Anthony Milano
Encyclopedia
Anthony "Tony" Milano was an Italian mobster who rose to power in America working for the Cleveland crime family in the American Mafia
. He served as the long time Underboss
in the Cleveland crime family from 1930 until his retirement in 1976. He was the godfather of future Cleveland crime family Underboss Angelo Lonardo
.
Milano was born on December 5, 1888 in Reggio Calabria
in Southern Italy
to Pietro and Grazia Milano (née Mazza). His family eventually immigrated to the United States
and made there way to Cleveland, Ohio
. Milano and his brother Frank were active in Black Hand extortion and bootlegging during prohibition. His younger brother Frank was leader of the "Mayfield Road Mob", an Italian gang that fought the Porrello crime family for control of criminal rackets in Ohio. In the early 1930s, the Porrello family was defeated and Frank became Boss of the Cleveland crime family, being an original member of The Commission
. Anthony served as his Underboss. In 1935, Frank fled the country due to tax evasion
charges. Alfred Polizzi
took over as Boss of the family and kept Anthony on as Underboss. Milano remained Underboss for decades despite the changes in leadership over the years.
Milano became a naturalized citizen on June 27, 1924. He married Josephine DiSanto and had four sons: Peter
, Frank, John and Carmen
. His wife and kids moved to Los Angeles in the 1940s while he split time between Los Angeles, Cleveland and Las Vegas. Milano had many legitimate and criminal business interests in all three cities. His eldest son Peter was a member of the Los Angeles crime family
and the Milanos' relationship strengthened the ties between the two crime families. His nephew John Nardi
, an influential associate of the Cleveland crime family, went against the Cleveland family in the 1970s and sided with the Irish gang led by Danny Greene
. Milano was believed to have significant control over several local labor unions in Cleveland due to his connection to Jackie Presser
. As the years went on, Milano spent less time involved in the Cleveland crime family and he began to take on more of an advisory role while other influential crime family members served as acting Underbosses. Even so, he kept the title of Underboss until his retirement in 1976. He died two years later in 1978.
American Mafia
The American Mafia , is an Italian-American criminal society. Much like the Sicilian Mafia, the American Mafia has no formal name and is a secret criminal society. Its members usually refer to it as Cosa Nostra or by its English translation "our thing"...
. He served as the long time Underboss
Underboss
Underboss is a position within the leadership structure of Sicilian and American Mafia crime families. The underboss is second in command to the boss...
in the Cleveland crime family from 1930 until his retirement in 1976. He was the godfather of future Cleveland crime family Underboss Angelo Lonardo
Angelo Lonardo
Angelo Anthony Lonardo was a Cleveland crime family mobster who later became the acting boss of the family in the early 1980s. Lonardo was born in 1911 in Cleveland to Joseph and Concetta Lonardo. His godfather was Anthony Milano...
.
Milano was born on December 5, 1888 in Reggio Calabria
Reggio Calabria
Reggio di Calabria , commonly known as Reggio Calabria or Reggio, is the biggest city and the most populated comune of Calabria, southern Italy, and is the capital of the Province of Reggio Calabria and seat of the Council of Calabrian government.Reggio is located on the "toe" of the Italian...
in Southern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
to Pietro and Grazia Milano (née Mazza). His family eventually immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and made there way to Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. Milano and his brother Frank were active in Black Hand extortion and bootlegging during prohibition. His younger brother Frank was leader of the "Mayfield Road Mob", an Italian gang that fought the Porrello crime family for control of criminal rackets in Ohio. In the early 1930s, the Porrello family was defeated and Frank became Boss of the Cleveland crime family, being an original member of The Commission
The Commission (mafia)
The Commission is the governing body of the American Mafia. Formed in 1931, the Commission replaced the "Boss of all Bosses" title, with a ruling committee, consisting of the New York Five Families bosses and the boss of the Chicago Outfit...
. Anthony served as his Underboss. In 1935, Frank fled the country due to tax evasion
Tax evasion
Tax evasion is the general term for efforts by individuals, corporations, trusts and other entities to evade taxes by illegal means. Tax evasion usually entails taxpayers deliberately misrepresenting or concealing the true state of their affairs to the tax authorities to reduce their tax liability,...
charges. Alfred Polizzi
Alfred Polizzi
Alfred "The Owl" Polizzi was a Cleveland, Ohio mobster who helped establish criminal syndicate operations in Northeast Ohio....
took over as Boss of the family and kept Anthony on as Underboss. Milano remained Underboss for decades despite the changes in leadership over the years.
Milano became a naturalized citizen on June 27, 1924. He married Josephine DiSanto and had four sons: Peter
Peter Milano
Peter John Milano is a Los Angeles based, Italian-American mobster, and current Boss of the Los Angeles crime family. Milano has been active in organized crime since the 1950s...
, Frank, John and Carmen
Carmen Milano
Carmen Joseph Milano was a disbarred lawyer who eventually became a member of the American Mafia, serving as Underboss of the Los Angeles crime family. The criminal organization he served is headed by his older brother Peter Milano...
. His wife and kids moved to Los Angeles in the 1940s while he split time between Los Angeles, Cleveland and Las Vegas. Milano had many legitimate and criminal business interests in all three cities. His eldest son Peter was a member of the Los Angeles crime family
Los Angeles crime family
The Los Angeles crime family is an Italian American criminal organization based in Los Angeles, as part of the American Mafia . Since its inception in the early 1900s, it has spread throughout Southern California. Like most Mafia families in the United States, the L.A. family gained power...
and the Milanos' relationship strengthened the ties between the two crime families. His nephew John Nardi
John Nardi
John Nardi was an influential associate of the Cleveland crime family who was involved in labor racketeering in Cleveland, Ohio. At the end of his criminal career, Nardi turned against his crime family in a bloody gang war.-Early years:...
, an influential associate of the Cleveland crime family, went against the Cleveland family in the 1970s and sided with the Irish gang led by Danny Greene
Danny Greene
Daniel "Danny" J. Patrick Greene was an Irish American mobster and associate of Cleveland mobster John Nardi during the gang war for the city's criminal operations during the 1970s. Competing gangsters set off more than 35 bombs, most attached to cars in murder attempts, many successful...
. Milano was believed to have significant control over several local labor unions in Cleveland due to his connection to Jackie Presser
Jackie Presser
Jackie Presser was an American labor leader and president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters from 1983 until his death in 1988. He was closely connected to organized crime, and allegedly became president of the Teamsters based on the approval and support of the Cleveland Mafia...
. As the years went on, Milano spent less time involved in the Cleveland crime family and he began to take on more of an advisory role while other influential crime family members served as acting Underbosses. Even so, he kept the title of Underboss until his retirement in 1976. He died two years later in 1978.