Benjamin Ruggerio

[Luca Brasi]

Before he past away and still active with the happenings of the streets, a gentleman by the name of Joe Trevasani would tell me constantly about a couple of wiseguys that really made a big impression on him while he was inside. The first was Joseph Laforte Sr, soldier in the Gambino clan, owned the building where the Ravenite was located, and the second was Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggerio. He would talk about walking the yard with someone who was the definition of a Street guy. He would always call him a Gangster's Gangster, and would get extremely agitated at young 16 yr old kid that felt apart of because he asked "You mean the character in "Donnie Brasco"? The reason was he didn't get it. He didn't get how the man he thought so highly of was made to be a bumbling idiot in Hollywood. He would always talk about near the end of his stay inside, when Ruggiero's health was progressing slowly downwards, to where they couldn't go to far on their walk talks in the yard and how Ruggiero always had one story after another about the old days, the old ways, and the reason why NOT doing 20 yrs ever made since too him, and was never in the cards. He would tell Joe T. on many occasions that he wished that they had got to him on the outside, instead of ending up where he was: Slowly dying from cancer, literally rotting away in the can. These stories would continue for hrs til the predawn light started to show, at the old social club in Revere, and I would give anything to get the chance to hear one from my dear friend Joe T, and know how too really appreciate what was being said.

Take care,
Luca

PS: Yes I know, its another famous gangster I'm writing about, Sorry shit happens

[Sol]

Before he past away and still active with the happenings of the streets, a gentleman by the name of Joe Trevasani would tell me constantly about a couple of wiseguys that really made a big impression on him while he was inside. The first was Joseph Laforte Sr, soldier in the Gambino clan, owned the building where the Ravenite was located, and the second was Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggerio. He would talk about walking the yard with someone who was the definition of a Street guy. He would always call him a Gangster's Gangster, and would get extremely agitated at young 16 yr old kid that felt apart of because he asked "You mean the character in "Donnie Brasco"? The reason was he didn't get it. He didn't get how the man he thought so highly of was made to be a bumbling idiot in Hollywood. He would always talk about near the end of his stay inside, when Ruggiero's health was progressing slowly downwards, to where they couldn't go to far on their walk talks in the yard and how Ruggiero always had one story after another about the old days, the old ways, and the reason why NOT doing 20 yrs ever made since too him, and was never in the cards. He would tell Joe T. on many occasions that he wished that they had got to him on the outside, instead of ending up where he was: Slowly dying from cancer, literally rotting away in the can. These stories would continue for hrs til the predawn light started to show, at the old social club in Revere, and I would give anything to get the chance to hear one from my dear friend Joe T, and know how too really appreciate what was being said.

Take care,
Luca

PS: Yes I know, its another famous gangster I'm writing about, Sorry shit happens

Lol, sure does. Thanks for sharing, another good one.......Soliai

[MichaelGiovanni]

Good story. Interesting part about why NOT doing 20 years never made sense to him.

That is one thing about that life and that mindset that fascinates me. Death before dishonor. That is a quality that is hard to understand to the common folk.

Lefty may have never been a big earner, or he may have been constantly broke who knows really but one thing that I don't think has ever been questioned was his loyalty and belief in the life.

Too many people have zero standards and don't believe in anything. They're just focused on what can please them next.

I may be wrong in my thinking but I would rather one believe in something wrong than nothing at all.

[yatescj7781]

I always wondered where Lefty did his time and what crew he was put in when he got out. Shelved, maybe for Donnie Brasco and/or his health?

[jimmy_beans8]

Don't know for sure where I read it,,,,but don't think he was admonished completely after he got,,,,,but was just in bad health,,,,,,iirc,,,,while in prison he still was wit the guys and not treated like shit

[jimmy_beans8]

There was some picture circulated around the net wit some kinda movie producer or some shit like that,,,,red velour suite,,,white fedora and long ass hair

[NYNighthawk]

He was a jerk. Hollywood offered him a certified one (1) million dollar check to do a video on DVD for the release on Blue Ray of Donnie Brasco and comment on the movie and Pacino's portrayl of him. He basically told them to fuck off and died and left his 2nd wife and kids nothing. They had to borrow money to hold his wake - funeral and burial plot. He was like Sonny Black Napolitano who did what he was told to do including walking to his asassination. Yet Massino = the Boss of Bosses - saw thru all the bullshit and saved his life and personal fortune. He spends time with his children and grandchildren and putting them on the right path. Ruggiero's granddaughter was on Mafia Wives and ended up marrying some wannabe who is doing 15 years in the can while she is on food stamps with five (5) kids. Imagine how those kids will grow up. And by the way - their real father is some middle eastern nut literally from Lebanon or Turkey.

[yatescj7781]

He was a jerk. Hollywood offered him a certified one (1) million dollar check to do a video on DVD for the release on Blue Ray of Donnie Brasco and comment on the movie and Pacino's portrayl of him. He basically told them to fuck off and died and left his 2nd wife and kids nothing. They had to borrow money to hold his wake - funeral and burial plot. He was like Sonny Black Napolitano who did what he was told to do including walking to his asassination. Yet Massino = the Boss of Bosses - saw thru all the bullshit and saved his life and personal fortune. He spends time with his children and grandchildren and putting them on the right path. Ruggiero's granddaughter was on Mafia Wives and ended up marrying some wannabe who is doing 15 years in the can while she is on food stamps with five (5) kids. Imagine how those kids will grow up. And by the way - their real father is some middle eastern nut literally from Lebanon or Turkey.

Why Joey Sclafani would take up with a slut like Ramona is beyond me. I can see him fucking her, but engaged to be married? Come on.

[jimmy_beans8]

Wonder how that relationship workin....now I know 5he details,,,,,,dumb move not to take the money,,,,,,but probably would've been thought if as a rat move,,,,,,,,,mind u this was before all the ROMANTICISM with all this cosa nostra shit

[Lou_Para]

Lefty could have taken 10 million from the "Brasco " producers,and I bet his family would still have wound up with nothing. He was a small to medium level earner at best, and a chronic brokester, mainly because of a serious degenerate gambling habit. I think he would have blown the million in about 3 months,and needless to say, I don't see him putting aside any money for income taxes,so he might have caught a charge on that issue. Giving a mook like him a serious lump sum would be like going on vacation for 2 weeks and leaving your dog 50 pounds of food,figuring he'd only eat when he got hungry.

[Teddy Persico]

He was a jerk. Hollywood offered him a certified one (1) million dollar check to do a video on DVD for the release on Blue Ray of Donnie Brasco and comment on the movie and Pacino's portrayl of him. He basically told them to fuck off and died and left his 2nd wife and kids nothing. They had to borrow money to hold his wake - funeral and burial plot. He was like Sonny Black Napolitano who did what he was told to do including walking to his asassination. Yet Massino = the Boss of Bosses - saw thru all the bullshit and saved his life and personal fortune. He spends time with his children and grandchildren and putting them on the right path. Ruggiero's granddaughter was on Mafia Wives and ended up marrying some wannabe who is doing 15 years in the can while she is on food stamps with five (5) kids. Imagine how those kids will grow up. And by the way - their real father is some middle eastern nut literally from Lebanon or Turkey.

Why Joey Sclafani would take up with a slut like Ramona is beyond me. I can see him fucking her, but engaged to be married? Come on.

They knew each other when they were kids.

[Teddy Persico]

He was a jerk. Hollywood offered him a certified one (1) million dollar check to do a video on DVD for the release on Blue Ray of Donnie Brasco and comment on the movie and Pacino's portrayl of him. He basically told them to fuck off and died and left his 2nd wife and kids nothing. They had to borrow money to hold his wake - funeral and burial plot. He was like Sonny Black Napolitano who did what he was told to do including walking to his asassination. Yet Massino = the Boss of Bosses - saw thru all the bullshit and saved his life and personal fortune. He spends time with his children and grandchildren and putting them on the right path. Ruggiero's granddaughter was on Mafia Wives and ended up marrying some wannabe who is doing 15 years in the can while she is on food stamps with five (5) kids. Imagine how those kids will grow up. And by the way - their real father is some middle eastern nut literally from Lebanon or Turkey.

Ruggerio was dead before the movie ever came out.

Sclafani made a ton of money distributing cocaine and running marijuana grow ops. Capeci also reported that he won an appeal to get a reduced sentence, so he'll be out next year (7 years total).