https://mafiainaustralia.wordpress.com/

[Angelo Santino]

Hey guys,
Inspired by Motorfab, I want to make a thread for Italian-Australian organised crime, and hopefully merge the Mafia Down Under thread and maybe start including biker stuff and other historical figures, like Lennie Mcpehson (aka Mr Big) George Freeman and Abe Saffron (aka Mr Sin).

I know it’s in my signature, but in any case, here’s a link to my blog. I’m proud to be a part of TBHF since it started, having been a part of the evolution of the forums since 2006.

https://mafiainaustralia.wordpress.com/

---------
This is for the poster Mickey Meatballs...

We've never spoken, I was Atardi on RD, I remember you as an Australian expert. Your rep precedes you.

I, along with Jimmy and Rick and several others, are embarking on the Calabrian aspect of the American Mafia-1890 to 1930 but some of it continued into the 60's in certain ways. In the 1870's, Calabrian Italians found work on the railroads in Calabria and then expatriated to USA, Canada, Argentina and Australia. In 1905 there was another influx and again in 1920 to those countries.

First question: I've always seen the Australian Mafia as having been "founded" in the 1950's. In your research, does it go back further than that? Because based off just my own researches, there should have been a Calabrian Mafia presence by the 1900's.

Second question: who are the prevalent families in Australia affiliated with Calabrian OC? Do the Sicilians play any part in it? I know for a fact through Albert Anastasia's great nephew, that he and his family are still connected to relatives in Italy and Australia (and this was before facebook). At this point, it's not an OC matter but it gives an example of the tightness of the Calabrian family despite 3 generations on three continents, and how those bonds could be bastardized into a criminal cult that the 'Ndrangheta is today. You seen it mostly with those from Reggio and Vibo Valentia. Catanzaro and Cosenza on up not so much. Except for maybe Girifalco in Cat.

Forgive my nativity, I am new to Australia. I always found that history interesting but never had the time to research it. If I lived in that part of the world and had access to records and contacts, as a researcher I would like to seriously tackle it. Thanks for any help.

[AustraliaSteve]

Aaargghh fucking satellite internet out here. Posted a long and well thought out response, and haven't been able to post it.

Fuck Atardi. I probably should have realised you're Chris/Chris is you, you share the same sense of humour and are extremely well versed in mob history and protocol.

I wrote a couple of articles for Gangsters Inc a while back, and am currently working on more. Actually, I recently noticed that David has them copyrighted under his site. He was always good tome, and it was through that site I was contacted by a government broadcaster but I'll, uh, have to talk to him about that once I find his email again.

Regarding the first question, Vincenzo D'Agostino is claimed by many sources to be a Milanese, but he did have a number of Calabrians under him (I am yet to discover whether or not he was Milan born or simply boarded from a port there, a cursory search indicated his name being a common one). He and his crew seem to represent the earliest example of organised crime amongst Italians in the country, even if it was simply crude Black Hand extortion. Before he died he was involved in a few deaths and numerous beatings and mutilations. Besides the arrival and early history of Italians into Australia, I cover him in one of the articles.
The ship Re D'Italia arrived in Australia in 1922, on whom arrived ANtonio Barbaro and Domenico Strano, who settled in Melbourne and Sydney respectively, as well as a yet unnamed third man who left for Perth. Multiple sources state these three men as the "founding fathers" of the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta in Australia. Indeed, in 1925 Constable James Clare was murdered by a Condello in Melbourne, this murder pre-dates some of D'Agostino's and the 1945 murder of Fat Joe Versace by Michele Scriva in Melbourne, which is often itself cited as the first "mafia hit" in Australia. These examples I be;lieve go towards proving that there was a Calabrian element in Australia far before mid century.

Regarding the second question, the principal families are always equated with New Yorks Five; the Seven Cells of Adelaide, SA. These are the Barbaro, Sergi, Alvaro, Nirta, Romeo, Perre and Trimboli. These names are constantly reoccurring in Australia, and while it may be an extension of the Italian domus, I think it can also indicate the relatively close knit and insular nature of the Calabrians operating in Australia. For example, out of 250 people arrested over 188 marijuana king-crops from ’74 to ’86, 60% can be traced back to just 15 family names: Sergi, Pochi, Barbaro, Velardi, Catanzariti, Romeo, Cannistra, Agresta, Trimboli, Carbone, Pelle, Perre, Zappia, Alvaro (Only Alvaro’s not being directly related by blood or marriage) Other names are common here as well as the Old Country and other parts of the world, such as Musitano, Ielasi, Pollifrone and Polimeni.

As far as any Sicilian element, despite reports of a Sicilian cell operating in Perth, the Censori/Tudori Family, this seems more a homegrown phenomenon than an overt case of a Cosa Nostra cell.

I apologise, I've typed this rather hurriedly and hope like fuck it actually sends this time. I look forward to what Rick, Jim and yourself discover, and will continue to share what I have learned over the last few years researching this phenomenon down under.

[AustraliaSteve]

Thank fuck, it sent. Christ, I'm over the connection out here. Mrs Meatballs took a teaching position at a school in Far North Queensland, and a satellite connection is the best we can get. Really missing unlimited broadband right now.

[AustraliaSteve]

Quick note regarding the towns you mentioned, some sources break down a distinction between the so-called Plati Group and the other towns. By far though, Plati is over-represented in Australian-Calabrian crime. Apologies on syntax and spelling errors in the first post, it was the third time I'd typed out a response, and was worried I'd lose it again.

Really, I look forward to what you guys are able to dig up, as I feel I still have a lot to learn from other researches. Besides what primary documents I have found, a lot of my research has been based on collating and trying to verify many different sources, which is, I guess, how research works. I am working on a chart that includes and groups 'Ndrine by family and location, and attempts to trace the blood-lines and relationships. These guys seem to ardently follow traditions in giving their kids the same names every other generation and marry first cousins so much, it gets to be a bit of a headache. I'm already about 2000+ words in, and feel like there is still a long way to go.

[AustraliaSteve]

Seems a good place to post this, rather than a new thread.

Tony Maddaferri HATES being called a mobster, despite several sources linking him to 'Ndrine and his brother Frank being convicted in the massive drug importation recently organised by Pasquale Barbaro. Frank also holds several convictions in Calabria and was controversially awarded a visa to enter the country by former Liberal Party minister Amanda Vanstone, after several large donations were made to the party. Frank's 24 year old son Giovanni also faced serious weapons charges recently. Back on Antonio, who is related by marriage to the Benvenuto family, he was named in court as a suspect in the 1991 murder of Sicilian born grocer Tony Peluso, who was said to be engaging in a price war. He was not convicted, and the case remains open. His lawyer recently lodged documents attempting to force several Melbourne Age journalists to reveal their sources. While its not fair to be tainted by the crimes of a brother, as far back as the early '90's, he was being named by police as a high-ranking Melbourne mob figure.

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/suspe ... j8elx.html

[Angelo Santino]

Sorry it's taken me so long to respond.

That's all very interesting info. With D'Agostino, did it say he came from Milan or Milanesi? Tony Milano was born in Milanesi and someone misunderstood it and for a while in the 2000's, people said they were from Milan also. I don't know if that's the case with D'Agostino, just throwing that out there.

The Calabrian mafia, changed its operandi between 1910 and 1940. There was a gradual transition from pimping and prostitution to a more Sicilian Mafia marriage model. It's a significant change in its operandi. It has benefited them well.

I still find 1920 being very late in the game. I'm finding a few people involved who are Italian with Calabrian surnames born in Buenos Aires in the 1870's.

What is the structure over there, same as Italy, but how have the authorities written about it?

This is all new to me, thanks for the detailed explanation!

[AustraliaSteve]

Not at all, in fact I have to admit I'm a little embarrassed at the hastily written response and copypasta direct from the folders on my desktop. YOUR reputation precedes you

RE Vincenzo D'Agostino; he arrived in Australia in 1928, and I have gone with a few sources; firstly Australian journalist Bob Bottom has identified him as both, referring to him as being from Milan and also being a Milanese, and also as leaving from Milan in different books. Secondly, some later newspaper articles from the early '30's and '20's refer to both Calabria (not giving an actual location) and Milan as his place of origin, and some latter day sources say much the same, flipping back and forth between Calabrian and Milanese. The problem here is one very common in tracing the Australian history, just like it can be inn many parts of the world; the early sources are taken at face value and repeated. I went with Bot Bottom's information in my first article, mainly because I respect the guy immensely, but acknowledge that some of his information is quite dated and hasn't aged well. But considering how small the Catanzaro town of Milanesi is, it's an understandable mistake. However, Bottom repeatedly stated that D'Agostino had arrived form Milan, so I went with it. It's an interesting issue.

I can understand the '20's as seeming relatively late, considering what had already been established in other parts of the world. But from my own research, I find D'Agostino and his crew to be the earliest documented case of an organised operation. Having said that, the Re De'Italia arrived in 1922, containing, as I said, three figures known to have gone on as OC figures, and considering there was a population by then, it makes sense that even if nothing was being reported, there may well have been things going on. The 1925 murder of Constable Clare is reported as being a response to derogatory name-calling, but Antonio Barbaro is reported to have canvassed the migrant population in raising funds for the defence of the man charged. The 1925 fire-bombing of The Italian Club in Innisfail QLD has been reported as a case of Black Hand-ing, while the 1927 bombing of a train station in Morowa, WA (approx: 400 kilometres North of Perth) has been called the same, but was in fact linked to an Australian taking advantage of migrants and migrant labour. The historian Richard Evans has stated that early accusation of mafia styled organizations have been an overstatement and a product of prejudice and White Australia policy, but who knows? In an article I'm working on, I've made what I believe is a fair point; the term mafia aside, who can imagine the terror of a newly arrived migrant receiving a letter bearing the familiar skull and bones or palm-print? I write part-time for some music rags and have had the odd-article picked up, and I'll readily admit that I have much to learn, especially in so far as the really early days.

Regarding structure, it seems like originally things were more in line with an older tradition, in that several figures in different parts of the country were discovered to be carrying things like actual, written instructions detailing the founding and organisation of a cell, denoting rankings and society rules. Several arrests noted the familiar tattoos found on some early 'Ndrina, a practice that had died out by the 40's in Australia, for obvious reasons. Into the '60's there were still report of the picciotti, sotto-capo, etc, but again, it seems like something that has died out in Australia. As far as recent information seems to suggest, the sanguinary lines still dictate the majority of links and connections, with the strategic marital alliances sought and planned. But it would seem more a case of, everybody knows who the important families are, and who still maintains the links to the Old Country. As you know, the 'Ndrangheta has grown in to a drug super power, and it is with this engine the Australians have centred their approach. There are, of course, still instances of insurance fraud, extortion, gambling and the regular bread-and-butter rackets. But in a large way, drugs rule above everything.

The authorities have been woefully inadequate. I'd like to be able to refer to some grand conspiracy where senior government members have been compromised and infiltrated, but I'll leave speculation for those who enjoy donning the tin-foil. Even today, the majority of information comes from three reports commissioned during the height of the Market Murders. There was nothing for years, before more reports in the early '90's basically just confirmed that the predictions made in the '60's had become a reality. More reports date into the late '90's and 2000's, and all the reports are yet to be released in their entireties. Sure there's an FOI Act. I was quoted anywhere between $100 and $500 AUD per page in some cases when I last checked. I don't have a large media organization to fund me. I'm not a respected investigative journalist with a major platform. I do this in my spare time because it fascinates me. Even if I did sight them, I wouldn't be able to repeat themuntil certain people died, Libel laws are a bitch in Australia. Ranting now, excuse me.

I'll point to the recent case of Nicola Ciconte. After 2004 arrest warrants issuedin Italy, Cicinte was convicted in absentia to 25 years in prison. Despite requests for extradition, Ciconte lived happily on Australia's Gold Coast for some years, later fleeing to Cambodia before dying. IIRC, the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecution didn't believe evidence was sufficient. A few other Aussies named in the same operation were declared to be being monitored. Nothing. The article I mentioned above? Clear and direct links to a senior government minister who recieved several substantial payments, non-withstanding "donations" under the $12,800 thresh-hold that didn't require reporting? Fuck this noise, where's my tin-foil

Fuck, sorry for the wall'o'text.

[AustraliaSteve]

Tony Vellelonga is a Calabrian born man who had a successful run as Mayor of the Perth suburb of Stirling. He was caught by Italian police meeting with Calabrian boss Giuseppe Commisso in 2009, via a bug at a laundromat in Reggio Calabria. When these revelations were first aired (the meeting), Vallelonga gave a tearful denial of any wrongdoing or mafia association. Following the release of further transcripts from Italian courts, it would seem that Vallelonga actually holds a much higher ranking that simply knowing certain guys, in that Italian courts have alleged that he is in fact the leader of a Perth based 'Ndrine. While talking with Commisso, he discussed the issue of a rival attempting to set up a cell in Perth, apparently telling the rival "As long as I'm alive, you don't get a locale...and that's that". To which the rival supposedly replied that he "answers to Siderno".

http://www.smh.com.au/national/investig ... i4jzp.html

[AustraliaSteve]

Went off on a bit of a tangent in this thread. I think I'll still use it to post Aussie mob shit though.

FWIW, I've found it interesting that there was/is a Scarfo family involved in the cultivation and distribution of weed in Australia. Not to mention Agresta's, Nirta's, Papalia's, Romeo's, Perre's and Pelle's. Another little throwback to Calabria.

[Dwalin2014]

What about the Piromalli, Mole', Mammoliti and Commisso families? Do they have a presence in Australia?

[AustraliaSteve]

As mentioned in the post above, Tony Vallelonga of Perth met with Giuseppe Commisso in RC, and Italian court files have referred to him being the senior member of a locale in Perth. As far as the others, the names do appear in Australia, but there have been no high-profile instances that see them linked to local 'ndrine. Further digging might see some names pop up, and I seem to remember a Mole' named in relation to Melbourne, but nothing major comes up. In so far as Australia, the Mammoliti clan is known for its feud with the Barbaro. There is conjecture regarding the so called Siderno group, which operates in Melbourne and to smaller extents in the South Eastern corner, but the major presence in Australia is the Plati group, which encompasses the Barbaro and Sergi families amongst several others.

[Angelo Santino]

Thanks MM.

This is all new to me, there is not much I can say other than Uhhh Ok. But I do find it all very interesting. Even though I cannot offer any rebuttals I do find it all amazing.

I am still learning about the 'Ndrangheta structure. the Locale vs the 'ndrina. I've looked at many books they all seem to give variations of the same thing. A 'ndrina is a cell, several 'ndrine form a Locale (requires 47 members). There are several ranks of Picciotto, Camorrista, Santista, Trequartino etc that came about during the Ndrangheta Renaissance in the 1960's. That was a significant era, when the 'ndrangheta finally came into it's own.

What are your thoughts on the hierarchy, or what are the hierarchies like in Australia?

Again, thanks for all your responses!

[Angelo Santino]

In regards to Plati, that's part of a connected network that runs from Africo to Siderno, including Bianco where JCB1977's ancestors came from. Their surname was Barbaro and they were connected with the Calabrian network in Youngstown in the 1930's. There's a good chance the Barbaro's could be distant relatives of the people in Australia. I've found people in Johnstown, NYC and WV related to people in Aussie. They are not always OC related though.

[Dwalin2014]

The Barbaro family is very well known in Italy, especially during the 70s when there was a boom of kidnappings committed by the 'ndrangheta; Francesco "U Castanu" Barbaro was one of the main figures behind it. It's strange though that the Piromalli don't seem to have any significant presence in Australia. They are very powerful, at a time the Nirta and the Piromalli groups rotated among themselves the position of "capo crimine" for years (a sort of nominal chairman of something resembling the Cosa Nostra commission, even though not as centralized and powerful I think).

[AustraliaSteve]

Regarding the question of hierarchy and ranking; the honest answer is that I'm not 100% sure. As you stated, there are variations but a central theme, but different sources give wildly varying numbers on what constitutes a cell in Australia, with some stating a minimum of five individuals, others around the 25 mark, others even higher than 50. Up to the 47-50 you cited seems to be the standard for an individual locale. John T. Cusack claimed that nearly 300 individuals were active in Victoria in the 60's, and my own research indicates these were spread across several cells; I'm lucky to have identified even 40 of these individuals without access to NCA and ABCI reports. In a place like Griffith, the Barbaro and Sergi families alone could easily muster the numbers to make up a fully organised locale, but some other families in smaller towns like Mildura and Shepparton are often incorrectly referred to as independent mafia families but would be much more likely to be under the control or sway of the larger ones. Another problem that arises with this is some figures being basically customers, rather than 'ndrangheta themselves.

Actual rankings are harder to determine. When an identity gets caught up in legal troubles, he'll be referred to as simply a "high ranking figure". There are a couple of books published in Italy that might give more information; I'm hoping like hell they get an english translation because paying for accurate translations can be costly, and it's a pain in the ass to enter extracts piecemeal through online translators. There are mid-century references to the picciotti, cammorista, capobastone, capocrimine etc but if these rankings are still being used in Australia it's something that simply isn't being reported on in media. An ABCI report from 1991 stated that there were only three rankings in Australia, and an educated guess would point to the obvious - soldiers, captains and bosses.