The FBI and the Banana War

[B.]

I agree with the suspicion that the FBI was encouraging Bill Bonanno to keep/gain power in the organization, the extent of their encouragement (and willingness to condone violence) being the question.

Tony Lima's FBI interviews from the 1970s suggest the FBI was encouraging him to reclaim his former position of boss in the family, though in this case it was to fill the void left by the inactive Lanza. There are also indications in Frank Bompensiero's cooperation that the FBI was similarly supporting his ongoing desire to take over or otherwise receive a high-ranking position in LA.

I'd be curious if Harry Riccobene was still cooperating at all when he went to war with Scarfo. Nick Caramandi said he was told by Chucky Merlino that they wanted Riccobene dead in part because he was an FBI informant (which Caramandi didn't believe, but we know it's true). Unlike Rocco Scafidi, I haven't seen any indication Riccobene was still giving info in the 1970s and 80s but that's due to limited access to files from that period.

[davidf1989]

I agree with the suspicion that the FBI was encouraging Bill Bonanno to keep/gain power in the organization, the extent of their encouragement (and willingness to condone violence) being the question.

Tony Lima's FBI interviews from the 1970s suggest the FBI was encouraging him to reclaim his former position of boss in the family, though in this case it was to fill the void left by the inactive Lanza. There are also indications in Frank Bompensiero's cooperation that the FBI was similarly supporting his ongoing desire to take over or otherwise receive a high-ranking position in LA.

I'd be curious if Harry Riccobene was still cooperating at all when he went to war with Scarfo. Nick Caramandi said he was told by Chucky Merlino that they wanted Riccobene dead in part because he was an FBI informant (which Caramandi didn't believe, but we know it's true). Unlike Rocco Scafidi, I haven't seen any indication Riccobene was still giving info in the 1970s and 80s but that's due to limited access to files from that period.

Sonny Mercurio of the Boston LCN was an informant for John Connolly when he set up Salemme to be shot at a pancake house and possibly played a role in the homicide of Billy Grasso.

[JeremyTheJew]

Connolly did things a little different

[JeremyTheJew]

Was Lin devechio accused by the FBI of “switching sides” like Connolly was ? What made the Scarpa situation different is the war even…

I know there was a trial but half the fbi including pistone was supporting Lin

[thekiduknow]

The evidence I saw indicated Bill started talking at the end of December 1964, a few months after his father was kidnapped and still missing. So if Bill was secretly in touch with his father during this period, it's possible they were in cahoots from the start, but I haven't seen any evidence for that.

Turns out the informant who visited Montreal in December 1964 was "NY 4498". Doesn't seem to be much else attributed to him.

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... 98-C-TE%22

[B.]

Could be Bill unless another code was assigned to him. I don't think it's been confirmed what his code was and he must have had one given how much he shared. The FBI assigns codes even if someone is a potential informant.

[thekiduknow]

Could be Bill unless another code was assigned to him. I don't think it's been confirmed what his code was and he must have had one given how much he shared. The FBI assigns codes even if someone is a potential informant.

Bills code was NY 4857.

[B.]

Good to know -- thanks.

[dack2001]

Harry was still giving information into the 70's but substantive, I don't know how much if any. If memory serves, he told the FBI that he was afraid of being killed by Frank Sindone upon his impending release from prison in 1975.

[B.]

Excellent discovery.