Assuming that Sal is running Canada and Vinny TV is running the Bonanno in NY. Who answers to who? Or are they independent of each other?
After Sciascia was killed, the ties between the Bonanno family and the Montreal faction were severed more or less. The Rizzutos had been running things mostly independently for some time anyway. What was interesting however, is that it later came out that Vito Rizzuto said he wasn't going to answer to Montagna in New York. That he would need to make that clear shows there continued to be some kind of connection between them. But who knows how things will end up in Montreal once the smoke clears. It is more a case of two separate entities now, not one "answering" to the other. Certainly not New York answering to Montreal. The Rizzutos were a faction of the Bonanno family, not the other way around, despite what many "Sixth Family" theories proclaimed.
The reason I am skeptical that ties were severed is Because Vitale and Massino are the only ones to say this. Vitale, as stated in the book "The Last Godfather" was not trusted by any of the captains and Massino told him straight up that "they F'ing hate you Sal", so therefore he was not in the loop on most important things. Also in "The Last Godfather" we learn that Massino was not afraid to do the time and only flipped when they threatened to take his wife and daughters houses. IMO Massino heard Vitale's testimony that "Ties were severed after George got hit" to his advantage so the IRS wouldn't come looking and ask him where all the tribute money from the Montreal faction went. Sciascia was hit in 1997 and Massino didn't get arrested until 2004, which means there is 8 years of tribute money he doesn't have to account for. A crew of the Rizzuto's size would probably have to kick up at least 50K a month. I think it quite possibly have been more though, considering that many Banonno's and without fail their administration had a good sense of how much narcotics that crew moved. 50K a month is 600K a year, for 8 years is nearly 5 millions dollars he wouldn't have to worry about the IRS finding nearly as easy. And besides, we're talking about men who kill people over debts of a few thousand dollars so I don't believe for a second that Massino would just walk away from a 20+ member crew that is under his hegemony by rights, and who controls the drug flow into NY, and brings in an estimated $600 000 a year in tribute money.
Ivy, I'm interested in hearing your opinion on this.
