Bonanno lesdership

[JeremyTheJew]

we havent discussed bonannos lately.

last time i believe it was Mancuso (IP)
and Cammarano Jnr and Tommy Di Fiore

what happened to Palazzolo?

last i heard the "zips" run by Grimaldi?

[JeremyTheJew]

Cammarano Snr was a Capo in the Massino time if i remmber right. what happened to snr?

[gohnjotti]

Joe Cammarano Sr. died in prison in 2013. He served as acting underboss before he began serving a 15-year rap for murder conspiracy.
Mike Mancuso has been pegged as the boss since 2012, possibly even earlier. Some people don't agree that he's running things, but there is evidence to suggest that he is. For a time he used a "legitimate" associate, Tommy Garbage Minervo, possibly a relative, and Bronx-based acting capo (and Mancuso cousin) Ernie Aiello to relay messages to the family through coded letters - according to Ernie's friend & drug dealer Anthony Zoccolillo (star of the short-lived reality show Mama's Boys of the Bronx), Tommy Garbage came in to Zoccolillo's gelato store with Ernie and tried to figure out a letter that said:
"Make sure that guy, the guy from Brooklyn, doesn't come by my house. I don't want him around my daughters no more. I don't want him by the house because he wanted to be a part of that reality show." According to Zoccolillo, the show was Mob Wives.

Apparently Mancuso was the one who made Tommy DiFiore the acting boss for a while, then created the ruling panel with Vinny Asaro on it, but none of Vinny Asaro's tapes reference Mancuso at all. "We got a new boss. He sent for me. He wants me to be consigliere." He said that the "new boss" was "some guy from the Island, Tommy," referring to Tommy DiFiore. Either Asaro didn't know Mancuso was running things, which is unlikely, or Mancuso had no decision in the matter. As well as Tommy and Vinny, the other guy running things was Fat Tony Rabito.

After the 2014 indictment charging Tommy & Vinny, it is believed that Mancuso made Bronx-based capo John Palazzolo the family's street boss. Mancuso & Palazzolo are both Bronx guys, and it's unlikely Palazzolo would have been made acting street boss on his own - he wasn't very well liked with the other capos.

Mancuso was reportedly using his nephew, or close family friend, Frankie Boy Salerno to relay messages from Mancuso in Allenwood. Salerno was inducted in the family in 2015 in order to "legitimize" his position as a messenger, according to Jerry Capeci. By 2015, however, according to the Probation Department, an 'internecine war was brewing' between factions loyal to Palazzolo and factions loyal to capo Joe Cammarano Jr. for control of the family.

According to Robert Anton, Probation Department officer, Mancuso had "selected Palazzolo to be his acting street boss" but Cammarano had his sights on the top spot too. And he "garner(ed) support" for that at a March 22 meeting of 15 mobsters that included consigliere Anthony 'Fat Tony' Rabito, seven capos and five acting capos. By March 2015, "Palazzolo had recently lost influence in the organization's power structure and was about to take matters into his own hands."

In March 2015 he was arrested for violating the terms of his supervised release by meeting with known wiseguys. He was sentenced to a year in prison. "As a result of Palazzolo's incarceration," wrote Robert Anton, the threat of violence dissipated and Cammarano "assumed control of the Family's day-to-day criminal activities." Cammarano later held a Bonanno family Christmas party that a whole lotta capos and acting capos attend.

As it stands, Joe Cammarano Jr. is running the family with consigliere Fat Tony Rabito as consigliere (although he has been trying to retire for the past few years by offering his position to others in the family, including acting capo Jack Bonventre, who declined). Since Cammarano's takeover, it's unknown if Mancuso has any sway although he still holds the boss seat according to the feds. Palazzolo's in very bad health. Tommy DiFiore's on supervised release and was not seen at any of the family's numerous captain's meetings in 2015, or the Bonanno family's Christmas party.

Vito Grimaldi is Joe Cammarano Jr.'s father-in-law. Jerry Capeci reported that Grimaldi was viewed as "an advisor to the Zips." In the same article Capeci said Vinny Asaro & Vinny Badalamenti were influential with the Zips as well.

[JeremyTheJew]

interesting Di Fiore was not at any of these meetings.

how long is Mancuso away for?

[gohnjotti]

interesting Di Fiore was not at any of these meetings.

how long is Mancuso away for?

Michael Mancuso is to be released on March 12, 2019. Perhaps DiFiore was simply being smart by not attending the meetings since he was on supervised release and was liable to be locked up for associating with wiseguys. Ronnie Giallanzo, Little Anthony Pipitone & Joe DeSimone attended the meetings and were all imprisoned for violating their supervised release conditions. Even 80yr old Joe DeSimone got a year in prison for it.
Also, it seems that the Long Island crew of the family (which DiFiore most likely ran) is now (most likely) being run by John 'Johnny Mulberry' Sciremammano, who was listed as an official capo, not acting capo, when he attended the 2015 meetings. Maybe DiFiore is no longer capo and wants to retire?

[SonnyBlackstein]

Great posts Gohn.

[gohnjotti]

Great posts Gohn.

Thanks Sonny.

[B.]

My personal opinion is that Santora had some kind of panel and/or acting admin position before his indictment. The assumption on here was that both Aiello and Badamo were acting captains for Santora, who was still on the street. It's clear from tapes that Badamo was from Santora's crew and acting for him as well as being groomed to replace him. However, there was no evidence I saw indicating Aiello was acting for Santora, only that Aiello was reporting to some degree to Santora. Aiello is, as mentioned above, a Bronx-based relative of Mancuso. Instead of the theory that Santora had two acting captains for his crew while he was still on the street, it's more likely to me that he was in some kind of leadership position which is why he had both captains reporting to him. Maybe other info is out there proving me wrong, but this what I've pieced together.

[gohnjotti]

My personal opinion is that Santora had some kind of panel and/or acting admin position before his indictment. The assumption on here was that both Aiello and Badamo were acting captains for Santora, who was still on the street. It's clear from tapes that Badamo was from Santora's crew and acting for him as well as being groomed to replace him. However, there was no evidence I saw indicating Aiello was acting for Santora, only that Aiello was reporting to some degree to Santora. Aiello is, as mentioned above, a Bronx-based relative of Mancuso. Instead of the theory that Santora had two acting captains for his crew while he was still on the street, it's more likely to me that he was in some kind of leadership position which is why he had both captains reporting to him. Maybe other info is out there proving me wrong, but this what I've pieced together.

I think that you're right about Santora. He was acting UB from 2005-2007 until a bust and was released from prison in 2009 I think. In 2009 it was confirmed there was a ruling panel in place after Sal Montagna's deportation and the only member we know of from that panel is Joseph 'Sammy' Sammartino. Then, in 2010, Vinny Badalamenti was supposedly promoted to acting boss, but there is no information on any other admin members, such as an underboss or consigliere. I believe that from 2010-2012, Nicky Santora & Anthony Graziano were in administration positions. This explains the Aiello situation and also explains how Hector Pagan, Graziano's son-in-law and a low-ranking associate, was able to get so close to Badalamenti and Santora. Also, Badalamenti, Santora and Graziano were all arrested in 2012, along with Badalamenti's acting capo Vito Balsamo & soldier from that crew Anthony Calabrese.

[JeremyTheJew]

im suprised when the making ceremony was taped he didnt say who the admin was instead of the "these guys" comment

[The Greek]

I posted this story probably about a year ago. I have a cousin who did time at Loretto and was cellmates with Peter Calabrese. My cousin's been out for 2 years and about a year ago the FBI came to his house to question him about Calabrese. He claims they said, "we have reason to believe that Pete Calabrese is the boss of the Bonnano Family. Is there anything you can tell us about that?" My cousin's response was, "Get the fuck off my porch".... take it for what it's worth

[gohnjotti]

I posted this story probably about a year ago. I have a cousin who did time at Loretto and was cellmates with Peter Calabrese. My cousin's been out for 2 years and about a year ago the FBI came to his house to question him about Calabrese. He claims they said, "we have reason to believe that Pete Calabrese is the boss of the Bonnano Family. Is there anything you can tell us about that?" My cousin's response was, "Get the fuck off my porch".... take it for what it's worth

If he was, it'd go against everything we've learned about the Bonanno family since 2015. Joe Cammarano's ascension, and him throwing the Bonanno family Christmas party, him having all those captain's meetings, the internal dispute with John Palazzolo. Calabrese is also on strict supervised release conditions - if the feds thought he was the BOSS, then he wouldn't be able to scratch his balls without the feds claiming he was breaking his release restrictions. Look at what they did to Ronnie Giallanzo, Anthony Pipitone, Joe DeSimone, John Palazzolo, even Bobby Attanasio - whom Peter was a co-defendant with in the case that landed them 10 years. The feds were listening in on all of Bobby's phone calls, tailing him everyday.
Needless to say, the only way a suspected boss on supervised release would be able to direct the family is unless the feds let it slide cos they had an indictment in the works, or unless Calabrese was using carrier pigeons or some shit

[gohnjotti]

I don't want to say outright that Calabrese is not the boss, of course we have no way of knowing how the inner workings really operate with these guys, but I really doubt it unless they have an active investigation going on which prevents them from locking Calabrese up.

[SonnyBlackstein]

im suprised when the making ceremony was taped he didnt say who the admin was instead of the "these guys" comment

Rooster Onofrio was recorded on tape saying he was only introduced to the Admin after he was bumped up to Capo.

Though that is the Westside.

[The Greek]

I posted this story probably about a year ago. I have a cousin who did time at Loretto and was cellmates with Peter Calabrese. My cousin's been out for 2 years and about a year ago the FBI came to his house to question him about Calabrese. He claims they said, "we have reason to believe that Pete Calabrese is the boss of the Bonnano Family. Is there anything you can tell us about that?" My cousin's response was, "Get the fuck off my porch".... take it for what it's worth

If he was, it'd go against everything we've learned about the Bonanno family since 2015. Joe Cammarano's ascension, and him throwing the Bonanno family Christmas party, him having all those captain's meetings, the internal dispute with John Palazzolo. Calabrese is also on strict supervised release conditions - if the feds thought he was the BOSS, then he wouldn't be able to scratch his balls without the feds claiming he was breaking his release restrictions. Look at what they did to Ronnie Giallanzo, Anthony Pipitone, Joe DeSimone, John Palazzolo, even Bobby Attanasio - whom Peter was a co-defendant with in the case that landed them 10 years. The feds were listening in on all of Bobby's phone calls, tailing him everyday.
Needless to say, the only way a suspected boss on supervised release would be able to direct the family is unless the feds let it slide cos they had an indictment in the works, or unless Calabrese was using carrier pigeons or some shit

All great points. Crazy the feds would lie to get someone to talk.