Graziano will probably be the most powerful Bonanno member on the street in January 2012. He will be released from a halfway house. Will he make a move? Will he be on supervised release or have free reins?

he will prob be on supervised parole

personally i think since his daughter renee is all over that show mob wives mentioning his name, the probability of him becoming a boss dropped dramatically, he will prob resume his capo/consig duties I would assume

^^^
Agree.

I've read he's had some health problems. It would probably be easier for him to just remain consigliere and stay in the background at this point.

Plus the Canadians didn't think much of him.

Montreal brokeaway from the Bonanno's or has Sal the Ironworker gonna bring the back in the fold.

Yeah, I heard about that. Who is this Sal guy anyway? Where is his power coming from? He was close to Vinny Gorgeous, right? I assumed he is in Patty DeFilippo's crew (i.e. Basciano's crew) along with Patty, Mancuso, Cicale and Aiello. Or does he derived his power from his birthplace of Sicily through his family connection. Seen like a rising star for the Bonanno until his deportation.

All I know from the media is that he is a zip and came out of nowhere and became the acting boss after Vinny's legal trouble. Do you guys have more information about him?

Montagna was born in Montreal, Canada[1] in 1971. He was raised in Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, and became attracted by the United States already as a teenager. Montagna and his family settled in the Bronx, New York, in the mid 1980s, and Montagna became quite attached to the life of crime, violence and corruption. It is unclear when Montagna was inducted into the Bonanno crime family, however, it was during the late 1990s, under the leadership of strong Boss Joseph "Big Joe" Massino that Montagna was overheard in wiretapped conversations between other reputed members of the Bonanno crime family, such as the Underboss, Salvatore "Good Looking Sal" Vitale.

[edit]Sal the Iron Worker

Little is known of Montagna's personal life, only that he got married sometime in the early 1990s to Kellice Gucciardo, relating him to the Gambino and the Genovese crime families by marriage. They had two children, but divorced shortly after the death of a son. He has since remarried to Francesca Carcione and lives in a mansion in Elmont, Long Island with his wife and three daughters. He started a small metalworking company called "Matrix Steel Co.", located at 50 Bogart Street in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Matrix Steel manufactures structural and rail mill products, gray and ductile iron foundry crucibles, foundry converters, casting machines, sizing or embossing presses, foundry mold machines and foundry dies and tooling. It was around this time that the Sicilian-raised Salvatore Montagna was given the nickname, "Sal the Iron Worker".

[edit]Acting capo

In 2002, Montagna was arrested along with the crew of Patrick DeFilippo for illegal gambling and loansharking charges. He refused to answer questions before a grand jury and was charged with criminal contempt. He later pleaded guilty to the charge in 2003, and was placed on probation. It was in late 2003 that US law enforcement and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) listed Montagna as an "Acting Capo" and Caporegime of the Bonanno crime family on behalf of DeFilippo and the Sicilian faction which is based in the Bronx.

[edit]Acting boss

After longtime Bonanno Boss, "Big Joe" Massino became a witness, testifying against 60 of his fellow mobsters, Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano was recognized as the reputed Boss of the Bonanno crime family, only to discover that Massino would testify against Basciano as well, shipping him directly off to prison. Around late 2005, Basciano stated that he would promote the Sicilian faction of the old Bonanno crew back in the family's leadership, as Montagna was recognized as the reputed acting boss of the Bonanno crime family from early 2006, and to the present time, with Nicholas "Nicky Mouth" Santora as underboss and Anthony "Fat Tony" Rabito as consigliere, making the "Administration" of the Bonanno crime family once again whole and safe.

As of 2008, Montagna who is at age 36, is still the reputed Acting boss of the Bonannos,[2] controlling the entire Bronx faction of the family, as the Daily News links Montagna to known Sicilian Bonanno official, Baldassare "Baldo" Amato. He resided in a modest home in Elmont, Long Island.

In 2009, Montagna was detained by the USCIS. He is not an American citizen and was deported back to Canada. While in Canada he is currently attempting to gain American residency.

sal the ironworker is a bad mofo in my opinion. i just pasted that from wiki real quick to put a lil background info out there for those who don't really know him. i don't know if he is still the acting boss, ive heard Vinny Tv is runnin the bonnano's now.

what about graziano's drug addiction that sciascia was complaining about?

The murder of Nicholas Rizzuto Jr the son of powerfull Montreal Mafia boss Vito Rizzuto may have happened miles away from New York but its impact is still being felt. The murder has become the topic of choice among new york city wiseguys and more so for the Bonanno Crime family for which Rizzuto and the Montreal Mafia are closely alligned. It is being reported by organized crime experts that ever since the Rizzuto hit that Bonanno Family members have been meeting all over New York having discussions about the happening in Montreal and the Family Leadership void. Since the acting Bonanno Family boss Sal “the ironworker” Montagna was deported back to Canada the Bonanno Family has yet to appoint a new boss.
The Bonanno Family has been split into two factions one being the old guard of the family and the other being its sicilian couterparts or “zips” (Sicilian born Bonanno Family Members) who have started to gain more momentum inside the family. With a Rizzuto clan poised to strike at whoever they find guilty of the Rizzuo Jr murder many organized crime experts believe this could even lead to bloodshed in New York. Having the family leadership in limbo is dangerous in this type of situation as it could turn into a power struggle within the Bonanno Family and have impacts in both New York and Canada.
The Rizzuto Family on Montreal had already began to work more independently from the Bonanno Family since 1999 after the killing of family capo Gerlando Sciascia ordered by then boss Joe Massino, Sciascia was from Canada and has close ties to Vito Rizzuto. Then when family acting boss Sal Montagna – “Sal the Ironworker” was deported to Canada Rizzuto made it clear that he would not be answering to Montagna even if he was to be located in Canada as he considered Montagna a lightweight flunky and only held his position because of his association with a Massino appointed crony.So it is easy to see that there has been tension between the Bonanno Family leadership in New York and Canada which could now boil over. Especially since the Rizzuto Family and the Bonanno Family “Zips” have alligned somewhat for a more controlling hand in mob family business.
Since the Rizzuo murder current high ranking Bonanno family members in New York have been reportedly meeting with members of the Sicilian “Zip” and Montreal factions to try and come to a peaceful agreement. It’s reported that Bonanno Family Capo’s Nicholas Santora – “Nicky Mouth” and Anthony Rabito – “Fat Anthony” have been meeting with the Bonanno factions and are supporting Vincent Asaro a Bonanno Capo to take over as the new family boss. Asaro based out of queens is a long time Bonanno family gangster is said to be respected not only by the Bonanno Family old guard but also by the Sicilian “Zip” factions. Asaro is also said to have close ties and backing from members of the Lucchese , Gambino, and Genovese Mafia families.
Another key player in the recent talks to fill the leadership void is said to be Vito Grimaldi who is said to speak on behalf of the Sicilian faction of mobsters within the Bonanno Family. Grimaldi has ties to both sides as his daughter is married to the son of long time Bonanno Capo Joe Saunders Sr. Many think that Asaro has enough backing and clout within the Bonanno Family from both sides that Grimaldi will also back him being appointed as new Boss of the Bonanno’s. Although there is also some that believe Vincent “Vinny TV” Badalamenti may also be a candidate in which the Sicilian “zip” faction could possibly be pushing for as boss. It is still too early to tell who will become the new Bonanno boss but one thing is pretty clear that the last Massino appointed boss Vincent Basciano and once acting boss Sal Montagna are both out of the picture. Sources have been quoted as saying “Joe’s word don’t count no more” so there is without a doubt change ahead for the once mighty Bonanno Crime Family.

apparently recent articles in canada say that sal is running the mob up there now

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?

I think it's been more conjecture that Montagna is one of the guys that could possibly emerge as a top leader in the wake of the Rizzuto fallout. Of course, some have already pegged him (or someone else) as the new Godfather of Montreal.

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 boss of Montreal has yet to be disclosed...if it ever will be. But, it is a Calabrian boss. It's not Montagna. If Montagna is involved in the takeover, it's minimal at best. This was a Calabrian takeover, Sicilians collaborating.

Just wondered if he will hit the ground running like Greg Depalma or stay in the shadows. He is very wealthy.

Ivy, I hear you. What I am suggesting is that IF Sal did became the boss of the Montreal Family/Sixth Family, would he still answer to guys in New York or would guys like Vinny TV, Graziano, Santoro, Asaro answered to Sal, who was the boss or acting boss of the Bonanno Family before he was deported by the US government. Anyhow, we got a very interesting situation here.

I assume it would be like Joe Bonanno or Lucky Luciano in exile who held some clout but no real power.

Well that's debatable. The only person who said that was Sal Vitale and he was not privy to important matters even though he was the underboss. None of the captains trusted him and Massino went as far as forbidding him to speak with his captains. Furthermore IMO they MOntreal ports were by rights the Bananno's and it is just too much money for Massino to walk away from so easily. Also there were numerous times when Quebecois mafiosi were seen in NY and vice versa well after Sciascia was whacked (Vitale claimed that after Sciascia was killed that ties between NY and Montreal were severe). Nevertheless knowledgeable posters like MickeyMeatballs believe ties were severed after George from Canada was hit an I admit they have a very sound basis for that speculation.

Those who don't know their history are doomed to repeat it. And if you're a street guy who never learned how NOT to act from Greg DePalma, then you pretty much deserve to die in jail. Just like he did.

Greg didn't just "hit the ground running." He hit the ground talking, to anyone who would listen .

Personally, I don't think it's likely Montagna is going to become the top guy in Montreal. He's only there in the first place because he was deported. And, in any event, he's a member of the Bonanno family. And the Bonanno family is an Italian-American organization. I could see him looking after the family's interests there, if any. But it's not like he's going to run things in New York from Montreal. He was only acting boss after all. One of several in recent years.

obviously if montagna is involved in the montreal mafia war that is taking over the rizzuto's he's not alone he's supported by the bonanno zips (totò catalano was released a couple of years ago and he had big grip in montreal) and some montreal factions
i don't know if he's involved but the hard-core war began when he arrived there

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.

Probably not a good idea to just assume tribute totals. If I remember correctly, towards the end the Montreal crew was only sending tribute at Christmas time and I don't think it was even 50k.

speaking of Graziano they just arrested Hector Pagan Reneee's ex and accused him of robbing TG's card game

A top Bonanno mobster better straighten out his own family.
The former son-in-law of reputed consigliere Anthony (T.G.) Graziano was arrested by federal agents Monday for allegedly setting up the armed robbery of an illegal gambling spot controlled by the Bonanno crime family.
Hector Pagan, Jr., was ordered held without bail in connection with the 2009 stickup in Staten Island that netted about $5,000. Pagan, 51, the ex-husband of Graziano’s daughter, Rene, who appears on the reality show “Mob Wives,” hatched the scheme to rob the weekly card game where large amounts of money were wagered, according to the complaint filed in Brooklyn Federal Court.
“Pagan threatened one of the victims by pointing his gun directly at one of the victim’s legs,” U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent Al Gyenes stated in the complaint.
Graziano is serving the last two months of a racketeering conviction in a halfway house and is already back in trouble with the feds. He was photographed by agents last month meeting at a Staten Island diner with another Bonanno wiseguy, which is a violation that is expected to earn him more prison time. Graziano is supposedly not happy with the attention the TV show brings upon his secret society and stopped talking to his daughter.
Graziano was chauffeured to the sitdown by mob wanna-be Matthew Rinaldo, who is also charged with participating in the card game robbery with Pagan.
Pagan told Magistrate Andrew Carter that he’s broke and cannot pay for his own lawyer.

http://fivefamiliesnyc.blogspot.com/

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/feds...0#ixzz1eT8qIE18

if TG cannot stay away for 2 more months while he was in the halfway house which is heavily supervised....hes going straight back

Anthony Graziano may not approve of his daughter's "Mob Wives" reality show, but it looks as though he has given its producers fodder for another season of Mafia melodrama.
Graziano, 71, of Huguenot, a reputed one-time consigliere of the Bonanno crime family, has been tossed back in federal prison on extortion charges, just a few months after he was released from a halfway house and placed under house arrest.
He was busted earlier today for attempting to collect a years-old loansharking debt, federal prosecutors allege.
The Staten Island gangster, who has gone by the nicknames "TG" and "the Little Guy," is the father of Renee Graziano, one of the four stars of VH1's "Mob Wives," which returns in January.
Anthony's arrest comes just a day after Renee's ex-husband, Hector Pagan Jr., and another Islander were charged with knocking over a mob-run card game in Travis in 2009.
All three arrests were made as part of a probe by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.
Graziano was caught twice on a wire talking about the old debt with a confidential informant, according to a federal warrant for his arrest, and ultimately agreed to cut the debtor some slack in exchange for a smaller payout and a promise of fealty.
The warrant lays out those conversations:
"You remember this guy...? He owed me 150 thousand," Graziano said in an Aug. 16 conversation with the informant.
The informant, a Bonanno soldier who "has an extensive criminal history that includes crimes of violence," was first directed to collect the debt in 2005, upon the informant's own release from prison, court papers allege.
CAUGHT ON TAPE

The informant told the aging mobster that the debtor was a panicky mess, worried about threats he had recently received.
"I went to see the guy, the guy was crying hysterical on the boardwalk. I says, listen, you know Anthony would never do anything to you," the informant said.
"Never," Graziano interjected.
"And I'm not here to do anything to you either," the informant said.
"Listen to me. Tell him ... 'Listen, Anthony says come to the house," Graziano said.
In a later conversation, with an unnamed co-conspirator, the informant described the loanshark debtor as a "peace officer."
"He's big with shackles, yeah?" the co-conspirator asked.
Finally, on Nov. 9, Graziano told the informant to cut the debtor some slack: "Let me see what he says. If he got $25k, I'll take the $25k and call it even. You belong to me, anything you do, let me know, maybe I can make some money with you."
Back in 2003, Graziano was sentenced to nine years in prison on tax evasion and racketeering charges that included a plot to kill two reputed Colombo crime family associates who'd shot a man in a former Charleston strip joint called Hipps, which was allegedly controlled by Graziano. The associates were not harmed.
After "Mob Wives" premiered, Graziano and his daughter reportedly stopped talking because he didn't approve of her involvement with the show.
Graziano's lawyer, Patrick Parrotta, said his client was released to a halfway house in early summer to serve the end of that sentence, then to home confinement about a month later. Graziano denies the most recent charges against him, Parrotta said.
"My client is going to finish serving out the rest of his previous sentence in 2012, and in the interim, we are preparing to fight the allegations by way of a trial shortly thereafter," Parrotta said.
CARD GAME HEIST

The DEA investigation also led to the arrest of Renee's ex, Pagan Jr., 51, and Matthew Rinaldo, both Islanders. They were arraigned Monday on allegations they were part of a five-man crew that robbed a weekly card game run by the Bonanno crime family in the summer of 2009.
Two members of that crew have since become cooperating witnesses, court papers allege.
The game ran out of an illegal gambling club near the intersection of Victory Boulevard and Travis Avenue, according to law enforcement sources.
They were hoping to find "substantial sums of money" at the game, court papers allege, but the job turned out to be high-risk, low-reward -- the take amounted only to about $5,000.
Pagan pointed a gun at one of the victim's legs, and the robbers demanded the card players empty their pockets, according to the feds. A wall safe in the room turned out to be empty, though, as did an adjoining room, the feds allege.

http://fivefamiliesnyc.blogspot.com/

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/11/mob_wives_dad_a_bonanno_big_is.html

i wonder who that bonanno soldier/rat is who caught tg on a wire, says he got out in 2005 so do u guys have any ideas....?

Anyone know what's up with the DEA being involved, or well actually the ones who made the indictment/arrest with this recent Graziano business?

Why the DEA? This doesn't seem to be a drug related case.

HIs name is Richard simmons