Buffalo/Ontario Mob Acitivity

[Frank]

Do you think that it's possible that the Viola Bros either were always Bonanno members or transferred to the Bonannos, seeing they attended the Bonanno making ceremony??

Anything is a possibility. But I think there is significant evidence they were groomed for leadership in the Buffalo crime family Luppino family faction. The more I think about it, if Buffalo isn't independent, I Believe they must have been absorbed by their Canadian Ndrangheta crews (i.e. the Luppino family run by the Violi's). And my reasoning for that would be Ana Sergi's article indicating the Todaro Crime Syndicate is no longer LCN. ...to me that means they can't be Bonanno but may be Luppino. Make sense?

Yes I understand what you are saying. Maybe more info will come out of this. The more I think I understand the Canadian Mafias, the more I get confused.

[johnny_scootch]

One of the more interesting parts of the passage I posted imo is that Luppino set up the Canadian Camera di Controlo as an emulation of the American Commission and it originally answered to Magaddino. If true it's pretty clear that at that time membership in American Cosa Nostra was heads and tails above 'Ndrangheta membership. Oh how the mighty have fallen.

[johnny_scootch]

Thanks for sharing. Matches the recording transcript from Magaddino's office in the 1960s where he appears to call Luppino a "Camorrista". Historically the Calabrian 'ndrangheta was referred to as Camorra just like the Neapolitans, from what I've been told.

John Dickie says that the 'Ndrangheta is a direct offshoot of the original Camorra and when Raffaele Cutolo a Neapolitan 'Ndranghetisti tried to reform the Neapolitan Camorra using 'Ndrangheta rituals and organizational structures the Camorra/Ndrangheta organizations had truly come full circle.
Also interesting to note that 'Camorrista' is the rank above 'Picciotto' in the 'Ndrangheta hierarchy.




Not sure if this is known or not but the book also says that John Papalia was godfather to Paolo Violi's second son and that leading Vancouver mafioso Joe Gentile was godfather to one of his daughters.

[scagghiuni]

Do you think that it's possible that the Viola Bros either were always Bonanno members or transferred to the Bonannos, seeing they attended the Bonanno making ceremony??

Anything is a possibility. But I think there is significant evidence they were groomed for leadership in the Buffalo crime family Luppino family faction. The more I think about it, if Buffalo isn't independent, I Believe they must have been absorbed by their Canadian Ndrangheta crews (i.e. the Luppino family run by the Violi's). And my reasoning for that would be Ana Sergi's article indicating the Todaro Crime Syndicate is no longer LCN. ...to me that means they can't be Bonanno but may be Luppino. Make sense?

probably whats left of buffalo was absorbed by the bonannos
If the violis attended a bonanno ceremony it means they are cosa nostra members

[Lupara]

Do you think that it's possible that the Viola Bros either were always Bonanno members or transferred to the Bonannos, seeing they attended the Bonanno making ceremony??

Anything is a possibility. But I think there is significant evidence they were groomed for leadership in the Buffalo crime family Luppino family faction. The more I think about it, if Buffalo isn't independent, I Believe they must have been absorbed by their Canadian Ndrangheta crews (i.e. the Luppino family run by the Violi's). And my reasoning for that would be Ana Sergi's article indicating the Todaro Crime Syndicate is no longer LCN. ...to me that means they can't be Bonanno but may be Luppino. Make sense?

probably whats left of buffalo was absorbed by the bonannos
If the violis attended a bonanno ceremony it means they are cosa nostra members

My reasoning also. Perhaps remnants of Buffalo are still operating. I think it could be possible that LCN members could attend ceremonies of other families within LCN.

I don't believe they could be absorbed into the 'ndrangheta. Once they are LCN they will always remain so.

[Frank]

Do you think that it's possible that the Viola Bros either were always Bonanno members or transferred to the Bonannos, seeing they attended the Bonanno making ceremony??

Anything is a possibility. But I think there is significant evidence they were groomed for leadership in the Buffalo crime family Luppino family faction. The more I think about it, if Buffalo isn't independent, I Believe they must have been absorbed by their Canadian Ndrangheta crews (i.e. the Luppino family run by the Violi's). And my reasoning for that would be Ana Sergi's article indicating the Todaro Crime Syndicate is no longer LCN. ...to me that means they can't be Bonanno but may be Luppino. Make sense?

probably whats left of buffalo was absorbed by the bonannos
If the violis attended a bonanno ceremony it means they are cosa nostra members

My reasoning also. Perhaps remnants of Buffalo are still operating. I think it could be possible that LCN members could attend ceremonies of other families within LCN.

I don't believe they could be absorbed into the 'ndrangheta. Once they are LCN they will always remain so.

Didn't one of the articles say LE is trying to connect BiFulco to what is currently happening in Canada? If true maybe Buffalo basically is similar to Chicago. With John DiFronzo the top boss basically putting his money in legit business, and Cicero Melrose Park and Grand Ave still doing more traditional illegal activity. Maybe Todaro Jr or BiFulco are still calling the shots and most if not all the activity is in the Canadian faction of the Family.

[NickleCity]

Didn't one of the articles say LE is trying to connect BiFulco to what is currently happening in Canada? If true maybe Buffalo basically is similar to Chicago. With John DiFronzo the top boss basically putting his money in legit business, and Cicero Melrose Park and Grand Ave still doing more traditional illegal activity. Maybe Todaro Jr or BiFulco are still calling the shots and most if not all the activity is in the Canadian faction of the Family.

I don’t know any article indicating LE is trying to connect BiFulco to Canada, but I have it on good authority that, that is what they are working on.

I would not dismiss Joe Todaro’s possible involvement either. It was widely rumored that Falzone was fronting for Joe and I wouldn’t be suprised if Butch is Front for him now.

[Pogo The Clown]

Nothing is widely rumored. Just a bunch of goofs making fake charts on the Internet. First listing Falcone as the Boss and now BiFulco. I guess the new wrinkle now is that they are "fronting" for Joe Todaro Jr. It's all bullshit.


Pogo

[Wiseguy]

Nothing is widely rumored. Just a bunch of goods making fake charts on the Internet. First listing Falcone as the Boss and now BiFulco. I guess the new wrinkle now is that they are "fronting" for Joe Todaro Jr. It's all bullshit.


Pogo

NickleCity seems to be a good guy at heart. No idea how old he is but seems like he found these forums 10 years late. He would have benefited from seeing a legion of other posters trying to prove the same thing about (name a city) that he appears to be doing with Buffalo.

[NickleCity]

Nothing is widely rumored. Just a bunch of goods making fake charts on the Internet. First listing Falcone as the Boss and now BiFulco. I guess the new wrinkle now is that they are "fronting" for Joe Todaro Jr. It's all bullshit.


Pogo

This from the guy who wrote:

Buffalo is a dead city and not just in terms of LCN either.

...while totally unaware of the resurgence in Buffalo... Makes me wonder what else you are unaware of.

Evidently when you say, “Just a bunch of goods making charts on the internet,” in reference to Falzone you were unaware of or forgot the Ron Fino wrote about Falzone fronting for the Todaros in his 2012 book. He said:

Leonard Falzone: Enforcer for the Todaro Family. Some say he is the current boss but I believe it is Joe Todaro Sr. and that Leonard is fronting for him.

I know you don’t like Fino—but a little more than “goods making charts on the internet.”

[NickleCity]

Nothing is widely rumored. Just a bunch of goofs making fake charts on the Internet. First listing Falcone as the Boss and now BiFulco. I guess the new wrinkle now is that they are "fronting" for Joe Todaro Jr. It's all bullshit.


Pogo

The FBI listed Falzone as boss in 2006. The Niagara Falls Reporter wrote:

According to the FBI, Leonard “The Calzone” Falzone took over as acting boss of the family when Todaro stepped down in 2006, after years of serving as an enforcer, hit man and finally a capo in the organization. Falzone has of course denied this.

Yes, 12 years old... but not “internet goofs making up charts.”

[Pogo The Clown]

Ron Fino was an associate who flipped during the 1980s. How the hell would he know who is or isn't a Boss or "Front Boss" in the present day? As for he charts they first appeared on Wikipedia listing Falzone as Boss years ago after certain people on the forums "heard" he was the Boss. The BiFulco as Boss thing came from that idiot Ed Scarpo who completely made up a chart showing Buffalo as having a full administration, several Capos and crews and something idiotic like 50 made members. Pretty sure there were some made up names on it as well. Par for the course for these made up charts.


And yeah Buffalo is a dead city. Both as a city and in terms of LCN.

The FBI listed Falzone as boss in 2006. The Niagara Falls Reporter wrote:

According to the FBI, Leonard “The Calzone” Falzone took over as acting boss of the family when Todaro stepped down in 2006, after years of serving as an enforcer, hit man and finally a capo in the organization. Falzone has of course denied this.

Yes, 12 years old... but not “internet goofs making up charts.”

That is not the Feds. But a local reporter who read on the internet that Falzone is the "Boss" and included it in an article. Actual statements from the FBI have Todaro as the last Boss and the family itself as extinct.


Pogo

[Pogo The Clown]

Here is that stupid made up Ed Scarpo chart in question. It is obviously bullshit but it has been spreading on the Internet. A quick check shows that a lot of the bullshit has been spread by him and those idiots Giacomo Vacari and Rooster.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Boss
Frank BiFulco

Underboss
Joe Violi (Canada Faction)

Consigliere
Victor Sansanese

Capos
Frank Falzone-
Buffalo,
Six soldiers, took over BiFulco crew.

Anthony Todaro
Buffalo,
Eight soldiers, took over when his brother Joe Jr retired.

Natale Luppino
Hamilton, Canada,
Nine soldiers, took over crew when Violi was moved up to Underboss, who in turn had taken over when Vincent Luppino passed away in 2009.

Bruno Monaco
Toronto, Canada
Five soldiers, took over when Dante Gasbarrini passed away. Gasbarrini became Capo when Paul Volpe was killed, and to get away from Giacomo Luppino and John Papalia of Hamilton.

Russell Carcone
Utica
Six soldiers

Loren Piccarreto/Anthony Chirico- Rochester,
Five soldiers.

When Thomas Marotta came back in the 1990's, he decided to join the Bonanno family and took half of the independent family with him to the Bonanno family. After what happened up in Hamiliton with John Papalia, Rene Piccarreto decided to be more friendlier with Buffalo. When Joe "Lead Pipe Joe" Todaro retired in 2006, Angelo Amico decided to rejoin the Buffalo Family.

Robert Panaro
Las Vegas
No soldiers, Panaro is direct with the family administration and other capos.

"About 12 to 15 members are retired," our source noted.

So about 40 made members are still active in Buffalo.

[NickleCity]

According to the FBI, Leonard “The Calzone” Falzone took over as acting boss of the family when Todaro stepped down in 2006, after years of serving as an enforcer, hit man and finally a capo in the organization. Falzone has of course denied this.oss of the family when Todaro stepped down in 2006, after years of serving as an enforcer, hit man and finally a capo in the organization. Falzone has of course denied this.

Yes, 12 years old... but not “internet goofs making up charts.”
[/quote]


That is not the Feds. But a local reporter who read on the internet that Falzone is the "Boss" and included it in an article. Actual statements from the FBI have Todaro as the last Boss and the family itself as extinct.


Pogo
[/quote]

Feel free to attach or link the actual FBI statement(s) for after Todaro stepped down and became extinct.

[Pogo The Clown]

Several have already been posted by Gohnjotti and Wiseguy. You've seen them but have rejected them because it is not what you want to here.


Here is a key one.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Direct from the head of the Buffalo FBI office.

The local FBI once had a large squad of agents working full time on mob cases, but the agency no longer considers the Mafia a presence in this region, according to Adam S. Cohen, special agent in charge of the Buffalo FBI office.

“Some of the individuals who were leaders of the Mafia are still around,” Cohen said. “But their organized crime activities don’t exist anymore. Some of them have legitimate businesses that we know of.”

Though several local men succeeded Magaddino as leaders following his death, no one leads what is left of the mob in this region, Cohen said. Several retired state and local law enforcement officials who specialized in Mafia investigations agreed.

Today, both Cohen and Coppola estimate that there are no more than a handful of surviving mob members in the area, with no viable organization to unite them, and no leader.

https://buffalonews.com/2017/03/19/fbi- ... perations/