Buffalo/Ontario Mob Acitivity

[Newyorkempire]

In this video from July 2021, Lee Coppola still thinks it is a ridiculous notion that the Buffalo mob exists. And at 42 minute in he talks about his “close family relation who was inside the Buffalo mafia,” and protected him. https://youtu.be/rQd_MfsCPlI

Any speculation to who that was/is?

As most of you are aware, I have disagreed with Coppola’s analysis of the Buffalo mob. At the heart of my distrust is his ’98 article “The Withered Arm.” He writes:

Nickle, who do you think Coppola is referring to as the one who protected him?

Twenty-six years ago the son of another Buffalo godfather was destined to take his father's place. On a warm summer night, dressed in a white linen suit, he and his associates, together with wives and girlfriends, entered Eduardo's nightclub on Bailey Avenue, where Louie Prima was performing. The club grew strangely quiet as the entourage proceeded to a long table. In what could have been a scene from any number of Mafia movies, those in the nightclub who knew whispered to those who didn't who had just entered.

But between then and now, the heir apparent to Buffalo's Mafia throne, Joseph Todaro, went legitimate. He opened a pizzeria, quit his job at Local 210 and concentrated on running his business. Today, La Nova Pizza ranks as a Buffalo success story, a neighborhood pizzeria that reportedly grosses millions of dollars a year and distributes its popular chicken wings throughout the nation. Its owner, for years having dodged government efforts to put him behind bars, has never been convicted of a crime, and now reportedly shuns any contact with his former life.

I have never been able to believe that Todaro, Jr. had gone legitimate and was no longer active in the Buffalo mob as the paragraphs above suggest. Yes, he gave up his position in local 210-but insinuate he went legitimate and was no longer active in the mob is a stretch. Especially given the government filed the civil racketeering suit naming both Todaro’s in 1999. See: https://buffalonews.com/news/mobs-contr ... 8b200.html

It wasn’t until around 2006 that the rumors really began to fly and be picked up in a couple newspapers that the Todaro’s had stepped down and Falzone and/or Nicoletti had taken their place.

Were those rumors true?

I think the information that has come out regarding the Buffalo mafia in recent years disproves the notion that Joe retired. I have always believed the Todaro’s hired a public relations firm to develop a strategy to manipulate the press and the public. I also believe the rumors about them stepping down have been part of the strategy.

Who is the public relations firm working for the Todaro’s?

I can’t prove it; but if I’m right, it is Pantano and Associates. They have done a lot of work for Seneca Gaming and rumor is the Buffalo mob is still heavily involved with Native American gambling and continues to have a presence on the reservations in WNY. (Whether you want to believe me or not, I’ve heard this information regarding the Buffalo mafia’s involvement on the reservations from people who are active.) See: http://pantanopr.com/wordpress/about/

If I’m right about Pantano and Associates, Phil Pantano’s father Phil Sr. was a connected laborer at 210. I have not been able to track down if he and is dad are related to Sam Pantano who married Carla Todaro with my limited internet searches.

Another reason I don’t trust Coppola is his sources. In his presentation “Fall of the Buffalo Mafia” at the Robert H. Jackson center at around the 60 minute mark Lee talks about how he got started writing about the Buffalo mob. He grew up on the Westside and told his editor that he “had sources that could give him info” and “contact on the fringe and in” the mob. Here is the link: https://youtu.be/AvOtVM3Zais

Questions I have:

1. Did Lee really just find out that he had “close family relation in the mob?” Or did he just find out that this close family relation “protected him?”
2. Why would someone in the mob tell Lee what was going on?
3. There was a significant amount of factionalism in the period that Lee began to write.
4. Were his sources in the mafia feeding him information about factions they wanted out of power?
5. Did he knowingly or unknowingly help the Todaro faction come to power?

Fun fact: The Coppola name has a history in the Buffalo mob. The family was connected to the DiCarlo gang in the 1930’s. For example there was Sam “Scareface” Coppola, Frankie Coppola, Steve Coppola, and Iggy Coppola. In the book DiCarlo: Buffalo’s First Family of Crime these individuals are mentioned with the likes of known members and associates of the Buffalo crime family such as: Sam, Steve, Horace, and Joe Pieri, “Doc” Alessi, and John Camilleri.

If one does a little Facebook sleuthing, it is easy to see that cousins Albert and Marc Coppola, NYS/Buffalo city counsel politicians, are very friendly with many individuals I believe to be in or highly connected to the Buffalo mob. Of course maybe it is just because they all grew up in that close-knit westside Italian neighborhood.

I love what Albert said to the Buffalo News:

According to Harold J. Boreanaz, Todaro's attorney, FBI agents also spent their day near the restaurant, snapping photos from a house across the street -- a claim neither confirmed nor denied by the federal agency.

Coppola said he doesn't care who takes his picture when he goes into La Nova on St. Joseph's Day.

"Nobody is ducking their heads. There's nothing to be ashamed about, going there," Coppola said. "This is a charity event. I only know one side to the Joe Todaro story -- he's one of the first guys to help any charity that needs help. I've been involved with running charity events, and when you pick up the phone and ask Joe for some pizzas, he's there to help, no questions asked.”

See: https://buffalonews.com/news/those-who- ... ed028.html

(By the way, I believe the St. Jospeph’s Day Table that La Nova proudly puts on was developed by the PR people they hired to rehabilitate their image.)

If you are interested, here is a little more to read about the Coppola cousins:

Election Splits Cousins
https://buffalonews.com/news/election-s ... 1b998.html

Political Payoffs?
https://buffalonews.com/news/accusation ... d48fa.html

Coppola’s Story Parallels Cousins
https://buffalonews.com/news/coppolas-s ... c7d7b.html

BTW Nanula’s are important in Buffalo and I believe Dana Christine Panepinto Todaro divorced Joey Todaro III and married a Nanula.

***I do not know if Al or Marc are in anyway related to Lee. Or if Lee is related to the 1930’s gangsters. However, given the fact that there tend to be longstanding family connections to the mafia, this needs to be investigated a little more. Especially given the fact that Lee has “a close relation” in the mafia that protected him and because he has had “sources in the mafia” feeding him information.

Nickle, who do you think Coppola is referring to as the one who protected him?

[NickleCity]

Nickle, who do you think Coppola is referring to as the one who protected him?

I don’t know.

[Newyorkempire]

Nickle, who do you think Coppola is referring to as the one who protected him?

I don’t know.

Age of Coppola?

[NickleCity]

Lee’s father was Frank Coppola. He married Lucy T Puma in 1938. She was around 27 when they married. So my guess is that Lee was born in the early ‘40’s. Makes me wonder if Lee’s dad was the Frankie Coppola mentioned by Hunt in the boo DiCarlo: Buffalo’s First Family of Crime. See his mother’s obituary: https://buffalonews.com/obituaries/lucy ... a.amp.html

[NickleCity]

Lee’s father was Frank Coppola. He married Lucy T Puma in 1938. She was around 27 when they married. So my guess is that Lee was born in the early ‘40’s. Makes me wonder if Lee’s dad was the Frankie Coppola mentioned by Hunt in the boo DiCarlo: Buffalo’s First Family of Crime. See his mother’s obituary: https://buffalonews.com/obituaries/lucy ... a.amp.html

His brother Vincent was born in 1939. See: https://buffalonews.com/obituaries/copp ... 8.amp.html

[NickleCity]

Fun fact: The Coppola name has a history in the Buffalo mob. The family was connected to the DiCarlo gang in the 1930’s. For example there was Sam “Scareface” Coppola, Frankie Coppola, Steve Coppola, and Iggy Coppola. In the book DiCarlo: Buffalo’s First Family of Crime these individuals are mentioned with the likes of known members and associates of the Buffalo crime family such as: Sam, Steve, Horace, and Joe Pieri, “Doc” Alessi, and John Camilleri.

Here is is Dad’s info. His Dad and his uncles sure seem to match the description of the Coppola’s in the DiCarlo gang:

[Newyorkempire]

Some Coppolas are prominent right over the border in Niagara, ON as well

[Newyorkempire]

Fun fact: The Coppola name has a history in the Buffalo mob. The family was connected to the DiCarlo gang in the 1930’s. For example there was Sam “Scareface” Coppola, Frankie Coppola, Steve Coppola, and Iggy Coppola. In the book DiCarlo: Buffalo’s First Family of Crime these individuals are mentioned with the likes of known members and associates of the Buffalo crime family such as: Sam, Steve, Horace, and Joe Pieri, “Doc” Alessi, and John Camilleri.

Here is is Dad’s info. His Dad and his uncles sure seem to match the description of the Coppola’s in the DiCarlo gang:

Doc's son is an associate at minimum

[NickleCity]

Doc's son is an associate at minimum

Who is “Doc’s” son? I know David Alessi is a longtime manager at LaNova, but don’t know if/how he is related.

[NickleCity]

What Coppola’s are prominent in Canada and how are they prominent?

[Newyorkempire]

What Coppola’s are prominent in Canada and how are they prominent?

Luigi. Restaurant and food service. Anyone whos anyone Italian wise goes to his spot.

[Newyorkempire]

Doc's son is an associate at minimum

Who is “Doc’s” son? I know David Alessi is a longtime manager at LaNova, but don’t know if/how he is related.

He is Docs son. George as well I think

[Newyorkempire]

What Coppola’s are prominent in Canada and how are they prominent?

Luigi. Restaurant and food service. Anyone whos anyone Italian wise goes to his spot.

More of a Buffalo type of place than a Canadian style ironically enough

[Newyorkempire]

Thoughts on the D'Amicos Nickle?

[NickleCity]

Doc's son is an associate at minimum

Who is “Doc’s” son? I know David Alessi is a longtime manager at LaNova, but don’t know if/how he is related.

He is Docs son. George as well I think

Do you have a link or source for this? Not saying you are wrong if you don’t. Just love to have it if you do.