Small families that were never on the FBIs radar

[BeatiPaoli]

To Everyone: I think the question BobbyBats posed for this thread is a good one; I, for one, would like to know more about the Birmingham, Ala., Family alluded to by Bill Bonanno.

But tangential to Bobbybats' question is this: I wonder how many Camorra/Ndrangheta/Sacra Corona Unita members/cells/locales/Families are operating "under the radar" in America at present? It would help if Forgione's book "Mafia Export" would be translated into English and sold here!

Regards,
BeatiPaoli

[Hailbritain]

Detroit have a always pretty much stayed under the radar , the tocco's monopolised organised crime there for years , the only ever had one rat (nove tocco) and pretty much stuck with traditional mob staples . In fact giacomo tocco was prob one of the longest serving mob bosses in the history of the mob , no mean feat in this day and age . The administration has always been well insulated because they set up similar to the genovese family , ruling panels and street bosses . Some say because they have had no indictments since 96 they r pretty much finished . I tend to not believe that , I think they r a viably structured family

[bobbybats]

I am not sure I would consider the Detroit family as a small under the radar family. They were a known family that was under FBI scrutiny. The small families I am interested in are the ones who, and maybe family is not a good choice of words here, operated in small towns with large Italian populations. But mostly operated without law enforcement scrutiny.

[Angelo Santino]

I am not sure I would consider the Detroit family as a small under the radar family. They were a known family that was under FBI scrutiny. The small families I am interested in are the ones who, and maybe family is not a good choice of words here, operated in small towns with large Italian populations. But mostly operated without law enforcement scrutiny.

FBI scrutiny would start in the late 1950's. I don't think there were any non-identified families in the US by that point. Are we talking Mafia affiliation or independent crews of Italian gangs/racketeers?

Before the FBI there was the Top Hoodlum Progran, the FBN and the SS before them.

[bobbybats]

I am not sure I would consider the Detroit family as a small under the radar family. They were a known family that was under FBI scrutiny. The small families I am interested in are the ones who, and maybe family is not a good choice of words here, operated in small towns with large Italian populations. But mostly operated without law enforcement scrutiny.

FBI scrutiny would start in the late 1950's. I don't think there were any non-identified families in the US by that point. Are we talking Mafia affiliation or independent crews of Italian gangs/racketeers?

Before the FBI there was the Top Hoodlum Progran, the FBN and the SS before them.

The example I gave was my Dads hometown of Arma Kansas, and the neighboring towns of Frontnac, Mulberry, Columbas all of the towns were populated by Italians who worked in the coal mines. This area was controlled by a guy named Joe Saia, he was also county commisoner. Joe was suppose to have been made in Sicily as was my grandfather who worked under Saia. They had the usual rackets, booze, whores and gambling. As I said before I am not sure family is an appropriate word but I know they operated for 40 years with zero law enforcement interaction up into the late 80's.

[Wiseguy]

Detroit have a always pretty much stayed under the radar , the tocco's monopolised organised crime there for years , the only ever had one rat (nove tocco) and pretty much stuck with traditional mob staples . In fact giacomo tocco was prob one of the longest serving mob bosses in the history of the mob , no mean feat in this day and age . The administration has always been well insulated because they set up similar to the genovese family , ruling panels and street bosses . Some say because they have had no indictments since 96 they r pretty much finished . I tend to not believe that , I think they r a viably structured family

There was also a bookmaking bust back in 2006. The was the last significant one...significant but Detroit standards anyway. But even that was relatively minor compared to the big 1996 bust which is nearly 20 years ago now.

[JCB1977]

Would Des Moines, Iowa count as a family with Louis Fratto at the helm? San Diego had a crew, I think the guy's name was Frank Bompensaro aka Bomp. Didn't Omaha, NE have something years ago?

[Pogo The Clown]

Des Moines was with Chicago and Omaha was with, I believe, KC. Frank Bompensiero was a Capo with the LA family.


Pogo

[JCB1977]

Des Moines was with Chicago and Omaha was with, I believe, KC. Frank Bompensiero was a Capo with the LA family.


Pogo

I knew Iowa was part of Chicago, but I never heard Omaha was part of KC. Bobbybats, do you have anything on this?

[Pogo The Clown]

I think it was KC. Maybe it was also Chicago (or both). Let me add that LA, Detroit and Chicago were once in San Diego.


Pogo

[bobbybats]

Des Moines was with Chicago and Omaha was with, I believe, KC. Frank Bompensiero was a Capo with the LA family.


Pogo

I knew Iowa was part of Chicago, but I never heard Omaha was part of KC. Bobbybats, do you have anything on this?

Yes Omaha was part of KC, in fact the hit that Cardarella and Ferina fucked up was a hit on a fed witness who was testifying against Biasi who was the head man in Omaha. At one point Buster Balisteri and John Castanza KC soldiers were sent up to Omaha to get it back in order and but with the bust of Biasi KC pulled the plug.

[B.]

As far as actual mob families and not just Italian criminals:

- Colorado
Seems like this family was way more connected to national mob politics in the early days and then went to being a complete non-factor during the "golden age" between 1930's-1950's. That bit in D'Arco's book about the elderly soldier in his crew who fought for the mob in some kind of Colorado farming conflict makes it seem even more interesting.

- Birmingham, AL
This is the one that Bill Bonanno mentioned and who some researchers have found a tiny bit of info on, but nothing much. Their members were said to be very old even in the early part of the 20th century and the family never made new members. From what Rick has said, it seems their members were mainly from Agrigento. The question is whether they did have a functional crime family early in US mafia history, or if it was more a retirement community for a group of guys from the same Sicilian family/town. Given that AL is next to LA, it's possible this family was an artifact from the US mob's early southern roots.

- Newark
We know about it now, but it seems to have flown under almost everyone's radar when it was active and then was almost forgotten about. This family was right there in the thick of it, in a position to be even more involved in NY metro mob politics than the DeCavalcantes ended up, but most of what we know about them is still murky and based mainly on a few leaders from the 1930's who either died and/or got namedropped by informants, plus a few other guys who later ended up in different families. Considering there are no other known instances where the Commission straight up disbanded a family, this is one I'd love to know more about. Also of interest is Joe Profaci's role... members were from his part of Sicily and at least a few of the alleged Newark members ended up under Profaci later. Unlike some of his contemporaries, Profaci wasn't known to meddle in the affairs of other families, so who knows what really happened.

[BeatiPaoli]

To B: Thanks for the info especially about Birmingham, Ala.

One Family I would like to know more about is Madison, Wisconsin, under Carlo Caputo.

Regards,
Oblonicus

[BeatiPaoli]

To Everyone: Oops! Too many aliases!!! LOL

Regards,
BeatiPaoli

[B.]

Ah, glad to see you're over here Oblonicus. I remember you from the RD going way back.