Buffalo/Ontario Mob Acitivity

[Frank]

Todaro Jr can't be too pleased about his name coming up in this Violi case

[NickleCity]

Actually I believe Law Enforcement in Nevada believed Buffalo was the strongest crime family in Vegas at that time. There is this from the Buffalo News article called "Buffalo Mob Holds Say over Las Vegas, Some Law Officers Claim" on May 6, 1990:

Buffalo's organized crime family is considered the most influential in the mob's "open city" of Las Vegas, according to a top law enforcement official in Nevada.

The family is involved in a Las Vegas-to-Buffalo pipeline for cocaine and other illegal activities, police investigators say.

On March 20, police in Las Vegas arrested three men identified as Buffalo natives and associates of the Buffalo mob. The men -- Louis Giambrone, 40, and Joseph Amoia, 34, both of Amherst, and Lawrence Panaro, 38, now of Las Vegas -- were charged with possession of cocaine worth $64,000.

Last year, the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Nevada's largest newspaper, ran photos of reputed Buffalo mob leaders Joseph Todaro Jr. and Leonard Falzone, and quoted investigators as saying the Todaro family is "far and away" the leading crime family in the Nevada gambling capital.

Pogo was referring to the LA family's involvement in the Blitzstein case (and Operation Thin Crust) in the late 1990s. You're article is from 1990. And, while it is interesting, we now have the benefit of hindsight and can see what the FBI was saying by 2002 was correct.

It seemed Pogo was discounting Buffalo’s role in the Fat Herbie hit. Bobby Panaro ordered Blitzstein’s murder with the backing of Buffalo bosses according to the Las Vegas Sun in May 1999.

Prosecutors have alleged that Panaro, with the backing of his bosses in Buffalo, authorized the hit on Blitzstein and "pulled the strings" behind the scenes. Cino, the government lawyers charged, used his ties to the Los Angeles mob to help "grease the wheels."

Operation Thin Crust may have taken Buffalo out of play in Vegas for a while in the early 2000’s as your 2002 article suggests, but Buffalo was one of the last holdouts in Vegas and had a significant number of people out there who stayed. Citelli, Amoia, and Bravo among others. Bobby Panaro travelled back and forth—seems like he may have been keeping tabs on a small active presence. I am not sure when Pieri moves out there, but I doubt that it was just to retire. Of course this is conjecture and may be completely off track.

[Wiseguy]

It seemed Pogo was discounting Buffalo’s role in the Fat Herbie hit. Bobby Panaro ordered Blitzstein’s murder with the backing of Buffalo bosses according to the Las Vegas Sun in May 1999.

I think he was saying that whole case mainly involved LA. Most of the defendants were affiliated with the LA family.

[FriendofHenry]

I'm absolutely amazed how much traction this small family thread has received.
Believe me, I'm not complaining, in fact there maybe some hope for other small families to gain such interest.

[Lupara]

I'm absolutely amazed how much traction this small family thread has received.
Believe me, I'm not complaining, in fact there maybe some hope for other small families to gain such interest.

Has anything been going on in Pittsburgh lately, new underboss being named perhaps? [emoji39]

Then we have something to discuss with us saying this is something nobody saw coming and could change our perspective followed by Pogo and Wiseguy quoting several FBI statements to contradict our beliefs... followed by Pogo and Wiseguy quoting several FBI statements to contradict our beliefs... followed by Pogo and Wiseguy quoting several FBI statements to contradict our beliefs... followed by Pogo and Wiseguy quoting several FBI statements to contradict our beliefs... Until we all admit they were right yet again all along. [emoji23]

(Just breaking some balls fellas!) [emoji56]

[Pogo The Clown]

Boy you have been a little salty lately.


Pogo

[Lupara]

Boy you have been a little salty lately. [emoji38]


Pogo

[emoji38][emoji1303]

[Moscone65]

Think the answer is somewhere in the middle

I agree.

[Stroccos]

Actually I believe Law Enforcement in Nevada believed Buffalo was the strongest crime family in Vegas at that time. There is this from the Buffalo News article called "Buffalo Mob Holds Say over Las Vegas, Some Law Officers Claim" on May 6, 1990:

Buffalo's organized crime family is considered the most influential in the mob's "open city" of Las Vegas, according to a top law enforcement official in Nevada.

The family is involved in a Las Vegas-to-Buffalo pipeline for cocaine and other illegal activities, police investigators say.

On March 20, police in Las Vegas arrested three men identified as Buffalo natives and associates of the Buffalo mob. The men -- Louis Giambrone, 40, and Joseph Amoia, 34, both of Amherst, and Lawrence Panaro, 38, now of Las Vegas -- were charged with possession of cocaine worth $64,000.

Last year, the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Nevada's largest newspaper, ran photos of reputed Buffalo mob leaders Joseph Todaro Jr. and Leonard Falzone, and quoted investigators as saying the Todaro family is "far and away" the leading crime family in the Nevada gambling capital.

Pogo was referring to the LA family's involvement in the Blitzstein case (and Operation Thin Crust) in the late 1990s. You're article is from 1990. And, while it is interesting, we now have the benefit of hindsight and can see what the FBI was saying by 2002 was correct.

It seemed Pogo was discounting Buffalo’s role in the Fat Herbie hit. Bobby Panaro ordered Blitzstein’s murder with the backing of Buffalo bosses according to the Las Vegas Sun in May 1999.

Prosecutors have alleged that Panaro, with the backing of his bosses in Buffalo, authorized the hit on Blitzstein and "pulled the strings" behind the scenes. Cino, the government lawyers charged, used his ties to the Los Angeles mob to help "grease the wheels."

Operation Thin Crust may have taken Buffalo out of play in Vegas for a while in the early 2000’s as your 2002 article suggests, but Buffalo was one of the last holdouts in Vegas and had a significant number of people out there who stayed. Citelli, Amoia, and Bravo among others. Bobby Panaro travelled back and forth—seems like he may have been keeping tabs on a small active presence. I am not sure when Pieri moves out there, but I doubt that it was just to retire. Of course this is conjecture and may be completely off track.

I was reading of the feds stuff on bifulco and they don't even mention lcn in any of his paperwork in the arson and gambling case,

[FriendofHenry]

I'm absolutely amazed how much traction this small family thread has received.
Believe me, I'm not complaining, in fact there maybe some hope for other small families to gain such interest.

Has anything been going on in Pittsburgh lately, new underboss being named perhaps? [emoji39]

Then we have something to discuss with us saying this is something nobody saw coming and could change our perspective followed by Pogo and Wiseguy quoting several FBI statements to contradict our beliefs... followed by Pogo and Wiseguy quoting several FBI statements to contradict our beliefs... followed by Pogo and Wiseguy quoting several FBI statements to contradict our beliefs... followed by Pogo and Wiseguy quoting several FBI statements to contradict our beliefs... Until we all admit they were right yet again all along. [emoji23]

(Just breaking some balls fellas!) [emoji56]

Other than a few more or less independent BMs - NaDa!

A couple of years ago some of the "kids" of some of the "guys" were popped for Bookmaking. Some reported that as being the "Family" was alive and well...NO Cigar! I was almost getting ready to bring out my old Pittsburgh "Family Friend" card

[scagghiuni]

The major LCN families include the five New York-based families—Bonanno, Colombo, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese; the Newark-based DeCavalcante family; the New England LCN; the Philadelphia LCN; and the Chicago Outfit. They have members in other major cities and are involved in international crimes. (FBI website, 2019)

so detroit is officially considered dead?
anyway i don't see like to ignore the fact according to wiretaps buffalo is viable, it's like to deny sicilian mafia full commission was reformed although wiretaps clearly showed it in the recent anti-mafia operation in palermo

[Wiseguy]

The major LCN families include the five New York-based families—Bonanno, Colombo, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese; the Newark-based DeCavalcante family; the New England LCN; the Philadelphia LCN; and the Chicago Outfit. They have members in other major cities and are involved in international crimes. (FBI website, 2019)

so detroit is officially considered dead?
anyway i don't see like to ignore the fact according to wiretaps buffalo is viable, it's like to deny sicilian mafia full commission was reformed although wiretaps clearly showed it in the recent anti-mafia operation in palermo

Because Detroit has still been on some lists , I've said that it is arguably still in a grey area. For those that want to make the argument anyway.

As for Buffalo, you really want to keep going in circles? How about we revisit this topic in another 5 or 10 years (when nothing else has happened) and I'll ask you how viable Buffalo is.

[willychichi]

Is this the record for the number of pages for a thread on TBH?

[thesociety 89]

It is an interesting topic, as all the other families deemed to be defunct have no life in them at all.....no wiretaps no talk of a boss, ub, capos or membership....so it's quite normal for people to be interested

[JeremyTheJew]

Is this the record for the number of pages for a thread on TBH?

this also was a combined thread tho!

top threads are Merlino and Buffalo/Detroit viable debate