Frank Sindone
Encyclopedia
Loan shark
A loan shark is a person or body that offers unsecured loans at illegally high interest rates to individuals, often enforcing repayment by blackmail or threats of violence....
and soldier in the Bruno crime family who helped plot the 1980 murder of family mob boss Angelo Bruno
Angelo Bruno
Angelo "The Gentle Don" Bruno was a Sicilian-American mobster who ran the Philadelphia crime family for two decades. Bruno gained his nickname and reputation due to his preference for conciliation over violence.-Early years:Born in Villalba, Sicily, Bruno emigrated to the United States in his...
.
Personal background
Sindone was described as the chief loanshark of Angelo Bruno, suggesting that he may have run a family bank or large scale operation for Bruno. Sindone had previously served time for narcotics trafficking and was heavily involved in illegal gambling within the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Sindone also operated in concert with Philadelphia family associate, Harry D'Ascenzo, who had ties to mobsters in BaltimoreBaltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
. Sindone was made
Made man
A made man, also known as a Mafioso , made guy, man of honor, or uomo d'onore , is someone who has been officially inducted into the Sicilian or American Mafia . They may also be referred to by some as a goodfella or wiseguy...
into the Philadelphia family in the early 1970s together with Joseph Ciancaglini. They were the last mob associates to be made into the family under Bruno.
Murder of Angelo Bruno
In 1980, Sindone joined forces with consigliereConsigliere
Consigliere is a position within the leadership structure of Sicilian and American Mafia crime families. The word was popularized by Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather , and its film adaptation...
Antonio Caponigro
Antonio Caponigro
Antonio Rocco Caponigro , also known as Tony Bananas, was the consigliere of Angelo Bruno in the Bruno crime family. He is known for ending the peaceful Bruno regime by ordering his murder over a dispute concerning the methamphetamine trade.-Early life:Caponigro was born in Chicago, Illinois on...
, capo
Caporegime
A caporegime or capodecina, usually shortened to just a capo, is a term used in the Mafia for a high ranking made member of a crime family who heads a "crew" of soldiers and has major social status and influence in the organization...
John Simone from Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, and Frank Tieri, the boss of the New York Genovese crime family
Genovese crime family
The Genovese crime family , is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The Genovese crime family has been nicknamed the "Ivy League" and "Rolls Royce" of organized crime...
, in a plan to overthrow Bruno.
Their motive for killing Bruno stemmed from a money dispute. Tieri had recently demanded a larger percentage of the revenues from Caponigro's two million dollar bookmaking operation in Hudson County, New Jersey. Bruno opposed giving Tieri this extra money and pleaded his family's case to the Mafia 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...
. The Commission sided with Bruno and refused Tieri's request.
However, Tieri was still determined to take over Caponigro's bookmaking operation. Learning that Caponigro was planning to overthrow Bruno, Tieri told Caponigro that he would get the Commission's approval for the hit
Contract killing
Contract killing is a form of murder, in which one party hires another party to kill a target individual or group of people. It involves an illegal agreement between two parties in which one party agrees to kill the target in exchange for consideration, monetary, or otherwise. The hiring party may...
and provide other assistance. Tieri never went to the Commission, but he nevertheless told Caponigro he had the Commission's blessing. On March 21, 1980, an unknown gunman, believed to have been Caponigro's cousin Alfred Salerno, shot and killed Bruno in his car.
Deaths of the conspirators
After Bruno's assassination, Sindone's plan was to become underbossUnderboss
Underboss is a position within the leadership structure of Sicilian and American Mafia crime families. The underboss is second in command to the boss...
of the Philadelphia family with Caponigro as boss. However, less than a month later, Caponigro and his cousin were found stuffed in the trunks of two cars a few miles apart in the South Bronx
South Bronx
The South Bronx is an area of the New York City borough of The Bronx. The neighborhoods of Tremont, University Heights, Highbridge, Morrisania, Soundview, Hunts Point, and Castle Hill are sometimes considered part of the South Bronx....
section of New York City. On September 17, 1980, John Simone was found dead. On October 29, 1980, Frank Sindone was found dead in an alley behind a variety store in South Philadelphia
South Philadelphia
South Philadelphia, nicknamed South Philly, is the section of Philadelphia bounded by South Street to the north, the Delaware River to the east and south, and the Schuylkill River to the west.-History:...
, shot three times in the head.
All indications were that the Mafia Commission had murdered all four men in retribution for the unsanctioned murder of Bruno.