Live: Mafia “Satellite” Crews Across the U.S.A

Mafia “Satellite” Crews Across the U.S.A.

125 far-flung mob outposts...over 200 underworld figures...

https://thenewyorkmafia.com/mafia-satellite-crews-across-usa/

From Astoria to Altoona, Saginaw to San Diego, Glastonbury to Galveston, Toledo to Tucson, and everywhere in between!...they’re all here!

NYMafia this is outstanding. Thank you so very much for putting this together.

In those years Cosa Nostra was the most powerful in the world.

We're now up to 134 locations and 221 mob figures....and growing (as promised)

You're very welcome, Rush. I'm happy to see the expose' is being well received.

FYI; Since you first read it, I've added about a dozen more locations, as well as a few dozen more mob figures tasked with "overseeing" those satellites....with more on the way. So make sure to check back periodically for updates, ok.

It's interesting to know that the Gambinos out of New York had Chicago as a satellite location!

In California also for that matter, among many other locales. After all, they were a huge borgata, as were/did the old Luciano Family

So that obviously proves that the Outfit and the Gambinos were/are business associates.

Rush, no doubt about it.

In fact, I'm sure on numerous occasions "The Chicago Outfit" went partners with many various individual mafiosi and their Families, not only with all of NYC's Five Families, but with borgatas all across the entire U.S.; Los Angeles, Tampa, New Orleans, Detroit, New England, etc.

really cool. thank you for your time and effort on this good sir!

We're now up to 151 locations, representing 24 borgatas, and over 249 mob figures who ran these outposts...and counting.

I agree Hollander. No doubt about it.

I love these types of projects which makes you think and also to learn new stuff. Thanks @NYM

- As we previously spoke about it, Tony Pinelli was a soldier/crew boss from the Near North Side, W Grand Av and Taylor St, under Jimmy DeGeorge's regime, but when the second conflict occurred, in 1945 Pinelli fled to LA. Later in 1952 he was brought back to Chicago by Accardo and Giancana and was elevated as capo for the "new" Indiana crew. In fact, most of the guys who remained neutral during the war, such as Morgano, Formusa, and Coliani, were placed under Pinelli and formed the crew. After the conflict DeGeorge was demoted to soldier and was sent to Wisconsin.

- Yes, Lou Fratto was a soldier/crew boss in Iowa, but before him there was one Chicago capo known as Charlie Gioe. During the later 30s Gioe was brought back to Chicago and so he sent for Fratto.

- From the late 1950s until the late 80s, Chicago had two crews in Phoenix and Tucson, AZ. One was headed by the Battaglia/Grand Av crew and the other was headed by the Chicago Heights crew. The Indian Schiro and Spilotro represented the Grand Av crew, while Armand D'Andrea and Joe Buddy Tocco were reps for the Heights crew.

- Alleged Chinatown member Saladino was probably more connected to Rockford than Chicago, which means that either Rockford had some ops in Chicago and paid their tax, or it was the other way around. For what its worth, Rockford was represented by Chicago on the round table but the Outfit never managed to dictate on what went down within the Rockford family.

- Also, Charlie Fish was acting boss from 1944 until 1946.

Thats excellent additional information TD. In fact, I'd like you to "re-read" and "re-review" this expose because I've added so many more guys and crews, not only for The Outfit, but all across the country.

As an example, by my count, we now have over 159 satellite locations listed, representing 24 Families, and over 279 allied mob figures from hierarchy bosses to capos, soldiers and associates overseeing these satellites. (and my list is growing by the day, as you can see.)

Since we released this article several days ago, I've added substantially to Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit, Genovese, Lucchese, etc.

For instance, The Chicago Outfit alone, now has (9) satellite locations...but I know there must be a lot more, no doubt

So review Chitown and let me know what you think, and maybe we'll make a few adjustment and/or additions accordingly.


PS: On that note, I cordially invite anyone else who's interested, on the GBB forum, to review the "satellite" location list, and inform me of any other locations you think I should consider, ok?

...."The Other Guy"

I also just added Cerrito Family of San Jose, CA; Colletti Family of Pueblo, Colorado; Civello and Giordano Families, of Kansas City and St. Louis, MO, respectively.

Since you have Canada, than you can also add Sam Giancana in Mexico. He had one or two casinos over there, and was involved in real estate.

Giancanas friend and associate Richard Cain controlled gambling operation and also dope deals in Madrid, Spain.

Hyman Larner and the Bastone brothers were stationed in Panama during one period.

Chicago also had deported high level members in Italy, such as Dom Roberto and Tommy Morgano, who still received income from the US and made deals on their side in Europe.

How long was Giancana in Mexico? Also, did he have any men there, or no?

Aside from Italy, Cuba, Island and possibly South America, I don't think the "American" guys ran any significant crews or sustained rackets out of the country. (I also don't wanna get too far flung with this map)

The Robertos brothers I'm familiar with. Did they continue to operate rackets overseas? Or were they just still receiving money from back home?

For instance, we know that once they returned back to Sicily/Italy, guys like Luciano and Coppola continued and even accelerated their rackets, i.e. narcotics smuggling to the States, counterfeiting, etc.

Do we have info that Roberto or Morgano did the same? Because then that would qualify them as a "satellite"

We just added the Frank Zito Family of Springfield, IL....as well as 9 more locations and 21 more mob figures.

So, our current totals are now at 300 mob guys, overseeing 168 satellite locations, for 25 Families....and counting.

How about Louisville? Any crews?

The DeCavalcantes had an outpost in Ribera, Agrigento. The Bonnanos in Castellammare del Golfo, Trapani.

Detroit additional territory throughout Michigan, Partinico, Palermo, in Windsor, Ontario; Toledo, Ohio, Wheeling, West Virginia; Columbus, Ohio; Trumbull County, Ohio; Mahoning County, Ohio; Nevada.

Yes, there were some families, (not all, but some) who had close ties back in the old country, especially years ago, during the 1930s-1970s era, when there were still many first-generation mafiosi who still in close communication with their relatives back home, and Italian immigrants coming to the U.S. was still heavy.

- Giancana fled to Mexico sometime around 1966 together with his lawyer and mob associate, followed by Giancanas companion and alleged made guy Richard Cain who in turn constantly travelled between Mexico and Chicago but when he got jailed during the late 60s, that same job partially fell on Blasi, mainly because he also had his own problems at the same time. Giancana wasnt the only Chicago guy in Mexico at the time, since also present was Outfit member Nick Circella who in turn was previously deported but also had his own schemes. Circellas brother August was another messenger between Nick, Giancana and the Outfit. Another deported capo Tommy Morgano also visited Mexico during one period and his messenger was North Side member Ernest Sansone. When Cain was released from jail, he again returned to Mexico to assist his boss until he was killed in 1972/73, the same time when Giancana was deported from Mexico to the US. So a lot of stuff went down in Mexico for more than two decades.

- Yes, Central and South America were the Outfits main areas for doing business during the old days and they had members, associates or whole crews who oversaw the operations.

- Dom Roberto was deported to Italy since the early 1930s and from that point on he was constantly visited by his successors and also by some members of the Outfits top admin. Roberto still received income from their ops in the US AND was also involved in important deals, especially the transportation of narcotics (hence the pic of him together Ammiratto and Luciano in Italy). Same as Roberto, Morgano also still received income from the US AND allegedly still controlled his Indiana crew in the US, mainly through Frank Zizzo and Gruttadauro.

- There were also former capos who fled Chicago like Ralph Capone who didnt have crew members anymore but still controlled rackets in certain areas in different states.

Ok, thats good info, TD.

I was aware of Ralph (Bottles) Capone relocating to Mercer, WI. (I had him listed)

I'm also familiar with Roberto. But what I wasn't aware of was that he and other deported Chicago hoods remained active in the rackets while in Italy, especially transatlantic narcotics smuggling.

I'll be adding a few more satellite locations for Chicago.

PS: If you can, please provide me with the specific towns/cities in Central and South America where the operated, and also a few names for each location. Then I'll add them in, ok.

Ill send you some of the names of Outfit members and associates who operated around Mexico, Panama, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Caribbean Islands and also two from the U.S. ok?!

Wheeling, Illinois - Rocco Potenza/Potenzo (soldier/crew boss), Ross Prio (capo)

Kankakee County, Illinois - Guy Sparta, Alan Zimmerman, Paul Payne, Harold Edwards, Armando Pezzopane

Mexico - Paul Roland Jones, Nick Circella (soldier), Sam Giancana (boss), Richard Cain (soldier) (and possibly Tommy Morgano)

Panama City and Colon; Panama - Hyman Larner, Carmine and Sal Bastone (soldiers), Marcell Harrick, Ross Scheer

Ecuador - Anselmo a.k.a. Sonny Pacini, Allan Rothman

Santo Domingo; Dominican Republic - Les Kruse, Albert and Frank Meo (their father Charles Meo was member of the old Capone mob)

Caribbean Islands - James Tortoriello (alleged made guy), Sam Volpentesto

Perfect! Thanks TD.

Prego

We just added in Easton, PA as a "satellite" of the Bufalino Family


....much more to come.

This morning we'll be adding 19 more locales for Chicago, Pittsburgh, Pittston, Philadelphia, etc.....with 62 more mob figures who oversaw those territories [for a total of 187 satellites, 362 men, 25 families.] ...and counting

The list looks quite good

Yep, its coming along nicely...actually, even better than I originally anticipated. (and we're not done yet.)

Any crews from Louisville, Kentucky? Im sure there was during prohibition.

I haven't come across any yet, but they may have been....we'll see as we go along.

@NYM did you find any guys in Portland, Seattle or Vancouver?

Not so far, Hollander. But I'm far from done yet. Little by little, (and with a bit of help from some of our friends,) my research has helped me uncover even more locales....

I suspect that if I do uncover any mob operatives in those areas, they would be tied in with California families, or possible a midwest crew like Chicago.

But time will tell.

We know about Frank Colacurcio, but he were pretty autonomous...and despite what some have said, I'm not so sure he were actually "connected" to anyone to speak of.

Thanks NYM we know Frank Colacurcio was born to immigrant parents from southern Italy, Colacurcio was the eldest of nine children, and worked on his father's vegetable farm in Seattle. He was a powerhouse in Seattle and Vancouver.

Yes he was. But from what I've read about him, his "illegal" rackets were almost exclusively confined to topless/nude bars, B-girl clip joints and related prostitution activities...and of course, the tax-evasion schemes that went along with that.

I don't ever remember him getting involved with gambling and other types of "traditional" mob-styled rackets. Have you?

Bonannos in Boston? Colombos in Los Angeles? Valentis in Yacca Valley? DeCavalcantes in San Diego?

We're now up to 197 satellites, representing 26 Families...and counting!

How about Cincinatti? Any crews?

Rush, to answer your questions about Cincinnati, Ohio and Kentucky, here's a few excerpts I clipped from our "Satellite Crews" expose.

Like I've mentioned, we're continuing adding to this article and its becoming more and more in-depth by the day. (I'm sure I'll be adding to this list soon.)



GENOVESE (NYC)
Satellite Location: Cincinnato, OH
Status: Individual soldiers/associates
Dominant/Prominent Figures: soldier Eugenio (Gene) Campo, associate Patrick (Pat the Pope) Buttino

GENOVESE (NYC)
Satellite Location: Newport, KY
Status: Individual soldiers/associates
Dominant/Prominent Figures: soldier Eugenio (Gene) Campo, associates Meyer Lansky (NY’s Jewish mob)


SCALISH (CLEVELAND, OH)
Satellite Location: Newport, KY
Status: Individual associates
Dominant/Prominent Figures: Morris (Moe) Dalitz, Louis (Lou Roady) Rothkopf, Morris Kleinman, Sam Tucker

With these latest additions, we're now up to 203 satellites and over 400 mob figures who operated in these locales, representing 26 families across the U.S and way beyond...

This article has become so much larger than I'd ever imagined it, when I first stated this project, that's its now become nothing less than epic in its proportions and breadth!

I just added the Colombo crew located in Lexington, Kentucky, and the Chicago Outfit in Reno, NV.

LOL. this thing is getting nuts!

Great stuff. Later ill send you info regarding the Outfit also being present in Kentucky.

For Hot Springs, I've got the Genovese crew and other NY guys planting flags there going way back. Owney Madden, etc. But I believe that many crews from various cities and states converged there as well, Al Capone, other Outfit guys, etc. It was a Mecca of entertainment and relaxation for them...and I'm sure a few got involved there as well.

In Hot Springs Madden owned one huge gambling joint and during 50s some Outfit guys became his partners, such as Gus Alex, Eddie Vogel and Murray Humphreys.

Btw you can also add Potenza as rep Niles and Wheeling Illinois, and also Larner in Waukegan and Skokie Illinois. Ill try to find some of the names of their associates who operated in those same areas.

Heres something about Chicago and Kentucky...

Hi TD, places like Niles and Wheeling are too close to the City of Chicago proper to be added as a "satellite" IMO. Niles is only 15 miles from Chicago, Skokie is 14 miles, Wheeling is 29 miles.

Even Waukegan is only 40 miles away.

Unless it was a major major location and epicenter of mob activity, I don't wanna list locations that are that close, understand what I'm saying?

If I did that, I'd have to list 100-150 satellite locations for the NYC families alone. Bronx to Brooklyn, Manhattan to Queens, Queens to Nassau, etc., etc.

We'd have the same for many Families in varied cities. So, (with few exceptions,) I'm really trying to pick more unique out of the way locations where possible.
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Places like Kentucky, Cuba, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, etc., yes, THOSE are true satellites IMO. Get my thinking?

Yup I get your idea but than you have to remove Chi Heights and Cicero too, right?

Well, I listed them because they were both, in fact, TOP locations and epicenters of Mafia/Outfit activity. Cicero and Chicago Heights are both 'legendary' regarding the Mafia. Waukegan, Skokie, Niles, etc?., not so much.

Cicero was Scarface Al Capone's headquarters. Chicago Heights practically had its own borgata. You know what I mean?

I have made exceptions with all the families across the U.S. in those types of situations. But, otherwise, I left off lesser areas that I felt were still "under the umbrella" and handled by the "main" Family headquarters, rather than true "satellites" like Utica, NY which was far from Buffalo and governed by a crew viewed as almost a separate family.

There are many examples for that. If you're a Family in Chicago or NYC and you got guys in Miami, FL. Thats a true "satellite" no?

It's a slippery slope for sure, and sometimes its like splitting hairs,. But that was my original goal and intention.

The Chi Heights family was "separate" group until 1925 and later became official crew for the Chicago Outfit with their own seat on the board of directors. So I really dont want to split hairs but they were official crew with their satelite crew in Indiana.

The Cicero area was divided between two official crews, with Giancana and Buccieri on the north and Aiuppa around the southern part. Or in other words, the area represented their prime headquarters and both crews had satelite crews in different areas and towns.

Just my two cents...

I agree with you. Like I said, it can be a slippery slope sometimes and you just gotta make a judgement call accordingly.

For instance, another good example of what I'm trying to say would be Rocco (The Old Man) Pellegrino, who was the capo in charge of Westchester County (which in reality is NOT that many miles from NYC proper.) But Westchester County is a huge territory encompassing many large and significant towns and areas with around a million people. So I listed him as a distinct "satellite," as opposed to many other capos who were also extremely significant with large crews of their own, (dozens and dozens of them,) but fell within the borders of the City of NY.

I agree again.

Great minds think alike, TD. lol

+1

TD, I think this article is almost completed. Lol. I know we def have a few more locales to dig up. But we've done a pretty good job excavating these far-flung crews.

But who knows. As I go along we'll see what else we can dig up.

We've already got well over 200 satellites and 400+ knockaround guys connected to them (and I could have named a few thousand more, but limited it for clarity) so we'll see.

Yes he was best known for his strip clubs in his later life, but Colacurcio was involved in other rackets during the golden years (for example jukeboxes, vending machines and cigarette smuggling) I believe he was also active in New Orleans at one point. He also sought to expand into Portland, drawing the attention of a U.S. Senate committee investigating organized crime.

Yes, I do remember him being involved with coin-vending machines also. But he was largely an independent, never connected to wiseguys (although they did try to tie him to a few, like Bonanno)

I agree NYM he didn't need the National Syndicate in his backyard, so he always stayed independent, but I believe he knew Carlos Marcello and Joe Bonanno.

Chicago's Joe Testa was also one of the many Outfit guys involved in Vegas, although his prime rackets were stationed all the way in Australia.

We just added for more satellite locations/representattives for the following Families; Cerrito (San Jose), Lanza (San Francesco), Colombo (NYC) and Scalish (Cleveland), in Modesto and La Costa, CA, and San Juan, P.R.

Another New England satellite for the Joe Colombo Family has just been added....Boston, MA

As of today, Thursday, February 29th....

27 Families, 215 satellite locations, 400+ made guys and associates....and counting!


If you don't mind me saying so, it's a very unique kind of expose'

Any of you guys have any insight on who the Colombo and Gambino point guys are in New Orleans? And are they working together, or separate entities?

To my knowledge, neither family traditionally ever really had a presence in N.O. Although, during the 1980s or so, I did read that several guys, led by a fellow named Tufano or T u f a r o (if memory serves me,) had relocated down there and was somewhat active. Supposedly this guy was connected to the Colombo crew and was a narcotics dealer.

Now whether there's any truth to those assertions is something else altogether. (I, personally, have no such knowledge about it. I never researched it. I'm just relating what I once read.)

Another instance (I vaguely remember) was a few guys around the Joe Gallo faction of the Gambinos fooling around with gambling in N.O.
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As far as the Gambinos go, during the 1980s some guys around Ozone Park, Queens with "Ronnie One Arm) were highlighted for some activity in Tampa, FL.

Id love to know more about Reno, Nevada. That place must of had some serious action over the years.

Throughout this expose' I list Reno on a number of occasions, showing which families and crews were active there. (Chicago was one of them)

I was listening to an OG Podcast episode with Scott and James and they mentioned something about it. Maybe they will see this thread and give more insight, I know they are on here.

Years back, several key Profaci/Colombo bigwigs, namely capos Enrico (Harry) Fontana and Nicoline (Peanuts) Sorrentino migrated down to Tampa and semi-retired there. I know that Fontana held a lucrative interest in a dock-warehousing business on the Tampa docks since at least the early 1960s. And I know that the old Profaci and Trafficante families were also very close. So I'm sure those factors played into it as well.

Look up Filippo Gentile, he was a bootlegger that operated from Louisville, and had operations to Lexington, Newport, Cincinnati, and over the Indiana boarder, some of his people operated night houses, had gambling in Central and part of the western regions of the state. Knew Al Capone, Paul Ricca, Frank Nitti, Frank Costello, Willie Moretti, Frank Todaro, Gaetano Gagliano, Tony Gagliano, Thomas Lucchese, Vito Bonventre, Salvatore Profaci, list goes on, he use to hide mobsters from other cities when they had too much heat or if they needed to get away from the public. I feel he was made, fought deportation all the way up to 1935 and was finally deported. He was the silent owner of the famous S Hilton Hotel in Louisville. When he was deported, Cleveland and Genovese family associates swooped in and took control of Newport and all surrounding areas, Chicago associates gain control or Louisville, and I can not find anything on Lexington to indicate that LCN had operations there after Gentile deportation.

New Orleans had good relationships with Lucchese and Genovese families for the longest time, NO went through Vito LaSalle brother to Stefano LaSalle and Ed Costiglia brother to Frank Costello to pass messages to New York. Later when Carlos Marcello had lost his power and members in his family started to make deals with both the Colombo and Gambino families in allow them to operate in Louisiana. As for made members I think Lucchese had a man down there for awhile before he transferred to NO, than Marcello became boss, and he transferred either back to Lucchese or Tampa after he moved to Florida. I am sure someone will know more about that.

We since added a few more satellites

Haven't those non traditional activities along wit the tax evasion been part of the mob's portfolio for a long enough time to be considered traditional;?
What about guys that were very active with bootlegging and all that went with it when they were younger and then invested that money into legal or semi legal businesses including financing guys for some of the more illegal stuff like the gambling whether it be in the form of loan sharking or just plain helping guys out to get started in illegal businesses or even legal businesses of their own?

Hello Havana,

I'll try and answer your question, and explain what I meant, the best I can, ok.

Many mob guys commit tax-evasion offenses because it goes hand-in-hand with their other activities; bookmaking, shylocking, narcotics, etc. But, "tax-evasion" per se, is not exclusive to the Mafia. A solid cross section of people from all walks of life commit tax-evasion, from businessmen to politicians to average Joe's on their yearly income-tax returns. That is not the exclusive domain of the mob, or within their "portfolio" as you say the same way we consider gambling and shylocking, labor-union racketeering, etc., understand?

Secondly, even topless bars and prostitution (although some mob guys have engaged in these activities,) are not necessarily "Mob Rackets" per se, because there have been, are currently still are, many more people who operate nude bars and prostitutes in cities all across the U.S., (NY & NJ included) who have no organized crime affiliation whatsoever.