Luciano Leggio met with the commission in New York in 72?

[stubbs]

I came across this old article in New York Magazine from Jan 8, 1973 written by famous mob author Nicholas Pileggi called "Anatomy of the Drug War". The article claims there were three large meetings between the families about the drug trade that took place in 1972. The article is at this link on page 33.

The article describes the second meeting as taking place on August 11th, 1972 at the Staten Island home of Gambino captain John D'Alessio. The meeting is described as including Phil Rastelli, Natale Evola, Funzie Tieri, Aniello Dellacroce, Michele Miranda, Allie Boy Persico, and Joseph N Gallo. What's interesting is Pileggi writes:

Also attending the second meeting was Luciano Leggio - another illegal Sicilian alien wanted for murder in Palermo and an old-world mafioso with excellent Corsican connections.

Has anyone ever come across this before? It's wild that a fugitive like Leggio would go to New York to attend a commission meeting, especially after Appalachia and La Stella. It also shows how powerful of a boss Leggio was even back then... that a boss from Corleone would go to the meeting and not someone from the Palermo like Bontade or someone in his faction. Very interesting as well that all of these mob heavyweights from New York would attend a meeting over drugs... I mean, maybe not surprised about the Gambinos and Bonanno guys, but the Genovese sitting down with a Sicilian boss who was a known heroin trafficker? Maybe they were there to help set the rules but not to be involved in the actual trafficking, or maybe I'm just naive and they were knee deep in junk like everyone else.

It also states that Gallo often represented the interests of New Orleans and Tampa in New York, something I hadn't heard before. It says Marcello and Trafficante didn't attend because there was too much heat on them after the famous La Stella meeting.

There's also a point where the article quotes from an informant,

Greasers are taking over the whole operation. Carlos Marcello has spread them through the South and the Southwest. They are in upstate New York. Gambino and Marcello and Magaddino are bringing Sicilians over.

Anyone know if that's true, if there was a Zip faction under Marcello/NOLA? I have never come across anything like that, but I could be wrong.

[Extortion]

I came across this old article in New York Magazine from Jan 8, 1973 written by famous mob author Nicholas Pileggi called "Anatomy of the Drug War". The article claims there were three large meetings between the families about the drug trade that took place in 1972. The article is at this link on page 33.

The article describes the second meeting as taking place on August 11th, 1972 at the Staten Island home of Gambino captain John D'Alessio. The meeting is described as including Phil Rastelli, Natale Evola, Funzie Tieri, Aniello Dellacroce, Michele Miranda, Allie Boy Persico, and Joseph N Gallo. What's interesting is Pileggi writes:

Also attending the second meeting was Luciano Leggio - another illegal Sicilian alien wanted for murder in Palermo and an old-world mafioso with excellent Corsican connections.

Has anyone ever come across this before? It's wild that a fugitive like Leggio would go to New York to attend a commission meeting, especially after Appalachia and La Stella. It also shows how powerful of a boss Leggio was even back then... that a boss from Corleone would go to the meeting and not someone from the Palermo like Bontade or someone in his faction. Very interesting as well that all of these mob heavyweights from New York would attend a meeting over drugs... I mean, maybe not surprised about the Gambinos and Bonanno guys, but the Genovese sitting down with a Sicilian boss who was a known heroin trafficker? Maybe they were there to help set the rules but not to be involved in the actual trafficking, or maybe I'm just naive and they were knee deep in junk like everyone else.

It also states that Gallo often represented the interests of New Orleans and Tampa in New York, something I hadn't heard before. It says Marcello and Trafficante didn't attend because there was too much heat on them after the famous La Stella meeting.

There's also a point where the article quotes from an informant,

Greasers are taking over the whole operation. Carlos Marcello has spread them through the South and the Southwest. They are in upstate New York. Gambino and Marcello and Magaddino are bringing Sicilians over.

Anyone know if that's true, if there was a Zip faction under Marcello/NOLA? I have never come across anything like that, but I could be wrong.

Bontade was not a faction of the Corleonesi, he was connected with the inzerillos and Bontade was assassinated by Luciano Leggio’s people.

[aleksandrored]

I find it very unlikely, Leggio was a well-sought fugitive since 1969, and the Corleonesi in general had no connections with New York families until 1980, and in the case of Riina in the 1970s he was the representative of the Corleonesi at meetings.

[Villain]

I find it very unlikely, Leggio was a well-sought fugitive since 1969, and the Corleonesi in general had no connections with New York families until 1980, and in the case of Riina in the 1970s he was the representative of the Corleonesi at meetings.

After reading few stuff on Riina i think you are right, but dont forget that many members in the US came or had blood relations to Corleone so maybe they kept the connections?...just saying

[aleksandrored]

I find it very unlikely, Leggio was a well-sought fugitive since 1969, and the Corleonesi in general had no connections with New York families until 1980, and in the case of Riina in the 1970s he was the representative of the Corleonesi at meetings.

After reading few stuff on Riina i think you are right, but dont forget that many members in the US came or had blood relations to Corleone so maybe they kept the connections?...just saying

It may be, but in Leggio and Riina's time I don't think they had many connections, Corleone's family after Navara's death became a different family, they were more violent and even looked like a street gang at times, the situation began to change even in 1974 when Riina became the chief, and in the events that followed the war in 1977, but in this case the families of Bontade to Inzerillo are the ones that had connections in the USA, specifically with the Gambinos if I am not mistaken , there are specific cases such as the supposed meeting between Buscetta and Lucinao in the 1950s, but if I'm not mistaken, the Corleonesi only had contact with the USA in the 1980s, and it was with the Gambino family about drug trafficking.

[CabriniGreen]

I find it very unlikely, Leggio was a well-sought fugitive since 1969, and the Corleonesi in general had no connections with New York families until 1980, and in the case of Riina in the 1970s he was the representative of the Corleonesi at meetings.

After reading few stuff on Riina i think you are right, but dont forget that many members in the US came or had blood relations to Corleone so maybe they kept the connections?...just saying

It may be, but in Leggio and Riina's time I don't think they had many connections, Corleone's family after Navara's death became a different family, they were more violent and even looked like a street gang at times, the situation began to change even in 1974 when Riina became the chief, and in the events that followed the war in 1977, but in this case the families of Bontade to Inzerillo are the ones that had connections in the USA, specifically with the Gambinos if I am not mistaken , there are specific cases such as the supposed meeting between Buscetta and Lucinao in the 1950s, but if I'm not mistaken, the Corleonesi only had contact with the USA in the 1980s, and it was with the Gambino family about drug trafficking.

I believe you are 100% on this...

The American connections are what triggered the rivalries, even during the first Mafia war with Cavataio...

[aleksandrored]

I find it very unlikely, Leggio was a well-sought fugitive since 1969, and the Corleonesi in general had no connections with New York families until 1980, and in the case of Riina in the 1970s he was the representative of the Corleonesi at meetings.

After reading few stuff on Riina i think you are right, but dont forget that many members in the US came or had blood relations to Corleone so maybe they kept the connections?...just saying

It may be, but in Leggio and Riina's time I don't think they had many connections, Corleone's family after Navara's death became a different family, they were more violent and even looked like a street gang at times, the situation began to change even in 1974 when Riina became the chief, and in the events that followed the war in 1977, but in this case the families of Bontade to Inzerillo are the ones that had connections in the USA, specifically with the Gambinos if I am not mistaken , there are specific cases such as the supposed meeting between Buscetta and Lucinao in the 1950s, but if I'm not mistaken, the Corleonesi only had contact with the USA in the 1980s, and it was with the Gambino family about drug trafficking.

I believe you are 100% on this...

The American connections are what triggered the rivalries, even during the first Mafia war with Cavataio...

Thanks, I didn't know that, I don't know much about the first war, I thought that the first mafia war was an internal discontent among the members of the commission and something related to heroin, and I know that after the end of the war in 1963 a new commission was created, culminating years later in the second Mafia war.

[Hired_Goonz]

I seriously doubt that this is true, wasn't Leggio on the run in Milan in 72? I just don't think that Pileggi would be the type to let the truth get in the way of a good story. In Wiseguy he has Hill tell a story about a bunch of gangsters throwing a black kid off of a roof, which Hill claims to have witnessed. But on this very forum somebody posted an article from the 70s written by Pileggi where he tells the exact same story but attributes it to a different gangster. And did the prosecuting attorney who ended up getting Hill to flip REALLY find a dead wiseguy on his local basketball court, just a couple days after "witnessing his first mob murder" from his classroom window? Maybe this story about Leggio or at the very least some aspects of it are true, but I'm gonna take most stuff from guys like Pileggi with a grain of salt.

[stubbs]

Bontade was not a faction of the Corleonesi, he was connected with the inzerillos and Bontade was assassinated by Luciano Leggio’s people.

That's exactly my point. Why would Leggio, the leader of the Corleonesi faction which had no close ties to the US families, be in the US to meet with the mafia commission in NY? Wouldn't it make a lot more sense if Bontade or someone from the Palermo families, which have been historically very close with the Gambinos and the Bonannos, went to NY instead?

If this article is true, the only thing that makes sense is if in 1972 Leggio was on the Cupola, the national commission in Sicily, alongside the Palermo bosses, before the Corleonesi eventually went to war to seize power for themselves. Does anyone know if that's the case? I think I remember reading that Toto Riina was part of the Cupola alongside Bontade and Badalamenti before the Second Mafia War started in the 80s.

So maybe in 1972 Leggio wasn't yet seen as a rival to the Palermo faction and visited New York on their behalf? The Corleonsi was described as being severely underestimated by the Palermo bosses, in terms their desire for power, so wondering if they trusted the Corleonesi too much at first.

[aleksandrored]

Bontade was not a faction of the Corleonesi, he was connected with the inzerillos and Bontade was assassinated by Luciano Leggio’s people.

That's exactly my point. Why would Leggio, the leader of the Corleonesi faction which had no close ties to the US families, be in the US to meet with the mafia commission in NY? Wouldn't it make a lot more sense if Bontade or someone from the Palermo families, which have been historically very close with the Gambinos and the Bonannos, went to NY instead?

If this article is true, the only thing that makes sense is if in 1972 Leggio was on the Cupola, the national commission in Sicily, alongside the Palermo bosses, before the Corleonesi eventually went to war to seize power for themselves. Does anyone know if that's the case? I think I remember reading that Toto Riina was part of the Cupola alongside Bontade and Badalamenti before the Second Mafia War started in the 80s.

So maybe in 1972 Leggio wasn't yet seen as a rival to the Palermo faction and visited New York on their behalf? The Corleonsi was described as being severely underestimated by the Palermo bosses, in terms their desire for power, so wondering if they trusted the Corleonesi too much at first.

Leggio despite being a fugitive was part of the commission in 1972, being represented by Riina, at that time they had no problems with Bontade and Inzerillo, the problems started in 1977 when Riina was slowly murdered by the bosses and creating alliances, forming the stage for the Second War, in reality both Bontade and Inzerillo were not concerned with the Corleonesi, if we compare, think these two clans were like the families of New York and the Corleonesi were like Decavalcante or even New Orleans.

[CabriniGreen]

Bontade was not a faction of the Corleonesi, he was connected with the inzerillos and Bontade was assassinated by Luciano Leggio’s people.

That's exactly my point. Why would Leggio, the leader of the Corleonesi faction which had no close ties to the US families, be in the US to meet with the mafia commission in NY? Wouldn't it make a lot more sense if Bontade or someone from the Palermo families, which have been historically very close with the Gambinos and the Bonannos, went to NY instead?

If this article is true, the only thing that makes sense is if in 1972 Leggio was on the Cupola, the national commission in Sicily, alongside the Palermo bosses, before the Corleonesi eventually went to war to seize power for themselves. Does anyone know if that's the case? I think I remember reading that Toto Riina was part of the Cupola alongside Bontade and Badalamenti before the Second Mafia War started in the 80s.

So maybe in 1972 Leggio wasn't yet seen as a rival to the Palermo faction and visited New York on their behalf? The Corleonsi was described as being severely underestimated by the Palermo bosses, in terms their desire for power, so wondering if they trusted the Corleonesi too much at first.

Yes, it was. Initially, when the Cupola was reinstated, there was a triumvirate of Leggio, Bontade, and Badalamenti. This is interesting because it should have been Badalamenti to make such a trip....

The thing about Leggio is even though from Corleone, he unlike MANY mafiosi and bosses, was roaming relatively free in Palermo when the Cupola had to be disbanded in the 60s. He distributed kidnapping money made at the expense of the entrenched clans, to those that had fallen on hard times. He made a ton of friends in Palermo, made a lot of inroads into the Palermo power structure...


This is very interesting because IT MIGHT have actually happened. Not saying it's for sure at all, it might even be nonsense, but just thinking about it.....

Badalamenti and his allies in Sicily had the American connections. If they foolishly sent a Corleonesi member on their " behalf", then this could have been the critical mistake that sealed their fate.

It's a compelling theory.... Leggio gets some crucial introductions to American mafiosi, and then.... BOOM!
After that, having everything they need to rule the island, The Corleonesi EXPELL the leader of the Cupola from Cosa Nostra.

Start a war killing off the Gambino connections in Sicily.

I always saw it as intriguing, and political that Naimo became the Sicilian mafias point man, hes like, Riinas guy. And it was through what I'll call a " neutral family" like the Luchesses, and not the established Gambinos and Bonnanos. I say neutral, only because the Luchesses, unlike the Bonnanos and especially the Gambinos, didnt have the same type of vested interest in the power structure in Palermo.


I could never get it straight, Catalano was a Badalamenti guy? Who then went over to the Corleonesi?

If you take these meetings, and combine them with the activity they discussed in books like 6th Family, about all the meeting between Sicilian mafiosi and Americans working out smuggling routes, and resolving emerging territorial disputes as well as questions of equivalency between mafiosi from different families, it's very interesting. Guys like Settacasi, Violi, Salamone....

I've read before that Trafficante controlled the Carribean smuggling routes, while Marcello controlled the Gulf coast..... contraband would have been a huge thing....

Interesting article @ Stubbs thank for that..

Any thoughts?...

[SantoClaus]

This is super interesting, I recently found information indicating that both the Inzirello and Gambinos were laundering lots of their heroin profits via P2 and the Vatican banks. Could that of also been a reason for Leggio and the Corleonesi attempted to liquidate everyone else??

Making money in drugs is one thing, getting it cleaned, and useable is another.

[SantoClaus]

Tying it into the book the 6th Family, doesn’t seem that far off as well

[JeremyTheJew]

I came across this old article in New York Magazine from Jan 8, 1973 written by famous mob author Nicholas Pileggi called "Anatomy of the Drug War". The article claims there were three large meetings between the families about the drug trade that took place in 1972. The article is at this link on page 33.

The article describes the second meeting as taking place on August 11th, 1972 at the Staten Island home of Gambino captain John D'Alessio. The meeting is described as including Phil Rastelli, Natale Evola, Funzie Tieri, Aniello Dellacroce, Michele Miranda, Allie Boy Persico, and Joseph N Gallo. What's interesting is Pileggi writes:

Also attending the second meeting was Luciano Leggio - another illegal Sicilian alien wanted for murder in Palermo and an old-world mafioso with excellent Corsican connections.

Has anyone ever come across this before? It's wild that a fugitive like Leggio would go to New York to attend a commission meeting, especially after Appalachia and La Stella. It also shows how powerful of a boss Leggio was even back then... that a boss from Corleone would go to the meeting and not someone from the Palermo like Bontade or someone in his faction. Very interesting as well that all of these mob heavyweights from New York would attend a meeting over drugs... I mean, maybe not surprised about the Gambinos and Bonanno guys, but the Genovese sitting down with a Sicilian boss who was a known heroin trafficker? Maybe they were there to help set the rules but not to be involved in the actual trafficking, or maybe I'm just naive and they were knee deep in junk like everyone else.

It also states that Gallo often represented the interests of New Orleans and Tampa in New York, something I hadn't heard before. It says Marcello and Trafficante didn't attend because there was too much heat on them after the famous La Stella meeting.

There's also a point where the article quotes from an informant,

Greasers are taking over the whole operation. Carlos Marcello has spread them through the South and the Southwest. They are in upstate New York. Gambino and Marcello and Magaddino are bringing Sicilians over.

Anyone know if that's true, if there was a Zip faction under Marcello/NOLA? I have never come across anything like that, but I could be wrong.

How about the Zip faction under Marcello??