruling panel in the 1990s when the issues were behind him. He was an incredibly powerful guy, said by Vitale to be a great candidate for the official boss position and a source the Sixth Family authors spoke to in Cattolica Eraclea said Sciascia was the most powerful Cattolicense of them all.

The two names we can confirm were acting captains for Sciascia in Montreal were Giuseppe LoPresti and Vito Rizzuto. We don't know when LoPresti was appointed or when (if) he lost the postion before his murder but he was having problems with Sciascia.

It's incorrect to say Sciascia was "captain of a crew based in NYC". The majority of his crew was in Canada and any NYC-based members were exceptional, the two we know of being a compaesano of Sciascia with relatives in Montreal and the other a nephew of Sciascia who moved to Montreal. Sciascia's primary activity in NYC seems to have been his own personal business interests and helping run the broader Bonanno Family.

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Responding to Old Schooled's earlier comment, there has been speculation that the Violi-Luppinos in Ontario may have supported Montagna's efforts in Montreal and I don't think it's wild to believe they recognized an element of the Bonanno Family in Montreal given Violi and boss Todaro maintained a relationship to the Bonannos in NYC circa Otremens, Joe Violi was offered Bonanno membership, and Domenico confirmed he maintained contact with Arcadi, Cotroni, and Mucci as of 2016.

We know one of the Luppinos was formally introduced to Joe and Paolo Cuntrera as amici nostri by a high-ranking Bonanno member (it would make more sense if this was a Canada-based member) although Todaro told them because they couldn't confirm where the Caruanas were made they didn't have to recognize them.

Violi also indicated they'd be talking to Montreal once they sorted out the mess over there. According to the info OCSleeper shared, this was in context with a wider discussion about formal protocol.

found this thread seemed like appropriate enough to post this as opposed to thread on more recent proj alliance arrests 2025.

from info in books and on this thread it looks like consensus is vincenzo cotroni remained official capo of the montreal crew until his sept.19 1984 death. it is after this that things get a little murky. but from sources sited in this thread there looks to be good evidence that gerlando sciascia became acting capo of this crew in 1981 while based in new york. i wont disagree with that but it sheds no light on who became next capo or acting capo post 1984. sciascia was indicted for drug offences 1983 and he fled ny to montreal where he remained in hiding until arrest 1986.

so a question? if sciascia fled ny in 1983 who then became, if anyone the acting capo of mtl crew at least in the eyes of the bonanno family?
or did he retain this title then become full capo of crew while in hiding after death of cotroni?
after 1986 arrest sciascia remained detained while fighting extradition charges to u.s. until his deportation to face drug charges in 1988. it is alleged sciascia had a judge paid off, or someone else connected to case and this resulted in sciascias release after 'acquittal' 1990. it is then believed he returned to role as capo or with promotion of massino to boss received a promotion around same time.

i believe then that the capo spot in montreal went unfilled between 1984-1991. i dont see a point in time where sciascia could have been bumped up to capo if he was on the run and in hiding even before cotroni died. further to that why would any boss promote someone to a position, while wanted by authorities for drug charges that could have sent him away for a long time?
it is either that or cotroni did not remain capo until death, but this goes against the evidence we have available.

(1984-1991)
montreal crew

rizzuto faction
nick rizzuto sr. (mostly based in venezuela, considered a bonanno soldier)
vito rizzuto (son of nick sr. in charge of rizzuto faction business in montreal, bonanno soldier).

cotroni faction
frank cotroni sr. (youngest brother to vic, imprisoned aug 1983, no mention of ever becoming capo or acting, soldier in bonanno family)
joe dimaulo (soldier in bonanno family, seen as 'link' between rizzuto and cotroni factions)

my use of factions does not denote these 2 were still at war, in conflict etc. is just a way to show as 2 distinct groups under wider bonanno crew umbrella.

(1991-1999)
gerlando sciascia (capo of crew based in new york with members and connections into montreal, specifically the rizzuto faction. sciascia was not allowed to re enter canada after deportation).

(1999-2004)
vito rizzuto (acting capo in montreal up until his jan 2004 arrest).

(2004-2006)
francesco arcadi (with vitos arrest, imprisonment and eventual deportation it is believed that arcadi took on a more active role in running street operations. however at this point in time there has been no evidence of arcadi being a capo or acting capo in relation to bonanno family. it has been assumed that arcadi is more than likely a member of bonannos but it is at this time that the question of what arcadi actually represents, the rizzutos or bonannos begins to come up).

an attempt to show montreal crew from the perspective of the bonanno crime family.

Exactly, we know too little and organizational info on the decina has always been too thin. There were 19 members left when Sciascia was killed and though we have educated guesses we don't have confirmation who most of the members were.

Massino's prison tape w/ Basciano makes it clear Montagna had something of a positive relationship with Montreal before he was deported and tried to reorganize the crew there as they requested that a major contractor be serviced by Montagna instead of someone else. And when Montagna did get deported, he had support from part of the decina, just not the Rizzuto faction. Along with info suggesting that Montagna was himself a separate capodecina trying to install a new captain over the Montreal crew, it wouldn't be surprising if Montagna inducted some members in Canada given several years later the Bonannos made Morena in Canada and Joe Violi also had the option of joining the Bonannos.

Fab mentioned that Domenico Violi offered to introduce Morena to three guys from the old Cotroni faction of the Bonanno Montreal crew and though it isn't stated explicitly, this may have been a formal introduction as amico nos given Morena was a recent inductee. There is another reference from Project Otremens where a high-ranking Bonanno member formally introduced Ontario-based Buffalo members to one of the Caruanas but Joe Todaro discussed it with one of the Luppinos and they were hestitant to recognize the Caruana because they weren't sure where he was made -- either way, it suggests a Bonanno leader in Montreal or NY was in Canada making introductions to Buffalo members.

We know too little on the specifics and there is certainly reason to believe there are still some Bonanno members in Montreal though obviously the situation has been a clusterfuck. Important to remember this was a 20-member crew with a long history and there is no tangible evidence of a formal "Rizzuto Family" even if certain elements of the crew were unhappy and/or went "rogue".

Wiseguy is probably right, but Violi introduced Morena to Tony Mucci if I remember correctly, so even if he is not officially positively identified as a member of the Bonanno Crime Family in Montreal, there is a good chance that he is. Frank Cotroni Jr was also introduced to Morena but same thing

But even if that is the case Mucci and other old timers like Carmine Vannelli or Tony Volpato are most likely inactive and since no one can be categorical about anything regarding Montreal, there are unfortunately no real answers to your questions ...

Old Schooled wrote: ↑Sat Sep 21, 2024 7:32 am I am also highly interested in the Bonanno's Montréal Decina, I have been working towards acquiring a source to try to ascertain If the Bonanno Family still recognizes the Montréal Crew, it would be interesting if the Ontario members all recognize the Montréal Crew but NY doesnt recognize the faction anymore and has no connection or communication with them any longer. When Domenico Violi was captured on tape offering to officially introduce Enzo Morena to Antonio Mucci & Francesco Cotroni Jr, I inferred from that that with him being the Official Underboss, he may have been in a position to know if the Bonanno Family still recognized the crew, and if hes offering to introduce them as active current made members, than i would infer from this that NY still recognized the crew. My goal with the source is to finally get some clarification on what the Bonanno Family's current relationship is with the Montréal Crew, specifically if the crew is recognized or shelved by the Bonanno Family, and finally put to rest if the crew broke away or not

There seems to be several events that led to the final dissolution between the Bonanno family and the Montreal crew - the Sciascia murder in 1999, Massino flipping in 2004, the murders of most (if not all) Bonanno members in Montreal after Project Colisee in 2006, Montagna aligning himself with Rizzuto rivals when he was deported to Canada in 2009 (he was rejected by Nick Rizzuto as a "lightweight flunky" who was "not his boss"), etc. Any remaining connections appear to be on an operational level rather than an organizational one. Not a single, remaining, positively identified Bonanno member in Canada can be identified as far as I'm aware.

I am also highly interested in the Bonanno's Montréal Decina, I have been working towards acquiring a source to try to ascertain If the Bonanno Family still recognizes the Montréal Crew, it would be interesting if the Ontario members all recognize the Montréal Crew but NY doesnt recognize the faction anymore and has no connection or communication with them any longer. When Domenico Violi was captured on tape offering to officially introduce Enzo Morena to Antonio Mucci & Francesco Cotroni Jr, I inferred from that that with him being the Official Underboss, he may have been in a position to know if the Bonanno Family still recognized the crew, and if hes offering to introduce them as active current made members, than i would infer from this that NY still recognized the crew. My goal with the source is to finally get some clarification on what the Bonanno Family's current relationship is with the Montréal Crew, specifically if the crew is recognized or shelved by the Bonanno Family, and finally put to rest if the crew broke away or not

Another very likely member of the decina that I forgot to include is Salvatore Sorrentino:

-He was associated with Armand Courville & Vic Cotroni in the company Reggio Food.

-He was instructed by Vic Cotroni to pick up Vincent Asaro in Saratoga to meet his father Joseph then on the run and hidden in Montreal (see page 2 of the thread).

-In 1975 while Vic Cotroni is in prison for contempt before the CECO, Violi is not yet officially acting and asks Sorrentino & Pietro Sciara to go to NY to meet Rastelli to ask him if Violi has the authorization assume the position (the answer will be yes).

We don't know much more but it all sounds very "inducted member" to me. I guess like Nicola Colio (see here viewtopic.php?f=29&t=7429) Sorrentino was a pretty low-key member.

Agreed 100%.

It's like trying to understand 1920s New York City through old newspaper reports that attribute every murder to a dispute over the "Italian lottery". Fortunately we know much more about Cosa Nostra politics and rules today, but all we can use is precedent to understand it until someone comes forward with insight into internal politics.

B. wrote: ↑Tue Jul 13, 2021 2:59 pm He also said the Rizzutos were a mafia clan. Not sure he intended to put it that way, but he did.

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One interpretation of the earlier quote I mentioned is that he's saying the Montreal Bonanno decina was mostly compaesani from nearby Agrigento villages by that time, but even if many of them had been made with the Bonannos there is no evidence that "15 to 20" (close to the whole decina) were from Agrigento or even Sicilian.

Given he is describing the existence of the mafia in Sicily, he might also be saying that a Sicilian cosca is defined by paesani from the same village, with the cosca size being 15 to 20. This is an accurate description of a Sicilian cosca, as Sicilian organizations are defined by village and membership is often around that size. I'd be surprised if the mafia in Cattolica had many made members.

We also shouldn't take his comment too seriously, as he was trying to hem-and-haw his way through a parole hearing and not cooperating, but it also sounds like he unintentionally dropped some insight. Whether his comment relates to the Montreal Bonanno decina, the Sicilian mafia, or some combination is anyone's guess considering Ragusa's vague comments are the closest we have to a made member in Montreal publicly cooperating.

Coming back to that B., I think he means they were a mafia clan and not a borgata. On a very personal level, I never considered them as a full-fledged Borgata but as a group from the mafia which gradually broke away from the Bonannos. I may be wrong, but I interpret it that way.

But maybe since they've returned to the Bonanno fold right now, or maybe no, we have more questions than answers, it's both exciting and frustrating.

thekiduknow wrote: ↑Sun Aug 08, 2021 8:39 am We can add Michael Consolo to the list. He was a “bodyguard” to Galante, and was deported in 1955.

Yes, it seems he came with Galante to Montreal. Having said that I always thought that when Galante was in Montreal, the local guys were just an extension of his crew until Cotroni was appointed capo.

Coming back to Consolo, in 1955 the Montreal police raided the house of Frank Petrula, a well-known Montreal mobster at the time, and seized a register containing the addresses and phone numbers of mobsters like Galante, Consolo, Cotroni, Greco, Soccio, Jimmy Orlando, Peter Adamo or Harry Ship as well as politicians and other people of interest. Suffice to say that the underworld did not appreciate and that Frank Petrula subsequently disappeared, no doubt that he rests at the bottom of a lake in Quebec ...

Finally Consolo was deported later in 1955 with Gino Campo (source Pierre de Champlain for this)

About Campo, I wonder if this Campo is not Charles "Charley" Campo or if it is a relative. Campo was a NY Mafioso who got convicted in 1962 for a drug case, along with Matthew Cuomo of the Gambino Crime Family. They got caught with 17 kilos of heroin and Campo took 2 years. Napoleon Colonna, a well-known Corsican of the French Connection and friend of Diodato Mastraccio from Montreal as well as Giovanni Maugeri, member of the Gambino family deported to Milan and also active in Marseille, were also involved. Anyway, Campo was a close guy to the Cotronis, that's why I wonder if it's the same guy or a relative

For those who may be interested here is Charley Campo

We can add Michael Consolo to the list. He was a “bodyguard” to Galante, and was deported in 1955.

motorfab wrote: ↑Tue Jul 13, 2021 4:25 am

B. wrote: ↑Tue Jul 13, 2021 2:21 am Emanuele Ragusa's statement before the parole board in 2003 is interesting:

“In Italy, I think, the Mafia is an organization … a good organization,” Ragusa explained. “Anyone can be called a Mafioso. It comes from Sicily. Here, it’s paesani all from the same village, maybe fifteen or twenty people.”

It's totally crazy to declare that before a parole board lol

He also said the Rizzutos were a mafia clan. Not sure he intended to put it that way, but he did.

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One interpretation of the earlier quote I mentioned is that he's saying the Montreal Bonanno decina was mostly compaesani from nearby Agrigento villages by that time, but even if many of them had been made with the Bonannos there is no evidence that "15 to 20" (close to the whole decina) were from Agrigento or even Sicilian.

Given he is describing the existence of the mafia in Sicily, he might also be saying that a Sicilian cosca is defined by paesani from the same village, with the cosca size being 15 to 20. This is an accurate description of a Sicilian cosca, as Sicilian organizations are defined by village and membership is often around that size. I'd be surprised if the mafia in Cattolica had many made members.

We also shouldn't take his comment too seriously, as he was trying to hem-and-haw his way through a parole hearing and not cooperating, but it also sounds like he unintentionally dropped some insight. Whether his comment relates to the Montreal Bonanno decina, the Sicilian mafia, or some combination is anyone's guess considering Ragusa's vague comments are the closest we have to a made member in Montreal publicly cooperating.

motorfab wrote: ↑Tue Jul 13, 2021 4:38 am No no, everybody "works" in peace now, since the murder of the Scoppas in 2019 thing calmed down. Someone post this article the other day, it will probably help you https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/just ... ganise.php

Great article! So now Hells Angels are the most powerful group in the city it seems, even though Italians work in peace nowadays it's still ridiculous that they murdered each other for like 10 years, I`ve never heard of any other mafia conflict that lasted this long, and apparently it cost them their status in the underworld.

ThutmosisChen wrote: ↑Tue Jul 13, 2021 4:34 am

motorfab wrote: ↑Tue Jul 13, 2021 4:25 am

ThutmosisChen wrote: ↑Tue Jul 13, 2021 4:08 am Why are there so many groups within the Montreal mafia? Did they all take orders from the Bonannos in the old days? And at the height of Vito`s power was he able to control groups like Cotroni? Why did Montagna have his own faction when he`s from New York? Sorry a lot of dumb questions but Montreal is really a bit confusing.

Not at all. These factions were formed following the incarceration of Vito Rizzuto. Most because they disagreed with the new leadership or because of personal grievances.

Montagna was deported from NY in 2009 and landed in Montreal where he was born. He wanted to put the Montreal mafia under his flag, but the Rizzutos kindly told him to go to hell. He then allied with Raynald Desjardins to take over but they fell out, and Montagna ended up getting killed in 2011, like most of the guys who followed him.

Thanks, so even today the Montreal mafia is badly segmented? It`s crazy that the conflict has lasted for more than 10 years and they are still trying to kill each other. I wonder what kind of impact the war has on business, if none of the groups agree with each other then there`s a lack of cooperation and they will suffer from it financially. At this point you would think some kind of leadership has been formed to keep things going.

No no, everybody "works" in peace now, since the murder of the Scoppas in 2019 thing calmed down. Someone post this article the other day, it will probably help you https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/just ... ganise.php

motorfab wrote: ↑Tue Jul 13, 2021 4:25 am

ThutmosisChen wrote: ↑Tue Jul 13, 2021 4:08 am Why are there so many groups within the Montreal mafia? Did they all take orders from the Bonannos in the old days? And at the height of Vito`s power was he able to control groups like Cotroni? Why did Montagna have his own faction when he`s from New York? Sorry a lot of dumb questions but Montreal is really a bit confusing.

Not at all. These factions were formed following the incarceration of Vito Rizzuto. Most because they disagreed with the new leadership or because of personal grievances.

Montagna was deported from NY in 2009 and landed in Montreal where he was born. He wanted to put the Montreal mafia under his flag, but the Rizzutos kindly told him to go to hell. He then allied with Raynald Desjardins to take over but they fell out, and Montagna ended up getting killed in 2011, like most of the guys who followed him.

Thanks, so even today the Montreal mafia is badly segmented? It`s crazy that the conflict has lasted for more than 10 years and they are still trying to kill each other. I wonder what kind of impact the war has on business, if none of the groups agree with each other then there`s a lack of cooperation and they will suffer from it financially. At this point you would think some kind of leadership has been formed to keep things going.