Sicilian origins

The origins of the Bonanno crime family can be traced back to the town of Castellammare del Golfo located in the Province of Trapani, Sicily, their boss Giuseppe "Peppe" Bonanno, and his older brother and advisor, Stefano.^[9] The clan's strongest ally was the leader of the Magaddino clan Stefano Magaddino, the brother of Joseph Bonanno's maternal grandmother. During the 1900s, the two clans feuded with Felice Buccellato, the boss of the Buccellato clan.

In 1902, Magaddino arrived in New York and became a powerful member of the Castellammarese clan.^[10] After the murders of Stefano and Giuseppe Bonanno, their younger brother, Salvatore, took revenge by killing members of the Buccellatos.

In 1903, Salvatore Bonanno married Catherine Bonventre and on January 18, 1905, she gave birth to Joseph Bonanno. Three years later Salvatore moved his family to New York City, and began establishing dominance and control in the Castellammarese community of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. While operating in Brooklyn, the Castellammarese leaders were able to secure the criminal organization's future.^[9]

In 1911, Salvatore returned to Sicily, where he died of a heart attack in 1915.^[11] In 1921, Magaddino fled to Buffalo, New York to avoid murder charges^[10] and the Castellammarese clan was taken over by Nicolo "Cola" Schirò.^[12]

Castellammarese War

"Cola" Schirò in 1923

In 1930, violence broke out between a faction led by Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria and members of the Castellammareses over the theft of Masseria's bootleg liquor. This soon developed into a full out war known as the Castellammarese War.^[13] At the time, the Castellammareses were led by Nicolo "Cola" Schirò, who tried to work with Masseria. Schirò was replaced by Salvatore Maranzano, who wanted to take control over New York's underworld. Under Maranzano's leadership, the bloodshed continued.^[13]

The Castellammarese faction was more organized and unified than the Masseria clan. Maranzano's allies were Buffalo family boss Stefano Magaddino, Detroit family boss Gaspar Milazzo and Philadelphia family boss Salvatore Sabella, all Castellammarese.^[13] The family included mobsters Joseph Bonanno, Carmine Galante, and Gaspar DiGregorio. Maranzano was also close to Joseph Profaci, future boss of the New York Profaci family. Finally, they established a secret alliance with the Bronx Reina family boss Gaetano Reina, a nominal Masseria ally.

After Reina's murder on February 26, 1930, members of the Masseria faction began to defect to Maranzano.^[13] By 1931, momentum had shifted to the Castellammarese faction. That spring, a group of younger Mafiosi from both camps, known as the "Young Turks", decided to switch to Maranzano and end the war. This group included future mob bosses Charles "Lucky" Luciano, Vito Genovese, Frank Costello, Tommy Lucchese, Albert Anastasia and Joe Adonis.^[14] As leader of the Young Turks, Luciano concluded a secret deal with Maranzano and promised to kill Masseria. The war finally came to end when Masseria was killed on April 15, 1931.^[13]

Maranzano's murder and the Commission

Luciano seized control of the commission after murdering Maranzano

After Masseria's death, Maranzano outlined a peace plan to all the Sicilian and Italian Mafia leaders in the United States. There would be 24 organizations (to be known as "families") throughout the United States, each of which would choose its own boss.^[13] In New York City, Maranzano established five Cosa Nostra families: the Luciano family under Lucky Luciano, the Mangano family under Vincent Mangano, the Gagliano family under Tommy Gagliano, the Profaci family under Joseph Profaci, and the Maranzano crime family under himself. Maranzano created an additional post for himself, that of capo di tutti capi, or boss of bosses.^[13]

Although Maranzano was more forward-looking than Masseria, at core he was still a "Mustache Pete". It did not take long for Maranzano and Luciano to come into conflict: Luciano was not pleased that Maranzano had reneged on his promise of equality, and soon came to believe he was even more hidebound and greedy than Masseria had been. At the same time, Maranzano had grown uncomfortable with Luciano's ambitions and growing power and secretly plotted to have him killed. When Tommy Lucchese alerted Luciano that he and Vito Genovese had been marked for death, Luciano felt he had to strike first.

On September 10, 1931, gangsters hired by Luciano, who were not known to Maranzano or his men, murdered Maranzano in his office.^[13] Luciano had become the dominant crime boss in America and replaced the "boss of bosses" title with The Commission to regulate the Mafia's national affairs and mediate disputes between families. He also awarded Joseph Bonanno leadership of the Maranzano family.^[13]

The Bonanno era

After Maranzano's death, Joseph Bonanno was awarded most of Maranzano's operations. At 26 years old, Bonanno was the youngest Mafia leader in the nation.^[15]

Years later, Bonanno claimed not to have known about the plot to eliminate Maranzano, and only learned later that Maranzano had planned to kill Luciano due to a falling-out over influence in the Garment District. By Bonanno's account, he believed a renewed war with Luciano would serve no purpose, since Luciano only wanted to run his own rackets.^[16] However, mob expert Anthony Bruno has argued that it was very unlikely that Luciano would have allowed him to live had he still backed Maranzano.^[17]

Bonanno directed his family into illegal gambling, loansharking, and narcotics. The family also built significant criminal interests in California and Arizona. With the support of Buffalo crime family boss Stefano Magaddino, Bonanno also expanded into Canada.^[18]

Like Maranzano before him, Joseph Bonanno embraced the Old World Mafia traditions of "honor", "tradition", "respect" and "dignity" as principles for ruling his family. He was more steeped in these traditions than other mobsters of his generation.^[14] For instance, he considered himself the "Father" of his family, as Maranzano had before him.^[19] The Bonanno family was considered the closest knit of the Five Families because Joseph tried to restrict membership to Castellammarese Sicilians. He strongly believed that blood relations and a strict Sicilian upbringing were the only way to uphold the traditional values of the Mafia.^[20]

Over the years, Joseph became a powerful member of the Commission, owing to his close relationship with fellow boss Joe Profaci. The bond between the two became even stronger when Joseph's son Salvatore "Bill" Bonanno married Profaci's niece Rosalie in 1956.^[21] The Bonanno-Profaci alliance deterred the other three families from trying to move in on their rackets.

The stable power relationship between the families collapsed with the death of Profaci in 1962. Joseph Bonanno was now threatened by an alliance of Tommy Lucchese and new boss Carlo Gambino, and rising discontent within his own family. Many of the family members had begun to complain that Joseph spent too much time at his second home in Tucson, Arizona.^[21]

In 1963, Bonanno made plans to assassinate several rivals on the Commission—bosses Tommy Lucchese, Carlo Gambino, and Stefano Magaddino, as well as Frank DeSimone.^[22] Bonanno sought and got the support of Profaci's successor, Joseph Magliocco. Not only was Magliocco bitter at being denied a seat on the Commission, but Bonanno and Profaci had been close allies for over 30 years prior to Profaci's death. Bonanno's audacious goal was to take over the Commission and make Magliocco his right-hand man.^[23]

Magliocco was assigned the task of killing Lucchese and Gambino and gave the contract to one of his top hit men, Joseph Colombo. However, the opportunistic Colombo revealed the plot to its targets. The other bosses quickly realized that Magliocco could not have planned this himself. Knowing how close Bonanno was with Magliocco (and before him, Profaci), as well as their close ties through marriages, the other bosses concluded Bonanno was the real mastermind.^[23]

The Commission summoned Bonanno and Magliocco to explain themselves. Fearing for his life, Bonanno went into hiding in Montreal, leaving Magliocco to deal with the Commission. Badly shaken and in failing health, Magliocco confessed his role in the plot. The Commission spared Magliocco's life, but forced him to retire as Profaci family boss and pay a $50,000 fine. As a reward for turning on his boss, Colombo was awarded the Profaci family.^[23]

In October 1964, Bonanno returned to Manhattan, but on October 21, 1964, the day he was scheduled to testify before a grand jury, Bonanno was allegedly kidnapped by Magaddino's men as he entered the apartment house on Park Avenue and East 36th Street where one of his lawyers lived.^[24][25] FBI recordings of New Jersey boss Sam "the Plumber" Decavalcante revealed that the other bosses were taken by surprise when Bonanno disappeared, and other FBI recordings captured angry Bonanno soldiers saying, "That son-of-a-bitch took off and left us here alone."^[26]

The "Banana War"

During Bonanno's two-year absence, Gaspar DiGregorio took advantage of family discontent over Bill's role to claim family leadership. The Mafia Commission named DiGregorio as Bonanno family boss and the DiGregorio revolt led to four years of strife in the Bonanno family, labeled by the media as the "Banana War".^[14] This led to a divide in the family between loyalists to Bill and loyalists to DiGregorio.^[14]

In early 1966, DiGregorio allegedly contacted Bill about having a peace meeting. Bill agreed and suggested his grand-uncle's house on Troutman Street in Brooklyn as a meeting site. On January 28, 1966, as Bill and his loyalists approached the house, they were met with gunfire. No one was wounded during this confrontation.^[27]

Joe Bonanno reappeared on May 17, 1966, at Foley Square.^[27] In 1968, DiGregorio was wounded by machine gun fire and later suffered a heart attack.^[27] The Commission eventually became dissatisfied with DiGregorio's efforts at quelling the family rebellion, dropped DiGregorio, and swung their support to Paul Sciacca. In 1968, after a heart attack, Joe Bonanno ended the family warfare by agreeing to retire as boss and move to Arizona. As part of this peace agreement, Bill also resigned as consigliere and moved out of New York with his father.^[14][21]

Rastelli regime

Mugshot of Carmine Galante in 1943

Sciacca only held the position of boss for a few years, giving way to Natale "Joe Diamonds" Evola, a Bonanno loyalist, in 1971.^[28] Evola's leadership was also short-lived, and his death in 1973, from natural causes, brought Philip "Rusty" Rastelli to the head position.^[25][29] On February 23, 1974, at a meeting at the Americana Hotel in Manhattan, the Commission named Rastelli as boss.^[30]

On March 6, 1975, Rastelli was indicted on racketeering charges involving extortion. Nine years earlier, Rastelli had established a trade association of lunch wagon operators and taken control of the industry. Any operator who refused to join the Association and pay its stiff fees faced vandalism and physical assault.^[31] On April 23, 1976, Rastelli was convicted of extortion in United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.^[32] On August 27, 1976, Rastelli was sentenced to 10 years in prison, to be served consecutively after a four-year state sentence for conspiracy, criminal contempt of court, and usury.^[33]

In Rastelli's absence, Galante seized control of the Bonannos as unofficial acting boss.^[34] The New York crime families were alarmed at Galante's brazen attempt at taking over the narcotics market.^[34] Genovese crime family boss Frank Tieri began contacting Cosa Nostra leaders to build a consensus for Galante's murder, even obtaining approval from the retired Joseph Bonanno.^[35]

In 1979, they received a boost when Rastelli and Joseph Massino sought Commission approval to kill Galante; the request was granted.^[36][37] On July 12, 1979, Galante was shot dead by three men at a restaurant in the Bushwick area of Brooklyn.^[38][39]

Donnie Brasco and the three capos murder

Joseph D. Pistone, alias Donnie Brasco

Joseph Pistone, alias Donnie Brasco, was an undercover FBI agent tasked with infiltrating the Bonanno family. After months of planning, in September 1976, Pistone started his undercover operation—an operation that was initially intended to last for around six months, but which turned into several years.^[40]

Pistone first spent six months in the Colombo family before he shifted to the Bonanno family by developing a relationship with Anthony Mirra.^[41] When Mirra was sent to prison, Pistone was tutored in the ways of the Mafia by Bonanno soldier Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero, whose captain was Mike "Mimi" Sabella.^[41] After the murder of Galante, Pistone reported to captain Dominick "Sonny Black" Napolitano.^[41][40]

Following the Galante hit, Massino began jockeying for power with Napolitano. Both men were themselves threatened by another faction seeking to depose the absentee boss led by capos Alphonse "Sonny Red" Indelicato, Dominick "Big Trin" Trincera and Philip Giaccone.^[42] The Commission initially tried to maintain neutrality, but in 1981, Massino got word from his informants that the three capos were stocking up on automatic weapons and planning to kill the Rastelli loyalists within the Bonanno family to take complete control. Massino turned to Colombo crime family boss Carmine Persico and Gambino boss Paul Castellano for advice; they told him to act immediately.^[42]

Massino, Napolitano and Gerlando Sciascia, a Sicilian-born capo linked to the Montreal Rizzuto crime family, arranged a meeting at a Brooklyn social club with the three capos for May 5, 1981. They had four gunmen, including Vitale and Bonanno-affiliated Montreal boss Vito Rizzuto, hiding in a closet to ambush them.^[43] When Trinchera, Giaccone and Indelicato arrived with Frank "Curly" Lino to meet Massino, they were shot to death, with Massino himself stopping Indelicato from escaping.^[44][43] Lino escaped unscathed by running out the door.^[43] The hit further improved Massino's prestige, but was marred by both Lino's escape and the discovery of Indelicato's body on May 28.^[45][46][47]

Massino quickly won Lino over to his side,^[48] but Indelicato's son, Anthony "Bruno" Indelicato, vowed revenge.^[49] Napolitano assigned the associate he knew as Donnie Brasco, whom he hoped to make a made man, to kill Indelicato.^[49] However, Brasco's operation was ended on July 26, 1981.^[40] Pistone's undercover work led to over 200 indictments and over 100 convictions of Mafia members.^[40]

On August 17, 1981, Napolitano was shot and killed in a basement by Ronald Filocomo and Lino as punishment for admitting Pistone into his crew.^[50][51][52] On August 29, 1981, the FBI intercepted and arrested Ruggiero.^[53] Ruggiero received 15 years under the RICO act.^[40] In February 1982, Anthony Mirra, the man who had brought Pistone to the family, was also killed.^[54][55]

In 1985, Rastelli was indicted along with other Cosa Nostra leaders in the Mafia Commission Trial, however, when Rastelli was indicted on separate labor racketeering charges, prosecutors decided to remove him from the Commission trial. Having previously lost their seat on the Commission due to the Brasco infiltration, the Bonanno family suffered less exposure than the other families in this case.^[56][57][58]

Under Massino's command

Rastelli died on June 24, 1991.^[59] Soon afterward, Massino's brother-in-law, Salvatore Vitale, convened a meeting of the family's capos where Massino was acclaimed as boss. Vitale and other capos had pressed Massino to become boss since the late 1980s. However, Massino was reluctant to take this step as long as Rastelli was alive, citing long-standing Mafia tradition that a boss retains his title until he retires or dies. He did, however, designate Vitale as his messenger while he was incarcerated, and ordered Vitale to "make me boss" as soon as Rastelli died.^[60]

Massino was 49 years old at the time he formally became boss, and knew he potentially had a long reign ahead of him if he could avoid the pitfalls that landed other bosses in prison. With this in mind, Massino adopted a more secretive way of doing business than had been the case for mafiosi during much of the 20th century. He shut down the family's social clubs, believing they were too easy to bug. He all but ended joint rackets with other families, believing that there was too much risk in depending on other families. He also streamlined the family's chain of command, assigning a group of capos to oversee a particular enterprise and report to Vitale, whom he named underboss. When Massino was granted supervised release in 1992, he retained Vitale as his messenger until 1995 since Massino was not allowed to associate with known mafiosi. However, since Vitale had never been convicted of a mob-related crime, the FBI had no reason to be suspicious of the two brothers-in-law meeting together.^[61]

Massino was angered by family namesake Bonanno's tell-all book, A Man of Honor, considering it a gross violation of the code of omertà. To that end, he changed the family's name to "the Massino family." At the same time, he barred family members from speaking his name. Instead, they were to point to their ears when referring to him—a nod to how Genovese boss Vincent Gigante told his men to point to their chins rather than use his name. Remembering how close Pistone/Brasco had come to actually being made, Massino required any prospective soldier to be "on record" with a made man for at least eight years before becoming made himself. He also strongly encouraged his men to volunteer their sons for membership, believing that they would be less likely to turn informer and be more loyal.^[62]

However, the family already had a reputation for loyalty. It had been the only family in the modern history of the New York Mafia (i. e., since the Castellammarese War) to have never had a made man turn informant or government witness. Massino used this as a point of pride to rally his crime family.^[63]

Within a few years, the Bonannos had regained their Commission seat with Gotti's help. By 1998, a rash of convictions in other families left Massino as the only full-fledged New York boss who was not in prison. The FBI reckoned him as the most powerful boss in the nation. His stature put him in a position to set general policies for the entire New York Mafia.^[64]

Downfall and Massino turns state's evidence

FBI mugshot of Joseph Massino

The family managed to avoid being ensnared by the FBI until 2000, when a pair of forensic accountants who normally worked on financial fraud cases discovered that Barry Weinberg, a businessman who had partnered with capo Richard Cantarella in several parking lots, had failed to report millions of dollars worth of income over a decade. Told he faced a long prison term unless he wore a wire and incriminated his Bonanno partners, Weinberg agreed to cooperate. One of Weinberg's other partners, Augustino Scozzari, also agreed to cooperate. Between them, Weinberg and Scozzari captured hundreds of incriminating statements from Cantarella and his crew.^[65]

In October 2002, armed with this evidence, the government obtained a 24-count RICO indictment against 21 Bonanno soldiers and associates. The biggest names on the indictment were Cantarella—who was serving as acting underboss while Vitale was awaiting sentencing for loansharking and money laundering—and capo Frank Coppa.^[66] Already serving time for fraud, Coppa agreed to turn informer rather than face the prospect of an additional conviction that would effectively send him to prison for life. He was the first made man in the Bonanno family's history to turn informer.^[67][68]

He was followed shortly afterward by acting underboss Cantarella, a participant in the Mirra murder,^[69] who was facing racketeering and murder charges^[70] and whom Coppa had implicated in the Perrino murder along with Vitale.^[71] A third, Joseph D'Amico, subsequently turned state's evidence with the knowledge that Cantarella could implicate him in murder as well.^[72] All of these defections left Massino, at last, vulnerable to serious charges.^[73]

On January 9, 2003, Massino was arrested and indicted, alongside Vitale, Frank Lino and capo Daniel Mongelli, in a comprehensive racketeering indictment. The charges against Massino himself included ordering the 1981 murder of Napolitano.^[74][75] Massino was denied bail,^[76] and Vincent Basciano took over as acting boss in his absence.^[77] Massino hired David Breitbart, an attorney he had originally wanted to represent him in his 1987 trial, for his defense.^[78]

Three more Bonanno made men would choose to cooperate before Massino came to trial. The first was James Tartaglione; anticipating he would shortly be indicted as well he went to the FBI and agreed to wear a wire while he remained free.^[79] The second was Salvatore Vitale. In custody, Massino again put out the word, to a receptive Bonanno family, that he wanted Vitale killed.^[80] After learning of Massino's earlier plans to kill his brother-in-law from Coppa and Cantarella, prosecutors informed Vitale.^[80] Vitale was already dissatisfied by the lack of support he and his family received from Massino after his arrest.^[81] On the day he was arraigned with Massino, Vitale decided to flip as soon as it was safe to do so; he formally reached a deal with prosecutors in February.^[80][82] He was followed in short order by Lino, knowing Vitale could implicate him in murder as well.^[79] Also flipping was longtime Bonanno associate Duane Leisenheimer, concerned for his safety after an investigator for Massino's defense team visited to find out whether he intended to flip.^[83]

By the time the trial started, Massino faced 11 RICO counts for seven murders (due to the prospect of prosecutors seeking the death penalty for the Sciascia murder, that case was severed to be tried separately), arson, extortion, loansharking, illegal gambling, and money laundering.^[84] By this time, Time magazine had dubbed Massino as "the Last Don", in reference to his status as the only New York boss not serving a prison sentence at that point.^[85][86] The name stuck.^[87][88][89]

After deliberating for five days, the jury found Massino guilty of all eleven counts on July 30, 2004. His sentencing was initially scheduled for October 12, and he was expected to receive a sentence of life imprisonment with no possibility of parole.^[87] The jury also approved the prosecutors' recommended $10 million forfeiture of the proceeds of his reign as Bonanno boss on the day of the verdict.^[90]

Immediately after his July 30 conviction, as court was adjourned, Massino requested a meeting with Judge Garaufis, where he made his first offer to cooperate.^[91] He did so in hopes of sparing his life; he was facing the death penalty if found guilty of Gerlando Sciascia's murder. Indeed, one of John Ashcroft's final acts as Attorney General was to order federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Massino.^[92] Massino thus stood to be the first Mafia boss to be executed for his crimes, and the first mob boss to face the death penalty since Lepke Buchalter was executed in 1944.^[93]

Massino subsequently claimed he decided to turn informer due to the prospect of his wife and mother having to forfeit their houses to the government.^[94] Mob authors and journalists Anthony D. DeStefano and Selwyn Raab both consider the turning of so many made men as a factor in disillusioning Massino with Cosa Nostra,^[91][95] the former also assuming Massino had decided to flip "long before the verdict".^[91] Massino was the first sitting boss of a New York crime family to turn state's evidence, and the second in the history of the American Mafia to do so^[96] (Philadelphia crime family boss Ralph Natale had flipped in 1999 when facing drug charges).^[97]

Basciano and Montagna's leadership

Vincent Basciano

In July 2004, federal prosecutors in Brooklyn claimed to have convicted 75 mobsters or associates of the Bonanno family in the four preceding years.^[98] In June 2005, 12 Bonanno family members and associates, seven over the age of 70, including acting consigliere Anthony Rabito, were indicted and arrested on charges of operating a $10 million a year gambling ring."^[99]

After the arrest of Massino, Vincent Basciano became acting boss.^[100] In 2006, Basciano was convicted in a racketeering trial for attempted murder and running an illegal gambling operation. However, due to a hung jury, Basciano was not convicted of the 2001 murder of Frank Santoro.^[101][102]

After Basciano's first murder trial, prosecutors retried him on those counts on which the jury hung in the first trial. On August 1, 2007, Basciano was convicted of murdering Santoro, who tried to kidnap Basciano's son,^[103][104] and was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment.^[105] He named Brooklyn business owner Salvatore "Sal the Ironworker" Montagna as his "acting boss" during his trials.^{[102][106][107]} Montagna was closely associated with the Bonanno Sicilian faction, including Baldo Amato and capo Cesare Bonventre. Nicholas "Nicky Mouth" Santora served as "acting underboss" and Anthony Rabito as the alleged consigliere.^[108]

On February 6, 2007, acting underboss Nicholas Santora, acting consigliere Anthony Rabito, captains or former captains Jerome Asaro, Joseph Cammarano Jr. and Louis Decicco were indicted on racketeering charges.^[109]

Following the deportation of Montagna to Canada in 2009, he was succeeded by Vincent Badalamenti as Bonanno family acting boss.^[110]

Mancuso and acting boss Cammarano Jr.

In 2013, Michael Mancuso was named the new official boss of the Bonanno family, while serving time in prison.^[111] Mancuso's underboss Thomas DiFiore took over as acting boss in his absence,^[111] but was replaced by Joseph Cammarano, Jr in 2014 following DiFiore's arrest, guilty plea and 21-month prison sentence.^[112] In December 2016, the FBI observed over a dozen ranking members of the family host a dinner together in recognition of Cammarano Jr.'s new position.^[113]

Bonanno associate, Charles "Charlie Pepsi" Centaro, was sentenced to 33 months in prison on September 15, 2015, after being convicted of money laundering; it was alleged that he had laundered over $500,000.^[114] Centaro, along with Bonanno/Gambino associate Franco Lupoi were involved in a large cocaine, heroin and weapons trafficking operation that stretched from New York to Italy. The Gambino crime family from New York and the 'Ndrangheta Mafia from Calabria were also involved.

In November 2017, the FBI arrested several individuals in New York City, including members and associates of the Bonanno and Gambino crime families, on charges of narcotics trafficking, loansharking and firearms offenses. They included Damiano Zummo, a reputed acting captain in the Bonanno crime family.^[115][116] In November 2015, Zummo^[117][118] was involved in the induction ceremony of an undercover police agent, which was secretly recorded, in Canada.^[119][120] Zummo played a major role in the ceremony and named others at a higher level in the organization on the recording.^[121] A Brooklyn court official later said, "The recording of a secret induction ceremony is an extraordinary achievement for law enforcement and deals a significant blow to La Cosa Nostra." The recording also led to the arrest of 13 mobsters.^[122]

On January 12, 2018, eight members of the Bonanno family were arrested and charged with racketeering, extortion and related offenses. Street boss Joseph Cammarano Jr. and consigliere John "Porky" Zancocchio were included. Genovese and Lucchese crime family members Ernest Montevecchi and Eugene "Boopsie" Castelle were also arrested.^[123][124] The charges were assault and aid resulting in serious bodily injury, extortion, loansharking, wire and mail fraud, narcotics distribution, conspiracy to commit murder, extortion conspiracy, racketeering and racketeering conspiracy.^[125] Joseph "Joe Valet" Sabella was identified as a captain and George Tropiano as an acting capo.^[126][127] Made members Domenick Miniero, Albert "Al Muscles" Armetta and Joseph "Joey Blue Eyes" Santapaolo were charged with RICO and extortion conspiracy, Armetta was accused of assaulting a person on Halloween in 2015.^[128]

On August 15, 2018, Judge Dora Irizarry sentenced Ronald Giallanzo, nephew of Vincent Asaro and former Bonanno acting captain, to 14 years imprisonment.^[129][130] Giallanzo was previously arrested in March 2017 alongside Bonanno soldiers Michael Palmaccio and Nicholas Festa. Festa and Palmaccio admitted to the extortion of seven individuals and each paid $500,000 in forfeiture.^[131] Giallanzo was accused of operating a loansharking and illegal gambling business from 1998 to 2017. He agreed to pay $1.25 million in forfeiture and to sell his five-bedroom mansion in Howard Beach, Queens, which was constructed using the criminal proceeds of his loansharking business. He was ordered to pay $268,000 in restitution to his victims and admitted to his participation in extending and collecting extortionate loans from five individuals.

In October 2018, Sylvester Zottola ("Sally Daz"), age 71, an associate of the Bonanno family, was fatally shot at a McDonald's on Webster Avenue in the Bronx; authorities described the killing as a Mafia-style assassination. The killing occurred after several attacks targeting Zottola, and his son, Salvatore Zottola, over the preceding months.^[132][133] According to the court records, the elder Zottola had been a close associate of Vincent Basciano.^[133] In October 2018, federal prosecutors indicted Bushawn Shelton, allegedly a high-ranking member of the Bloods gang, with attempting to hire a hitman to kill Sylvester and Salvatore Zottola.^[134] In June 2019, federal prosecutors issued a superseding indictment, charging Anthony Zottola Sr. (the son of Sylvester Zottola and brother of Salvatore Zottola), Shelton, and six others with a murder-for-hire conspiracy and related charges. The charging document alleged that Anthony Zottola Sr. hired Shelton to arrange the hit,^[135] and that "Shelton in turn outsourced the job to several other members of the Bloods."^[136] The case is awaiting trial, with federal authorities possibly pursuing the death penalty.^[132]

On March 13, 2019, Cammarano Jr. and Zancocchio were acquitted of racketeering and conspiracy to commit extortion charges.^[137][138] On May 25, 2019, former family consigliere Anthony Graziano died.^[139]

According to author Scott Burnstein, in 2019, Ernie Aiello was promoted to family Underboss after he was released from prison and Vincent Badalamenti became the family's new consigliere.^[140]

Castellammarese connection

In 2020, the Italian police together with the FBI discovered a strong link between the Bonannos and the Castellammare del Golfo Mafia family, in particular to Francesco Domingo. During the investigations, several meetings between Domingo and members of the Bonanno family were monitored.^[141] According to the reports, the Sicilian boss is considered the point of reference to the Bonannos' affiliates in Sicily. Most of the summits and meetings were held at Domingo's house in the Gagliardetta district, in Castellammare del Golfo.^[142]

Current position of the family

As of 2022, Michael Mancuso remains the official boss of the Bonanno family. On March 9, 2022, boss Michael Mancuso was arrested and is under investigation for violating the terms of his supervised release by associating with members of organized crime.^[143]

Vito Grimaldi, a former capo in the family and Joseph Cammarano Jr.'s father-in-law, died on July 15, 2022.^[144] Mancuso ordered Cammarano Jr. not to attend Grimaldi's wake on July 19, 2022, but he disobeyed Mancuso and went to the Glen Cove funeral home where the wake was being held anyway.^[144][145] There, some Bonanno mobsters confronted Cammarano Jr. as he approached Grimaldi's casket and assaulted him, knocking him to the ground, but he and his brother Dino, also present, were protected by a multitude of bikers from the Crazy Pistons Motorcycle Club in Brooklyn, who, along with the Cammaranos, got into a confrontation with the other mobsters.^[145] After the scuffle ended, Bonanno family capos Ernest "Ernie" Aiello and John "Johnny Mulberry" Sciremammano, as well as soldier John "Johnny Joe" Spirito Jr., were left bloodied and battered on the floor.^[145] When questioned about the incident, Mancuso's attorney Stacey Richman said "I categorically deny the allegation" with regards to Mancuso having ordered the assault on Cammarano Jr.^[145] A law enforcement source stated "It's hard to predict whether there will be retaliation, a violent reaction would have been a knee-jerk response a few decades ago, but the mob has stopped whacking people these days, but that is still a fear."^[145] On December 18, 2022, Cammarano, Jr.‘s Long Island home was shot up in a drive by, allegedly ordered by Mancuso who is still upset about the funeral home beatdown. After the Long Island shooting, one of the Cammarano brothers’ businesses was vandalized and firebombed.^[146]

On August 16, 2022, two indictments out of the Eastern District of New York charged nine members and associates of the Bonanno and Genovese crime families with racketeering, illegal gambling, money laundering conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and other offenses.^[147][148] The Bonanno mobsters indicted included capo Anthony "Little Anthony" Pipitone, soldier Vito Pipitone, who was arrested in Wellington, Florida, and appeared in federal court in Miami, associate Agostino Gabriele, and corrupt Nassau County Police Department detective Hector Rosario.^[147][148] The indictment alleged the Bonannos and Genoveses operated a joint illegal gambling establishment in Lynbrook called the Gran Caffe. The revenues from that operation were laundered through cash transfers to the defendants and then given to the family leaders.^[147] In addition, the two families controlled illegal gambling parlours at several other establishments, with the Bonanno family operating them at La Nazionale Soccer Club, the Glendale Sports Club and the Soccer Club at Rockaway Avenue, Valley Stream.^[147] Detective Rosario allegedly accepted bribes by the Bonanno family members in exchange for offering to arrange police raids of competing gambling locations.^[147] He was charged with obstructing a grand jury investigation and lying to the FBI, and subsequently suspended without pay from the Police Department.^[147][148]

On September 14, 2023, former boss turned informant Joseph Massino died.^[149]

Boss (official and acting)

• 1900–1909 – Paolo Orlando
• 1909–1912 – Sebastiano DiGaetano – stepped down
• 1912–1930 – Nicolo Schirò – fled
• 1930–1931 – Salvatore Maranzano – murdered on September 10, 1931^[13]
• 1931–1968 – Joseph "Joe Bananas" Bonanno – on October 21, 1964, Bonanno disappeared; forcibly replaced as boss by the commission;^[28] crime family split into two factions; in May 1966, Bonanno reappeared; officially retired after heart attack in 1968
  • Disputed 1964–1966 – Gaspar "Gasparino" DiGregorio – installed when Bonanno disappeared and later forcibly replaced by the Commission^[28]
  • Acting 1966–1968 – Paul Sciacca^[25] – for the DiGregorio faction
• 1968–1971 – Paul Sciacca – stepped down
• 1971–1973 – Natale "Joe Diamonds" Evola^[25] – died on August 28, 1973^[150]
• 1973–1991 – Phillip "Rusty" Rastelli^[25] – imprisoned 1975–1984 and 1986–1991^[18]
  • (unofficial)^[34] 1974–1979 – Carmine "Cigar" Galante^[25] – murdered on July 12, 1979^[18]
  • Acting 1979–1983 – Salvatore "Sally Fruits" Farrugia – appointed by the Commission^[151]
  • Acting 1987–1991 – Anthony "Old Man" Spero^[25] – sentenced to life imprisonment in 2002, died in 2008
• 1991–2004 – Joseph "Big Joey" Massino – imprisoned January 2003, became government informant in October 2004
  • Acting 1991–1993 – Anthony "Old Man" Spero
  • Acting 2003–2004 – Anthony "Tony Green" Urso – imprisoned January 2004
  • Acting 2004 – Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano – became official boss
• 2004–2011 – Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano – imprisoned November 2004, in July 2007 received a life sentence, stepped down
  • Acting 2004–2006 – Michael "The Nose" Mancuso – imprisoned February 2006
  • Acting 2006–2009 – Salvatore "Sal the Iron Worker" Montagna – deported to Canada in April 2009,^[152] shot and killed in November 2011
  • Acting 2010–2012 – Vincent "Vinny T.V." Badalamenti – imprisoned in January 2012^[153]
• 2013—present – Michael "The Nose" Mancuso^[111] – released from prison March 12, 2019, sent back September 2023
  • Acting 2013–2014 – Thomas "Tommy D" DiFiore^[154] – arrested on January 23, 2014
  • Acting 2014–2015 – John "Johnny Skyway" Palazzolo – arrested on March 27, 2015, for violating parole^[155]
  • Acting 2015–2019 – Joseph "Joe Saunders" Cammarano Jr.^[156] – indicted on racketeering and extortion charges on January 12, 2018, acquitted March 13, 2019^{[157][158][123][137]}

Street boss

The Street boss is responsible for passing on orders to lower ranking members. In some instances a ruling panel (of capos) substituted the Street boss role. The family may choose to assemble a ruling panel of capos if the boss dies, goes to prison, or is incapacitated. During the 1960s family war, a ruling panel of capos controlled the decisionmaking for the family. In some instances the Acting boss uses a Street boss to divert law enforcement attention.

• 1964–1968 – Frank Labruzzo – led Bonanno faction
• 1964– Ruling panel – Gasparino DiGregorio, Angelo Caruso, Nicolino Alfano, Joseph Notaro, Thomas D'Angelo, Natale Evola, Joseph DeFilippo, Peter Crociata and Paul Sciacca
• 1964–1965 – Ruling panel – Gasparino DiGregorio, Angelo Caruso, and Nicolino Alfano
• 1977 – Ruling panel – Nicholas "Nicky Glasses" Marangello, Mickey Zaffarano and Stefano "Stevie Beefs" Cannone
• 2009–2010 – Ruling panel – Joseph Sammartino Sr. (capo in New Jersey),^[159][160] the other members are unknown
• 2010–2012 – Joseph "Joe Bosch" Bosco – worked with Vincent Badalamenti
• 2012–2013 – Ruling panel – Vincent Asaro, Anthony Rabito, and Thomas DiFiore^[161]
• 2014–2015 – John "Johnny Joe" Spirito Jr. – worked with John Palazzolo
• 2019–present – John "Johnny Skyway" Palazzolo

Underboss (official and acting)

• 1915–1921 – Stefano Magaddino – fled to Buffalo
• 1921–1930 – Vito Bonventre – murdered on July 15, 1930
• 1930–1931 – Joseph Bonanno – became boss
• 1931–1932 – Angelo Caruso^[20]
• 1932–1955 – Francesco "Frank Caroll" Garofalo^[20]
• 1955–1962 – Giovanni Bonventre^[162] – fled to Sicily in 1950.
• 1962–1968 – Giovanni "Johnny Morales" Morale^[163][20]
  • Acting 1965–1968 – Pietro "Skinny Pete" Crociata – for the DiGregorio faction
  • Acting 1968 – Frank "Russo" Mari – for the DiGregorio faction, murdered
• 1968–1971 – Natale "Joe Diamonds" Evola – became boss
• 1971–1973 – Phillip "Rusty" Rastelli – became boss
• 1973–1979 – Nicholas "Nicky Glasses" Marangello (demoted)^[29]
• 1981–1991 – Joseph "Big Joe" Massino (imprisoned in 1984)
  • Acting 1984–1991 – Louis "Louie Ha Ha" Attanasio
• 1992–2003 – Salvatore "Handsome Sal" Vitale (became FBI informant in March 2003)
  • Acting 2001–2002 – Richard "Shellackhead" Cantarella (became an FBI informant in December 2002, and in June 2004 testified against Bonanno boss Joseph Massino.)^[164]
  • Acting 2003–2004 – Joseph "Joe C." Cammarano Sr.
  • Acting 2004 – Michael "The Nose" Mancuso – became acting boss
• 2004–2007 – Nicholas "Nicky Mouth" Santora – Imprisoned in 2007
• 2013–2015 – Thomas DiFiore ^[111]
  • Acting 2015 – Joseph Cammarano Jr.^[156]
• 2015–2019 – Joseph Cammarano Jr.^[156] – indicted on January 12, 2018, acquitted March 13, 2019^[123][137]
• 2019–2021 – Ernest "Ernie" Aiello ^[140]
• 2021–present – John "Johnny Joe" Spirito, Sr.

Consigliere (official and acting)

• c. 1930s – Frank Italiano^[20]
• 1932–1939 – Phillipe Rapa^[20]
• 1940–1964 – John Tartamella^[20]
• 1964–1968 – Salvatore "Bill" Bonanno^[20]
  • Acting 1965–1968 – Nicolino "Nick" Alfano – for the DiGregorio faction
  • Acting 1968 – Michael "Mike" Adamo
• 1968–1971 – Phillip "Rusty" Rastelli (promoted to underboss in 1971)
• 1971–1974 – Joseph DiFilippi^[165]
• 1974–1984 – Stefano "Stevie Beefs" Cannone^[166]
• 1984–2001 – Anthony Spero (acting boss from 1987 to 1993, died September 29, 2008)^[167][168]
  • Acting 1987–1992 – Joseph Buccellato
  • Acting 1999–2001 – Anthony "T.G." Graziano – became official consigliere
• 2001–2010 – Anthony "T.G." Graziano
  • Acting 2001–2003 – Anthony "Tony Green" Urso – became acting boss
  • Acting 2004–2007 – Anthony "Fat Tony" Rabito – imprisoned
• 2010–2015 – Anthony "Fat Tony" Rabito
  • Acting 2012–2013 – Ernest "Ernie" Aiello
  • Acting 2013–2014 – Vincent "Vinny T.V." Badalamenti
  • Acting 2014–2015 – Simone Esposito
• 2015–2016 – Simone Esposito – was shelved and later indicted on January 12, 2018 ^[123]
• 2016–2019 – John "Porky" Zancocchio – indicted on January 12, 2018, acquitted March 13, 2019^[123][137]
  • Acting 2017–2019 – Vincent "Vinny T.V." Badalamenti – served as the Mancuso faction Consigliere
• 2019–present – Vincent "Vinny T.V." Badalamenti^[140]

Administration

• Boss – Michael "The Nose" Mancuso – current boss of the Bonanno family. Before joining the Bonanno family, Mancuso was affiliated with the East Harlem Purple Gang. In August 1984, Mancuso shot and killed his wife, for which he received a 10-year prison sentence.^[169] On February 16, 2006, Mancusco was arrested in Las Vegas for ordering the murder of associate Randolph Pizzolo on November 30, 2004.^[170][171] On December 16, 2008, judge Nicholas Garaufis sentenced Mancuso to 15 years imprisonment for the Pizzolo murder.^[172] Mancuso was released on March 12, 2019.^[173] On March 9, 2022, Mancuso was arrested and became under investigation for violating the terms of his supervised release by associating with members of organized crime.^[174] In July 2023, Mancuso was sentenced to 11 months back in federal prison.^[175] He surrendered to authorities in September 2023 and has a current release date of August 2024.
• Street Boss – John "Johnny Skyway" Palazzolo – high-ranking member of the Bronx faction, Palazzolo was inducted into the family in 1977, alongside Frank Coppa Sr., Cesare Bonventre, and Baldassare "Baldo" Amato. In 2012, Palazzolo was released from prison after serving a 10-year sentence for attempted murder.^[176] In 2014, Palazzolo became acting boss for the then-imprisoned Michael Mancuso, but was arrested on March 27, 2015, for violating parole. He was observed meeting with consigliere Anthony "Fat Tony" Rabito and other Bonanno members. He was sentenced to serve a year and a day in prison and was released in 2016.^[177]
• Underboss – John "Johnny Joe" Spirito, Sr. – longtime family member. Spirito was involved in the 1999, murder of capo Gerlando "George from Canada" Sciascia, and was sentenced to 20 years in prison after conviction.^[178] Former family underboss Salvatore Vitale provided testimony to convict Spirito. He was released from prison on supervised release on September 1, 2020.^[179] Spirito is currently a target of the supervised release investigation of family boss Michael Mancuso, and has been cited as the family's "number two".
• Consigliere – Vincent "Vinny T.V." Badalamenti – became family consigliere in 2019.^[140] He is the former capo of the Bensonhurst crew. Badalamenti has served as the former acting boss and consigliere. In December 2009, Badalamenti was found with Staten Island-based capo Anthony Calabrese and soldier John "Johnny Green" Faracithe meeting at a Bensonhurst storefront.^[180][181] He served as acting boss from early 2010 until 2012 when he was imprisoned.

Caporegimes

Queens faction

• Jerome "Jerry" Asaro – capo of the Howard Beach-Asaro crew. His father is Vincent Asaro. In 2014, Asaro was charged with exhuming the corpse of a gangland murder victim Paul Katz who was strangled with a dog chain by his father Vincent Asaro and James Burke.^[182] On June 15, 2020, Asaro was released from prison.^[183]

• Anthony Fasitta – capo operating in Queens. Bonanno family boss Michael Mancuso met with Fasitta a number of times during his probation.^[184]
• Anthony "Little Anthony" Pipitone – capo operating in Queens, Brooklyn and Long Island. On October 7, 2009, Pipitone was indicted along with capo Joseph Sammartino, capo Anthony Sclafani, acting capo Joseph Loiacono, soldiers Frank Pastore and Paul Spina among other members on racketeering charges.^[185][186] In June 2016, Pipitone was sentenced to two years in prison for violating his parole when he attended a Bonanno family Christmas party on Staten Island.^[187] Pipitone had served time in prison for stabbing two men, after they had broken windows of a mob-connected restaurant in Whitestone, Queens.^[188] On August 16, 2022, Pipitone was among nine men arrested, including his younger brother Vito, and charged with racketeering, money laundering, illegal gambling, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and other charges.^[147][148] Members from the Bonnano as well as the Genovese families were arrested. The group used front businesses in Queens and Long Island to launder illegal profits.^[147][148] Pipitone was released on $2 million bond.^[147][148]

Brooklyn faction

• John "Big John" Contello – capo operating from Brooklyn and Florida. Contello is a former acting capo of the Jospeh "Junior" Chilli's crew.^[189] Contello was a target of an August 28, 2008, indictment that charged him with racketeering, illegal gambling and conspiracy.^[190] In June 2009, he was sentenced to 31 to 37 months in prison.^[191]
• Joseph "Joe Desi" DeSimone – capo operating from Brooklyn. In 1981, DeSimone was involved in the murder of his own capo Philip Giaccone and the murders of two other capos Dominick Trinchera and Alphonse Indelicato.^[192] In 2016, he was released from prison and violated supervised release and was sent back to prison.^[193] On November 10, 2017, he was released from prison.^[194] In May 2018, DeSimone and Genovese family capo John Brescio came under investigation for their involvement with Parx Casino.^[195]

Staten Island faction

• (In prison) Joseph "Joe Valet" Sabella – capo operating from Staten Island and Brooklyn. In 2019, Sabella was sentenced to 87 months in prison for his involvement in the dumping of illegal material at the LNG site in Rossville, Staten Island.^[196][197] Sabella is currently imprisoned with a projected released date of October 23, 2024.^[198]
  • Acting – Arthur "Harvey" Tarzia – acting capo of Sabella's crew.^[199]

Bronx faction

• Ernest "Ernie" Aiello – capo operating in the Bronx.^[145] Aiello used to be an acting capo for Nicholas "Nicky Mouth" Santora along with Vito Badamo.^[200] In 2012, he and acting capo John "Johnny Joe" Spirito Jr., as well as 20 to 25 Bonanno mobsters stormed the Lucchese family-managed Coddington Club in the Bronx as a "show of force".^[201] The incident emerged after Lucchese family acting boss Matthew Madonna stated he did not recognize Michael Mancuso as the Bonanno family boss.^[201] On July 9, 2013, Aiello and eight other Bonanno family mobsters, including Santora and Badamo, were indicted on enterprise corruption, gambling, loan sharking, extortion and drug trafficking charges.^[200][202] The case ended in a mistrial on May 10, 2016.^[203][204] Along with capo John Sciremammano and soldier John Spirito Jr., Aiello stormed the Glen Cove funeral home where a service was held honoring former capo Vito Grimaldi. The trio assaulted former acting boss Joseph Cammarano Jr. and his brother Dino, allegedly on the orders of Michael Mancuso.^[145]
  • Acting – Pasquale "Patty Boy" Maiorino – operating from the Bronx. Maiorino served 20 years for a 1981, murder and in 2015, was sent back to prison on a gun charge.^[205] In 2017, he was detained pending sentencing on a separate extortion charge associated with Genovese capo Pasquale Parrello of the Bronx.^[205]

Long Island faction

• John "Johnny Mulberry" Sciremammano – capo operating from Long Island and the Bronx. In June 2004, Sciremammano was arrested for running an illegal sports betting from Skybox Lounge, in Island Park and wiring the money to accounts in Costa Rica.^[206] Along with capo Ernest Aiello and soldier John Spirito Jr., Sciremammano stormed the Glen Cove funeral home where a service was held honoring former capo Vito Grimaldi. The trio assaulted former acting boss Joseph Cammarano Jr. and his brother Dino, allegedly on the orders of Michael Mancuso.^[145]

Soldiers

• Albert "Al Muscles" Armetta – family soldier.^[207] On January 12, 2018, he was indicted on racketeering and assault charges along with acting boss Joseph "Joe C" Cammarano Jr., consigliere John "Porky" Zancocchio and seven other defendants from the Bonanno, Lucchese and Genovese families.^[208][209] Armetta was charged with assaulting an individual on Halloween 2015 to gain entry into the Bonanno family, and he was released from prison on February 12, 2020.^[207][210] He attended the wake of former Lucchese family consigliere Frank Lastorino in November 2022.^[211]
• Louis "Louie Ha Ha" Attanasio – a former capo in the Bronx. Attanasio, along with his brother Robert "Bobby Ha Ha" and Peter Calabrese, murdered Bonanno family Sicilian faction member Cesare Bonventre in 1984.^[212] On September 20, 2006, Attanasio and Peter Calabrese were sentenced to 15 years in prison for the 1984 Bonventre murder.^[213] Attanasio's projected release date is January 23, 2018.^[214] His brother, only an associate of the Bonanno family, was sentenced to two years of supervised release and ordered to home confinement with GPS monitoring for the first six months by Senior United States District Judge Nicholas Garaufis. He was accused of affiliating with members of the Bonanno and Gambino crime families, including playing bocce with Louis Vallario, a capo of the Gambino crime family, which Attanasio pled guilty to. It was also revealed that Robert Attanasio was suffering from prostate cancer in 2017.^[215] He was released from prison on January 23, 2018.^[216]
• Vito Badamo – former acting capo of Nicholas Santora's Graham Avenue, Williamsburg crew. In July 2013, Badamo was indicted, along with capo Nicholas Santora, acting capo Ernest Aiello, soldier Anthony Santoro and others, on racketeering, loansharking, illegal gambling and drug dealing charges.^[217] It was stated in court that Santora was training Badamo to take control of the crew in the future.^[218] In May 2016, Badamo and the others were released after their case ended in a mistrial.^[203][204] On May 18, 2017, Badamo was sentenced to three to seven years in prison on illegal gambling charges.^[219] The remaining members of his crew, Anthony Santoro, Dominick Siano, Nicholas Bernhard, Scott O'Neil, Anthony Urban and Richard Sinde, had all pled guilty of various crimes and were sentenced.^[219]
• Anthony Calabrese – former acting capo in Staten Island.^[181] Calabrese is the son of former family ruling panel member Peter "Rabbit" Calabrese, and was previously convicted and served time in prison for second-degree burglary, promoting gambling and reckless endangerment.^[220] During the 1990s and 2000s, he operated a club in Staten Island, and later helped mediate a dispute with Colombo family associate Francis Guerra and capo Anthony Russo over Bonanno associate Eugene Lombardo stealing Guerra's relatives' pizza recipe to use it in his own restaurant, which Calabrese resolved by paying Guerra $1500 as restitution.^[221] On December 15, 2009, Calabrese, capo Vincent Badalamenti and John Faraci were arrested during a DEA raid on a Bensonhurst social club, before being promptly released from custody.^[181] He was indicted on racketeering, extortion and illegal gambling charges along with Badalamenti and four others on January 27, 2012, pleading guilty and being released from prison on May 10, 2013.^{[222][223][224]}
• Joseph "Joe Saunders" Cammarano Jr. – former street boss and acting underboss for the family. Cammarano Jr was a capo operating a crew in Brooklyn. After his father Joseph "Joe Saunders" Cammarano Sr., died on September 3, 2013, Cammarano Jr. took over his father's crew.^[225] Cammarano Jr. was indicted in January 2018 on racketeering and murder conspiracy charges along with John Zancocchio, effectively ending his reign as street boss.^[158] Cammarano Jr. was acquitted on March 13, 2019, and was reportedly shelved by Mancuso.
• Michael Cassese – soldier. Cassese was one of numerous family members indicted on February 6, 2007. The family members, which included underboss Nicholas Santora and acting consigliere Anthony Rabito, were arraigned on charges of racketeering and other related crimes.^[109] Cassese was released from prison on May 22, 2014.^[226]
• Salvatore "Toto" Catalano – a former capo and Street boss of the Sicilian faction. Catalano was heavily involved in the Pizza Connection a heroin drug distribution scheme with boss Carmine Galante. The heroin was shipped into the U.S. and sold through pizzerias in New York City and New Jersey. In 1976, Catalano became capo of the Knickerbocker Avenue Crew.^[227] On March 2, 1987, Catalano was sentenced to 45 years in prison and fined $1.15 million.^{[228][229][230][231]} He was released from prison on November 16, 2009.^[232]
• Fabrizio "The Herder" DeFrancisci – a soldier. DeFrancisci is a founding member of the Bath Avenue Crew, the infamous Bonanno farm team. DeFrancisci was sentenced to 50-years imprisonment for murder.^[233] He was released from prison to a halfway house in May 2023.
• Louis "Louie the Leg-Breaker" Civello Sr. – former capo of the New Jersey crew. In 2015, Civello along with his son Louis Civello Jr. were under investigation due to their ownership of NJDAM and their involvement in car related fraud.^[234]
• Louis "Louie Electric" DeCicco – former capo in Brooklyn with operations in Queens and Long Island. In March 2007, DeCicco was arrested along with other Bonanno capos. On December 31, 2009, DeCicco was released from prison.^[235][236]
• Thomas "Tommy D" DiFiore – a former acting boss and former capo. In 1979, DiFiore was thrown out of the Giaccone crew for getting into an argument with capo Philip Giaccone.^[237] By 1990, DiFiore had become a capo in the family and handled most of the actives on Long Island.^[238] In May 2000, DiFiore and two members of the Gambino crime family, capo Salvatore Scala and soldier Charles Carneglia, were arrested and charged with extortion.^[239] The FBI had recorded a mob sit-down on May 3, 2000, between DiFiore, Scala and Carneglia over who had the right to extort Cherry Video a sex shop on Long Island.^[240] On November 2, 2001, all three were sentenced to 63 months for extortion.^[240] DiFiore was released from prison on March 19, 2004.^[241] In 2013, he became the family underboss and acting boss for imprisoned boss Michael Mancuso.^[242][243] In January 2014, he was arrested on extortion charges along with Vincent Asaro.^[244] He was released from prison on August 4, 2015.^[245]
• Vincent "Vinny Bionics" DiSario – soldier who was arrested in an August 28, 2008, indictment. DiSario was charged with racketeering, illegal gambling and racketeering conspiracy.^[190] In 2009, he pleaded guilty to a single count of collecting unlawful debts, and was sentenced to 18 to 24 months in prison.^[191]
• Thomas Fiore – former "acting capo" of Gerard Chilli's South Florida crew. He is based in the Palm Beach County city of Boynton Beach. On October 14, 2009, his crew in South Florida was charged under the RICO law. Six of the eleven crew members, including crew enforcer Pasquale Rubbo and his brother Joseph Rubbo, pled guilty to a list of crimes. The crew is involved in arson, insurance fraud, identity theft, illegal gambling and other crimes. They send some tribute to Bonanno family bosses in New York City.^[246] On March 2, 2010, Fiore was sentenced to twelve years for racketeering.^[247] Released from prison on October 23, 2019.^[248]
• Anthony "Tony Black" Furino – former capo based in Staten Island. In 2004, Furino was arrested for extortion of Long Island night clubs and Staten Island restaurants.^[249][250] In 2007, Furino was released from prison.
• Anthony "the Hat/Perry Como" Frascone – form capo operating from Brooklyn and the Bronx who came up in the Dominick Trinchera crew. Frascone was involved in a large-scale illegal gambling operation along with Genovese soldier Victor Colletti.^[251] On November 30, 2011, Frascone was indicted with several members on charges stemming from the extortion of several Queens and Long Island strip clubs, who employed dancers who were not authorized to work in the US.^[252]
• Gino Galestro – a former newspaper delivery truck driver and soldier who operated in Staten Island. He pled guilty to ordering the murder of associate Robert McKelvey over a debt in 2005. He was released from prison on June 24, 2022.^[179]
• Anthony "Bruno" Indelicato – soldier in the crew of his uncle, Joseph Indelicato, and the son of Alphonse "Sonny Red" Indelicato. A made member since the late 1970s, Anthony Indelicato may have participated in the 1979 murder of Carmine Galante. Indelicato was a defendant in the 1986 Mafia Commission Trial,^[253] where he was sentenced to 45 years and released in 2000. On December 16, 2008, Indelicato received a 20-year prison sentence for the 2001 killing of Frank Santoro. Indelicato was released from Federal Correctional Institution, Danbury on May 20, 2022.^[179]
• Joseph Indelicato – a former capo in Manhattan and New Jersey. Took over crew from his deceased brother, Alphonse "Sonny Red" Indelicato. Joseph's nephew Anthony "Bruno" Indelicato is a soldier in the crew.^[254]
• Joseph "Joe Lefty" Loiacono – former acting capo who was arrested on October 14, 2009, for running a loansharking operation. He was released on May 18, 2012.^{[109][255][256][257]}
• Anthony "Anthony from Elmont" Mannone – (a.k.a. Anthony from the Five Towns) – former capo who was arrested on February 24, 2010, for running an illegal gambling and extortion ring throughout Brooklyn.^{[258][259][260]} Manone was released from prison on June 27, 2013^[261]
• Vito Pipitone – soldier and younger brother of capo Anthony "Little Anthony" Pipitone. He was indicted on August 16, 2022, among other members of the Bonnano and Genovese families, and was charged with rackteering, illegal gambling, money laundering, and other charges.^[262]
• Frank Porco – former capo operating from Staten Island, Brooklyn and Florida. In 2005, Porco was released from prison.^[263][264]
• Salvatore Puccio – soldier based in Florida, Puccio was arrested along with capo Gerard "Jerry" Chili in February 2005.^[265] Charged with racketeering, conspiracy, money laundering, dealing with stolen property, and numerous illegal gambling-related crimes, Puccio was sentenced to 96 months in prison and was released on November 15, 2013.^[226]
• Anthony "Fat Tony" Rabito – the former acting consigliere for Vincent Basciano prior to his incarceration and a longtime member of the Bonanno family. From January 2003 to July 2004, Rabito operated an illegal gambling and loansharking ring in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and Staten Island, earning $210,000 a week.^[109]
• William "Willie Glasses" Riviello – a former capo operating in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and Westchester County. In 2004, Riviello was arrested for a stolen bank check scheme in the Bronx and Yonkers, New York, that grossed over $500,000 for the family. In 2007, Riviello was released from prison.^[266][267]
• Frank "Frankie Boy" Salerno – in 2016, he was indicted with Gambino family acting Capo John "Johnny Boy" Ambrosio and Gambino family associate John Saladino on loan sharking and racketeering charges. Salerno was sentenced to 4 years in prison for helping collect loan shark debts.^[268]
• Joseph "Sammy" Sammartino Sr. – a former capo of the New Jersey crew. He was born and raised in Jersey City's Marion Section and currently resides in North Arlington, New Jersey^[269] His crew is based in Bayonne, New Jersey, and he controls a loansharking ring.^[269] In 2009, he served on a ruling panel running the family.^[159] On October 14, 2009, Sammartino was arrested on loansharking charges.^[160] He was sentenced to 18 months in prison and a $50,000 fine for extortion and loansharking.^[270] On January 27, 2011, Sammartino was released from prison.
• Joseph "Joey Blue Eyes" Santapaolo – soldier in the family, Santapaolo was indicted on January 12, 2018, along with acting boss Joseph Cammarano Jr., consigliere John Zancocchio, and several other members and associates.^[126]
• Anthony "Scal" Sclafani – former capo based in Staten Island with illegal gambling operations. On October 7, 2009, Sclafani was indicted along with capo Joseph Sammartino, capo Anthony Pipitone, acting capo Joseph Loiacono, and soldiers Frank Pastore and Paul Spina, among other members, on racketeering and loansharking charges.^[185][186] It was revealed in the case that Sclafani had owed $50,000 to capo Joseph Sammartino.^[271] Sclafani tried to stay out of law enforcement surveillance by staying in his home all day.^[272] He controlled illegal gambling from a social club on Victory Blvd. that was named after a Staten Island youth league.^[273] Sclafani was released from prison on February 14, 2014.^[274]
• Paul "Fat Paulie" Spina – soldier. Spina was one of numerous family members indicted on February 6, 2007. The family members, which included underboss Nicholas Santora and acting consigliere Anthony Rabito, were arraigned on charges of racketeering and other related crimes.^[109] Spina was released from prison on December 19, 2016.^[226]
• John "Johnny Joe" Spirito Jr. – former Street Boss and Capo. He is the son of soldier John "Johnny Joe" Spirito Sr. and longtime member of the Bronx faction under former capo Patrick "Patty from the Bronx" DeFilippo.^[275] In 2003, Spirito Jr. along with Anthony Frascone were arrested on illegal gambling charges.^[276]
• George "Grumpy" Tropiano – former acting capo, Tropiano was indicted on January 12, 2018, along with acting boss Joseph Cammarano Jr., consigliere John Zancocchio, and several other members and associates.^[126] Tropiano was released from prison on January 13, 2022.^[226]
• Anthony "Tony Green" Urso – former capo and acting capo under Joseph Massino in the 1990s. In 2004, Urso was imprisoned for extortion and loansharking. Release from prison on June 25, 2021.^[277]
• John "Porky" Zancocchio – former consigliere, Zancocchio was indicted in January 2018, on racketeering and murder conspiracy charges along with Joseph Cammarano Jr.^[158] Zancocchio was acquitted on March 13, 2019, and was reportedly shelved by Mancuso.^[158]

Imprisoned members

• Anthony "Ace" Aiello – a soldier. In December 2008, he took a plea deal for the killing of a Bonanno family associate. Aiello was sentenced to 30-years imprisonment.^[278][279]
• Baldassare "Baldo" Amato – a soldier in the Sicilian faction and leader of a freelance crew operating in Ridgewood, Queens. He once served as a bodyguard to former boss Carmine Galante and was also with him on the day that he was murdered; it is alleged that he cooperated in Galante being murdered as his life was spared. As of 2006, Amato is currently serving a life sentence in federal prison for two murders and racketeering.^{[280][281][282][283]}
• Ronald "Ronnie G" Giallanzo – former capo of the Howard Beach-Asaro crew. Giallanzo is the nephew of Vincent Asaro.^[284] In 2018, Giallanzo was sentenced to 14 years in prison for running a $3 million loansharking business. During the trial prosecutors stated that Giallanzo was capo of the Howard Beach crew between 1998 and 2017, even overseeing their operations while in prison for eight years.^[285]
• Stephen "Stevie Blue" Locurto – a soldier. In July 2006, he was given a life imprisonment sentence for racketeering and murder.^[286][287]
• Thomas Pitera – soldier and hitman who was sentenced to life in federal prison. He is currently serving his sentence in federal prison.^[288]

Hearings

Notes

Sources

• DeStefano, Anthony. King of the Godfathers: Joseph Massino and the Fall of the Bonanno Crime Family. New York: Pinnacle Books, 2006. ISBN 0-7860-1893-3