Saputo Cheese Ltd and the Bonnano Family in Montreal

[motorfab]

Ah yes, it's Ragusa thank you guys.

Could you perhaps clarify your first question? Joe Bonanno’s attempt to immigrate to Canada in the 1960s, along with Giuseppe Saputo’s assistance in this regard via a letter, is well documented (even in Bonanno’s autobiography).

I reformulate: in 1963, Saputo is attacked with baseball bats by (probably) Violi & 2 other guys. Does he keep in touch with them because he has no choice? Because the more the years go on, the more he seems linked to them, he is even Côté's best man. In his place so soon that these guys die I cut all ties, on the contrary he makes business with Bonanno and his brother-in-law makes friends with Rizzuto. I do not know if I am very clear (sorry if it is not the case), I just find that his position is ambiguous.

[Lupara]

Ah yes, it's Ragusa thank you guys.

Could you perhaps clarify your first question? Joe Bonanno’s attempt to immigrate to Canada in the 1960s, along with Giuseppe Saputo’s assistance in this regard via a letter, is well documented (even in Bonanno’s autobiography).

I reformulate: in 1963, Saputo is attacked with baseball bats by (probably) Violi & 2 other guys. Does he keep in touch with them because he has no choice? Because the more the years go on, the more he seems linked to them, he is even Côté's best man. In his place so soon that these guys die I cut all ties, on the contrary he makes business with Bonanno and his brother-in-law makes friends with Rizzuto. I do not know if I am very clear (sorry if it is not the case), I just find that his position is ambiguous.

He can be close to Bonanno or even Cotroni and still be enemies with Violi or visa versa. Everyone in that world mingles. For instance, two people who are enemies can be seen together, even seemingly friendly. To us outsiders it then seems they are friends/allies/associates. It often doesn't say much before we know the facts afterwards.

That being said, I do wonder what the deal was with Violi if Saputo was in business with Bonanno. Either it was connected to that relationship or Violi was very lucky he didn't face the consequences.

[B.]

The Saputos and their business bear all the markings of standard mob association, meaning they were "on record" with the Bonanno organization. This means even after Joe Bonanno was deposed and shelved they would still "belong" to the Bonanno organization and continue their association under Cotroni/Violi, followed by the Sciascia-Rizzuto regime. If our speculation is true that the Saputos (or someone close to them) were the target of Montagna's attempted extortion of an unspecified wealthy businessman, this would have occurred because Montagna "rightfully" believed the Saputos still belonged to the Bonanno family. This is how mob association works.

For comparison, remember that Paul Castellano's sons' construction businesses continued to pay tribute and defer to the Gotti regime even though they were legitimate businesses (this example is all the more significant because they paid tribute to the regime that killed their father). There are countless other examples, as it is simply how mob association works even for legitimate businesses. Their options are to continue their association, go to the police, or suffer the consequences of trying to sever their relationship with the mafia. Of course, sometimes mob association withers away naturally or other circumstances allow for change, but in general the mafia is going to keep its hooks in any business where it can maintain influence.

What's exceptional is that Joe Bonanno appears to have kept his interest in the company after he was deposed and shelved. This is probably for a number of reasons:
- Joe Bonanno himself is exceptional. He was one of the most powerful NYC bosses for over 30 years, making it difficult to undercut all of his influence.
- The Cotroni decina stayed loyal to Joe Bonanno long after the rest of the NYC crews distanced themselves from Joe Bonanno, and possibly stayed on friendly or neutral terms with him after he was deposed. It's possible the Cotronis overlooked or allowed Joe Bonanno's interests in Saputo to continue.
- Montreal couldn't be watched as closely by the NYC leadership given its distance. We know they relied on Cotroni/Violi to handle most of their own affairs and it isn't as if the NYC leadership is going to get a breakdown of "under the table" shares in a cheese company.

The presence of Saputo representatives at important events with the Sciascia-Rizzuto crew and their suspected involvement in an international money laundering scheme with the Rizzutos are good indications that they continued to be associated with the Bonanno organization into relatively modern times.

[Laurentian]

Lino Saputo réagit au reportage d’Enquête

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/14 ... erche=true

[Laurentian]

Lino Saputo réagit au reportage d’Enquête

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/14 ... erche=true

Reportage sur la mafia: Lino Saputo s’en prend à Radio-Canada
https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/just ... canada.php

[Laurentian]

Lino Saputo réagit au reportage d’Enquête

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/14 ... erche=true

Reportage sur la mafia: Lino Saputo s’en prend à Radio-Canada

https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/just ... canada.php

Saputo sending lawyer's letter to Radio-Canada over report alleging links to Mafia

https://montrealgazette.com/news/local- ... s-to-mafia

[Laurentian]

Reportage sur Lino Saputo: Radio-Canada mise en demeure

https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2020/ ... en-demeure

[B.]

Going back to how Joe Bonanno was able to (allegedly) maintain shares in the company after he was shelved, it does seem that he stayed close to the leadership in Montreal through most of the 1970s even though Montreal fell in line with the new NYC leadership and Bonanno was shelved. Joe Bonanno sent flowers to the funeral of Rocco Violi, brother of Paolo, which suggests that he continued to be friendly with Paolo Violi and Cotroni. I'd be curious if he personally ever met Paolo Violi, let alone his brother Rocco

This could also be taken as a sign that the Cotroni-Violi regime in Montreal was relatively defiant toward NYC even in the 1970s, as associating with Joe Bonanno was a cardinal sin at that time among mafia members. NYC and NJ Bonanno members who maintained association with Joe Bonanno were shunned and unrecognized by other national mafia families, but maybe Montreal couldn't be monitored as closely. We know Montreal followed NYC's guidance when it came to inductions and other rules, but they were playing a risky game if they continued to be friendly with Bonanno and allowed him to have interest in mafia-controlled Montreal companies.

[Laurentian]

Joe Bonanno, while being shelved (from the leadership of his own family) did not keep close relationships with Vic Cotroni and/or Paolo Violi, but only kept business relationships with Giuseppe Borselino and Lino Saputo.

Cotroni and Violi had rather close link with Natale Evola, and then with Philip Rastelli.

[B.]

Joe Bonanno, while being shelved (from the leadership of his own family) did not keep close relationships with Vic Cotroni and/or Paolo Violi, but only kept business relationships with Giuseppe Borselino and Lino Saputo.

Cotroni and Violi had rather close link with Natale Evola, and then with Philip Rastelli.

I know Cotroni and Violi fell in line with the new NYC regime(s), as Rastelli was the NYC-Montreal liaison at the time he was underboss, but do you believe then that Joe Bonanno was able to keep his interests with the Saputos secret and sent the flowers to Rocco Violi's funeral purely on his own initiative (i.e. it wasn't indicative of an ongoing relationship with the Violis)? Very curious what your take is.

[Lupara]

I believe I've read here or somewhere else that the Rizzutos were in touch with Bonanno even through the 90s. Probably more out of respect than an actual business relationship. They seemingly shared historic ties if you consider that Nicolo Rizzuto's father Vito had a relationship with Bonanno mobsters.

[Laurentian]

Bonanno was shelved for Cosa Nostra's politics. He had, as we all know, challenged the Commission at several occasions.

His relationship with Saputo's was purely a business one which lasted until in the 1980's, if I am not mistaken.

I attended Rocco Violi's funeral in october 1980. I do not remember having seing funeral wreaths from Saputo Cheese. I will check it.

[Laurentian]

Note : Lino attended Giuseppe Lo Presti's funeral in May 1992.

[maxiestern11]

So Saputo was at the least an “associate” of the Bonanno’s and others if he’s attending multiple wakes of wiseguy’s although he’s a businessman per se. Besides the “relationship” with Joe Bonanno himself (in whatever capacity), he knows LoPresti, possibly Violi, etc.

He’s connected on a bit deeper level than just a cheese company owner who happened to bump into joe Bonanno casually, or innocently doing biz with him

[CabriniGreen]

So Saputo was at the least an “associate” of the Bonanno’s and others if he’s attending multiple wakes of wiseguy’s although he’s a businessman per se. Besides the “relationship” with Joe Bonanno himself (in whatever capacity), he knows LoPresti, possibly Violi, etc.

He’s connected on a bit deeper level than just a cheese company owner who happened to bump into joe Bonanno casually, or innocently doing biz with him

My opinion.... He's like Angelo Ponte, just replace the Westside with the Bonnanos, and Garbage with cheese....

Also, 60s and 70s Saputo I think, is VERY different from 2020 Saputo's,well established billionaire status... Does their cheese business depend on mafia association TODAY?

Like I know Montagna carried some weight, but in real life I mean, what is a billionaire gonna fear from him?
An association with that guy would have only hurt the WHOLE cheese business, why would you do that?

It's a point they emphasized in that garbage racket book, that it might have been counterproductive to actually make a guy like Ponte, Saputo.

Look at what effect this article has had on Saputo. It's an alleged association from 5 decades ago, still he feels compelled to try to clear his name. He's treating it like this will ruin him....

I can SEE what a Joe Bonnano in the 60-80s could do for a Saputo, ( Trucking, Unions, supermarkets and restaurants in New York, maybe even early financing, hell, due to connection in Sicily, maybe even the ACTUAL cheese....) but I'm lost on what Montagna could do, besides stick his hands in their pockets. How could they even pay him 10 million without it raising all kinds of red flags?

I could see if he like, formed some dairy supply company and asked for sweetheart deals on his dairy supplies from Saputo... Then used mafia influence to get the product in the right stores, restaurants, I'm pretty sure Bonnano probably did similar things in NY and elsewhere....