@Pmac.

Yea; They definitely broke the rules by killing the 3 captains at that meeting. Sitdowns are to settle disputes respectfully. Rastelli and Massino must have really felt threatened to use such a underhanded tactic. This is the 1st time I've heard of a sitdown ending in murder.

@Giacomo_Vacari

Who is the Alphonse you are referring too? I read that the Lucchese's wanted no part in the Bonnano's problems and stayed out the conflict.

I have to defer to others here but Galante strikes me as someone who would make more money for the family than Phil Rastelli. I may be talking out of my ass but I get the impression Galante would've made more money for everybody with his savvy vis-à-vis the drug trade and his international connections. Whacking him was the proverbial cutting off the nose to spite the face.

He also has the most badass death pose I have ever seen.

Zavattoni, Alphonse Indelicato is Sonny Red. Lucchese family administration was the only family to stay out of the Bonanno conflict, but members supported their friends and family in the Bonanno crime family.
Moe, Galante was bringing in a fortune, but he started to get too greedy, stepped on alot of people's toes, and his ego went to his head that it got so big, that they had no other choice but to pop him.

I forgot his name was Alphonse Indelicato. Had a brain fart.

Is it true that Rastelli asked for Joe Bonnano's approval to have Galante clipped? I doubt this story; Joe was sidelined for a while up to that point.

@Pmac
I'v read that Galante was Joe Bonnano's underboss or consigliere at one point. You know what years?? I always thought he was an extremely powerful captain.

i think galante was a powerhouse capo never underboss. ive read evrywhere galante was joes underboss he said he wasnt and the son bills to. he was sent to montreal to tighten the ship up there in the 1950tys. why would you send the underboss up there. hes in charge of everything in nyc. all the crews. a capo could be sent up there to recruit a few guys induct a few. but the underboss is to important to be sent away. galante lived in montreal for awhile. and this also was to set up the herion pipeline thing . also believe rusty and nick mangello were soldiers in his crew. galante looses his last appeal in 1962 or 63 and all his guys prosper well hes in jail till 1974. rusty throws him a thank you makes him acting boss well hes locked up

I've heard that one before and find it absurd knowing what we now know. Rastelli was the official boss of the family and Bonanno was persona non grata with no power out in Arizona. Probably just a made up story by people back in the day who thought Bonanno was once "boss of bosses".

Lots of great info on this thread. Thanks guys.

Nick Mangello was a soldier in Carmine Galante crew. Galante took over from Dominick Sabella. Rastelli was in John Aquaro crew. Aquaro crew broke off from another crew in the 1950s, given how close John Aquaro and Natale Evola were, I would say Aquaro was a soldier in Evola crew. That is my best bet. Williamsburg was a strong hold for the Bonanno crime family and many members met each other there. Galante and Rastelli and some others can be traced back there in the 1940s. Galante and Rastelli knew each other since the 1940s.

Do anyone believe Joe Massino would have still made it to the top of the family if Rastelli never became boss or if they didn't have that father/son relationship?

Or do anyone believe he probably would have been whacked somewhere down the line?

If rustelli never becomes boss massino might not have even got made. Hypothetical questions can go anywhere

Were rusty, massino, lefty guns, sonny black, sonny red and anthony mirra involved in the banana wars? If so, which side were they on?

Rusty was and lefty was. Massino was still young. Sonny red and mirra was locked up . Think rusty was a bonanno loyalist

@Pmac

Was Alfred Embarrato on bad terms with the Bonanno leadership around the time of the 3 capo murder.? It's said that on the day of the 3 capo murder; He was called to a sitdown by Dominick Napolitano; Al Walker was told his nephew Anthony Mirra was no good and he better act right.. or something along those lines.

Was Al Walker supporting the 3 captains and the renegade faction?

Rastelli was a Bonanno loyalist, but decided to go on the sidelines due to Bill Bonanno leadership skills. When Joe Bonanno resurfaced, Rastelli met with Joe Bonanno and was allowed to sit on the sidelines earning, but kicking up to the Bonanno faction.

Embarrato was summoned a couple of days later after the three capos were killed I believe, as he was once a soldier in Mickey Z crew. He was in no immediate danger, only a message that his nephew Tony was in hot water and that he should carry himself alot more better.

@Giacomo_Vacari

Was Al Embaratto involved in Mirra's murder? They were Uncle and Nephew so I doubt the Bonanno's said anything to Al Walker. I'm not sure though.. Would love some insight.

Al Walker was his uncle. I think massino and sonny black put al walker in charge of the hit. Al walker got his other nephew Joe d'amico to meet up with mirra and joe killed him. Thats real grimmey a blood family affair. How could you trust people who kill there own blood. Nuts. Massino was saying mirra was a DEA snitch but i think he was just a threat to massinos rising star

To have your own family kill you... That's harsh as it get. How powerful was Al Walker as a captain? Who was in his crew?

Also mirra was the first to bring dlnnie brasco around and he was never charged with a crime cast suspicion. But even according to brasco they never really did any major crimes well he was with mirra before getting released to lefty

Always thought Mirra was killed because of the Donnie Brasco incident. He was also ''Disgusting'' according to most of the guys that knew him. I doubt he was a threat to Massino's power....

What happened to Jilly Greca? Wasn't he the first person to rub-nose with Donnie Brasco?? Pretty sure the Colombo's would have had him killed if they knew about their initial meeting.

Embarrato had seen documents that indicated Mirra was a DEA informant. Embarrato went to Steve Cannone's social club and told him about it. Massino was there at the time and at that point the family administration was Rastelli as the official boss in prison, Sally Ferrugia as acting boss, Massino and George Sciascia on a panel running the family with Ferrugia, the underboss position was left vacant and Cannone was still the consigliere.
Cannone gave the order to kill Mirra and Massino agreed with it. Embarrato then carried it out with his relatives Joe D'Amico and Richard Cantarella.

Years later, Cantarella wanted to kill Embarrato because he feared he had become an informant after he didn't get caught up in legal action over the Bonanno family's involvement over newspapers. Cantarella got the okay from Sal Vitale to do the hit if he wanted to but Vitale advised against it, saying it would bring too much attention to the family to kill Embarrato because he was in his 80s. Cantarella eventually let it go and Embarrato was never hit

@ Chin_Gigante

That's interesting; Never read that Mirra was possibly a DEA informant; Will look into that. Regarding; Cantarella getting permission by Sal Vitale to murder his uncle Al Walker; I always thought Vitale was a power-less; and underwhelming underboss; Massino got fed up with him and took his power away for trying to be Mr. Big shot. The family didn't like him either.

@Pmac

Regarding a earlier post; You said Nick Marangello was involved in planning the Galante hit? Phil Rastelli only trusted his Consigliere (Steve Cannone) on the streets; and that's why he was at that social club meeting with Indelicato; Dellacroce; etc...

Nick Marangello was too close to Galante and was not fully trusted; He was always referring Galante as the Boss of the family; and it pissed Phil off.

After Sciacca/Evola, why and how did Rastelli become the power in that Family? And what were the origins of his beef with Galante?

Rastelli was underboss at some point in the late 60s or early 70s, then he was elected boss by the captains around 1974. Not sure about the origins of his problems with Galante. I assume it was nothing personal and just stemmed from Galante trying to seize power.

Was Rastelli even "worthy" of respect from Galante?
(When I say worthy, I mean in Lilo's mind, as in, was he a criminal on the same level as Galante and did he have the same reach throughout the mob)

Secondly, anyone knows if Dellacroce and Galante had a history or Neil's involvement strictly about that time period?
Mr. Neil to me always seem like he came outta nowhere in this story

@Dob_Peppino & MightyDR

I think Rastelli and Galante were good buddies. They went back to the 1940's I believe. Lilo should have been content in staying as Acting Boss. He had alot of power that was given to him by Rusty.

I don't understand the administration that was back around that time. Rastelli was Official Boss; Galante was Acting Boss; Nick Marangello was Underboss; Steve Cannone was Consigliere. Anyone have any more information on Nick Marangello and Steve Cannone??? When were they Made; and when did they become captains?????

The thing I don't understand; How was Nick able to constantly undermine Rastelli and stay on as his #2 (Underboss)

Steve Cannone I believe ran things on the street and was more trusted by Phil. You had Joe Massino who was a captain but he had a bunch of leeway and power.

Wasn't Mike Sabella a major Galante captain?


Anyone know who were the Galante loyalist in the family and the Rastelli guys??? Or who was on the fence??

@Dob_Peppino

I don't think Lilo respected Rastelli at all. Yea; They were buddies for 3 decades but that didn't matter.

Marangello was not involved in the Galante hit. Marangello was a Galante loyalist and recognised him as the official boss over Rastelli. When Galante went back to prison in the late-1970s, Marangello was his acting boss for a time. Marangello and Mike Sabella were suppised to be killed when Rastelli took the family back but instead they were spared and simply demoted.

Cannone was a Rastelli loyalist and was regarded as his right-hand man, so much so that when Massino was promoted to underboss he was told it was the number three position because Cannone was so trusted.

Galante declared himself the official boss in mid-1977 shortly before he inducted Massino. At that point there were those in the family who recognised Galante and those who recognised Rastelli. Massino recognised Rastelli, he had first been put on record with Rastelli, and he'd visit Rastelli in prison. Eventually, of course, Rastelli won out.

Marangello was lucky to have gotten a pass; He got promoted to underboss by Phil Rastelli; and starts to undermine him; and kiss Galante's *** once he becomes '"Acting Boss''... It's true that Galante was the true power of the family; but Nick seemingly didn't have any loyalty to the guy who promoted him to the #2 position (Rastelli).... Rastelli could have easily had Marangello killed..... A more ruthless boss; etc... (Gigante or Persico would have)

Marangello and Sabella were both shapeshifters when it came to loyalty. They were true mob survivalist, they went were the crown was but I think because the came up on the the original Family, they would always look towards someone like Galante with reverence (Lilo gets a lot of hate but they guy was highly productive for Joe B). I think that Rastelli had the same failings of his predecessor Paul Sciacca and IMO, they weren't "impressive" enough (if that's a good word) to follow the likes of Bonanno, Garofalo, Galante, Evola.

@Dob_Peppino

Marangello and Sabella both knew were the power was.... You're right.

Do anyone know who the other captain's were in the family that were loyal to Galante but kept quiet so it didn't get back to Rastelli??

Jimmy Cappasso,Jerry Chilli,JB Indelicato,Anthony Riela,Russel Muaro, Nicky the Battler and Patty Defillipos father

Jilly got clipped in 1979, 2 years before "Brasco" was revealed to be an FBI agent. According to Pistone,a guy on a motorcycle pulled next to Greca at a stoplight and put a couple slugs in him,because the mob thought he was a snitch. Pistone says that he wasn't.