But is 26 too young? Bonanno was boss at 26, Yonnie Licavoli at 23, Riccobene was made at 18. I thought cases like Ligambi made in his 40s were rarer.
Those were different times back then. Youngsters grew up a lot more faster in the 1920s/1930s than they did later on. And in the case of Bonanno, he had the pedigree. From the 1970s and on, cases of mobsters getting made although still in their 20s, are extremely rare.
Alphonse Trucchio was very young when he was made. He was probably made in 2001, so he was around 25, 26. There are other examples of guys getting made very young. Barney, Cesare Bonventre, Baldo Amato, Little Allie Boy Persico and a few others. Most of the guys, actually a huge majority of all inducted since the 1970s, were in their late 30s, 40s, 50s and in some cases in their 60s.
Barney Bellomo is a made man son and cousin of an associate can speak both Italian and English. He spent a year studying mortuary science (very useful in the case to remove the on corpses)so he has the pedigree to be made yonger.
Same thing for Phil Leonetti made at 27 and Salvie Testa made at 24;both was initiated in Cosa Nostra by a relative,the uncle nicky for leonetti and his father for salvie.
Junior Gotti and little allie boy was made only because their fathers was the bosses.
now is more diffcult that has made young, especially after the case donnie brasco that was re-introduced the rule that you have to be full-blooded italian and that you gonna be an associate for 10 years before being proposed to be made.
