Bonanno Family Readying for War? Probably Not....

Was Palazzolo set to take control of the
Bonanno family's Queens action?

Arrested yesterday was mobster John Palazzolo, 77, a reputed street boss of the Bonanno crime family's Bronx faction -- or at least he was; it appears he's been knocked down in rank.

Apparently the Feds found him committing a serious crime: having coffee with other wiseguys.... Well, we take liberties here. He was found "suspiciously meeting" other mobsters in the parking lot of a diner.

When wiseguys meet in the parking lot of a diner wouldn't they naturally act suspiciously? What exactly defines "suspiciously"? We had a little chuckle over this one. It sounds to us like whatever is left of the FBI working OC in New York is crying out for attention...


While freedom of assembly is a constitutional right, Palazzolo was violating his parole terms, a trick used to lock up wiseguys all over the place.

Pumping up the arrest with more juice and even a New York Daily News headline, the feds said they "feared the old gangster was conspiring to take over Bonanno operations in Queens — which could possibly unleash a wave of violence among rival factions."

Citing allegations of “a conspiracy to conduct a war to control the Bonanno crime family,” federal Judge Nicholas Garaufis ordered the ailing oldfella to jail pending a hearing next month."

Palazzolo was released in 2012. He served 10 years for attempted murder and is not allowed to meet with other mobsters.*

Despite his parole guidelines, surveillance found him "having a suspiciously long meeting in the parking lot of a diner in Bayside, Queens with “Fat Anthony” Rabito, a consigliere of the Bonannos."

He also met with "mob boss Michael “Mikey Nose” Mancuso" -- not really, Mancuso is three years away from departing federal prison. Palazzolo had actually met with a mobster with "ties" to Mancuso.
Tommy D doing the perp walk for Lufthansa...

The Nose hails from the Bronx, an entity unto itself, as we noted in Cosa Nostra News: The Cicale Files, Volume 1: Inside the Last Great Mafia Empire (about which our hero at GangLand News appears to be absolutely clueless). The borough is widely ignored by Mafiosi in all the other New York boroughs.

In the face of this supposedly looming Cosa Nostra street war, "a puzzled Garaufis" asked: "Is there still a leadership of the Bonnano family?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” said assistant U.S. attorney Nicole Argentieri.

Palazzolo recently had been knocked down by the family and was poised to make a move, the source added.

According to the article, the power struggle in the Bonanno family involves "another imprisoned mobster," which might be a reference to Thomas "Tommy D" DiFiore who was recently sentenced to 21 months. The Queens-based street boss was locked up as part of the great Lufthansa heist (though in the end he accepted a plea for loan sharking involving a mobster named "Vinny Car Wash.").


* We found an interesting story about Palazzolo's plight written in 2005 for The New York Sun by Jerry Capeci:

"Palazzolo, 67, who is charged with the May 29, 1991, murder of mobster Russell Mauro, was in court two weeks ago for a routine hearing regarding a potential conflict of interest that arose for his attorney, Flora Edwards, when her former client, Bonanno boss Joseph Massino, began to cooperate with the feds. 
If Massino were to testify for the government, Judge Garaufis explained, Palazzolo would have been at an extreme disadvantage because Ms. Edwards still owed loyalties to Massino. This meant she could not use any helpful information she had obtained from Massino, and would essentially be prevented from cross-examining Massino. 
With the ever-growing number of mob turncoats in recent years, potential conflicts have become common occurrences in organized crime cases. Defendants in similar situations discuss the possible pitfalls confidentially with court-appointed lawyers and then make a more reasoned determination to either retain a new attorney or waive any potential conflict of interest and proceed with the lawyer in question. 
Palazzolo was having none of that. 
After Judge Garaufis listed numerous pitfalls of continuing to retain Ms. Edwards, Palazzolo stated that he understood them, but wanted to waive any potential conflict and proceed with Ms. Edwards without discussing the matter confidentially with another lawyer the judge offered to appoint "free of charge." 
Prosecutor Greg Andres, obviously concerned that a conviction might later be overturned because Palazzolo had not consulted an attorney, suggested an adjournment to enable all parties to research whether the defendant's waiver would pass legal muster. 
"I think there's nothing else we could do today," Mr. Andres said. 
"I know what I am going to do today," Judge Garaufis said. "I'm directing the defendant receive a psychological evaluation to determine whether he's competent to waive anything. We'll start with that. I'm also going to appoint a guardian ad Litem for the defendant who will review the results of that to determine whether the defendant is capable of understanding what I'm asking him or whether he's under some duress.""


Shout out to Friends of Ours blog, which alerted us to this story today....

Comments

  1. Can't stand that interviewer. Interrupting constantly, pausing for 5 seconds before speaking like what's about to come out of his mouth is the most profound thing ever.

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  2. Good article. Stand up guy.

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  3. yea that adubato guy its like he tried to be so serious I wonder if alite and this guy newell would ever talk to each other

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  4. I can tell you right now, they were at the Bayside Diner, 20707 Northern Blvd. Either Palazzolo or Rabito was most likely parked at the front of the lot in the "side" parking spaces next to the curb. Whatdaya bet? I used to have coffee with Tommy Garbage, Mikey's (Michael Mancuso) closest friend, here all the time.


    It's a diner frequented by the Bonannos, especially the Bronx guys. When they're inside, they sit in the booths/tables in the far back next to kitchen, which is on left as you walk back.

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  5. a brother betrays a brother now that's a sad situation mustve put newell in a bad position

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  6. Who do you think the Bonanno close o Mancuso was ?

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  7. another story on stevie I know him well he has 4 older brothers vic died in 00-01 in the tombs a massive heart attack Michael is on long island the only brother who never had problems Ronnie is around has heart problems but doing ok oldest brother Richie is finishing up an 8 year sentence in Bridgeton nj steves sister passed away in 1970 I think she was 15 or 16 lost a nephew in nov 2015 and an uncle dec 2015 has about 23 nephews nieces and great nephews and nieces loves them all and steve has well actualy 3 sons and 3 grand kids steve has a very good carting business and demolition company I assure you he will lay his life on the line for any of his family members

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  8. I don't understand what you mean, just that it involves Mancuso..... The Bonnano o Mancuso was? Maybe rewrite?

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  9. I lived in Bayside for 10 plus years, from about '98 to 2009. I was in that diner once, twice a week. I never saw nothin, though....

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  10. Recent pic. It had the best smoking area (once)....

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  11. Possibly Johnny Joe Spirito Jr. John Palazzolo who is known as JP is from Queens , he actually lived in the Bay Club and had a social club in the Astoria/LIC area, he was part of a crew that clipped one of the Bonannos most feared members Russell Mauro, Russell had a bar called the backyard on dry harbor rd in middle village and was killed because his skipper at the time Louis Restivo could nit control him and was terrified of him.

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  12. Also that was the work he took Jimmy the General on and Jp got him his button.

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  13. Is there still a leadership in the Bonanno family? Is the judge that clueless lol No they went out of business when Vinny went away hahaha!!! Someone always steps up

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  14. The news has him from the Bronx...

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  15. What is the story with this kid Johnny jr

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  16. I have a good guess, his best/closest friend...Tommy

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  17. Is this article actually suggesting that Palazzolo shouldn't be sent back to jail?? Fuck him he's a murdering criminal so tough luck for him. He knows not to associate with known criminals so what's he playing at meeting up with the consigliere of the Bonanno family? Bad message to send out on your part Cosa Nostra News

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  18. Mancuso isn't the real boss, but believe in red herrings if you want too...

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  19. No.... I was trying to make a point about FBI suggesting this elderly mobster was poised to start a war. The judge himself apparently thought the Bonanno family so insignificant he'd assumed it no longer had a boss. And the notion of mobsters "suspiciously" meeting in a parking lot sounds comical to me. Define suspicious.

    And I pointed out more than once that meeting other mobsters is a violation of his parole. I'm pretty certain that the feds selectivity use this to violate gangsters.

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  20. You made two comments on this blog within five minutes. You used two different names. That's a red flag. So tell us, Jimmy Bags, who is the Bonanno boss. If it's not Mancuso, who is it. Don't call him a red herring and leave it there....

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  21. it'sonlyaguestname!!Mar 30, 2015, 11:16:00 AM

    Your the expert, you tell us who the boss is. But ask yourself this, why would the Bonanno family appoint someone like Mancuso? Imprisoned, not highly respected and accused of whacking his wife! Hardly boss material and when the story broke it clearly was deliberate disinformation.

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  22. Ed, too funny, some jerk off trying to pull something on you Ed!

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  23. ??? I didn't say Mancuso was the Boss...

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  24. Ed, I know these guys have to meet but out in the open? What are they senile? Go meet in a crowded area , you can at least fight it by saying we ran into each other by chance, to sit in a diner then walk outside just the two of ya's n talk is suicide.

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  25. LOL THAT'S too funny! Perhaps he/she has multiple personalities. Now the poor knucklehead can't come back on because they've been outed to the entire CNN community. HAHAH! That is rich! Let me guess, they're very close friends with people in the CIA and FBI and they tell HIM/HER everything about what's going on in their cases... LOL

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  26. I think what the FBI means by that is: maybe they expect the mob to post flyers or advertise when there's going to be a meeting. LOL Sorry Ed, I haven't had coffee yet.


    OK seriously, you and I both know that when they meet like that, it's for a reason. It's not a "social" thing like "men's luncheon". They've got the social clubs for that. Those particular guys hang out at the one off Broadway in the Bronx by the way. Example: Remember that "other" case about the guy with "all the guns"? The day he was released from jail a BUNCH of mobsters met with him.


    Anyway, to all the mobsters that are reading (assuming you can read, uh-hmm), the FBI wants you to advertise your business meetings...it makes things much easier ~~RICO

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  27. My next story you should find interesting.

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  28. Absolutely Ed it's a trapoff law

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  29. I'm a Christian, my little brother who I saved twice who would often try to kill me regurgitated:

    A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
    Prov 17:17

    ...gleefully assuming the role of the same name as the devil...but everybody talks, sometimes about everybody talking...

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  30. Is the kid made I read somewhere he is a captain ? This true ?

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  31. You are on point with that...Johnny Joe is a legit tough guy.

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  32. He is an acting Captain under Anthony "stutters" Frascone.

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  33. I know when Michael was on the street, his preferred meeting places would be home depot or Barnes and noble, both right over the bridge in bayside.

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  34. Always was even before he got his stripes

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