Following are brief descriptions, in chronological order, of the cooperators' inductions from the 1970s. Also listed are confirmed inductions obtained from these CWs and/or from contemporary informant reports. Of particular note is that, in cases where specifics are available, the ceremonies were handled in a manner very similar to the so-called unorthodox methods practiced by the DeCavalcantes.
Note: Dates for the non-CW involved ceremonies are approximate and usually indicate when news of the induction was first reported to LE, not necessarily when the ceremony itself took place. It's possible some names listed separately were made together and news of their membership got out at different times.
===
January 12, 1976
- "[CI] advised that all LCN 'Families' in New York have been given permission to initiate ten (10) new members into each Family. Source stated that Carlo Gambino had been against such a move; however, he has been persuaded to go along with the initiation...Source stated that the initiations could happen any day in the near future. Source advised each Family is receiving an equal number of new members so that the already unequal membership in the Families will not be thrown farther out of proportion."
===
c. Late January / Early February 1976
Books open. Each Family initially allowed ten new members. Those inducted in Bonanno's first wave included:
- Anthony 'Bims' Bonacci (45y) [Died 2001]
- James 'Jimmy Legs' Episcopia (47y) [Died 1997]
- Alfonse 'Sonny Red' Indelicato (49y) [Murdered 1981]
- Dominick 'Sonny Black' Napolitano (46y) [Murdered 1981]
===
c. Late January / Early February 1976
Books open. Each Family initially allowed ten new members. Those inducted in Bonanno's first wave included:
- Anthony 'Bims' Bonacci (45y) [Died 2001]
- James 'Jimmy Legs' Episcopia (47y) [Died 1997]
- Alfonse 'Sonny Red' Indelicato (49y) [Murdered 1981]
- Dominick 'Sonny Black' Napolitano (46y) [Murdered 1981]
 |
| L to R: Episcopia, Bonacci, Indelicato, Napolitano |
===
February 9, 1976
- "...[CI] continued that no party has been held as yet for the new members in LCN but that a party will be held for new members in the near future."
===
c. March 1976
- William 'Cappy' Capparelli (41y) [Died 2011]
- Anthony 'Bruno' Indelicato (29y)
The above information was obtained by the DEA and forwarded to the FBI.
===
c. March 1976
- William 'Cappy' Capparelli (41y) [Died 2011]
- Anthony 'Bruno' Indelicato (29y)
The above information was obtained by the DEA and forwarded to the FBI.
===
May 14, 1976
- "[CI] advised the ban on introducing newly made members to members of other Families has been lifted."
===
Early June 1976
- Frank Lupo (50y) [Died 1983]
- Anthony Mirra (49y) [Murdered 1982]
===
Early June 1976
- Frank Lupo (50y) [Died 1983]
- Anthony Mirra (49y) [Murdered 1982]
 |
| L to R: Lupo, Mirra |
===
June 8, 1976
- "[CI] advised the LCN membership books continue to be open. He mentioned the original plan was to make only ten new members per Family. However, the larger Families complained this number is too few and favored the smaller Families."
===
June 30, 1976
- "[CI] advised he has heard there will be a meeting of representatives of LCN Families in Miami, Florida in the near future to discuss 'opening the books' for further LCN induction. [CI] advised there are an estimated 150 proposed members awaiting induction into the LCN, many having been proposed for a number of years. [CI] noted, however, that no proposed member over age fifty will be inducted. [CI] advised he does not expect the Miami meeting to occur within the next ten days, because he has heard Sam DeCavalcante who will be a representative at that meeting is presently hospitalized in the Miami area."
===
July 1, 1976
- "[CI] advised there were no 'geeps' (ie foreign born Italians) made in the recent induction of members into the NY LCN Families."
===
===
c. Spring 1978
- Pasquale 'Patty Boxcars' Cosoleto (65y) [Died 1994]
- Russell Mauro (40y) [Murdered 1991]
===
Pre-September 1978
- Salvatore 'Sally Blind' Frascone (42y) [Murdered 9.78]
===
c. Late 1978
- Sal Caminito (40y) [Died 2012]
- Salvatore Morale (34y) [Died 2018]
===
Mid-to-Late 1970s (Confirmed Inducted Pre-1979)
- Louis Attanasio (34y)
- Joseph 'Joe Beans' Campanella (40y) [Died 2007]
- Salvatore 'Sally Paintglass' D'Ottavio (47y) [Died 1999]
- John 'Johnny Green' Faraci (56y) [Died 2011]
- John 'Chubby' Galante (45y) [Died 2013]
- James Genna (48y) [Died 1997]
- Santo 'Toni' Giordano (35y) [Died 1983]
- Giovanni Ligammari (39y) [Suicide 1999]
- Ronald Lorenzo (32y)
- Robert 'Bobby Bad Heart' Perrette (48y) [Died 1989]
- Gerlando 'George' Sciascia (44y) [Murdered 1999]
- Giuseppe 'Joe' Turano (47y) [Murdered 1979]
In 1979 the Bonanno Family's books were closed on Commission order. This ban was lifted around 1984. Ceremonies from that decade will be the subject of a future post.
Edit1: Added Robert Perrette.
Edit2: Moved Catalano + Graziano to Pre-September 1977.
Edit3: Added Caminito, Galante.
Edit4: Moved Capparelli to circa March 1976.
September 14, 1976
- "When new members are 'made' or intra-Family transfers are effected, either the Boss or Underboss must personally oversee such an occasion and make the formal introduction to the respective captains."
===
c. Fall 1976
- Alfred 'Al Walker' Embarrato (67y) [Died 2001] [Note: Date induction first reported; given age and close association to leadership may have been part of first wave]
Note: Mirra may have been inducted around this time. The FBI received conflicting dates from informants.
===
1976 (Confirmed Inducted by 1977)
- William Riviello (45y) [Died 2014] [As an associate CW D'Amico worked in Riviello's numbers office and knew him to be a made member]
===
c. Fall 1976
- Alfred 'Al Walker' Embarrato (67y) [Died 2001] [Note: Date induction first reported; given age and close association to leadership may have been part of first wave]
 |
| Embarrato (1970) |
Note: Mirra may have been inducted around this time. The FBI received conflicting dates from informants.
===
1976 (Confirmed Inducted by 1977)
- William Riviello (45y) [Died 2014] [As an associate CW D'Amico worked in Riviello's numbers office and knew him to be a made member]
 |
| Riviello (June 1977) |
===
March 3, 1977
- "[CI] advised each of the five NY LCN Families have been given authorization to initiate ten new members, and each of the NY Families have already prepared a list of those individuals to be 'made' in the immediate future."
===
May 20, 1977
- "CI advised despite popular belief that only full-blooded Italians are admitted to LCN membership, many members have mothers who may be only part Italian. He noted, however, if a proposed member's father is not Italian, he would be barred from membership, since an Italian name is an absolute requirement."
===
June 14, 1977
Location: Bar (Queens)
Attendees
- Carmine Galante (67y) (Acting Boss) [Murdered 1979]
- Nicholas Marangello (64y) (Underboss) [Died 2000]
- Stefano Cannone (64y) (Consigliere) [Died 1985]
- Alfred 'Al Walker' Embarrato (67y) (Soldier) [Died 2001]
Members Inducted
1. Joseph 'Junior' Chilli (43y) [Died 2008]
2. Emanuel 'Manny' Guaragna (44y) [Died 2008]
3. Joseph 'J.B.' Indelicato (46y)
4. Joseph Massino (34y) [Flipped 2004] [Died 2023]
5. Anthony Spero (48y) [Died 2008]
Notes:
- Ceremony conducted at night in back of bar. Business not closed and other patrons were present at location. In an attempt to deflect suspicion, food was laid out and "Happy Birthday" was played on the jukebox to make it appear the group was assembled for a party.
- Induction through verbal oath only. Massino: "They said, 'Normally, we put a gun and knife on the table. But the way times are, there's no gun and knife on the table. But imagine that it is.'"
===
c. Mid-1977
Location: Apartment (Brooklyn)
Attendees
- Carmine Galante (67y) (Acting Boss) [Murdered 1979]
- Stefano Cannone (64y) (Consigliere) [Died 1985]
- Angelo 'Moe' Prisinzano (68y) (Captain) [Died 1979]
- Michael Sabella (66y) (Captain) [Died 1988]
- Matteo Valvo (68y) (Captain) [Died 1985]
- Michael Zaffarano (54y) (Captain) [Died 1980]
- Alfred 'Al Walker' Embarrato (67y) (Soldier) [Died 2001]
Members Inducted
1. Baldassare 'Baldo' Amato (26y) [IPL 2006]
2. Cesare Bonventre (26y) [Murdered 1984]
3. Frank Coppa (36y) [Flipped 2002] [Died 2024]
4. John Palazzolo (40y)
Notes:
- The new members were made in pairs, Amato/Bonventre followed by Coppa/Palazzolo.
- Induction through verbal oath only.
===
c. August 1977
- Vincent Asaro (42y) [Died 2023]
- Gerald 'Jerry' Chilli (43y) [Died 2016]
- Peter Monteleone (50y) [Died 1991]
===
Pre-September 1977
- Salvatore 'Toto' Catalano (36y)
- Anthony 'T.G.' Graziano (38y) [Died 2019]
===
c. August-October 1977
- Anthony 'Fat Anthony' Rabito (43y)
- Francesco 'Cheech' Navarra (38y) [Died 2000] [Reported Early 10/77]
- Benjamin 'Lefty' Ruggiero (51y) [Died 1994] [Reported Early 10/77]
Note: Re Anthony Rabito, Massino stated: "I proposed him. Carmine Galante made him." Galante was returned to prison for violating parole on or around October 11, 1977. CW D'Amico also reported that at the time of his own induction later that month, he knew Rabito to already be a made member under Zaffarano.
===
October 31, 1977
Location: Indelicato Apartment Building at 113-117 Elizabeth St (Little Italy, Manhattan)
Attendees
- Nicholas Marangello (65y) (Underboss) [Died 2000]
- Stefano Cannone (64y) (Consigliere) [Died 1985]
- Vito DeFilippo (65y) (Captain) [Died 1985]
- Nicholas DiStefano (64y) (Captain) [Died 1985]
- Salvatore Ferrugia (61y) (Captain) [Died 1992]
- Frank Lupo (52y) (Captain) [Died 1983]
- Matteo Valvo (68y) (Captain) [Died 1985]
- Michael Zaffarano (54y) (Captain) [Died 1980]
- Alfred Embarrato (67y) (Soldier) [Died 2001]
- Emanuel Guaragna (44y) (Soldier) [Died 2008]
- Anthony Mirra (50y) (Soldier) [Murdered 1982]
Members Inducted
1. Joseph Benanti (43y) [Died 2005]
2. Joseph D'Amico (22y) [Flipped 2003]
3. Gabriel Infanti (42y) [Murdered 1987]
4. Frank Lino (40y) [Flipped 2003]
5. Salvatore 'Chubby' Maiorino (52y) [Died 2007]
6. Dominick 'Trin' Trinchera (40y) [Murdered 1981]
- Several others
Notes:
- Induction through verbal oath only:
- Lino: "[They] didn't use no gun or knife because they said things were getting bad with the government; that we would get raided and they would find all those things; so it was done in a different way. [Everybody] would hold hands and they would say something in Italian, meaning that once -- you can't lie and you've got to be truthful in whatever you say."
- D'Amico: "The oath was in Italian, I don't remember it too well..And we held hands at the whole table and we shook our hands up, stood up three times, Nicky [Marangello] said something three times, same words, we shook and then they told me I was baptized again and this was my family."
- Date: Lino remembered the ceremony as having occurred the previous day, his 40th birthday. D'Amico claimed Halloween 1977, a date supported by NYPD surveillance. A large group, among them Anthony Mirra, was observed entering the Indelicato apartment that night.
- Note: An FBI member source reported not long after the ceremony that Joseph 'Pepe' Marino (43y) was one of those made. No mention of this individual has yet turned up in other sources.
===
Pre-1978
- James 'Jimmy' Galante (40y) [CW Massino's Captain for brief period c. 1978]
===
c. March 1978
- Andrew Asaro (50y) [Died 1991]
June 14, 1977
Location: Bar (Queens)
Attendees
- Carmine Galante (67y) (Acting Boss) [Murdered 1979]
- Nicholas Marangello (64y) (Underboss) [Died 2000]
- Stefano Cannone (64y) (Consigliere) [Died 1985]
- Alfred 'Al Walker' Embarrato (67y) (Soldier) [Died 2001]
Members Inducted
1. Joseph 'Junior' Chilli (43y) [Died 2008]
2. Emanuel 'Manny' Guaragna (44y) [Died 2008]
3. Joseph 'J.B.' Indelicato (46y)
4. Joseph Massino (34y) [Flipped 2004] [Died 2023]
5. Anthony Spero (48y) [Died 2008]
Notes:
- Ceremony conducted at night in back of bar. Business not closed and other patrons were present at location. In an attempt to deflect suspicion, food was laid out and "Happy Birthday" was played on the jukebox to make it appear the group was assembled for a party.
- Induction through verbal oath only. Massino: "They said, 'Normally, we put a gun and knife on the table. But the way times are, there's no gun and knife on the table. But imagine that it is.'"
 |
| L to R: Massino, Chilli, J. Indelicato, Spero |
===
c. Mid-1977
Location: Apartment (Brooklyn)
Attendees
- Carmine Galante (67y) (Acting Boss) [Murdered 1979]
- Stefano Cannone (64y) (Consigliere) [Died 1985]
- Angelo 'Moe' Prisinzano (68y) (Captain) [Died 1979]
- Michael Sabella (66y) (Captain) [Died 1988]
- Matteo Valvo (68y) (Captain) [Died 1985]
- Michael Zaffarano (54y) (Captain) [Died 1980]
- Alfred 'Al Walker' Embarrato (67y) (Soldier) [Died 2001]
Members Inducted
1. Baldassare 'Baldo' Amato (26y) [IPL 2006]
2. Cesare Bonventre (26y) [Murdered 1984]
3. Frank Coppa (36y) [Flipped 2002] [Died 2024]
4. John Palazzolo (40y)
Notes:
- The new members were made in pairs, Amato/Bonventre followed by Coppa/Palazzolo.
- Induction through verbal oath only.
 |
| L to R: Amato, Bonventre, Coppa |
===
c. August 1977
- Vincent Asaro (42y) [Died 2023]
- Gerald 'Jerry' Chilli (43y) [Died 2016]
- Peter Monteleone (50y) [Died 1991]
 |
| G. Chilli (Sept. 1977) |
===
Pre-September 1977
- Salvatore 'Toto' Catalano (36y)
- Anthony 'T.G.' Graziano (38y) [Died 2019]
 |
| Catalano (Sept. 1977) |
c. August-October 1977
- Anthony 'Fat Anthony' Rabito (43y)
 |
| Rabito (Aug. 1977) |
- Francesco 'Cheech' Navarra (38y) [Died 2000] [Reported Early 10/77]
- Benjamin 'Lefty' Ruggiero (51y) [Died 1994] [Reported Early 10/77]
 |
| Ruggiero (Sept. 1977) |
Note: Re Anthony Rabito, Massino stated: "I proposed him. Carmine Galante made him." Galante was returned to prison for violating parole on or around October 11, 1977. CW D'Amico also reported that at the time of his own induction later that month, he knew Rabito to already be a made member under Zaffarano.
===
October 31, 1977
Location: Indelicato Apartment Building at 113-117 Elizabeth St (Little Italy, Manhattan)
Attendees
- Nicholas Marangello (65y) (Underboss) [Died 2000]
- Stefano Cannone (64y) (Consigliere) [Died 1985]
- Vito DeFilippo (65y) (Captain) [Died 1985]
- Nicholas DiStefano (64y) (Captain) [Died 1985]
- Salvatore Ferrugia (61y) (Captain) [Died 1992]
- Frank Lupo (52y) (Captain) [Died 1983]
- Matteo Valvo (68y) (Captain) [Died 1985]
- Michael Zaffarano (54y) (Captain) [Died 1980]
- Alfred Embarrato (67y) (Soldier) [Died 2001]
- Emanuel Guaragna (44y) (Soldier) [Died 2008]
- Anthony Mirra (50y) (Soldier) [Murdered 1982]
Members Inducted
1. Joseph Benanti (43y) [Died 2005]
2. Joseph D'Amico (22y) [Flipped 2003]
3. Gabriel Infanti (42y) [Murdered 1987]
4. Frank Lino (40y) [Flipped 2003]
5. Salvatore 'Chubby' Maiorino (52y) [Died 2007]
6. Dominick 'Trin' Trinchera (40y) [Murdered 1981]
- Several others
Notes:
- Induction through verbal oath only:
- Lino: "[They] didn't use no gun or knife because they said things were getting bad with the government; that we would get raided and they would find all those things; so it was done in a different way. [Everybody] would hold hands and they would say something in Italian, meaning that once -- you can't lie and you've got to be truthful in whatever you say."
- D'Amico: "The oath was in Italian, I don't remember it too well..And we held hands at the whole table and we shook our hands up, stood up three times, Nicky [Marangello] said something three times, same words, we shook and then they told me I was baptized again and this was my family."
- Date: Lino remembered the ceremony as having occurred the previous day, his 40th birthday. D'Amico claimed Halloween 1977, a date supported by NYPD surveillance. A large group, among them Anthony Mirra, was observed entering the Indelicato apartment that night.
- Note: An FBI member source reported not long after the ceremony that Joseph 'Pepe' Marino (43y) was one of those made. No mention of this individual has yet turned up in other sources.
 |
| L to R: Benanti, D'Amico, Infanti, Lino, Trinchera |
===
Pre-1978
- James 'Jimmy' Galante (40y) [CW Massino's Captain for brief period c. 1978]
===
c. March 1978
- Andrew Asaro (50y) [Died 1991]
===
c. Spring 1978
- Pasquale 'Patty Boxcars' Cosoleto (65y) [Died 1994]
- Russell Mauro (40y) [Murdered 1991]
===
April 6, 1978
- "[CI] advised that there has been a delay in new LCN members being made in the NYC area because of the ill health of Joe N. Gallo and 'Vinnie Beans' Foceri, the Consiglieri's of the Gambino and Lucchese Families of LCN."
===
Pre-September 1978
- Salvatore 'Sally Blind' Frascone (42y) [Murdered 9.78]
- Stephen Maruca (49y) [Died 1997] [Sponsored by M. Sabella]
 |
| Maruca (1968) |
===
c. Late 1978
- Sal Caminito (40y) [Died 2012]
- Salvatore Morale (34y) [Died 2018]
===
Mid-to-Late 1970s (Confirmed Inducted Pre-1979)
- Louis Attanasio (34y)
- Joseph 'Joe Beans' Campanella (40y) [Died 2007]
- Salvatore 'Sally Paintglass' D'Ottavio (47y) [Died 1999]
- John 'Johnny Green' Faraci (56y) [Died 2011]
- John 'Chubby' Galante (45y) [Died 2013]
- James Genna (48y) [Died 1997]
- Santo 'Toni' Giordano (35y) [Died 1983]
- Giovanni Ligammari (39y) [Suicide 1999]
- Ronald Lorenzo (32y)
- Robert 'Bobby Bad Heart' Perrette (48y) [Died 1989]
- Gerlando 'George' Sciascia (44y) [Murdered 1999]
- Giuseppe 'Joe' Turano (47y) [Murdered 1979]
In 1979 the Bonanno Family's books were closed on Commission order. This ban was lifted around 1984. Ceremonies from that decade will be the subject of a future post.
Edit1: Added Robert Perrette.
Edit2: Moved Catalano + Graziano to Pre-September 1977.
Edit3: Added Caminito, Galante.
Edit4: Moved Capparelli to circa March 1976.
Edit5: Moved Maruca to Pre-September 1978 and added photo.
Edit6: Added Bonacci photo.
