Wednesday, June 22, 2022

DeCavalcante Family Ceremonies (1970s)

Brief descriptions, in chronological order, of known DeCavalcante Family induction ceremonies from the 1970s.

Dates 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.

===

c. Late January / Early February 1976

- Books open. Each New York Family initially allowed ten new members. This likely applied to the DeCavalcante Family as well.

DeCavalcante's first wave included:


Occhipinti

- Robert 'Bobby Basile' Occhipinti (46y) (Died 1999) [Sponsored by J. Riggi]

===

c. Spring 1976

Ippolito

- Joseph Ippolito (45y) (Died 1995)

Ippolito was likely inducted as part of the first wave.

===

May 14, 1976

- "[CI] advised the ban on introducing newly made members to members of other Families has been lifted."

===

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."

===

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."

===

Pre-Fall 1976
- Girolamo 'Jimmy' Palermo (38y) (Died 2014) [Sponsored by J. Riggi]

Palermo, described as John Riggi's 'favorite', is another likely first wave inductee.

===

October 10, 1976

- "...Regarding recent LCN inductions, [CI] advised Charles Majuri and Joe Caruano were 'knocked down' for membership. CI advised [John] Riggi will allegedly sponsor two individuals from Elizabeth, NJ area for membership and Frank Cocchiaro will sponsor two individuals from Brooklyn."

===

c. Fall 1976

Colletti (L) and LaSala (R)

- Joseph Colletti (46y) (Died 2000) [Sponsored by G. Colletti]
- Joseph LaSala (46y) (Died 1994) [Sponsored by S. Caterinicchi]
- Unsub #1 [Sponsored by J. Riggi]
- Unsub #2 [Sponsored by L. LaRasso]
- Unsub #3 (New York)
- Unsub #4 (New York)

Carmelo 'Melio' Cocchiaro (41y) and Salvatore 'Little Sally' Timpani (33y) may be two of the above Unsubs. Their presence was noted at that year's Family Christmas party, the remaining identified attendees all being confirmed members.

===

November 3, 1976

- "[CI] stated [John] Riggi is recommending several young 'Turks' as possible LCN members. Frank Majuri was upset [his son] Charles Majuri was turned down by the 'council' as a prospective LCN member."

- "[CI] stated Jo Jo Ferrara was proposed [for DeCavalcante membership], but was turned down."

===

December 6, 1976

- "[CI] stated Frank Majuri again intends to propose [his son] Charles Majuri and Jo Jo Ferrara for membership."

===

December 8, 1976

- "[CI] stated DeCavalcante held a meeting somewhere in Trenton, NJ, consisting of John Riggi, Louis LaRasso, Frank Majuri and other 'made' guys of the DeCavalcante Family. One of the topics discussed was the nomination of new members."

===

December 19, 1976

- "[CI] stated John Riggi plans to build up the Family in the new year. Riggi will be allowed to make ten people in the near future."

===

Pre-1977

Farone (L) and Rotondo (R)
Cocchiaro

- Carmelo 'Melio' Cocchiaro (41y) (Died 2010) [Sponsored by F. Cocchiaro]
- Rudolph 'Rudy' Farone (48y) (Died 1997) [Sponsored by F. Cocchiaro]
- Vincent 'Jimmy' Rotondo (46y) (Murdered 1988) [Sponsored by F. Cocchiaro]
- Larry 'Shorty' Schiro (56y)
- Stefano Vitabile (41y)

===

c. Spring 1977

Location: Basement of Unspecified Residence (Elizabeth, New Jersey)

Attendees:

- Simone DeCavalcante (65y) (Boss) (Died 1997)
- John Riggi (52y) (Underboss) (Died 2015)
- Stefano Vitabile (41y) (Consigliere) (Acting?)

- Louis LaRasso (50y) (Captain) (Murdered 1991)
- Larry Schiro (56y) (Captain) (Died)
- Others

- Joseph Giacobbe (53y) (Soldier)
- Robert 'Bobby Basile' Occhipinti (Soldier) (57y) (Died 1999)
- Girolamo 'Jimmy' Palermo (38y) (Soldier) (Died 2014)
- Unnamed 'Old Timers'

Members Inducted:

- Vincent 'Vinny Ocean' Palermo (31y) [Sponsored by R. Occhipinti]
- Two or three additional inductees

Palermo: "[Occhipinti and I] met Steve the Truck Driver [Vitabile] at a diner on Bay Street and then we followed him and he took us to this home. We parked like a block or two away. We walked to this house, then walked down the side to the basement. [This was done because when] you have [an] administration meeting or you have a meeting that you're going to straighten somebody out as a wise guy, no one's supposed to know the location but the Consigliere. He sets up the location and meets people elsewhere and brings them there, so no one knows where that spot is until the last minute.

...
[There] was several guys that got made that night. It was about three or four of us. Sam DeCavalcante was there as the Boss and Johnny Riggi was there. And Steve and all the Captains. They all got up and they told me to stay sitting down and they hold hands which they call it a chain. What it means is whatever's discussed in that administration meeting can't be discussed outside of that basement or room. Then Sam spoke to us and said that, do you like these people here. Would you like to be part of a group that we have. If you ever need help we're here for you. If you have problems, it's our problems. If you're asked to do anything that we ask you to do, you need to take care of it and do it. And he just more or less went over some very minor rules at that time. And then we all said that, yes, we do want to be part of the people that are there. And then they spoke to us and they made us wise guys.

...
[DeCavalcante] says there's no drugs, [you] can't go out with anybody's wife that's a friend. And there's no setting bombs off anywhere because you could hurt innocent people. Then there is a gun and knife there. He says these are the tools you live by. You go in with a gun and you go out with a gun. He says these are tools like a carpenter has a hammer and a screwdriver. This is our tools, gun and knife...[DeCavalcante] says now you're in the Family. And you go around, shake everybody's hand and kiss them around the table. And then they introduce you."

Although a gun and knife were present, Palermo and the other inductees did not undergo the blood and fire portion of the ceremony: "[In] the regular ceremony [they're] supposed to pinch your finger with a pin, which [DeCavalcante] didn't do the first time."

Palermo was assigned to Capodecina Vincent Rotondo: "My father-in-law [Robert Occhipinti] proposed me at the time and they put me with Jimmy Rotondo. You couldn't be with a relative."

Due to the DeCavalcante Family's failure to carry out the full ceremony, Palermo and many others made after the books re-opened had to undergo a second induction in the late 1980s.

===

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."

===

Pre-Summer 1977

Alessi

- Virgil Alessi (44y) (Died 1998) [Sponsored by A. Carubia]

===

June 14, 1977

- "[CI] advised Louis LaRasso recently sponsored [Redacted] as a member of the DeCavalcante Family, but this proposal was shot down by [Genovese Boss] Funzi Tieri."

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c. August 1977
- Unsub

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August 30, 1977

- "[CI] advised over the past few years, the DeCavalcante Family has been looked upon by the New York Families as the 'F Troop' of La Cosa Nostra. [CI] advised that things will soon be changing to eliminate that reputation. [CI] advised that during the next few months, the DeCavalcante Family will be brought up to par with their counterparts in New York. [CI] advised the Family membership will be 'beefed up' with several new 'buttons' going to various young guys in the area. The Family will then be broken down into areas of new influence, and new 'Capos' will be made to handle the organizing of the new members. This will no longer be the policy of dealing directly with Sam or John Riggi, each member will have to report to his Capo and they, in turn, will report to Riggi and Sam. [CI] advised the DeCavalcante Family will soon develop to a close-knit, well organized Family, comparable to any in New York, with maybe the exception of 'Funzi's' Family. He advised things have been at a standstill in the recent past, but changes are in the making and Riggi will be taking a more active role in the Family activities."

===

c. Early October 1977
- Jake Amari (32y) (Died 1997)
- Joseph 'Jo Jo' Ferrara (39y) (Died 2006) [Sponsored by J. Riggi]
- Simone Palermo (44y) (Died 2005) [Sponsored by J. Riggi]
- Emanuel 'Manny' Riggi (30y) (Died 2016)
- Unsub [Sponsored by J. Rotondo]

===

October 23, 1977

- "[CI] advised he recently learned several new members had been 'made' in the DeCavalcante Family."

===

c. December 1977
- Unsub [Sponsored by J. Riggi]

===

December 29, 1977
- "[CI] advised the DeCavalcante New Jersey Family had established a Brooklyn crew. CI advised 'Big Frank' [Cocchiaro] had sponsored four individuals for membership in the DeCavalcante Family one of which was Rudy [Farone]."

===

c. March 1978
- Anthony 'Tony Pops' Milano
- Joseph 'Joe Moran' Russo
- Three Unsubs

This information was provided to the FBI by the NYPD's Intelligence Division. The report containing these names also lists a handful of recent New York Family inductees with some inaccuracies. This report is the only source for the above names.

===

c. Summer 1978

Aquilante


===

Pre-Fall 1978
- Unsub [Sponsored by J. Colletti]

===

c. August 1979
- Unsub [Sponsored by J. Riggi]

===

c. Mid-to-Late 1970s (Confirmed Inducted Pre-1980)
- Philip Abramo (32y) [Sponsored by J. D'Amato]
- Joseph 'Joe C.' Caruano (48y) (Died 2000)
- John D'Amato (35y) (Murdered 1991) [Sponsored by A. Carubia]
- Michael 'Mickey' DePietro (45y) (Died 1998)
- Charles Majuri (38y)
- Joseph Miranda (55y) (Died 2014) [May have been inducted pre-1958]
- Francesco Polizzi (42y) (Died 2001) [Possibly identical with Unspecified 'Italian from Italy' promoted to Capodecina c. August 1978]
- Paul 'Paulie Doyle' SanFilippo (56y) (Died 1979) [Possibly inducted pre-1958]
- Giuseppe 'Pino' Schifilliti (40y)
- Several others

Edit1: Added Larry Schiro (Pre-1977).
Edit2: Added Carmelo Cocchiaro (Pre-January 1978) and Michael Aquilante (c. Summer 1978).
Edit3: Narrowed Carmelo Cocchiaro's date of induction. He was identified as a member by January 1977.

Tuesday, June 14, 2022

John Varelli (Chicago)

Photographs and excerpts from a late 1970s FBI report compiled on Chicago Member John 'The Bug' Varelli (1925-1985).


1943


Summer 1967 (L to R): Max Heckmeyer, John Varelli

Monday, June 13, 2022

Peter Fria (Gambino)

1952

Peter Fria was a member of the Gambino Family's D'Aquila - Garofalo crew.

Born January 2, 1894 in Palermo, Sicily to Andrea and Agostina Aloisa.

In February 1913 sentenced by Palermo's Judicial Tribune to four months imprisonment for embezzlement.

Served in the Italian Army from 1915 to 1919.

On July 28, 1919 married Madelena Bucca in Palermo.

On October 16, 1921 arrived at Ellis Island, New York aboard S.S. Giovanni Florio. Destined to an uncle of the same name in Manhattan. Fria immigrated alone. One month later his wife gave birth to a daughter in the town of Ribera located in Agrigento, Sicily.

By 1930 resided at 143 East 18th St in Gramercy Park, Manhattan. Operated a luncheonette on East 12th St in nearby East Village.

By the early 1940s he was living about a block away from the luncheonette at 227 East 12th St.

Within a couple of years Fria exited the business and took up employment as a butcher for the Imperial Pork Store at 182 Ave A.

On May 22, 1951 Fria left New York to visit his daughter in Ribera. He returned that September.

By Summer 1952 he listed employment as porter at 196 1st Ave in East Village but had moved to Brooklyn, residing at 282 16th St in Park Slope. He filed his Petition for Naturalization in that borough in August and was granted citizenship three months later.

By the early-to-mid 1950s Peter Fria was a member of the Gambino Family crew headed by Jerome D'Aquila, son to Former Boss Salvatore D'Aquila.

Members of Jerome D'Aquila's crew included Vincenzo 'Jimmy' DiLeonardo, Peter Fria, Olympio 'Lilo' Garofalo, Giosue Meli and Paul Zaccaria.

Fria's criminal activities were said to include shylocking and involvement in the Italian lottery.

1955

In August 1955 made another trip to Sicily.

In the early 1960s Fria had moved back to East Village, sharing a room at 356 East 13th St. He frequented the Columbia Civic Association at 402 East 12th St, where he earned 'a few dollars' performing upkeep.

He was then reporting to Olympio 'Lilo' Garofalo.

Fria first came to the attention of the FBI in early January 1963. CI Alfred Santantonio, a Gambino Soldier, identified Lilo as a Captain with approximately 'ten old men' underneath him, including an individual frequently seen with Lilo on 1st Ave who he knew as Pedro Meda (ph). Santantonio was murdered before he could provide further details.

In March 1967 an FBI source reported that he had been told recently of one 'Don Patrino Maida', a Gambino Member described as 'an extremely wealthy individual' and long-time shylock and lottery operator. The informant gave an address for 'Don Maida' at 356 East 13th St.

Following up on the address early the following year, Agents interviewed the owner of the building. The owner knew of no one by the name of Maida, offering that the only tenant who fit the description was Peter Fria.

Fria was tracked down for interview the next month and provided lengthy background information on himself. Shown a photograph of Family Boss Carlo Gambino, Fria stated Gambino appeared familiar and he may have met him at Valentino's Cafe or 'some other place'. He was also shown photographs of Carlo's brothers, Captains Paul and Giuseppi, as well as Acting Underboss Aniello Dellacroce and Captain Vincent 'Jimmy' Corrao, and claimed no knowledge of them.

When asked about organized crime Fria replied: "(He) advised he has read about La Cosa Nostra and the Mafia in the New York newspapers, but he has no further knowledge concerning it. He volunteered the opinion that La Cosa Nostra or Mafia was non-existent and was manufactured to 'sell newpapers'. He advised he had never been aware of the Mafia's existence in Italy while he was living there."

In April 1968 the informant confirmed that Peter Fria was identical with 'Don Patrino Maida'.

The FBI interviewed Fria once more, in early 1969, and he was the subject of occasional spot checks conducted by Agents when they were in the neighborhood. They noted he continued to frequent and perform 'custodial duties' at the Columbia Civic Association.

Fria remained otherwise under the radar. He wasn't mentioned by any of the FBI's sources again until July 1971, when an informant alerted Agents to the fact that Fria had left the country over a year prior.

It was determined he had moved in with his daughter at Via Campione 19 in Ribera. A brief surveillance was conducted on Fria by the FBI's legal attaché in Rome in an attempt to determine his activites.

He died June 20, 1972 at Palermo's Civic Hospital.

Thursday, June 9, 2022

Jake Columbo (Genovese)

1960s

Jake Columbo was a member of the Genovese Family.

Born Giachinio Colombo on January 4, 1921 in Brooklyn, New York. Parents Giuseppe and Giuseppina Buttacavali were both from Palermo, Sicily.

The Columbos resided at 52 Watkins St in Brownsville, Brooklyn.

In April 1937 Jake was arrested on a burglary charge and given probation.

The following month he was arrested again, this time for burglary, possessing burglar tools and petit larceny. Convicted on a final charge of unlawful entry, he was sent by Kings County Judge Brancato to the New York State Vocational School.

A larceny conviction in August 1940 resulted in six months at the workhouse.

1940s

By November 1943 resided at 610 Pine St in East New York, Brooklyn.

Late that month twenty-eight-year-old Morris Borge was stabbed after getting into an automobile accident with Columbo at Borden Ave and 46th St in Laurel Hill, Queens. Charged with felonious assault, Columbo was acquitted early the following year.

He was then living with brother Frank at 914 New Lots Ave in East New York and employed as a pocketbook maker. He was arrested twice that year, for vagrancy and then armed robbery, both cases ending in dismissal.

A bookmaking charge the following summer resulted in a $50 fine.

On April 25, 1950 he was picked up on another bookmaking charge at 282 Knickerbocker Ave in Bushwick, Brooklyn. The case was ultimately dismissed for lack of evidence.

A felonious assault charge in September 1951 was also dismissed.

On August 26, 1952 picked up at an East New York dice game and given a suspended sentence.

Multiple vagrancy and gambling arrests would occur through the rest of the decade, all either resulting in dismissal or with no disposition shown.

By the mid-1950s Columbo was a made member, although he may not have initially been with the Genovese Family.

Years later an FBI source, either Gambino Member Alfred Santantonio or Genovese Member Joseph Valachi, was shown a photograph of Columbo and identified him as a Genovese Soldier who 'transferred a few years ago from Magliocco Family'.

If correct he would have likely been associated with the portion of that Family's membership active in the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Brownsville and East New York, which included Sebastiano 'Buster' Aloi and John 'Sonny' Franzese.

1950s: Carillo (L) and Columbo (R)
Source (Carillo): FBN Mafia Book

By 1955 Columbo was closely associated with Genovese Member Anthony 'Tony the Sheik' Carillo. An FBI report compiled that year identified Carillo as 'syndicate leader with Jake Columbo' in Brownsville - East New York. The following year an informant noted: "The syndicate boss of East New York is 'Tony the Sheik' who frequents the corner of Liberty and Cleveland Avenues in Brooklyn. He further advised Jackie Columbo is another button man from the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, who frequents the East New York area and has a say in underworld activities in that area...Columbo is next in command to 'Tony the Sheik'."

Columbo oversaw floating crap games in the area, with patrons typically steered to the location from the Garfield Cafeteria in Flatbush.

On March 30, 1958 thirty-four-year-old Louis Nadel was shot to death while parking his automobile on Ave X between East 26th and East 27th Sts in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. The killer, who may have been sitting in the passenger seat, shot Nadel twice in the head at close range with a .38 caliber automatic handgun.

Those brought in for questioning included Columbo, who until recently had been one of three partners in the JS&L Coat Corporation at 86 Meserole St in Williamsburg.

Late that year he formed the Jako Vending Corporation at 606 Gates Ave in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Genovese Associate Benjamin 'Benny' Wekar and Possible Lucchese Member Victor Aita each purchased an interest and served respectively as Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer of the corporation. Wekar was by then a long-time gambling associate of Columbo.

The trio was later said to have collaborated with the Colombo Family's Gallo brothers in the jukebox business.

By 1963 Columbo was part of a large-scale policy ring operating in Brooklyn and New Jersey. Others involved included Bonanno Member Gaetano 'Smitty' D'Angelo, Colombo Member Sebastiano Aloi, Genovese Members Gennaro Boccia and Anthony 'Tony Andrews' Florio as well as Genovese Associate James 'Jimmy Nap' Napoli.

On April 6, 1963 Columbo was indicted for bribery in Suffolk County, Long Island. Genovese Member Gabriel Vigorito, Lucchese Member Salvatore 'Babe' Vario and three others were also charged.

Vigorito appears to have been dropped from the case. Columbo, Vario and the others were convicted in March 1964 following what was then the longest trial in Suffolk County history.

Three months later the bribery case defendants appeared for sentencing before Judge George F. X. McInerney. Columbo and Vario were given New York State prison sentences of four-to-eight years and eight-to-fifteen years respectively. Both were released on bail pending appeal.

On February 21, 1965 Columbo died at his residence located on Bedell Lane in Canarsie, Brooklyn.

In early July 1965 the Appellate Division of the State Supreme Court granted Columbo a posthumous reversal of his bribery conviction and ordered a new trial for Salvatore Vario and two of the other surviving co-defendants.

Sunday, June 5, 2022

Colombo Surveillance (1965)

 


FBI surveillance photo taken during a wedding reception held at Claridge Caterers in Gravesend, Brooklyn.

Those depicted:

1. James 'Jimmy Bats' Cardello (1905-1975): Soldier in Carmine Persico's crew. Formerly under Harry Fontana. Brother Joseph murdered two years prior in the Gallo conflict.

2. Carmine 'Junior' Persico (1933-2019): Recently appointed Capodecina. Formerly under Harry Fontana. Appointed Underboss in 1980. Elected Boss shortly thereafter and held the position through the next couple of decades.

3. Aniello 'Allie Lamont' Giannattasio (1909-1979): Soldier with Nicholas Forlano. Also a former Fontana crew member. Sponsored Persico for membership. In the 1970s appointed Capodecina, demoted as result of a drinking problem, then reappointed a few months later as part of a large-scale Family reorganization.

4. Unsub. Possibly 'Little John' Capichano (1909-1986), another Forlano crew member who previously reported to Harry Fontana.

See here for a full breakdown of the Colombo Family at the time of this photo.


Saturday, June 4, 2022

Anthony Raimondi (Bonanno)


No photo available.


Anthony 'Tony R.' Raimondi was a member of the Bonanno Family.

Born April 1, 1892 in Palermo, Sicily.

In Summer 1900 entered United States through Ellis Island, New York.

Around 1910 served a six month sentence for carrying a concealed weapon.

In April 1914 filed Declaration of Intention in USDC Manhattan. At the time Raimondi was living at 437 East 12th St in East Village, Manhattan and working as a box maker.

By 1917 he was residing with wife Josephine DiMarco at 2016 West 5th St in Gravesend, Brooklyn. Employed as chauffeur.

He was still employed as a chauffeur by 1925, when the family is listed at 126 Bay 25th St in the adjacent neighborhood of Bath Beach.

Raimondi was likely an inducted member of the Bonanno Family by the 1930s.

By 1942 Raimondi returned to the East Village neighborhood, residing at 276 Ave A and running a business nearby on East 16th St.

He subsequently moved a few blocks down to 19 East 7th St and worked as an aide at Bellevue Hospital in Kips Bay.

He was back in Brooklyn, this time at 2037 West 5th St in Gravesend, by the time of his May 1962 retirement from Bellevue.

Raimondi was described as a long-time associate of Bonanno Capodecina Angelo Caruso and was likely a member of Caruso's crew.

On March 31, 1964 Raimondi married Nellie Lytwyn in Brooklyn.

Anthony's stepson Dennis 'Danny Raimondi' Lytwyn was an on-record associate with Raymond Patriarca, LCN Boss in New England. It was this connection that led to Anthony being identified by the FBI.

Danny Raimondi

On October 26, 1964 an FBI bug recorded a meeting between Raimondi and Patriarca at the latter's place of business in Providence, Rhode Island. The primary purpose of the visit, a request that Patriarca order Danny Raimondi to keep up regular contact with his ailing mother, was overshadowed by a discussion concerning the status of Family Boss Joseph Bonanno and his supporters: "...Raymond spoke to the New York group in behalf of Raimondi and told them, because his son [Danny] is 'with him', meaning Patriarca, they should not cause him, [Anthony] Raimondi any harm...Raimondi is a member of the Bonanno Family."

During the same visit Raimondi related the following anecdote to Patriarca: "...Raimondi then mentioned that he at one time was very wealthy and, because of his habit of helping friends financially, he has lost most of his money. He pointed out that at one time an individual, name not mentioned, was given an order to kill somebody. While completing the murder, he was observed by a witness. Later, on another job, probably murder, he was picked up and identified by the witness in the first murder. A payoff of $5,000 was necessary to 'square the rap away'. $5,000 was furnished to a Lt. Dunn (ph) for this purpose and the charge was dropped. The individual was released and the following day he was also murdered. This resulted in the loss of $5,000 to Raimondi."

The FBI interviewed Raimondi early the next year. He provided background on himself and admitted knowing Angelo Caruso for 'years'.

Raimondi remains one of the more obscure members despite his identification.

In February 1966 one of the FBI's Bonanno sources was shown Raimondi's photograph and claimed no knowledge of him.

In late August 1973 he was among those surveilled attending the wake for Bonanno Boss Natale Evola held at the Bensonhurst & Prospect Funeral Home in Brooklyn.

Raimondi's stepson Danny briefly cooperated with the FBI in an investigation of Raymond Patriarca, then reneged on the deal and later published a book on the experience.

On April 1, 1977 Danny was shot to death inside his residence in Somerset, Massachusetts. Press coverage in the wake of his murder provided details of Danny's cooperation that were left out of the book, including his professed involvement in thirty-six murders. The press also reported that Danny had claimed formal membership in the Patriarca Family, providing agents with a detailed description of the ceremony where he and an unnamed second man were inducted.

By the late 1970s Anthony Raimondi may have been reporting to Angelo Salvo, identified by informants as Capodecina over most of Angelo Caruso's former crew members.

He died in early May 1979 and was waked from Sparacio's Dahill Funeral Home at 2525 65th St in Mapleton, Brooklyn.

Joseph Abate (Lucchese)

c. 1970s Joseph Abate was a Captain in the Lucchese Family. Born July 8, 1902 in Marsala comune of Trapani, Sicily to Giuseppe and Catherine...