Bonanno Family Lineage Chart

[thekiduknow]

Here's what I have for the changes in crews during the split, I'll work making it a more linear chart but this is what appears to have happened after DiGregorio took over.

Alfano crew:
Remains a captain under DiGregorio through Sciacca/Evola.

Aquaro crew:
Aquaro retired.Crew member Pasquale Giganti goes under new captain Michael Consolo. There’s at least two other crew members whose names are redacted, so not sure where they ended up.

AZ/West Coast crew:
After Bill is promoted to consigliere around March of 1964, Charles Battaglia likely took over the crew. When DiGregorio became boss in 1965, he promoted Joseph Genovese, but I’m not sure if he was recognized as such. Battaglia likely continued to head the Arizona crew under the Bonanno “Splinter Group”.

Caruso crew:
Remains a captain under DiGregorio. Switched to the Bonanno faction in October of 1966. Probably demoted by Sciacca, largely inactive by late 1960s/early 1970s. Eventually Angelo Salvo was reported to be caporegime over parts of Caruso’s old regime. Salvo’s crew also included members from other crews as well.

DiGiovanni crew:
Remains captain, takes over D’Angelo’s “action” in Ridgewood after he is demoted. Not sure if that means that he took over D’Angelo’s actual crew, or just his interests. He died in 1967. Not sure what became of this crew.

Montreal:
Cotroni remains. Represented by DiGregorio’s Consigliere and former Galante crew member Paul Sciacca for a time. Magaddino seems to have tried to take over the crew, but they remained with the Bonannos. Luigi Greco met with Joseph Zicarelli in the late 1960s to try and break away, but he convinced them to stay.

DiGregorio crew:
DiGregorio was elected/installed as boss in late 1964, early 1965. Crew members Joseph DiFilippi, Sereno Tartamella, and Dominick “Mimi” Sabella(the younger one) were all reported to have become caporegimes, so they may have divided up the crew. Peter Crociata was promoted to DiGregorio’s underboss.

Grimaldi crew:
Grimaldi reported to have retired after the split, not sure what became of this crew.

LaBruzzo crew:
LaBruzzo was demoted and Joseph DiMaria, who was his acting captain, likely took over, but was reported to be a weak captain. Pietro Licata was reported to have been promoted by Evola, so he may have taken over this crew.

Marangello crew:
Reported as a caporegime in April of 1964. Reported to have lost that position when DiGregorio took over, and was in Mike Consolo’s crew by 1965. Shows up as a “Senior Captain” in 1969, assisting Rusty Rastelli in running the family.

Morales/D’Angelo crew:
Morales was promoted to Underboss around March 1964, and his crew likely passed to Thomas D’Angelo. When DiGregorio became boss, D’Angelo was originally aligned with Bonanno through his close friendship with John Morales, and was demoted by him. Anthony DiGiovanna reportedly took over his “action” in the Ridgewood section of Brooklyn. Both Stefano Cannone and Salvatore Ferrugia were in Morales’ crew, so they may have split off after D’Angelo was demoted as they both became caporegimes under DiGregorio. D'Angelo may have been brought back as a caporegime sometime in 1966/1967.

Galante/Notaro crew:
Joe Notaro was promoted to full captain in March 1964. After DiGregorio became boss, the crew was split between Armand Pollastrino and Michael Consolo. Crew member Paul Sciacca was promoted to Consigliere, and member Rusty Rastelli became a captain. Mike Consolo reportedly had 16 members under him by August 1965. He may have absorbed the other Aquaro crew members along with Patsy Giganti, as well as former caporegime Nicholas Marangello. I haven’t seen anything on who would have been with Pollastrino. Consolo reportedly demoted sometime after Troutman street, being blamed for it's failure as he was the one who had the contract on Bill, and Frank Mari takes over. When Mari is promoted to underboss in 1967, Consolo may have again taken over as caporegime, as he's described as one when he was killed.

Restivo crew:
Referred to as a “former captain” after DiGregorio became boss, either demoted or retired. Not sure what happened to his crew.

Sabella crew:
Mike Sabella was possibly demoted by Bonanno in the early days of the split, after trying to get Bonanno to appear in New York, but remained a captain under DiGregorio but reportedly had little influence.

Valvo’s crew:
Matteo Valvo seems to have been demoted, or retired after the split. Deemed a “nothing”, and reported to be in Mike Sabella’s crew circa 1968. He reappears as a caporegime in the late 1970s.

[thekiduknow]

John Fiordilino, a caporegime by 1967, may have taken over some Grimaldi's/Restivo's crew since they were all active in the Bushwick/Ridgewood area.

[Antiliar]

The person Joe Bonanno got into a conflict with in the late 1920s (before he was made) was a Mimi Sabella. Bonanno was defended at a sit-down by Salvatore Maranzano and Stefano Magaddino, and IIRC Salvatore Sabella of Philadelphia stood for Mimi. Vito Bonventre (the one killed in 1930) presided. So the Sabellas go way back.

[motorfab]

The person Joe Bonanno got into a conflict with in the late 1920s (before he was made) was a Mimi Sabella. Bonanno was defended at a sit-down by Salvatore Maranzano and Stefano Magaddino, and IIRC Salvatore Sabella of Philadelphia stood for Mimi. Vito Bonventre (the one killed in 1930) presided. So the Sabellas go way back.

According to Bonanno in the movie "Bonanno a Godfather story", Mimi Sabella was the brother of Salvatore Sabella, i.e Domenico Sabella. I can't say for the English dubbing but it's saying in the French/Québec version of the movie. It's during the sit down with Magaddino, Maranzano, Sabella, Aiello, Milazzo & Bonventre

[chin_gigante]

Captains as of 1981

Cesare Bonventre
Salvatore Catalano
Nicholas DiStefano
Salvatore Ferrugia (Acting Boss)
Philip Giaccone
Santo Giordano
Alphonse Indelicato
Anthony Indelicato
Giovanni Ligammari
Joseph Massino
Dominick Napolitano
Gerlando Sciascia (Montreal)
Dominick Trinchera
Joseph Zicarelli

[Antiliar]

The person Joe Bonanno got into a conflict with in the late 1920s (before he was made) was a Mimi Sabella. Bonanno was defended at a sit-down by Salvatore Maranzano and Stefano Magaddino, and IIRC Salvatore Sabella of Philadelphia stood for Mimi. Vito Bonventre (the one killed in 1930) presided. So the Sabellas go way back.

According to Bonanno in the movie "Bonanno a Godfather story", Mimi Sabella was the brother of Salvatore Sabella, i.e Domenico Sabella. I can't say for the English dubbing but it's saying in the French/Québec version of the movie. It's during the sit down with Magaddino, Maranzano, Sabella, Aiello, Milazzo & Bonventre

Wish we had more info on Mimi Sabella. The one born in 1910 seems too young. There's a World War II draft card for one born on Dec 24, 1900, in CDG. He lived at 858 Pine Street in BK, which is near Howard Beach. His nearest contact was a Joe Sarcona, which is a name that came up in the early days. Also found a passenger manifest for a Domenico Sabella who arrived with his mother Rosa and his siblings in June 1915. They came from CDG and their destination was Rosa's sister Marianna Sabella at 222 North 5th Street, which was Bonanno HQ back then. Looks like Domenico's father was Giuseppe, so that rules out this one as a brother to Salvatore Sabella, whose parents were Giovanni and Maria. Travelling with them was an Ignazio Bonanno (son of Settimo) and his family. It looks like his destination was brother-in-law (?) Giuseppe Domingo at 415 E. 11th Street, NYC (address is hard to read, so I could be wrong).

EDIT: Found an ancestry tree with links to a 1920 census record of Rose Sabella and her sons Philip, Salvatore and Domenico. Salvatore is 29, so that matches the age, but not the mother, of Salvatore Sabella of Philadelphia. Domenico's age was 12 but crossed over to read 22, so he approximately matches the age. He married a Caterina Sarcona, so there's the Sarcona connection (they married in BK in 1937). According to the Social Security Death Index, Domenico was born Dec 17, 1899 and died in Jan 1972 - same month, but off by a week and a year. Perhaps mom's name was Maria Rosa, which would explain the discrepancy. Interestingly, a sister married a brother of Gaspare DiGregorio.

(Caterina Sarcona's parents were Salvatore and Rose; Salvatore came from Vita per his Declaration of Intention, but on his WWII draft card says he's from Naples. The birthdates match, so it's the same person. Hmm...)

[B.]

There were two Domenico Sabellas made into the Bonannos. The one born in the early 1900s and his first cousin born a decade later. The older one is the one believed to have been Philly boss Salvatore Sabella's brother.

No known relation to Mike Sabella, whose family came from Agrigento though he was related to Willie Dara of Marsala / Mazara del Vallo. Mike Sabella's father Accursio "Gus" could be a candidate for the "Gus Sobella" (ph) described as an old timer active in Little Italy -- the FBI included "Gus" as a Bonanno member on one chart but little is known beyond that.

The dispute Bonanno had with the older Mimi Sabella looks to have been an in-house sitdown within the Vito Bonventre crew. Bonanno was an associate on record with Maranzano who represented Bonanno against Sabella, with the indication that both men were soldiers under Bonventre, described by Bonanno as the "group leader" over their neighborhood. I know it's been speculated that Joe Bonanno may have taken over as capodecina after Bonventre's death but things might not be that straightforward during the war -- looks like the Bonanno and DiGregorio crews had roots in the Bonventre crew.

[Antiliar]

There were two Domenico Sabellas made into the Bonannos. The one born in the early 1900s and his first cousin born a decade later. The older one is the one believed to have been Philly boss Salvatore Sabella's brother.

No known relation to Mike Sabella, whose family came from Agrigento though he was related to Willie Dara of Marsala / Mazara del Vallo. Mike Sabella's father Accursio "Gus" could be a candidate for the "Gus Sobella" (ph) described as an old timer active in Little Italy -- the FBI included "Gus" as a Bonanno member on one chart but little is known beyond that.

I edited my answer with the "correct" Mimi Sabella.

[B.]

With Stefano LoPiccolo being a possible high-ranking Bonanno member by the time Maranzano took over, it looks to me like there may have been a small Monrealesi element to the early Bonanno Family. The Trifiros of the CA Bay Area and Cleveland were also connected to the Bonannos. Giuseppe Trifiro first lived in Brooklyn and arrived on the same ship as future Bonanno member Dr. Mario Tagliagambe's mother and grandmother -- that side of Tagliagambe's family was from Castellammare. Trifiro's brother and father were also made members who like him ended up in San Fran (part of the Bonanno network), and his son would also be made in SF. Magaddino was recorded discussing the Trifiros as well, another indication they were familiar to the Castellammarese.

[Antiliar]

With Stefano LoPiccolo being a possible high-ranking Bonanno member by the time Maranzano took over, it looks to me like there may have been a small Monrealesi element to the early Bonanno Family. The Trifiros of the CA Bay Area and Cleveland were also connected to the Bonannos. Giuseppe Trifiro first lived in Brooklyn and arrived on the same ship as future Bonanno member Dr. Mario Tagliagambe's mother and grandmother -- that side of Tagliagambe's family was from Castellammare. Trifiro's brother and father were also made members who like him ended up in San Fran (part of the Bonanno network), and his son would also be made in SF. Magaddino was recorded discussing the Trifiros as well, another indication they were familiar to the Castellammarese.

Wouldn't surprise me if Francesco Lanza brought some guys with him when he moved to SF. We see the same pattern when Vito DiGiorgio moved to L.A.

[thekiduknow]

There were two Domenico Sabellas made into the Bonannos. The one born in the early 1900s and his first cousin born a decade later. The older one is the one believed to have been Philly boss Salvatore Sabella's brother.

No known relation to Mike Sabella, whose family came from Agrigento though he was related to Willie Dara of Marsala / Mazara del Vallo. Mike Sabella's father Accursio "Gus" could be a candidate for the "Gus Sobella" (ph) described as an old timer active in Little Italy -- the FBI included "Gus" as a Bonanno member on one chart but little is known beyond that.

The dispute Bonanno had with the older Mimi Sabella looks to have been an in-house sitdown within the Vito Bonventre crew. Bonanno was an associate on record with Maranzano who represented Bonanno against Sabella, with the indication that both men were soldiers under Bonventre, described by Bonanno as the "group leader" over their neighborhood. I know it's been speculated that Joe Bonanno may have taken over as capodecina after Bonventre's death but things might not be that straightforward during the war -- looks like the Bonanno and DiGregorio crews had roots in the Bonventre crew.

In his book, Bonanno says Mimi's brother was also a "Family member", which reads to me like he was a member of the Brooklyn family. Wasn't Salvatore Sabella the boss of Philly by the 1920s?

[Antiliar]

EDIT: Found an ancestry tree with links to a 1920 census record of Rose Sabella and her sons Philip, Salvatore and Domenico. Salvatore is 29, so that matches the age, but not the mother, of Salvatore Sabella of Philadelphia. Domenico's age was 12 but crossed over to read 22, so he approximately matches the age. He married a Caterina Sarcona, so there's the Sarcona connection (they married in BK in 1937). According to the Social Security Death Index, Domenico was born Dec 17, 1899 and died in Jan 1972 - same month, but off by a week and a year. Perhaps mom's name was Maria Rosa, which would explain the discrepancy. Interestingly, a sister married a brother of Gaspare DiGregorio.

(Caterina Sarcona's parents were Salvatore and Rose; Salvatore came from Vita per his Declaration of Intention, but on his WWII draft card says he's from Naples. The birthdates match, so it's the same person. Hmm...)

Luca Sarcona, one of the victims of the Good Killers in Detroit, was born to Girolamo Sarcona and what appears to be Maria Asaro in CDG. Vita is only 15 miles south of CDG in the same province of Trapani, so it's possible the two families were related. Luca had a brother living at 202 Elizabeth Street in 1917/18 named Antonino who was married to Francesca Coppola. In Antonino's manifest it lists another brother, Onofrio (born around 1876), living at 416 Elizabeth Street [maybe East 11th Street was meant] when he arrived in 1903. Onofrio in turn, when he arrived a year earlier, went to stay with his BIL Salvatore Calega/Caleca at 416 East 11th Street (Giuseppe Domingo lived at 415 East 11th Street). I found a Salvatore Caleca from CDG born in 1862 who arrived in 1901 and initially went to his BIL Vito D'Angelo at 143 N 4th in Brooklyn and who apparently lived at 198 Chrystie Street in 1915.

[B.]

In his book, Bonanno says Mimi's brother was also a "Family member", which reads to me like he was a member of the Brooklyn family. Wasn't Salvatore Sabella the boss of Philly by the 1920s?

Yeah, but in the movie they do credit them as Mimi and Salvatore "Sebella". Maybe he just regarded Salvatore Sabella as a defacto member of the Brooklyn Castellammarese sort of like he did Magaddino since they were both ex-Schiro members from Castellamamre.

What's amazing is how close the description of Salvatore Mangiaracina fits the real guy considering he's admitting to ordering the murder.

Movie says:
- Old-time member of Family
- Involved with girlfriend
- From "Palermo"

Mangiaracina def had stature before Bonanno took over, left his wife and kids in Sicily when he was in the US (which might play into the movie making him out to be heavily involved with a mistress), and was from Borgetto but his family lived in Palermo citta.

Shows how detailed Joe Bonanno's memory was that he recalled those specifics and they got it right for a quick movie scene that didn't really require accuracy.

[Antiliar]

Re-examining the people with Charlie "Buster" Domingo in 1933:
- Sebastiano "Charlie" Domingo, AKA Buster from Chicago, 22, 205 Allen Street; murdered after four gunmen lined up ten men and boys playing cards in the Castle Cafe at 72 East 1st Street; and targeted Domingo while injuring five others.
- Benjamin Blaustein, 15, who lived above the cafe; shot in right arm
- "Lohutto Egnazro" [New York Daily News] Ignacio Lobretto [Brooklyn Daily Eagle], 20, 52 East 1st Street, NYC; shot in right shoulder
- Vito Benedetto, 20, 55 Stanton Street; shot on left side
- Irving Maras, 16, 54 1st Street, shot in right arm
- Salvatore Ferrara [Daily News has "Ferri"], 32, 216 Eldridge Street, shot under the heart; mortally wounded and died later
- Steve Palazzolo, 53 Stanton Street; owner of the Castle Cafe, First Ave and 1st Street; around the corner getting change

Obviously we can pass on the non-Italian teens Blaustein and Maras, but there's interesting information regarding the others.

- Steve Palazzolo was born March 27, 1911, in CDG. In 1942 he worked for Paul Sciacca at 127 Berriman Street in Brooklyn (Atlantic & Sciacca Cloaks Inc). His parents were Vito and Lucia Palazzolo; in 1930 they lived at 201 Chrystie Street; may have been from Balestrate or Alcamo.
- On May 12, 1934, Vito Palazzolo, 17, of 55 Stanton Street (and evidently the younger brother of Steve Palazzolo), was arrested with his companion Mariano Catalino, 19, of 51 Stanton St, after they assaulted a police officer preventing them from robbing an elderly man
- In 1964 a Vito Palazzolo was the head of the barbers' union.
- Vito Benedetto could be a match with Vito DeBenedetto, born 1913, and who lived at 201 Chrystie Street in 1930. A World War II draft card shows a Vito DeBenedetto born Mar 22, 1913, and living at 201 Allen Street. In 1950 he lived at 122 Allen with his wife Sadie and two children. His parents appear to be Joseph and Concetta DiBenedetto, and per his draft card was from Catania. The DiBenedettos and the Palazzolos were neighbors in 1930.
-Ignazio Lobrutto was born Dec 13, 1912, in Canicatti, and arrived in 1924. He signed his Declaration of Intention in October 1933.
- Salvatore "Willie" Ferraro [per death cert] was the son of Angelo Ferraro and Rosa Curatolo. He was born in Italy and lived in the U.S. for 22 years and was married to Millie. The undertakers were the Anello & Bonventre Funeral Home in Brooklyn, so he probably came from Castellammare.
-

[thekiduknow]

In his book, Bonanno says Mimi's brother was also a "Family member", which reads to me like he was a member of the Brooklyn family. Wasn't Salvatore Sabella the boss of Philly by the 1920s?

Yeah, but in the movie they do credit them as Mimi and Salvatore "Sebella". Maybe he just regarded Salvatore Sabella as a defacto member of the Brooklyn Castellammarese sort of like he did Magaddino since they were both ex-Schiro members from Castellamamre.

What's amazing is how close the description of Salvatore Mangiaracina fits the real guy considering he's admitting to ordering the murder.

Movie says:
- Old-time member of Family
- Involved with girlfriend
- From "Palermo"

Mangiaracina def had stature before Bonanno took over, left his wife and kids in Sicily when he was in the US (which might play into the movie making him out to be heavily involved with a mistress), and was from Borgetto but his family lived in Palermo citta.

Shows how detailed Joe Bonanno's memory was that he recalled those specifics and they got it right for a quick movie scene that didn't really require accuracy.

Ah, that makes sense.

When Mangiaracina arrived in NY in 1930, he listed his cousin as Stefano LoPiccolo, who you mentioned earlier. He also first arrived in Philadelphia in 1921.