Pandolfo -> Gigante connection?

[B.]

Never knew about the Esposito name....this might explain some of the old connections between the Gigante families and Chicago....thanks Eboli

Esposito is an extremely common Neapolitan name, so I wouldn't count on it, but it's always worth keeping an open mind in the absence of evidence.

[Angelo Santino]

In Naples there were alot of parentless children, they were given the surname Esposito so any suspected relationship between them should be checked and verified. It's their version of Smith or Johnson.

[eboli]

Thanks for the follow-up, man. I'll keep an eye out for more on Pandolfo -- assuming the info didn't come from Valachi, that's further indication he was part of the Costello administration.

Also thanks for the other bit from Rita Gigante. I imagine she has to rely on outside sources on his underworld background, but as his daughter her take is important even though she's a bit out there.

The reason I'm asking for clarification on sources is that some of the most famous mafia figures are sometimes the most misrepresented -- you'd think it would be the opposite given there is more info on them, yet we still end up with documentaries where Carlo Gambino is said to have been "sent" to the US by Cascio Ferro, etc. Some of the info on Gigante has been repeated so many times it's taken for granted, but no doubt he was close to Eboli and became popular with the Genovese faction at a young age. If there is a Pandolfo connection, that could be a reason why.

Just to clarify, re: Esposito/Gigante...

Immigration records show that Salvatore was using the Gigante name during his 1921 immigration, so he would have registered to travel/immigrate with the Gigante name when he departed from Naples.

So he used the Gigante name while he was still technically in Naples, though I don't know that he actually used it prior to getting on the boat. From your research it sounds like he didn't. He did arrive in the US as a Gigante, though, with the additional names you mentioned.

I'm sure we're on the same page, but just wanted to make it clear to everyone Salvatore Eposito Gigante was using Gigante as his surname from the time he left Naples. The name must have had some significance to the family there and it def raises an eyebrow that he lived next to the Marafino-Gigantes who in turn had Pandolfo as their son-in-law.

Rita Gigante is actually a very good source because she stays focused on the inner family dynamics in the Gigante household and rarely strains from them into general organized crime territory. She gets some details wrong, like the year of the Mano Nera trial that was responsible for her maternal great-grandfather's suicide, but overall her info has been solid. Rita going into details about her uncle Pat's private life and how he was semi-openly gay, but how her father really respected him regardless of his sexual orientation, made me dig some more on the guy. I found out he was IDd as a Genovese soldier in the 1960s and was the person who used to accompany Chin to sitdowns and business meetings. After his death, that role fell on Ralph, but I digress.

Regarding Pandolfo, around the time of his death, the feds had him as a well-known associate of Tony Strollo and Johnny the Bug Stoppeli. Pandolfo was described as a 'big-time hoodlum' in Greenwich Village, and a 'big man' in the policy rackets. He had a younger brother, whose street name was 'Don Carlo'. He was involved in crime, too, but was low level and worked for his older brother. Apparently Carlo hung around in Rocco's Restaurant at 181 Thompson Street. It looks like Pandolfo was engaged in criminality in and around the area until he died. After Vito fled, Strollo quickly became buddy-buddy with the new administration. In the 1940s he was hanging around with Moretti because they were stealing from the ports together, and if Pandolfo was a partner of his in the Italian lottery, it all makes much more sense why Strollo switched his stance so quickly. If Pandolfo was some sort of relative to the Gigantes, that would've made their rise that much easier.

As for the first time Salvatore used the Gigante name, as you mentioned, it seems to have been at the Port of Naples prior to his immigration, at least from what I found. In October 1920 he married Yolanda as Esposito, and then in December 1920 he listed himself as Gigante. Some time ago I spoke with an Italian genealogist on the topic why some immigrants used different/multiple family names and she mentioned a few things: they wanted to hide their real surname; they adopted a popular surname to show other immigrants in America they come from the same region; sometimes they picked a better sounding or more unique name they thought would benefit them in their trade or profession, basically the same reason some of them 'americanized' their names. Salvatore and the oldest brother Giovanni were trained as jewelers when they were still in Naples and worked as engravers in the States. It makes me wonder if the brothers changed their name because Gigante Jewelry sounds better than Esposito Jewelry, which as CC put it, was/is a very common surname in the region, and that might be the reason Salvatore went by 'Esposito Vulgo GIgante' i.e. 'Esposito also known as Gigante'. Anyway, enough guess work from me.

[Pogo The Clown]

Rita going into details about her uncle Pat's private life and how he was semi-openly gay, but how her father really respected him regardless of his sexual orientation, made me dig some more on the guy. I found out he was IDd as a Genovese soldier in the 1960s and was the person who used to accompany Chin to sitdowns and business meetings.

So Gigante harbored a faggot?


Pogo

[PolackTony]

Let’s be honest with ourselves here... We all know Pat’s not the first.

[HairyKnuckles]

So if Pandolfo died in 1948, who was the consigliere in between him and Mike Miranda?

[Pogo The Clown]

Let’s be honest with ourselves here... We all know Pat’s not the first.

When he was talkin about ‘greasing the union’ who knew that’s what he meant!”


Pogo

[B.]

Regarding Pandolfo, around the time of his death, the feds had him as a well-known associate of Tony Strollo and Johnny the Bug Stoppeli. Pandolfo was described as a 'big-time hoodlum' in Greenwich Village, and a 'big man' in the policy rackets. He had a younger brother, whose street name was 'Don Carlo'. He was involved in crime, too, but was low level and worked for his older brother. Apparently Carlo hung around in Rocco's Restaurant at 181 Thompson Street. It looks like Pandolfo was engaged in criminality in and around the area until he died. After Vito fled, Strollo quickly became buddy-buddy with the new administration. In the 1940s he was hanging around with Moretti because they were stealing from the ports together, and if Pandolfo was a partner of his in the Italian lottery, it all makes much more sense why Strollo switched his stance so quickly. If Pandolfo was some sort of relative to the Gigantes, that would've made their rise that much easier.

I found records for Carlo Pandolfo and it's definitely his brother, as they both used the Avaleo/Ovaleo middle name (probably an additional surname, not unlike what we're talking about with the Esposito Gigantes).

More importantly, one of Carlo Pandolfo's naturalization witnesses was Andrea Grippa of 171 Thompson street. Andrea Grippa is the father of Olympia Grippa, Vincent Gigante's future wife. There is no question now these people were closely intertwined.

--

As for the use of additional surnames, with the Sicilians I've found that they used additional surnames to communicate a relation to important families. For example, the Orlando Sciortinos of the Los Angeles and San Francisco families were from Camporeale and their fathers were brothers who had been mafia figures in Brooklyn before California. Orlando wasn't a middle name they all shared, but an additional surname, almost like a title. One of the most important early mafiosi in the US was Paolo Orlando from Camporeale, who had been boss of Tunis and is now believed to have been an early Brooklyn "Bonanno" boss. While I haven't pinpointed the relation, I believe the Orlando Sciortinos wanted to communicate a relation to such an important man.

With these Neapolitans I'm not so sure. It could be for any of those reasons like you said. What's interesting is that Alessandro and Carlo Pandolfo both appear to have used an additional surname in front of Pandolfo, too -- Ovaleo/Avaleo. Most records list them with both names. I have suspicion that the Pandolfos had Neapolitan underworld ties but no way to confirm.

[Antiliar]

So if Pandolfo died in 1948, who was the consigliere in between him and Mike Miranda?

Maybe there wasn't one. Costello, who had been the consigliere before he became the acting boss, became the official boss a year later. So maybe Pandolfo was the acting consigliere. Then when he died only about a year after Costello was made official, maybe Costello decided he didn't need a consigliere, so he didn't nominate one or hold an election for one. Just a guess of course, but it would explain why Miranda was made consigliere around the time Genovese became boss and not earlier.

[eboli]

B do your files say Pandolfa was born in 1892?

According to his naturalization papers, he was born on July 8, 1897 in Naples.

So Gigante harbored a faggot?


Pogo

He didn't love him like a brother-in-law.

Let’s be honest with ourselves here... We all know Pat’s not the first.

What I found interesting about him is that according to his niece, he really wasn't in the closet. He was a flamboyant dresser who loved singing Italian love ballads and lived with his boyfriend in the open. He did everything what you'll expect out of a 'typical' gay man to do without actually saying he was gay, and that was in the 60s and 70s. I guess that wasn't a problem for him since he was a successful businessman, and he was a made member since the 50s. Maybe Cosa Nostra wasn't as close-minded as we were led to believe. Also, the FBI allocated more resources than average to confirm he had passed away when he did, so they deemed him of some importance in the early 80s.

I found records for Carlo Pandolfo and it's definitely his brother, as they both used the Avaleo/Ovaleo middle name (probably an additional surname, not unlike what we're talking about with the Esposito Gigantes).

More importantly, one of Carlo Pandolfo's naturalization witnesses was Andrea Grippa of 171 Thompson street. Andrea Grippa is the father of Olympia Grippa, Vincent Gigante's future wife. There is no question now these people were closely intertwined.

--

As for the use of additional surnames, with the Sicilians I've found that they used additional surnames to communicate a relation to important families. For example, the Orlando Sciortinos of the Los Angeles and San Francisco families were from Camporeale and their fathers were brothers who had been mafia figures in Brooklyn before California. Orlando wasn't a middle name they all shared, but an additional surname, almost like a title. One of the most important early mafiosi in the US was Paolo Orlando from Camporeale, who had been boss of Tunis and is now believed to have been an early Brooklyn "Bonanno" boss. While I haven't pinpointed the relation, I believe the Orlando Sciortinos wanted to communicate a relation to such an important man.

With these Neapolitans I'm not so sure. It could be for any of those reasons like you said. What's interesting is that Alessandro and Carlo Pandolfo both appear to have used an additional surname in front of Pandolfo, too -- Ovaleo/Avaleo. Most records list them with both names. I have suspicion that the Pandolfos had Neapolitan underworld ties but no way to confirm.

That's a very nice find on the Grippa connection. It just further confirms what we already suspected. As for the names, I think there's a certain level of similarity between the Neapolitans and the Sicilians. Camorristas used to attach certain surnames to signify the clan they were originally from after they disembarked in America. Funny that you mentioned the Ovaleo surname Pandolfo used in some documents because just a few years ago Interpol identified a Camorra member by the name of Enrico Ovaleo-Pandolfo.

[InCamelot]

Slight digression here, but Costello and Moretti definitely were one 'faction'?

Was Costello close to Coppola at all?

[Antiliar]

What I found interesting about him is that according to his niece, he really wasn't in the closet. He was a flamboyant dresser who loved singing Italian love ballads and lived with his boyfriend in the open. He did everything what you'll expect out of a 'typical' gay man to do without actually saying he was gay, and that was in the 60s and 70s. I guess that wasn't a problem for him since he was a successful businessman, and he was a made member since the 50s. Maybe Cosa Nostra wasn't as close-minded as we were led to believe. Also, the FBI allocated more resources than average to confirm he had passed away when he did, so they deemed him of some importance in the early 80s.

The Genovese Family seemed to be more open to gays than the other Families. Little Davy Petillo and his partner Charles Gagliodotto were known to dress up in drag to do hits. Genovese and Strollo invested in gay bars.

http://gangstersinc.ning.com/profiles/b ... id-petillo

https://www.nationalcrimesyndicate.com/ ... gliodotto/

http://www.fivefamiliesnyc.com/2010/12/ ... itted.html

https://www.history.com/news/how-the-mo ... -bar-scene

https://mafiagenealogy.wordpress.com/20 ... the-mafia/

https://themobmuseum.org/blog/the-gay-r ... newall-50/

[B.]

The Genovese Family seemed to be more open to gays than the other Families. Little Davy Petillo and his partner Charles Gagliodotto were known to dress up in drag to do hits. Genovese and Strollo invested in gay bars.

Careful about your use of the word "partner." I had to read it twice, haha!

What I found interesting about him is that according to his niece, he really wasn't in the closet. He was a flamboyant dresser who loved singing That's a very nice find on the Grippa connection. It just further confirms what we already suspected. As for the names, I think there's a certain level of similarity between the Neapolitans and the Sicilians. Camorristas used to attach certain surnames to signify the clan they were originally from after they disembarked in America. Funny that you mentioned the Ovaleo surname Pandolfo used in some documents because just a few years ago Interpol identified a Camorra member by the name of Enrico Ovaleo-Pandolfo.

That's amazing and def triggers the imagination. As I'm sure you've seen, the Pandolfo brothers almost always used the Ovaleo Pandolfo name. There could well be a long history involving these names.

Some points to consider about Alessandro Pandolfo:

- Arrives in the US in the mid-1920s well adulthood, arrives to Thompson street where a Neapolitan underworld faction is growing.
- Soon goes to Pittsburgh where there is a strong Neapolitan underworld connected to his ally Vito Genovese.
- Returns to the area near Greenwich Village and becomes a Masseria/Genovese member by 1931.
- Within a decade is one of the highest-ranking mafia members in the country.

Pandolfo didn't grow up on the streets of NYC and didn't have much time to "prove himself," so I suspect he had existing connections to the Neapolitan underworld that allowed him to bounce between Naples, NYC, and Pittsburgh and quickly attain status in the mafia.

[eboli]

Slight digression here, but Costello and Moretti definitely were one 'faction'?

Moretti was described as a 'good friend' of Costello. He was powerful because he was the unofficial leader of the 'NJ faction' of the family, and he expanded the borgata's interests into NJ during the 30s and 40s. According to Valachi, he was even acting for Luciano before Costello took over and promoted him as his number 2.

The Genovese Family seemed to be more open to gays than the other Families. Little Davy Petillo and his partner Charles Gagliodotto were known to dress up in drag to do hits. Genovese and Strollo invested in gay bars.

Vincent Mauro made all his income from 'fags and junk' in the early to mid 50s, too. I think by the 70s all of the Five Families invested in gay bars to some degree because it was a profitable racket. Same with the adult movie theaters.

That's amazing and def triggers the imagination. As I'm sure you've seen, the Pandolfo brothers almost always used the Ovaleo Pandolfo name. There could well be a long history involving these names.

Some points to consider about Alessandro Pandolfo:

- Arrives in the US in the mid-1920s well adulthood, arrives to Thompson street where a Neapolitan underworld faction is growing.
- Soon goes to Pittsburgh where there is a strong Neapolitan underworld connected to his ally Vito Genovese.
- Returns to the area near Greenwich Village and becomes a Masseria/Genovese member by 1931.
- Within a decade is one of the highest-ranking mafia members in the country.

Pandolfo didn't grow up on the streets of NYC and didn't have much time to "prove himself," so I suspect he had existing connections to the Neapolitan underworld that allowed him to bounce between Naples, NYC, and Pittsburgh and quickly attain status in the mafia.

All things considered, I think your Pandolfo timeline makes sense. It follows the pattern of other known organized crime members who entered the U.S. with an already established reputation. The fact Valachi didn't really know him and only heard about him from other people while Pandolfo was active in the same area at the same time shows he was likely on a higher level than him from Day 1, and that he didn't need to make his bones on the Manhattan streets.

[B.]

Yeah, and his date of induction into Cosa Nostra is probably arbitrary. Capone was made around 1928 and immediately promoted to capodecina, and Valachi said Anthony Strollo was made in 1931 and also immediately promoted.

Even though Valachi was schooled by a serious Neapolitan underworld figure in prison, it shows how Americanized Valachi was that he viewed Pandolfo as a "greaseball." Despite his heritage and schooling, Valachi was not an insider to all things Neapolitan.

He doesn't mention it in his book, but Valachi's senate testimony does confirm something I suspected for a long time -- he says a reason he transferred to the Genovese family was because of his mainland heritage. He says when he was told by one mafia member that the problems between Neapolitans and Sicilians were "a thing of the past" he believed it, and he initially didn't believe Alessandro Vollero's advice about not trusting Sicilians, but in his testimony he says Vollero's warning turned out to be true and he ran into problems with the Sicilians which led to his transfer to Genovese. He completely glosses over this in his book and makes it sound like he went with the Genovese family on a random suggestion from Bobby Doyle, but it went deeper than that according to his testimony and involved his heritage, at least in part.

We know Vito Genovese had his own significant connections to the earlier Neapolitan underworld, so if Pandolfo had his own ties it would make sense he established a close relationship to Genovese. It doesn't seem like there's much info on Genovese and Pandolfo's direct relationship, but a lot can be inferred from Pandolfo's stature in the Strollo crew, his position as consigliere, Pittsburgh connection, and heritage.

Have you found much about Pandolfo and Genovese's direct relationship?