First time posting here on GangsterBB.

Was wondering if there is a comprehensive chart of who the caporegimes were in each of the Five Families at the time of Valachi's defection.

The Valachi Charts provide some info, but is there a better site or does anyone at Gangsterbb have any insight on who the capos in each of the 5 families were in 1963?

1963 joe colombo becomes a boss and breaks every capo in the family but just really is reshuffling his family. greg scarpa was a capo back then and he tells the fbi all the capo in that family and many others but you have to read up on it

Bonanno
Joseph Notaro, Thomas D'Angelo, John Aquaro, Vito DeFilippo, Frank LaBruzzo, Matteo Valvo, Gaspare DiGregorio, Natale Evola, Vincent Cotroni, Luigi Creco, Angelo Caruso, Salvatore Bonanno, Paul Sciacca, Joseph Asaro, Vincent DePasquale, Joseph DiFilippo, Vincent Tarantola, Frank Tartamella

Colombo
John Franzese, Salvatore Mussachio, Vincent Aloi, John Oddo, Nicoline Sorrentino Sr, John Misuraca, Simone Andolino, Frank Profaci, Harry Fontana, James Clemenza, Salvatore Badalamenti, Leonardo Carlino, Ambrogio Magliocco, Vincent Randazzo, Joseph Tipa Sr, Joseph Colombo Sr.

Gambino
Carmine Fattico, Aniello Dellacroce, Vincent Corrao, Anthony Sedotto, Arthur Leo, Frank Piccolo, Peter Ferrara, Paul Castellano, Paolo Gambino, Charles Dongarro, Frank Perrone, Olympio Garafalo, Anthony Anastasio, Joseph Colozzo, Ettore Zappi, Joseph Paterno, Domenico Arcuri, Joseph Traina, Joseph Gennaro, Luigi Morici, John Riccobono, Joseph Silesi, Rocco Mazzie, Pasquale Conte, Alfred Eppolito, Carmine Lombardozzi

Lucchese
Paul Vario Sr, Anthony Castaldi, Benjamin Pizzolato, Ciro Giampaolo, Carmine Tramunti, Salvatore Santoro, Joseph LaRatro, Joseph Abate, Ettore Coco, Antonio Corallo, John DiCarlo, John Dioguardi, Joseph Lucchese, Joseph Rosato, Joseph DiPalermo

Did Valachi mention Sonny Franzese personally or meet him?

Not many guys around that worked for the original bosses like Neil Migliore who died in September.

If Sonny was in the other families I guarantee he would of been around guys like Carlo, Joe and Vito.

Pat conte the herion kingpin/supermarket chains from the gambinos is still alive according to a capeci article i read yesterday at 94. Hes probaly one of the last on the street. Didnt say what his health is like but hes alive. Guess dom cefulos unvle died he was a old guy

You're implying he was around the originals? at 94 yrs old it would be my guess.

We need a chart on the oldest members out of the families.

Yeah Patsy Conte is still around I thought he died or went back to Sicily. He's retired, but still a member in good standing.

Genovese
Michael Coppola- Phil Lombardo was acting for Coppola, Thomas Eboli- Pasquale Eboli was acting for his brother, Frank Celano, Frank Tieri, Peter DeFeo, Vincent Alo, James Angellino, Rosario Mogavero, Nick Ratenni, Richard Boiardo, Angelo DeCarlo, Eugene Catena, Vincenzo Genoroso, Thomas Greco, Cosmo Fresca, Salvatore Cufari, Girolamo Santuccio.

The Worcester crew was put under control of Girolamo Santuccio of Connecticut after Frank Iacone died in 1956, with Angelo Iacone acting capo in the area. Raymond Patriarca Sr, made Salvatore Cufari and five other members then transferred them to the Genovese crime family as a favor to Vito Genovese, thus Worcester than reported to Springfield Massachusetts.

Based on these 1963 charts, in your opinion
who was the richest Family?
who was the most dangerous family?
who was the most organized/stable family?
who was the weakest/least stable family?
who was the most mysterious/unknown family both in public and by other families?

1) At the time Genovese crime family was the richest with the Gambinos creeping up on them.
2) the most dangerous family to be in was the Colombos. The most dangerous family to go up against were the Genovese crime family. I'll you why, when Costello and Genovese were housed at the same facility, they compared notes and realized that Tony Bender was playing both of them. When Strollo disappeared in 1962, there was finally peace and stability with the family acting as one overall when 1963 came around.
3) Lucchese crime family
4) Colombo crime family. The Bonanno family did not start running into problems until 1964 and by 1965 they started to come unhinged.
5) This is a tough one to answer. They were all mysterious to the public at the time. I would have to say Bonanno and Lucchese were contenders at the time, but Gambino crime family was a lot more mysterious and unknown to the public and LE. Take a look at those charts and you can see people were placed in the wrong family, Valachi, other informants and bugs helped LE to piece the families more accurately, but still thay got members wrong here and there.

(commenting on statement 2.)
Interesting, so how did Costello figure into this scenario when most believe he was out in 57'?
At that time, the Family was unified under an imprisoned Vito, with Tommy Eboli as the acting boss. So when did the Family, get to the point where nobody could finger who actually held the power? Did it begin during this time or later on?

After Anthony Carfano was killed, Costello reachout to a few Capos still loyal to him, and the Genovese camp. Peace was made, but Tony Bender was making things difficult with those crews and saying this is what Genovese wanted, this was infuriating many members to were not a lot of cooperation was being done in the street. As I have said before, once Costello and Genovese had a private talk and later on compared notes, they got rid of Tony Bender, and Frank Costello was welcomed back into the family, and given a couple of businesses, long sharking and a lucrative gambling spot up in northern Manhattan to enjoy his retirement. The Feds had tapped a lot of the top guys in the Genovese crime family spots where they met or did business with other families. Once the order came to spot bugging places they were in the dark with a few tidbits from informants. They had a good general ideal, but once Vito Genovese died in 1969, that is when nobody could figure out the family hierarchy and ran with Tommy Eboli being the boss,
after Eboli was killed they said Catena and Miranda, finding out that Miranda retired they said Frank Tieri was boss, and Tony Salerno was underboss(He was Consigliere at the time). Everyone knew that the old Terranova crew which had Phillip Lombardo and Tony Salerno in it (Barney Bellomo became capo of this crew in the 1980s) the old Genovese crew, this crew would split between Anthony Strollo and Michele Miranda when the Five Family bosses were named, which had Tommy Eboli, Dominick Alongi, Vincent Gigante, Michele Miranda, and Frank Tieri who broke off from Miranda crew in 1958 and became a capo in the 1960s weilded the most power in the family.

Giacomo_vacari,
In reference to the Bonanno problems, Which Crews remained loyal and which crews sided with that traitor Gaspare Di gregorio?

Bonanno crews as of 1963:
Joseph Notaro, Thomas D'Angelo, John Aquaro, Vito DeFilippo, Frank LaBruzzo, Matteo Valvo, Gaspare DiGregorio, Natale Evola, Vincent Cotroni, Luigi Creco, Angelo Caruso, Salvatore Bonanno, Paul Sciacca, Joseph Asaro, Vincent DePasquale, Joseph DiFilippo, Vincent Tarantola, Frank Tartamella


Joe Notaro, Bill Bonanno, Frank LaBruzzo were obvious Bonanno loyalists.

Thomas D'Angelo, Paul Sciacca were obvious DiGregorio loyalists.

Not sure if Natale Evola, Vince Cotroni and Luigi Greco were on the fence or sided with one of the warring factions. Was wondering if Rusty Rastelli, Bayonne Joe Zicarelli, Armond Pollastorino, Michael Zaffarano, Nicholas Marangello and Mike Sabella were neutrals or sided with either Bonanno or DiGregorio during the Banana Wars.

The Asaros had a long running grudge with Bonanno and they sided with DiGregorio.
Evola, Zicarelli, Marangello and Sabella I believe were all initially loyal with Bonanno but tried to remain on sidelines and neutral (I'm not sure if any switched sides). Actually most crews tried not to get involved in the conflict, no matter which side they were on. Zicarelli also wanted to switch to DeCavalcantes in the chaos that ensued.

John Tartamella, Frank Labruzzo, Joe Notaro were all strong loyalists. The latter two died at the worst possible time. John Tartamella's son was a DiGregorio loyalist. It even split family lines.

what was the long standing issue between the Asaros and Bonanno?

To me, It seemed based on Mob logic, Di Gregorio had to been on the outs with Bonanno in some way. Possibly left out of the drug action? Maybe something personal over the years?

It just seemed ,from his perspective, it was more than just Bill Bonanno was elected or "selected" for Consiglieri. Obviously he had Magaddino/by proxy Gambino/Lucchese backing him but there is something missing.

Vinny's grandfather Vincenzo (an old timer mafioso from Castellmare) was a capo and was demoted by Bonanno. His son Jerome (Vinny's father) was at one point also shelved by Bonanno.

Bonanno was stingy and bled his family members dry with high tributes (DiGregorio included). His traditionalist methods originating from the old county were out of place in the new era, the nepotism associated with his son being promoted was just the trigger for all the thing to come. Also the rebellion was stirred by other families, his relative Maggadino included (he fell out with him apparently due to moving in on rackets on his territory). Well, DiGregorio also wasn't the best choice for a leader.

That's a hard question Dob-Peppino, cause many of the crews split on who to who to support or stay on the sidelines.

Bonanno loyalists that held a rank of Capo or higher before 1968. (Have to cheat here cause it gets more complicated)
Bill Bonanno, John Morale, Joe Notaro, Vito DiFilippo, Frank LaBruzzo, Natale Evola who was still locked up during this time, Charles Battaglia, Carmine Galante was locked up during this time, Nicholas Marangello who played along with Frank Mari on Galante orders, Angelo Caruso, Giuseppe DiFilippi who switched sides back to the Bonanno family once Joe Bonanno returned and Vincenzo Tarantola.

DiGregorio loyalists
Gaspare DiGregorio, Michael Consolo, Frank Mari, Armando Pollastrino, Thomas D'Angelo, Giovanni Fiordillino, Philip Rastelli was with Bonanno till Bill Bonanno became acting boss, Michael Zaffarano, Stefano Cannone, Paul Sciacca, Girolamo Asaro, Pietro Crociata.

Many of these crews split apart to form other crews, that supported one of the factions or stayed on the sidelines Michael Sabella, Joe Zicarelli, Giuseppe Grimaldi, Anthony Riela, and Nicola Alfano. Alfano keeps being put in either Bonanno or DiGregorio camps, but he remained on the sidelines and was a big part of setting the new administration up after the Bonanno war. Alfano personally sidelined Johnny Burns.

Joe Bonanno did selved Vincenzo and Girolamo Asaro, and placed Giuseppe Grimaldi, Vito Grimaldi father as Capo, Grimaldi stayed on the sidelines. As far as reason, it is said Asaro and John Morale had a dispute over something and Bonanno sided with Morale, who was family to the Bonannos through the Bonventre family, Bonanno or Morale told Asaro to drop it and he did not. Morale and Alfano is also said to have a dispute, with Bonanno ruling in Morale favor.

IMO, and I understand certain situations but historically going against you're Boss, never ends well. In this situation, Di Gregorio faction (Sciacca/Rastelli), the people on the fence and Bonanno loyalist all lost. And Bonanno himself probably left with a better deal then the Rebels.

Bonanno was able to settle his beef with Gambino.
Keep his legitimate businesses outside Ny.
Still act as a liason to Montreal and Sicily
secure peace for his loyalist who moved to Arizona and some of those who remained in Ny.
establish a quasi-Family in Arizona and California, unbothered.

The Bonannos rebels (as of around 1970) were left, with:
1.) their prestige and nation presence gone (that what Bonanno brought to the table)
2.) their smartest and most well connected guys either dead or in exile with Joe.
3.) They lost their Commission seat beacuse the Family wasn't unified and the other bosses didn't respect them
4.) was finally pushed out of the few unions they were involved to primarily the Gambinos and Luchesse
5.) Lost Brooklyn territory to the Colombos
6.) an influx of ruthless zips, treacherous caporegime and uprising of inadequate/inept members (Lefty Ruggiero comes to mind)

Nicolo Alfano is kinda a sleeper. He was around forever but seemed to be left out of Bonannos core clique.

Besides Di Gregorio being weak and his ill health. What were the circumstance of the Family getting behind Sciacca? Where does Pietro Crociata fall in the equation?
What support did Frank Mari and Mike Adamo have to try to do a coup within a coup?

Alfano base was in New Jersey during the time and most members outside New York stayed on the sidelines, the exceptions were California and Arizona members that were not retired at the time. Alfano was in fact the defecto boss of New Jersey Bonanno faction since Carmine Galante was locked up. Galante had one of the biggest crews before his arrest, as by 1960 it split unknown who became capo of the new crew as two years later it would reemerge back into Galante crew, then again in 1965 which Joe Notaro was official capo then demoted for remaining loyal to Bonanno, Mike Sabella became official capo, but decided to remain on the sidelines which caused him to be demoted. The crew was then split into four crews with Michael Consolo, Amando Pollastrino, and Michael Zaffarano were named capos for the opposition against Bonanno, Joseph Ziccarelli became capo over the New Jersey members of the crew remained on the sidelines, while some soldiers went with Joe Notaro into supporting Bonanno, and a couple went with Sabella under the Lucchese crime family protection on the condition that dont touch a gun during the conflict.

Paul Sciacca was a good earner for the family in the Garment business, unions had his own bank or two in New Jersey, and had put in some work for the family. His business in the garment industry attracted Bonanno to promote him to capo. This is important cause he was such an earner there that Lucchese liked him over the year after they met that a friendship began, and through that he was introduced to Carlo Gambino. When Gaspare stepped down, Lucchese picked Paul Sciacca to lead and the other commission members backed the pick up. He was bumped up to acting boss and made his old mentor Pietro Crociata Capo over his old crew. Crociate was able to get old members in the family to their side. Sciacca was still struggling trying to get the family together during and after the war. During the war he bumped up Mari and Adamo to capos, then bumped Mari to his underboss.

Why Adamo and Mari tried to takeout Sciacca? Greed. Who supported them? Some members in the Bonanno crime family, and members in other families. Mari was feuding with Michele Miranda, and Frank Celano in the Genovese crime family. My theory is that the Genovese were setting them up. Whatever happened, Adamo and Mari were sure they could pull it off. The members who are said to have tipped off Sciacca about the plot are Nicholas Marangello and Frank Tartamella. After Mari and Adamo disappeared, Mike Sabella came back into the folds thanks to his good friend Marangello, and Tartamella was promoted to capo.

He lost control of his family but evaded the RICO sentence and thus rotting in jail for the last 20 yrs of his life like other bosses. Had he been less close-fisted he would have been untouchable.

I agree, if Bonanno lasted past 1970, he would've ended up in jail on Rico or taking Galante's bullets as well.

Suppose on the off chance Bonanno somehow managed to kill Lucchese, Gambino and Magaddino, who would have been the prime candidates Bonanno would have picked for each of those families?

Also, was Big Paulie ever involved in the Banana Wars?.