Reading your articles and learning more about the mob has shown something nobody really teaches you when you first start researching. Transferring families is not uncommon, it's actually very common. And some families (like on the west coast) actually rely on it to survive.
Who knows what happened to the 20-40 Bonanno east coasters once Bonanno was put on the shelf. Maybe they settled in San Jose, San Francisco, or went back to New York to be part of the main borgata. Charles Battagia and I want to say...Vito Mule are the only Bonanno west coasters there's a lot of info on.
In my opinion the entertainment industry and shipping industry was so huge on the west coast that there has to have been opportunity that wasn't getting exploited. Bonanno was right to try to hone in on their turf from an economic standpoint. However, it was against the mafia rules, frowned upon, and one of many infractions that landed him in hot water (planting his flag all over the world).
NY Mafia I don't post a lot but I read all your articles. Look forward to it in these quarantine times.
Barrett, first of all I want to thank you for your very positive comments about this story, as well as other stories I've posted. I enjoy my research and writing. But your comments and compliments are another of the main reasons why I do what I do. To try and entertain people as well as try and shed light on little known aspects of "The Life".... So thanks for that!
I enjoy the feedback from readers of my articles and exposes' afterwards, so please feel free to interact with me. I greatly respect what you have to say.
And I agree with EVERYTHING you said about the West Coast crews 100%!
Because of their ages (most were getting on in years), many of the inducted soldiers and associates who later followed the Bonanno's out to Tuscon just retired. Just faded off into the sunset. In truth they had pretty much resigned themselves to that from the get-go when they migrated out there with him.
The few who wanted to stay active in the life did indeed move over to the San Jose crew. And I'm sure as "good fellows" they had many, many "compare" back in NYC that they could call on for help if needed. And although they may have stayed out west, it doesn't mean that they HAD to transfer membership unless they were in a territory THAT IS preordained as another Family bosses territory.
Sometimes a guy could live in a far off city for years such as Sal Pisello (a soldier in the Gambino family does), and still always retain his NYC Gambino membership.
There used to be a steadfast rule that any good fellow who moves to the territory of another borgata has to transfer membership if he plants his flag there and intends to stay past 6 months..... in the old days the Old Mustaches were sticklers over rules like that. Nowadays (and even 20-30 years ago), it became a lot looser.
I know guys who have lived out of state for years and never had to re-affiliate. Lots of times it's because the soldier WANTS to get away from his parent borgata. He wants a fresh start. Know what I mean?
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As far as you saying the the shipping industry and other industries were wide open for the taking, you're absolutely right. But at the end of the day, even if the resident borgata is a Mickey Mouse Crew like the LA Family was, etc., its their call to run the way their Representante sees fit! NOT that of another boss from another city.... PERIOD!
