THE BLACK HAND FORUM

PolackTony wrote: ↑Sat Sep 07, 2024 2:05 pm Yup, that was Augie Maniaci. We can see how careful the FBI was about even internally disseminating information that might be used to deduce the identity of a highly valuable and sensitive informant like Maniaci. Clearly, they were concerned that internal leakers could piece his identity together and potentially relay this info to LCN contacts.

In fact, it is exactly this kind of piecing together of clues from multiple files that Ed Valin has used to deduce the identities of a number of FBI CIs; it’s due to Ed’s work here that we know the identities of the above informant codes that I mentioned. For example, Ed’s “Rat Trap” piece on Joey Gurera discussed Maniaci’s critical role as a key FBI informant both for the Milwaukee outfit and other Midwestern Families (all of Ed’s articles are must-reads, not just for the intel discussed but also as demonstrations of the the process of reasoning from evidence that he uses to triangulate the likely identities of informants):

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

PolackTony wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2024 7:07 pm The "CG T-XX", "NY T-XX" are specific to the report *and* FO. They are proxies for the actual informant code, which will be in the form of "XX 123-XX". Augie Manicaci was MI 623-CTE (the last three letters denoting him as being enrolled as an informant of the "Criminal Top Echelon" type). In a Chicago report, if Maniaci is cited, he will appear in the actual text of the report as "CG T-XX", but the number that "XX might take will be specific to the report" (e.g., if the report has, say ten informants cited, it will have "CG T-1" through "CG T-10", another report will be different depending on how many CIs it cites). In files on the MF site, there is an unredacted version of the page that identifies the original informant code for each proxy code used in a given report; this is because these files were released to the public unredacted as part of the JFK files disclosures. Most of the other files that we refer to, obviously have the original informant codes redacted, as these were released on an individual basis under FOIA and have redaction, ostensibly to protect sensitive information (such as the identity of a confidential informant, even if it was decades ago and the person has since died).

The report for the 1973 list above was from FOIA and thus the informant codes were redacted. Based on comparison with the 1968 list, which was on MF and thus had unredacted informant codes, we can readily infer that "CG T-14" here was Augie Maniaci (MI 623-CTE), "CG T-6" was Frank Bompensiero (SD 1046-CTE), and "CG T-1" was Louie Fratto (OM 148-CTE). Whoever "CG T-15" was, we can see that he was a source interviewed sometime between 1968 and 1973 by the fact the Feds didn't have a 4th informant source for the 1968 Rockford list.

PolackTony wrote: ↑Sat Aug 31, 2024 4:33 pm Yeah, if it was a Milwaukee member source at that time it had to have come from Maniaci. Gurera, who had a KC FO code, doesn’t seem to have ever given the Feds intel on Rockford, at least so far as I’ve seen.

We can see below in the 1968 list that the FBI was almost totally dependent on Maniaci (“NY T-48” == MI 623) for their organizational intel on Rockford. Zammuto, Zito, and Calò were additionally identified by Louie Fratto (“NY T-190” == OM 148) while Phil Damiano was only ID’d by Frank Bompensiero (“NY T-122” == SD 1046) [credit to Ed Valin, of course, for identifying the codes for these CIs].







Now, it’s interesting to note that Vella, Gucciardo, and Calcione were *not* identified as members on the ‘68 list. Nor were they on the 1973 list of then-living members below (Calo and Damiano are the redacted names there, for anyone reading). This makes me think that they did not in fact have a member source for the membership of these three. Also sorting noting that the FBI had gained another member source for Rockford by 1973 (“CG T-15”). The source codes are redacted on the 1973 list and I don’t know who this CI was, but he did not ID anyone indecently of Maniaci, Fratto, and Bompensiero, and also did not appear as a source for anyone in the Chicago members list.

PolackTony wrote: ↑Sun Sep 01, 2024 9:19 pm I didn’t know about the calls between Bompensiero and Maggio either, that’s a great find to note.

With respect to the other Rockford source in the 1973 list, I agree that Vincent Maniaci or Augie Palmisano are good possibilities. I had originally wondered if Louie Fazio had been informing before his murder in ‘72, but I if he was, I doubt he was this Rockford source as the source was not listed as IDing any Chicago members in ‘73, only Rockford guys, and Fazio had close ties to Chicago. My guess is that he was most likely a Milwaukee member, in that if the source had been a Rockford member, he presumably would have ID’d some Chicago guys as well.

B. wrote: ↑Sun Sep 01, 2024 7:15 pm Yeah, Maniaci also identified Damiano as a Rockford member along with Bomp. What's interesting about Bomp's info is when he initially identified him he didn't say Damiano was an LA member, only a SD-based Milwaukee member from what I've seen. It was only later that he identified him under Adamo to my knowledge so he may have been a remote member who transferred to LA later.

I do wonder if Bomp initially confused Damiano's Rockford affiliation for Milwaukee or if Milwaukee was somewhere in his formal trajectory. Bomp was close to Milwaukee, being born there and friends with the elder Balistrieri uncles and Frank himself, so he was more Familiar with that group than Rockford, who to my knowledge he never had much if any interaction.

B. wrote: ↑Sun Sep 01, 2024 1:27 pm Maniaci heard or believed that Calo transferred to Sicily so he wouldn't have been a Rockford member any longer in the later 60s or 70s.

When Bomp first reported on Damiano interestingly he said he was a Milwaukee member and later reported he was originally made in Rockford, then later indicated Damiano had transferred to the LA Family in Adamo's decina. The Milwaukee info could have been a mistake though I know Damiano did live in WI for a time.

The unknown 1970s source could be one of the other Milwaukee members who cooperated. There was a second one as far back as the 1960s but in the 1970s even after Maniaci's death one was cooperating who I suspect was either Palmisano or Vince Maniaci. Definitely someone from the anti-Balistrieri group.

PolackTony wrote: ↑Sat Aug 31, 2024 4:33 pm Yeah, if it was a Milwaukee member source at that time it had to have come from Maniaci. Gurera, who had a KC FO code, doesn’t seem to have ever given the Feds intel on Rockford, at least so far as I’ve seen.

We can see below in the 1968 list that the FBI was almost totally dependent on Maniaci (“NY T-48” == MI 623) for their organizational intel on Rockford. Zammuto, Zito, and Calò were additionally identified by Louie Fratto (“NY T-190” == OM 148) while Phil Damiano was only ID’d by Frank Bompensiero (“NY T-122” == SD 1046) [credit to Ed Valin, of course, for identifying the codes for these CIs].







Now, it’s interesting to note that Vella, Gucciardo, and Calcione were *not* identified as members on the ‘68 list. Nor were they on the 1973 list of then-living members below (Calo and Damiano are the redacted names there, for anyone reading). This makes me think that they did not in fact have a member source for the membership of these three. Also sorting noting that the FBI had gained another member source for Rockford by 1973 (“CG T-15”). The source codes are redacted on the 1973 list and I don’t know who this CI was, but he did not ID anyone indecently of Maniaci, Fratto, and Bompensiero, and also did not appear as a source for anyone in the Chicago members list.

PolackTony wrote: ↑Sat Aug 31, 2024 1:02 pm

cavita wrote: ↑Sat Aug 31, 2024 11:05 am

cavita wrote: ↑Sat Aug 31, 2024 10:29 am

PolackTony wrote: ↑Sat Aug 31, 2024 10:15 am Thanks for the reply and great info.

My impression is that without Maniaci we’d have close to zero insight into the history of the organization in Rockford up through the 60s. Was Maniaci the only confirmed member source giving intel on Rockford? Thats my impression at least. I can’t recall if Gurera ever talked about Rockford, though maybe he did as he also provided some Chicago intel.

I've pored through the files and it seems Maniaci was the only one giving that info on Rockford which makes sense as he was the son-in-law of old time Rockford member Giuseppe Guttilla which probably afforded him lots of inside information.

I should also say too that Maniac described Zammuto, Buscemi, Zito, Buttice and Caltagerone making up the "inner ring" of the family, leading me to believe these five were part of the group's Consiglio.

I would agree of course. As of 1964/65, these are the men that make up the Rockford outfit’s admin, based in Maniaci’s intel. Unless there was another captain at the time that I can’t think of? You believe that there were two decine at this time, right, one headed by Buttice and the other by Caltagerone? Did Maniaci outright say that, or can we just infer the number of crews then based on the men named as captains?. Do you think there were any members who were assigned direct to Zammuto as well? You’ve probably addressed your thinking around the Family’s structure before, but it can be useful to periodically revisit these kinds of questions I think.