THE BLACK HAND FORUM

by B. » Sat Jan 06, 2018 7:20 pm

B. wrote: ↑Thu Aug 03, 2017 3:48 pm A photo of alleged Bonanno member/relative Joseph Spadaro appears in some newspaper clippings for some kind of award ceremony in the 1960s, and there are photos of Spadaro with a man ID'd as "Dr. Martin Bonventre". At first I believed this was the same Martin Bonventre and while there are some similarities and they're about the same age, they look quite a bit different when comparing their photos (though it's been a while since I looked). However, I can't find any records for another Martin Bonventre who would fit the right age range except for the one who is alleged to be a Bonanno member. If it is a different guy, then Dr. Martin Bonventre must have been another grandson of Martino Bonventre given the naming tradition and connection to Spadaro.

Dr. Martin Bonventre is Pietro Bonventre's son, positively. Martin was a medical officer in the military and continued as a doctor after his service. His uncle, Vincent Anello, was also a doctor. Another uncle, Vittorio "Victor" Anello" ran the Anello and Bonventre funeral home with Pietro Bonventre. Vittorio is on Limey's mafia membership list but I'm not sure he's been confirmed as a member.

Another part of the Bonventre clan through marriage is Big Mike Allegato, who I'd like to know more about. He was from Santa Ninfa like other early members and seems to have been a major bootlegger through the 1930s and 40s, owning properties in both Nassau and Suffolk counties on LI. A property in Seaford was used as both a major still and a "mafia graveyard" (not sure if any victims were ever found/ID'd). Also supposedly owned an orange grove in Florida. He'd die in FL in the 1960s. The Bonventre connection is through his sister Rose Allegato Bonventre, who was involved in her brother Mike's bootlegging operations along with her son, Gaspare Bonventre. It appears Rose and Gaspare were the wife/son of the Bonanno leader Vito Bonventre, murdered in 1930, so this shows that his relatives remained involved in family business long after he died.

Vito's son Gaspare (b.1919) is not the same one that appears on the FBI dead list nor traveled between Sicily/USA, so he is another relatively unknown Gaspare Bonventre we can add to the list. Doesn't seem to have been a member, but definitely associated for a time with his uncle Allegato and had strong heritage in the Bonannos. Haven't found a death record for him so could be still alive.

by **jimmyb** » Wed Dec 13, 2017 4:55 pm

Just noticed another family member. "Epiphano Bonventre" was a public works commissioner arrested as part of Operation Tempesta in 2004. According to a govt report he's "related to Mafia Bonventre family" [my translation].

by B. » Mon Nov 20, 2017 2:27 pm

jimmyb wrote: ↑Mon Nov 20, 2017 2:03 pm There is a "Gaspare Bonventre" listed on that dead person/FBI list. He was born 1916 and died 1982. I'll probably send out FOIA at some pt.

Yeah, that's the one I mention in the first post. His DOB (11/2/1916) matches a Gaspare Bonventre who lived well beyond the DOD of 1/1/1982, so I think the DOD on there is a mistake (there are many mistakes on the dead list). I believe this same Gaspare Bonventre died in Sicily in 2011.

If you could get a file on him, that'd be awesome!

by **jimmyb** » Mon Nov 20, 2017 2:03 pm

There is a "Gaspare Bonventre" listed on that dead person/FBI list. He was born 1916 and died 1982. I'll probably send out FOIA at some pt.

by B. » Sun Nov 19, 2017 7:01 pm

Going back to the Gaspare Bonventre who apparently went between the US and Sicily (who may or may not be Gaspare "Nino") -- I wonder if he may have been one of the mysterious Sicilian recruits brought over during the Bonanno war, especially if he had a reputation for being involved in "blood feuds" as Jimmy mentioned.

by B. » Sun Nov 19, 2017 6:46 pm

Looks like either Cesare Bonventre or his namesake son (maybe both) had the middle name Gaspare. I don't know enough about Sicilian/Italian culture to know if there is any significance to middle names, but thought it was worth mentioning.

Would be interesting if Cesare Bonventre was somehow related to Santo Giordano and his uncle Gaspare "Nino" Bonventre. "Gasparino" was a nickname for both Gaspare DiGregorio and Gaspare Magaddino, seems possible Gaspare Bonventre also went by "Gasparino" as it's a common Sicilian nickname, which could be where the "Nino" nickname came from for phonetic reasons or something. Who knows. Haven't been able to find much else since starting this topic.

by **toto** » Tue Aug 08, 2017 8:21 am

jimmyb wrote: ↑Mon Aug 07, 2017 3:31 pm
toto wrote: ↑Mon Aug 07, 2017 8:30 am There are many gaps in our knowledge of the family relationships of CDG blood families. This is clear from what you posted in this thread and even what emerged in the recent past about the mother of Sergio Mattarella who was a Buccellato from CDG but it's not clear how closely related she was to the Buccellato's who are mafiosi. Only some allegation she was related closely to Nino Buccellato. Maybe JimmyB knows the answer to that one.
Sure, my older relatives in cdg remember the Mattarella family well and were friendly with them, but Maria Buccellato was from a different line of the family. So if you look at crude family tree i put in my book, know that "Maria" was from a different line.

Most of the Buccellatos you read about (most, not all) trace their lineage to the chart in my book, including myself. Mattarella's wife, however, does not. Hope that makes sense.

Thanks. Clear explanation.

by **jimmyb** » Mon Aug 07, 2017 3:31 pm

toto wrote: ↑Mon Aug 07, 2017 8:30 am There are many gaps in our knowledge of the family relationships of CDG blood families. This is clear from what you posted in this thread and even what emerged in the recent past about the mother of Sergio Mattarella who was a Buccellato from CDG but it's not clear how closely related she was to the Buccellato's who are mafiosi. Only some allegation she was related closely to Nino Buccellato. Maybe JimmyB knows the answer to that one.

Sure, my older relatives in cdg remember the Mattarella family well and were friendly with them, but Maria Buccellato was from a different line of the family. So if you look at crude family tree i put in my book, know that "Maria" was from a different line.

Most of the Buccellatos you read about (most, not all) trace their lineage to the chart in my book, including myself. Mattarella's wife, however, does not. Hope that makes sense.

by **Cheech** » Mon Aug 07, 2017 9:35 am

thanks B. always love your insight

by **toto** » Mon Aug 07, 2017 8:30 am

There are many gaps in our knowledge of the family relationships of CDG blood families. This is clear from what you posted in this thread and even what emerged in the recent past about the mother of Sergio Mattarella who was a Buccellato from CDG but it's not clear how closely related she was to the Buccellato's who are mafiosi. Only some allegation she was related closely to Nino Buccellato. Maybe JimmyB knows the answer to that one.

by B. » Sun Aug 06, 2017 1:25 am

jimmyb wrote: ↑Sat Aug 05, 2017 6:26 pm Here's description of Gaspare Bonventre from Danilo Dolci "'mafioso landowner, from a mafia family involved in serious blood feuds with other families; has shuttled to and from between Castellammare and America."

That's the Gaspare who appears on your CDG cosca member list? The "between Castellammare and America" bit lends itself to my theory. Do you have a DOB (or general age range) for this Gaspare Bonventre? Even if this is a completely different one than I originally posted about, the fact that this Bonventre is ID'd as a mafioso who bounced between Sicily and America and shares the name Gaspare is good to know.

Vincenzo Bonventre is a name I haven't seen before. I've seen the name Ignazio a couple of times when doing genealogical searches and looking up peripheral relatives of the "main" Bonventres. There was an Ignazio (b.1919) who was the son of an Antonino/"Anthony" (b.1880) in Brooklyn, whose father in turn was named Ignazio. Vito Bonventre (1875-1930), the underboss to Schiro who was killed in 1930, had a brother named Antonino living in Brooklyn, but I don't know his age or if Vito's father was named Ignazio. There was another Ignazio (1889-1977) living in Middle Village, which is where some of the mafia Bonventres and many other Castellammaresi gathered, could be another relative.

The Vito mentioned above had a son named Gaspare who was born around 1919/NYC. Not 1916/Sicily like the Gaspare from the first post, though... at least we've found one we can disqualify so far, ha.

Thanks for the info!

by **jimmyb** » Sat Aug 05, 2017 6:40 pm

Sort of frustrating, but when I look at my Italian documents, you see a number of references to "the Bonventre" family in general, but rarely specific individuals. Gaspare and Vincenzo two exceptions. Not seeing anything else on "Antonino, Ignazio, and Vito" other than original list.

by **jimmyb** » Sat Aug 05, 2017 6:36 pm

Right, Anthony Tarantola told me "Martino Bonventre" was still alive, living in NY, but "probably wouldn't talk." That was a few yrs ago and I never followed up.

by **jimmyb** » Sat Aug 05, 2017 6:34 pm

"Vincenzo" was also arrested on corruption charges in 1988.

by **jimmyb** » Sat Aug 05, 2017 6:32 pm

Looking over my notes, to confuse things further: there was a "Vincenzo Bonventre" arrested in CDG on corruption charges in 2005.

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