New LCNBios Update

[slimshady_007]

I think it’s huge that we’ve had an unknown ‘boss’ (‘Bosco’, of all ironical names) of a family this decade for a time. And of the Bananas as well. Interesting info.

I think it’s interesting how mistaken our general understanding was of the B’s these last 5+ years has been.

In this day and age we assume we generally have the lay of the land and then this comes along.

I think a point learned (at least by yours) in both the Amuso ‘coup’, the Mancuso ‘resurgence’ and even the Peter Gotti adherence, is that the mantle of official is incredibly powerful. There were compelling arguments made that with Vic doing life, Mancuso away for so long and the Gotti’s being ‘deposed’ that new powers had taken control of the respective families. Yet this has proved demonstrably wrong in each case with even the Garbageman holding onto his crown despite allocuting to the mobs existence and publicly denouncing it.
It’s surprising that the mantle holds almost unchangeable power, for lack of a better term.

That guy Bosco is likely backing Mancuso since he was reportedly running the family with Mancuso ally Vinny Tv.

[HairyKnuckles]

Haven't seen anything on Bosco other than he was made in the ceremonies during the Summer 2003-Fall 2004.


Pogo

He was a member of Louis DeCicco 's crew. He probably took over from him if he ever was a captain or acring captain.

[gohnjotti]

Haven't seen anything on Bosco other than he was made in the ceremonies during the Summer 2003-Fall 2004.


Pogo

He was a member of Louis DeCicco 's crew. He probably took over from him if he ever was a captain or acring captain.

I thought it was confirmed Pipitone took it over?

[Stroccos]

We don’t even know whether this “Joe Bosch” is really Joe Bosco or just a nickname for somebody else. JD never went beyond speculation.
I mean, for Christ’s sakes, look at how badly Sal Vitale butchered the names of that 199-something Commission meeting. And in court testimony, Campanella referred to Joel Cacace as “Joe Ramond.” Anything is possible.

unless peter L was released before 1-25-12 I doubt vinny tv was holding any posisiton as he was arrested
just to add this vinny tv was picked up on 1-25-12 and did not get any bail , so that could explain why lovaglo had to make that correction.

[HairyKnuckles]

Haven't seen anything on Bosco other than he was made in the ceremonies during the Summer 2003-Fall 2004.


Pogo

He was a member of Louis DeCicco 's crew. He probably took over from him if he ever was a captain or acring captain.

I thought it was confirmed Pipitone took it over?

It´s a surprise to me as well. I think Bosco is an older guy, 80 plus something. It´s possible he was a skipper in between DeCicco and Pepitone, but stepped down due to illness or something. First time I´m hearing (reading) he was a captain. He may have transfered to another crew, or given a crew.

[Frank]

The consigliere timeline is confusing if you follow what years CI said.

[B.]

Catching up on the latest LCNBios posts; the blog and its author continue to be the greatest resource on the Bonanno family through most of its history up to present day.

[johnny_scootch]

It´s a surprise to me as well. I think Bosco is an older guy, 80 plus something. It´s possible he was a skipper in between DeCicco and Pepitone, but stepped down due to illness or something. First time I´m hearing (reading) he was a captain. He may have transfered to another crew, or given a crew.

3 Bosco's were arrested in the latest Colombo round up on Staten Island. Looks like a father and his 2 sons.

[Cheech]

Catching up on the latest LCNBios posts; the blog and its author continue to be the greatest resource on the Bonanno family through most of its history up to present day.

Agreed, B.

[B.]

Does anyone know when the Bonanno's stopped using the full initiation ceremony? We should be able to narrow down a decent time frame with all those informants. I wonder what Gotti would have said if he found out they had abandoned the traditional ceremony, keeping in mind his reaction to receiving the same news about the Decavalcante family.

I’m pretty sure in the topic about the Bonannos in the 70s, B. and others discuss the lack of “proper” inductions in the Bonannos going back even further than the 70s. I believe William Darra didn’t have the traditional ceremony, although I’d have to recheck my notes. Other informants stated that they were merely told they were inducted at a dinner, or in the back room of a bar. Joe Bonanno himself doesn’t say his ceremony had the gun and the knife, which is odd given how proud he is of the “traditional” mafia.

There are examples of Bonanno ceremonies pre-1970s that were both traditional and non-traditional, sometimes happening around the same time period, so there is seemingly inconsistency even within the same era.

One interesting ceremony reported by a member CI, the only one I've come across that was officiated by Joe Bonanno himself while he was boss, took place in the Brooklyn home of Natale Evola in the late-1940s or 1950s, where two members were inducted (including the CI). This ceremony included all of the traditional components in addition to the attendees sharing dinner and drinks together in Evola's home, though this last part was not part of the formal ceremony itself.

The CI was sponsored by a member from the same Sicilian hometown as the CI, where their families knew each other for many years, most likely Castellammare Del Golfo. This CI was almost certainly longtime Bonanno member Frank Fauney D'Angelo, a native Castellammarese, as the CI's background info, arrest record, and areas of knowledge are a close and in some cases exact match for D'Angelo (I would put D'Angelo near the same level of informant probability as names like Carmine Lombardozzi). This CI was definitely informing by the early 1970s and I suspect he began providing info in the 1960s, when there was immense pressure and plenty of reason for Bonanno members to cooperate.

I would be curious if this ceremony was given extra formality because of how Castellammaresi-centric it was, being presided over by Joe Bonanno, who from his own words placed a lot of emphasis on his hometown. The boss/officiant, host, and at least one inductee and sponsor all hailing from Castellammare Del Golfo, plus the likelihood of other Castellammarese attendees, may have given this induction more status at the time. Contrast this with WIllie Dara, who did not have the same connections and background, nor did his sponsor. While there is reason to be skeptical of Bill Bonanno's full account of his own induction, which was traditional, he did have Castellammarese heritage.

It contrasts with Bonanno's description of his own induction, too, which I am willing to take at face value, except we know Bonanno attended a traditional ceremony under Maranzano within a couple years of his own induction and based on the above CI info, he also conducted a traditional ceremony as boss, so it would be strange for him to have gone through an early informal ceremony only to attend and conduct formal ceremonies but much stranger things have happened in the mafia to say the least.

[thekiduknow]

It contrasts with Bonanno's description of his own induction, too, which I am willing to take at face value, except we know Bonanno attended a traditional ceremony under Maranzano within a couple years of his own induction and based on the above CI info, he also conducted a traditional ceremony as boss, so it would be strange for him to have gone through an early informal ceremony only to attend and conduct formal ceremonies but much stranger things have happened in the mafia to say the least.

I always wondered if he was intentionally vague about the ceremony, to possibly avoid being lumped into Valachi's narrative.

[Cheech]

jonesing for a jd update!

[JohnnyS]

Why did he stop posting on here? Enjoy reading his stuff. Brilliant researcher.

[richard_belding]

He clearly spends time, up to months on certain posts, he's hinted at future stuff coming

[Angelo Santino]

Does anyone know when the Bonanno's stopped using the full initiation ceremony? We should be able to narrow down a decent time frame with all those informants. I wonder what Gotti would have said if he found out they had abandoned the traditional ceremony, keeping in mind his reaction to receiving the same news about the Decavalcante family.

I’m pretty sure in the topic about the Bonannos in the 70s, B. and others discuss the lack of “proper” inductions in the Bonannos going back even further than the 70s. I believe William Darra didn’t have the traditional ceremony, although I’d have to recheck my notes. Other informants stated that they were merely told they were inducted at a dinner, or in the back room of a bar. Joe Bonanno himself doesn’t say his ceremony had the gun and the knife, which is odd given how proud he is of the “traditional” mafia.

There are examples of Bonanno ceremonies pre-1970s that were both traditional and non-traditional, sometimes happening around the same time period, so there is seemingly inconsistency even within the same era.

One interesting ceremony reported by a member CI, the only one I've come across that was officiated by Joe Bonanno himself while he was boss, took place in the Brooklyn home of Natale Evola in the late-1940s or 1950s, where two members were inducted (including the CI). This ceremony included all of the traditional components in addition to the attendees sharing dinner and drinks together in Evola's home, though this last part was not part of the formal ceremony itself.

The CI was sponsored by a member from the same Sicilian hometown as the CI, where their families knew each other for many years, most likely Castellammare Del Golfo. This CI was almost certainly longtime Bonanno member Frank Fauney D'Angelo, a native Castellammarese, as the CI's background info, arrest record, and areas of knowledge are a close and in some cases exact match for D'Angelo (I would put D'Angelo near the same level of informant probability as names like Carmine Lombardozzi). This CI was definitely informing by the early 1970s and I suspect he began providing info in the 1960s, when there was immense pressure and plenty of reason for Bonanno members to cooperate.

I would be curious if this ceremony was given extra formality because of how Castellammaresi-centric it was, being presided over by Joe Bonanno, who from his own words placed a lot of emphasis on his hometown. The boss/officiant, host, and at least one inductee and sponsor all hailing from Castellammare Del Golfo, plus the likelihood of other Castellammarese attendees, may have given this induction more status at the time. Contrast this with WIllie Dara, who did not have the same connections and background, nor did his sponsor. While there is reason to be skeptical of Bill Bonanno's full account of his own induction, which was traditional, he did have Castellammarese heritage.

It contrasts with Bonanno's description of his own induction, too, which I am willing to take at face value, except we know Bonanno attended a traditional ceremony under Maranzano within a couple years of his own induction and based on the above CI info, he also conducted a traditional ceremony as boss, so it would be strange for him to have gone through an early informal ceremony only to attend and conduct formal ceremonies but much stranger things have happened in the mafia to say the least.

I reckon it's possible for one boss to conduct things different from the others, especially in that period, however most of the Bonannos came from the same area and affiliation. Even Schiro of Roccamena got his contacts through Camporeale. Perhaps Cast and Campo. did the ceremony differently.

Bill Bonanno described a typical ceremony but added that half of the US bosses cleared their schedules to attend the event. I'm not going to repeat my sentiments on many of his claims.

One thing that I've noticed is that we keep encountering ruling panels/committees. Massino early 2000's, Rastelli 1980's, Bonanno 1960's. We go further back and coincidentally Bonanno boss Seb. Di Gaetano placed Gen member Clemente onto a committee of one to ascertain if a certain member was an informant, 1911.

Schiro and his tenure remain interesting. For starters, he selected in Feb of 1912 to replace Di Gaetano by their own members, which implies he had some clout in the early days. Now what's interesting is that he constantly traveled between the US and Italy, all the while his group was pumping out members who went onto other cities to become boss there. It's never been clearly established who Schiro's underboss was, some speculation fell on Vito Bonventre (right name?) and Benny Gallo but its never been confirmed. Someone or something had to have held things together while Schiro played statesman.

Bonanno narrated the story as Magaddino and others leaving BK and as a result, the power falling on Schiro who relied on Steve. It really seems like the situation would be the other way around. But who Schiro was in 1912 might be very different from who he was and power he commanded in 1930. He lasted awhile, had to have done something right.