In truth the Bonanno Family was always much larger than law enforcement ever realized. In fact most of its rank and file membership were total unknowns, "sleepers" so to speak, to both law enforcement and many of their mafiosi brethren to boot.

Only since the 1980s did (some) of their true membership numbers and real "strength" come out. Not until the avalanche of rats and stool pigeons in recent decades were the names of its 150-190 +/- soldiers revealed.

We here at ButtonGuys have been looking at them closely lately. And I think you're gonna like what we've found and documented....to be continued

Here's an interesting question forum members, IYO, who was/is the most "low key" or nearly completely unknown sleeper member of this Family??

The guy who nearly nothing was ever known about. No record. No recorded rackets. etc., yet was definitely logged as a made guy, or even a Top associate for that matter?

Challenge excepted haha.
This is a interesting question because "sleeper" implies that the guy was powerful in someway (connections, earning ability etc) as well as being under the radar. Alot of the members of this Family was under the radar but not with the credentials of a sleeper. I am sure there is at least one name that we've seen that was a "sleeper" and possibly someone who was never mentioned in any records because this Family was so tight-knit.Now I'm speaking before the 1980s.
A few possibles come to mind. And they are the guys that I am the most curious about and couldn't pay someone for information on them

Michael "Mike Angelo" Angelina- He was on the Valachi 1963 chart. I have found any fbi documents on him but if Valachi could Identify him, he must've been someone to know.

Frank Labruzzo- a Caporegime, relative by marriage to Joe Bonanno. We know he had some loansharking going on and was in the garmets but nothing specific. Which I find interesting, seeing how close he was to Joe and Bill Bonanno. (Hardly even mentioned in their memoirs)

Pietro "Skinny Pete" Crociata- old timer apart of the Sciacca-Rastelli regime.

Michael "big Mike" Allegato - also listed on Valachi's charts, apparently was associated with the Asaros

After the 1980, I don't know.

I am not a Bonanno expert like our man Dob Peppino ;-) but i'd say that Tony Riela could somehow be qualified as a sleeper.

He was rather powerful and had good connections nationwide but as you told me a few months ago, you couldn't find any record or old press release on the guy.

Tony Canzoneri's name listed in the FBI's member list was a surprise. What did this guy do in the mob life? I have a feeling Bonanno made him a "honorary" member.

yes, the Bonanno's were always larger in numbers than alleged to be by the F.B.I. In Honor Thy Father Bill Bonanno stated the Bonanno's had 400 members in 1965. Of course not all were active,and they were spread out geograpically.

No clue about Bonannos but:
Ken Eto seems to have fallen into the sleeper category.......No record that I have seen, Had a huge ongoing racket for 30+ years, looked so unlike the typical member/associate.

How about today? Still more than numbers claimed by feds?

No, I'd say that nowadays most (not all, but most) members have been ID'd because of FBI sophistication and a plethora of rats. But I wouldn't doubt there's still several dozen newly made guys out there. or more!

But the overall numbers of the total family are about what they claim. They just don't know everyones name. they never will. Unless they stop making guys, and the feds catch up

I'd pretty much agree with your assessment of Canzoneri. He was a top fighter, public figure. he wasn't a push nose in an alley way. So I'd imagine it was more for Family status, an honorary thing.

I do thing 400 is a bullshit number. Bill was always an idiot anyway. And a blowhard. 250-300 at their peak, I think is maybe possible. But 400 is a bit much IMO. What did Luciano have then 800? Lol

@NYMafia
Do you know of the surname Canzoneri origins or relations in this Family?

I do agree that he was he was a "honorary" member simply because, this Family was known for having some members who were mainly legitimate. With that being said, it doesn't necessarily mean he wasn't involved at all. It is possible that he had some Shy money on the street (through another member), he did have a restaurant that I assume was a frequent site for members and possibly a body at his farm. Especially if he had a close relative in the Family. There is a picture of him and Joe Bonanno, I am sure the relationship had to be alittle deeper than having a cigar, some wine and talking about defending the lightweight championship..... and from that standpoint, not say he was super powerful but if any of these possibilities are true, he could fit that classification.

I totally agree. I'm sure he was involved in some manner. They don't give those buttons away for nothing, especially in those days.

Thanks to Pogo the Clown from Blackhand Forum

1. Boss: Michael "Mikey Nose" Mancuso/63
-Acting Boss: John “Johnny P/Johnny Skyway” Palazzolo/83
-Panel: ?????
2. Underboss: ?????
3. Consiglieri: ?????


Capos:
1. Jerome “Jerry” Asaro/62/Ronald “Ronnie G” Giallanzo/48 (IP/ 6/18/2029) - Queens
2. Louis "Big/Fat/Louie the Leg-Breaker" Civello Sr/67 – New Jersey
3. Joseph "Joe Desi" DeSimone/84 – Brooklyn
4. Alphonse “Ally Indelicato” DiPilato/60 – Manhattan
5. Anthony Fasitta/41 – Queens
6. Pasquale “Patty Boy/Little Patty” Maiorino/59 - The Bronx
7. John “Johnny P/Johnny Skyway” Palazzolo/83/Acting Boss – The Bronx and Brooklyn
8. Anthony "Little Anthony" Pipitone/45 – Brooklyn, Long Island and Queens
9. Joseph “Joe Valet” Sabella/54 (IP/10/23/2025)/Arthur “Harvey” Tarzia/58 (Acting) – Brooklyn and Staten Island
10. John "Johnny Mulberry" Sciremammano/61 – Long Island


Soldiers:
1. Frank Adamo/63
2. Ernest Aiello/37/Acting Capo
3. Sandro Aiosa/71
4. Alfred Altadonna/64
5. Vincent "Elmo" Amarante/61 (UI)
6. Vincent Asaro/85
7. Louis "Louie HAHA" Attanasio/73
8. Robert "Fat/Big/Bobby HAHA" Attanasio/70
9. Vincent "Vinny T.V/Paris/Appliance" Badalamenti/59
10. Vito Badamo Jr/55
11. Vito Balsamo Jr/61
12. Antonino Bonventre/87
13. Giacomo “Jack/Butch” Bonventre/49
14. Giuseppe "Joe Bosch" Bosco
15. Anthony Calabrese/50
16. Peter "Rabbit/Petey the Hat” Calabrese/68
17. Dino Cammarano/60
18. Joseph “Joe C” Cammarano Jr/59 (Shelved)
19. Anthony “Little Anthony” Caponigro
20. Michael “Mikey Batts” Cardello/70
21. John “Johnny Phones” Carlucci
22. Robert Caroleo/71
23. Vincent "Vinny Goo/Collision" Caroleo/73/Acting Capo
24. Michael Cassese/47
25. Salvatore “ToTo” Catalano/74
26. Joseph Chilli III/63
27. John Cicala/64
28. John “Big John” Contello/61
29. Joseph Corrado
30. Peter “Petey Boxcars” Cosoleto/66
31. Frank Coppa Jr.
32. Daniel Costanzo
33. Perry Criscitelli/64
34. Vincenzo D'Antoni/73
35. Louis “Louie Electric” DeCicco/68
36. Thomas “Tommy D” DiFiore/74
37. John Desena/64
38. Steven DeSimone/43
39. Anthony DiGregorio
40. Michael “Mike Box” DiMaria/51
41. Vincent “Vinny Bionics” DiSario/49
42. Joseph “Joe D/Shakes” DiStefano/55
43. Michael “Mike the Electrician” Donofrio
44. Simone Esposito/48 (Shelved)
45. Vincent “Vinny” Faraci/60
46. Thomas “Tommy Las Vegas” Ferreri/60
47. Anthony “The Hat/Walker/Stutters” Frascone/68
48. Anthony "Tony Black" Furino/59
49. Alfonso Gagliano/77
50. James "Jimmy" Galante/83
51. Joseph Giddio/88
52. Joseph Grimaldi/48 (Shelved)
53. Vito “The Baker” Grimaldi/79 (Shelved)
54. Anthony Guarino/60
55. Joseph "'Joey Red/J.B." Indelicato/86
56. John Licata/83
57. Joseph Lino/49
58. Joseph "Joe Lefty" Loiacono/69
59. Ronald “Ronnie” Lorenzo/70
60. Anthony "Tony Elmont" Mannone/71
61. Salvatore Marchese/90
62. Vincenzo "Vinny" Masi/39/Acting Capo
63. Mark “Mark from Jersey” Meleo/50
64. Dominick Merolla
65. Vito "Vic" Militano/86
66. John “Fat Jack/Johnny Boy” Mirabile/55
67. Daniel “Dirty Danny/DeDe” Mongelli/54
68. Natale Mule/45/Acting Capo?
69. Richard "Junkyard Richie" Musumeci/77
70. Anthony Navarra/38
71. Philip Navarra/40
72. Anthony “JJ/Jersey Joe” Palmiotto
73. Frank “Big Frank” Pastore/41
74. Vito Pipitone/34
75. Anthony Piscopo
76. Guiseppe Pizzo/80
77. Frank "The Fireman/Big Frank" Porco/88
78. David Primiano
79. Michael "Crazy Mike/Mike the Watchman" Primiano/71
80. Salvatore Puccio/42
81. Anthony "Fat Anthony/Mr. Fish" Rabito/83
82. John “Bazoo” Ragano/56
83. Armando “Mondo” Rea/59
84. Richard “Big Ritchie” Riccardi/63
85. Pasquale Romania/42
86. Joseph "Sammy" Sammartino/60
87. Anthony “Skinny” Santoro/56
88. Ronald Scala/64
89. Anthony “Little Anthony/Scal” Sclafani/73 (UI)
90. Robert Serra
91. Joseph Spatola/43
92. Paul “Fat Paulie” Spina/61
93. John “Johnny Joe/Hannibal” Spirito Sr/61
94. John “Johnny Joe” Spirito Jr/37
95. Enzo "The Baker" Stagno/54 (Shelved)
96. Joseph “Joe T” Torre/60
97. Charles "Crazy Charlie" Travella/68
98. Anthony "Tony Green/Junior" Urso/84
99. Anthony Vaccaro/Acting Capo
100. Tommy Valente
101. Anthony “Fat Sammy” Valenti/51
102. Joseph "Augie" Yannucci/56
103. John "Porky" Zancocchio/61 (Shelved)
104. Damiano Zummo/45/Acting Capo (UI)


Possible Members:
105. Joseph Amedure(sp) (Previously ID’d as a Proposed Member)
106. Giovanni Corallo
107. Robert Cutrone (Previously ID’d as a Proposed Member)
108. James Malpeso/47 (Previously ID’d as a Proposed Member)
109. Antonino Mistretta
110. Louis Taranto (Previously ID’d as a Proposed Member)


Imprisoned Members:
111. Anthony “Ace/T” Aiello/40 (IP/5/06/2031)
112. Baldassare “Baldo/Cumpari of the Tall One” Amato/67 (IP/L)
113. Albert “Al Muscles” Armetta/50 (IP)
114. Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano/58 (IP/L)
115. Fabrizio "The Herder" DeFrancisci/49 (IP/11/30/2030)
116. Dominick Deluccia/45 (IP/11/4/2023)
117. Anthony “Little Anthony” Donato/59 (IP/8/29/2026)
118. Nicholas “Pudgie” Festa/40 (IP//6/19/2022)
119. Gino Galestro/48 (IP/11/10/2023)
120. Anthony “Bruno/The Kid” Indelicato/73 (IP/9/28/2023)
121. Robert "Little Robert" Lino/51 (2/2/2028)
122. Stephen “Stevie Blue” LoCurto/59 (IP/L)
123. Michael "Mike" Padavona/51 (IP/3/162024)
124. Michael "Mike" Palmaccio/47 (IP/3/5/2023)
125. Thomas "Tommy Karate" Pitera/62 (IP/L)
126. Frank “Frankie Boy” Salerno/45 (IP/1/20/2022)
127. Joseph “Joey Blue Eyes" Santapaolo/67 (IP)
128. George "Grumpy" Tropiano/70 (IP/4/22/2022)

Total 138

@furio_from_naples

the problem with this charts is they are only guys (official) discover by FBI/newspaper. So guys under the radar isn't easy to catch.
LE know maybe more but they give this information not pass on.

For example Luciano know a lot italian guys who work for him. I know a guy called "uncel Joe" from Hamburg. He was close to him in Cuba and i'm sure he had connection until his death 1978. You will never find his name inside a chart.

Joseph “Joe C” Cammarano Jr/59 (Shelved)

Why was he shelved? He beat the case with Porky and thought he was acting boss.

Mancuso shelved Cammarano, Zancocchio, Vito Grimaldi and Joseph Grimaldi. Mancuso got out the same week that Cammarano and Zancocchio were acquitted. The story that Jerry Capeci reported was that Mancuso was unhappy with the defence strategy at the Cammarano trial.

That's the thing I do respect about this Family. Is that their was some mystery to it's operation.The members were unknown and ultimately that's what it was about.

More of this guys wasnt made so are under the feds radar,today this is the only way to be a so called sleepers.
Anyway the numbers can change so much if include the "sleepers".

Agreed, ALL the sleepers are complete unknowns. Otherwise they wouldn't be called "sleepers" Lol

I'd have to say after thinking about it, although there is alittle information out there about him, I think Angelo Caruso could classify as a "sleeper".

I agree

Jimmy DEPASQUALE and Vito DeFillipo

Joseph (Jimmy) Genna..... another very low key guy. Had a long record, yet was mostly unknown. Same as Paul Sciacca's brother, I think his named was Tony (Antonio)


https://thenewyorkmafia.com/2018/12/10/Joseph-genna/

Your circular reasoning is to believe you know the absolute number of made members. But historically we only know the number in a few moments.
In addition, the status of the made members may have changed over time.


But i agree it is clear from 1980 to 2000 it was very difficult to hide. But since then the chances are likely to increase. Especially when families open up further geographically.

nice Thread

They've made at least 40 guys in the past 10 years or so. At least. I'm being really conservative. It's a very high number. There's a lot of guys in their thirties with a button. The only problem is that those guys think they're living in some movie. They have no idea what they're doing. It's over!

Does the FBI know who these guys are? The FBI doesn't give a shit about them. That's how over this life is

The PERFECT storm to rebuild the ranks.

If there are enough takers out there.

The Five Families lost their farm teams which was their recruiting tool.

The 20th Ave, Bay Parkway, Bath Ave etc, etc...

You'd be surprised at how many knuckleheads wanna be part of that life. If it wasn't for the movies and shows like The Sopranos, no one would be joining at this point. That and the fact that no one is getting arrested anymore. It's like it's become a fraternity.

Anything is possible but def no where near what it once was.

I am seeing a few guys I grew up that are the sons/nephews of made guys and/or above
“Still involved” however, it’s a little different when it is family and the family are taking over existing profitable rackets.

Other guys my age that were associates are slowly getting made one by one.

Really underground these days.

If you didn’t know where to look you wouldn’t see them and could very easily think they didn’t exist.

They do a good job at blending in but some crews are definitely a little more flashy than others. Time will tell if anything interesting develops. I wouldn't count on it. The feds don't seem to be spending much time chasing these guys anymore. There's nothing out there anymore