THE BLACK HAND FORUM

The town I went to high school in had an Alfano's Pizzeria about an hour from the infamous pizzeria in Oregon, Illinois. This was in the early 1980's. They had great pizza. We went there after every high school football game - win or lose.

I graduated high school and went into the Navy. I came back on leave for Christmas 1984 and found out that the pizzeria closed one day over night. Literally, open one day and by the next morning, the entire store was cleared out. No tables, chairs, jukebox, pinball game, oven, cash register, Italy posters, etc. They even took the pay phone out of the wall.

Although, it was never proven that the pizzeria I went to was involved in anything nefarious, the doubt and question remains to this day because of the timing of events, the surname and close location. Nobody talks about it here and it is probably for the best.

I soon figured out why Alfano's Pizzeria closed after reading an article in the Chicago Tribune a few months after the fact.

Edit: I found this newspaper article from 1993. Check out the realty company ad in the right side margin...

http://rockrivertimes.com/1993/07/01/pi ... -examined/

There was also a Paolo Palazzolo from Cinisi who lived in Gary, IN (near Chicago) that was active in bootlegging and other rackets in the 1920s. He was one of the men who attended the 1928 Cleveland meeting, so definitely an early mafioso and probably related somehow to the later Palazzolos from Cinisi who were active in the midwest.

I have also found the following: In 1967 the FBI interviewed Pietro Alfano in relation to his association with Rockford LCN member Phil Priola. Alfano stated he immigrated to the U.S. in April 1964 and started working for a cousin's pizzeria in Ottawa, Illinois. After that he moved to Belvidere, Illinois and opened his own pizzeria in June 1965 and had that for 13 months. In 1966 Alfano, with the backing and help of Phil Priola opened Alfano's Pizzeria in Rockford and had that for just over a year before moving to Oregon, Illinois and opening his restaurant there in January 1967.
Now, I spot checked a few dates and owners for some of the pizzerias in Belvidere, Illinois and found:

1965 Alfano’s Pizza, 131 N. State Street, Belvidere, Illinois- Peter & Christine Alfano
1967 Sam and Joe’s Pizza, 131 N. State Street, Belvidere, Illinois- Sam Vitale & Joe Cuccinella
Maria’s Pizza, 138 N. State Street, Belvidere, Illinois- Lorenzo Palazzolo
1968 Villa Pizza, 138 N. State Street, Belvidere, Illinois- Joe & Maria Alfano
Sam’s Pizza, 105 Buchanan Street, Belvidere, Illinois- Sam & Augustina Vitale
Maria’s Pizza, 132 N. State Street, Belvidere, Illinois- Lorenzo Palazzolo
1974 Lucia’s Pizza, Belvidere, Illinois- Lorenzo & Santina Palazzolo
1984 Maria’s Pizza, 132 N. State Street, Belvidere, Illinois- Lorenzo Palazzolo
Villa Pizza, 138 N. State Street, Belvidere, Illinois- Joe Alfano
2002 Maria’s Pizza, 132 N. State Street, Belvidere, Illinois- Palazzolo Family

Does anyone know who Sam Vitale, Joe Cuccinella, Lorenzo Palazzolo and Joe Alfano were? I do know that Sam Vitale was also from Cinisi, Sicily and was wondering if the Palazzolo was related to Emmanuele Palazzolo.

HairyKnuckles wrote:Nice post Baldo, but I can´t answer your question.

I just want to know....is there still anyone who thinks Lilo imported all these guys and others? I debated with several posters over on GBB years ago about this and they were extremely stubborn. It´s beyond me how infatuated they were (and probably still are) with the idea that all these zips were Lilo´s private army.

He didn't even recruit the ones who were members/associates of the Bonanno family. He made them and they were loyal to him for a time, but they were in the US and associated with the mob for reasons independent of Lilo.

HairyKnuckles wrote:Nice post Baldo, but I can´t answer your question.

I just want to know....is there still anyone who thinks Lilo imported all these guys and others? I debated with several posters over on GBB years ago about this and they were extremely stubborn. It´s beyond me how infatuated they were (and probably still are) with the idea that all these zips were Lilo´s private army.

IMO the only Pizza guys Galante was connected to were guys from CDG. Other guys were connected to the Cherry Hill Gambinos (Palermo). And the Midwest guys were connected to Badalamenti clan in Cinisi. These guys didn't have anything to do with Galante, other than maybe facilitating drug trafficking deals together. Even some of the Castellammarese guys came over in mid 60s when Lilo was in prison.

Onofrio Catalano is a fugitive? I read he served prison time in Italy in the 90s, after the Pizza Connection indictment, so why didn't they extradite him back then, when he was still in custody?

Thanks, guys....I'm assuming whoever is still alive isn't active anymore.

Alfano moved back to Cinisi, Sicily and Palazzolo still lives in Milton

Nice post Baldo, but I can´t answer your question.

I just want to know....is there still anyone who thinks Lilo imported all these guys and others? I debated with several posters over on GBB years ago about this and they were extremely stubborn. It´s beyond me how infatuated they were (and probably still are) with the idea that all these zips were Lilo´s private army.

I know information is hard to come by but any updates as to where the players are today would be appreciated:

Pietro "Pete" Alfano ("Peter" or "The Nephew"), Oregon, Illinois, was Gaetano Badalamenti's nephew and principal lieutenant in the U.S. Arrested in Madrid, Spain in 1984, while meeting with his uncle and cousin. Shot and crippled, while shopping in Greenwich Village, New York City on February 11, 1987 a month prior to the trial verdicts being announced. Eventually he was sentenced to 15 years. He served seven years.

Giovanni Cangialosi ("Johnny"), Baldwin, Long Island, was a Sicilian mafioso, and was sentenced to 12 years.

Filippo Casamento - aka "Tizio", Brooklyn, New York City. Casamento was a Sicilian mafioso and Bonanno crime family associate. He was sentenced to 30 years for his second heroin distribution conviction. Casamento was eventually released, but in early 2008 he was once again indicted for criminal activities in Operation Old Bridge, that targeted mobsters in Sicily and America.

Frank Castronovo ("Ciccio l'Americano"), Parlin, New Jersey, Sicilian mafioso and brother-in-law of Tommy Mazzara. He was sentenced to 25 years.

Onofrio Catalano ("Oliviero"), Sicilian mafioso and cousin of Salvatore. He remains a fugitive.


Samuel Evola ("Salvatore" or "Sam"), Temperance, Michigan. Another nephew of Gaetano Badalamenti and a key U.S. associate. Evola was a known member of the Detroit Partnership. After being found guilty, but before sentencing, Evola decided to plead guilty and received 15 years, cutting 5–10 years off his possible sentence.

Salvatore Greco, Oakhurst, New Jersey. Greco was a Sicilian mafioso and brother of Bagheria capo-mafia (boss) Leonardo Greco. He was sentenced to 20 years.

Giuseppe Lamberti ("The Brother-in-Law"), Sicilian mafioso, brother-in-law of Mazzurco and cousin of Salvatore. He was sentenced to 30 years.

Salvatore Lamberti ("Toto"), Sicilian mafioso and cousin of Giuseppe Lamberti. He was sentenced to 20 years for narcotics conspiracy.

Salvatore Mazzurco ("The Little One" or "The Cousin"). A Sicilian mafioso, Mazzurco was sentenced to 20 years for narcotics conspiracy and 15 years on his RICO conviction with the sentences to run concurrently. Mazzurco's palm print, like Mazzara's, was found on the wrapping of a kilogram package of heroin purchased by an undercover agent.

Emmanuele Palazzolo ("Manny" or "The Brother-in-Law"), Milton, Wisconsin. Another relative of Gaetano Badalamenti and brother-in-law to Peter Alfano, Palazzolo was an important part of Badalamenti's U.S. operations. He was sentenced to 12 years on narcotics conspiracy.

Vincenzo Randazzo ("Enzo"), Milan, Italy. Gaetano Badalamenti's nephew, Randazzo was extradited from Zürich, Switzerland to New York for the trial. He was one of two defendants who pleaded to a lesser charge during the trial.

Salvatore Salamone ("Sal"), Freeland, Pennsylvania. A Sicilian mafioso, Salamone was one of two defendants to be acquitted on the drug-related charges. However, he was convicted on currency violations that carried up to five years in prison. Salamone was later tried, convicted and sentenced to 18 years on weapons charges.

Giuseppe Trupiano ("Joe"), Olney, Illinois. Another nephew of Gaetano Badalamenti, Trupiano was sentenced to one year for narcotics conspiracy. His conviction was reversed on appeal.

Giuseppe Vitale ("Joe"), Paris, Illinois. Another relative of Gaetano Badalamenti who couriered narcotics for the group, Vitale was sentenced to five years.

Franco Della Torre - convicted in Switzerland.

Leonardo Greco - capo of the Bagheria cosca (crime family), brother of Salvatore, convicted in Italy.

Faro Lupo - Sicilian mafioso, nephew of Randazzo who lived with Alfano until 1984 when he returned to Europe, was arrested in Switzerland.

Salvatore Miniati - convicted in Italy.

Vito Roberto Palazzolo - convicted in Italy.

Filippo Salamone - Sicilian mafioso, related to Salvatore, convicted in Italy.

Giuseppe Soresi - A Sicilian mafioso from Borghetto, Palermo, Soresi was convicted in Italy.

Oliviero Tognoli - Sicilian mafia money launderer based in Italy. A financial adviser and investor for Leonardo Greco and other Cosa Nostra leaders for whom he held numerous Swiss bank accounts, Tognoli remains a fugitive.

Benny Zito - Philadelphia pizzeria owner and associate of Joe Ganci who led authorities directly into the heart of the Pizza Connection heroin network and to Sicilian mafia members who oversaw the drug and money laundering operations. A fugitive, Zito was suspected of fleeing prior to the indictments being handed down.