RE-POST: The Rise and Demise of Tony Caponigro

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Re: RE-POST: The Rise and Demise of Tony Caponigro

by Super » Mon Jun 28, 2021 3:17 pm

I agree manf Gambino and Bruno had business and was close i thought the relationship was the same with Paul.

Re: RE-POST: The Rise and Demise of Tony Caponigro

by Manf » Sun Jun 27, 2021 8:53 pm

Why wasn't the Gambino family more involved in the aftermath of Bruno's murder? Seems odd they just let the Genovese family deal with it.

Re: RE-POST: The Rise and Demise of Tony Caponigro

by Ivan » Sun Jun 27, 2021 8:41 pm

I was surprised by how good Leonetti's book was. Figured it would be a bunch of self-serving nonsense, but other than the "my uncle made me do it" bullshit (I personally think Leonetti is a psychopath and his criminality is innate, as is his uncle's, and they share the same "crime genes" from the same bloodline), it's pretty straightforward believable.

Re: RE-POST: The Rise and Demise of Tony Caponigro

by B. » Sun Jun 27, 2021 5:44 pm

The original posts here were written on the old board, circa early 2010s, so keep that in mind.

We now know Caponigro and Luciano were under Anastasia and the Gambino family before Philly.

Re: RE-POST: The Rise and Demise of Tony Caponigro

by Amershire_Ed » Sun Jun 27, 2021 3:49 pm

Wiseguy wrote: Sun Jun 27, 2021 1:38 pm Cleaning out some files and thought this would be a good place to post this excerpt so it's retrievable...


According to Leonetti in "Mafia Prince" page 94: (3 reasons for double cross of Caponigro)

1. Scarfo, etc. taking over Philly mob swings their vote to the Genovese, which gives them more control of Commission

2. Scarfo, etc. taking over Philly mob means he also takes control of HEREIU Local 54 (which they were beefing with Bruno about) and that would benefit the Genovese who later received money out of the union from Scarfo

3. Taking out Caponigro meant the Genovese could take over his gambling/loansharking operations in North Jersey (which they had beefed about in the past when Caponigro won the sitdown)
I just re-read this book recently and it’s kinda cool to see a real time re-telling of the details surrounding Chin’s ascent to the throne. Even in 1979 and 1980, Leonetti and Scarfa could recognize Gigtante was a fucking force to be reckoned with. Scarfa thought everyone was a jerkoff and almost comes off as star struck when he talks about Chin and Manna. Their deception and treachery was legit first class.

Re: RE-POST: The Rise and Demise of Tony Caponigro

by Wiseguy » Sun Jun 27, 2021 1:38 pm

Cleaning out some files and thought this would be a good place to post this excerpt so it's retrievable...


According to Leonetti in "Mafia Prince" page 94: (3 reasons for double cross of Caponigro)

1. Scarfo, etc. taking over Philly mob swings their vote to the Genovese, which gives them more control of Commission

2. Scarfo, etc. taking over Philly mob means he also takes control of HEREIU Local 54 (which they were beefing with Bruno about) and that would benefit the Genovese who later received money out of the union from Scarfo

3. Taking out Caponigro meant the Genovese could take over his gambling/loansharking operations in North Jersey (which they had beefed about in the past when Caponigro won the sitdown)

Re: RE-POST: The Rise and Demise of Tony Caponigro

by Ivan » Thu Oct 04, 2018 5:10 pm

chin_gigante wrote: Thu Oct 04, 2018 5:10 am The fifth name that Martorano never got round to saying could have been Frank Stillitano. Read somewhere that Leonetti identified Long John as one of the shooters they sent to kill Frankie Steele as a favour to the Gambinos.
cool, thanks for the info

Re: RE-POST: The Rise and Demise of Tony Caponigro

by chin_gigante » Thu Oct 04, 2018 5:10 am

The fifth name that Martorano never got round to saying could have been Frank Stillitano. Read somewhere that Leonetti identified Long John as one of the shooters they sent to kill Frankie Steele as a favour to the Gambinos.

Re: RE-POST: The Rise and Demise of Tony Caponigro

by SILENT PARTNERZ » Fri Aug 31, 2018 6:22 am

B. wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 9:24 pm Scarfo was "justified" in ordering many murders based on mob rules and the climate of violence/paranoia that predated his run as boss, but by all counts he did enjoy violence and murder. He was the protege of Skinny DiTullio, who by reputation was one of the most prolific murderers in Philly family history, and pretty much every source who knew him personally claims he enjoyed violence. The way it's presented to sell newspapers and books is different from the reality, though, as he wasn't killing just to kill like Scarpa.
I did not remember that about Skinny Razor. I will have to
go back a reread some of the Philly books. I think we can all
agree that the Philly Mob was/is a murderous family.

Re: RE-POST: The Rise and Demise of Tony Caponigro

by B. » Thu Aug 30, 2018 9:24 pm

Scarfo was "justified" in ordering many murders based on mob rules and the climate of violence/paranoia that predated his run as boss, but by all counts he did enjoy violence and murder. He was the protege of Skinny DiTullio, who by reputation was one of the most prolific murderers in Philly family history, and pretty much every source who knew him personally claims he enjoyed violence. The way it's presented to sell newspapers and books is different from the reality, though, as he wasn't killing just to kill like Scarpa.

Re: RE-POST: The Rise and Demise of Tony Caponigro

by Angelo Santino » Thu Aug 30, 2018 5:09 pm

Chucky wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 12:57 pm
SILENT PARTNERZ wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 7:58 am
Ivan wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 2:06 am
DPG wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 12:00 am I got to thinking about Philly today realized Scarf had to be one paranoid fuck. I mean can you blame him for all the killing. They went thru 2 boss in a year not to mention other top members in on the murder plots. Im sure he felt like he didn't have much of a choice but to kill any possible threat.
Scarfo was justified in his hits by mafia standards. Hi bloodthirstiness is overrated in my opinion.

Testa and Stanfa were just as trigger-happy.
I humbly disagree. If Leonetti, Crow and DelGiorno all
say he was a murderous guy., I believe it. What was it
28 dead guys in under 10 years. That's a lot of dead.
The stories of 'hit crews' driving around all day looking
for guys to kill. To the point that it was getting in the
way of collections and other $ making duties. I do agree
that Salvie (especially) and many other Philly members
were murderous as well. From Bruno's murder to the
end of Scarfo, the family created Killadelphia fo sho!
Leonetti is a sack of shit who conveniently underplays his role in things. Had guys done what they were supposed to do, kick up and follow the rules, they wouldn't have had any problems with Scarfo. They balked and paid the price, Scarfo wasn't playing games. Those hit crews you mentioned were around during the Riccobene thing, who had his own guys doing the same.

Merlino and his guys were dropping guys on a regular basis well into the early 2000s, there's no difference.
According to Burnstein, Leonetti hasn't changed his mindset and will always be a killer. In documentaries he laments Salvie Testa's murder yet informants recall him asking when the hit was going down because he was tired of looking at him. Granted he could have been "caught up" in the life but if so using Testa's murder as a "turning point" has to be voided from his narrative.

One other tidbit, Burnstein originally wanted to name the book: "The Devil's Protege" but Leonetti felt that was disingenuous to the devil. Sorta gives you an insight into his biases and how that may affect his narrative in the book.

Re: RE-POST: The Rise and Demise of Tony Caponigro

by DPG » Thu Aug 30, 2018 3:57 pm

Come to think of it the one guy he should of killed he didn't kill

Re: RE-POST: The Rise and Demise of Tony Caponigro

by DPG » Thu Aug 30, 2018 3:00 pm

SILENT PARTNERZ wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 2:04 pm
DPG wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 12:51 pm
SILENT PARTNERZ wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 7:58 am
Ivan wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 2:06 am
DPG wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 12:00 am I got to thinking about Philly today realized Scarf had to be one paranoid fuck. I mean can you blame him for all the killing. They went thru 2 boss in a year not to mention other top members in on the murder plots. Im sure he felt like he didn't have much of a choice but to kill any possible threat.
Scarfo was justified in his hits by mafia standards. Hi bloodthirstiness is overrated in my opinion.

Testa and Stanfa were just as trigger-happy.
I humbly disagree. If Leonetti, Crow and DelGiorno all
say he was a murderous guy., I believe it. What was it
28 dead guys in under 10 years. That's a lot of dead.
The stories of 'hit crews' driving around all day looking
for guys to kill. To the point that it was getting in the
way of collections and other $ making duties. I do agree
that Salvie (especially) and many other Philly members
were murderous as well. From Bruno's murder to the
end of Scarfo, the family created Killadelphia fo sho!

Go thru 2 bosses in months of each other and what would you do? Wait to get killed? He wasn't in charge of a boy scout troop.


What would I do? I'd kill everyone!

:mrgreen: Making sure we're on the same page SP 8-)

Re: RE-POST: The Rise and Demise of Tony Caponigro

by SILENT PARTNERZ » Thu Aug 30, 2018 2:04 pm

DPG wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 12:51 pm
SILENT PARTNERZ wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 7:58 am
Ivan wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 2:06 am
DPG wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 12:00 am I got to thinking about Philly today realized Scarf had to be one paranoid fuck. I mean can you blame him for all the killing. They went thru 2 boss in a year not to mention other top members in on the murder plots. Im sure he felt like he didn't have much of a choice but to kill any possible threat.
Scarfo was justified in his hits by mafia standards. Hi bloodthirstiness is overrated in my opinion.

Testa and Stanfa were just as trigger-happy.
I humbly disagree. If Leonetti, Crow and DelGiorno all
say he was a murderous guy., I believe it. What was it
28 dead guys in under 10 years. That's a lot of dead.
The stories of 'hit crews' driving around all day looking
for guys to kill. To the point that it was getting in the
way of collections and other $ making duties. I do agree
that Salvie (especially) and many other Philly members
were murderous as well. From Bruno's murder to the
end of Scarfo, the family created Killadelphia fo sho!

Go thru 2 bosses in months of each other and what would you do? Wait to get killed? He wasn't in charge of a boy scout troop.


What would I do? I'd kill everyone!

Re: RE-POST: The Rise and Demise of Tony Caponigro

by Chucky » Thu Aug 30, 2018 12:57 pm

SILENT PARTNERZ wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 7:58 am
Ivan wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 2:06 am
DPG wrote: Thu Aug 30, 2018 12:00 am I got to thinking about Philly today realized Scarf had to be one paranoid fuck. I mean can you blame him for all the killing. They went thru 2 boss in a year not to mention other top members in on the murder plots. Im sure he felt like he didn't have much of a choice but to kill any possible threat.
Scarfo was justified in his hits by mafia standards. Hi bloodthirstiness is overrated in my opinion.

Testa and Stanfa were just as trigger-happy.
I humbly disagree. If Leonetti, Crow and DelGiorno all
say he was a murderous guy., I believe it. What was it
28 dead guys in under 10 years. That's a lot of dead.
The stories of 'hit crews' driving around all day looking
for guys to kill. To the point that it was getting in the
way of collections and other $ making duties. I do agree
that Salvie (especially) and many other Philly members
were murderous as well. From Bruno's murder to the
end of Scarfo, the family created Killadelphia fo sho!
Leonetti is a sack of shit who conveniently underplays his role in things. Had guys done what they were supposed to do, kick up and follow the rules, they wouldn't have had any problems with Scarfo. They balked and paid the price, Scarfo wasn't playing games. Those hit crews you mentioned were around during the Riccobene thing, who had his own guys doing the same.

Merlino and his guys were dropping guys on a regular basis well into the early 2000s, there's no difference.

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