Harlem 1930s-1970s

[B.]

It's not just fair to say the Corleonese were big there, it's a fact. A lot of Sicilians and Italians were there early on but the Corleonese maintained a strong presence there for many years and the identity of the Morello Family was based around Harlem for many years, with these roots still showing in the Lucchese and Genovese Families once they split off.

[quadtree]

It's not just fair to say the Corleonese were big there, it's a fact. A lot of Sicilians and Italians were there early on but the Corleonese maintained a strong presence there for many years and the identity of the Morello Family was based around Harlem for many years, with these roots still showing in the Lucchese and Genovese Families once they split off.

Harlem was the stronghold of the Corleonesi, and this is where they came, but subsequently the migration seems to have almost stopped. Why do you think? Later migrants are known from Trapani, Palermo, Agrigento, but not from Corleone. Could events in the Corleonesi family (murder of Michele Navarra, etc.) influence the cessation of ties between the United States and the Sicilian Corleonesi?

By the way, I’ve been wanting to ask you for a long time. Many have noticed the similarity between the surnames of Gaetano Reina and Toto Riina, but is there evidence of a relationship between them? Thanks in advance for your answer.

[B.]

Yeah, based on Justin Cascio's research it looks like Toto Riina and Tom Reina were related, second cousins once removed. Some of Reina's relatives also used the Riina spelling.

Angelo and I discussed that years ago, how even though the Corleonese presence was still strong in the Luccheses for decades we don't see many Corleonese "zips" or those kinds of relationships even though there was still relation and connections on both sides of the ocean. I don't think we can pinpoint a single reason for it but it's strange given most of the other hardline Western Sicilian paesani groups utilized those connections.

[Don_Peppino]

Angelo and I discussed that years ago, how even though the Corleonese presence was still strong in the Luccheses for decades we don't see many Corleonese "zips" or those kinds of relationships even though there was still relation and connections on both sides of the ocean. I don't think we can pinpoint a single reason for it but it's strange given most of the other hardline Western Sicilian paesani groups utilized those connections.

Were the Gagliano/Lucchese clans prominent in Corleone like the other networks? It's possible that Gagliano had a bigger influence on drawing from that well than Lucchese. Not enough known on Gagliano and I've never looked into the extent of Tommy Brown's Corleone connections

[Don_Peppino]

Question:
With Harlem being such a Corleonesi stronghold, how did the Luciano Family come to dominate the area (as far as the rackets)? At least it appears that way. Wouldn't the Gagliano/Lucchese's have had a headstart? Was Ciro Terranova not apart of the same Corleone network?

[quadtree]

Question:
With Harlem being such a Corleonesi stronghold, how did the Luciano Family come to dominate the area (as far as the rackets)? At least it appears that way. Wouldn't the Gagliano/Lucchese's have had a headstart? Was Ciro Terranova not apart of the same Corleone network?

The Luciano family was able to dominate this territory because it itself included Corleonesi elements, the same ones that formed the core of the Morello family. Ciro Terranova and Giuseppe Morello himself were co-founders of the Masseria family/Luciano family/Genovese family, it was the attempt of Morello and his brothers to seize power in the Morello family after Morello's return from prison that led to a civil war in the family, and subsequently those who were Morello loyalists formed the Masseria family. Some of the Corleonesi in Harlem joined the Masseria family, and Ciro Terranova was appointed captain over this crew. That is, whoever was in power here in the 1900s remained in the 1920s, but the family began to be called differently. The people are about the same.

[B.]

Angelo and I discussed that years ago, how even though the Corleonese presence was still strong in the Luccheses for decades we don't see many Corleonese "zips" or those kinds of relationships even though there was still relation and connections on both sides of the ocean. I don't think we can pinpoint a single reason for it but it's strange given most of the other hardline Western Sicilian paesani groups utilized those connections.

Were the Gagliano/Lucchese clans prominent in Corleone like the other networks? It's possible that Gagliano had a bigger influence on drawing from that well than Lucchese. Not enough known on Gagliano and I've never looked into the extent of Tommy Brown's Corleone connections

Lucchese was from Palermo proper not Corleone so Lucchese's connections would have only been through his associates in the US.

[Don_Peppino]

Lucchese was from Palermo proper not Corleone so Lucchese's connections would have only been through his associates in the US.
[/quote

Lightbulb monent on the Gambino/Lucchese alliance

[Don_Peppino]

Lightbulb moment on the Gambino/Lucchese alliance

[Don_Peppino]

Question:
With Harlem being such a Corleonesi stronghold, how did the Luciano Family come to dominate the area (as far as the rackets)? At least it appears that way. Wouldn't the Gagliano/Lucchese's have had a headstart? Was Ciro Terranova not apart of the same Corleone network?

The Luciano family was able to dominate this territory because it itself included Corleonesi elements, the same ones that formed the core of the Morello family. Ciro Terranova and Giuseppe Morello himself were co-founders of the Masseria family/Luciano family/Genovese family, it was the attempt of Morello and his brothers to seize power in the Morello family after Morello's return from prison that led to a civil war in the family, and subsequently those who were Morello loyalists formed the Masseria family. Some of the Corleonesi in Harlem joined the Masseria family, and Ciro Terranova was appointed captain over this crew. That is, whoever was in power here in the 1900s remained in the 1920s, but the family began to be called differently. The people are about the same.

I know that the moblore says that Terranova was demoted for an alledged cowardice as a getaway driver during a hit and subsequently to take control of the artichoke business but do we know it ethno-politics played a part in his lose of power as well? Was the 116th street crew Corleonese dominated during Trigger Mike Coppola's reign as caporegime?

[Brovelli]

Question:
With Harlem being such a Corleonesi stronghold, how did the Luciano Family come to dominate the area (as far as the rackets)? At least it appears that way. Wouldn't the Gagliano/Lucchese's have had a headstart? Was Ciro Terranova not apart of the same Corleone network?

The Luciano family was able to dominate this territory because it itself included Corleonesi elements, the same ones that formed the core of the Morello family. Ciro Terranova and Giuseppe Morello himself were co-founders of the Masseria family/Luciano family/Genovese family, it was the attempt of Morello and his brothers to seize power in the Morello family after Morello's return from prison that led to a civil war in the family, and subsequently those who were Morello loyalists formed the Masseria family. Some of the Corleonesi in Harlem joined the Masseria family, and Ciro Terranova was appointed captain over this crew. That is, whoever was in power here in the 1900s remained in the 1920s, but the family began to be called differently. The people are about the same.

I know that the moblore says that Terranova was demoted for an alledged cowardice as a getaway driver during a hit and subsequently to take control of the artichoke business but do we know it ethno-politics played a part in his lose of power as well? Was the 116th street crew Corleonese dominated during Trigger Mike Coppola's reign as caporegime?

I'm reading Valachi's stuff now and just read around that time period. I think Terranova still held power for a while after the murder event. Dutch Schultz was with him and they held huge power in the numbers. Schultz was killed 1935 and Terranova died I think 1936 maybe. The numbers I believe ended up being with Fat Tony eventually so I guess it stayed with that crew. Not sure what politics led to Schultz murder and Terranova being taken down

[Brovelli]

Question:
With Harlem being such a Corleonesi stronghold, how did the Luciano Family come to dominate the area (as far as the rackets)? At least it appears that way. Wouldn't the Gagliano/Lucchese's have had a headstart? Was Ciro Terranova not apart of the same Corleone network?

The Luciano family was able to dominate this territory because it itself included Corleonesi elements, the same ones that formed the core of the Morello family. Ciro Terranova and Giuseppe Morello himself were co-founders of the Masseria family/Luciano family/Genovese family, it was the attempt of Morello and his brothers to seize power in the Morello family after Morello's return from prison that led to a civil war in the family, and subsequently those who were Morello loyalists formed the Masseria family. Some of the Corleonesi in Harlem joined the Masseria family, and Ciro Terranova was appointed captain over this crew. That is, whoever was in power here in the 1900s remained in the 1920s, but the family began to be called differently. The people are about the same.

I'm very uneducated on the Morello civil war as you call it. Was it a faction led by Reina that split from Morello leadership?

[B.]

Lightbulb moment on the Gambino/Lucchese alliance

Along with both being from Palermo, they likely formed their relationship when Gambino lived in the Bronx.

[MichaelGiovanni]

Question:
With Harlem being such a Corleonesi stronghold, how did the Luciano Family come to dominate the area (as far as the rackets)? At least it appears that way. Wouldn't the Gagliano/Lucchese's have had a headstart? Was Ciro Terranova not apart of the same Corleone network?

The Luciano family was able to dominate this territory because it itself included Corleonesi elements, the same ones that formed the core of the Morello family. Ciro Terranova and Giuseppe Morello himself were co-founders of the Masseria family/Luciano family/Genovese family, it was the attempt of Morello and his brothers to seize power in the Morello family after Morello's return from prison that led to a civil war in the family, and subsequently those who were Morello loyalists formed the Masseria family. Some of the Corleonesi in Harlem joined the Masseria family, and Ciro Terranova was appointed captain over this crew. That is, whoever was in power here in the 1900s remained in the 1920s, but the family began to be called differently. The people are about the same.

I'm very uneducated on the Morello civil war as you call it. Was it a faction led by Reina that split from Morello leadership?

I highly recommend giving our own mob archeologists a listen.

https://youtu.be/TIbB4Q6x-f8?si=gyWwlQs2lWklv3C0

This video goes into detail on the split of the Morello/Corleonesi into the Genovese and Lucchese family.

[quadtree]

Question:
With Harlem being such a Corleonesi stronghold, how did the Luciano Family come to dominate the area (as far as the rackets)? At least it appears that way. Wouldn't the Gagliano/Lucchese's have had a headstart? Was Ciro Terranova not apart of the same Corleone network?

The Luciano family was able to dominate this territory because it itself included Corleonesi elements, the same ones that formed the core of the Morello family. Ciro Terranova and Giuseppe Morello himself were co-founders of the Masseria family/Luciano family/Genovese family, it was the attempt of Morello and his brothers to seize power in the Morello family after Morello's return from prison that led to a civil war in the family, and subsequently those who were Morello loyalists formed the Masseria family. Some of the Corleonesi in Harlem joined the Masseria family, and Ciro Terranova was appointed captain over this crew. That is, whoever was in power here in the 1900s remained in the 1920s, but the family began to be called differently. The people are about the same.

I know that the moblore says that Terranova was demoted for an alledged cowardice as a getaway driver during a hit and subsequently to take control of the artichoke business but do we know it ethno-politics played a part in his lose of power as well? Was the 116th street crew Corleonese dominated during Trigger Mike Coppola's reign as caporegime?

I'm not sure about the veracity of the story about the Terranova driver, although I don't rule it out.

After Terranova's demotion, the influence of the Corleonesi in the crew seems to be weakening. The main crew members in the 1960s were not Corleonesi. Fat Tony Salerno was from San Fratello, Messina, Benny Squint Lombardo was apparently from Marsala, Trapani. Joseph Stracci was also from San Fratello, Messina, Frank Livorsi was from Nicosia, Enna. Michael Coppola himself was not Sicilian. However, there were Corleonesi in the crew. This, for example, is the grandfather and namesake of the current Genovese boss, Liborio Bellomo.

The father of Liborio Bellomo, the current boss, Salvatore Bellomo, was probably also a soldier in this crew. He was close to Fat Tony and before he died, he asked him to look after Barney Bellomo. Barney Bellomo was adopted into the family and rose to the rank of captain of the 116th Street crew in a short time. Then he will become the acting boss, and by 2014 the official boss. Bellomo is a Corleonesi, and led a family founded by the Corleonesi.

Bellomo's grandfather, Liborio, was likely related to Morello himself when he was boss. And now this family is headed by the grandson Liborio. I'm not sure if his Corleone origins played a role in Barney Bellomo's rise, but as a rule, young leaders in the mafia have a long history of their family's involvement in mafia affairs. We see many other members with very deep roots in the mafia who achieve high positions. So the Corleonesi, no matter how surprising it may be, have not yet completely disappeared from the Genovese family, although there are very few of them left.