George Freselone talked about it in his book Blood Oath. He said it had been the belief by many that Bruno was killed because he was keeping the NY families out of AC. Freselone said it was the other way around - Bruno was killed (by Caponigro) because he was letting them in.

I find it believable because, after all, Bruno reportedly didn't want his guys involved in the drug trade despite taking drug money from certain people (much like Castellano). Caponigro resented this, as well as the AC thing, because he saw Bruno as weak, not capitalizing on potential money-making endeavors, and allowing other families into what was traditionally Philadelphia LCN territory.

By the way, as Freselone also mention in his book, prior to the legalization of casino gambling in Atlantic City, the mob's involvement with HEREU Local 54 basically involved Scarfo and his guys using the Local as leverage to shake down bars and restaurants in town for money to avoid the union organizing their employees.

I just don't get the whole Caponigro thing. These guys know the rules. They know you don't kill a boss without Commission approval with impunity. This is why I find the idea of Caponigro up and arranging to kill Bruno on the ok a couple of Genovese soldiers weird.

I agree with you there Iceman....There had to be a lot more to that story. Doesn't add up to me either. I think some of the other higher ups were in on it but they didn't want to get their feet wet on the situation, just reap the profits $$$$ from it.

It's been pretty well documented from George Anastasia, leonetti, as well as nick caramandi. Funzi Tieri lost a sit down to caponigro, which was a lot money. I'm sure Nicky scarfo had bobby manna's ear in jail about Bruno's shortcomings. The Genovese saw an opportunity and capitalized on it.

I've read those books a few times and read as much as I can about scarfo. He probably knew something was going to go down; or at least sensed it. But he didn't have any direct involvement.

Agreed. Bananas thought he had it all worked out with NY and that he would get the Commission votes to be new boss. There had been grumblings about Ange the past couple years, and Caponigro made his move before someone else would...keep in mind the geographic element as well...Caponigro's Newark day-to-day dealings were far removed from Bruno's South Philly. Bananas was at Cous' in Philly right before getting whacked telling guys how everything would be straightened out in a few days...I am still surprised this wily gangster fell for the okie-doke and thought he could murder a boss without Commission approval.

Angelo Bruno was a hippocrite just like big paul they were both greedy and cheap

in 1977 when big paul took over they had a sitdown with funzi and the westies over ruby steins black shy book which was worth millions I read. guess big paul one the sitdown for the westies then put them with him im bet they somehow played into it making funzi the fool to loose to a new boss and some irish drunks who killed a Genovese money maker for 30yrs. anyone remember the name of the restaurant in bk it still there was on food channel the other day.

Angelo Bruno who everyone thinks was anti drug was one of if not the biggest dope dealer in Philly at one point

he obviously thought he had commission approval. If he did he would have been told the same way, it's not like they would have had a meeting and brought him. He took the word of a Genovese soldier and they rocked him to sleep

One thing that puzzles me, by all account Caponigro was tortured before his murder.
Was it bad blood from him winning the sit-down?

Either that or it was a message that u can't take out a boss , if u do this is wot happens , always wondered why Pete casella got a pass for doing the same thing , he must have had friends in high places to get a pass

Vegas I wouldn't say that Bruno was the biggest drug dealer, he directly profited from the drug trade by taxing the Cherry Hill Gambino's but its doubtful that he setup his own deals.

In 'Mafia Prince' it mentions that Pete Casella was friendly with a high-ranking Genovese captain who asked Gigante to give him a pass.

I always assumed that they killed Caponigro and then started beating and stabbing him after so that when the body is found he looks tortured of course to send a message. Seems strange they would actually torture him in order to teach him a pointless message.

Just a little information i read in a report on Caponigro's murder: At the time of his murder, he was suspected of financing a large drug deal which had been broken up about 2 months earlier in Milan, Italy.

Stanfa got a pass too, didn't he?

Stanfa got a pass after the Cherry Hill Gambinos hid him and he went back to Sicily. After everything somewhat settled years later, he returned. I would not rule out Rosario Gambino being involved, nor the Colombo Jersey crew, as rumor has it that Salvatore "Jersey Sal" Profaci took over that crew about a month after the Bruno hit. Rosario worked independent from Big Paul and as far as I can tell, never told Paul what he was doing or planing, but Gambino did kick up drug profits to him.

The genovese manna chin funzi etc wanted Bruno dead. Bananas def had the green light from not just funzi but the other hierarchy. After the hit those same guys lied to castellano and to cover their tracks nominated themselves to find and execute the conspirators. I think caponigro was tortured post mortem to send a message. The whole story of a house upstate doesn't fit the timeline. Those genovese guys were the most cunning and treacherous gangsters of their day end result they got what they wanted and castellano and co were non the wiser. A machevelian triple cross of caponigro was flawless. To think funzi was almost 80 and still that treacherous is par w the course for the genovese from 57 till the end of chin. There should be a book written on that whole event. Prob is there is no one to tell it in truth unless manna writes a memoir