Excellent find. Taormina is a common Agrigento name -- there are some in the Ribera club in Elizabeth but I don't think any became members. The Bonanno member Joe Taormina was also from an Agrigento background and came up with the Alessandria della Rocca guys. This one being from Siculiana could be connected to Gentile's padrone.
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Thought this was interesting...Gambino member Joe LiCalsi, the Francos, and Arcuris were all neighbors in the same building. An Emanuel Giacobbe also lived in the building, brother of DeCavalcante member Lorenzo Giacobbe and therefore a marital relative of Phil Bacino, etc.
Sal Franco Sr. has never been ID'd as a member but DiLeonardo believes the Francos go back in the Family as long as the Arcuris.
Last edited by B. on Sun Jan 23, 2022 8:45 am, edited 3 times in total.
B. wrote: ↑Sun Jan 23, 2022 7:59 am
Excellent find. Taormina is a common Agrigento name -- there are some in the Ribera club in Elizabeth but I don't think any became members. The Bonanno member Joe Taormina was also from an Agrigento background and came up with the Alessandria della Rocca guys. This one being from Siculiana could be connected to Gentile's padrone.
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Thought this was interesting...Gambino member Joe LiCalsi, the Francos, and Arcuris were all neighbors in the same building. A Giacobbe also lived in the building.
Sal Franco Sr. has never been ID'd as a member but DiLeonardo believes the Francos go back in the Family as long as the Arcuris.
I see Cannella, too, which reminds me that Rockford LCN member Phil Cannella's father was from Siculiana. These connections are dizzying.
There was a Gerlando Sciortino running around NY and Brooklyn in the 1910s. He was from Favara and linked with Clemente, Cusimano and DeLeo. He was affiliated, not sure if he was amico nos or not. I might have his prison record. Cusimano knew the LoCiceros as well.
John DeLeo is guy who I cant find. First there were at least two different John DeLeos linked to the DiLeonardos. But there was also a guy on the Lower East Side who was a member as well, his contacts in 1910 included Cleveland. The ages dont match so unless there was a mistake there might have been 3 John DeLeos in NY who were affiliated in 1900/1910.
I could have a faulty memory here but I want to say the Toarminas were linked to Carmelo Cordaro who assisted Mineo with coming over. Not sure his status, but when the SS asked Clemente if he would testify he said yes but would be in fear for his life as the "Codaro Crowd" was dangerous. They were on Oak St in Brooklyn.
The Giovanni DeLeo (b. 1882) who lived next to the DiLeonardos was a made member according to Michael.
Nicola Gentile's friend Calogero DeLeo (nicknamed "Marittimo") was from Porto Empedocle and his capodecina was Vincenzo LoCicero by the early 1920s. DeLeo also accompanied Ignazio Lupo and Antonino Grillo back from Sicily after Lupo petitioned the Sicilians about his death sentence. Calogero DeLeo had a brother Giovanni who is a match with the DiLeonardo neighbor and the DeLeo brothers traveled together during the same period Calogero was very active in mafia politics -- haven't confirmed but I suspect that's the same Giovanni DeLeo who lived next to the DiLeonardos.
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With Taormina in mind, I find it interesting both Gentile brothers arrived to him. Gentile never confirms or denies Vincenzo Gentile as a member but his other brother Gerlando was likely a mafioso given he moved to Vancouver and his son Giuseppe became the so-called "mafia boss" of Vancouver and was close with the Bonanno Montreal decina. Gerlando Gentile's daughter's son was also active in the Vancouver underworld w/ Gerlando's son Joe.
Nick does say the Colorado Family held a welcoming banquet for both him and his brother Vincenzo. Doesn't mean it was "members only", but they traveled in similar circles. Vincenzo lived in NYC until his death.
- Joe LiCalsi's nephew, also named Joe LiCalsi, is the one who was arrested as a suspect in the 1951 Willie Moretti murder. This nephew was born in Tampa and his brother Ignazio aka "Nelson" was baptismal godfather to Santo Trafficante Jr.'s nephew, the son of Frank Trafficante. As has been mentioned, the Arcuris and Trafficantes stood in as baptismal compari for each other decades earlier.
- The nephew Joe LiCalsi's nickname was "Joe LaSalle/LaSala"... there was a LaSala w/ the DeCavalcantes but JD had him from Santa Ninfa. However, the DeCavalcante Giacobbes (one of whom lived in the same building as the older Joe LiCalsi) were cousins of an older Joe LaSala from Ribera who lived in NYC.
- The Tampa Diecidues' mother was an Arcuri. Don't know the relation, if any, to the Gambino Arcuris but given the Diecidue/Trafficante relation could be something to it.
Nicola Taranto was born c1848 in Sicily and lived in Tunis before arriving in America. His exact place of birth and the names of his parents are currently unknown.
B. wrote: ↑Sun Jan 23, 2022 7:50 pm
The Giovanni DeLeo (b. 1882) who lived next to the DiLeonardos was a made member according to Michael.
Nicola Gentile's friend Calogero DeLeo (nicknamed "Marittimo") was from Porto Empedocle and his capodecina was Vincenzo LoCicero by the early 1920s. DeLeo also accompanied Ignazio Lupo and Antonino Grillo back from Sicily after Lupo petitioned the Sicilians about his death sentence. Calogero DeLeo had a brother Giovanni who is a match with the DiLeonardo neighbor and the DeLeo brothers traveled together during the same period Calogero was very active in mafia politics -- haven't confirmed but I suspect that's the same Giovanni DeLeo who lived next to the DiLeonardos.
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With Taormina in mind, I find it interesting both Gentile brothers arrived to him. Gentile never confirms or denies Vincenzo Gentile as a member but his other brother Gerlando was likely a mafioso given he moved to Vancouver and his son Giuseppe became the so-called "mafia boss" of Vancouver and was close with the Bonanno Montreal decina. Gerlando Gentile's daughter's son was also active in the Vancouver underworld w/ Gerlando's son Joe.
Nick does say the Colorado Family held a welcoming banquet for both him and his brother Vincenzo. Doesn't mean it was "members only", but they traveled in similar circles. Vincenzo lived in NYC until his death.
The "confirmed" John DeLeo:
deleo early gambino member gay part of garafalo crew.PNG
"My" John DiLeo, born 30 years approx before 1913 so 1883, match. But this guy was in Lower Manhattan with ties to Brooklyn. I'm not confidant enough to confirm that the above is the man Clemente reported on here:
dileo.jpg
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Nicola Taranto was born c1848 in Sicily and lived in Tunis before arriving in America. His exact place of birth and the names of his parents are currently unknown.
Chris Christie wrote: ↑Tue Jan 25, 2022 9:42 pm
The "confirmed" John DeLeo:
deleo early gambino member gay part of garafalo crew.PNG
"My" John DiLeo, born 30 years approx before 1913 so 1883, match. But this guy was in Lower Manhattan with ties to Brooklyn. I'm not confidant enough to confirm that the above is the man Clemente reported on here:
dileo.jpg
That leaves the one from Porto Empedocle b. 1882 or 1883 whose brother was D'Aquila member Calogero DeLeo in the Vincenzo LoCicero crew.
Charles LaGaipa was from Porto Empedocle like these DeLeos, so that along with the Lower Manhattan connection narrows it down. Looks like it's most likely Calogero DeLeo's brother Giovanni.
Also makes sense he'd have ties to Cleveland and Sciortino given the Agrigento tie-in.
I wonder where Salvatore Mangiapane was from. I think Charles LaGaipa was Agrigento. I've never seen anything to indicate he was a member but he has a decade long association with the Gambinos, counterfeiting with its members in the 20s and narcotics deals with them in the 30s.
I have to find the D'aquila references, they are few and far between but one mentions his brother in law and implies he was affiliated. The in law might have been connected w LaGaipa and Mangiapane but I dont remember.
And the mention of Cecala brings me back to Comito's letters which provided the basis for the counterfeiting conviction. From a criminal perspective, all men were guilty of the crime, but Comito may have softened his image and hardened theirs to tell the narrative he wanted.
Some red flags-
1) it's not mafia practice to kidnap people against their will and force them to do work for them. I suppose an argument could be made that it was a time of desperation but when you look at Comito's actions it dispels that he was a victim.
2) A Sicilian member tells him he should consider joining the Black Hand. That would be a violation of protocol if it happened.
Which brings me to Cecala. The way he described Cecala telling it, he was a relatively newer addition to the life. It doesnt make sense because the Cecalas were in the USA early and this guy remained associated after he got out. Traina and the Bonanno Benny Gallo are two examples. So perhaps Comitos descriptions should be closer scrutinized.
After the trial, Comito went to retrieve the counterfeit notes and fled to Buenos Aires with his girlfriend while his wife was in Italy.
Chris Christie wrote: ↑Wed Jan 26, 2022 5:12 am
I wonder where Salvatore Mangiapane was from. I think Charles LaGaipa was Agrigento. I've never seen anything to indicate he was a member but he has a decade long association with the Gambinos, counterfeiting with its members in the 20s and narcotics deals with them in the 30s.
I have to find the D'aquila references, they are few and far between but one mentions his brother in law and implies he was affiliated. The in law might have been connected w LaGaipa and Mangiapane but I dont remember.
Mentioned it in the last post but LaGaipa is Porto Empedocle like Calogero and Giovanni DeLeo.
D'Aquila's brother-in-law is probably Calogero Zaccaria unless he had another one involved. Zaccaria was 100% made.
2) A Sicilian member tells him he should consider joining the Black Hand. That would be a violation of protocol if it happened.
Was that Zu Vincenzo"? He said it existed everywhere but Japan. He passed through a few different countries before coming to the US including Japan so guessing there was a presence in the other countries he visited.
