Two Plots to Take Over & Unify California (Bompensiero)

[Snakes]

Thanks, Eline.

[cavita]

I don't see Frank Coppola, at least not the one who was deported to Tijuana.

This photo was first published in “Bad Bad Boy”, where was dated that this guy in glasses is Frank Three fingered coppola

I'm not seeing it either. Attached is a pic of Coppola

[B.]

I don't see Frank Coppola, at least not the one who was deported to Tijuana.

This photo was first published in “Bad Bad Boy”, where was dated that this guy in glasses is Frank Three fingered coppola

Ah, strange.

Here is his photo from the FBN book:

I've seen other photos of him as well that match the FBN mug, but that makes me curious who it is in the Tijuana photo. There were other many deported mafia members there for a time.

EDIT: I see Cavita posted the same pic -- thanks.

[Nicholas]

I don't see Frank Coppola, at least not the one who was deported to Tijuana.

This photo was first published in “Bad Bad Boy”, where was dated that this guy in glasses is Frank Three fingered coppola

Ah, strange.

Here is his photo from the FBN book:


I've seen other photos of him as well that match the FBN mug, but that makes me curious who it is in the Tijuana photo. There were other many deported mafia members there for a time.

EDIT: I see Cavita posted the same pic -- thanks.

Subtle Masonry picture

[Eline2015]

I know that this guy doesn’t look like Coppola. I just say what I’m know. But they’re both midgets

[Antiliar]

I don't see Frank Coppola, at least not the one who was deported to Tijuana.

I agree, that's not Frank Coppola. He does look familiar, but can't recall the name.

[Frank]

Regarding Alderisios position...well according to one informant, during the late 60s Buccieri was the so-called "relay man" and on top of that during that same period both Buccieri and Cerone somehow broke off from the Giancana/Battaglia regime mainly because they were very dissatisfied with their previous leadership

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... x_buccieri

Yes then later on you and Confederate found information that Buccieri was underboss

[Villain]

Regarding Alderisios position...well according to one informant, during the late 60s Buccieri was the so-called "relay man" and on top of that during that same period both Buccieri and Cerone somehow broke off from the Giancana/Battaglia regime mainly because they were very dissatisfied with their previous leadership

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.htm ... x_buccieri

Yes then later on you and Confederate found information that Buccieri was underboss

To tell you the truth Frank, we only have this file and maybe another one who states something similar regarding Buccieri's top admin stature and thats that. Who knows, maybe someone like Snakes has seen something similar in various or different fbi files

Btw stay tuned since by the end of this month we will post something which was never ever posted before and also might clear a lot of things

[Grouchy Sinatra]

Lines like this are a reminder as to how much the west coast families struggled. This guy was de facto boss of San Diego for crying out loud.

Bompensiero as he shared his car with his daughter who used the car to drive her children.

As to why Bonanno or anyone else would want California, vice is everywhere, and it's never going away.

[B.]

Some more background that may shed light on why Bonanno reached out to Bompensiero and Fratianno in the early 1960s, as well as Bompensiero's motivation to inform.

- Both Bompensiero and Fratianno were demoted from their captain positions in prison and when Fratianno was released, the leadership under Desimone and Licata tried to put a murder contract on his head. Bompensiero was able to talk them out of the contract but Fratianno and Bompensiero both remained extremely bitter toward the organization. Fratianno arranged a transfer to Chicago, as is well-known, which was later unrecognized and some of us suspect that Fratianno provided info to the FBI by the late-1960s. One of Bompensiero's motivations for cooperation was specifically to remove Desimone and Licata from power.

- In 1965, an LA member source (Piscopo) was told by Bompensiero that he (Bompensiero) had to ask Desimone's permission in matters because of protocol, but in reality the only person's permission he needs is John Roselli, who by this time had transferred to Chicago. Bompensiero said that Desimone also consults with Roselli himself and always follows Roselli's suggestions, making Roselli in Bompensiero's own words "the real boss."

- During the above conversation, Bompensiero told the source that Detroit boss Joe Zerilli had personally contacted Bompensiero asking for a favor. This was a violation of protocol and Bompensiero insisted that he was "just" a soldier, but Zerilli implied he didn't want to go through boss Desimone and Bompensiero's capodecina Adamo, which was a source of pride to Bompensiero. Roselli may have been connected to the Zerilli interaction, or he was at least consulted by Bompensiero. In another conversation about the same topic, Bomp did say that Zerilli made contact with him through an associate in El Centro, CA who then contacted Bomp's captain Adamo and passed along the message to call Zerilli. However, in this second telling of the story he again says that Adamo was left out of the loop regarding the actual matter Zerilli wanted to discuss and when Bompensiero insisted on including his superiors Zerilli shot it down.

- Up until late 1965, Bompensiero, Fratianno, and Roselli arranged meetings at the Brown Derby in Beverly Hills. These meetings are implied to be secretive and LE pressure led them to consider another meeting place.

- An early 1966 meeting between the member informant (Piscopo), Fratianno, and Bompensiero shed some light on the roots of their bitterness. Fratianno and Bomp discussed their disdain for soldier Louis Dragna and his father Tom Dragna. Fratianno in particular was particularly bitter and discussed how his and Bompensiero's decinas had been the most active crews in the family before their demotion and how they enjoyed a close relationship with boss Jack Dragna.

- Fratianno discussed how during the time he was a captain, he got a cut from gambling and bookmaking figures in the LA area and he had branched into the garment industry. Despite his closeness to Jack Dragna and assurances that money would go to his wife while in prison, Fratianno said his wife received little money from Dragna. Following Fratianno's release from prison, Louis Dragna had gotten into the garment industry and Fratianno felt the Dragnas and associate Happy Metzer usurped his place in the business.

- In the above discussion, Bompensiero noted that he had lucrative operations in San Diego that were allowed to "disintegrate" when he was in prison and that he had been "let down" by the organization.

- During this 1966 conversation, it becomes clear that Bompensiero and Fratianno were conducting an investigation into the operations of the living Dragnas and Happy Metzer and reporting back to John Roselli. They were at this time not yet ready to make a "move" because they needed more info on Metzer's operations. Their intention, they told Piscopo, was to bring the issue to boss Frank Desimone and arrange a sitdown with the Dragnas. Fratianno also wanted to address the poor treatment of his wife by Metzer while he was in prison.

- Bomp and Fratianno asked Piscopo to report anything he learns about the Dragna / Metzer operation to them, and to do so secretly. Piscopo was included in the matter because the other two men claimed to no longer have strong enough ties in the Los Angeles area. Piscopo of course was the top man of John Roselli which would explain why he was trusted in this.

- Piscopo felt that Bompensiero and Fratianno's true intention with the Dragna matter was to cause a shift in leadership and bring themselves back to influence. During the conversation they were particularly critical of captains Joe Adamo and Angelo Polizzi, as well as underboss Nick Licata. Though it isn't said specifically, in Piscopo's earlier meeting with Bompensiero as well as the later meeting with both Fratianno/Bompensiero, it sounds like they saw Desimone as someone they could influence or manipulate at this point.

- In 1967 Bompensiero became aware of a murder being planned for a victim in the Los Angeles area. Bompensiero's captain Joe Adamo was supervising the murder and had two unspecified men participating in the murder who would be inducted if they carried it out. Bompensiero told the FBI that if his captain Adamo recruited him in the conspiracy he would arrange with the FBI to have the killers caught in the act and would then use this to try and depose Desimone and Licata. Note that he clearly stated his intention to the FBI to "depose" the leadership, not simply lock them up.

- Jimmy Fratianno (who Bonanno had once contacted about taking over the LA family in the early 1960s) had met with San Francisco boss Anthony Lima after his release from prison about operating in the San Francisco area and promised not to bring "pressure" on the local family. An informant stated that Lima was "fond" of Fratianno and felt Lima may name Fratianno as successor in San Francisco if he (Lima) were to step down. At this time Joe Cerrito, boss of San Jose, was also described as in an unfavorable position with the membership and the informant felt he wouldn't stand in anyone's way if they tried to replace him. In 1971, an informant described how SF boss Anthony Lima met with a San Jose member and asked why this member didn't ask Joe Cerrito to step down as boss of San Jose in order for this member to replace him.

- In 1970, Bompensiero was told by Chicago figure Frank LaPorte that John Roselli had lost considerable influence after Giancana lost power and the Chicago organization wasn't going to help Roselli with legal expenses. I don't know enough about Roselli to know if he retained influence in the LA family into the 1970s until his death, but Bompensiero and Fratianno would continue to be involved and in high-level controversies within the LA family until Bomp's murder and Fratianno turning witness.

--

Information from various west coast informants makes it clear that another familiar name couldn't let go of his California takeover fantasies, either. Here is some info on Joe Bonanno's dreams and aspirations during the 1970s:

- An FBI report from the early 1970s identifies Joe Bonanno as running his own loose knit "family" in Arizona but states that no replacement has been instated following the death of Vito Mule, who it says "operated in a consigliere fashion." Another report says Mule was a "patriarch", which was "a position comparable to that of consigliere in other LCN families." It states that there is no underboss in the Arizona group and that both of its "caporegime" are incarcerated, which are identified as Salvatore "Bill" Bonanno and Charles Battaglia Jr.

- In 1974, the FBI believed Joe Bonanno may have again been trying to set up a "family" of his loyalists in Southern California. At this time Bonanno capodecina Michael Zaffarano was rumored to be moving to Los Angeles due to his importance in the pornography business and the FBI suspected Zaffarano's move could connect with the rumors of Bonanno setting something up in California.

- During the period Bill Bonanno was in prison, Joe Bonanno was described as having eighteen members under his direction in Arizona and California, including six in San Jose, all of their names redacted. The report claims Bonanno was waiting for the release of Bill Bonanno so that Bill could lead these men. In the months prior to this report, Joe Bonanno was said to be contacting "LCN bosses" in California, "demanding recognition as an LCN boss" and advising them of his "presence and plans" to operate in San Jose and Arizona.

- Bonanno complained to a source that Carlo Gambino and Stefano Magaddino had kept LCN leaders in the western part of the US "in the dark" and said the current "Commissione" was illegitimate, which as a result, meant that there was "nothing wrong" with Bonanno starting his own new family without approval from the "Commissione."

- Bonanno told a redacted name that California was at this time a "vacuum" because the old California bosses were either not interested in promoting LCN activities or "incompetent". Bonanno claimed to have access to "six hundred men" in Brooklyn who were "hungry". He said California LCN needed "men" and he could bring them in "small groups" from NYC which would allow him to form small families in San Jose, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego, which would give him overall power in California. His plan was to start bringing in these small groups of NY men and finding employment for them in California.

- During this time Bonanno also alienated some of his men in Tucson, including Russ Andaloro and at least two redacted names. These members began to meet with Bonanno less and were upset with his "attitude" and habit of "using" people and demanding respect and gratuities.

- Later in 1974, Bonanno was described by four different informants as still thinking about getting "reinstated in the LCN" and moving to Northern California. During this time Bonanno had been visiting his relatives in the San Francisco area and was "in frequent contact" with Thomas Napolitano of Pittsburgh, California, including attending the funeral of Napolitano's son in June 1974.

- Another 1974 report mentions that a redacted LCN member in Denver maintains contact with Joe Bonanno and apparently through this member has been trying to get the support of Denver boss Joseph Spinuzzi to intercede on Bonanno's behalf to help him "regain his former status and influence in the LCN." The informant who provided this info claims that Spinuzzi made no effort to help Bonanno.

- The FBI determined that Bonanno had a PO box in Arizona during the 1970s specifically for receiving mail from Canada and other areas of the US related to his "criminal activities".

- A 1977 report describes that Joe Bonanno maintains telephone contact with "LCN associates" in NYC, including Carmine Galante, as well as telephone contact with "associates in Montreal, Canada, and LCN members in California and Colorado."

- A February 1978 edition of Parade Magazine cited a federal source who stated that Bonanno was trying to import soldiers from New York to the west coast and attempting to launder "large sums" of money. The money laundering was connected to Bonanno and his sons' attempted purchase of Cadillac dealerships in Northern California.

- In July 1978, Vito DeFilippo and a redacted name, almost certainly his son Patrick DeFilippo, were described as "now residing in New York City" and the FBI received information that cars with Arizona plates had been seen in connection with them. The DeFilippos had previously lived in Las Vegas following the Bonanno war and were believed to have stayed close to Joe Bonanno on the west coast. As of late 1978, Vito DeFilippo and Carmine Galante were still being investigated in connection to their relationship to Joe Bonanno. Naturally both DeFilippo and Galante had been uncooperative when approached by authorities.

- Bonanno and Carmine Galante were in contact as recent as March 1979, months before Galante's death. The two had been in "recent contact" as of March and Bonanno had sent "a message" to Galante. Bonanno used the nickname "Cigaro" to refer to Galante. Later that same month, the FBI contacted Galante's attorney to determine whether Galante had knowledge of Joe Bonanno's influence in the cheese industry, including Saputo Cheese of Montreal. Galante's lawyer denied that Galante had any knowledge of Saputo Cheese or Bonanno's influence.

- At this time the FBI had information that as of 1979, Joe Bonanno continued to associate with "LCN members" from various parts of the country and had "certain individuals working under his aegis throughout the country and Canada." The FBI stated the latter was especially true in New York, Denver, California, Miami, and Canada.

- It could be reasoned that Bonanno intended to import men from NY to California with assistance from Carmine Galante and other former Bonanno loyalists who had regained. I must emphasize "intended", though, as by this point it's clear that Joe Bonanno was unrecognized by most of the national LCN and his ongoing California plans sound like a pipe dream.

[johnny_scootch]

Great info!

[scott22]

Salvatore "Toto" Vitale was last seen going to a meeting with Jack and Tony Tocco in Windsor, Canada, right outside of Detroit, the day he disappeared - I believe I read that in an FBI document. It could have just said "Black Bill Tocco's son" or "Black Bill Tocco's sons," I've got to check.

Scott

[Eline2015]

Probably a Tocco, which one a Priziola’s son in law

[thekiduknow]

I never thought about it before, but the reports saying that Bonanno was still in touch with Galante is really interesting. I wonder if Galante kept him in the loop, or just kept in contact out of respect. Vito DeFilippo’s move is interesting as well, he was a staunch bonanno loyalist who got demoted after Galante was slain. Did he switch allegiance to Galante?

I guess I’m wondering if Bonnano kept tabs on the NY family while Galante was still alive. He wanted back in obviously, but I wonder if he had a following there?

[thekiduknow]

A relevant report from 1974:









Interesting that Cerrito referred to Bonannos “capos”. There might be more structure than we know. Could also be that they were caporegimas by default, as most known members were inactive by this point.