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.

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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]

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c. Spring 1976

Ippolito

- Joseph Ippolito (45y) (Died 1995)

Ippolito was likely inducted as part of the first wave.

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May 14, 1976

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

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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."

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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."

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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."

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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.

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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."

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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.

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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."

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December 6, 1976

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

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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."

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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."

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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)

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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.

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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."

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Pre-Summer 1977

Alessi

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

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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."

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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]

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October 23, 1977

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

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

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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]."

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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.

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c. Summer 1978

Aquilante

- Michael 'Jersey Mike' Aquilante (62y) (Died 1985)

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

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

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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.