Is it possible that Joseph "Chickie" Ciancaglini was possibly involved in the Angelo Bruno hit? Frank Sindone; Chickie's mentor; friend and captain was killed due his involvement.

I've read a while back that Chickie was in phone contact with Sindone after Sindone went into hiding in California. Did this set off some alarms?? I know the Genovese"s may have had a hit placed on Chickie. I think Phil Testa and Scarfo saved him but ordered him to get rid of Frank.

The rest is history; I think Chickie had a bit of luck on his side or he possibly could have been dead in 1980 just like the other co-conspiritors.

Would love opinions; What do you guys think?

Some of the New York members believed he was, but Scarfo was able to save him by allegedly telling Joe Ciancaglini, that either he personally kill Sindone or he would also get the same treatment. Ciancaglini was Frank Sindone's right hand man in his crew, and served as his driver and bodyguard, they were made together in the family and were the last members made under Bruno's reign along with John Grande and Alfred Salerno. Like Sindone, he was a good earner. Testa and Scarfo knew Ciancaglini remained in contact with Sindone, speculation of John Grande informing them about Ciancaglini and Sindone talking on the phone, it would also explain why Scarfo wanted to make John's sons fast into the family. Nicky figured because John was loyal and informed them of those two, that his sons would be loyal too, but Salvatore flipped later on. Ciancaglini was close to Johnny Keys and Sindone that it would be impossible for him to not know something was going on at the very least. Ciancaglini most likely knew his life was in the balance during that time, and most likely tipped off by Patty Specs. So as soon as he was sent for, he knew what it was for.

Why Philadelphia did not cave in to New York (Genovese and Gambino families) was for these reasons I believe.
1. He was a tremendous earner and enforcer. Getting rid of Frank Sindone and Joseph Ciancaglini Sr would have weakened the family's North New Jersey operations, as Anthony Caponigro, and John Simone were dead. Scarfo vouched for him which was good enough for Testa that Ciancaglini would be loyal and fall in line.
2. He was close and friendly to many mobsters.
3. All soldiers follow their Capo's orders, even if he was involved, it would not be held against him (think of Vincent Gigante on the Costello hit).
4. There is no evidence he was at Bruno's shooting, he was at the hospital where John Stanfa was, but he did not go into the room or talked to Stanfa, just drove Sindone there and waited outside or in the waiting room.
5. The new Philadelphia administration did not want a hit parade, just the key conspirators, Capos and Caponigro. Yes 1982 was also a violent year for the family, but that was after Testa was killed and Scarfo took over.
6. I believe Philadelphia needed to flex a little to New York to show that one family does not dictate on what Philadelphia has to do, but follow only when the commission made a rule, or approved of an action. Phil was boss, but the commission made sure he stayed in contact with then.

@Giacomo_Vacari
Thanks for the response; Seems like Chickie is a very lucky man; Survived the initial 1980 purge of Bruno's killers and a 30+ year prison sentence. Living the rest of his life on the outside in peace. Never flipped; One of the last of the old time gangsters.

What about John Stanfa?? This guy had to have known Bruno was gunna be killed that night. Seems fishy...

Is it true that after Bruno was whacked; Sindone actually had the majority of the Capo's vote to become boss?? But the title actually went to Phil Testa via the Commission?

One last question; Why didn't John Keys Simone; Antonio Caponigro and Sindone actually do a double whammy and hit Phil Testa too along with Bruno?? Testa was the underboss; Shouldn't he have been removed also for their plan to succeed?? I think that was a error on all 3 of their parts.

On the night Bruno was killed, Long John, one Angelo's driver and bodyguards got a call to the restraunt and had to leave. Ralph Natale, Bruno's other driver was locked up. John Stanfa was not Bruno's regular driver, but was his driver for that night. Stanfa lived in the same area as Angelo. The other two mobsters at Cous Little Italy escapes me, but John Simone was also there and took off an hour be for Bruno left.

Frank Sindone did put a vote before the capos on making a new boss.


The reason Testa was not killed was because they only want Bruno, and they believed they had the commission backing.

I believe Sindone was in that restaurant Bruno ate dinner at before he was killed. Frank knew Bruno was gunna be killed that night. Talk about treachery.....

@Giacomo_Vacari

Do you think Testa would have been demoted to capo or shelved if the Caponigro; Sindone; Simone conspiracy worked out with commission backing?

Angelo Bruno was at the restaurant for a few hours. He was with John Simone who left an hour before Angelo did, Harry Riccobono, Dominic DeVito, Frank Narducci Sr, Frank Sindone, Raymond Martorano, Nick Virgilio, and John Stanfa. From what can be pieced together is that the topics, were making new members which happened a few months later after Bruno was killed. Bruno asking Simone to reachout to someone up in Boston and to get in touch with the Gambino family. The indictment rumored to be coming down on some of the top members in the family for loan sharking and gambling, including Bruno, which did come down finally in 1981, delay due to Bruno, Caponigro, Simone, and Sindone being killed during the investigation. Settling another dispute between Riccobono and Sindone, and a dispute between DeVito and Narducci. Harry Riccobono was always giving Martorano and Sindone a hard time, even blocking both their admission into the crime family, which Riccobono relented in the matter of Sindone in the 1970s, after Harry was released from prison in 1975, but it would be a few years later. Martorano would be made a few months later after Bruno was killed. Martorano took and dropped off both Frank's to where they needed to go, thus, is the reason why John Stanfa drove Angelo home since Bruno asked him to.

After Bruno was killed, Frank Sindone was the most popular choice as boss of the family, and a vote was called. At least since 1979, Sindone was trying to retire, but was not allowed by Bruno.

Testa would have remained as underboss for a while longer. Tony Caponigro was not after the top spot, only to remove Bruno from the top spot and place someone more respect and good for the family. Testa was still respected and known to support his men.

That would explain why his son didnt respect stanfa , his dad told then of his betrayal.

How dOes that make sense. It sounds like coincidence that Stanfa was the driver. Didn't he do the mason work at Bruno's house? It just blows my mind how he became boss.

Well I guess his other son wasn't home for that conversation considering he became Stanfas underboss hah!

Not that it means anything but Stanfa had family down here and they were in the life one of them had a roofing company and they could barely speak english think they came here in 1970 give or take they lived around Troy ave.in Ventnor so Stanfa had family that you don’t hear much about.

The roofing company was in Ventnor and there were quite a few of them there was another roofer here that was Scarfo guy

The Stanfa roofer don’t know if he was a brother but he was a Stanfa blood relative for sure as per a conversation I had with the one son around 1972.

Seems like there was alot of plotters in ln brunos killing. I would think the capos would keep there soldiers in the dark about killing the boss.

I mean between the Angelo Bruno and Phil Testa hit. These are the biggest names that come up between the 2 hits. Antonio Caponigro; Frank Sindone; John Scimone; Frank Narducci; Pete Casella and Rocco Marinucci.

I really believe John Stanfa and Chickie Ciancaglini knew about the Bruno plot but kept quiet. They both could have disappeared in 1980.

Are their any other names out there that may have been involved but their name never surfaced????

With the Bruno hit; Is it true Testa and Bruno were feuding?
Is it possible Nicky Scarfo was waiting for Testa to be removed so he could become boss? Scarfo was not happy when Pete Casella was made underboss over him.

@ Giacomo_Vacari

If there was a capo vote; and Frank Sindone allegedly was the popular pick as boss; Why did the commission interfere and name Phil Testa to be in the position?? Yea; He was underboss at the time Bruno was murdered; but he didn't seem like a popular choice in his own family to be boss. Sindone was the choice... I don't get it.

tommy del is the guy who testified sindone had a capo vote i belive to be boss after brunos killed, but testa was backed by nyc. sindone got a pass for awhile. i forgot who killed hium

so quick look over wiki testa died in march 81 like 6months after sindone. after tonny banannas was killed he should have never came back

Chuckie merlino & Chickie done it If I remember correctly. Can’t remember where I read it

So johnny keys is a capo in1980 tony c is the consig i belive sindone is a capo. Think bruno only had like 4 5 capos in his family. They were plotting on him. Did he have any capo loyal to him? Ithink harry hunchback back was a capo. I read he had no desire to be boss. Maybe santo idone was a capo but he had 1 solder under him. How could testa not know half the family wants to get rid the boss. I think testa wasnt a plotter but also looked the other way. Maybe scarfo told him something

@ Zavattoni, pmac answered that question.

pmac, Bruno had 8 capos under him. Before Angelo was killed, this is the chart I have for the family with acting capos up to March 1980.
Boss- Angelo Bruno Underboss- Phil Testa Consigliere- Anthony Caponigro
Capos
John Cappello, acting Peter Casella
Santo Idone
Frank Narducci Sr, no one under him and was direct with Bruno.
Nick Piccolo, acting Nick Scarfo
Enrico Riccobono, Mario Riccobono Sr was the only made member in his crew.
Joseph Scafidi
John Simone
Frank Sindone, acting Joseph Ciancaglini Sr.
The family would continue to have 8 capos until 1986 or 1987, when it was reduced to 6 capos and 6 crews.

Testa and Bruno were very tight ....but the couple years leading up to the murder they could not of been further apart....and this is when Bruno was spending lots of time at his shore house and would often beenseen on Georgia ave. and trust me we knew who was coming up and down Our street.

Bruno had become close withNick and Nicks uncles . He would come by a couple times each summer but more and more 78-80 and don’t believe the fucken paperclip story Harry or someone put out there about being banished to AC ...

Of course I was not included in any private talks but I was there almost every day and if not I was there that evening before everyone decided where we were going.....outside of the crime life they had going on .... they had a regular life and most were young so this is why everything was different....because everyone ended up at same bar or club at the end of it, and you hear shit from two barstools away.... and Bruno knew something was up .....and without Phil Testa having his back and Gambino gone Bruno was obviously looking for friends.


Look how fast Nick figured out who was involved in Bruno and Testa ..... fucken guys are treacherous .

What was up with John Simone turning on his cousin Bruno? Simone wasn't getting an administrative spot.

so it seems to come down to tony cap, sidone and john simone taking bruno out. the rest of guys were soldiers in there crew. they were the guys in on the plot. the genovese probaly told scarfo change is coming. scarfo and testa made quick work of the investigation cause the genovese told them exactly who the plotters were like serp mentiond

i forgot what leonetti said or crow or tommy del but none of them were even inducted in the family till testa became the boss. so between bruno getting killed in march 1980 tony caponigro killed in april 1980. sindone had asked the capos in the family to apoint him boss over testa?? when the commission made testa boss, sindone should have seen the writting on the wall but im guessing testa told him hes safe and all is forgiven. he was dumb

We will never know unless Phil L. comes back out of the shadows and shares.

He told some but left a shit ton of details and other info quiet. With everyone gone he will be looking to cash in soon . I know he will not hurt Nick jr. in anyway but he doesn’t need to to tell the rest .

I am guessing he is shopping because it’s been two years since he was at a meeting with the same friends he meet with when he did the book . The Scarfo story will sell in a mini series or a movie , but knowing Phil he is holding out for quality and cash.

There is a lot wrong with that.

I have never seen Casella identified as an acting capo for Cappello. Scarfo was a member of Alfred Iezzi's crew (which is missing from your chart) but due to Iezzi's semi-retirement and Scarfo's position in Atlantic City he was de facto direct with Philip Testa, not an acting capo for Piccolo (I have no idea where you got that). Harry Riccobene was a largely independent soldier, not a capo, and Mario Riccobene was never made. Frank Sindone was not a capo but simply a high-ranking soldier, likely direct with the administration, and Ciancaglini worked for him but not as an acting capo.

The 6 capos and 6 crews figure for 1986 is also inaccurate. By 1986 Philadelphia had 5 capos and 5 crews. Francis Iannarella, Santo Idone, Pasquale Martirano and the semi-retired Alfred Iezzi were capos with crews, Joseph Ciancaglini retained the rank of capo while incarcerated but had no crew under him, and Philip Leonetti retained control of his crew after becoming underboss.

Phil's the only one who turned and a. Didn't get back into crime and b. Has made an honest living and doesn't parade around telling the same old story like Franzese to stay in the spotlight. He did that interview, an A&E thing back in the 90's, did the book and disappeared. I'm looking forward to a high quality mini series like you say Serp. The icing on the cake would be him narrating like here and there like Daniel Stern in the wonder years tv show. When I finished the audiobook not much seemed to be bs like most mob books.

Seeking to clarify a lot of things being discussed in this thread.

The family hierarchy as of 1980:

At the time of Bruno's death the capos in the family were John Cappello, Santo Idone, Alfred Iezzi, Frank Narducci, Nicholas Piccolo, Joseph Scafidi and John Simone. Caponigro retained control of the North Jersey crew which had split off from Simone's regime around 1971 or 1972. Dominick DiNorscio had been acting for Caponigro in the late 1970s and I believe was acting at the time of the Bruno murder (the North Jersey crew did not have an official capo after Caponigro until Ralph Napoli was promoted in 1981). Simone spent a considerable amount of time in Florida, leaving Charles Costello and Carl Ippolito in charge of his crew at various times. By 1980, however, Ippolito's mental state was deteriorating (he was declared unfit to stand trial when indicted on RICO charges in 1981) and if I remember correctly Costello was acting for Simone in 1980.

Identified suspects in the Bruno murder:

Caramandi states that Sindone and Simone were active conspirators in the Bruno murder. Caramandi claims Sindone would become Caponigro's underboss though Fresolone claims Patty Specs Martirano was lined up to be Caponigro's underboss. Sindone and Caponigro allegedly had a hit list of their own that included Scarfo and Narducci. Sindone and Simone visiting Stanfa in hospital could have been a meeting of conspirators or it could have been simply them informing him that he wasn't a target and not to worry. It is harder to believe Stanfa was involved as he wasn't Bruno's regular driver, he could have very easily been killed in the crossfire, and Bruno had to roll his own passenger window down as the car didn't have automatic windows. Simone was killed in part because he went to the Gambinos after the murders of Bruno and Caponigro in an attempt to gather support in becoming boss himself, though New York was already backing Testa so the Aurello crew killed Simone on Philadelphia's behalf. In his testimony, Leonetti identified Felix Bocchino and Anthony Ferrante as being involved in supplying the weapon to be used in Bruno's murder, and in his book he also identifies Ralph Napoli as being involved in supplying the weapon. All three were spared by the new administration. Scarfo spoke up on Ciancaglini's behalf and said he was 'innocent of [Sindone's] tricks'. Caramandi states Ciancaglini was involved in setting up Sindone to be murdered. Raymond Martorano was at Cous' Little Italy on the night of the murder and, when talking to Mario Riccobene, admitted that he had been involved in the murder of Bruno. Victor DeLuca was seen outside Bruno's house on the night of the murder though his involvement seems unlikely as he never mentioned the assassination after turning government witness to testify against the Riccobene brothers. George Anastasia believes Alfred Salerno was likely the shooter, but Fresolone states that Caponigro himself pulled the trigger. Those believed to have been involved in the Bruno who were killed all had other motives for their murders. Caponigro was killed to hide the Genovese family’s involvement in the scheme. Salerno was killed because he was unfortunate enough to go to New York with Caponigro. Simone was attempting to gather support from the Gambinos to become boss. Sindone held a vote of the capos to become boss himself. Stanfa was in prison before things would play out to see if he would be killed or spared. Bocchino, Ciancaglini, Ferrante, Martorano and Napoli all professed their loyalty to the new Testa administration.

Bruno’s tensions with Scarfo:

Bruno got into a feud with Testa and Scarfo towards the late 1970s over union control in Atlantic City (Bruno wanted different people in key union positions than Testa and Scarfo’s candidates). When Bruno tried to get Scarfo to side with him against Testa, Scarfo refused and the feud intensified. Scarfo took security measures in his apartment building in the event that someone would try to kill him and once suspected John Calabrese of trying to set him up to be murdered on Bruno’s orders.

Leave Chickie alone. Fuck all of yous

You philly guys really love penis

So did your mother when she was raped by 5 ni**ers

Well this is going to end well.....