What do We Know about the Newark Family?

[B.]

I did some research on NK 1827-C and he was Camillo 'Bill' Molinaro (1913-1983), from NJ and related to the Limandris, who claimed he was a Cleveland soldier that later went on loan to the Decavalcante family (some sources says it was the other way around). According to Molinaro he was sponsored into the Cleveland family by Joe LiMandri.

Bob Buccino belived Molinaro was made but I'am sort of sceptical, maybe somebody that knows the Cleveland family can tell if it's true or not.

Don't know enough about Cleveland to comment on Molinaro's membership but great work identifying him. I've always wondered who that NJ source was. The DeCavalcantes did have a tie-in to Cleveland much later through boxing but that's all I'm aware of despite both Families having Agrigento roots.

If Joe LiMandri did sponsor Molinaro into Cleveland it's similar to John Misuraca sponsoring three members into the San Jose Family despite being a Colombo member.

I saw that too, the wedding witness thing. TBH, I may be missing something, but I don't see what connects him to the D'Aquila/Gambino family even though he's listed as a member. Here's some more information I found on LiMandri:

To sum it up, LiMandri lived just outside of Newark. He was involved with Riela and Accardi. His relatives were involved with guys who had ties to ex-Newark members.

Would be worth digging into whether a source specifically ID'd LiMandri as a Gambino member as it's been taken for granted he was with them.

He was a Palermitano close to Gambino members Joe Riccobono (Pinzolo's brother-in-law) and Michael Pecoraro, so he would fit the pattern of Gambino membership but among his circle we can see the Riccobonos intermarried with a Lucchese leader and Pecoraro's father was boss of the Lucchese/Genovese Family before they split so it's not cut and dry. The Luccheses had members from Palermo citta too.

Along with my question about whether Newark had NYC-based members (the FBI report citing Gentile's info on Troia/D'Amico calls Newark a "New York - New Jersey" Family), we're also in the dark about how many NYC Family members lived in New Jersey while Newark was active. We have very early examples like Ignazio's John Lupo who lived in NJ and was certainly a Gambino member but we don't know if the Newark Family existed that early or what the jurisdictional politics were like in Newark.

[JoelTurner]

He was a Palermitano close to Gambino members Joe Riccobono (Pinzolo's brother-in-law) and Michael Pecoraro, so he would fit the pattern of Gambino membership but among his circle we can see the Riccobonos intermarried with a Lucchese leader and Pecoraro's father was boss of the Lucchese/Genovese Family before they split so it's not cut and dry.

I think he was related to Pecoraro too, it makes sense why people categorized him as a Gambino member.

1) Could Pinzolo have been with the Gambino family first before becoming boss of the Luccheses?

2) When was Pecoraro‘s father a boss? I thought it was LoMonte, Loiacano, and Terranova between Morello’s arrest and Masseria taking over.

LiMandri could have been in either family. I can’t see any interactions between him and any Gambino members after.

Newark had NYC-based members (the FBI report citing Gentile's info on Troia/D'Amico calls Newark a "New York - New Jersey" Family)

My guess is that they did have some people in NYC but I doubt that’s what Gentile meant, I think he was referring to the metro area.

How much did he know about New Jersey anyway? I don’t remember him mentioning the Elizabeth family and he didn’t know what happened in Newark.

The Buia brothers seemed to be in the same circle as the Ex-Newark guys even though they’re not explicitly listed as members.

- Matildo Buia: Lived on 203 Prince St., Manhattan

- Angelo Buia: Lived on 710 Lexington Ave., Manhattan

[B.]

I know CC/Antiliar have floated the possibility that Pinzolo may have been with the Gambinos and switched to take over the Luccheses, similar to the idea that Mineo switched from boss of the Colombos to become boss of the Gambinos, but there's no intel on it beyond his association. Pinzolo was close to Terenzio Armone (Joe and Steve's father), Joe Riccobono, and Marco LiMandri, but everyone in that part of Manhattan associated regardless of formal affiliation (which is why the FBN just called them the "Mulberry Mob").

His hometown also gives us little to go on given Caltanissetta is rare in NYC and appears randomly in NYC Families, not part of the larger compaesani patterns that formed the Families. He arrived to Pittston where he had relatives, which makes sense, and associated with Calabrian gangsters when he first arrived in NYC.

--

I think you're right Pecoraro wasn't the boss, I was thinking of Loiacano whose mother was a Pecoraro and killed during the same period. CC/Antiliar/Lennert did identify Pecoraro as a high-ranking Morello (Genovese/Lucchese) member under Loiacano.

Unfortunately we don't know if Gentile specified that Newark was a "New York - New Jersey Family", if the FBI had other intel suggesting that, or if they were simply saying the Newark Family existed in the NYC-NJ metro area. However, LCNBios said Gaspare D'Amico had close ties to the Downtown Brooklyn element of the Colombo Family.

We also know from the DeCarlo tapes and George Fresolone the NJ-based members of New York / Philly Families had rackets and partnerships in NYC and hung out there frequently and there was no jurisdictional issue. The DeCavalcantes had many members in NYC as well (and likely originated there in some form), so it's not accurate to describe them only as an the "Elizabeth" or "NJ" Family either and that could indicate Newark operated similarly.

Another part of this is Empire Yeast which included high-ranking members located in NJ and NYC (and elsewhere), though we don't know positively whether these NJ members (John Cappello Sr. and Antonio Paterno) were Newark or Gambino members at the time.

[PolackTony]

Where was Paternò from?

Catania in Italy

Catania City or another comune in the province? There was an Antonio Paternò who was a personal associate of Tony Accardo in Chicago. He was a huge wine importer who Italian LE believed was working with Sicilian mafia members in Italy. From Vizzini, Catania.

I have (the aptly named) Antonio Paternò born in 1893 in the comune of Paternò, Catania province.

[JoelTurner]

I know CC/Antiliar have floated the possibility that Pinzolo may have been with the Gambinos and switched to take over the Luccheses, similar to the idea that Mineo switched from boss of the Colombos to become boss of the Gambinos, but there's no intel on it beyond his association.

It’s possible either way. I know the Luccheses had a crew on Prince St., Pinzolo could have been the captain of that crew and simply hung out with D’Aquila men in his neighborhood before becoming boss.

Off topic, but I was wondering why didn’t Lucky Luciano land up with the D’Aquila family? He was from Palermo and lived in an area where they were present. Plus, he was Joe Biondo’s roommate.

. However, LCNBios said Gaspare D'Amico had close ties to the Downtown Brooklyn element of the Colombo Family.

Who was the downtown Brooklyn element?

The DeCavalcantes had many members in NYC as well (and likely originated there in some form)

They originated in NYC? So they started out in NYC and moved to NJ? Why would they do that?

[JoelTurner]

Where was Paternò from?

Catania in Italy

Catania City or another comune in the province? There was an Antonio Paternò who was a personal associate of Tony Accardo in Chicago. He was a huge wine importer who Italian LE believed was working with Sicilian mafia members in Italy. From Vizzini, Catania.

I have (the aptly named) Antonio Paternò born in 1893 in the comune of Paternò, Catania province.

I’m confused. Was Paterno from Vizzini or from Paterno?

Are we talking about two separate people or was the NJ-Gambino member also a wine importer close to Tony Accardo?

[B.]

Off topic, but I was wondering why didn’t Lucky Luciano land up with the D’Aquila family? He was from Palermo and lived in an area where they were present. Plus, he was Joe Biondo’s roommate.

As publicized as Luciano's story is we don't know which Morello members he may have associated with when he was first starting out and his hometown would lend itself to the Morello Family but that could be coincidental. Luciano must have been record with someone early on that paved his way into that Family.

Who was the downtown Brooklyn element?

LCNBios wrote South Brooklyn, not Downtown like I said, but all I know is the reference here: https://lcnbios.blogspot.com/2019/08/co ... -1957.html

They originated in NYC? So they started out in NYC and moved to NJ? Why would they do that?

I can't state it as an absolute fact but the first colony from Ribera was in Manhattan in the early 1890s at least 15 years before Riberesi began settling in Elizabeth and even then it was years before the colony was fully established in NJ. Many of them moved from Manhattan to NJ.

They may have been a small NYC-based Family that was overlooked (as they were for much of their history before the 1960s) or part of one of the NYC Families (i.e. Gambinos). The lore that they were one of the first Families could lend itself to them originating in this NYC Ribera colony but we don't have contemporary sources from the early era to confirm.

The only reference Gentile made is when he refers to Phil Amari going to Italy to visit Luciano and Adonis much later. He doesn't identify his Riberese friend Cucuzzella as a made member but he lived in NYC and was a cousin of a DeCavalcante member.

[PolackTony]

Where was Paternò from?

Catania in Italy

Catania City or another comune in the province? There was an Antonio Paternò who was a personal associate of Tony Accardo in Chicago. He was a huge wine importer who Italian LE believed was working with Sicilian mafia members in Italy. From Vizzini, Catania.

I have (the aptly named) Antonio Paternò born in 1893 in the comune of Paternò, Catania province.

I’m confused. Was Paterno from Vizzini or from Paterno?

Are we talking about two separate people or was the NJ-Gambino member also a wine importer close to Tony Accardo?

The NJ Paternò was born in Paternò, Catania. The Chicago Paternò was born in Vizzini, Catania.

Two separate guys, looks unlikely that they’d have been related either.

[JoelTurner]

(https://books.google.ca/books?id=VTAxea ... &q&f=false)

Marco and Joseph moved to California in the late 1940s after being released from prison. Marco's grandson, also named Marco, took over a porn operation from a Pasquale John Antonelli who was from Newark. [P.58-61]

(https://books.google.ca/books?id=Y4H5u1 ... &q&f=false)

This Antonelli is listed as an LCN member but they don't say which family. What really popped out to me were his associates Thomas and Vincent Campisi.

(https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/lv ... =142140795)

I’m pretty sure that this is Pasquale John Antonelli. According to his obituary, he born in June 1933 making him too young to have been a part of the Newark Family.

(https://nypost.com/2021/09/25/the-sopra ... amily/amp/)

According to the NY Post, he got into to a shootout with Richie Boiardo’s son Tony.

[JoelTurner]

Where was Paternò from?

Catania in Italy

Catania City or another comune in the province? There was an Antonio Paternò who was a personal associate of Tony Accardo in Chicago. He was a huge wine importer who Italian LE believed was working with Sicilian mafia members in Italy. From Vizzini, Catania.

I have (the aptly named) Antonio Paternò born in 1893 in the comune of Paternò, Catania province.

I’m confused. Was Paterno from Vizzini or from Paterno?

Are we talking about two separate people or was the NJ-Gambino member also a wine importer close to Tony Accardo?

The NJ Paternò was born in Paternò, Catania. The Chicago Paternò was born in Vizzini, Catania.

Two separate guys, looks unlikely that they’d have been related either.

Do you know if there were any other wiseguys from Paternò, Catania who lived in NJ/NYC? Maybe that could give us an idea of people whom he could have known.

I hadn't heard of the place before, not that I'm well-versed in Italian geography, so I'm guessing it wasn't a big place. Wikipedia says it has like 48 000 people today.

[JoelTurner]

Here's some stuff on Carmine Battaglia:

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(https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... elPageId=3)

Informant NY 3586-C-TE, who was with Tommy Eboli (P.5), met Battaglia with Nicholas Belangi, Perry Fishman from Philadelphia and Jack Grill. Battaglia said that he could always be contacted at Sorrento's restaurant in Newark

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(https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... lPageId=27)

Angelo DeCarlo tells Anthony Russo that Carmine Battaglia saved Antonio Caponigro after he had a conflict with Jerry Catena and Richie Boiardo

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(https://www.archives.gov/files/research ... 291138.pdf)

Pasquale Novia, an 80 year old, is said to be a member of the Essex County Hunting and Fishing club which is operated by Battaglia.

Battaglia's usually listed as a captain (either Genovese or Philadelphia), but I haven't seen people identified as his crew. If he had old sleepers like this, it makes sense that they wouldn't be well known.

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(https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... lPageId=36)

James DelGrosso was killed by one of Boiardo's men after a dispute at the Essex County Hunting and Fishing club which was a hangout spot for Battaglia and Tony Accardi. Who's Tony Accardi?

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(https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... elPageId=4)

Angelo DeCarlo says that the above incident was the first time Battaglia had opened a gambling spot and that he has had a lot of people killed.

Tony Boiardo says that Gene Catena says that Caponigro and Battaglia are closer than people think.

DeCarlo implies that Angelo Bruno is not Battaglia's boss. This likely makes him a Genovese member.

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(https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... lPageId=15)

NK-T2 and NK-T3 listed Battaglia as a possible capo in the Philadelphia family. NK-T3 similarly listed Thomas Campisi

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[Eld]

Some background on Molinaro by Bob Buccino:

[PolackTony]

Where was Paternò from?

Catania in Italy

Catania City or another comune in the province? There was an Antonio Paternò who was a personal associate of Tony Accardo in Chicago. He was a huge wine importer who Italian LE believed was working with Sicilian mafia members in Italy. From Vizzini, Catania.

I have (the aptly named) Antonio Paternò born in 1893 in the comune of Paternò, Catania province.

I’m confused. Was Paterno from Vizzini or from Paterno?

Are we talking about two separate people or was the NJ-Gambino member also a wine importer close to Tony Accardo?

The NJ Paternò was born in Paternò, Catania. The Chicago Paternò was born in Vizzini, Catania.

Two separate guys, looks unlikely that they’d have been related either.

Do you know if there were any other wiseguys from Paternò, Catania who lived in NJ/NYC? Maybe that could give us an idea of people whom he could have known.

I hadn't heard of the place before, not that I'm well-versed in Italian geography, so I'm guessing it wasn't a big place. Wikipedia says it has like 48 000 people today.

It’s a good question, I’m just not in the position to have that kind of comprehensive grasp of the ancestry of the NY-area families’ membership. There was likely a couple of other Catanesi (people from Catania province) scattered around, but in general, there were few US LCN members from Catania province. The mafia was a phenomenon that originated in Western and Central Sicily, and only seems to have really spread into Catania in the 20th century (per later Catania mafia turncoat Antonino Calderone’s account). A guy like NJ Antonio Paternò, thus, may have had no deeper links to the mafia and fell in with them in the US simply due to his shared Sicilian ancestry, unless he was connected back in Sicily to Palermo or another area of traditional mafia activity.

[B.]

Re: Battaglia, even ranking members in Newark were sometimes confused about NJ-based guys' membership.

For example there's a tape where DeCarlo and Pussy Russo debate whether Pizzolato and Dolasco are with the Lucchese or Gambino Family, with Russo insisting they're Gambino members.

Personally I believe Battaglia was a soldier in the Genovese Family who operated somewhat autonomously (like his friends the Campisis) which led to confusion.

[JoelTurner]

Personally I believe Battaglia was a soldier in the Genovese Family who operated somewhat autonomously (like his friends the Campisis) which led to confusion.

I agree with you the more that I look at it.

To speculate on what crew he would have belonged to, I think he would have been under Boiardo. The restaurant that he mentioned to NY 3586-C-TE, Sorrento's, saying that he could always be contacted there, was run by Boiardo.

(https://newarksattic.blog/2016/03/27/vi ... nt-page-1/)
“He [Tony Boiardo] later managed the Sorrento Restaurant, another North Ward eating hall built by the Boot after the Vittorio closed in 1952.”

My guess is that Battaglia, Campisi, and probably some old-timer sleepers were under Boiardo but were afforded a lot of autonomy.

I can’t find anything on the Essex Hunting and Fishing club but I think that could provide some clues.