Colombo Family 1963 and 1979 questions.

[B.]

Great stuff B. Do you know when Buffa died? Thanks.


Pogo

Possibly late 1961 or very early 1962 if I have the right info. Not sure, though, it may have been earlier. Scarpa ID'd him as the family's consigliere up until his death.

If he's the one I think he is from immigration records, he came from Carini like a handful of other early Profaci members. He was a business partner of Sam Badalamenti who I believe was also from Carini which would make sense. The Buffas in Detroit were from Carini as well and we know there was a strong relationship between Profaci and Detroit so would be interesting if there was a connection there.

CC -- D'Alessandro was later ID'd under a redacted captain, who I believe is Sorrentino, so he may have been acting for that crew. A faction consisting of LoCicero, D'Alessandro, Badalamenti, and I believe one or two other top members were planning to go to the Commission together to get Magliocco deposed, not sure if that happened and/or influenced what happened, though, as Magliocco had his own problems with the Commission as we know. LoCicero also had Scarpa stalk Magliocco at one point with the intent of planning his murder but later called it off. Scarpa was pretending to be a loyal soldier to Ambrose Magliocco, meanwhile he was actively part of the plot against the Maglioccos... not that Scarpa was an amateur when it came to playing both sides of the fence. LoCicero had some kind of alliance with the Gallo faction as well. He seems to have been an unbelievably treacherous guy... no wonder he was Scarpa's mentor.

Misuraca would have been acting underboss given that Magliocco was not official boss and wouldn't have been able to appoint an official underboss.

Seems LoCicero was removed as acting consigliere when he left for Italy or immediately after.

[Antiliar]

We don't have enough info on Buffa to discern anything about him. Could be one of these three:

Name: Anthony Buffa
Age: 62
Birth Date: abt 1891
Death Date: 16 Sep 1953
Death Place: Manhattan, New York, New York, USA

Anthony Buffa
Age: 53
Birth Date: abt 1900
Death Date: 11 Jan 1953
Death Place: Manhattan, New York, New York, USA

Anthony Buffa
Age: 49
Birth Date: abt 1902
Death Date: 22 Feb 1951
Death Place: Brooklyn, New York, New York, USA

[B.]

There was one from Carini born in 1901 who came to the US in 1923 and settled in Brooklyn, where he was living in 1930. Not a lot to hang our hats on out there about the Profaci Buffa, but speculating from context, Sicilian paesani were known to run legitimate businesses together so his partnership with Badalamenti of Carini and the Detroit mafia Buffa being from Carini lends itself to speculation that he could be the one from there. There were other early Profaci members from there as well.

The one from Carini traveled to Carini, Sicily, with his wife in 1938, Giuseppa Baiata Buffa, also from Carini. Her mother is listed in Carini under last name Schillace so not sure if her maiden name is "Baiata" or Schillace. The wife was 26 and this Antonino Buffa was 37, residence listed as 954 Atlantic Avenue, Prospect Heights neighborhood, near Park Slope / Red Hook, Brooklyn.

This same Antonino Buffa in the 1930 census is listed, along with his brother Filippo/Philip, as an "oil salesman". The Profaci Buffa ran an oil company with Badalamenti, so combined with his residence in a known Profaci family neighborhood the chances are looking stronger that this one is the Profaci consigliere.

Scarpa claims to have been made in 1951 so he would have died sometime after that. It's unlikely that the Profaci family would have left the official consigliere position open for "too" long and with LoCicero in the acting position by 1962, you would think he would have died within the previous couple of years. There was an Anthony Buffa b.1901 who died around January 1962 but can't confirm where he died.

edit: looks like Filippo and Antonino Buffa originally went to an older brother, Pietro, who lived on Union street in Brooklyn.

[B.]

Talked to JD about Buffa and he (of course) was able to clear it up. His name was actually Giuseppe/Joseph Buffa, so either Scarpa had the first name wrong or he alternately used the name Anthony. He was from Carini like the other Buffas, born 1900 and died 1959. His brother Frank Buffa was a member of the San Jose family and it appears Joe Profaci's son Sal was married to Buffa's daughter.

What stands out to me is that of the first four consiglieres or acting consiglieres we know in the Profaci family, three came from Carini (Buffa, Badalamenti (acting), D'Alessandro). Also, most of the known Profaci members from Carini held the position of captain or higher at different points and not in direct succession. Salvatore Badalamenti's brother Giuseppe is one exception (not sure he's a confirmed member either) and the other is Nicolo Failla, who was the oldest known member from Carini. Failla was a close associate of Giuseppe Peraino who fled the US and was criminally active in Italy before returning to the US in 1939 and working as a grocer on Staten Island. Can't rule out the possibility that Failla was a figure of some prominence before he fled the US given his relationship to Peraino, whose exact position/affiliation is still unknown, though there are obvious links to the future Profaci family through his sons and Failla.

Joseph Mannino is a name that comes up a lot in connection to Peraino, as he was associated with Peraino and murdered the following year. JD says Mannino is from Carini as well, so there does seem to be something to this connection, though Mannino's membership status/affiliation is unknown.

I'm always fascinated when a "faction" from a certain village/city is over-represented in the leadership, especially earlier on when those connections were more important. Could be an indication that there were more members from Carini in the pre-Profaci family early on.

I'm sure C.Christie is thrilled his simple request became another rambling "speculative history" thread...

[Angelo Santino]

Spoke to JD also who said the crews in 1965 were more or less the same with a few exceptions. So I'll remake the 1963 Valachi chart (I'd love to remake the Bonannos but there's a complete lack of photos to supplement such an endeavor.) So I'll PM you as I build it and I'll defer to you and JD. The advice you provided in PM about separating the Gallo crew is sound. I'm ignorant of 1963 so I'm very appreciative of your advice.

Moving forward 17 years into 1980, it's going okay. But if anyone can further assist with FBI surveillance photos of the Colombo members, it'll go far in making this 1980 project work.

Anyways, salut and have a good weekend, gents.

[Pogo The Clown]

Great stuff B. Thanks for the info on Buffa. Strange how the family kept the Consigliere position vacant years before the Gallo conflict even flared up.


Pogo

[Angelo Santino]

I'm interested in the Carini faction, that seems to have some history.

Anyways, The Magliocco chart is being updated but I really don't have much in the way of photos. I'm reaching out to JD to see if he can assist, but so far here's who I have for photos 1963:

Acting Boss: Joe Magliocco
Acting Underboss: John Misuraca
Modesto ‘Duke’ Santoro (53y)
Joseph ‘Joe Yak’ Yacovelli (37y)
Lawrence "Larry" Gallo
Joseph Gallo
Nicholas "Jiggs" Forlano
Simone Andolino (58y)
Paul D’Amico (51y)
Giuseppe 'Pino' Tipa Jr. (54y)
Salvatore Badalamenti (60y)
Joe Colombo
Thomas DiBella (60y) (Transferred from Colombo Crew 7.65)
Harry Fontana (66y)
Anthony ‘Tony Schatz’ Abbatemarco (33y)
Alphonse 'Funzi' D'Ambrosio (41y)
Charles 'Charlie Sidge' LoCicero (61y) (IP 2.65; USP Atlanta - FHD Manhattan)
John ‘Sonny’ Franzese (46y)
Sebastiano ‘Buster’ Aloi (58y)
Gregory Scarpa (37y)
Salvatore ‘Sally the Sheik’ Musacchio (60y)
Frank Profaci (58y)
John ‘Johnny Bath Beach’ Oddo (61y)
Cassandro ‘The Chief’ Bonasera (68y)
Charles ‘Charlie Moose’ Panarella (43y)
Ralph ‘Whitey’ Tropiano (53y) (CT)
Benedetto D’Alessandro (65y) (Appointed 7.65)
Bartolo Ferrigno (63y) (Bensonhurst, Brooklyn - East Village, Manhattan)
Salvatore D'Ambrosio
Frank "Frankie Schatz" Abbatemarco (murdered 1959)

[chin_gigante]

What sources identify DiBella as serving as the boss from 1977 to 1980? From FBI files (and Franzese's book Blood Covenant) he is identified as acting boss in 1972. Those same sources also identify him as boss from 1973 until at least 1977 (with Franzese identifying him as the boss at his making ceremony in 1975 - though this was likely 1977 considering he mentions the underboss position being vacant and Abbetamarco didn't disappear until 1977). I can't find files referencing DiBella after this. Franzese mentions Persico taking over 'promptly' upon his release on parole. Considering Persico was released in 1979 and there's no exact reference of a time-frame (and that Franzese does not mention DiBella being replaced as boss) it is reasonably to suspect that DiBella was therefore boss until at least 1979 and possibly until 1980 - I don't know when exactly in 1979 Persico was released. The only information that appears to conflict this is the New Jersey State Commission Report from 1989 which states that Persico officially took over following Colombo's death in 1978. However, this claim appears unlikely since the title was removed from Colombo shortly after his assassination attempt.

[HairyKnuckles]

What sources identify DiBella as serving as the boss from 1977 to 1980? From FBI files (and Franzese's book Blood Covenant) he is identified as acting boss in 1972. Those same sources also identify him as boss from 1973 until at least 1977 (with Franzese identifying him as the boss at his making ceremony in 1975 - though this was likely 1977 considering he mentions the underboss position being vacant and Abbetamarco didn't disappear until 1977). I can't find files referencing DiBella after this. Franzese mentions Persico taking over 'promptly' upon his release on parole. Considering Persico was released in 1979 and there's no exact reference of a time-frame (and that Franzese does not mention DiBella being replaced as boss) it is reasonably to suspect that DiBella was therefore boss until at least 1979 and possibly until 1980 - I don't know when exactly in 1979 Persico was released. The only information that appears to conflict this is the New Jersey State Commission Report from 1989 which states that Persico officially took over following Colombo's death in 1978. However, this claim appears unlikely since the title was removed from Colombo shortly after his assassination attempt.

Scarpa yes and other informants.

1976.png

Persico was released in 1979 (I don´t know the exact date) and was made DiBella´s underboss shortly after. Appr a year after that, in 1980, Persico was made boss of the Colombo Family.

DiBella was first acting boss in 1972, but was made official boss in December same year. He stepped down when Persico took over. In between, Anthony Abbatemarco (the then underboss) served as acting boss in 1974 when DiBella was jailed for contempt, followed by Joey Brancato until DiBella, the official boss ws released.

[chin_gigante]

Thanks. How long was DiBella in jail for? I'm imagining 1974-1975

[Cheech]

here are the photos we are missing currently for Colombo 1979

- James ‘Jimmy Brown’ Clemenza (68y)
Robert 'Bobby' Falvo (54y)
• Aniello 'Allie Lamont' Giannattasio (70y)
Alphonse ‘Funzi’ D’Ambrosio (55y)
- Philip Fontana (82y)
- Philip ‘Fat Foongie’ Gambino (55y)
- Joseph ‘Joe Black’ Gorgone (54y)
-
- Frank 'Ghandi' LoCicero (52y)
- Frank ‘Frankie the Shiek’ Musacchio (64y)
Joseph ‘Little Joey’ Brancato (62y)
-
- Vincent ‘Vinny Sicilian’ Gugliaro (51y)
-
- Joseph 'Lefty' SanGiorgio (41y)

•
- Fred Clemenza (56y)
- Frank Fusco (75y)
-
- Benjamin 'Benny Sidge' LoCicero (46y)
- Anthony ‘Butch’ Maltese (60y)

- Rocco 'Rocky' Miraglia (53y)
- Patsy ‘Junior’ Palermo (30y)

- John D'Amico (88y)

- Rosario Lombardino (54y)
-


• Soldiers
- Ambrose Magliocco (78y)
- Antonio Magliocco (70y)
- Salvatore 'Sammy' Peritore (66y)

•
- John Bolino

- Leonard Dello (52y)
-
- John Minerva (53y)
-
- Anthony ‘Tony Ski’ Scianna (49y)
- Joseph ‘Jo Jo’ Vitacco (52y)
•
- Joseph Peraino Jr. (29y)
-
- James ‘Jimmy Ski’ Scianna (63y) [Transferred from Russo Crew]
- Dominic 'Big Donnie' Somma (42y) [Transferred from Panarella Crew]
- George Tropiano (64y)
==========


- Robert Barbieri (64y)
- John ‘Little John’ Capichano (70y)
- Anthony Crivello (67y)
- Jerome 'Gene Magliocco' D’Agati (59y)
- Sebastian D’Agati (82y)
- Benedetto D’Alessandro (79y) (Res. Sicily)
-
- Dominico 'Danny' Esposito (54y) (FL)
- Bartolo Ferrigno (77y)
- FNU 'Scotty' Fontana (FL)
- Salvatore John Fontana (84y) (FL)
-
- Vincent ‘Little Jimmy’ Melia (63y)
- John 'Big John' Misuraca (82y) (FL)
- Anthony Peraino (64y)
- Carmine ‘Junior’ Persico (46y) (IP)
- Joseph 'Jo Jo' Russo (26y)
- Michael Savino (71y) (FL)
- Alfonso 'Peanuts' Serrantonio (40y)
- Joseph Spatoliatore (71y) (Res. Sicily) (Possibly Deceased)
- Richard 'Fat Richie' Zorzi (49y) (Possibly Deceased)

[Angelo Santino]

It's coming along, just need to add rackets and FBI numbers.. If anyone has info on any of the members and what they were involved in, that would help tremendously, with whomever, even Carmine Persico for example.

[chin_gigante]

So, in terms of underboss and consigliere positions up until about 1970 is this consistent with what we've uncovered?:

UB:
Magliocco -> Misuraca (acting) -> Mineo

Con:
Buffa -> LoCicero (acting) -> Badalamenti (acting) -> D'Alessandro -> Yacovelli

[Dwalin2014]

In between, Anthony Abbatemarco (the then underboss) served as acting boss in 1974 when DiBella was jailed for contempt, followed by Joey Brancato until DiBella, the official boss ws released.

Why do some articles online say that Joe Brancato was jailed for murder after a brief period as acting boss? I can't find any details about this murder case, who was the victim, how many people were involved etc. Is this fake information or was Brancato really convicted for murder? Sounds unusual for a high-ranking mafioso in that time period.

[FriendofFamily]

So Michael Franzese says 43 years ago on Halloween October 31st 1975, He and Five others were made that night.

Who were the other 5 Guys? He says the other 5 are dead. Any IDEAS?

If it wasn't for his Dad Sonny he would have never been made that young in my opinion.

From his Facebook Page:

FORTY THREE YEARS AGO Tonight, I took a blood oath and was inducted into LCN. 6 of us that night. I’m the only one alive. Bittersweet night for me. Was a big part of my life. Lost many friends over the years. Grateful and blessed to be alive and free!