Rockford LCN - help with opinions and direction

[Villain]

After boss Joe Zammuto gave the nod in August 1980 for the family to distribute narcotics, it didn’t take authorities long to uncover one arm of their operation. In November 1981 they began investigating a huge cocaine ring run by John S. Leombruni who was living in Las Vegas in 1981 right before he started the Rockford cocaine operation but according to sources was “run out by that city’s Mafia chief” in an apparent dispute over Leombruni’s drug dealing. The only Mafia chief in that city was most likely Tony Spilotro of the Outfit. In May 1982 authorities arrested Leombruni and eleven others including:

Michael F. Leombruni, brother of John
John J. Schiro
John Bartelli
Luke Cannella, Rockford native and resident of Las Vegas
Jack Richardson
Dennis Salsbury
Jon Kaemmerlen
Susan Wisniewski, Rockford police dispatcher and girlfriend of John Leombruni
Israel R. Campello
Manuel M. “Liko” Gomez of Chicago
Ruben Yanez

The cocaine ring ran between Rockford, Chicago and Las Vegas and although the FBI said court-approved wiretaps showed mob involvement in the case, they were not allowed to use that as evidence in the trial. Now, it could be these individuals were the local dealers while they received their narcotics from the Sicilian pizzerias but that’s just a guess on my part. The Chicago connection was likely through Gomez and may not have been connected to the Outfit. I do know that at the time, 1980-1982 there were a lot of low-level drug busts in Rockford but Leombruni was described as the biggest drug dealer at the time.

Nice info and thanks. When i get home, ill check my stuff if I have anything on that Gomez fella.

As for Spilotro, besides Vegas, he and Schiro controlled one portion of the dope trade around AZ and i also think that they imported their stash through Mexico.

[B.]

Excellent info, Cavita and Snakes.

So the Caruana name does show up among the Sicilian element in Rockford via Aragona. Lends itself to the idea that Salvatore Caruana (though American-born) of Boston may have been Aragonese. His mother was a Zambito which is a name that shows up in Aragona.

The bit about the Sicilian mafia confusion is interesting, as some of it might have simply been the FBI's limited understanding/knowledge about the relationship between the US and Sicilian mafia at the time. The older Sicilian-turned-American members of Rockford would likely have seen no distinction between membership, only distinction when it came to affiliation. If they inducted Sicilians or allowed them to transfer, the Sicilians would have been members of the Rockford family. Seems there would be incentive to maintain that organization, not simply become a "cell", something I don't believe has ever happened to an existing mafia family and would be counterintuitive.'

Consider Vincenzo Troia's presence in Rockford in the 1920s and early 1930s -- he had been the rappresentante of San Giuseppe Jato and his compaesani in Rockford would have known and recognized him. Some of those men were still alive in later decades and it's clear the Aragona element maintained ties to the Sicilian mafia, plus NYC-based Sicilian mafioso Pino Ganci from San Giuseppe Jato made calls to the Rockford area. Rockford appears to have been a heavily Sicilian group from formation throughout their duration, with Americanization not completely stopping those ties.

We also need more info on the state of the Aragona cosca at the time of these immigrations. Biagio DiGiacomo allegedly left Aragona because of internecine warfare that killed his relatives. I've been able to find relatively little on the warfare in Aragona -- the Agrigento conflicts are often overshadowed by what took place in Palermo. Rockford may have provided a degree of security and stability that wasn't available in Aragona at the time.

What is interesting is you don't see Aragona show up in other US mafia families. DiGiacomo of Boston (and possibly Caruana) are an exception. San Giuseppe Jato shows up in various families, but Aragona has a highly specific relationship to Rockford.

--

About the 1980 report that refers to Rockford figures meeting with Milwaukee and New Jersey leaders. This is likely intel from the Donnie Brasco investigation and New Jersey would refer to Tony Riela. Wasn't there something in Donnie Brasco where Lefty says the Rockford members even came to NYC to meet with Bonanno figures as part of the introduction process?

[Antiliar]

Thanks Anti. Do you think the old man was still active at the time and received income from the US? Btw, was Morgano another possible connection in Italy? Do we know what year Morgano died?

April 1971. He was buried in Indiana and can be found at Findagrave:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/195 ... as-morgano

The date on the gravestone is off by several days. According to the newspaper report from April 15, 1971, he died the previous week.

[cavita]

Excellent info, Cavita and Snakes.

So the Caruana name does show up among the Sicilian element in Rockford via Aragona. Lends itself to the idea that Salvatore Caruana (though American-born) of Boston may have been Aragonese. His mother was a Zambito which is a name that shows up in Aragona.

The bit about the Sicilian mafia confusion is interesting, as some of it might have simply been the FBI's limited understanding/knowledge about the relationship between the US and Sicilian mafia at the time. The older Sicilian-turned-American members of Rockford would likely have seen no distinction between membership, only distinction when it came to affiliation. If they inducted Sicilians or allowed them to transfer, the Sicilians would have been members of the Rockford family. Seems there would be incentive to maintain that organization, not simply become a "cell", something I don't believe has ever happened to an existing mafia family and would be counterintuitive.'

Consider Vincenzo Troia's presence in Rockford in the 1920s and early 1930s -- he had been the rappresentante of San Giuseppe Jato and his compaesani in Rockford would have known and recognized him. Some of those men were still alive in later decades and it's clear the Aragona element maintained ties to the Sicilian mafia, plus NYC-based Sicilian mafioso Pino Ganci from San Giuseppe Jato made calls to the Rockford area. Rockford appears to have been a heavily Sicilian group from formation throughout their duration, with Americanization not completely stopping those ties.

We also need more info on the state of the Aragona cosca at the time of these immigrations. Biagio DiGiacomo allegedly left Aragona because of internecine warfare that killed his relatives. I've been able to find relatively little on the warfare in Aragona -- the Agrigento conflicts are often overshadowed by what took place in Palermo. Rockford may have provided a degree of security and stability that wasn't available in Aragona at the time.

What is interesting is you don't see Aragona show up in other US mafia families. DiGiacomo of Boston (and possibly Caruana) are an exception. San Giuseppe Jato shows up in various families, but Aragona has a highly specific relationship to Rockford.


About the 1980 report that refers to Rockford figures meeting with Milwaukee and New Jersey leaders. This is likely intel from the Donnie Brasco investigation and New Jersey would refer to Tony Riela. Wasn't there something in Donnie Brasco where Lefty says the Rockford members even came to NYC to meet with Bonanno figures as part of the introduction process?

@B.

I wasn't aware Pino Ganci called Rockford at all but it's not surprising to me given there are a ton of redacted phone numbers Buscemi was calling and receiving calls from. I don't recall ever seeing Rockford guys traveling to NYC or NJ but in the 1970s there was a newspaper expose that stated in return for allowing east coast Mafia families to operate in the porn business in Rockford, Rockford in turn was allowed to operate schemes out there.
I too am interested in the names involved in the Aragona conflict which could shed light on a lot of things. Do you know what time period this covered?

[Villain]

Thanks Anti. Do you think the old man was still active at the time and received income from the US? Btw, was Morgano another possible connection in Italy? Do we know what year Morgano died?

April 1971. He was buried in Indiana and can be found at Findagrave:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/195 ... as-morgano

The date on the gravestone is off by several days. According to the newspaper report from April 15, 1971, he died the previous week.

Thanks a lot Anti. So it is obvious that Morgano wasnt one of Accardo's friends in Italy at the time so I wonder who were the other guys besides Roberto....

[cavita]

So this FBI file from 1991 talks about a CI who knew something was up with the Sicilians in Rockford but knew about them from the gambling end and not the narcotics angle. He goes on to say they can bring heat down whenever they want; either law enforcement cooperation to bust non-sanctioned games or "muscle" on people who don't pay. The CI also refers to big games in Crystal Lake, Itasca, Kenosha and Lake County clearly pointing to Outfit sponsored games.
Snakes and Villian- either of you know who may have been running those games for the Outfit in 1991?

[Snakes]

So this FBI file from 1991 talks about a CI who knew something was up with the Sicilians in Rockford but knew about them from the gambling end and not the narcotics angle. He goes on to say they can bring heat down whenever they want; either law enforcement cooperation to bust non-sanctioned games or "muscle" on people who don't pay. The CI also refers to big games in Crystal Lake, Itasca, Kenosha and Lake County clearly pointing to Outfit sponsored games.
Snakes and Villian- either of you know who may have been running those games for the Outfit in 1991?

Lake County belonged to Ferriola and Infelise but that crew was decimated by the 1990 indictment. It may have been an opportunity for other guys to move into that area but that's just a guess on my part.

[Patrickgold]

So this FBI file from 1991 talks about a CI who knew something was up with the Sicilians in Rockford but knew about them from the gambling end and not the narcotics angle. He goes on to say they can bring heat down whenever they want; either law enforcement cooperation to bust non-sanctioned games or "muscle" on people who don't pay. The CI also refers to big games in Crystal Lake, Itasca, Kenosha and Lake County clearly pointing to Outfit sponsored games.
Snakes and Villian- either of you know who may have been running those games for the Outfit in 1991?

I would have to check but I would put money on it that Mike Posner would be running those games in at least Lake County. I’m not sure if he was in jail in 1991. I think he was out but let me confirm.

[Patrickgold]

Just looked it up. Michael Posner was released in 1992 so you can scratch him off the list

[B.]

@B.

I wasn't aware Pino Ganci called Rockford at all but it's not surprising to me given there are a ton of redacted phone numbers Buscemi was calling and receiving calls from. I don't recall ever seeing Rockford guys traveling to NYC or NJ but in the 1970s there was a newspaper expose that stated in return for allowing east coast Mafia families to operate in the porn business in Rockford, Rockford in turn was allowed to operate schemes out there.
I too am interested in the names involved in the Aragona conflict which could shed light on a lot of things. Do you know what time period this covered?

I should double-check Ganci's phone records when I come across them again, so don't quote me on it yet, but I distinctly remember a phone call or two placed from his pizzeria to Illinois, specifically near the Rockford area. Frank Polizzi was married to a Ganci relative and Polizzi in turn was said to be a nephew of Tony Riela, so all of these San Giuseppe Jato guys could have had a Rockford connection through Riela.

I wonder too if San Giuseppe Jato boss Nino Salamone had contact with Rockford during his time in the US. I see you have Salamones listed with the Rockford family but from Aragona, so likely no connection.

--

The DiGiacomo and Caramazza families were at war in Aragona, and in some kind of Romeo and Juliet situation, Biagio married a Caramazza. Biagio was under investigation for participation in murders related to the war but some time after settling in the US he was dropped from the investigation by the Italian magistrate. There must have been more surnames involved but it is very hard to research as Aragona is obscure.

Timeline of the war would be late 1960s, as Biagio DiGiacomo came to the US in 1970 supposedly on the heels of his relatives being murdered. I was told his relatives were killed on or around Christmas, though haven't been able to confirm. If true, I'm not sure if that would mean Christmas 1969 or earlier. I'm under the impression DiGiacomo left Sicily with some degree of urgency, so something similar may have played out with the Rockford DiGiacomos.

DiGiacomo claimed to an undercover agent he didn't get involved in drugs due to his "family" and "reputation" -- I don't know if he meant his blood family or the Patriarca family. Either way it was nonsene as he got involved in cocaine dealing. If he was connected to Salvatore Caruana before Caruana disappeared, drugs would have been a fact of life.

[cavita]

@B.

I wasn't aware Pino Ganci called Rockford at all but it's not surprising to me given there are a ton of redacted phone numbers Buscemi was calling and receiving calls from. I don't recall ever seeing Rockford guys traveling to NYC or NJ but in the 1970s there was a newspaper expose that stated in return for allowing east coast Mafia families to operate in the porn business in Rockford, Rockford in turn was allowed to operate schemes out there.
I too am interested in the names involved in the Aragona conflict which could shed light on a lot of things. Do you know what time period this covered?

I should double-check Ganci's phone records when I come across them again, so don't quote me on it yet, but I distinctly remember a phone call or two placed from his pizzeria to Illinois, specifically near the Rockford area. Frank Polizzi was married to a Ganci relative and Polizzi in turn was said to be a nephew of Tony Riela, so all of these San Giuseppe Jato guys could have had a Rockford connection through Riela.

I wonder too if San Giuseppe Jato boss Nino Salamone had contact with Rockford during his time in the US. I see you have Salamones listed with the Rockford family but from Aragona, so likely no connection.

--

The DiGiacomo and Caramazza families were at war in Aragona, and in some kind of Romeo and Juliet situation, Biagio married a Caramazza. Biagio was under investigation for participation in murders related to the war but some time after settling in the US he was dropped from the investigation by the Italian magistrate. There must have been more surnames involved but it is very hard to research as Aragona is obscure.

Timeline of the war would be late 1960s, as Biagio DiGiacomo came to the US in 1970 supposedly on the heels of his relatives being murdered. I was told his relatives were killed on or around Christmas, though haven't been able to confirm. If true, I'm not sure if that would mean Christmas 1969 or earlier. I'm under the impression DiGiacomo left Sicily with some degree of urgency, so something similar may have played out with the Rockford DiGiacomos.

DiGiacomo claimed to an undercover agent he didn't get involved in drugs due to his "family" and "reputation" -- I don't know if he meant his blood family or the Patriarca family. Either way it was nonsene as he got involved in cocaine dealing. If he was connected to Salvatore Caruana before Caruana disappeared, drugs would have been a fact of life.

This is all good info. It could explain the huge influx of Aragonesi to Rockford starting in the late 1960s. There have never been anyone immigrate to Rockford with the name Caramazza however. Interestingly Rockford had a huge wave of people from Marsala with most of them settling in Beloit, Wisconsin and South Beloit, Illinois.

[cavita]

A couple more files noting a Sicilian Mafia group operating out of Rockford having strong ties to the mafia in Agrigento Province and that they are importing heroin through Canada. This would lend strong argument that they were contacting members of the Rizzuto family organization. There were many phone calls notes going to and from Canada by those in the Rockford LCN and there are still many Sicilians in Rockford that have family members living in Canada.

[FriendofFamily]

Rockford is still involved in Gambling - low key stuff - opening small businesses and just as many little cash businesses as they can do around the area of Rockford towards Chicago suburbs.

[cavita]

I wanted to thank everyone for their input on this topic as it's given me different avenues to consider and different ways to look at what was happening there as it seems the family transitioned in the 1980s. My original thought at the beginning of the post was to show that just because there wasn't a high level of indictments regarding the family, it wasn't indicative of their activity. Their illegal activity actually seemed to increase in the 1970s after a relatively quiet beginning to the decade and the 1980s showed an increase in their diversity- at least three bombings in the 80s and one in the 90s. Extortion, intimidation, gambling, narcotics, political corruption, pornography, infiltration of legitimate business, etc. I'm still at odds as to why the FBI dropped them off the list of viable families in the 1980s when they had young Sicilians available and the bureau stated they still had around 20 members in the mid 80s. For now, I'll have to assume it was because they were lumped in with the Chicago family or was considered a crew of theirs.

[Patrickgold]

I wanted to thank everyone for their input on this topic as it's given me different avenues to consider and different ways to look at what was happening there as it seems the family transitioned in the 1980s. My original thought at the beginning of the post was to show that just because there wasn't a high level of indictments regarding the family, it wasn't indicative of their activity. Their illegal activity actually seemed to increase in the 1970s after a relatively quiet beginning to the decade and the 1980s showed an increase in their diversity- at least three bombings in the 80s and one in the 90s. Extortion, intimidation, gambling, narcotics, political corruption, pornography, infiltration of legitimate business, etc. I'm still at odds as to why the FBI dropped them off the list of viable families in the 1980s when they had young Sicilians available and the bureau stated they still had around 20 members in the mid 80s. For now, I'll have to assume it was because they were lumped in with the Chicago family or was considered a crew of theirs.

Cavita, saw this video on Rockford and was wondering if you have seen it. It’s about gangs in Rockford put a couple of Iasparras are mentioned in it. The state attorney and the sheriff. Interesting video

https://youtu.be/-EGK4gGtz44