In 1986, Sciascia was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police based on the drug trafficking charges in the US. After considerable debate, the Commission accepted Bonannos offer, in view of his status as a Mafia elder statesman. Read more about this topic: Bonanno Crime Family, Current Family Members. A capo can recommend to the boss or underboss that a new recruit be sworn into his crew. [8] On June 23, 2005, Massino confessed to ordering Sciascia's murder along with other murders and several other crimes. This category has the following 4 subcategories, out of 4 total. There, DeFilippo told Sciascia that they were driving to a different location and the two men were picked up by mobster John Spirito. In addition, for their own enrichment, the defendants conspired to engage in extortionate loansharking, money laundering and fraud, as well as drug trafficking, stated Acting U.S. Attorney Kasulis. On April 30, 1992, Sciascia's top lieutenant in Canada, Joseph LoPresti, was found shot to death in a Montreal lot. In 1976 Rastelli was sent to prison and Galante decided to make a power grab and seize control of the family, which he did for a while. It was this event that then promoted the other faction leader that Sciacca made consigliere, Phillip Rastelli, to the boss of the family. Rastelli was now the undisputed boss, controlling things from behind bars through the use of acting bosses. With these arrests, the defendants will be held accountable for their wide-ranging and destructive conduct, said Acting United States Attorney Rohde. The rest of the defendants will be presented before United States Magistrate Judge Barbara Moses later today. Massino was an intelligent man. Assistant United States Attorneys James P. McDonald and Devon Lash are in charge of the prosecution. In 2007, Riviello was released from prison. The jury did not agree with the charges that Joseph Cammarano Jr. and John Zancocchio are the acting boss and consigliere of the Bonanno crime family. More info coming getting info checked out. The six-count indictment accuses a Bonanno soldier and an associate of assisting in the 2010 election of another crime family associate as the president of a Teamsters union on Long Island. My Aunt Patty was the daughter of Joe Bonanno! In the New York City area, there are five LCN Families, namely, the Bonanno Family, the Genovese Family, the Luchese Family, the Colombo Family, and the Gambino Family. [6], Vacationing in Mexico, Massino immediately met with each of the Bonanno capos to tell them he did not know what happened to Sciascia and theorized it was a bad drug deal. By promoting Evola to underboss and Rastelli to consigliere, Sciacca hoped to align the Bonanno crime family and bring it back to the level of power and influence within the New York Mafia it once occupied. Vincent "Vinny" Asaro capo since the 1980s. Santapaolo was presented this morning before a United States Magistrate Judge in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Massino was indicted for the murder of Napolitano, and the 1992 murder of New York Post delivery superintendent Robert Perrino. The indictment covers the alleged mobsters . On December 16, 2008, Mancuso was sentenced to 15 years in prison with a relese date of 2019 when he will be 62 years old. The soldiers in his crew give the capo part of their earnings, and the capo sends a part of these earnings to the underboss. Massino took a great number of precautions in regards to security and the possibility of anything incriminating being picked up on a wiretap. For 2 years Evola was in control of the family and his term could have been longer if it wasnt for cancer ending his life in 1971. He also arranged family meetings to be conducted in remote locations within the United States. [6] Feeling that Sciascia was challenging his authority, Massino, in a jealous rage, decided to have him killed. Id like to commend the work of the agents and detectives who put much time and effort into this investigation, said Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. Rizzuto came from Montreal with two Sicilian hitmen to join Joseph Massino, Salvatore Vitale, and Sciascia. Scascia was becoming more independent of Massino and more aligned with Vito Rizzuto. Members and associates of one La Cosa Nostra family at times work together with other La Cosa Nostra families in jointly undertaken criminal ventures. United States v. Joseph Cammarano, Jr., et al., 18 Cr. Fax Line: 718-254-7508. Once the men were inside, Sciascia signalled the attack by slowly running his fingers through his hair. On October 14, 2009, Sammartino was arrested on loansharking charges He was sentenced to 18 months in prison and a $50,000 dollar fine for extortion. The defendantsDamiano Zummo, an acting captain in the Bonanno crime family; Salvatore Russo, an associate of the Bonanno crime family; Paul Semplice, a member of the Gambino crime family . Sammartino lives in North Arlington, New Jersey and is part of the current ruling panel/committee. The Mafia hasnt stopped operating and the crimes these members are charged with today proves that. By this time Gaspar DiGregorio had been given the job at the top in 1965. DiGregorios time in power was a violent and unstable one when you look back at the Bonanno family history. The Bonanno family continued its success through the 1990s and was rapidly becoming one of the most powerful families in New York. As alleged in the indictment and detention memo, Giallanzo, an acting captain in the Bonanno family, conducted a lucrative loansharking operation in which he provided money to, among others, defendants Festa, Palmaccio, Padavona, Hintze and Heck to extend extortionate loans to, and collect from, numerous individuals. When the three capos were dead, Sciascia and his Sicilians quickly left the building, leaving the cleanup to Vitale and the others.[5]. Magliocco managed to get away with his life (possibly due to ill health) and just paid a $43,000 fine. As Spirito drove the vehicle, DeFilippo shot Sciascia to death with seven bullets. However, Colombo alerted Gambino and Lucchese to the plot. Glen Head, New York, JOSEPH BELLANTONI In 1979, the imprisoned Rastelli who was still official boss of the family allegedly ordered Galantes murder. All Rights Reserved. Everything we allege in this investigation proves history does indeed repeat itself. The indictment alleges multiple counts involving threats and acts of violence to collect debts owed to Giallanzo and his associates. A Brooklyn man is accused of running a murder-for-hire scheme targeted at two reputed Bonanno family associates. Capo - Caporegime (Crew boss/Captain/Lieutenant/Skipper) The boss appoints a capo to operate a borgata (regime, or crew) of sgarrista (soldiers). Iceman Richard Kuklinski was not one of Demeo crew he did have association.One day and associate of his wanted a loan and Kuklinski could not handle it and turned him to DeMeo and vouched for him well the loan went bad and Kuklinski was called and Kuklinski called the client and met him and the client said hay I know where your family is and that set Kuklinski off and he killed him and went to DeMeo and took a tremendous beaten and and told him he will have the money in full and wneh he paid that was the end of there association.Iceman Richard Kuklinski was said Demeo was the only man he ever feared.More to come. As a result of their illegal activities, including loansharking, illegal gambling, robbery, extortion and other offenses, the defendants earned over $26 million in illicit proceeds, which the indictment alleges will be subject to forfeiture if the defendants are convicted. Acting 20032004: Anthony Urso He said, I get my s--t. I blow cars up. Carmelo Polito, an alleged acting captain in the Genovese crime family, is one of the highest-ranking members charged. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge. Below is a chart containing the names, ages, residences, charges, and maximum penalties for the defendants. Get information about how to check in with your local ICE Office here. I would f-----g shoot him right in front of his wife and kids, call the police, f--k it, let me go, how long you think Im gonna last anyway?. In 1995, Asaro was convicted of racketeering and enterprise corruption and sentenced to more than five years in prison. Anthony Zottola was accused of hiring Bloods gang members to assassinate his father, a reputed Bonanno crime family associate. On June 1, 2011, a jury rejected a prosecution request for the death penalty and instead sentenced Basciano to life in federal prison. I f------g knock on peoples doors. In 2013 he would finally give up leadership to another acting boss from the Massino era and early Basciano era, and that was Michael Mancuso. He also promised to never involve himself again in New York Mafia affairs. The defendants sought to divert more than $10,000 per month from the Health Funds assets to the administration of the Colombo crime family. On December 31, 2009, DeCicco was released from prison. NEW YORK (CBSNewYork)-- Ten alleged members and associates of the infamous Bonanno crime family were indicted Tuesday on racketeering and other charges. After the Castellammarese and their allies had defeated Masseria and subsequently with Maranzanos own killing, the leadership of the borgata fell to Giuseppe (Joe) Bonanno who would go on to lead one of the most tight-knit, secretive, and cohesive Family memberships for the next 35 years. Armetta is additionally charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering, and aiding and abetting the same. But after Profacis death in 1962, Bonanno faced formidable opponents in Tommy Lucchese and Carlo Gambino who were looking to expand into Bonannos territory. As alleged, the defendant was a top lieutenant and head of security for Rafael Caro Quintero, an infamous drug lord whose violent organization has for decades sent thousands of kilograms The relentless efforts of our Office and law enforcement partners are systematically dismantling the MS-13 from the bottom to the very top, and we will not stop until this transnational With todays verdict, two drug dealers who sold lethal drugs without any regard for the lives they were endangering, have received a powerful response from the jury holding them responsible Eastern District of New York U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of New York, Colombo Crime Family Boss, Underboss, Consigliere and Captains Are Among the Defendants Charged with Labor Racketeering, Extortion and Money Laundering, 14 Defendants Indicted, Including the Entire Administration of the Colombo Organized Crime Family, Top Lieutenant and Head of Security for Rafael Caro Quintero Extradited from Mexico to Face Narcotics Trafficking and Firearms Charges, Three of the Highest-Ranking MS-13 Leaders in the World Arrested on Terrorism and Racketeering Charges, Two Defendants Convicted of Distributing Fentanyl and Heroin Causing Overdoses, 14 Defendants Indicted, Including The Entire Administration of The Colombo Organized Crime Family. Polito, 63, is charged with running an illegal online gambling scheme. At times relevant to the indictment, the defendants held the following positions with their respective LCN Families: Cammarano was a captain and the Acting Boss of the Bonanno Family; Zancocchio was a captain and the Consigliere of the Bonanno Family; Sabella was a captain of the Bonanno Family; Tropiano was a soldier and an acting captain of the Bonanno Family; Esposito was the Consigliere of the Bonanno Family; Miniero, Santapaolo, and Armetta were soldiers in the Bonanno Family; Montevecchi was a soldier in the Genovese Family; and Castelle was a soldier in the Luchese Family. ANDREW RUSSO (also known as Mush) Bonanno was already part of the gang having illegally emigrated to the US in 1924, joining the fold when Schiro was running the show. Earlier today, a 37-count indictment was unsealed in United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York charging 10 members and associates of the Bonanno organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra (the Bonanno family) with racketeering conspiracy, including predicate acts of murder conspiracy, attempted murder, extortion, illegal gambling, robbery conspiracy, arson conspiracy, narcotics distribution conspiracy and obstruction of justice conspiracy. Age: 56 The governments case is being handled by the Offices Organized Crime and Gangs Section. He was jailed in 1978 and came out of prison in 1979, but not for long. , said Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. Button Guys of The New York Mafia. Eastern District of New York (718) 254-7000. From 1931 to 1966, Bonanno reigned over the extremely powerful and corrupt Bonanno family as well as a criminal empire that stretched from Brooklyn to California. With power bases in gambling, shylocking, legitimate business holdings, and international heroin smuggling through its satellite regimes in Montreal, Canada, and Sicily. The defendants -- Ronald Ronnie G. Giallanzo, an acting captain in the Bonanno family, Michael Padavona, Michael Palmaccio and Nicholas Pudgie Festa, soldiers in the Bonanno family, and Christopher Bald Chris Boothby, Evan The Jew Greenberg, Richard Heck, Michael Hintze, Robert Chippy or Chip Tanico, and Robert Pisani, associates of the Bonanno family -- were arrested earlier today and are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon in Brooklyn federal court. Lock Chilli along with his nephew Tom Fiore controlled operations in Broward County, Florida and Hollywood, Florida. Count Two charges Armetta with assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering, and aiding and abetting the same. If convicted of the obstruction of justice offenses, Padavona and Tanico face a maximum of 20 years in prison. In 2007, Furino was released from prison. Jack Legs Diamond: Was He The REAL Teflon Don? In the 1990s, relations between Massino and Sciascia had started to sour. After the death of Maranzano, Joe Bonanno would step up to the front and rename the criminal empire. With prosecutors intent on asking for the death penalty, Massino quickly offered to become a government witness. Was there ever a Felix magnotta involved in the bonanno family? Advertisement Coins. Genovese soldier Joseph Marcario was charged along with four crime family colleagues and three members of the Bonanno family for running the betting business from inside legitimate Queens. Joseph's nephew Anthony "Bruno" Indelicato is a soldier in the crew. The dispute lasted several months, during which Giallanzos crew and the victim shot at each other on the streets of Howard Beach on several occasions. He closed the long-standing social clubs of the Bonanno family. In some cases, he held meetings in foreign countries, and had his capos bring their wives along so they could be passed off as vacations. With little fanfare or public exposure, it allowed Joseph Bonanno to accumulate one of the greatest wealth of any mob boss of his era. First, the Colombo crime familys administration, including Russo, Castellazzo and Dimatteo, as well captains Persico, Ferrara and Vincent Ricciardo, used extortionate means, including direct threats of bodily harm, to control the management of the Labor Union and caused it to make decisions that benefitted the Colombo crime family. It wasnt long before the Commission voted out Bonanno and Magliocco from their seats and their families. Genovese Family member Ernest Montevecchi is charged with participating in that conspiracy as well. Lock For example, on June 21, 2021, in a consensually recorded conversation, Vincent Ricciardo threatened to kill John Doe #1 if he did not comply with Vincent Ricciardos demands. [6] Government witness Sammy Gravano later claimed that the Bonanno family paid a juror $10,000 to block Sciascia's conviction. From city to city and state to state, Button Guys of The New York Mafia breaks down the history of organized crime in America. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. 15 (AKH). Ruggiero had an associate named Donnie Brasco whom he proposed for full family membership. An important mission of the Office of Inspector General is to investigate criminal allegations relating to organized crime and their illicit influence over labor unions and their affiliated employee benefit plans. Main Office Age: 58 Bonanno Family Members at Wake; Patrick "From the Bronx" DeFilippo, Anthony "Walker" Frascone, Michael "Mikey Nose" Mancuso and Emanuel "Manny" Guaragna (L-R), Surveillance . As boss, part of the responsibility is to grow the family. All rights reserved. A locked padlock The next day, Tanico lied in the grand jury, falsely claiming that he had not spoken with Padavona about the subpoena. waited at a drive-through window. He was also one of the mobsters who got caught up in the 1957 Apalachin Meeting, but was later let off any charges brought against him. In October 1964, Bonanno disappeared and was not heard from again for two years, claiming he was kidnapped. He was a hands on Boss. As set forth in the indictment and other court documents, the defendants and their co-conspirators committed a variety of crimes including extortion, loansharking, fraud and drug trafficking on behalf of the Colombo organized crime family. In the early 1900s several top members of the family and other families relocated to New York to continue their criminal enterprises. He was the first member of the Queens faction to lead the family; the previous bosses had all come from the familys birthplace in Brooklyn. In addition to the cash proceeds of the racketeering conduct, the indictment further alleges that the houses belonging to defendants Giallanzo, Padavona, Palmaccio and Festa, and one of Pisanis businesses, are subject to forfeiture. Massino testified twice for the government, helping win a murder conviction against his acting boss Vincent Basciano in 2011, and was re-sentenced to time served in 2013, though he will be on supervised release for the rest of his life. On Tuesday in Brooklyn Federal Court,14 defendants, including 10 members and associates of the Colombo crime family and a member of the Bonanno organized crime family, were charged. During the mid 1960s the hold on the family he had started to slip, partly due to his involvement with Joe Magliocco in trying to organize a hit on Carlo Gambino and Tommy Lucchese. He led the gang in a fearless attack against the less organized Masseria family by uniting with other top mobsters in the city. [6], On a later occasion, when Rizzuto refused to send a hit team to New York to kill Bonanno target Robert Perino, Sciascia infuriated Massino by again supporting Rizzuto. Remembering how Pistones infiltration had damaged the family, he also decreed that all prospective made men had to have a working relationship with an incumbent member for at least eight years before becoming made, in hopes of ensuring new mafiosi were as reliable as possible. Acting 20042006: Michael Mancuso. Polito, 63, is charged with running an illegal online gambling scheme. . In 2007, Joe, Jr. was indicted for racketeering, conspiracy, illegal gambling, extortion, loansharking and drug trafficking. However, they stipulated that if Bonanno broke his promise, he would be killed on the spot. See more ideas about crime family, crime, family members. It led to the so-called Banana War which tore at the very fabric of its membership a strife-torn Family that, to this day, has never fully recovered to the prestige and power it once enjoyed! Sciascia was born in Cattolica Eraclea in the province of Agrigento, Sicily, the same area as Montreal Mafia boss Vito Rizzuto. Regardless of how many times they fill the void we create in their ranks, our FBI Organized Crime Task Force, and our law enforcement partners, are positioned to take them out again, and again, stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll. Ms. Kasulis also thanked the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Atlanta and New York Offices (DOL-EBSA), the Nassau County District Attorneys Office, the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor and the Department of Justices Organized Crime and Gang Section for their valuable assistance in the investigation. Official websites use .gov The origins of the family date back to Italy. He explained that John Doe #1 knows, Ill put him in the ground right in front of his wife and kids, right in front of his f-----g house, you laugh all you want pal, Im not afraid to go to jail, let me tell you something, to prove a point? Massino gained the nickname The Ear because of this. Age: 39 Brooklyn, New York, JOHN RAGANO (also known as Bazoo and Maniac) A law enforcement official described a mafia-style assassination: a shooting as an S.U.V. Through deep-dive biographies and snapshots of mobsters to in-depth stories about mafia regimes and crews, youll uncover an underworld you might never have known existed maybe even in your own hometown! One of the men involved in the murder of the three was Benjamin Lefty Guns Ruggiero. U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of New York, The United States Will Seek More Than $26 Million in Forfeiture From The Defendants Upon Their Convictions, Ten Members And Associates Of The Bonanno Crime Family Indicted For Racketeering And Related Charges, The Mafia hasnt stopped operating and the crimes these members are charged with today proves that. The case has been assigned to United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry. In 2005, Calabrese was released from prison. Ten members of the Colombo crime family and one member of the Bonanno crime family were arrested, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Mob Fireside Chat BGs Official YouTube Channel, Alfred (Al Walker) Embarrato Bonnano Soldier, Joe Bonanno Boss of the Bonanno Crime Family, Paul Sciacca The Reluctant Representante, Michael (Mike Adams) Adamo Set Up for the Slaughter, Francesco (Frank) Bonomo Robbery and Murder, Giovanni (The Ambassador) Petrone International Shadow, Michael (Mickey Z) Zaffarano The Mobs Forgotten King of Porn, How Joseph Genna was Tied to a Murder Mystery with Tony Bender Strollo, The Banana Bunch Goes to Jail The Trials and Tribulations of Being a Bonanno. The only thing left out is Canadian ties large drug rings and murder. The defendants attempted to re-bid Health Fund vendor contracts for claims administration, pharmaceuticals and other health services to persons and companies affiliated with the defendant Joseph Bellantoni. He quickly replaced the Boss of Bosses role with The Commission that would regulate the families affairs and keep the peace. A locked padlock Each capo reports directly to the underboss and must get permission from the underboss to perform any actions. Age: 52 Joseph Bonanno (1905-2002) was the longtime head of one of the top five Italian Mafia crime syndicates or "families" in the United States. Gerard "Jerry" Chilli - capo in the Staten Island faction. By infiltrating and taking control of a Queens-based labor union and its affiliated health care benefit program these defendants were able to extort a substantial amount of money which should have been used for the members of the union. Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, a 19-count indictment was unsealed charging 14 defendants, including 10 members and associates of the Colombo crime family of La Cosa Nostra and a member of the Bonanno organized crime family, with various offenses including labor racketeering involving multiple predicate acts of extortion conspiracy, attempted extortion and extortion, extortionate collection of credit conspiracy, extortionate collection of credit and money laundering conspiracy. [6], On March 18, 1999, Sciascia received a note at his jewelry store telling him to meet DeFilippo at a location in Manhattan. /r/Mafia features stories, interviews, documentary and news articles about organized crime around the world. After Massino turned informant and the appointed boss Vincent Basciano was sent to prison himself, the family installed a ruling panel to handle day-today activities. Joseph Charles Bonanno (born Giuseppe Carlo Bonanno; Italian: [duzppe karlo bonanno]; January 18, 1905 - May 11, 2002), sometimes referred to as Joe Bananas, was an Italian-American crime boss of the Bonanno crime family, which he ran from 1931 to 1968. It originated from the picturesque Sicilian seaside fishing village of Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily. He was sentenced to life in prison. Donnie Brasco is the story of how an FBI agent was able to work undercover with the Bonanno crime family and almost became a 'made' man. On September 10, 1931 Jewish gangsters murdered Maranzano giving Luciano control of the Cosa Nostra. [2] In the 1980s, while living in Montreal, Sciascia served as the liaison between the Rizzuto crime family and the Bonanno family in New York, managing drug trafficking between the two countries. After years of hiding and a one-time attempt to take back the family in 1964, Bonanno contacted the Commission and officially retired in 1968. A lock ( He appointed Joseph Bonanno as boss of the Maranzano family making him the youngest leader in the nation. [6] Wealthy from his heroin trafficking days, Sciascia established a small construction company in the Bronx. Asaro and his son Jerome, both alleged captains in the Bonanno organized crime family, also were charged in a 1984 robbery of $1.25 million worth of gold salts from a Federal Express employee. He also instigated the Castellammarese War to seize control of the American Mafia operations which would lead to bloodshed on the streets, and he also briefly became the Mafias Boss of Bosses. However, on May 9, 2006, the jury exonerated him of the murder charge. This led to a civil unrest commonly referred to by the media as the Bannana Wars. Garden City, New York, John Marzulli This Office and its law enforcement partners are committed to dismantling organized crime families, eliminating their corrupt influence in our communities and protecting the independence of labor unions.. Nicolo was an early New York City Mafia Boss of what would later be called the Bonanno Crime Family. 271 Cadman Plaza East By the time he came out of prison DiGregorios reign was all but over and Sciaccas 5 years term was starting. Instead, various defendants used Raganos schools to conduct meetings involving members of La Cosa Nostra and to store illegal drugs and fireworks. For instance, in May 2013, within one month of his release from prison, Giallanzo ordered an associate of the Bonanno family (Associate-1) to bring to him a loanshark customer who owed Giallanzo $250,000 but had not been making the required weekly interest payments. The Bonanno Family, like other LCN Families, operates through a group of individuals known as crews, each of which are led by a capo or captain. The crews are composed of made members, called soldiers, and trusted non-members called associates. Above the Capos are the highest-ranking members the Boss or Acting Boss, the Underboss, and the Consigliere, or counselor who oversee the Family. In addition to the extortion charges, the indictment charges Giallanzo and Padavona with participating in a plot to murder an individual in the summer of 2006. Main Office Many say he was the boss of the family, but he was never an official boss. Massino ordered his men to point to their ears. Giallanzo, who at the time was on pre-trial release for a previous case filed in this District, ordered the murder of the victim because, among other reasons, the victim had robbed members of Giallanzos crew. Ruggiero vouched for Brasco, which meant he trusted Brasco to be a stand up guy. Copyright The National Crime Syndicate 2014 - 2023, Death of New Orleans 1st Godfather (Pt 1), Death of New Orleans 1st Godfather (Pt 2), Dial M For Mob Series: Part 1 Introduction, Dial M For Mob: Part 2 Where It All Began, Dial M For Mob Series: Part 3 Las Vegas, Dial M For Mob: Part 4 The Shooting of Frank Costello, 9 New York Mafia Social Clubs: Then & Now, 9 Restaurants Where Mobsters Were Whacked, 10 Celebs Who Nearly Got Killed By The Mafia, Carabinieri Italys Incorruptible Police Force, The Theft of The Marlborough Diamond Chapter 2, Rastelli who was still official boss of the family allegedly ordered Galantes murder, The Cars of the Most Famous Gang Leaders and Mafia Bosses. Age: 53 Some of these members included such iconic mafiosi as feared underboss Carmine (Lilo) Galante, consiglieri Giovanni (John) Bonventre, Francesco (Frankie Carroll) Garofalo, Stefano Cannone, and Philip (Rusty) Rastelli. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Argentieri, Lindsay K. Gerdes, Keith D. Edelman and Alicyn L. Cooley are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance provided by Assistant United States Attorney Tanya Y. Hill of the Offices Asset Forfeiture Unit. The hijacking touched off a full out war known as the Castellammarese War. The family became the top New York crime family but defections have left it less powerful. Not much is known of Natale Evola, we do know that he took control of the family for a short period of time and he was a Bonanno loyalist through the 60s when the on-going family war was at its strongest. Further, Colombo crime family members Russo, Castellazzo, Dimatteo, Ferrara, Persico, Vincent Ricciardo, Uvino joined with defendants Thompkins and Bellantoni, among others, to devise a scheme to launder money from Health Fund contracts and payments through third parties and eventually to the Colombo crime familys leaders. On April 15, 1931 Luciano men murdered Masseria and ended the Castellammarese War.