Mob Authors and their Exagerations

I just finished " The 6th Family by Lee Lamothe and Adrian Humphries. anyone else read this book? I thought it was pretty good but why is it that so many reporters and authors have to exaggerate the power and influence of their story subject? For example Lamoth and Humphreys claim , in "the 6th Family" that Vito Rizzoto's 19 member Montreal faction surpassed the entire Bonanno family in terms of power. I find that very hard to believe.

Thoughts??

I've heard of the Montreal faction but i don't know as much about them as i do New York and Philly

Personally I find the Philadelphia family the most fascinating of all.

As for Rizzuto, the authors of the 6th family insinuate that Rizzuto knew immediatley that Gerlando Sciascia was not the victim of a drug deal gone bad but rather that he had been set up by the Bananno administration. If the Rizzuto faction was so powerful why would they not retaliate ? If the
Rizzuto's were more powerful than the entire Bananno family why did he take the death of his closest and oldest friend on the chin and do nothing about it?

In answer to your question, here is what Lamothe said over on the Real Deal forum back in 2006 -

"And a final note recalling having read the previous posts and remembering someone mentioning organized crime writers pushing their own agendas and beliefs: true. Guilty. No one wants to write a book called The Story of the Maybe the Third Most Powerful Crime Figure in a Small Neighborhood in Brooklyn for Six Months in 1995. But in the case of Bloodlines and The Sixth Family, the theory had to start with an idea, with an event. Writers spend a lot of time researching and looking for something that supports their theory."

I agree with you that many writers have a tendency to exaggerate their subject. That's to be expected and they can still provide a lot of great information despite that. Scott Burnstein is a good example. He is the resident Detroit expert over on the Real Deal forum and provides a lot of good insight. But I've never agreed with him about how high he still rates what's left of the mob in Detroit.

Anyway, while the Rizzutos were more than just the 19 guys who were made Bonanno members, I don't think they were ever the all powerful "Sixth Family" some portrayed them to be. Even before Operation Colisee and the later murders, I always felt the truth was somewhere in the middle of those two opposing theories.

You're only counting the men in their faction who were made in the Bonanno family, but the Rizzutos had much more close associates as muscle. In the Sixth family they say they had around 130 members in their organization divided in three cells, each cells having their own boss who in turn answered to the Rizzutos.

But you're right about the exaggeration. I don't think they were ever more powerful than the Bonanno family itself, but they definitely were more than just a faction.

While I know they are more than just their 18-20 made members the same could be said for all the crews in the Bannano family, or any other mob family. It's not as though the Rizzuto's are the only ones who have associates and other connections besides made men.


If they were so powerful as I said before I belive there would have been some sort of revenge for the Sciascia hit, and I don't think they would be in the dire straights they are in now if they were even half as powerful as Lamothe suggests in his book.

thanks for the replies guys.

That's probably because the majority of their men are in prison due to operation Colisee which left a huge power vaccuum.

And for the common sense, you don't go to war with another family just because one of you're friends is killed. If he was a friend in the first place. If the Rizzutos would go to war with the Bonannos, they would have all of the Five Families of New York to go to war with.

War is bad for business. And besides, after Scascia was killed, it is said the Bonannos were prepared to let the Montreal faction to officially go independend.

Obviously an all out war is a bad idea, but if the Rizzutos were as powerful as Lamothe claims surely they would have demanded some type of retribution. I doubt anyone else would get involved if they killed a guy in retaliation for one of their key guys being killed. If Rizzuto would have whacked a guy like TG Graziano you can bet your bottom dollar that Massino would have reacted violently.



With how greedy mobsters are why do you think they didn't demand a tribute from Montreal?

Fair enough. I also don't think the Rizzutos are or were as powerful as the New York families.

The Rizzutos' biggest advantage was that they pretty much had a monopoly on organized crime in Montreal so they could control everything from drugs to construction and real-estate. I would believe that at their height they probably were more powerful than Philadelphia or New Jersey and that they could compete in certain aspects with one of the smaller New York families.

Sonny, in your opinion who do you think is behind the Rizzuto family destruction?

To get back to your original question:

Mobsters aren't the kind to leave their letters, papers and recollections to university libraries for people like us to study. And, even if they did know how to read and write, omerta kept their pens from their hands. So, hack writers and sensationalists have a field day with them, knowing they're in no position to refute the writers. And, hype sells.

Case in point: Hank Messick, a reporter for the Miami Herald, published an article stating that Meyer Lansky was the "most powerful gangster in America" and was "worth $300 million." Almost everything written about Lansky since then quoted that figure. Robert Lacey, Lansky's biographer, chased him down. Messick admitted that he got the figure second-hand and ran with it because it was a big, sensational figure that supported his belief that Lansky was "the boss of the Eastern Syndicate." Lacey, one of the only competent biographers of mobsters, estimated Lansky's peak wealth at no more than $5-6 million--nor chickenfeed then or now, but not the stuff of $300 million.

The Sixth Family is one of the very few thoroughly (sometimes excessively) researched mob books. I thought the authors worked very hard to make the case that, while the Bonannos thought they were running Canada, the Rizzutos were actually running the Bonannos. No way to prove it beyond doubt, but they did convince me that the Rizzutos were very powerful.

That's one example of where I think they were exaggerating. The Rizzutos weren't running the Bonannos. In fact, they were still sending tribute down to New York up until Sciascia was killed. And even after that, Vito Rizzuto reportedly said that he didn't recognize Montagna as his boss. I always found that interesting since, if the Rizzutos had fully broken away from the Bonannos, why would Rizzuto have to address that at all?

The Rizzutos were certainly big players in the Canadian underworld. Significant international connections and big into drugs. But I still think they overstated things. I mean, one big bust (Colisee) took most of the organization off the streets.

I have to agree with Ivy. The fact that they didn't even demand a tax from Massino and company for the Sciascia hit is evidence that all they could do was take it on the chin. Again, if Vito had a guy like Graziano whacked there would have been violent repercussions, but when Massino took out Sciascia, Vito did absolutly nothing even when he had ample opportunity to take out Vitale or one of his entourage when they came to Montreal.


Also does Lamothe think that the Rizzutos are the only ones to have roots in Sicily? 25+% of the 5 families have roots in Sicily and Lamothe acts like this is a trait unique to the Rizzutos and all the other made guys have Irish or German backgrounds.

Violi's sons from Hamilton, the Calabrian faction from Montreal and the 'D Amico's from Grandby, probably backed by some 'Ndrangheta cells from Toronto.

Which also happened recently with the Colombos in New York...

300 million is very likely to be an exaggeration, but it's very hard to believe that a man like Lansky who made millions for others and wielded tremendous influence only had a few million himself. 5 or 6 million was probably the amount he may have had on his personal account which was known to the IRS. I've read somewhere that he transfered 15 million to his brother after the Havana fiasco.

His net-worth was estimated by Forbes to be 100 million in the early 1980s. His lawyer, Al Malnik, became exceedingly wealthy after Lanskly died...

I don't know if that was quite the same thing. About 40 Colombo members and associates were picked up in the big bust in January; 16 of them being made members.

The same ones who killed Gaetano Panepinto? Hamilton (steel town as they call it here) is only a 30 minutes drive from Kitchener, where I live. Maybe I will take a trip up there this weekend and ask Violi's sons directly.

The strongest evidence against Violi's sons is the fact that Nick Rizzuto Sr got hit when he was just a figurehead. This was more a symbolic hit than a business matter. Further more he was killed almost the exact same way one of Violi's brothers was killed, in that he was shot by a sniper in his own kitchen in front of his wife and daughter.

I wonder what Vito is going to do when he gets out? I bet he wishes now that he hadn't severed ties with NY because the Calabrians would think twice about making a move if they thought the entire Bannano family would back the Rizzuto's. Just my opinion.

I think you would now have to go to Montreal to ask them this question. I bet they would be honored and obliged to give you a straight answer.



For me what's at least as strong is that they were seen in Montreal's Little Italy just days before Rizzuto Sr. was clipped. What where they doing there? If they went there 10 years ago they would have never been seen again...



I wonder the same thing. As a matter of fact he's still a made member of the Bonanno family. Who knows, maybe he will be able to ask some old friends for their support.. I don't think it will likely be happening, but if it does, the Hamilton guys should watch their back.

Lacey did thorough research into Lansky's finances. His conclusion: the reason that Lansky died in his sleep at 81 instead of being assassinated was that he never acquired either the wealth or power that would have led to jealousy and rivalry--the two biggest causes of death-by-bullets. "He was always the accountant, never the boss."

On the other hand, he said Lansky never got involved in drugs and murder. While it's possible to believe that a careful, intelligent guy like Lansky saw the risks, it's hard to believe that he, or any mobster, would walk away from a big source of income, or shy away from murdering, or ordering or being complicit in murder, to protect himself. Lansky (as well as Siegel, Luciano, Adonis and Costello) was a protege of Arnold Rothstein, who was a major opium importer and operator of opium dens.

In regards to the assertion towards Lamoth & Humphries playing up to the hype, of course the're as guilty as any number of mob rat testimonials & mob lit. bio's..

HOWEVER...

The Rizzuto "faction" basicaly stopped paying any form of "tribute", ie-sending anyhting down to New York AT ALL post Sciascia. "Good-Looking Sal" (God I hate that guy. He's not even that good-looking) Vitale testified that when Massino sent him up with (i think it was) Lino, he reported back that during his meeting with Vito, he tried to officially promote him (Vito), but was basically rebuffed. Since then there was no more contact until Rizzuto met Massino & co. in the court-room.

The official 19 or so members of the "faction" bely the fact that Nicolo Rizzuto & co. had begun making members some 20 years ago. And for a Sicilian family, they almost followed a Calabrian model of tactical marriages & bloodlines. Ties with Family's like the Agostino/[BadWord] Family & Old World Sicilian Families made the profits of that central cabal expand into legitimate billionaires, more then can be said for most bosses of North America.

Mind you; they WERE at their peak. This book came out way before the systematic execution of a score of their men. Say what one will about morality, but the attack witnessed upon the "Sixth" Family was ruthlessly, brutally executed. Goig as far as the patriarch himself, so far removed from the street, that said it all.

I dont think its too much to believe a powerhouse Ndrina faction decided to avenge old insults. Remember how ruthless & systematic the Rizzuto destruction of the Violi family, sanguinary, & the COtroni element, till they cowed & came under.

If Vito's smart, he'll cut his losses, withdraw himself & his kin completely out of "things" & go straight. He's got the brains to make things work legitimately.

Indeed, these authors are known to exaggerate, or as I like to say, talk out their ass. The author of Gomoorah was a prime example of this, he claimed the Camorra controlled the world trade in everything from knock off sun glasses to cocaine! Can you imagine that, controlling the cocaine trade over in Italy! I don't doubt the Camorra makes a ton of money and has loads of power, but I don't think they are a global power that controls the drug and gun trade.

I dont know, Gerry. I think Saviano, rather then claiming they "controlled" things globally was more making the the point that they (the Camorristi) use & exploit Naples to a horrendous degree in the name of vast profits. However low they rank on the "actual" scale of things, they are fucking up & pilagging their native city & state in some of the most insidious & evil methods to be created, with the name an indelible stain on the Napolitani.

Well the Italian syndicates are the dominant cocaine traffickers in much of Europe, not just Italy. But more so the 'Ndrangheta than the Camorra or Cosa Nostra. And of course no single group controls things on a global scale.

Thats carzy, his sons were actually sighted in Montreal's Little Italy? Did the police see them, or witnesses testified that they saw them? Thanks for the info man.

I believe they were seen by investigators.

I dont think the bonanno alliance would have saved them the reason they(calabrians) waited till or suddenly decided to hit them in late 2009 is IMHO because Operation SHARQC had taken down all the quebec hells angels on serious first degree murder gangsterism and drug charges, over 100 full patchs facing 1st degree murder the hells angels came to quebec in 77 just as the rizzutos were taking power and through mafia provided narcotics they thrived till 2009. The calabrians only acted once the law put away there(rizzutos) last enforcement arm. In quebec bikers are akin to made mafioso in terms of earning, clout,violence and murder.

"while the Bonannos thought they were running Canada, the Rizzutos were actually running the Bonannos" The first part is true but I just don`t see where Lamothe tries to say that the rizzutos were really running the bonannos and the real reason for the breakdown in relations is that post 911 the bonannos could not if they wanted send hitmen from their family across the border if they got out of line nor could they send emmisaries or call without fbi hearing blocked from communication except drug smuggling

Maybe it wouldn't have saved them but if the Rizzuto faction had consistently sent NY and nice tribute every month, you can bet the Calabrians would have thought twice or at least tried to appease the NY Bonanno's before moving against the Rizzuto's. Remember, these are guy's who kill over being disrespected, so it's not hard to believe that there would be retaliation if one group ( the Calabrians) was making a move that could potentially cost the other group ( the NY Bonanno's) millions of dollars. I guess we will never know what would have happened if the Rizzuto's had kept the alliance to NY stronger but it is certainly interesting to speculate.

i don't think the ndrangheta is involved in it, maybe calabrian members within the rizzuto organization
in the years there were several wars inside the montreal faction

The whole situation in montreal is just unreal. I mean Mario Puzo could not have written this scenario the way it has played out. The kidnappings, symbolic murders, black box on the steps of nick sr`s funeral and that the cops havent clamped down. Then theres the history with the violi`s and hamilton not to mention that the rizzutos purportedly backed the Musitanos(hamilton) in there purge 97 of johnny pops papalia and carmen barrilaro the last LCN bosses in canada(unless u consider the rizzutos bonannos). in my opinion iTS ALL CALABRIANS FROM EASTERN CANADA INCLUDING THE COTRONI FACTION, Hamilton(violis/lupinos), toronto ndrangeta clans /siderno/racco/commisso,and d`amicos (granby)

I predict The Violi Brothers risesing to the top of of the now calabrian run Montreal Mafia then 25 years from now they are gunned down by Vito Rizzuto III (nick jrs son) and paolo Renda II( paolo renda`s grandson)with help from the Sciascia brothers and 70 year old Leonardo Rizzuto becomes boss with his consigliere being Vito Rizzuto who at 92 has just been released from Italian prison ater finishing his sentence on the strait of Messina Bridge affair.

Ain't gonna happen. The Rizzutos have enough cash and investments in legitimate enterprices so they can retire or go legit. They may hire a contract killer in the future to even the score but I think that may be it.

I`m really just joking I mean that the vendettas will continue because of the personal nature of the conflict

hey Ontario613, you know a lot about whats going on in Montreal, do you know if any documentaries have been made on the family, and if so can you advise any? thanks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtpMMxlonWQ theres this
but most of the good documentaries on Canadian OC are hard to find but if you can try to locate Mob Stories series from the canadian history channel Theres a good one about the Cotronis
And the CBC Connection organized crime series from the late 70`s there also some good documentaries on the Quebec biker war that include mafia sidestories.

Also alot of good news stories(print) about the Montreal Family won`t come up in a simple search because they are in French language newspapers like La Presse, Le Devoir and Rue Frontenac but u can easily take these stories and copy them into google translate(although some things aare lost in translation)

thanks a lot

I dont see them hiring contract killers they are well known to do their own dirty work its a matter of honour.