Vito rizzuto dead

It's been reported Vito rizzuto has died of natural causes in hospital at the age of 67 , wonder were this leaves the Montreal mob now

Things were just getting interesting, and now this cheater suddenly proclaims "game over" by dying.

Vito Rizzuto, right, reputed head of the Montreal Mafia, speaks with his attorney Jean Salois after his hearing in Montreal on Feb. 6, 2004. (Ryan Remiorz/CP)

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Vito Rizzuto, the former head of the Montreal Mafia, has died at Sacré-Coeur Hospital following health problems.

Radio-Canada is reporting that the 67-year-old man was hospitalized on Sunday for pulmonary problems. He died Monday morning following health complications.

Born in the Cattolica Eraclea area of Sicily, Italy in 1946, Rizzuto — later known as Montreal's Teflon Don — moved to Canada with his family when he was eight years old.

His father Nicolo Rizzuto, Sr. — the patriarch of the Rizzuto crime family — was assassinated at his Montreal home in November 2010.

Rizzuto had three children. His son Nick, Jr. was assassinated a year earlier than his father, in 2009.

In 2007, Rizzuto was sentenced by an American judge to 10 years in prison following his 2003 indictment for his role in the 1981 murders of three alleged gang leaders.

He returned to Canada in October 2012 and settled in Ste-Dorothée, a district of Laval, Que.

So much for Vito being invincible. Are there actually any capable leaders in his organization now?

Domenico manno , Francesco arcadi of Rocco sollecito . Who knows who will take the reigns , there will be a lot of people scared for there lives now , there will be bodies dropping like flies now

I wonder if he pulled a Carlos gambling and named a boss on his death bed, and this also puts the bananos back in play

It really doesn't. The Bonanno's are really struggling, look what happened when Sal Montagna tried to take over.

Rocco solleceto or possibly Francesco arcadi could take over there relatively young guys , domenico manno is 80 now so don't think he would wanna be involved iin a power struggle

wow this news really shocked the hell out of me. I wonder who is gonna step in. His son better get his ass in gear and step up or someone else is gonna take everything his father n grandfather busted there ass for for so many years..

Vito was just so powerful that you forget that he could actually die of natural causes like a regular human being.

I know , he did seem to have that air of invincibility about him . Anyone any ideas who could take over ???

Possibly manno , solleceto or arcadi ??

Canadian organized-crime author James Dubro wrote this interesting sentence in his Facebook status update from this morning:

But maybe he [Vito Rizzuto] let it be known that he had a terminal ailment both in Mafia circles & cops circles which might have spared him all sorts of problems in his last year.

I think if illness allowed Rizzuto to be given a pass -- and that's a very big if because the theory is fairly weak -- he would have had to promise something in return. He was always known as a conciliator and mediator, and Peter Edwards of the Toronto Star did report on a possible meeting in the Dominican Republic that Vito held back in April with some of his detractors. Did Vito know about his illness back then? Did he disclose the illness at that meeting? at other meetings?

Still, there's something unusual about Rizzuto's suddenly dying in hospital after 13.5 months of renewed violence that began with Jos Di Maulo's death, which itself happened less than a month after Rizzuto got out of the Colorado prison.

Dom, check the post I just left you on the other thread.

Thanks stern , very interesting

So your saying he knew he was gonna die had a meeting with his enemies agreeing to give them control once he had gone ?? But all he wanted was to avenge his father and sons death ???? Sounds plausible

R u on face book stern ? I will add u to my group

There's many possibilities as to the meeting etc, but one thing that is for sure is that his organization will still maintain a stronghold on the city, atleast for the time being. How things will play out within the next few years is up for debate, with so many guys getting older & softening up and a "new" generation starting to take over.

Agree with Anitmafia that this seems strange. It would be interesting to know who had been with prior to being hospitalized. Poisoned possibly?

A lot of people r saying he had lung cancer and he knew it was terminal , u never know though , anything is possible . I'm sure we will hear more over the nest few days

I agree with ColumbianJoe. Rizzuto's clan seems to be back on top for now. Not sure for how long though. I could see things remain quiet for a couple of months at most before somebody makes a move.

Desjardins locked up, DiMaulo killed, Gallo killed, Gosselin killed. It might take a while for this group to recover.

Sollicito could run things for Rizzuto for now. Arcadi will strengthen the group when he is released from prioson. Anybody know when Arcadi gets out of prison?

Wow. Just wow.

Never seen this one coming! Desjardins just lost his trump card in case he loses his case.

Also I don't buy the "he knew he was dying" bit. Dude was playing golf a few months ago. Terminal cancer patients generally are not able to play golf.

Wow...This past year in Montreal has played out like a mini sopranos series and now the main character dies of natural causes?!?!? I mean what are the Freiking odds!?!?!?

Vendetta, Murder, Murder, Murder, then pass away from natural causes?!?!?!

hi guys...been a fan of the forum for a while (without being an active member, just became one) great stuff as usual on the ongoing montreal saga. the only thing i can add to this particular topic is; i think alot of ontario mobsters are probably going to sleep a little better now.

One article said Rizzuto had heart problems.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/...n_hospital.html

And another one said it was a "lung ailment".

http://www.torontosun.com/2013/12/23/mob-boss-vito-rizzuto-dies-in-hospital

now things will get even more complicated

who's gonna lead/kill/side who?

For whatever it's worth...a poster on the RD forum who has pretty good sources thinks it's going to be Paolo Cun tera.

Interesting , thanks giancarlo

Hope he named someone boss before the end,who is respected on the street by everyone who can keep the peace.

Maybe peter scarcella is another guy to watch now he has been released , I know the calabrians were targeting him , so they considered him a threat

wow crazy. his story was intriguing and he was putting out hits until literally the day he died.

yeah this was crazy, did anyone from NY even consider doing anything about that? they just dumped montagna in the river like a bag of garbage seemingly without fear of retaliation

The new boss is gonna be Johnny the Tomato Sauce and his son Johnny Big Balls. Johnny Big Balls aka Johnny Two Times, he says I gotta go get the papers get the papers. Forget about it.

Montagna was attempting to take over territory that was controlled by other mafiosi, he got what was coming to him. the Bonanno's would've be wrong to retaliate, the murder was justified. They were in no position to retaliate anyway, pretty much all of there top guys are dead or in prison.

Under Massino it might have been a different story, but the family is in real bad shape.

caught me by surprise. this is huge for the Canadian underworld. we will be speculating for weeks..

Wow, this is the real life version of Gigi Cestone dying on the crapper in Sopranos, as in, he didn't just die like that, did he? Shocked. Now does the other side regroup and go for the throne again? Do the Sicilians have any infighting over who takes the top spot? This is just unbelievable.

And does that guy Tony Magi get a pass as he was rumored responsible for setting up Vito's son.

Have to admit, I thought the post was a hoax when I first read it, unbelievable.

just a thought, somebody needs to get a list or chart of the Mafiosi in his Rizzuto's organization so we havean idea whats next

"Sources confirmed that Rizzuto was suffering from aggressive lung cancer linked to cigarette smoking. Rizzuto was weakened by chemotherapy and was rushed to the hospital with breathing difficulties after contracting pneumonia." link below

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Mont...7748/story.html

Quoting "Felice" from RealDeal,guy has a lot of knowledge:

the montreal family was/is actually under the gambinos now, not more bonannos. sicilian guys in montreal answer to caruana-[BadWord]-rizzuto group. paolo was the most ambitious one, the one who wouldn't tell no if appointed as boss. 3-4 years ago he was viewed as the one who was going to manage links between ny,sicily,canada and venezuela. if he's still alive, he's the man who's going to take over. i think he lives in woodbridge now.

anyway let's see what's gonna happen. i already wrote months ago what i was told. a large part of the crime system in montreal was tired to give tons of money to the old men (rizzuto and renda), thinking they were weak they stopped to do that and they later killed them. it's supposed these guys had the siderno group from toronto behind them. there was a contact between the gambinos and the siderno group because vito asked that to the gambinos. so it seems the siderno group gave up. when he got back in canada vito ordered more than 10 murders, some guys still have a contract on their life.

If this is true,Gambinos will be most powerful family in US,with their Sicilian Leadership they gained a lot of influence.

He must have knew he was on his way out , the meeting he had in the Dominican Republic with his rivals seems more plausible now

How can this be possible wen a lot of rizzuto soldiers r made guys in the bonnanos ??

I don't understand how the Feds wouldn't know about Montreal being under the Gambino's. I call bullshit.

Wow, well it seems he accomplished most of his goals after he was released. I'm sure he had a couple of more on his list but seems to have completed his revenge for the most part. Can't wait to see what happens now, I have to assume there's gonna be more blood on the streets with many different groups competing for power.

I was suspicious too,but they all know much more than you or me,also tag(known to you as carmela) on another forum posted:

Vito was always supported by the Gambino's. In Sicily, the Inzerillo-Spatola-Di Maggio-Gambino clan has always been close to Caruana's and [BadWord]'s. Even Frank Cali' has close ties to Caruana's and [BadWord]'s in Sicily.

And she is very trustworthy about Sicily and generally things happening in Italy.I don't say this is 100% true,but it is very possible.

Yes, I'm not saying it's not possible that Cali or John or Joe Gambino are associated with them but to say Montreal answers to them is a bit of a stretch IMO. I know John Gambino and Cali are powerful but surely their influence doesn't stretch that far.

Interesting stuff.

No one is invincible to lung cancer.

Didn't see this coming though... This does mean the unheaval is not quite over yet.

Wow guys when I saw this I was taken back, the King of the Volcano is dead, RIP Don Vito

Wasn't anything they could do. Vito was way more powerful as a boss AND family compared to NY. They didn't dump Montagna in the river, he actually ran and jumped into the river himself after the Di Maulo/Desjardins faction turned on him whom was NOT affiliated with Vito anymore.

Desjardins and Magi both are thanking God for what happened today.

And for his cause of death, they keep saying a heart issue or lung. If it wasn't cancer, it really sounds like pneumonia. Unless he got diagnosed in the past 2-3 months with the cancer I just don't buy it yet.

domwoods74:

I think you were asking me for a response.

I was quoting James Dubro. In part he was postulating that if Rizzuto had previously told the Quebec government's Charbonneau Commission inquiry (CEIC) chair and lawyers about a terminal ailment, Rizzuto would have gotten the CEIC to lay off him with regard to testifying. There are discrepant reports about whether Rizzuto was subpoenaed or not, whether he was going to have to testify in 2014, etc. Elsewhere, Dubro has argued that Rizzuto should have been forced, as a hostile witness, to give testimony; that a reticent Rizzuto at the CEIC would definitely have earned a contempt charge that would have seen him go to to jail for about a year -- I agree that he probably would have seen prison time if he was forced to give testimony at the CEIC and then clammed up.

The murders of Fernandez and Pimentel in Casteldaccia (Palermo) may have also come to haunt Rizzuto had he lived, as the Italian authorities already had evidence that a Montreal-area lawyer was in communication with some of Fernandez and Pimentel's killers and because there have already been two pentiti in the Bagheria cosca since the murders that took place this past April came to light the following month (May 2013).

Vito is dead and before he died, it is rumored that he made peace with his enemies. As for the question if any of the New York families are going to take over. I highly doubt it as Vito was close to Sicilians in Cattolica Eraclea, Caccamo, Pagliarelli, and San Lorenzo. Then again it is possible that the Sicilian faction in the Gambino family, John Gambino might start something up in Montreal as Giuseppe Gambino from San Lorenzo was close to Vito before he passed away in the late 90's. If the rumor of Vito making peace with his enemies is true then it is going to be hard to say who will be running things in Montreal. Even the top contenders for the spot are never a sure thing.

I know that a lot of people have been killed during Vito's revenge, but I personally think that some of the killings were not related to this purge but were mobsters taking advantage of the turmoil in Montreal to settle old scores.

That sucks. His story was more interesting than any fictional story.

This last year has been so crazy in Montreal. It really was way more interesting then any other story period in the last year. The last few years even would make an awesome movie with everything that's been going on.

This is for the uneducated. And the NY fanboys in general.

Montreal is not 'under' anyone.

Does anyone really think that a 100mil drug and construction pipeline/industry is under 180 odd (on the street) THIRD generation Italian American shy/bookmaking/semi drug dealing brooklynites who've never been outside of the boroughs?

Seriously.

Just because Cali has relatives and connections in Italy, the Gambinos now control a 100mil drug pipeline into Montreal?
You guys are dreaming.

NY IS NY.

Can fanboys stop attaching NY to anything outside. Because NY IS NOT GLOBAL.

Frank Cali and his cousins aside. Montreal did, and does, and will not pay hide nor hare to what any NY goodfella says or does.
The talk of 'under the Gambinos or Bonnanos' is seriously beyond a joke.

Until the Gambinos send 400 guys to Toronto and Montreal to lay down the law. Canada pays zero. And I mean zero, heed.

The Calabrian clans in Toronto will now determine in consultation with Italy who will replace Vito. Vito's son will NOT be considered as he is a citizen. The Rizzuto reign is over, as is the Sicilian reign. The calabrians now have the power on Toronto and will install a pseudo puppet in Montreal.
Montreal is effectively broken and now an extension of the Calabrian clans (who do you think controls the coke?)

Well said.

Gambino Family is nothing compared to Montreal,they can't control them ofcourse,but they can support them or have something to do with situation up there,i said it is possible,not that is 100% true.

Sicilian reign over? I wouldn't think so([BadWord]-Caruana,Arcadi).Sure the Calabrian Clans will have big influence in selection of new boss,but i don't think they will take over Montreal.

But you can't know,same as i don't know,we are all here to discuss and speculate.

Do you think Pasquale Cun-trera will try to influence the situation? He got 18 years at the end of the 90s in Italy, he must already be out, as they rarely do the full time.

To clarify what I had said on the other board and Strax later quoted me...I said Vito was always supported by the Gambino's. I never said, or meant to imply, Montreal was under a Gambino flag or under their control.
I am not uneducated, nor any fanboy/girl. The Gambino family in Sicily has always remained close to the Caruana and Cun trera families. And for fact, I know Cali' has ties to them. If there is anything going to go on with the C-C families in Montreal it will tie into all of this somehow.

can u imagine what the funeral will look like

I bet it's gunna be bigger than Carlo Gambino's with a who's who of guys from Europe and North America, also I'm no expert on Canada but I'm gunna peg Rocco Solecitto and his three sons as people to watch

I'm curious to see where he is buried, being that him and his wife have crypts in Cattolica Eraclea.

Yea I find it funny some folks will post "what does NY think about this" every time something happens in Montreal. Vito hasn't answered to anyone for a while now, even when Massino was still boss. I'd say after George from Canada was clipped by Massino that was the end of Montreal answering to ANYONE.

WHO'S THE NEXT DON?
Vito Rizzuto has few known remaining blood relatives. His son Leonardo is the family's lawyer who is currently a member in good standing of the Quebec Bar Association. Vito has several other loyal allies:
- Rocco Sollecito: Childhood friend of Vito's and reportedly one of the five heads of the crime family. The 65-year-old has been in charge of the family's construction interests. Sources tell QMI Agency that Sollecito is likely the Mafia don's strongest ally, loyal "in life and to the death."
- Francesco Arcadi: Perhaps the only other surviving member of the ruling executive. Took over family operations after Vito Rizzuto was sent to prison. Arcadi is currently serving a 15-year prison term.
- Liborio "Poncho" [BadWord]: Son of murdered Rizzuto associate Agostino [BadWord], who was killed along with his bodyguard in June 2010.

I like that thought vito in d.r. held that meeting telling all he was terminal just wanted peace and all responcible for his father and sons death killed. I think that's it, and I like that idea there under the Gambino lcn flag to cause there was never a lcn family in montreal it was bonanno's. done with massino and his rats.

@ Sonny_Black: /me chuckles
@ Carmela: I was not insinuating you personally were NY fanboy, I merely want to clarify this absurd notion that Montreal is under the Gambino's or Bonnano's. Look at pmac's post above.

People think NY or Frank Cali controlling the world are sadly mistaken.

Just four days before Vito died, I predicted he would retire in comfort many years from now, so clearly my opinions should be taken with a grain of salt. But that being said...

After the last few years in Montreal it would be rather foolish to figure that one person will step into Vito's shoes and control the family with minimal to no bloodshed. If anything can work for the current family to remain in power, a combination of a ruling panel approach and a swift and heavy hand to any detractors will be required to keep things from too much upheaval.

So who will "lead" the family now that Vito is dead? The obvious prediction, made by both the posters here and to a lesser degree in the Canadian media is Rocco Sollecito. He is the only member of the old ruling panel to still be living/on the streets. But the problem with this idea is two fold. For one, Rocco is still on probation, and has already been re-incarcerated since his release from prison due to probation violations related to Mafia affiliation. The police are as well aware as anyone about the possibility of his taking control, thus causing any reign to be short lived. Problem two with Rocco is the fact that of the old panel, he has the least violent tendencies, having never been charged with a violent crime, and having never been confidently linked to any murders. This weak handed approach could prove devastating when faced with serious opposition.

So who should be the figure head of this ruling panel? If I had to predict I would say it's Domenico Manno. Although old, he has a wealth of experience, he's married into the Rizzuto family and is thus about the only remaining person in the Rizzuto family with serious credentials. He's not afraid to use violence, as he spent time in prison for the Paolo Violi murder, and is not on any kind of Canadian probation. Possibly most beneficial is the fact that his son/grandson (not sure which) Robert (Bobby) Manno is a Mafia affiliate/member, and can be used as a more physical street presence in lieu of the elderly Domenico.

As for the other members of the ruling panel, Rocco will most certainly have an influence, and even more likely will be the increased presence of his sons Stefano, Mario, and Giuseppe. Stefano was a close confidant to Vito in his last year of life which should further ease the transition to power. Another key thing to remember is that Francesco Arcadi, Francesco Del Balso, and Lorenzo Giordano are all eligible for release in 2014, and assuming they make parole, you can expect them all to join the ruling panel and greatly increase the power of the family. Other possible panel members with a strong relationship to the former family head are Liborio [BadWord] (Son of murdered street boss Agostino), Paolo [BadWord], Giovanni DiMora (Brother in law of Agostino Cun-trera and another man convicted in the Violi murder), Calogero Renda (Son of Paolo), Stefano Arcadi (Brother of Francesco), and longtime mafioso Tony Mucci.

Other longtime Rizzuto allies to consider: Emanuele Ragusa, Frank Martorana, Pietro “Peter” Scarcella, Sabatino Nicolucci, and Pierino Divito. (The last three having all been released from long prison sentences in the past couple years.)

Sorry for the long post, and again this is all highly speculative, just my two cents on the line of succession.

Well you got that right. I always say people on these boards totally over-exaggerate him.

You're blowing it way out of proportion. Not ONE person on this board stated that Cali was running Montreal, someone from the Real Deal forum did! Then you jump out and talk about fanboys like there's loads on here when there isn't one, female behavior.

Exactly. And just for the record, no one on the Real Deal forum said that Cali controlled the world as well. It's thought that he's been acting as an ambassador for different Mafia families, particulary those of Sicilian origin. And I do think that he's been acting as an intermediary between the Sicilians in Canada and the Gambinos and Bonannos in New York.

I was just reading about this in the toronto sun and some1made a comment that the coroner passed on the autopsy saying its not necessary.if thats true it has to make u wonder if he was poisoned to

Spot on pal.

Unless I can't read English, the quote posted by 'Strax' from the real deal states Montreal is now 'UNDER' the Gambino's.
So 'just for the record' that's PRECISELY what they're saying.

And until there is a thread of evidence to support this, it's a baseless call and I've every right to call bullshit, as rumours fly around this place more than the watercooler at a national secretaries conference.

I got the Gambino brothers mixed up. I was talking about Joe Gambino who is a Mafioso from Sicily. John Gambino is a Capo in the Gambino crime family. Sorry for the mix up.

I think a lot of people are claiming that New York's Gambino and Bonanno crime families are calling the shots in Montreal is due to Frank Cali of the Gambino crime family, and Salvatore Catalano of the Bonanno crime family are acting like as intermediary to Montreal and Sicily. Montreal is still in control by the Sicilians.

There is about half a billion dollars worth of drugs in Montreal every year and about a quarter of a billion dollars in other rackets every year. The Sicilians are not going to give that up. They are losing money right now and want things to calm down fast.

The top contender for taking over the Rizzuto crime family in my honest opinion is Rocco Sollecito, but like I have said, even the top contenders are never a sure thing. ForgettableName made an excellent post above about the Rizzuto family power structure.

I find it funny folks will say Montreal is "under" anyone. Actually that is flat out laughable. Rizzuto doesn't answer to any of the N.Y. families period. I'm sure he has dealt with a few lately but they are not under anyone so please quit with it!

Who knows who Vito wanted to be the man. I totally forgot about Ragusa, he is another old schooler up there that holds some power. That name hasn't been tossed around much lately.

John, joe, and rosario gambino are all from sicily, but both john and joe are both made in the gambino family, while rosario is the only one of the three brothers who were made in sicily.

Thank you Dellacroce. I thought two of the brothers were made in Sicily.

Ya, im not 100%, but im pretty sure only rosario was made in sicily. Rosario was in charge of the "cherry hill gambinos" in new jersey, selling herion, who were apart of the sicilian mafia, while joe and john operated out of Brooklyn under the gambino family.

Is it fair to say that Vito Rizzuto was arguably the most powerful and wealthiest boss over the last 25 years?

First time poster but I have been a long time lurker.

Just wanted to join in on this conversation considering that the Montreal mob scene (Canada's mob scene in general) has been the most fascinating we've seen in a very long time.

The death of Vito was certainly sudden and shocking to many considering his power, but we need to remember that this is a 67 year old that was ill. So when you take a step back and realize life in general, it's not very shocking, still, it's interesting to speculate giving what is presented to us.

Some say that it seems unusual how an autopsy was shrugged off like that, I too was confused and was thinking that perhaps they wanted to cover up Vito's real death? But then again what would the motive be to cover up the reason of his death? Is it a pride thing? If his enemies wanted to take pride in his death (Assuming they killed him), they would make it known to everyone that he's killed. I doubt Vito was poisoned, I think the autopsy was avoided because the cause of death was probably obvious in the hospital, you have a 67 year old man who has been fighting lung cancer and he was just brought in for pneumonia (Which on its own I'm sure can be deadly to the elderly). So they felt there was no reason for it considering the obvious reason. But for the sake of the other opinion, if he was poisoned, I think the ones who did it were very close to him.

As far as who takes over, that's very difficult to answer, one thing for sure, Vito left his organization is a very favorable position in Montreal by taking out some of the biggest figures from the opposing faction. If his family plays their card right, they will remain on top. For me, it will come down to whether the new leadership is respected by everyone within the organization or not. If so, then the transition will be smoother. Some people have mentioned obvious names such as Arcadi or Sollecito which are high ranking members in the organization, but how well are these guys respected internationally? Remember that when one speaks of Vito, we're talking about arguably the most powerful Italian don outside of Italy, you don't replace a guy like that very easily.

You're quite amusing and this really is a lame attempt to troll. Let me explain it to you nevertheless. I said that no has said that 'Cali controlled the world'. I did not say that no one has said that 'the Gambinos control Montreal'. Also, Cali is the underboss of the Gambinos, so if the Gambinos control something, it means that their boss, Domenic Cefalu, controls something, not Cali. Ofcourse, based on your imagination Montreal equals the world, so I guess I understand your point of view..



Ragusa is in his seventies and has been in prison for many years, being released on parole less than a decade ago. Based on these facts I very much doubt he would be interested in the top spot. If I had to guess I'd say he's retiring. The same goes for Vincenzo Di Maulo. In fact, they were sent to prison in the same trial and were released at about the same time.

@Sonny_Black: I honestly can't see why my point is so hard to understand. I'll attempt to clarify.

ALL I'm saying is that Montreal is neither under Bonnano control and that there is ZERO evidence that it is under Gambino control.

I posted such to quell any rumours which may start from Strax's quote from the RD.

It is simply baseless speculation from NY posters who think the world revolves around them. And that if Montreal is not under Bonnano control they simply must be under another NY families command because the thought of independence is apparently inconceivable.

What is so terribly hard about that. There is no trolling but simple logic. I do not think Montreal is the centre of the universe and nor do I think it's under any NY family.

I hope this clarifies my point.

I think the Montreal mob is independent now , I don't believe it's under the control of any family from New York either

I read a few of the rizzuto soldiers including Vito were made members of the bonnano family though . Will the bonnanos still not have a claim on these guys considering there made into that family ?? If there making the kind of money people r saying there making , surly the bonnanos would be after a slice of the pie ??

Whether they have a slice in the pie or not I don't know. But I doubt they have any say or power over Montreal. In fact I think the Montreal mob is stronger and bigger than any family out of NYC at the moment (Genovese included). The same goes for the Siderno group headed by the Commisso's out of Toronto.

I think these groups are more powerful because they have deep international connections and also the laws in Canada are very weak which allows them to operate in ease.

Rizzutto has 10x the reach of cali

@Domwoods:

The Bonannos may WANT a piece of the pie. But want and ability to enforce are a different thing.

The mob is about money. First and foremost. And money buys power.

The Montreal 'family' makes probably around 100 times that of which the Bonannos make annually. They control a multi multi million dollar drug pipeline of heroin and cocaine, have a monopoly on the construction industry as well as the standard extortion/protection, gambling and loan. This and with global connections.

That the Bonannos with their 80odd guys on the street (who bring in relatively irrelevant $$ in comparison and none of whom have any international connections) could even attempt to 'enforce' any tribute or subversion is simply ridiculous.

RIP Vito... so in the modern day and age where mob bosses die in jail or of unnatural causes, this brings up a question...

Does the board think that there will be another mob boss dying of natural causes while outside of prison? If so, which one?

Crea maybe. Riggi, Tocco, Difronzo, Falzone all have a good chance.

during the 1990s the Montreal crew had a total of about 20 made guys and they were all considered members of the bonnano family. according to Sal Vitale, the last time there was a tribute payment from montreal to new york was in 1999. I believe they stopped kicking up after George from Canada was murdered.

Tocco,DiFronzo have the good odds.

Even then you gotta believe that they only kicked in any tributes was because Rizzuto and Sciascia were close. Not sure what Massino was thinking by clipping Sciascia at the time but he lost the most powerful branch in his family because of it.

It seems a common mistake many people make on these forums is equating the Rizzutos with Montreal organized crime. And this leads to them thinking the Rizzutos are the "most powerful Mafia family in North America," "more powerful than any NY family," etc.

Lee Lamothe said the Rizzutos can't be thought of as a "family" or "crew," in the sense those terms are used in the U.S. There is an inner circle of blood relatives - Rizzutos, Mannos, Ragusas, Rendas, etc. - some of who have been made into the American LCN, others not. Lamothe said there was originally a "core" of about 20 members (the original Bonanno crew in Montreal). Later on, this was close to the number (18-20) that Sal Vitale cited when he testified about the Bonanno crew there.

Beyond this, there is what Lamothe called the "Rizzuto Criminal Organization." But he said this included various individuals and groups, including 'Ndrangheta clans, American LCN members, generic Italian drug trafficking groups, etc. So already we're talking about something that extends beyond the Rizzutos themselves and getting into the larger organized crime scene in Montreal. And, stretching out further, this also included others - "white collar crooks, Natives, Chinese, bikers, etc."

Lamothe also said the Rizzuto organization had no pyramid structure like we see in American LCN families. Though they were the most influential, neither Nick or Vito Rizzuto were the leaders of organized crime in Montreal. But people on these forums have often made it out to be that way. And when it comes to comparisons, they're basically comparing Montreal OC to a single family in the U.S. A better comparison would be Montreal OC vs. New York OC. And New York dwarfs Montreal in any number of ways.

I understand your point very well, that was not the point. It was about your interpretation of my statement. Anyway, it isn't important.

I agree that the evidence available to us of the Gambinos controlling Montreal is little to none. But the poster who said this is not from New York and he has proven to have very valuable insight. He has made predictions that have turned out to be accurate before, so he deserves some credit. There is however solid evidence of the Gambinos maintaining a close relationship with the Sicilians in Canada. As of today maybe even more than the Bonannos. They may not control Montreal, but it is 99% fact and 1 % speculation that they do business with each other.

I've suggested some time ago on this forum that the Gambinos may have been much more active in Canada than previously thought.

A better comparison to the Montreal Mob structure would be the Chicago Outfit. It historically started off as the Cotroni family and eventually ended up being the Rizzuto family because of the top faction in charge. But to me they're built a lot like the Outfit in the sense that there are different factions and a lot of non-Italian influential associates.

For this reason, when one speaks of the Montreal Mob, it's really one family split into different crews and factions. In NYC it's obviously different since you have separate families. So in a sense, you're correct to say that OC in NYC is certainly bigger than that of Montreal when you add all the families in New York. But lets not forget that NYC is a North American giant in comparison to Montreal, and it seems quite logical that you're going to have more groups operating there.

As for the Montreal Mob being the most powerful family in North America, this is logical based on the fact that they operate in a country that is very lenient along with having very deep international connections. I also mentioned that the Siderno Group operating out of Toronto are probably the only other rival to Montreal in terms of such power due to the same luxuries.

I believe Lamothe stated that the Montreal Mafia as a whole has no pyramid structure. The Montreal police however have compiled various charts of the Rizzuto organization as a pyramid structure.

It's crime. It's organized crime. They don't run everything there but they eat a large piece of the pie.

my initial reaction to NY controlling Montreal, would be to say Hell No. But if u really look at the situation, a powerful ny family might be needed to control and calm things down. i say this because, in order to avoid more blood shed, and police attention, which is bad for business, it would make sense to have a powerful and respected ie Gambino member to at least be a mediator initially b/t warring factions. bottom line, who ever is put in power there has to have the respect of the powerful clans in ontario. if not, i can't see this war ending anytime soon. but then again what the fuck do i know. lol

there is blog out there see link below, which states Vito rizzuto was at a party that nite before being rushed to hospital. can anyone confirm this?
http://gangstersout.blogspot.ca/

if vito was so powerfull why didn't he avenge his best friends murder the George from cananda guy. big deal he stop sending down his 20k at xmis time. you cant even compare montreal to nyc. so from 2000 till he got locked up in 2004 he was the boss of montreal. his whole family got wiped out the minute he went to jail how about that legacy. we know he got made into the bonanno by carmine galante. people giving this guy way to much credit. if montreal had the death penalty like here in the usa there wouldn't be killings going on like that, there 600+made guys in tri boro. who know how many zips are around. was vito son nick a made man if so he was made by a bonanno rite? this post should piss a lot of you off sorry.

Yes, this is stated in one of the articles about his death.

hi sonny_black. im interested on ur thoughts on the toronto clans. in particular which clans may have supported the elimination of rizzutos. do u think all 7? clans were in on it?

When Vito was released from supermax in colorodo ,his canadian stop was Toronto,not montreal,he had many allies and enemies there ,media reports reps from N.Y where in Toronto at that time,and he put his revenge in motion right away,Woodbridge was a regular stop for vito ,many mob guys in that area,i mean families ,he was there for a week or so before going to montreal,bought a armoured suv and was of the radar for a bit,no way n.y is running montreal.

It seems the locale of Vincenzo DeMaria was involved, and if I had to guess I'd say the sons of Paolo Violi (Luppinos) as well.

So because he didn't avenge one murder, does that negate those who he's supposedly has avenged since getting out of prison? I don't think so. And I've never heard of him being made by Carmine Galante, if anything his father would be the one who brought him into the criminal enterprise, either that or he would've got his official "button", again in the Americanized sense, by Controni...It isn't made clear when he was exactly "made" in that sense of the word, but he'd been involved in Montreal Organized Crime since his early 20's along with Paolo Renda. So as far as being made by Carmine Galante, I don't know about that.

Was Vic cotroni and paolo violi not made guys in the bonnano family , if Vic cotroni made him , which I'm not sure he was authorised to do he would surely be a made member of the bonnanos , which is wot the FBI state he is . A member of the bonnano family

Paolo Violi came over from the Buffalo family.

Yeah he did , but he was made into the bonnano family , this is the thing I don't get with the Montreal mob and the bonnano connection , most of the rizzuto mob was made into the bonnanos , how can they just now say were on our own , were nothing to do with u anymore unless the bonnanos were still profiting from the Montreal mob ??

It seems as though after George was killed, all bets were off on the one big happy family approuch. The Bonnanos had their own problems and it wasn't like they could just send someone up there every time they wanted to talk about something with post 9/11 immigration and border control, etc..

Plus, Vito did his time and pretty much kept his mouth shut and the Bonnanos probably said "enough"

Yea I heard the rumors of the DeMaria clan being involved against the Rizzuto faction. Vito's Calabrian allies in Toronto are the Commisso clan which I believe is tied via marriage.

Overall I think it was the combination of the older Cotroni crew in Montreal headed by Joe Di Maulo, the Violis/Luppinos from Hamilton, and the DeMaria clan from Toronto. I'm also skeptical of Montagna's involvement in the onslaught. If anything I would imagine he got killed because he was probably working with the Rizzuto family, not against them. After all, why would he try to take out a key figure such as Desjardins who happens to be the brother in law of the probable architect of this whole onslaught? Makes no sense. Is there any actual evidence that they were working together and there was a fallout or is all of this speculation?

makes sense. looks like the demaria clan and rizzuto's have been at odds since the mid nineties. from reports (might have been Humphreys or Edwards article)on rizzuto's initial expansion attempt into Ontario, before he was indited, there was A HIT LIST THAT WASN'T finished which included a Toronto business man, and individuals related paolo violi. looks like the demaria clan has been the biggest barrier against the rizzutos expanding their influence into ontario for a while.

not much known about mr. demaria. but from all reports, looks like he might be the real power in ontario (or was)

ill try to find that article. Toronto sun i believe from last year.

Sorry pmac buddy, but some real head scratching comments from you here. Why didn't he avenge a Bonnanno sanctioned hit in NYC? He no doubt hated that it happened but orders are orders and it appears that Vito was an old school stand up guy who abided the code, see 10 years in Supermax with his mouth shut. The hit didn't happen on his turf. I think it would have been a different story in Montreal. He would not have stood for that. The Bonnanos did pay a price for that decision as you could no longer say that Montreal fell under them after that.

And 600+ made guys in NYC/NJ??? C'mon buddy, what you smokin' mon?,

I think the Bonnanos or any of the 5 families would be envious of the Rizzutos international connections. When is the last time a NY family ordered a successful hit in another country?

Joey "The Whale" Massino was doing his best impression of Nicky "Shoe Lifts" Scarfo when he had George whacked.George didn't trust or like Anthony "T.G." Graziano for a variety of reasons,including his supposed propensity to go on coke binges with high-priced call girls.George let his feelings be known to many,including Joey The Whale.Graziano was a Massino favorite.Massino interpreted George's complaints as questioning his judgement and leadership abilities,much like Salvie Testa's legitimate complaints about Chuckie Merlino's drinking were viewed by Nicky Scarfo.Massino even said exactly the same thing about George----"he's getting too big for his britches"---that Scarfo said about Salvie when giving the order whack him to incredulous underlings.

The FBI states him as a Soldier in the Bonanno Family, but we all know he has a lot more pull than the average Bonanno soldier. Who knows how they simply said "we're not Bonanno thumb anymore" but that's basically what happened. They have more international connections throughout Sicily and Venezuela (had?) than the Bonanno's themselves, so they simply grew to be more powerful, I think. I don't know for sure but that's the way it's commonly explained.


And while the FBI states him as a mere Soldier, Montreal authorities called him the head of his own organization. It's a confusing situation either way. Plus I hear now lately, from the other forums, that the Gambino's are more aligned with Montreal nowadays than the Bonanno's are. I don't know how true it is, but it would make sense with the authority of the Gambino's being Sicilian now.

My above posting was just putting in my "2 cents" on a few prior postings about the murder of Gerlando "George From Canada" Sciascia.If one takes a closer look at just the Sciascia murder itself,it's pretty clear that the Rizzuto Family was not just a crew within the Bonanno Family.Joey The Whale wanted the murder to look like some sort of drug dispute and also ordered the men to attend George's wake/funeral,in order to give the impression that George was in good standing and his murder was unsanctioned.Had the guys from Montreal just been members of a Bonanno crew,he wouldn't have gone to those lengths.It was all in vain,as Vito Rizzuto saw through the fat man's subterfuge and relations between the two became strained.

R.I.P. Vito.

There is as much evidence of Montagna and Desjardins working together as there is of their involvement in the plot to take over in Montreal. I believe that Montagna acted as an ambassador for the rival factions and that he played a key role in the plot to overtrow Nick Rizzuto. When Nick Rizzuto learned that Montagna would be deported to Montreal he send back word saying that Montagna was a light-weight flunky and that he wouldn't take orders from him. The question then arises, if Nick Rizzuto was a boss of his own, why would he say such a thing? It implies that he would've been prepared to take orders from someone from New York who he did held in high regard. And that also implies that the Rizzutos still answered to New York. In any case, Rizzuto's remark on Montagna seems to have set in motion the plot to depose him. I believe that if Montagna hadn't set foot in Montreal the murder of Nick Rizzuto wouldn't have happened. I think that Montagna was the missing link between Montreal, New York and Toronto and that he brought the rival factions together to initate the take-over.

Afterwards, Montagna probably didn't want to share power and regarded Desjardins as an obstacle and tried to take him out. He failed and Desjardins was left with little choice other than taking Montagna out before he would be hit again. Di Maulo likely supported Desjardins and this, as well as him betraying the Rizzuto family, came to haunt him last year. I think things may have looked entirely different had Montagna not jumped through a window and ended up on the bank of the river.

off point but you think 600 made guys is crazy in the triboro. theres 200 in the gambinos 200 in the Genovese theres 3 other family like 40 decavs in nj the 20 or so guys in buffalo. I don't get the whole 600 is crazy.

now to really piss people off the guys legacy is he son got whacked his dad too his sisters husband. some more of his cousins. he was a huge drug pusher, but the [BadWord] were bigger they split the 400 kilo's of herion with the cherry hill gambinos. guy wasnt even a captain in the lcn. he ran montreal for a couple years. don't remember any boss having his family wiped out like that. he was a good diplomat between the bikers up there. if they had the murder in the aid of ract. and the death pen there would be no murders up there like they do here always playing the death penalty card. eric holder hasn't deciced yet that's why so many guys flip.

There are about 750 made members in New York and a few thousand associates. In Montreal you have a couple dozen made members and about 500 associates.

If we're talking the Tri-State area, you could also add the DeCavalcantes, Philadelphia's north Jersey crew, and maybe some Patriarca members. So it would be upwards of 800 members.

I stand corrected on the made guys but you don't give Rizzutos half as much credit as he deserves. Have you read the Sixth Family and the other book, name escapes me?

What legacy? You sound like a little teenager that has been watching too many mafia movies. There's no legacy, these guys are criminals and a shame to the Italian people. There's no legacy and honor in this life.

That's actually not his legacy at all. And throughout Montreal Law Enforcement he's said to have been at the reigns of Montreal Organized Crime, as far as Sicilians are concerned, since the late 80's, that's a lot more than a few years, and his father re-took the boss title only after Vito went to Prison for the three capo murders. I don't really think you can say anyone was a "bigger" in drugs. They may have been bigger dealers, but Montreal were at the helm of the whole Pizza Connection thing, even prior to that, Montreal was pretty much the port of where all the drugs went to and was shipped out of. There's a reason why Carmine Galante had to go through Montreal for his Heroin pipeline. And he wasn't a captain in NY sense, he was the head of his own organization in Montreal, that's pretty simple. Fact is, he wasn't the average Soldier or cronie for the Bonanno's. If that was the case, Massino wouldn't of tried to keep Sciascia's murder a secret from him, in fear of some sort of retaliation.

You keep mentioning his father and son being killed as a way to discredit his criminal run, like all that stuff didn't transpire until only after he was sent to prison for 10 years. His top guy made a move against him while he was inside, and it just so happened to work with the help of Montagna. Big deal. Yet when he got out, the evidence says he moved on all of those involved, and the majority of them ended up dead. But according to what you're saying, that only happened because Montreal doesn't have a death penalty, as if that fact negates the fact that Rizzuto had enough power to move against that specific number of rivals without immediate reprecussions. Yes, his father and son was killed, that doesn't negate the fact that people paid for it though. Surely the average soldier would've most likely been hit if he attempted such a thing, in NY or anywhere else.


And I honestly think these numbers of modern made guys in the tri-state, are seriously inflated. I'm having a hard time believing there's 800 made men in total with any family currently in NY and elsewhere, or any other family at that. Modern day charts list about 180-220 guys made men specifically for the Gambino's, at most. But even at that, those are some serious estimations. The Patriarca's are on severe life support right now. Half of Philadelphia is getting indicted.

no one is saying there is 800 made guys with a single family, just that between all of families in new york and new jersey there is about 800 made guys.

I agree dellacroce in between 750 - 800

If you're a plumber & can dole out solid prices on ziti-clogged toilet repairs, they will make you in NY/NJ

Etc

And if you have a user name of a mobbed up social club in Chicago your in the know, and a respected guya on the streets. Lol lol lol

Anybody have any new information on the viewing of vito body last night or the funeral today?

here you go;
http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/funeral-for-m...italy-1.1610736

I don't think it really had to do with Vito. Even as a boss, killing one of your most important capos over nothing without informing the other families first, or even your own capos, can destabilize your position as a boss.

Sonny Black, Massino would not have to inform the other families about him killing one of his own capo's. He would have to inform a few capo's in his family that were loyal to him so it would not destabilize his position as boss.

I did read the book sixth family and if any one wants to post the pics of vitos inner circle there all dead theres one page were they show like 10 pics of vito guys you could probably put a x over every face cause there dead. great book on the history of monteal. how violi got caught on the wire talking about going to nyc to put in there vote as to rusty taking over as boss of the family. vito was probably the last living non rat to take part in the 3 capo execution which was legendary. just saying there never been a don in north America to have his family wiped out like that. we really don't no if he got all his revenge or alittle. people on here me included thought he was dead the minute he stepd in montreal I was wrong. still crazy someone stabed jurnior gotti. were all entitled to our opinion. I don't know how to spell good.

MONTREAL — A bitterly cold wind blowing through Little Italy greeted Vito Rizzuto’s family as they exited the church where his funeral was held Monday.

After an hour-long mass, the large wooden doors that serve as the main entrance to the Notre-Dame-de-la-Défense Church opened and, after the coffin containing Rizzuto’s remains was carried into a waiting hearse, his two surviving adult children, Leonardo and Bettina, followed.

Leonardo paused for a second and placed his arm on the shoulder of a young boy standing next to him as they stood on the church steps, seeming to soak in the moment as the afternoon sun splashed on their faces. He then joined his family as they headed to one of nine waiting limousines parked along on Dante St.

No one in the family paid attention to the dozens of photographers and television cameras that captured their exit while a crowd of curious onlookers, and police gathering intelligence, looked on.

Vito Rizzuto’s death, of natural causes on Dec. 23, was the surprise twist in a real-life drama that saw the same church hold funeral masses for his son Nick (in 2009) and his father Nicolo (in 2010). Both were murdered while Vito Rizzuto was incarcerated in the U.S. for his role in the murders of three Mafia captains in New York in 1981. When he returned to Montreal late in 2012, he appeared to swiftly put an end to the serious challenge his organization faced for the first time after spending decades as leader of the Mafia in Montreal.

Police sources have said for years that of Vito Rizzuto’s two sons, Nick appeared to be the one who was being groomed to take over from his father while Leonardo practised law.

Vito Rizzuto’s health problems became a matter of public record on May 4, 2007, when he told the American judge who sentenced him (to the equivalent of a 10-year prison term) that, two months earlier, a doctor had noticed a spot on his lung and recommended he get a CT scan. Rizzuto appeared to be in relatively good health after he returned to Montreal. But according to a police source, the Mob boss appeared very frail when he was spotted in a Montreal supper club just days before his death, reportedly of complications from lung cancer.

Sources interviewed following his death note how quickly Rizzuto re-established control over the Mafia in Montreal and suggested no one left in his organization displayed similar abilities in his absence when the organization came under attack.

Vito Rizzuto’s sudden and unexpected departure from the helm of the Mafia has left a huge void, one police source said, adding investigators are waiting to see who will make the first move to fill it. Another longtime police investigator said the coming months will likely show whether Vito Rizzuto dealt a serious enough blow to rival Mafia clans in the past year to allow a successor to step in peacefully.

“The successor will very likely come from within the family,” said one source who spoke to The Gazette on the condition that he not be named. “Someone acting as a consigliere (a counsellor), likely Rocco Sollecito, will look at everything and advise the family on who should take over. But for the Rizzutos (based on the past) it will be a relative, someone from the family.”

The same source, as well as another, noted that Sollecito’s son, Stefano, 46, took on a much more prominent role within the Rizzuto organization in the months following Vito Rizzuto’s return from the U.S. In 2003, the younger Sollecito was described in a Sûreté du Québec intelligence report as being part of Vito Rizzuto’s plans to expand into Toronto. The report was mentioned during a parole hearing while Stefano Sollecito was serving a four-year prison term for drug trafficking in Ontario.

Rocco (Sauce) Sollecito, 65, has been a longtime associate of the Rizzuto organization and has been a witness to how the Mob operates in Montreal for decades. In 1974, he was sentenced to a 15-month prison term for forging a signature on a cheque for $26,800, endorsing it to himself. A man who was charged with Sollecito in the same case, Sebastiano Messina, 34, was considered a key financial adviser to the Rizzutos and was killed in a pool hall in Montreal in 1976.

Sollecito managed to keep a low profile for years until Project Colisée, a lengthy investigation into the Mafia in Montreal, revealed the extent of his influence in the organization. On May 23, 2005, Sollecito was secretly recorded by police having a conversation with a man from Italy inside the Consenza Social Club, which once served as a Mafia hangout in St-Léonard.

“(W)henever they do something, they always bring something and we split it among us, all five — me, Vito, Nicola and Paolo,” Sollecito said while explaining that, at that point, the Mafia in Montreal operated as a committee while Vito Rizzuto was fighting the case against him in the U.S. All money brought to the Consenza was split between the members of the committee, with a share going to Vito Rizzuto, (detained at the time) his father Nicola (or Nicolo as he was commonly referred to in Montreal) and Paolo Renda (Vito’s brother-in-law). The person Sollecito apparently forgot to mention in the conversation was Francesco Arcadi who, at the time, was in charge of drug trafficking for the organization.

Today, Sollecito, 65, would be the only person from that committee able to play a leadership role in the organization. Rizzuto and his father are dead. Renda was kidnapped in 2010 and has never been seen since. Arcadi, 60, who was also arrested in Colisée, is serving the equivalent of a 15-year prison term for drug trafficking.

Rocco Sollecito received an eight-year prison term as a result of Project Colisée, a sentence that expired in October 2012. The probe revealed he oversaw the Mafia’s bookmaking operations. According to a parole decision, made in June 2011, Sollecito refused to take part in anything resembling rehabilitation and, at the time of his statutory release, was still considered “one of the principal heads of Italian organized crime.”

pcherry@montrealgazette.com
© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

great info there stu, thanx

http://cosa-nostra-news.blogspot.com/20 ... -spot.html



Rizzuto Told American Judge About Spot on Lung in 2007

Vito Rizzuto was buried in a coffin made of gold.
Canadian Mafia drug kingpin Vito Rizzuto, 67, died in a very unnatural way for someone in his line of work: of natural causes, on Dec. 23.

His funeral mass this past Monday was held at Notre-Dame-de-la-Défense, a Catholic Church in Montreal's Little Italy. It is the same church where masses were held for Vito's father and one son, both named Nicolo, though the son preferred Nick. (Vito's other son, Leonardo, reportedly practices law).

(The church has a certain notoriety of its own regarding its sizable cupola, brick facade and frescoes -- specifically one fresco painted prior to World War II that depicts Benito Mussolini signing the Lateran Accords in 1929, which recognized The State of the Vatican City, ensuring its "absolute and visible independence" and "to guarantee to it an indisputable sovereignty in international affairs." The treaty's principles are upheld today. Built by Italian immigrants, the church was inaugurated in 1919.)

Nick, long considered Vito's heir apparent, was murdered in 2009, while Vito's father was assassinated a year later, by sniper fire. It was Nicolo who had gained control of what was initially a small subsidiary of New York's Bonanno family, which over time, under Vito's leadership, absorbed other organized crime groups in Montreal.


In late 2012, when Vito returned home after serving his sentence (his former Bonanno brethren-turned-informants Sal Vitale and Joe Massino could be said to have bought their freedom with Rizzuto blood), he swiftly defeated all would-be usurpers and continued avenging the murders of his family members up until this past November, less than one month before his own death.


Nine limousines carried mourners to and from the church in Montreal's Little Italy.
It is still not known if his stay in a U.S. prison contributed to his death. The Montreal Gazette has revealed: "Vito Rizzuto’s health problems became a matter of public record on May 4, 2007, when he told the American judge who sentenced him (to the equivalent of a 10-year prison term) that, two months earlier, a doctor had noticed a spot on his lung and recommended he get a CT scan. Rizzuto appeared to be in relatively good health after he returned to Montreal. But according to a police source, the Mob boss appeared very frail when he was spotted in a Montreal supper club just days before his death, reportedly of complications from lung cancer."


Mourners walking out of the church at the end of the ceremony.
The funeral Monday attracted hundreds of mourners and widespread media coverage.

The Don who ruled Montreal for decades was laid to rest in a gold casket.

Nine limousines nuzzled along the curb in front of the church to transport the family as dozens of photographers, TV crews and onlookers gathered alongside police officers seeking to decipher the actions of any Mafiosi in attendance, no doubt trying to identify Vito's successor based on any overt signs of deference shown to him.

The Mob boss "oversaw a heroin and cocaine network that spanned the length and breadth of the country," according to the UK's MailOnline.

The priest who oversaw the ceremony told the Toronto Star: "It was a very simple funeral.

"People displayed a very, very surprising level of calm and seriousness."


Rizzuto's mother is on the left in this picture.
A brave contingent of the curious braved the bone-deep cold of a Montreal winter to see the events. One woman was quoted saying she was attracted by the air of mystery surrounding the family, having watched from the street at the funerals of Rizzuto's father and son as well.

"We don’t know their secrets, that’s for sure, but their names are mentioned all the time in the newspapers and on the news."

As for the successor, he "will very likely come from within the family," one source told The Gazette.

"Someone acting as a consigliere, likely Rocco Sollecito, will look at everything and advise the family on who should take over. But for the Rizzutos, it will be a relative, someone from the family."

Rock's trente came from the committee but now he's the only one left that makes him weaker, it's possible another faction from within the family will take charge

pretty quiet on the Montreal front since rizzutos funeral. its comforting to know that even gangsters deserve a xmas holiday, from killing eachother. lol

happy belated new year to everyone!

Sorry for the thread necro, I just heard about this today somehow. I'd be willing to bet a reinvigorated mafia war is on the horizon for Montreal. it could have started already, I don't know, this time of year is so busy I can't keep up with the news.

Rizzuto leaves a "legacy" in so far as the Mafia is concerned. Whether that legacy is good (well, as "good" as a mafia legacy can be, anyway..), bad, or somewhere in between remains to be seen.

"The Sixth Family" does employ a little hyperbole in terms of their estimation of Vito's power, at least as far as I can tell. It was still a great book, though. Read it cover to cover then lent it to my brother.

One thing is certain, Vito seemed like the last old school boss still around. It will be interesting to see what the future brings for the Montreal mob and whether or not whomever takes over the reigns can maintain the business connections in Sicily and elsewhere.




Hey, ease up dude. A "legacy" simply means that they left a lasting impression upon the world/community/whatever. There is no connotation as to it being good or bad, as its dependent on the contextual circumstances of its use. In this case, Vito Rizzuto leaves a legacy as a powerful drug trafficker and major force in the Italian mob. he's not saying that it's a good legacy to leave behind, simply that he was a major icon in that world and won't be forgotten for a very long time... That doesn't make the guy an idealist child infatuated with the mafia mythos, just sayin' man. Don't be so quick to jump down peoples' throats.

Disagree. Gangsters can most def have legacies. Who cares if they are criminals and who cares about "the Italian people" that sounds so self loathing/self centered.