Bill Bonanno FBI File

[Antiliar]

This link is to Bill Bonanno's FBI file. It's at the bottom of the page downloadable as a zip file. Maybe some of our sleuths can discover some gold in the documents. Bill Bonanno was clearly one of the informants and provides some interesting info. Mods: I ask that you leave this in the main group for a week or two so everyone can see this. Thanks.

https://www.muckrock.com/foi/united-sta ... -jr-33766/

[HairyKnuckles]

This link is to Bill Bonanno's FBI file. It's at the bottom of the page downloadable as a zip file. Maybe some of our sleuths can discover some gold in the documents. Bill Bonanno was clearly one of the informants and provides some interesting info. Mods: I ask that you leave this in the main group for a week or two so everyone can see this. Thanks.

https://www.muckrock.com/foi/united-sta ... -jr-33766/

I´m confused. Is this file on Bill Bonanno or Joseph Bonanno Jr? In the original request letter, requestor asks for files on Joseph Bonanno Jr, the youngest son of Salvatore "Bill" Bonanno (???)

I downloaded the files but can not open and view them for some reason. Too bad. Antiliar, have you downloaded them?

And the main file on Anthony Gaggi is not uploaded on the site as far as I can see,

[eboli]

The files mention Salvatore Vincent Bonanno aka Bill; Joseph C. Bonanno, Jr.; Joseph C. Bonanno, Sr.
Maybe update Winrar or use 7zip. The archive is okay.

[Antiliar]

This link is to Bill Bonanno's FBI file. It's at the bottom of the page downloadable as a zip file. Maybe some of our sleuths can discover some gold in the documents. Bill Bonanno was clearly one of the informants and provides some interesting info. Mods: I ask that you leave this in the main group for a week or two so everyone can see this. Thanks.

https://www.muckrock.com/foi/united-sta ... -jr-33766/

I´m confused. Is this file on Bill Bonanno or Joseph Bonanno Jr? In the original request letter, requestor asks for files on Joseph Bonanno Jr, the youngest son of Salvatore "Bill" Bonanno (???)

I downloaded the files but can not open and view them for some reason. Too bad. Antiliar, have you downloaded them?

And the main file on Anthony Gaggi is not uploaded on the site as far as I can see,

Yes, the requester asked for files on Joseph Bonanno Jr., but he received files on him and Bill Bonanno, and Bill was giving info. Follow how the request was fulfilled, not just what was requested.

I downloaded the files without any problems, which is how I was able to tell that Bill was informing.

What was sent on Gaggi was what the FOIA officer determined was responsive. The requester should have challenged, but it's better than nothing.

[B.]

Thanks for sharing. A lot to wade through to make sense of anything but in random skimming I already found something interesting on page 133 of doc "1368702-0 - Section 1 Serial 1 COVER SHEETMediaPage (7).PDF".

A report from June 1977 states that they located a pay phone used by Joe Bonanno Sr. and through monitoring his use of this pay phone determined a relationship with Carmine Galante in NY and that it "indicates [a] degree of BONANNO control in NY." This presumably means that Joe Bonanno maintained contact with Galante via telephone. It's a very short report and whether they assumed "BONANNO control in NY" simply because of the contact itself or because they had specific information from those calls is unclear.

edit: a report from the same date a bit later in the doc says that New York had previously advised the Arizona FBI office that Joe Bonanno Sr. had made contact with Carmine Galante. A mention is made of an informant with the Arizona Narcotics Strike Force who apparently has supplied previous information about contact between Bonanno and Galante. A part is redacted but mention is made of someone contacting an "unidentified individual" via telephone but hard to tell what it is in reference to, though from the context of the paragraph it sounds like they may be describing a go-between for Galante and Bonanno. It states the source hadn't reported any recent contact between Galante/Bonanno.

[Antiliar]

Jimmy Buccellato pointed out that Galante was sending Joe Sr. money, my guess is that it was out of respect. I have to wonder if there was something going on between Sr. and Galante and Bill was kept out of that loop.

[B.]

Info circa July 1977:
- The Arizona Narcotics Strike Force was going through Bonanno's trash for "an extended period" and obtained quite a bit of information on his activities. I believe Bonanno mentions this in his book, too.
- Joe Bonanno (Sr. unless otherwise noted) was planning to use Bill Bonanno to purchase multiple Cadillac agencies in the San Francisco area using a front man as owner and was also planning to buy land and other unspecified businesses in that area.
- The San Francisco FBI office received information that Bill Bonanno had over 30 million dollars cash from his father to invest in the businesses/transactions described above. Before this, the FBI believed that Joe Bonanno had access to between 1 to 2 million dollars "saved from prior criminal activity and earned from legitimate investments." They felt the 30 million dollars possibly indicated a new source of funds for Joe Bonanno. My own thoughts, but this may be why he was suspected of being involved in narcotics.
- Says Joe Bonanno maintains contact with "LCN associates" in New York City via telephone, including Carmine Galante. Also states he maintaisn contact with "associates in Montreal" via telephone, as well as "LCN members" in California and Colorado.
- States that that "recent information from a New York TE" (TE?) indicated that Bonanno "apparently had some input into LCN activities" through Carmine Galante.
- Joe Bonanno is said to have "departed somewhat from his normal conservative ways" by becoming "romantically involved with a woman in Tucson." Curous who Bonanno's mistress may have been and if she's still alive.

In October 1983, an FBI agent made contact with Joe Bonanno, who was at the federal prison hospital in Springfield Missouri to inform him of an apprent murder contract on his life, among other things:
- Bonanno "spoke freely" with the agent for nearly three hours and was described as "friendly".
- Bonanno spoke to the agent about his "early days in the mafia" and he discussed information from his Man of Honor book, including telling the agent that he considered the mafia a "tradition" and "idea" and "not a thing."
- He stated that his involvement with the Commission was curtailed in the early 1960s and "ceased altogether prior to 1968." He said he had no inside info on Commission activities since 1967-1968 and had very little contact with them after 1964.
- After being told about the thread on his life, Bonanno claimed he had no quarrels with anyone and couldn't think of a reason why anyone would want him killed. He felt that it could be someone wanting to make a name for themselves or someone who was upset about his book.
- Some mention was made to him of redacted names and he claims to have heard of one of them 25 to 30 years earlier but did not know the other name. Seemingly in context with this, Bonanno said that most current people (i.e. mafia members) were "second or third generation" and that the leaders he knew were all dead. He described himself as the last of the "original five bosses or 'fathers' still living." This is mentioned in context with the threat on his life, so curious if the agent mentioned certain names or active mafia leaders in connection with the threat.
- Bonanno claimed the modern mafia's only interest is in making money and that they are involved in many activities that weren't condoned when he was a boss.
- He "agreed" that the current bosses could be using their positions to "direct activities" rather than "act as arbitrators" like they did when he was on the Commission.
- Bonanno asked the agent to make sure Bill Bonanno was made aware of the threats. It is later clarified that these threats were directed only at Joe and apparently not Bill.
- He was asked by the agent if the FBI could contact him further "if anything came up that could be clarified by him."
- Shortly after this meeting, Bill Bonanno was contacted via telephone by the FBI and told about the threats on Joe Bonanno's life though he couldn't think of a reason for them either.
- Joe Bonanno was considered "agreeable to informal conversations about the mafia" but "indicated that he could provide nothing of evidentiary value" because of how long it had been since he had been in contact with Commission members and active mafia members.

This shows Joe Bonanno basically cooperated with the FBI while he was in prison. It's nothing groundbreaking given that he had already published a book with tons of details about the inner-workings of the mafia, but it was still a book/memoir and not a direct collaboration with law enforcement. On the other hand in this interview he spoke directly to an FBI agent and gave him information on the mafia that, however general it may have been, certainly counts as full-on cooperation, especially since he was willing to meet with them again if they had further questions. Not all that different in theory from what his son did as a Confidential Informant.

[Cheech]

Info circa July 1977:
- The Arizona Narcotics Strike Force was going through Bonanno's trash for "an extended period" and obtained quite a bit of information on his activities. I believe Bonanno mentions this in his book, too.
- Joe Bonanno (Sr. unless otherwise noted) was planning to use Bill Bonanno to purchase multiple Cadillac agencies in the San Francisco area using a front man as owner and was also planning to buy land and other unspecified businesses in that area.
- The San Francisco FBI office received information that Bill Bonanno had over 30 million dollars cash from his father to invest in the businesses/transactions described above. Before this, the FBI believed that Joe Bonanno had access to between 1 to 2 million dollars "saved from prior criminal activity and earned from legitimate investments." They felt the 30 million dollars possibly indicated a new source of funds for Joe Bonanno. My own thoughts, but this may be why he was suspected of being involved in narcotics.
- Says Joe Bonanno maintains contact with "LCN associates" in New York City via telephone, including Carmine Galante. Also states he maintaisn contact with "associates in Montreal" via telephone, as well as "LCN members" in California and Colorado.
- States that that "recent information from a New York TE" (TE?) indicated that Bonanno "apparently had some input into LCN activities" through Carmine Galante.
- Joe Bonanno is said to have "departed somewhat from his normal conservative ways" by becoming "romantically involved with a woman in Tucson." Curous who Bonanno's mistress may have been and if she's still alive.

In October 1983, an FBI agent made contact with Joe Bonanno, who was at the federal prison hospital in Springfield Missouri to inform him of an apprent murder contract on his life, among other things:
- Bonanno "spoke freely" with the agent for nearly three hours and was described as "friendly".
- Bonanno spoke to the agent about his "early days in the mafia" and he discussed information from his Man of Honor book, including telling the agent that he considered the mafia a "tradition" and "idea" and "not a thing."
- He stated that his involvement with the Commission was curtailed in the early 1960s and "ceased altogether prior to 1968." He said he had no inside info on Commission activities since 1967-1968 and had very little contact with them after 1964.
- After being told about the thread on his life, Bonanno claimed he had no quarrels with anyone and couldn't think of a reason why anyone would want him killed. He felt that it could be someone wanting to make a name for themselves or someone who was upset about his book.
- Some mention was made to him of redacted names and he claims to have heard of one of them 25 to 30 years earlier but did not know the other name. Seemingly in context with this, Bonanno said that most current people (i.e. mafia members) were "second or third generation" and that the leaders he knew were all dead. He described himself as the last of the "original five bosses or 'fathers' still living." This is mentioned in context with the threat on his life, so curious if the agent mentioned certain names or active mafia leaders in connection with the threat.
- Bonanno claimed the modern mafia's only interest is in making money and that they are involved in many activities that weren't condoned when he was a boss.
- He "agreed" that the current bosses could be using their positions to "direct activities" rather than "act as arbitrators" like they did when he was on the Commission.
- Bonanno asked the agent to make sure Bill Bonanno was made aware of the threats. It is later clarified that these threats were directed only at Joe and apparently not Bill.
- He was asked by the agent if the FBI could contact him further "if anything came up that could be clarified by him."
- Shortly after this meeting, Bill Bonanno was contacted via telephone by the FBI and told about the threats on Joe Bonanno's life though he couldn't think of a reason for them either.
- Joe Bonanno was considered "agreeable to informal conversations about the mafia" but "indicated that he could provide nothing of evidentiary value" because of how long it had been since he had been in contact with Commission members and active mafia members.

This shows Joe Bonanno basically cooperated with the FBI while he was in prison. It's nothing groundbreaking given that he had already published a book with tons of details about the inner-workings of the mafia, but it was still a book/memoir and not a direct collaboration with law enforcement. On the other hand in this interview he spoke directly to an FBI agent and gave him information on the mafia that, however general it may have been, certainly counts as full-on cooperation, especially since he was willing to meet with them again if they had further questions. Not all that different in theory from what his son did as a Confidential Informant.

Top Echelon?

[The Greek]

Maybe Galante being in touch with Bonanno is another added layer as to why Galante was killed?

[Antiliar]

Frank Bompensiero was a TE informant who was in contact with Bonanno too, so his name is probably in there somewhere in redacted form.

[B.]

Ah yeah, Top Echelon. Thanks. We know there were made members of the Bonannos cooperating in the 1970s (among other families) so could have been one of them.

This isn't from these docs, but speaking of Bompensiero I remember that Joe Bonanno was suspected at one point of being involved in the conspiracy to murder Bompensiero based on some of the notes found in his trash, including one where he was apparently instructing his son Bill (referred to as "Turi") to obtain a gun. I felt they were grasping at straws when I originally read it but curious if anyone has seen anything else about this.

[Chopper]

thanks for the file antilliar, good stuff. I wonder if Joe sr. knew his son was an informer or even pushed him into it.

And didnt Castelanno at one point contemplate killing Bonanno in a conversation with Gravano?

[Antiliar]

Bill was informing in the 1960s, stopped for a bit then restarted in a few years. Plus he was the source for Gay Talese's book "Honor Thy Father." which was published in 1971. He knew about that and let him know that he wasn't happy about it, but Sr. had special privileges when it was his turn.

[JeremyTheJew]

thanks for the file antilliar, good stuff. I wonder if Joe sr. knew his son was an informer or even pushed him into it.

And didnt Castelanno at one point contemplate killing Bonanno in a conversation with Gravano?

I was wondering same about snr knowing about Salvatore. I don't think Snr was a informer other then the book and by then they all had there backs turned to him so there was little more he could offer.

About the Castellano, I don't think that he even met Joe B on any kind of boss to boss level. For instance, they probably met at some sort of wedding.... anyone else know anything about Castellano and Bonanno?