General Mob Questions

[Camo]

Does anyone know where the Frank Mari became boss briefly before his disappearance in 1969 originally comes from? I'm reading the Anthony Destefano - Joe Massino book right now and he mentions it. I know that book will have mistakes especially on stuff before Massino became a power but it's also on Chris Christie's Lineage Chart (as a possibility i believe) so i assume it came from somewhere credible although not conclusive.

It also says this: "The Bonanno family could have lurched into another period of disarray, but the Commission took the unusual step after Mari’s disappearance of appointing a triumvirate to rule the family, at least temporarily. The three leaders who were to work as a team were Natale Evola, who had weathered a narcotics conviction to maintain his power in the garment trucking industry, an obscure crime captain named Joseph DiFilippi, and the none-too-flashy Philip Rastelli."

That's not on the chart, DiFillippi is instead mentioned as Consiglieri around this time and Evola is Acting Boss before becoming the official boss in 1971. Is that because this is known to be untrue? Just wondering why the Mari as Boss possibility was included but not that as i figured they'd have came from the same source, unless he just completely made that part up. I'm not really familiar with this author but i've seen members here recommend his books and have never heard him spoke of as a Phillip Carlo type so i wouldn't think he'd just make it up, rather more information has come out since disproving it or whatever.

Sorry i'm sure this has all been explained somewhere i've just always wondered about Mari possibly being boss as i never heard about it until the chart (which is excellent as they all are) and that passage reminded me to ask.

[chin_gigante]

I saw the same thing I'm certain on an FBI file once. It said that Mari had ousted Sciacca and was then made to disappear, Sciacca came back on a temporary basis then resigged completely

[Camo]

I saw the same thing I'm certain on an FBI file once. It said that Mari had ousted Sciacca and was then made to disappear, Sciacca came back on a temporary basis then resigged completely

According to this book Sciacca's son was married to Mari's niece and he groomed him to be Boss:

"Police-organized crime investigators, like Kremlinologists of the cold war period who studied the Soviet Union, looked to social circumstances and public appearances to divine what was taking place behind the scenes in the Mafia. In terms of the Bonanno family, it was a September 14, 1968, wedding on Long Island that led police to believe that the crime family war had been settled. As police told the Times, Bonanno loyalists and Sciacca supporters who had been on hostile terms were “disported together convivially” at the wedding reception of Sciacca’s son, Anthony, to Florence Rando, a niece of Frank Mari."

"However, Sciacca suffered from a bad heart. So he wanted to stop his involvement with the crime family and was in the process of grooming Mari to become his successor. A triggerman and reputed dope dealer, Mari was elected family boss during a sitdown in a restaurant in Manhattan in May 1969. His reign was short. In September 1969, Mari, his bodyguard James Episcopia, and Sciacca loyalist Michael Adamo disappeared. There bodies were never found. Police suspected Mari had been killed as payback for having a role in the murder of Joseph Bonanno’s bodyguard Sam Perrone a year earlier. Another theory was that some mobsters simply resented the way Mari was pushed forward, particularly since he hadn’t distinguished himself."

That second paragraph is immediately before the "triumvarate" one i posted earlier probably should have included that. Also the author is definitely looking suspect now as i just noticed that spelling error haha "There bodies were never found".

[Camo]

Just found an Anthony Sciacca who is married to a Florence Sciacca living in Massapequa, NY so it looks like it's true. Don't want to post it as it includes their phone number.

[eboli]

I think the info came from an fbi informant in the 70's. He stated Mari wanted to take control of the family but the commission wasn't okay with it, so he and Adamo were put in concrete for their actions.

[Camo]

If it's true then i find it hard to believe Sciacca took back over considering they were related, does sound like he was supposed to be Sciacca's successor but then Sciacca was installed by the Commission so i wonder why they'd be against Mari. To me i'd find it more understandable if former Bonanno Faction guys were behind Mari's disappearace. Who knows though maybe Sciacca didn't support Mari just find their relatives getting married not long before all this curious, and wonder where the hell the Sciacca groomed him to be boss thing came from guess it could just be an assumption due to the wedding. Pretty irresponsible of the author if that's the case.

[aleksandrored]

A silly question ... but as you research the Mafia?, I'm not talking about the sites but rather the method, first look for newspapers, articles, FBI Files, books? or by names or the criminal family? is that sometimes I'm kind of lost where to start.

This is the best collection of resources regarding the Mafia I've ever seen:
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=2325

Antiliar put it to together.

Thanks Fella, is that I get confused even in the order, what to research first, whether I research name, family, or a particular time...

[DPG]

A silly question ... but as you research the Mafia?, I'm not talking about the sites but rather the method, first look for newspapers, articles, FBI Files, books? or by names or the criminal family? is that sometimes I'm kind of lost where to start.

This is the best collection of resources regarding the Mafia I've ever seen:
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=2325

Antiliar put it to together.

Thanks Fella, is that I get confused even in the order, what to research first, whether I research name, family, or a particular time...

Just depends on what your looking for....what are you interested in researching?

Mary Ferrell and the FBI vault are probably the best websites to use when researching anything mob related.

[aleksandrored]

A silly question ... but as you research the Mafia?, I'm not talking about the sites but rather the method, first look for newspapers, articles, FBI Files, books? or by names or the criminal family? is that sometimes I'm kind of lost where to start.

This is the best collection of resources regarding the Mafia I've ever seen:
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=2325

Antiliar put it to together.

Thanks Fella, is that I get confused even in the order, what to research first, whether I research name, family, or a particular time...

Just depends on what your looking for....what are you interested in researching?

Mary Ferrell and the FBI vault are probably the best websites to use when researching anything mob related.

nothing very specific, I would like to know more about the 5 families, the Chicago Outfit and the Jewish mob, as there are many things and many names I am confused to organize myself.

[JOJO]

whatever happened to LTH and his epic battle against mike pontarelli (angelo)

Soliai- who was LTH?

Thanks and have a merry xmas!

[Pogo The Clown]

Great thread for the main board.


Pogo

[HairyKnuckles]

Does anyone know where the Frank Mari became boss briefly before his disappearance in 1969 originally comes from? I'm reading the Anthony Destefano - Joe Massino book right now and he mentions it. I know that book will have mistakes especially on stuff before Massino became a power but it's also on Chris Christie's Lineage Chart (as a possibility i believe) so i assume it came from somewhere credible although not conclusive.

It also says this: "The Bonanno family could have lurched into another period of disarray, but the Commission took the unusual step after Mari’s disappearance of appointing a triumvirate to rule the family, at least temporarily. The three leaders who were to work as a team were Natale Evola, who had weathered a narcotics conviction to maintain his power in the garment trucking industry, an obscure crime captain named Joseph DiFilippi, and the none-too-flashy Philip Rastelli."

That's not on the chart, DiFillippi is instead mentioned as Consiglieri around this time and Evola is Acting Boss before becoming the official boss in 1971. Is that because this is known to be untrue? Just wondering why the Mari as Boss possibility was included but not that as i figured they'd have came from the same source, unless he just completely made that part up. I'm not really familiar with this author but i've seen members here recommend his books and have never heard him spoke of as a Phillip Carlo type so i wouldn't think he'd just make it up, rather more information has come out since disproving it or whatever.

Sorry i'm sure this has all been explained somewhere i've just always wondered about Mari possibly being boss as i never heard about it until the chart (which is excellent as they all are) and that passage reminded me to ask.

It originally comes from annual FBI reports. And this specific information, on Mari being boss, comes from a report dated November 1969.

In March 1969, informants advised the FBI that Sciacca had been a disappointment as boss, That he lacked leadership abilities. In September of 1969, informants advised that Frank Mari is the new boss and that the Commission had approved his elevation. He had also been given a seat on the Commission, something DiGregorio and Sciacca earlier were never given. Philip Rastelli became underboss and Mike Adsamo the consigliere.

While researching, I have never come across any info saying Sciacca retook control of the Family after Mari´s disappearing, which I believe I read in a post on here. Neither have I found anything that backs up DeStefano´s claim of a three man ruling panel. I have no idea why the author decided to put that in his book. Evola, for example, was held in contempt and was scheduled for sentecing around this time, so it sounds unlikely that he was part of some ruling panel created by the Family.

I don´t hold DeStefano as an author in high regards. His book on Vinny Basciano for example was a big disapointment and his books on Massino was very poor researched. He went for what was available in the press only and did not dig any deeper. The books are sloppy ones, written hastily and published too fast.

[SonnyBlackstein]

'Anthony Stabile' died today, 83.

https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainme ... story.html

[Mvguy818]

It the actor who played him in the movie......

[Camo]

Does anyone know where the Frank Mari became boss briefly before his disappearance in 1969 originally comes from? I'm reading the Anthony Destefano - Joe Massino book right now and he mentions it. I know that book will have mistakes especially on stuff before Massino became a power but it's also on Chris Christie's Lineage Chart (as a possibility i believe) so i assume it came from somewhere credible although not conclusive.

It also says this: "The Bonanno family could have lurched into another period of disarray, but the Commission took the unusual step after Mari’s disappearance of appointing a triumvirate to rule the family, at least temporarily. The three leaders who were to work as a team were Natale Evola, who had weathered a narcotics conviction to maintain his power in the garment trucking industry, an obscure crime captain named Joseph DiFilippi, and the none-too-flashy Philip Rastelli."

That's not on the chart, DiFillippi is instead mentioned as Consiglieri around this time and Evola is Acting Boss before becoming the official boss in 1971. Is that because this is known to be untrue? Just wondering why the Mari as Boss possibility was included but not that as i figured they'd have came from the same source, unless he just completely made that part up. I'm not really familiar with this author but i've seen members here recommend his books and have never heard him spoke of as a Phillip Carlo type so i wouldn't think he'd just make it up, rather more information has come out since disproving it or whatever.

Sorry i'm sure this has all been explained somewhere i've just always wondered about Mari possibly being boss as i never heard about it until the chart (which is excellent as they all are) and that passage reminded me to ask.

It originally comes from annual FBI reports. And this specific information, on Mari being boss, comes from a report dated November 1969.

In March 1969, informants advised the FBI that Sciacca had been a disappointment as boss, That he lacked leadership abilities. In September of 1969, informants advised that Frank Mari is the new boss and that the Commission had approved his elevation. He had also been given a seat on the Commission, something DiGregorio and Sciacca earlier were never given. Philip Rastelli became underboss and Mike Adsamo the consigliere.

While researching, I have never come across any info saying Sciacca retook control of the Family after Mari´s disappearing, which I believe I read in a post on here. Neither have I found anything that backs up DeStefano´s claim of a three man ruling panel. I have no idea why the author decided to put that in his book. Evola, for example, was held in contempt and was scheduled for sentecing around this time, so it sounds unlikely that he was part of some ruling panel created by the Family.

I don´t hold DeStefano as an author in high regards. His book on Vinny Basciano for example was a big disapointment and his books on Massino was very poor researched. He went for what was available in the press only and did not dig any deeper. The books are sloppy ones, written hastily and published too fast.

Thanks a lot HK, yeah i think i agree with you on DeStefano. I've just owned that book for years, haven't heard anything bad about it (before now) and wanted to brush up on the Bonanno's after reading a few threads here so thought i may as well get to it.

Yeah, a poster on the last page (which i'm guessing he read elsewhere as his info has been solid in other topics) said Sciacca took back over because Mari "ousted him". I don't think that was the case because of that marriage i think it's more likely Sciacca supported Mari as his replacement if he was ever even boss. Although, did the Bonanno''s keep their commission seat after Mari? If not that could mean members the commission didn't support had him killed and took control of the family while they reverted to supporting Sciacca as boss. Just thinking out loud from your post it doesn't seem like there's anything to support that.

Can i ask if you personally believe Mari was ever boss or do you think this is off information? As i'm sure there's plenty of contradicting information from informants on leadership.