Saturday, January 20, 2018

Bio: Gasper Cammarata

Gasper 'Skin' Cammarata was a member of the Bonanno Family.

Born December 4, 1929 in Brooklyn, New York. Father from Partanna comune of Trapani, Sicily. Grew up in long-time Bonanno strongholds of Williamsburg and Bushwick.

By 1970s associated with Bonanno Soldier Philip 'Phil Lucky' Giaccone. Around late summer - September 1977 Giaccone was promoted to Capodecina. Described in the book Born to the Mob as one of Giaccone's close associates and bodyguards through the late 1970s up to the time of the latter's murder in 1981. Following Giaccone's death Cammarata aligned with the faction under Captain Joseph Massino.

The Bonanno Family's books were closed from approximately 1979 to mid-to-late 1984, not long after which Cammarata is believed to have become a formally inducted member.

Around 1986 he was placed in the crew of Salvatore Vitale, a newly promoted captain who had himself only been inducted after the books re-opened in 1984. Other members of Vitale's crew included Salvatore Ferrugia, James Galante, Russell Mauro and former Giaccone crew members Henry Bono and Thomas DiFiore.

Cammarata and other Bonanno members at MVP Trucking in Maspeth, Queens (Nov. 1987)

Following Vitale's promotion to Family Underboss in 1993, Cammarata is believed to have been transferred into the crew headed by newly promoted Vincent Asaro. It's also possible that Cammarata was put under Anthony 'Tony Green' Urso. Like Cammarata, Asaro and Urso were both former Vitale crew members. Urso was chosen by Family Boss Joseph Massino to replace the demoted Louis Restivo.

Little is available on Cammarata's criminal activities. He was frequently observed visiting the Bonanno Family's social club at 69-64 Grand Ave in Maspeth, and in 1995 was spotted attending the wake for Bonanno Soldier Henry 'Chubby' Bono held in Bayside, Queens.

Gasper Cammarata died July 16, 1999. Two days later his wake was held in New York. Attendees included:

- Salvatore Vitale (Bonanno Underboss)

- Jerome Asaro (Bonanno Acting Capodecina)
- Patrick DeFilippo (Bonanno Capodecina)
- Frank Lino (Bonanno Capodecina)
- Anthony Urso (Bonanno Capodecina)

- Nicholas Accardi (Bonanno Soldier)
- Sandro Aiosa (Bonanno Soldier)
- Giuseppe Bonanno (Bonanno Soldier)
- John Cerasani (Bonanno Soldier)
- Peter Cosoleto (Bonanno Soldier)
- Louis DeCicco (Bonanno Soldier)
- Thomas DiFiore (Bonanno Soldier)
- John Faraci (Bonanno Soldier)
- Joseph Grimaldi (Bonanno Soldier)
- Vito Grimaldi (Bonanno Soldier)
- Robert Lino Jr. (Bonanno Soldier)
- Michael Mancuso (Bonanno Soldier)
- Daniel Mongelli (Bonanno Soldier)
- Anthony Rabito (Bonanno Soldier)
- Richard Riccardi (Bonanno Soldier)
- Pietro Rosa (Bonanno Soldier)

Joseph Abate (Lucchese)

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