Paul Sciacca - Reluctant Representante

[maxiestern11]

Paul Sciacca - born in Sicily in 1909, lived in Brooklyn for many years until settling in Massapqaua, LI. by the early 1960’s. Very low profile longtime member who only sustained one arrest well into his 60’s. He was a business oriented soldier, gaining partnership in several large garment factories early in his career. First operating Sands Fashions, and later expanding with a second operation under the name S. & S. Garments Inc., both in Brooklyn. At one point in the 1960’s his clothing firms won a government contract worth over $1,000,000. to manufacture military uniforms. This was a huge sum of
money for that era, and reflects on the size capacity of his “contract shops” to service the contract bid. Sciacca was such a low profile mob member, that he was able to infiltrate and control the Hackensack Bank and Trust Co., of Hackensack, New Jersey, becoming a “director” on the board of the bank. Sciacca blended into the “woodwork” so to speak for many decades. With the advent of the “Bonanno War” conflict, Sciacca was forced to take sides, choosing to support his “compare” Gaspare DiGregorio in his bid for the big seat. It’s unclear when Paul was “bumped up” to capo di decina, but by the time of conflict he was indeed a “skipper”, supervising a crew that included a brother. As the conflict progressed, Di Gregorio was clearly not up for the fight, he was a “weak sister”. In time, Di Gregorio stepped down, and Sciacca was promoted almost out of left field to the “Acting Boss” position. He promoted several of his associates within the hierarchy, Michele (Mikey Adams) Adamo, Frank (Frankie T) Mari and Gaetano (Smitty) D’Angelo among them. These men were among the “powers” in the family, “capable” as they say for the street fighting that would follow. Each were promoted to “Capo” status or higher. In time, each would meet his maker, Adamo and Mari “disappearing” in one of the biggest blows to Sciacca’s position in 1969 and “Smitty” D’Angelo machine-gunned to death in a high-profile triple killing at the Cypress Gardens Restaurant in Ridgewood, Queens in 1967. (the other two murder victims being Smitty’s brother James and Frank (Frankie 500) Telleri, a major policy banker for the family). Another casualty of the fighting was Pietro (Skinny Pete) Crociata, a old timer who had only been promoted to consigliere a short time before Joe Bonanno’s gunman shot him six times near his Ridgewood home. Crociata was a close friend and advisor to Sciacca, counted on for swaying some of the “old timers” toward the Sciacca “rebel” faction. In spite of support by “commission” members Stefano Magaddino, Carlo Gambino and the young boss Joe Colombo, Sciacca found it hard to consolidate the splintered factions of the family. The massive publicity generated over the years by the bloodletting also exposed Sciacca to a level of LE scrutiny that unsettled him. He was called before several local and federal grand juries investigating the war, by DA’s and federal prosecutors in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Nassau, which resulted in “contempt of court” charges. A year or two later he was indicted in a nationwide sweep of dozens of wholesale heroin traffickers, getting picked up at dawn by agents at his home at 31 Lake CT., in Massapequa. He and close aide Michael Casale charged with drug conspiracy. Despite the big splash arrest, the charges were quietly dropped in the ensuing months for lack of evidence. All this was too much for Sciacca, who wanted nothing more than to fade quietly into the rafters in his retirement years. Subsequently, he stepped down in favor of Natale (Joe Diamond) Evola, a influential and highly respected “Capo” from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Evola was able to consolidate the troops in large part, thanks to his reputation and the respect he carried. The commission fully supported Evola, a veteran garment racketeer and heroin dealer (Evola was a defendant in the 1959 heroin trial of Vito Genovese, Carmine Galante, etc). Unfortunately Evola didn’t last long dying in the early 1970’s..... (but that’s a story for another day). Sciacca quietly lived out his days in the south shore of LI. I believe he died late 70’s-early 80’s. Having only sustained a burglary arrest in his youth, a contempt of court charge and the ill-fated narcotics conspiracy charge in 71’, Sciacca had a relatively smooth “career” in his chosen profession! ..... just one more storied tale in the saga that is organized crime!

[maxiestern11]

This story is for “thekiduknow”. You asked for more Bonanno, So here it is ok kid! Hope you enjoy it.

[johnny_scootch]

Great stuff.

[thekiduknow]

This story is for “thekiduknow”. You asked for more Bonanno, So here it is ok kid! Hope you enjoy it.

Thanks! As I’m sure you can tell, I’m very interested in the Bonanno’s during this period. I’m trying to gather material to try and write an article detailing the Bonanno War, as it’s a very murky time at best.

In regards to Mari/Adamo, do you know the circumstances around their “disappearance”? I’ve read on here people citing reports that Mari was boss and Adamo underboss, and that they were killed by the Commission for trying to take control, but that leaves the question of where Sciacca was during that time.

I’m actually gonna try and file a FOIA request on Sciacca to try a and gather more info on him/his associates, so hopefully i will have something to contribute!

Thanks again man! These are great m, keep it up!

[maxiestern11]

It is said that during this period, with Sciacca shaky at best. Mari (acting boss) and Adamo (acting consigliere) were put into position. It was suspected but was never proven that they were "clipped" by another factional break-off Bonanno crew (or the last vestiges of Joe Bonanno hitting back). Or in the alternate, were taken out by the commission for un-authorized seizing of the leadership. Sciacca was looking to relinquish the reins to begin with. Di Gregorio, Sciacca then Evola were the sanctioned leadership over time. Mari/Adamo figured in there until their demise.

[thekiduknow]

I hadn’t heard the theory that it was Bonanno loyalists who killed Mari/Adamo, I’m not sure if I believe that because both Joe and Bill had been out of the NY scene for over a year at that’s point.

We know Mari was very close to Sciacca, with their families connecting through marriage almost exactly a head prior to Frank’s disappearance, so it’s interesting that if Sciacca did try to pass the reigns, why the Commission didn’t approve, and ultimately killed them, only to put Sciacca back in.

If that’s what happened of course, we may never know exactly how/why it happened.

[Frank]

I hadn’t heard the theory that it was Bonanno loyalists who killed Mari/Adamo, I’m not sure if I believe that because both Joe and Bill had been out of the NY scene for over a year at that’s point.

We know Mari was very close to Sciacca, with their families connecting through marriage almost exactly a head prior to Frank’s disappearance, so it’s interesting that if Sciacca did try to pass the reigns, why the Commission didn’t approve, and ultimately killed them, only to put Sciacca back in.

If that’s what happened of course, we may never know exactly how/why it happened.

B had some info on another thread that had Joe Colombo involved in the Mari and Adamo hits.

[gohnjotti]

Great work Maxie!!

[thekiduknow]

I hadn’t heard the theory that it was Bonanno loyalists who killed Mari/Adamo, I’m not sure if I believe that because both Joe and Bill had been out of the NY scene for over a year at that’s point.

We know Mari was very close to Sciacca, with their families connecting through marriage almost exactly a head prior to Frank’s disappearance, so it’s interesting that if Sciacca did try to pass the reigns, why the Commission didn’t approve, and ultimately killed them, only to put Sciacca back in.

If that’s what happened of course, we may never know exactly how/why it happened.

B had some info on another thread that had Joe Colombo involved in the Mari and Adamo hits.

Yeah, i read through that thread recently. Thinking it about now, I remember seeing a few reports where it’s said that Colombo was pushing for Sciacca to take over, as he thought it improve his position. He might have seen Mari as a threat somehow, as he was younger than Sciacca, and maybe a threat to Colombo?