Another question; Was Frank Tieri the main man responsible for the Angelo Bruno murder?? Or do you think there were a bunch of Genovese leaders involved too? Theres different conflicting accounts. I know Tony Caponigro wanted Bruno whacked but who else could have been involved?
Looking over the info about it in different books (Gravano’s, Leonetti’s and Fresolone’s), I think it was a joint effort by the Genovese leaders.
Tieri wanted to move in on a big bookmaking operation Caponigro had. They took the dispute to the Commission. Caponigro wins because he has the backing of Bruno and Bruno has the backing of Castellano, so they have the majority of the Commission votes.
So the Genovese people want to take over Caponigro’s business in NJ and they want Philly’s support on the Commission. Caponigro ends up giving it to them on silver platter. For some reason, he starts confiding his grievances about Bruno in Tieri, who eventually tells Caponigro he has Commission permission to kill Bruno.
Bobby Manna met with Scarfo before Bruno was killed and asked him if “God forbid†something happened to Ange and Philip Testa became boss, where the Genovese would stand with the Philly family. Scarfo told him they would align themselves with the Genovese family.
Bruno is killed and Chin tells the Commission the Genovese family is volunteering to lead the investigation into how this happened. Caponigro is called before Fat Tony, Tieri, Bobby Manna and the Chin. They ask him who gave him permission to kill his boss, he says Tieri, Tieri say “I told you straighten it out, not kill himâ€. Then Caponigro is brutally killed.
So now the Genovese family doesn’t have to deal with Caponigro in NJ anymore and they have the Philly family’s support. Like GV said, two birds with one stone.
