Better Boss; Carmine Persico or Phil Rastelli

I don’t think this topic has ever been mentioned on this forum; but I want to know; Who was the better boss of their respective crime family; Persico or Rastelli??

Most of us on this forums know; They were terrible as bosses and destroyed their family. They had opposition and we’re still able to control their family; Rastelli had Galante and the 3 captain incident and he prevailed over that; Persico had opposition from the Orena faction in the early 90’s… he prevailed.

They both served a very long time in jail while running their families…

They were completely horrible…. But who was better??

Would love cases on both guys..

I would say Rastelli, his biggest trouble was being boss at the time of a large crackdown on bosses (The Commission Case) and having Galante in his family causing trouble. Persico may not have been as bad as we thing, it is tough to tell, his big mistake was not believing Scarpa was a rat and having him close all those years. I don't think Persico ran things from prison, I don't see how anyone can. I'll go with Rastelli as the better of the two.

@ Jace

I agree; I think Rastelli was slightly better; What year was he out on the street in the 1970’s? Also is it possible that Galante was also on the street with him at the same time at some point???

The thing about Rastelli; There we’re atleast 8-10 captains killed under his reign…. that’s unusual.


Also anyone else have any opinions?? Who was better; Persico or Rastelli???

One more thing; Do anyone have any insight of Persico on the streets in 1979-1981; He was out on parole I believe.

both down down as guys who murdered way too many good men in their families like gas and vic..

It's kind of like saying who was the better mob researcher Louie B or NY Mafia. Both Rastelli and Persico were complete detriments to their profession. Just like the former persons I just mentioned.

Your profession is mafia research???? Is that why you give money to Bobby Luisi and John Pennisi?
Interacting w an Italian for you is like an exotic experience,since your in the middle of bumfuck missippi? You like the way Cosa Nostra flows off your tongue? You like the way John Gotti looked in suits? Don’t you, you undercover fake...

@ColonelReb

Can you stop being a dick please…: jeez… It’s becoming a perennial thing with you… Relax; What is your problem??

@Louieby;

Can you ignore the trolling… Colonel has been a ass of late… He’s definitely ruined this forums as of late…


Anyways….I think Rastelli was the better boss….

What years was he on the streets?

Reb's emotional state is so clearly visible through his posts. He's fine for a couple weeks and then he just turns into a nasty piece of shit for the rest of the month. I wonder how his wife is holding up. I'd bet my last dollar that he's beaten her at least once.

@Ralphow_Cifaretto.

Agreed; His mental state has diminished here recently ; I don’t know why he hasn’t had a suspension on his account yet…. His behavior is clearly odd…

Anyways; Let’s get back to topic; Who wa the better boss?

Tough to say. Both were constantly in and out of prison. Perisco had a much longer hold over that family so that’s pretty much the only thing I can really distinguish between them

As far as monetary success, and the success of maintaining ironclad control over the borgata through the decades, undoubtedly my vote goes to Junior Persico. He gained nothing personally from it, in the sense that he spent 50 years of his lifetime behind bars. But as far as a 'head trip' as boss, and making money, It's him.

Rusty IMO was probably the better of the two towards his men. If they could be polled, I imagine Rusty's guys would say he was nicer and fairer to them (but maybe not). But Rastelli's tenure and career was marred by arrests and jail, poverty, hardships, tough times in one way or another, etc. His was a very scattered, disjointed leadership. Whereas although Persico was in jail for most of those same years, he ran a tight ship and the Colombo's thrived financially by comparison.

But again (its only my opinion as I see and know it). I'm certain there are others (actual friends and foes of both men) who might dispute that assessment.

@NYMafia

Not going to dispute you there at all; Persico had a longer reign even though he was in jail but the Colombo’s were still making money financially…. I can see where you’re coming from;

I think Rastelli had a bit more opposition in his family; The 3 capo murder; He had Galante pretty much taking his position as boss; Donnie Brasco incident; He had to get rid of Cesare Bonventre due to disrespect….. (walking out a meeting)… He had Atleast 8-10 captains murdered under his reign… Rastelli dealt with a lot and was able to overcome.

Rastelli was able to die outside of prison…. In a hospital bed…. Persico died in prison; Gotta give Rastelli that…

What year was Rastelli out on the streets as boss?

I truly don't know for sure. He was out during the mid 70s and then in again (shylock case, and lunch wagon extortion case). Then he fell again under the labor rackets case with the Teamsters Union governing moving firms. that's where Joe Massino got the 10 years also. Then the commission case case but he was already buried. Rusty was all fucked up across the board.

@NYMafia;

He was just a terrible boss….

Why was Rastelli chosen as boss anyways??? He was not a powerhouse captain or close to the administration am I correct??

What did the Bonnano’s see in him to have him leading the ship…

Wondering who else could they have chosen to run the brugad. By 1973, most of the powerhouses of the family were retired or dead, and they were also being pushed out of the other rackets. Evola dropped dead of cancer. The Banana War was a big blow given that Joe Bonanno had the connections in town, and when he was packed off to Arizona, they all went by the wayside.

Not sure if Nicky Glasses or Stevie Beefs would have been the person to take the crown, and wondered how the family would have been had Sciacca stayed on or if Evola didn't die in 1973.

You don't believe that Persico ran things from prison? He ran a fucking mob war from prison for crying out loud! In fact, the Colombos are still suffering to this day because of his refusal to step down from the throne in prison! I can't believe other posters here haven't put you in your place and let your bullshit comment slide. Shame on you and shame on them!

[quote=Zavattoni]@NYMafia;

He was just a terrible boss….

Why was Rastelli chosen as boss anyways??? He was not a powerhouse captain or close to the administration am I correct??

What did
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Its true what Njein said. They had been through a gamut of acting bosses and positions by the time Rastelli got it. You gotta remember that he was a very tough motherfucker. A lot of guys don't understand that about Rusty.

Joe Evola (IMO) would have been their savior, but he died young of cancer before he could really get going. DiGregorio died, Sciacca was burnt out. Adamo and Mari were deep-sixed, and so on. Also, a lot of guys didn't want it. Its a headache position. Smart guys often times stay away and in the background like shadows. (they are the survivors who die in bed).

Rusty got out of the can (or was getting out of the can) and they voted him in as a steady hand. He was respected by the general membership, and he had a lot of fiends in other crews who backed his play as well.

But once Lilo came onto the scene, that was it. He was a bulldozer and nobody was gonna go nose to nose with him. (but he ruled thru fear, not respect). So eventually his day came too!

IMO, Nicky Marangello would have been a good permanent leader. Another guy was Mike Sabella who in my opinion was level-headed. But you gotta have the strength behind you or you can't pull it off. And even then, we all saw what happened to Lillo right?

I hate to be that way, but some things should be so blatantly understood by now. Anyway moving on, Rastelli wasn't a terrible boss, and was able to hold on to power and eliminate all rebellion, ALL FROM PRISON! Persico should've stepped down and saved his family from destruction.

I would say Persico,he apart the orena war had a strong control on the family while Rastelli between middle 1970s to 1981 had Galante that was the facto boss and with the internal war the 3 capos murders the family wasn't stabilized until Massimo become boss in 1991.