THE BLACK HAND FORUM

[quote="Pogo The Clown" post_id=24571 time=1453225122 user_id=53]
I don't think Provenzano was ever a Capo. But it is the genovese family so who knows. It is highly unlikely though.


Pogo
[/quote]

In early 1980 a FBI report lists Anthony Provenzano as a a NJ capo.

However it's worth mentioning this report was pretty dubious, Gerry Catena was listed as a capo even though he was already living in Florida and retired.

A bit unrelated, but generally it's either Fat Tony Salerno or Vincent Gigante said to be Frank Tieri's Underboss in the late 1970s, but both men are listed as captains in the report. Tieri's underboss is noted as being a NY guy so it's probably Lombardo. Just something I found interesting.

Not sure who Puparo is??? Is he credible??

This really doesn't have anything to do with finding out if Tony Pro is a capo but I found this interesting. Puparo from Gangstersinc links Tony Pro and Jerry Catena to Visero Sr. and Jr. and posted this on his timeline:


NY Purple Gang leader Frank John Viserto jr imprisoned in Leavenworth
Viserto was convicted in 1978 on heroin charges and spend the next 10 years mostly in Leavenworth prison and became close there with Tony provenzano. Viserto was released 31 december 1988 and started to work in a pizza parlour and lived in new jersey.

NY Purple Gang
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement stated in 1979 that the Gang operated with the support and protection of Carmine Galante ( prior to his last lunch at Mary and Joe’s) as well as various capos in the Genovese family. Their undisputed leader was Frankie Viserto jr aka Frankie Celeste aka Frankie Price aka Frank Goodz. His father, Frankie Senior, dob 1/17/27 may have been a soldier in the Genovese family. Viserto junior was linked in to Tony Provenzano and Gerardo Catena.


https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/365539/united-states-v-frank-viserto-jr-richard-rocco-joseph-solce-garnet/

Viserto Sr. and Jr. Article

http://fultonhistory.com/newspaper%2010/Yonkers%20NY%20Herald%20Statesman/Yonkers%20NY%20Herald%20Statesman%201979%20Grayscale/Yonkers%20NY%20Herald%20Statesman%201979%20b%20Grayscale%20-%203756.pdf

HK You're the Man! Thanks for sharing this great stuff.

Yep, Provenzano was definitely under Carillo from June 1964 and on. He asked Catena to arrange a meeting with Carillo and was later put with him. Apparently, Carillo had acted as arbitrator a year earlier during a sit down concerning a beef Provenzano had had with Gyp DeCarlo. it´s possible this sit down generated mutual respect between them and resulted in Provenzano wanting to be under him.

[img]http://i1364.photobucket.com/albums/r729/michaeld78/Pro_zpskej6sdxm.png[/img]

Just learned that Provenzano was originally a Lower East Side (NYC) guy, born on 26 Monroe Street and baptized in St Joseph´s Church down the block from there, Divorced his first wife in 1961. The couple had no children of their own but had adopted Charlotte Ann (born 1943) and George Wesley (born 1944) when they were young. The kids were children of Provenzano´s wife´s 2nd cousin. He moved to Hackensack, NJ in the early 1950s but may have lived in Hoboken too in between. He married his second wife right after the divorce.

ADDING - An informant advised in 1952 that Provenzano was associated with the Strollo organization and that Strollo (and Albert Anastasia) were responsible for the election of Provenzano as President of Local 560. And in 1962, an informant said that Provenzano "probably is a cporegima" but he could have been wrong since he was never listed as such on FBI charts. Also in 1962, another informant advised that Provenzano was directly responsible to Jerry Catena. Not sure exactly what this means, It could mean that he was at some point put directly to be under Catena. Keep in mind that this was in 1962 and that he later may have been put to be under Carillo and then under Ianniello (in the 1970s). No mention later on of Provenzano being a captain.

Still, Provenzano seems definitely above the "average" soldier. I mean, he could take decisions to have people killed and didn't do the dirty work himself, but sent others. Also, when people talk about the Hoffa murder, Provenzano is mentioned as powerful enough by himself, as if he was almost on the same level as Zerilli, Giacalone, Bufalino etc. I mean, if there is no information about him being a capo, he was probably a soldier, but it seems weird they didn't promote him to capo, considering the power he had. If they wanted to keep him as a soldier, why give him all this power without "upgrading" him to capo?

So he was under Ianniello when he was VP of the Teamsters? Would it be out of the question to say that he was more powerful than other capos in the Genovese family? Sorry, my knowledge of the NY families isn't what you would call extensive.

I haven't seen anything on Provenzano being a captain either. Early on he was under Antonio Carillo, then in Matthew Ianniello's crew by the 1970s. He was convicted not longer after that.

I don't think Provenzano was ever a Capo. But it is the genovese family so who knows. It is highly unlikely though.


Pogo

I always thought he was just a powerful soldier, but on the level of the capos. I guess it comes down to whether or not capos are defined as having crews or not, because I don't believe he did, to the extent of my knowledge.

[quote="AG777"]

I know Tony Pro was a powerful guy but was he a Capo? I have asked a couple times but no one has ever answered. Thnx in advance.[/quote]

That´s a million dollar question right there.

This is a good book. Being from Jersey these are the same stories I heard growing up from my Pops and Uncles. Lot of info.

I know Tony Pro was a powerful guy but was he a Capo? I have asked a couple times but no one has ever answered. Thnx in advance.

great pics in first link....never saw a young Catena. thanks.

http://godfathergarden.com/?page_id=14

A lot of good pics featuring the Boot.

Here's a Penthouse article about the real Soprano's by Richard Linnett

https://richardlinnett.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/the-real-sopranos.pdf


I meant to post this in the regular "Mafia Forum" section