Lovaglio
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| Source: Gang Land News |
Association / Induction
- Initially on-record with Bonanno Soldier Frank Coppa. Later transferred to Captain Joseph Cammarano's crew and placed with Cammarano's son Joseph Jr. aka 'Joe C.' The Cammaranos proposed Lovaglio for membership and he was inducted around mid-1999. By 2003 serving Federal prison sentence for stock fraud.
- Following release in early 2012 assigned to 'Joe Bosch' (Bosco?) who was 'running the Family' with Vincent Badalamenti. 'Bosch' told Lovaglio that Badalamenti was the Consigliere; Lovaglio later claimed this wasn't true and identified Anthony Rabito as holding that position.
Lovaglio Crew
- Lovaglio was 'made a captain' by 'Joe Bosch' not long after his release. By Fall 2015 crew members included:
- Alfred Armetta
- Thomas Carrube
- Frank Pastore
- George Tropiano
- Thomas Valente (FL)
Cammarano Jr. as Acting Boss
- On March 22, 2015 Joseph Cammarano Jr. was voted in as Acting Boss to replace John Palazzolo. Vote occurred at meeting held in Queens garage and attended by approximately twenty Family members including:
- Joseph Cammarano Jr. (Underboss)
- Anthony Rabito (Consigliere)
- Joseph DeSimone (Captain)
- Anthony Fasitta (Captain)
- Ronald Giallanzo (Captain)
- Joseph Grimaldi (Captain)
- Vito Grimaldi (Captain)
- Peter Lovaglio (Captain)
- Joseph Sabella (Captain)
- George Tropiano (Captain)
- John Zancocchio (Captain)
- Al Armetta (Acting Captain for Lovaglio)
- Natale Mule (Acting Captain for J. Grimaldi)
Family Treasury
Overseen by Captain Joseph Grimaldi. Money that came in typically put back onto the street for loansharking. Members borrowed at one point per week and loaned out at two to five.
In what Lovaglio described as a 'nice gesture', one of the newly appointed Cammarano Jr.'s first moves was to announce that Family members who borrowed loansharking money no longer had to pay interest, only principal.
Shelved Members
Lovaglio named the following as Bonanno members put on the shelf:
1. John Spirito Jr.: Shelved for bringing what Lovaglio described as 'fake messages' to and from imprisoned Boss Michael Mancuso. Spirito previously responsible for an $80,000 debt owed by a Manhattan pot dealer. Lovaglio inherited this responsibility and collected approximately $30,000, half of which kicked up to Cammarano Jr. Captain Anthony Fasitta also received a portion after claiming an interest in the original deal.
2. Vincent Caroleo: Aka 'Vinny Goo', shelved by 2015. Lovaglio was instructed by Cammarano Jr. to have an associate (non-member) collect loanshark payments from Caroleo.
3. Simone Esposito: Shelved in 2015 for stealing $20,000 from the Family treasury.
4. Peter Lovaglio: Shelved by Cammarano Jr. around early 2016 after a series of incidents, including $18,000 debt owed to Gambino Soldier William Scotto. Lovaglio informed of decision by John Zancocchio and Joseph Sabella. On June 23, 2016 began acting as Federal CI. Used shelved status as pretext for meeting with Cammarano Jr.; similar attempt to meet with Zancocchio failed.
Meeting with Cammarano
- On July 26, 2016 Lovaglio visited Cammarano Jr. at his residence. The conversation, lasting approximately thirty minutes and covering Lovaglio's shelved status as well as general Bonanno Family politics, recorded by Lovaglio.
Cammarano's recorded statements included:
- "When everything transpired, everything worked out the way it worked out with this Johnny P [Palazzolo]..I could have went through the whole thing and restructured the entire [Family]. That's my right to do that..I wanted you [Lovaglio] to have a [Captain] position long-term..I know you've been running roughshod through every fucking body. The amount of feedback that was coming back with you every single week. It's your responsibility as a captain to put all of this stuff on record with people."
On Lovaglio's debt to the Gambinos: "The issue is how everybody's going to look in the end because you got to know something, Pete, and you got to understand. We've been in the fucking gutter for the last 12 to 18 years..I can't counteract what Tommy [DiFiore] did. I can't counteract what Johnny P [Palazzolo] did. I just got to show everybody that I'm everything they're not, and I've done that..You gotta understand this. To have a position in this thing, you can't be emotional."
- "I was looking for the most senior guys to fill the most senior billets because that's how these young guys are gonna learn the right way and stay in some form of order here..I gotta be honest with you, Pete. This Johnny P does not go away, and he gets another four to six months' run. It's done. Everybody would just walk away." Lovaglio: "I think it could have gotten violent." Cammarano: "Well, listen. It had the potential for that."
Carrube
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| Source: Gang Land News |
Association / Induction
- Associate since the mid-1970s.
- In or around 2014 approached by Captain Peter Lovaglio with business proposition. Turned down the offer and as a result target for assault by Lovaglio crew members. Sought assistance from Consigliere Simone Esposito. Esposito offered to propose him for membership as a protective measure and requested $10,000. Carrube paid half and was soon inducted at a ceremony held in Queens. Claimed he didn't want to become a member but felt it necessary to ensure his safety.
Those present at the ceremony included:
- Simone Esposito (Consigliere)
- Anthony Fasitta (Captain)
- John Spirito Jr. (Carrube believed he was the Family's 'street boss')
Carrube was told that Michael Mancuso was official Boss and Thomas DiFiore the Acting Boss.
Crew Leaders
- Initially assigned to Louis Civello. After a couple of months George Tropiano was named Captain. Later placed in Lovaglio's crew.
- Following Lovaglio's 2016 defection Carrube transferred to Captain Alphonse 'Alley Indelicato' DiPilato. John Zancocchio, by that point the official Consigliere, informed Carrube of the assignment and handled the introductions.
Pizzeria Dispute
- Shortly after being made there was a dispute between Carrube and Associate Gene Lombardo over the sale of a pizzeria. Sitdown held with Captain Louis Civello successfully representing Carrube's interests. Lombardo represented by Joseph Cammarano Jr. and John Zancocchio. (Carrube believed Cammarano Jr. was Zancocchio's Captain.)
Cooperation
- In 2017 approached by an FBI agent and informed he was 'in a lot of trouble'. Agreed to cooperate but remained on the street as a confidential informant.
Opposing Factions
- Carrube witnessed firsthand the tension brought about by recent changes in leadership: "Bosses were coming and going, and they were getting mad that they were going, and people were going on the shelf, and people were coming off the shelf, and there were all kinds of things."
- Two sides emerged: One supporting Vincent Badalamenti (representing imprisoned Boss Michael Mancuso) and the other supporting Cammarano Jr. and Zancocchio. Although his crew leader supported Cammarano Jr., Carrube was 'friendly' with Badalamenti and considered himself to be with that side. (Government statements indicate Badalamenti and Zancocchio were each Consigliere of their respective factions at this time.)
- At one point George Tropiano directed Carrube to get a gun and sit outside Alphonse DiPilato's Grand St pizzeria as 'protection'.
- Around September 2017 Captain Joseph Sabella, Cammarano supporter, approached Carrube and asked him to deliver a message: "[I was to go] to Brooklyn and tell Vinny to keep his [Sabella's] name out of his mouth..Vinny was saying that [Sabella] came to see him during the split and, if he came, would he remain as a captain. And [Sabella] said that wasn't true." Carrube refused to deliver the message alone and recorded a meeting where he sought advice from DiPilato.
Topics of discussion between Carrube and DiPilato included Badalamenti's claim that Mancuso sent messages from prison instructing him to 'take the bull by the horns' and assume control. DiPilato mentioned advice from Cammarano and Zancocchio about letting members of his crew visit with Badalamenti: "I told Porky. He said, Allie, you're the captain. You do what you want with your guys. If it was me, I would say, don't send the guys..[Cammarano] said, Allie, it's your decision. If you want him, keep him. If he wants to go there, let him go there."
- In a subsequent conversation Louis Civello stated: "They're going to straighten [the split] out next week." Civello and Carrube agreed that even if Mancuso's messages for Badalamenti to take control were legit, the 'proper channels' should have been utilized. Civello stated re Cammarano: "The message was clear. They voted him in. The other guy [Mancuso] said it was okay."
- Recorded another conversation with Civello and Arthur 'Artie' Tarzia, Acting Captain for Joseph Sabella. Tarzia stated: "The guy [Cammarano] is a fucking great fucking guy..When [Mancuso] comes home, I don't expect not one to make a move." Tarzia also clarified: "John [Zancocchio] is the number 3." (Acting on advice from Tarzia, Carrube paid a visit to Zancocchio at his restaurant; incriminating topics were avoided and the pair mostly discussed the restaurant business.)
- In another conversation Civello stated: "So that makes this guy [Mancuso] no longer the boss. They voted Joe [Cammarano] in. Joe's the official boss."
- In early January 2018 Badalamenti told Carrube that Joseph Sabella and possibly other members of the Family were starting to suspect he (Carrube) was wired up. The discussion, recorded by Carrube, also touched on the continuing factionalism. Arthur Tarzia had visited Badalamenti, declared his allegiance, then switched back after a follow-up conversation with Zancocchio. Badalamenti described Cammarano Jr. and Zancocchio as attempting a 'coup' and told Carrube: "Don't believe in me. Believe in Mikey [Mancuso]."
Less than a week later Cammarano Jr., Zancocchio, Sabella and several others were indicted on Federal racketeering charges.
His stint as a proactive source at an end, Carrube was not privy to the immediate fallout from the indictments. In December 2018, however, he passed along a rumor that Cammarano Jr. and Zancocchio were recently 'banished for life' by Badalamenti. (Both were acquitted at trial the following year.)