Nicholas Santora
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Angelo "Nicky Mouth" Santora (born June 21, 1942) is the reputed underboss
of the Bonanno crime family
.
. He was the son of Modesto Santora, a recognized sidewalk soldier for the Colombo crime family
who operated during the short tenure of Joseph Magliocco
as boss. Originally a member of a youth gang, Santora became a made man
along with legendary mobsters Dominic "Sonny Black" Napolitano, Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero
and Joseph "Big Joey" Massino
in the mid 1970s.
When first becoming involved with the Bonanno family, the boss was the imprisoned Philip "Rusty" Rastelli
. Rastelli's reign as the head of the family would be threatened by Carmine "Lilo" Galante
, who felt he was the rightful heir to the throne because he was a former underboss and consigliere under Joe Bonanno. Santora started out in a crew led by Galante-supporter Michael "Mikey" Sabella
, and became heavily involved with extortion
, loansharking, labor racketeering, illegal gambling, truck hijacking
, and murder for hire.
By 1978, Rastelli had heard rumors of Carmine Galante being the new boss of the Bonannos, but wouldn't tolerate it. Another caporegime
, Alphonse "Sonny Red" Indelicato, would be approached by Rastelli to organize the murder of Carmine Galante. Indelicato approached Santora, whose job was to deliver the message to mobsters Dominic Napolitano and Cesare Bonventre
and report back to Indelicato. Since Sabella was loyal to Galante, it had to happen without Sabella knowing it.
On July 12, 1979, Carmine Galante was murdered just as he finished eating lunch at Joe and Mary's Italian-American Restaurant at 205 Knickerbocker Ave. in Bushwick, Brooklyn
along with friend Leonard Coppola and restaurant owner/cousin Giuseppe Turano. He was murdered by Anthony "Bruno" Indelicato
, Dominick "Big Trin" Trinchera
, Dominick "Sonny Black" Napolitano and Louis "Louie Gaeta" Giongetti, who were all hired by Alphonse Indelicato.
After the Galante execution, several Galante supporters, including Michael Sabella, were demoted, as Trinchera, Napolitano and Bonventre were all promoted to captains of the Bonanno crime family. It is suspected his death was arranged by the heads of the other major Five Families
in New York, who had decided Galante's greed and ambition over the control of the multimillion-dollar heroin business were a threat to all their interests. Phillip "Rusty" Rastelli was also involved and remained boss of the Bonannos.
With Dominick "Sonny Black" Napolitano as capo, The Motion Lounge
crew would receive massive income as one of the most profitable crews in the Bonanno family. With soldiers Nicholas Santora, John Cersani, John Zancocchio
, Edward Barberra, Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero
, Michael Sabella
, Joseph Puma, Steven Maruca, Salvatore Farrugia, Antonio Tomasulo
, Anthony "Fat Tony" Rabito, Frank DiStefano, Salvatore D'Ottavio, James Episcopa, and infamous Mafia associate Joseph "Donnie Brasco" Pistone, who was an FBI agent working undercover.
Napolitano, after three years of work in Brooklyn, moved operations to Florida
in 1981, where he and Donnie Brasco set up loansharking, illegal gambling, extortion, and racketeering operations with the permission of longtime Florida Boss Santo Trafficante
. It was around this time that Santora would be put in charge of the entire Florida operation, along with Brasco. Back in New York
, the leadership of Philip Rastelli wasn't so popular anymore, as Alphonse Indelicato was seen as a more prominent figure as boss of the Bonanno family, which is why Napolitano moved operations into Florida, in hope of squeezing the rival faction out financially. Indelicato and two other captains, Trinchera and Phillip "Phil Lucky" Giaccone began planning on taking over the family.
underboss
"Sammy the Bull" Gravano
. Indelicato's body turned up three weeks later in the Ruby street lot (Mafia graveyard) in Ozone Park, Queens
, but the remains of the other two were not unearthed until 2004.
According to FBI agent Joseph Pistone, the murderers involved in the assassination of Indelicato were Nicholas Santora, Dominick "Sonny Black" Napolitano, John Cersani, Joseph Massino, Salvatore Vitale
, Joseph DeSimone, Vito Rizzuto
, Louis Giongetti, Santo Giordano, and Gerlando Sciascia
. Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero
and John Cersani were lookouts, and sent in after to clean up the massacre and dispose of the bodies along with Santora, Dominick Napolitano, James Episcopia, and Robert Capazzio.
went into hiding after the three capo slayings and the Rastelli supporters had basically won. Santora had taken over The Motion Lounge
crew, and Napolitano had been promoted to "street boss" for Philip Rastelli, who was still incarcerated. Brasco's FBI operation ended when Napolitano organized the murder of Anthony Indelicato and gave it to Donnie Brasco, to make him a made man
in the Bonanno family.
It was revealed days later that Donnie Brasco was really Joseph D. Pistone
, an undercover agent for the FBI. Pistone spent six years undercover. The order came down shortly after to kill Napolitano for having allowed such a breach in Mafia
security. On August 17, 1981, Napolitano was asked to come to the basement of Bonanno associate Ron Filocomo in Flatlands, Brooklyn
, where he was ambushed by Filocomo and capo Frank Lino
, both of whom shot him to death. The contract came from Santora and Joseph Massino, on behalf of Rastelli.
along with nine other Mafia associates in the infamous Mafia Commission Trial
in 1986.
Santora, along with Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero
, Antonio Tomasulo
, and Anthony "Fat Tony" Rabito, would be convicted in a six-week jury trial for illegal gambling racketeering, distribution of narcotics and conspiracy to distribute narcotics, in the mid 1980s, receiving an 8-10-year prison sentence. After the Mafia Commission Trial in 1986, Bonanno Boss, Philip Rastelli, would be sentenced to 12 years in prison, released due to heart troubles on July 21, 1991, but died three days later in a Queens hospital on July 24. Joseph Massino took over as boss of the Bonanno family in August 1991.
Upon Santora's release in 1992, he created a partnership with newly promoted Bonanno acting consigliere
, Anthony Rabito, in extortion, loansharking, illegal gambling, drug trafficking and money laundering
operations in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx, throughout the mid 1990s. Santora, Rabito and Massino's brother-in-law, Salvatore "Good Looking Sal" Vitale
, became close with Massino and they expanded their operations to become the top earners in the Bonanno crime family toward the late 1990s. Joseph Massino and the Bonanno family were brought back into the Five Families
Commission
again, after being expelled because of the Donnie Brasco fiasco.
In 2000, longtime Bonanno family consigliere, Anthony "Tony" Spero
, was indicted on loansharking, racketeering and murder in November and in 2001 he was sentenced to life imprisonment. That gave Anthony Rabito a promotion as the official consigliere of the Bonannos. Toward 2003, indictments were again handed out, this time against their own boss and underboss, as Joseph Massino and Salvatore Vitale were held against bail for racketeering, arson, extortion, loansharking, money laundering, illegal gambling, conspiracy
and seven murders. Because of this, Nicholas Santora was promoted to acting underboss in 2003.
The indictments were also against capos Anthony "Tony Green" Urso and James "Big Lou" Tartaglione, who secretly agreed to a wear wire, and turn government witnesse. As Santora kept flying under the radar with Anthony Rabito, underboss Salvatore Vitale turned informant as the two capos handed him out in murder and racketeering charges, and with Joseph Massino on trial in March, 2004, the government put capos Michael "Mikey Nose" Mancuso and Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano on trial for racketeering charges, which included murder and conspiracy.
's victims, including John Favara
, Ronald Jerothe
and the three Bonanno family capos, Alphonse Indelicato, Phillip Giaccone and Dominick Trinchera. On February 4, 2005, the name of an informant was released to the press; Joseph Massino, who hoped to save his life and his assets, as he began to cooperate sometime in late September 2004, recording conversations with acting boss, Vincent Basciano, who was also convicted and jailed in July 2007.
Despite the testimony of Joseph Massino in 2005, Santora managed to go under the government's radar. At least until he was indicted along with Anthony Rabito, and 17 other members of the Bonanno family, in a loansharking and illegal gambling operation that was stretching from Brooklyn to Queens, Manhattan and Staten Island, which earned $210,000 a week from January 2003 to July 2004. This was mostly because of the death of Bonanno family capo Louis Mele, who died of natural causes in a room where an illegal gambling operation was based.
as acting boss, reporting to Basciano in prison. Nicholas Santora was released from the Loretto Federal Correctional Institute in southwest Pennsylvania on September 16, 2009. With the recent deportation of Salvatore "Sal the Iron Worker" Montagna
to Montreal, Canada, it is possible that Nicholas Santora has become acting boss.
in the 1997 film Donnie Brasco
, which follows the life of undercover agent Joseph D. Pistone, from 1978 to 1981. The character "Nicky" was shot and killed in the movie, whereas Santora was not.
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...
of the Bonanno crime family
Bonanno crime family
The Bonanno 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 ....
.
Biography
Nicholas Santora was born on June 21, 1942, and became known in his teens as a tough mobster from New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He was the son of Modesto Santora, a recognized sidewalk soldier for the Colombo crime family
Colombo crime family
The Colombo crime family is the youngest of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia ....
who operated during the short tenure of Joseph Magliocco
Joseph Magliocco
Joseph Magliocco, also known as "Joe Malayak" was a New York mobster and the boss of the Profaci crime family from 1962 to 1963...
as boss. Originally a member of a youth gang, Santora became a made man
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...
along with legendary mobsters Dominic "Sonny Black" Napolitano, Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero
Benjamin Ruggiero
Benjamin Ruggiero, also known as "Lefty," "Lefty Guns," "Lefty Two Guns" , was a soldier in the Bonanno crime family. He is well known for his friendship and mentorship of FBI undercover agent Joseph "Donnie Brasco" Pistone. Ruggiero was an old school Cosa Nostra mobster who knew how Mafia...
and Joseph "Big Joey" Massino
Joe Massino
Joseph Charles Massino , also known as "Big Joey" or "The Ear". Massino was the boss of the Bonanno crime family before he became a government witness in 2004. The media nicknamed him the "The Last Don" or "The Horatio Alger of the Mob"...
in the mid 1970s.
When first becoming involved with the Bonanno family, the boss was the imprisoned Philip "Rusty" Rastelli
Philip Rastelli
Phillip "Rusty" Rastelli was a New York mobster and former boss of the Bonanno crime family.-Biography:...
. Rastelli's reign as the head of the family would be threatened by Carmine "Lilo" Galante
Carmine Galante
Carmine Galante, also known as "Lilo" and "Cigar" was a mobster and acting boss of the Bonanno crime family...
, who felt he was the rightful heir to the throne because he was a former underboss and consigliere under Joe Bonanno. Santora started out in a crew led by Galante-supporter Michael "Mikey" Sabella
Michael Sabella
Michael "Mimi" Sabella was a caporegime in the Bonanno crime family and a relative of Philadelphia crime family mob boss Salvatore Sabella.-Early years:...
, and became heavily involved with extortion
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
, loansharking, labor racketeering, illegal gambling, truck hijacking
Carjacking
Carjacking is a form of hijacking, where the crime is of stealing a motor vehicle and so also armed assault when the vehicle is occupied. Historically, such as in the rash of semi-trailer truck hijackings during the 1960s, the general term hijacking was used for that type of vehicle abduction,...
, and murder for hire.
By 1978, Rastelli had heard rumors of Carmine Galante being the new boss of the Bonannos, but wouldn't tolerate it. Another caporegime
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...
, Alphonse "Sonny Red" Indelicato, would be approached by Rastelli to organize the murder of Carmine Galante. Indelicato approached Santora, whose job was to deliver the message to mobsters Dominic Napolitano and Cesare Bonventre
Cesare Bonventre
Cesare "The Tall Guy" Bonventre was a Sicilian mobster and caporegime for the New York Bonanno crime family.-Early life:...
and report back to Indelicato. Since Sabella was loyal to Galante, it had to happen without Sabella knowing it.
On July 12, 1979, Carmine Galante was murdered just as he finished eating lunch at Joe and Mary's Italian-American Restaurant at 205 Knickerbocker Ave. in Bushwick, Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
along with friend Leonard Coppola and restaurant owner/cousin Giuseppe Turano. He was murdered by Anthony "Bruno" Indelicato
Anthony Indelicato
Anthony "Bruno" Indelicato , also known as "Bruno", "Whack-Whack" and "Anthony Indelligado" is a capo with the Bonanno crime family in New York City,-Biography:...
, Dominick "Big Trin" Trinchera
Dominick Trinchera
Dominick "Big Trin" Trinchera was a Bonanno crime family capo who was murdered with Alphonse Indelicato and Phillip Giaccone for planning the overthrow of aspiring Bonanno boss Phillip Rastelli.-Biography:Born in Rockland, New York, Trinchera was the son of an immigrant from Rome, Italy and an...
, Dominick "Sonny Black" Napolitano and Louis "Louie Gaeta" Giongetti, who were all hired by Alphonse Indelicato.
After the Galante execution, several Galante supporters, including Michael Sabella, were demoted, as Trinchera, Napolitano and Bonventre were all promoted to captains of the Bonanno crime family. It is suspected his death was arranged by the heads of the other major Five Families
Five Families
The Five Families are the five original Italian-American Mafia crime families which have dominated organized crime in America since 1931. The Five Families in New York remain as the powerhouse of the Italian Mafia in the United States.-History:...
in New York, who had decided Galante's greed and ambition over the control of the multimillion-dollar heroin business were a threat to all their interests. Phillip "Rusty" Rastelli was also involved and remained boss of the Bonannos.
With Dominick "Sonny Black" Napolitano as capo, The Motion Lounge
The Motion Lounge
The Motion Lounge was a Williamsburg, Brooklyn, nightclub owned by Bonanno crime family caporegime Dominick Napolitano which also was the capo's apartment away from his home. The lounge was located at 420 Graham Avenue, across the street from the Wither's Italian-American War Veterans Club. It was...
crew would receive massive income as one of the most profitable crews in the Bonanno family. With soldiers Nicholas Santora, John Cersani, John Zancocchio
John Zancocchio
John "Porky" Zancocchio is a New York mobster with the Bonanno crime family mobster who is a loanshark and a bookmaker. One of Zancocchio gaming clients was U.S Major League Baseball player Peter Rose.-Biography:...
, Edward Barberra, Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero
Benjamin Ruggiero
Benjamin Ruggiero, also known as "Lefty," "Lefty Guns," "Lefty Two Guns" , was a soldier in the Bonanno crime family. He is well known for his friendship and mentorship of FBI undercover agent Joseph "Donnie Brasco" Pistone. Ruggiero was an old school Cosa Nostra mobster who knew how Mafia...
, Michael Sabella
Michael Sabella
Michael "Mimi" Sabella was a caporegime in the Bonanno crime family and a relative of Philadelphia crime family mob boss Salvatore Sabella.-Early years:...
, Joseph Puma, Steven Maruca, Salvatore Farrugia, Antonio Tomasulo
Antonio Tomasulo
Antonio Tomasulo, also known as "Bootsie" , was an Italian-American mobster who served in the New York Bonanno crime family running a highly lucrative illegal slot machine gambling operation.-Biography:...
, Anthony "Fat Tony" Rabito, Frank DiStefano, Salvatore D'Ottavio, James Episcopa, and infamous Mafia associate Joseph "Donnie Brasco" Pistone, who was an FBI agent working undercover.
Napolitano, after three years of work in Brooklyn, moved operations to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
in 1981, where he and Donnie Brasco set up loansharking, illegal gambling, extortion, and racketeering operations with the permission of longtime Florida Boss Santo Trafficante
Santo Trafficante
Santo Trafficante was the name of two powerful Tampa, Florida Mafia bosses, father and son:*Santo Trafficante, Sr. *Santo Trafficante, Jr....
. It was around this time that Santora would be put in charge of the entire Florida operation, along with Brasco. Back in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, the leadership of Philip Rastelli wasn't so popular anymore, as Alphonse Indelicato was seen as a more prominent figure as boss of the Bonanno family, which is why Napolitano moved operations into Florida, in hope of squeezing the rival faction out financially. Indelicato and two other captains, Trinchera and Phillip "Phil Lucky" Giaccone began planning on taking over the family.
The three capos murder
Some of the clubs in Florida were eventually shut down due to local police and more pressure on organized crime. Eventually, they got back to New York, where the rival Indelicato faction had grown larger and more powerful. On May 5, 1981, just when a new war was about to break out in the Bonanno family, Alphonse Indelicato, Giaccone, and Trinchera were shot to death in an ambush at the old 20/20 Club, a night club once run by Gambino crime familyGambino crime family
The Gambino 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 group is named after Carlo Gambino, boss of the family at the time of the McClellan hearings in 1963...
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...
"Sammy the Bull" Gravano
Sammy Gravano
Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano is a former underboss of the Gambino crime family. He is known as the man who helped bring down John Gotti, the family's boss, by agreeing to become a Federal Bureau of Investigation informant and turn state's evidence.Originally a mobster for the Colombo crime...
. Indelicato's body turned up three weeks later in the Ruby street lot (Mafia graveyard) in Ozone Park, Queens
Ozone Park, Queens
Ozone Park is a working class neighborhood located in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Queens bordering Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park, Howard Beach, and City Line, Brooklyn....
, but the remains of the other two were not unearthed until 2004.
According to FBI agent Joseph Pistone, the murderers involved in the assassination of Indelicato were Nicholas Santora, Dominick "Sonny Black" Napolitano, John Cersani, Joseph Massino, Salvatore Vitale
Salvatore Vitale
Salvatore "Good Looking Sal" Vitale was a New York City caterer and former underboss of the Bonanno crime family of La Cosa Nostra before becoming a government informant.-Biography:...
, Joseph DeSimone, Vito Rizzuto
Vito Rizzuto
Vito Rizzuto , known as Montreal's Teflon Don, was alleged to be the leading Mafia boss of the Sicilian Mafia in Canada and heads the Rizzuto crime family.-Family:...
, Louis Giongetti, Santo Giordano, and Gerlando Sciascia
Gerlando Sciascia
Gerlando Sciascia , also known as "George from Canada", was a New York mobster and a caporegime for the Bonanno crime family, also the Sixth family's Rep for New York, who was a major narcotics trafficker in Canada.-Background:...
. Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero
Benjamin Ruggiero
Benjamin Ruggiero, also known as "Lefty," "Lefty Guns," "Lefty Two Guns" , was a soldier in the Bonanno crime family. He is well known for his friendship and mentorship of FBI undercover agent Joseph "Donnie Brasco" Pistone. Ruggiero was an old school Cosa Nostra mobster who knew how Mafia...
and John Cersani were lookouts, and sent in after to clean up the massacre and dispose of the bodies along with Santora, Dominick Napolitano, James Episcopia, and Robert Capazzio.
Operation Donnie Brasco
Anthony IndelicatoAnthony Indelicato
Anthony "Bruno" Indelicato , also known as "Bruno", "Whack-Whack" and "Anthony Indelligado" is a capo with the Bonanno crime family in New York City,-Biography:...
went into hiding after the three capo slayings and the Rastelli supporters had basically won. Santora had taken over The Motion Lounge
The Motion Lounge
The Motion Lounge was a Williamsburg, Brooklyn, nightclub owned by Bonanno crime family caporegime Dominick Napolitano which also was the capo's apartment away from his home. The lounge was located at 420 Graham Avenue, across the street from the Wither's Italian-American War Veterans Club. It was...
crew, and Napolitano had been promoted to "street boss" for Philip Rastelli, who was still incarcerated. Brasco's FBI operation ended when Napolitano organized the murder of Anthony Indelicato and gave it to Donnie Brasco, to make him a made man
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...
in the Bonanno family.
It was revealed days later that Donnie Brasco was really Joseph D. Pistone
Joseph D. Pistone
Joseph Dominick Pistone, alias Donnie Brasco, , is a former FBI agent who worked undercover for six years infiltrating the Bonanno crime family and to a lesser extent the Colombo crime family, two of the Five Families of the Mafia in New York City...
, an undercover agent for the FBI. Pistone spent six years undercover. The order came down shortly after to kill Napolitano for having allowed such a breach in Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
security. On August 17, 1981, Napolitano was asked to come to the basement of Bonanno associate Ron Filocomo in Flatlands, Brooklyn
Flatlands, Brooklyn
Flatlands is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The area is part of Brooklyn Community Board 18.One of the original five Dutch towns on Long Island , this neighborhood was originally known as Nieuw Amersfoort, after the Dutch city of Amersfoort, but the name was changed to...
, where he was ambushed by Filocomo and capo Frank Lino
Frank Lino
Frank "Curly" Lino is a Sicilian-American caporegime in the Bonanno crime family who later became an informant.-Biography:...
, both of whom shot him to death. The contract came from Santora and Joseph Massino, on behalf of Rastelli.
Family regroups
Santora became capo of Napolitano's old crew, but was soon put under indictment followed by the testimony provided by Pistone. With Rastelli out of prison when they finally needed him, a total of 100 Bonanno crime family mobsters would be put on trial and convicted, including Rastelli and Anthony Indelicato, who were both found guilty of racketeering and the murder Carmine GalanteCarmine Galante
Carmine Galante, also known as "Lilo" and "Cigar" was a mobster and acting boss of the Bonanno crime family...
along with nine other Mafia associates in the infamous Mafia Commission Trial
Mafia Commission Trial
The Mafia Commission Trial was a criminal trial in New York City, USA. Using evidence obtained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, eleven organized crime figures, including the heads of New York's so-called "Five Families," were indicted by United States Attorney Rudolph Giuliani under the...
in 1986.
Santora, along with Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero
Benjamin Ruggiero
Benjamin Ruggiero, also known as "Lefty," "Lefty Guns," "Lefty Two Guns" , was a soldier in the Bonanno crime family. He is well known for his friendship and mentorship of FBI undercover agent Joseph "Donnie Brasco" Pistone. Ruggiero was an old school Cosa Nostra mobster who knew how Mafia...
, Antonio Tomasulo
Antonio Tomasulo
Antonio Tomasulo, also known as "Bootsie" , was an Italian-American mobster who served in the New York Bonanno crime family running a highly lucrative illegal slot machine gambling operation.-Biography:...
, and Anthony "Fat Tony" Rabito, would be convicted in a six-week jury trial for illegal gambling racketeering, distribution of narcotics and conspiracy to distribute narcotics, in the mid 1980s, receiving an 8-10-year prison sentence. After the Mafia Commission Trial in 1986, Bonanno Boss, Philip Rastelli, would be sentenced to 12 years in prison, released due to heart troubles on July 21, 1991, but died three days later in a Queens hospital on July 24. Joseph Massino took over as boss of the Bonanno family in August 1991.
Upon Santora's release in 1992, he created a partnership with newly promoted Bonanno acting consigliere
Consigliere
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...
, Anthony Rabito, in extortion, loansharking, illegal gambling, drug trafficking and money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
operations in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx, throughout the mid 1990s. Santora, Rabito and Massino's brother-in-law, Salvatore "Good Looking Sal" Vitale
Salvatore Vitale
Salvatore "Good Looking Sal" Vitale was a New York City caterer and former underboss of the Bonanno crime family of La Cosa Nostra before becoming a government informant.-Biography:...
, became close with Massino and they expanded their operations to become the top earners in the Bonanno crime family toward the late 1990s. Joseph Massino and the Bonanno family were brought back into the Five Families
Five Families
The Five Families are the five original Italian-American Mafia crime families which have dominated organized crime in America since 1931. The Five Families in New York remain as the powerhouse of the Italian Mafia in the United States.-History:...
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...
again, after being expelled because of the Donnie Brasco fiasco.
In 2000, longtime Bonanno family consigliere, Anthony "Tony" Spero
Anthony Spero
Anthony Spero was the consigliere and one time acting boss of the Bonanno crime family.-Biography:Spero was a large man with dark hair, a dark complexion and was good looking in a rough way" Philip Carlo wrote...
, was indicted on loansharking, racketeering and murder in November and in 2001 he was sentenced to life imprisonment. That gave Anthony Rabito a promotion as the official consigliere of the Bonannos. Toward 2003, indictments were again handed out, this time against their own boss and underboss, as Joseph Massino and Salvatore Vitale were held against bail for racketeering, arson, extortion, loansharking, money laundering, illegal gambling, conspiracy
Conspiracy (crime)
In the criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to break the law at some time in the future, and, in some cases, with at least one overt act in furtherance of that agreement...
and seven murders. Because of this, Nicholas Santora was promoted to acting underboss in 2003.
The indictments were also against capos Anthony "Tony Green" Urso and James "Big Lou" Tartaglione, who secretly agreed to a wear wire, and turn government witnesse. As Santora kept flying under the radar with Anthony Rabito, underboss Salvatore Vitale turned informant as the two capos handed him out in murder and racketeering charges, and with Joseph Massino on trial in March, 2004, the government put capos Michael "Mikey Nose" Mancuso and Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano on trial for racketeering charges, which included murder and conspiracy.
Massino turns informant
In October 2004, the FBI began to dig up bodies at an infamous mob graveyard in Queens, known as "The Hole". They were looking for the bodies of three capos killed in the Bonanno family war in 1981. They found the bodies of Gambino crime family boss John GottiJohn Gotti
John Joseph Gotti, Jr was an American mobster who became the Boss of the Gambino crime family in New York City. Gotti grew up in poverty. He and his brothers turned to a life of crime at an early age...
's victims, including John Favara
John Favara
John Favara was the backyard neighbor of Gambino crime family godfather John Gotti, in Howard Beach, New York....
, Ronald Jerothe
Ronald Jerothe
Ronald Jerothe also known as "Foxy" was an American mobster and member of the Bergin Crew, who operated out of John Gotti's club, the Bergin Hunt and Fish Club, in Ozone Park, Queens...
and the three Bonanno family capos, Alphonse Indelicato, Phillip Giaccone and Dominick Trinchera. On February 4, 2005, the name of an informant was released to the press; Joseph Massino, who hoped to save his life and his assets, as he began to cooperate sometime in late September 2004, recording conversations with acting boss, Vincent Basciano, who was also convicted and jailed in July 2007.
Despite the testimony of Joseph Massino in 2005, Santora managed to go under the government's radar. At least until he was indicted along with Anthony Rabito, and 17 other members of the Bonanno family, in a loansharking and illegal gambling operation that was stretching from Brooklyn to Queens, Manhattan and Staten Island, which earned $210,000 a week from January 2003 to July 2004. This was mostly because of the death of Bonanno family capo Louis Mele, who died of natural causes in a room where an illegal gambling operation was based.
Underboss
Since February 13, 2007, Santora is the reputed underboss of the Bonanno family. Vincent Basciano remains the reputed boss of the Bonannos, with Anthony Rabito as the reputed Bonanno consigliere, with Salvatore "Sal the Iron Worker" MontagnaSalvatore Montagna
Salvatore "Sal the Iron Worker" Montagna was an acting boss of the Bonanno crime family of the New York City mafia families, and the Sicilian faction-leader of the Bronx section. At the time of his death, he had been associated with the Rizzuto crime family of Montreal...
as acting boss, reporting to Basciano in prison. Nicholas Santora was released from the Loretto Federal Correctional Institute in southwest Pennsylvania on September 16, 2009. With the recent deportation of Salvatore "Sal the Iron Worker" Montagna
Salvatore Montagna
Salvatore "Sal the Iron Worker" Montagna was an acting boss of the Bonanno crime family of the New York City mafia families, and the Sicilian faction-leader of the Bronx section. At the time of his death, he had been associated with the Rizzuto crime family of Montreal...
to Montreal, Canada, it is possible that Nicholas Santora has become acting boss.
Popular culture
Santora is portrayed as "Nicky", by Bruno KirbyBruno Kirby
Bruno Kirby was an American film and television actor. He was perhaps best known for his roles in the Hollywood films City Slickers, When Harry Met Sally..., Good Morning, Vietnam, The Godfather Part II and Donnie Brasco.-Early life:Kirby was born Bruno Giovanni Quidaciolu, Jr. in New York City,...
in the 1997 film Donnie Brasco
Donnie Brasco (film)
Donnie Brasco is a 1997 crime drama film directed by Mike Newell, starring Al Pacino, Johnny Depp and Michael Madsen. It is loosely based on the real-life events of Joseph D. Pistone, an FBI agent who infiltrated the Bonanno crime family, one of the Mafia's Five Families based in New York City...
, which follows the life of undercover agent Joseph D. Pistone, from 1978 to 1981. The character "Nicky" was shot and killed in the movie, whereas Santora was not.
Further reading
- DeStefano, Anthony. The Last Godfather: Joey Massino & the Fall of the Bonanno Crime Family. California: Citadel, 2006.
- Raab, Selwyn. The Five Families: The Rise, Decline & Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empire. New York: St. Martins Press, 2005.
- Diehl, Christine S. "WP Has a Sit-Down With Joe Pistone/Donnie Brasco", WP, The Magazine of William Paterson University, Vol. 7, No. 1, Winter 2006.
- Pistone, Joseph D.; & Woodley, Richard (1999) Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the MafiaDonnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the MafiaDonnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia is a non-fiction crime book written by Joseph D. Pistone. It is the true story of FBI agent Joseph Pistone going undercover and infiltrating the Mafia...
, p. 402, Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 0-340-66637-4. - Pistone, Joseph D. (2004). The Way of the Wiseguy, Running Press. ISBN 0-7624-1839-7.
- Pistone, Joseph D.; & Brandt, Charles (2007). Donnie Brasco: Unfinished Business, Running Press. ISBN 0-7624-2707-8.
- Testimony before Senate Sub Committee on Organized Crime http://www.americanmafia.com/pistone_testimony.html
External links
- DOJ Press Release PRESS RELEASE BONANNO FAMILY ACTING UNDERBOSS, ACTING CONSIGLIERE AND 17 CAPOS, SOLDIERS, AND ASSOCIATES INDICTED FOR RACKETEERING, RACKETEERING CONSPIRACY, AND OTHER CHARGES
- UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. BENJAMIN RUGGIERO, NICHOLAS SANTORA, ANTHONY RABITO, and ANTONIO TOMASULO
- Slate: Dispatches From a Mob Trial - Where the bodies are hidden by Dan Ackman
- UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. JOSEPH MASSINO and SALVATORE VITALE
- Courtdocs: FBI says Bonanno Family reeling after new indictments
- New York Post: Mobster Cashes in his Chips by STEFANIE COHEN
- Seize the Night: Carmine Galante
- Find a Grave: Carmine "Lilo" Galante
- Find a Grave: Philip "Rusty" Rastelli
- Find a Grave: Dominick (Sonny Black) Napolitano
- New York Times, May 23 2004 An Archetypal Mob Trial: It's Just Like in the Movies
- CBSNews.com, July 30 2004 New York's 'Last Don' Convicted
- New York Times October 13 2004 Skeletal Remains Are Believed to Be Those of Mob Captains by WILLIAM K. RASHBAUM