Gaetano Panepinto

[Ed]

Great article! But I'm left with more questions than answers. Dubro or Edwards needs to write a book to break it all down.

[antimafia]

Exactly, Ed.

This “permission” Rizzuto gave to the Siderno Group to kill Panepinto speaks to Rizzuto’s power but also — if Panepinto was a made guy — to Rizzuto’s flouting of the rules re: authorizing the murder of a made man.

Assuming Panepinto was made into the Buffalo Family or Bonanno Family, did Rizzuto contact the leadership of the relevant Family to argue that Panepinto had to go? Or was Rizzuto “making” guys — Panepinto could be an example — into the “Rizzuto Crime Family”?

[OcSleeper]

This “permission” Rizzuto gave to the Siderno Group to kill Panepinto speaks to Rizzuto’s power but also — if Panepinto was a made guy — to Rizzuto’s flouting of the rules re: authorizing the murder of a made man.

Assuming Panepinto was made into the Buffalo Family or Bonanno Family, did Rizzuto contact the leadership of the relevant Family to argue that Panepinto had to go? Or was Rizzuto “making” guys — Panepinto could be an example — into the “Rizzuto Crime Family”?

Wouldn't he have to of been made if he was the one who made the official introduction of Pat Musitano and Rizzuto in 1997.

I feel like this murder doesn't show Rizzuto's power. One can look at it as the Ndrangheta came looking for blood and Rizzuto had no other choice than serving up Panepinto unless he wanted major problems.

[CabriniGreen]

Exactly, Ed.

This “permission” Rizzuto gave to the Siderno Group to kill Panepinto speaks to Rizzuto’s power but also — if Panepinto was a made guy — to Rizzuto’s flouting of the rules re: authorizing the murder of a made man.

Assuming Panepinto was made into the Buffalo Family or Bonanno Family, did Rizzuto contact the leadership of the relevant Family to argue that Panepinto had to go? Or was Rizzuto “making” guys — Panepinto could be an example — into the “Rizzuto Crime Family”?

I have similar questions. Like how is Rizzuto protecting the Musitanos if they are Buffalo members? How does Rizzuto give a go ahead to hit Panepinto if hes made with Buffalo?

[CabriniGreen]

Exactly, Ed.

This “permission” Rizzuto gave to the Siderno Group to kill Panepinto speaks to Rizzuto’s power but also — if Panepinto was a made guy — to Rizzuto’s flouting of the rules re: authorizing the murder of a made man.

Assuming Panepinto was made into the Buffalo Family or Bonanno Family, did Rizzuto contact the leadership of the relevant Family to argue that Panepinto had to go? Or was Rizzuto “making” guys — Panepinto could be an example — into the “Rizzuto Crime Family”?

I have similar questions. Like how is Rizzuto protecting the Musitanos if they are Buffalo members? How does Rizzuto give a go ahead to hit Panepinto if hes made with Buffalo?

To add a little more, why is all this going through Rizzuto, and not a Buffalo guy? Where are the Luppinos at this time?

[Frank]

This “permission” Rizzuto gave to the Siderno Group to kill Panepinto speaks to Rizzuto’s power but also — if Panepinto was a made guy — to Rizzuto’s flouting of the rules re: authorizing the murder of a made man.

Assuming Panepinto was made into the Buffalo Family or Bonanno Family, did Rizzuto contact the leadership of the relevant Family to argue that Panepinto had to go? Or was Rizzuto “making” guys — Panepinto could be an example — into the “Rizzuto Crime Family”?

Wouldn't he have to of been made if he was the one who made the official introduction of Pat Musitano and Rizzuto in 1997.

I feel like this murder doesn't show Rizzuto's power. One can look at it as the Ndrangheta came looking for blood and Rizzuto had no other choice than serving up Panepinto unless he wanted major problems.

No he wouldnt have had to be made. Musitano wasnt made yet in 1997.They wouldn't have been introduced as amico nostra.

[Frank]

This “permission” Rizzuto gave to the Siderno Group to kill Panepinto speaks to Rizzuto’s power but also — if Panepinto was a made guy — to Rizzuto’s flouting of the rules re: authorizing the murder of a made man.

Assuming Panepinto was made into the Buffalo Family or Bonanno Family, did Rizzuto contact the leadership of the relevant Family to argue that Panepinto had to go? Or was Rizzuto “making” guys — Panepinto could be an example — into the “Rizzuto Crime Family”?

Wouldn't he have to of been made if he was the one who made the official introduction of Pat Musitano and Rizzuto in 1997.

I feel like this murder doesn't show Rizzuto's power. One can look at it as the Ndrangheta came looking for blood and Rizzuto had no other choice than serving up Panepinto unless he wanted major problems.

Your right if Musitano was already made with Buffalo. I was still thinking Rizzuto made him.

[OcSleeper]

No he wouldnt have had to be made. Musitano wasnt made yet in 1997.They wouldn't have been introduced as amico nostra.

After Papalia's murder in 1997 Musitano was MIA for a few days which law enforcement figured he was in Buffalo getting made. Then I forget when but later in 1997 Police observed Panepinto introducing Musitano to Rizzuto as "a friend of ours". Which means Pat was made and since Panepinto did the intro he had to of been made as well.

Not sure who Panepinto was with though. I always knew him as Vito's guy in Toronto but I've seen a chart from Paul Manning that has him listed as a "Scarcella Soldier". And I don't even know who Scsrcella was with and no one seems to know either or at least never answers when I try asking.

[B.]

Couple mistakes I made in the original post from 2019:

- When I said "Toronto" Buffalo members, I meant Ontario in general.

- Donald Panepinto apparently wasn't dead. NickleCity has found evidence he is still alive.

--

Guy Panepinto remains a great example of the confusion we have as outsiders. He is listed as a Scarcella affiliate on one chart, associated closely with Vito Rizzuto, and lived/operated in an area traditionally linked to Buffalo. He appears to have Sicilian heritage.

The RCMP sergeant said Panepinto was overheard by survillance introducing Musitano and Avignone to Rizzuto as "our friends from Hamilton", which he interpreted as a formal mafia introduction. This meeting followed Musitano's suspected trip to Buffalo where the RCMP sergeant believes he was made.

If the introduction made by Panepinto was verbatim as the sergeant described it in his presentation, it is open to interpretation whether or not any of the men (save Rizzuto) were made members at the time. If the exact language was "amico nostra" or "friend of ours" and the sergeant misspoke or glossed over the specific language in his presentation, that is a stronger indication of membership.

We know the sergeant believes the men were made members, so maybe he received other intelligence that supports this.

I'd be curious if Vincenzo Morena attempted to get any historical info from Violi during his cooperation. Given they had such a rare opportunity to gain inside organizational info, you'd think the RCMP would have asked Morena to fish around for info on some of these deceased figures.

[antimafia]

It's Friday the 13th, a day celebrated in a couple of towns in Ontario -- namely, Port Dover and Gananoque -- with biker rallies.

Article about Gaetano Panepinto's funeral (among other things), which took place on Friday, October 13, 2000:

Bikers celebrate Friday 13th
Appleby, Timothy; Oziewicz, Estanislao.  The Globe and Mail; Toronto, Ont.. 14 Oct 2000: A.10.

https://www.evernote.com/shard/s229/sh/ ... JgzsiZLuQg (plain text)

https://www.evernote.com/shard/s229/sh/ ... hc_F-VnLGA (full PDF of newspaper page is attached)

When you come across the sentence "One of many theories about his execution suggests it was a revenge hit stemming from the 1997 slaying of Hamilton godfather John (Johnny Pops) Papalia," recall that Panepinto was suspected of aiding Giacinto Arcuri in the murder of Buffalo Family member Enio Mora the year before Papalia was killed -- a murder of which Arcuri was acquitted.