Montreal FBI report December 1984

[CabriniGreen]

To make short and simple, Sciascia was the official capo of the Bonanno family in Montreal, at least until he got deported, but it was the Rizzutos really in charge.

For your question about the men of Siculiana, I don't see what event you are talking about, do you have more details?

In a nutshell, I guess I was asking, the 20 sicilians, would have been Caruana people, not Nick's own crew?

[CabriniGreen]

Also, just clarifying..... it went to Sciascia after Frank Cotroni?

[motorfab]

As I understand it, the zips were under the supervision of the capo from Montreal, in this case Vic Cotroni at the time, while managing their own businesses. Some people supported Nick, others not at all. Pietro Sciara supported Violi, and lesser known, Leonardo Caruana too.

As for the leadership of Montreal, it is not very clear who was in charge between Violi's murder 1978 and Vic's death in 1984. What is certain is that Frank was never in charge (except perhaps a charge weight )

[thekiduknow]

To make short and simple, Sciascia was the official capo of the Bonanno family in Montreal, at least until he got deported, but it was the Rizzutos really in charge.

For your question about the men of Siculiana, I don't see what event you are talking about, do you have more details?

So, when Sciascia was in NY in the 90s, was he capo of Montreal? Or capo of a different crew?

[motorfab]

To make short and simple, Sciascia was the official capo of the Bonanno family in Montreal, at least until he got deported, but it was the Rizzutos really in charge.

For your question about the men of Siculiana, I don't see what event you are talking about, do you have more details?

So, when Sciascia was in NY in the 90s, was he capo of Montreal? Or capo of a different crew?

He was the official capo of Montreal. After his deportation during the 80's, Giuseppe Lo Presti (killed in 1992) then Valentino Morielli were the liaison between Montreal & Sciascia/NY

[B.]

Great posts, motorfab. Not making it any more complicated than it needs to be, which I appreciate.

I'm sure the two factions in the 1984 FBI report I posted refers to the same arrangement discussed on the Violi tapes, where they referred to the Bonanno decina and the Sicilian mafia faction.

The Bonanno decina included men who were tied to the Sicilian mafia and a select number may have transferred membership (something discussed by Violi). The other faction of Sicilian men of honor in Montreal were not formally Bonanno members but in the Violi tapes were said to have operated under the guidance of the Montreal Bonanno decina, with certain limitations and the potential for a transfer to the Bonannos when openings became available. These transfers might explain how the Bonanno Montreal decina was able to maintain ~20 members when the books were closed. The Sicilians in the Bonanno decina were close to the Sicilian mafia faction in Canada but they did not share the same formal affiliation even though the Sicilian faction was supposed to recognize the Bonanno decina's authority in the area.

This is not fundamentally different from arrangements in NYC at the same time, as the Bonanno family had a faction of Sicilian men of honor in NYC who were basically working under Sal Catalano but were technically members of Sicilian families and not the Bonanno family. Like in Montreal, these men were supposed to obey the Bonanno family's authority even though they weren't members.

The Gambino family had a similar arrangement with men from Palermo -- a select few appear to have transferred to the Nino Inzerillo (and later John Gambino) crew; many retained membership in the Sicilian mafia but were under the umbrella of the Gambino family.

What seems to have happened in Montreal is the Sicilian faction's limitations under Cotroni/Violi were significantly lifted when their friends Sciascia and the Rizzutos took power.

--

However, as Motorfab pointed out, the Sicilians aren't always some monolithic unified force. While there were deep relationships and alliances, not all of these men are always on the same side or committed to the same cause.

If you look at the Montreal war that began a little over a decade ago, we saw Sicilians on both sides of the conflict. Sal Montagna was a "zip" and the son of a Sicilian man of honor, and he was able to recruit Montreal figures with Cattolica Eraclea heritage on his side, against the others from Cattolica Eraclea and Siculiana.

We saw something similar in the mid-2000s in Ontario when the Sicilians Scarcella and Modica were in conflict.

As always, some of these guys get along, some don't, some are indifferent, and some are ambivalent. Relationships change, too. And as always, familiarity breeds contempt.

[antimafia]

btw antimafia & B., I came across this Badalamenti family tree some time ago, if that can help you with Tano's nephews

Thanks for posting, motorfab.

[motorfab]

Anytime, glad to help when I'm able to do it.

[scott22]

Tony Palazzolo was in charge of rackets in Windsor, Ontario for Detroit LCN from the 1980s until he died of stomach cancer in 2019. He most likely killed Jimmy Hoffa (that's what the FBI thinks at least at this moment). He was "made" in the years after Hoffa was clipped (early-to-mid 1980s), given Windsor to run and eventually became capo of Detroit's Downriver crew.

Pal took the Downriver crew from longtime Detroit LCN sleeper power Anthony "Tony Cars" D'Anna, who died of natural causes in 1984.

Tony Randazzo was a made guy. I believe he died in 1995. His brother was "Frankie Rah Rah," who led the Detroit mob's prostitution/peep show rackets before being killed in a hit gone wrong in 1976.

SMB

[scott22]

I think the Detroit mob Windsor, Ontario crew succession went: Cockeyed Joe Catalanotte & Nono Minaudo to Canada Nick Cicchini to "Monkey Sam" Misuraca to Tony Pal: all lorded over by consiglieres and drug barons Papa John Priziola and Jimmy Q.