Cesare Bonventre walking out on Rastelli

While Joe Massino was cooperating with the government; He stated that Cesare Bonventre was killed because he walked out on a meeting/sit-down with Phil Rastelli over some “Shake-down”

What was Cesare Bonventre thinking?? Was he that arrogant to basically “spit in the face” Of the boss of the Bonanno Crime Family??

Also how big was Cesare Bonventre’s crew and what was the issue that caused Bonventre to have to meet with Rastelli??

Would love some responses!

Bonventre became a captain in the Bonannos at age 28. He was indicted, along with the Zips Baldo Amato and Sal Catalano, in the famous "Pizza Connection" case. Anthony M. Destefano, in his outstanding bio of Joe Massino, says Massino ordered Bonventre's murder and had Sal Vitale organize it. Here is the relevant passage from Destsefano's book:

"Why did Bonventre have to die? The FBI speculated that he had offended someone, possibly in another crime family, with poor quality heroin. Another assumed that he had gathered too much power too quickly and because he was so ruthless that he was viewed a threat to boss Philip Rastelli and his supporters such as Massino."

Hope this helps.

Joey Massino's testimony is on the Black Hand forum. Massino said Bonventre was shaking down drug dealers. He beat one dealer, Anthony Aiello, out of 5 or $600,000. Bonventre took 10 or 15 kilos off him and never paid him. But Aiello was around Phil Rastelli. So Rastelli called Bonventre in and questions him about it. Bonventre denied everything, got insulted and walked out of the meeting. Because of this disrespect, Rastelli ordered him killed.

My guess is Bonventre had just become so full of himself and didn't respect Rastelli's authority given the tumultuous past few years.

The beef that got taken up to Rastelli was that Bonventre was shaking down drug dealers, including someone who was on record with Rastelli. Rastelli calls him in, Bonventre denies it and storms out.

Anything an informant says on the stand I take with a grain of salt, Like Gravano's tale about going after the chin...Why didn't they try after their trial was over ?? They still had hundreds of made guys on the street ??

There was no way that Massino was gonna say that Bonenentre was getting too powerful and dangerous so we had to kill him before he killed us...

What you stated does make logical sense...

Massino had boss aspirations at that same time, we know that.....Everyone who wants the top spot is WELL aware of who his closest competitor is.

What also makes the story a little unbelievable is, Baldo and him did everything together and nothing happens to Baldo if they were operating in such a manner?

Massino mentions later on in his testimony that Rastelli wanted Baldo killed too, but Massino convinced him not to because Baldo was just following orders from his captain (Bonventre).

Not only that, many mobsters say you cant even bring up drugs at a sitdown. But I guess this was the Bonnanos

Anyone ponder what would have happened if Cesare and Baldo alerted Galante?

Drugs were brought up at the sitdown between the Genovese and Gambinos over Matty Rega and Dominick Montiglio. They accused Montiglio of dealing junk. And these are supposedly the 2 most anti drug families at the time (though many Gambinos and even some Genovese dealt junk)

The was more so " DONT GET CAUGHT" dealing.

Many did it however, the ones that got whacked were the ones that got caught.

Or to easily get around it they had non made associates actually doing the lifting to whereas the made guys stayed in the back and financed the operation.

Or to easily get around it they had non made associates actually doing the lifting to whereas the made guys stayed in the back and financed the operation.

Hypocrisy at its finest.

What were the made guys going to do if they knew their associates on the street were raking in BIG MONEY???
Say DON'T KICK any of that money upstairs to me
I dont want it??

Doubtful