Buffalo/Ontario Mob Acitivity

[Frank]

It seems like Todaro Sr stopped making new members. Now Jr. for whatever reason started making new members, and wants to start building the Family back up. The Violis were probably earning big money as associates, and were content with that, knowing the books were basically closed with the Buffalo Family and thinking when Todaro Sr died maybe they might be made. I would assume that they worked for their uncle who is a Capo in the Buffalo Family.

[Frank]

@B.

You know what's funny? I kinda ALWAYS assumed they would be Buffalo members. But like I said before in a previous post, you start talking about Buffalo..... And people act like you forfeit credibility...I mean LOOK at the response you get.

So I was willing to forego the argument and go with the next logical idea, that they were the independent crime family Sergi was referring to. But there arnt independents, right? So what would be left for a crime family, that's not LCN? Ndrangheta.....

The unexpected thing was that the brothers potentially had an affiliation with BOTH Buffalo AND the Bonnanos. DID NOT see that coming...
Violi apparently didnt go through ndrangheta for coke, ( I think....) he had his own connection to Colombia. I suspect this was why the Bonnanos were recruiting them, they lost Montreal so they were helping to build up Buffalo as a new command post for Canadian operations. That's the only real reason I see for a push for Buffalos reinstatement. Remember, Sergis report said " Family, but NOT LCN". These brothers were apparently active for decades, and widely respected, WITHOUT BEING MADE. My feeling was there wasn't sufficient understanding of ndrangheta clans to rule out them being ndrangheta.


You cant even really TALK about this shit, without it turning left. Everyone was convinced they were Bonnanos... I was saying hold off... You cant really be sure.... they said the ceremony was proof of Bonnano membership.... I said I'm not totally convinced.... No one has em on thier list of Made guys....

I been wondering who these Bonanno people are for forever.

@scagguini

Yeah, the big brother will be out soon. These guys arnt finished by a long shot. Question is what thier status will be when they get out.

What do they serve in Canada half the sentence? Only one of the Violi Bros is confirmed as a Buffalo member. It says in the information that the other brother wasn't made yet, but didn't know if he was going to be made as a Bonanno or a Todaro. So half of the Violi membership question has been answered, if this info is confirmed as true and accurate. If I rember correctly that most posters said they didn't know for a fact which Family they were with, but since they attended a Bonanno making ceremony, most likely they are Bonanno members, myself included. I also stated, knowing there family tie with Buffalo Family, that maybe more info as to who they are with will come out concerning this case

[B.]

I definitely assumed that they would turn out to be Bonanno members based on attending the Bonanno ceremony. Honestly, as a longtime follower of this I would have been even more excited to learn that the Violis were Bonanno members rather than Buffalo, but this latest bit about Domenico Violi is still a solid development even if it's a one-off situation with no other implications.

[Wiseguy]

Why don't WE just call and email the Buffalo FBI office and ask for an opinion? Or ask Scott Burnstein to contact them, he has good FBI contacts in Chicago and Detrot, he might be able to be connected to Buffalo. I know what some of you think of him, I have issues with some of his articles, but deep at heart he's as devoted to this subject as much as everyone else. It's an option.

I actually tried that one time just for the hell of it. Emailed several FBI offices asking about membership info of the LCN in their areas. The Tampa office was the only one that responded and they said they don't release that kind of information. At least not by private email, I guess.

[Snakes]

I requested the Chicago file that tracks info like that and it was a b(7)d exemption; informant confidentiality.

[cavita]

I requested the Chicago file that tracks info like that and it was a b(7)d exemption; informant confidentiality.

Federal Bureau of (non) Information

[Snakes]

I requested the Chicago file that tracks info like that and it was a b(7)d exemption; informant confidentiality.

Federal Bureau of (non) Information

Technically, it's still an "open" case file, too.

[cavita]

I requested the Chicago file that tracks info like that and it was a b(7)d exemption; informant confidentiality.

Federal Bureau of (non) Information

Technically, it's still an "open" case file, too.

I requested a couple files in September 2017 and checked on the status last April. I was told the estimated date of completion would be November 2018. When I checked again yesterday they told me now it's November 2019.

[Snakes]

I requested the Chicago file that tracks info like that and it was a b(7)d exemption; informant confidentiality.

Federal Bureau of (non) Information

Technically, it's still an "open" case file, too.

I requested a couple files in September 2017 and checked on the status last April. I was told the estimated date of completion would be November 2018. When I checked again yesterday they told me now it's November 2019.

Yeah, I've noticed that FOIA requests have slowed to a snail's crawl lately, at least for me.

[phil74]

Some people are saying the mafia in buffalo is dead and there is no activity, and some say the article about the Violi wiretaps prove the buffalo mafia is still alive, active and much larger than most thought. Both views are probably correct. Let me explain my thinking, I think the mafia’s demise in Buffalo is probably correct there isn’t much activity going on in buffalo hence no arrests in a while and the fbi has stated it doesn’t believe the family is no more. There may be some small scale gambling and loansharking but that may be it. I do think the buffalo Mafia family as it’s known probably has shifted its power base to Ontario just on the other side of the border though. Most of the made guys are probably living on the other side of the border on Ontario than there are in Buffalo. The article with Violi is probably accurate then as well. As far as Joe Todaro goes my take is he is busy running his pizza empire but I’m sure he can run LaNova’s and oversee a syndicate as well from the shadows. He’s most likely a figurehead in mob and elder statesmen at this point. I’m sure he gives his blessing to certain people and activities and may act as mediator but mostly stays out of things and sticks to his pizza business. It’s a perfect cover. He makes tons of money legitimately, he really doesn’t need the mafia at this point but will step in when leadership is needed. The name Todaro carries a lot of weight in underworld circles historically in that area. So is the Buffalo Mafia dead? Nope, it’s just moved it’s base of operations slightly to west of the buffalo into Ontario

[newera_212]

Some people are saying the mafia in buffalo is dead and there is no activity, and some say the article about the Violi wiretaps prove the buffalo mafia is still alive, active and much larger than most thought. Both views are probably correct. Let me explain my thinking, I think the mafia’s demise in Buffalo is probably correct there isn’t much activity going on in buffalo hence no arrests in a while and the fbi has stated it doesn’t believe the family is no more. There may be some small scale gambling and loansharking but that may be it. I do think the buffalo Mafia family as it’s known probably has shifted its power base to Ontario just on the other side of the border though. Most of the made guys are probably living on the other side of the border on Ontario than there are in Buffalo. The article with Violi is probably accurate then as well. As far as Joe Todaro goes my take is he is busy running his pizza empire but I’m sure he can run LaNova’s and oversee a syndicate as well from the shadows. He’s most likely a figurehead in mob and elder statesmen at this point. I’m sure he gives his blessing to certain people and activities and may act as mediator but mostly stays out of things and sticks to his pizza business. It’s a perfect cover. He makes tons of money legitimately, he really doesn’t need the mafia at this point but will step in when leadership is needed. The name Todaro carries a lot of weight in underworld circles historically in that area. So is the Buffalo Mafia dead? Nope, it’s just moved it’s base of operations slightly to west of the buffalo into Ontario

I don't think Todaro Junior is back there spinning dough 7 days a week either like (older) articles claims. He's in his 70s now and spends a good amount of time in Florida. Who wouldn't escape the Buffalo winters if they could. His kids, grandkids and inlaws run the day to day of the stores. I think his 'elder statesman' advisory role probably applies to all businesses he is involved with, legitimate or illegitimate. No idea what to think about this other than anecdotal evidence that LCN -activity- certainly isn't dead in Buffalo or Western New York. What did Junior Soprano say? Chinks and Housewifes are betting football now? Everyone up there in WNY bets. It's huge. And wouldn't be surprising if it's Italian guys at the helm, whether it's "made" guys of the Buffalo family or their next generation relatives.

The Canadian guys always seemed like drug guys to me. I don't know much about them but I'd guess that on the Ontario side drugs is the big thing, and on the U.S. side it's traditional gambling, loaning money and maybe extortion...ran buy whatever American members or associates are a part of what's left of the Buffalo family. The NYC involvement is interesting and it's gotta be more than simple protocol and rule enforcement..there's gotta be a money relationship with NYC and I'd guess it involves bookmaking. Thats just a guess though. This whole thing is weird.

[scagghiuni]

it would be interesting also what's happening in south florida
there are crews of all ny families over there and connections with sicilian mafia proofed by old bridge operation

[antimafia]

Link below is to a French-language article that is probably making the rounds this morning wherever Canafian organized crime is discussed online.

Les Violi, mafieux de père en fils

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/11 ... ppe-drogue

[antimafia]

*Canadian

[NickleCity]

Link below is to a French-language article that is probably making the rounds this morning wherever Canafian organized crime is discussed online.

Les Violi, mafieux de père en fils

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/11 ... ppe-drogue

Thought this was interesting in the translated article:

Meanwhile in Montreal
In September 2016, Domenico Violi says that the situation is stabilizing in the Quebec metropolis. Everyone is working together nowadays, the old barriers are gone, he said, according to the double agent.

Domenico Violi invited him to meet Frank Arcadi, Frank Cotroni Jr. and Antonio "Tony" Mucci.

Also found this quote interesting about the majority of members of Buffalo being on US side:

As number two in the organization, some 30 Mafiosi are now under his command, mainly in the United States, but also in Hamilton, says Domenico Violi.

Doesn't look like a direct quote of Violi--so an interpretation about Buffalo's US membership by the author's part?