If the Buffalo family was nearly defunct as several articles and the lack of indictments seemed to indicate-Ockham's would say the family is dead and being absorbed by the Bonannos is the easiest explanation. That is my number 2 theory. But Bensonhurst has a great point when he says:



Bensonhurst you asked about who is on the streets now:



Here is what I know... And it is not verifiable just what I've learned from people I've talked to in the area:

1. A funeral director in Buffalo that I know did the Sonny Nicoletti Funeral in the Falls. He told me there was a major contingent of Canadian guys showing their respect. That seems to verify the street report that Nicolleti was running things in the States. This was when I was wondering if Joe Todaro Jr. was still involved. He told me there were no Todaros at the funeral. He said "Butchie" (Frank BiFulco) was there and everyone was paying him a great deal of respect--like he was the boss. The report that came out about a year ago on Cosa Nostra News and About the Mafia indicated BiFulco was at the helm and that confirms to me what this undertaker talk me.

2. From a person with a name you would recognize, but I don't have permission to share in public: Buffalo is active and very involved with healthcare fraud with other families. Additionally, this individual indicates the Capitano brothers (Sam and Peter) from LIUNA Local 210 are still involved. That goes against the public perception around here that Pete has become a born again Christian and has nothing to do with "the life" any more .

3. A journalist with a small weekly paper indicates his source "who is in politics and whose family has been or is on the periphery for years" indicates "their are young guys making a good living." He says that they are involved in drug trafficking and are being led by older Buffalo mobsters who are living in Florida a good deal of the time. He said a couple of years ago the big guy had to make a special trip up to straighten some things out and get a few of the young guys in line.

4. Very recently and individual on this site pointed me to the murder of Monty Massimi by Sam Vacanti at the end of 2007. It involved several younger guys with last names known to be associated with the Buffalo crime family. It is interesting, I never found articles on that murder on my own--and I've done a lot of research. My belief is that these articles were scrubbed because the murder involved the family of a high profile Buffalo politician--Mark Grisanti-- who later became a NY State senator. Do a search for Massimi or Vacanti the Buffalo News website and it won't result in a any hit (at least as of last week). I posted about this on the BUSICO Thread I started.

5. The Massimi murder by Vacanti involved a drug trafficking ring with young guys who's families had know mob connections and were put in charge of drug trafficking by Joe Todaro after Andy Aiello was busted in the BUSICO case that resulted in the Pizza Connection. (I posted about this on the BUSICO thread.) Here is what Gangsters Inc wrote in an article called "Puparo presents: The Roaring '80's Part 1:"



Let me try to highlight the mob connections in the Massimi homicide and what is ALLEGED to have happened:

A.. Mark Grisanti married Maria Amoia.

B. Her sister is Joann Vacanti whose son was part of the Amoia's Drug Business (Remember, Amoia he was put in place by the Todaro's man Acticoli.) The Amoia's have a long history with the mob in WNY.

C. Joann's son Sam Vacanti was a known narcotics trafficker--and in November 2007 he murdered Monty Massimi in what the Buffalo News said "brought back memories" of an old school mob hit. (This article can be found on Press Reader--Not on The Buffalo News site anymore--it also said those involved were not members of the mob, but it never mentioned the many connections this drug ring and murder had to the mob in WNY.)



D. It appears the DA at the time, Frank Sedita, botched the handling of this case. (Remember Joe Sedita had represent the interest of the Mob controlled local 210, and Frank Sedita Sr. was Buffalo Mayor from '58-'61 & '66-'73--he is alleged to have had weekly lunches with mobsters at 210.)

E. Mark Grisanit's stepson is John Amoia and his nephew is Adam Amoia. Adam Amoia was an accessory to the Massimi murder, and John Amoia received the murder weapon. The murderer, Sammy Vacanti gave the murder weapon to John Amoia who buried it behind the swimming pool at Grisanti's home. The weapon was later unearthed and given back to Sam Vacanti (triggerman) and Adam Amoia (allegedly with Sam and David Gambino the night of the murder). The murder weapon was never found by the authorities.

F. The Massimi homicide pictures were leaked and posted to a blog in order to silence those who were talking and influence/limit the testimony of against Vacanti or David Gambino.

G. A poster on the Topic Forum--which is about the only place to get information on this case--as the papers have removed articles from their online archives says what many of us who live in Buffalo believe:



H. Some of the known drug traffickers in this case with mob ties are: David Gambino, Sammy Vacanti, Louie Vacanti, Adam Amoia, JR, Faust Novino and Fillipo

I. Sammy Vacanti eventually turned and gave up many in his drug trafficking crew. This lead to many arrests in several states and in Canada. David Gambino and a Zip named Filippo Inglima were given large sentences for their role in this drug trafficking ring just 5 years ago. Here is the FBI's press release: https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/b...tfield-man-pleads-guilty-to-drug-charges