Bonannos Linked To Blown Up Venezuelan Drug Boats?
A senior organized crime prosecutor once said that the Bonanno family’s idea of a meeting was to “sit around in a circle and shoot at each other.” While he was thinking of Bonanno family history circa the 1960s and 1970s, we couldn’t help but recall that quote—and the sentiment around it—when word of recent family unrest reached us.
The Trump Administration and the Pentagon have presented no public evidence to support their drug trafficking assertions. In fact, many believe Operation Southern Spear is most likely a “false flag” operation—the real goal of the military campaign is not to destroy drug traffickers; it’s more about regime change in Venezuela. It’s also been reported that most of those sunk vessels were not even heading for the US—and any cocaine on any of those boats was likely cocaine headed for Europe, not the USA. Consequently, Trump’s lethal campaign has been causing ripples in Washington, DC, and elsewhere—including, we were recently told, among some Bonanno wiseguys in the Bronx.
Specifically, word has reached Bonanno boss Michael (Mikey Nose) Mancuso that two shelved members of his Bonanno family—former acting boss Joseph (Joe C) Cammarano and Joseph Grimaldi, son of the late Vito Grimaldi—had links to two of the sunk boats.
And Mikey Nose is none too pleased.
Mikey Nose is “seething like a motherfcker,” said a source, who added that Mancuso had been told of the boat connection by “someone close” to Grimaldi and Cammarano.
“Two of their boats – from what I heard – got blown up,” said the source, adding that “a captain on one of the boats was working for Vito (Grimaldi) and his sons. And they’re (Joe C and Grimaldi) scared to death.”
The source noted that Joe C. and Grimaldi have been “doing business in Venezuela for years. They’re trying to deny (their links now), but somebody close to them gave them up.”
Vito Gimaldi, said the source, purchased an estate in Venezuela in the late 1970s-early 1980s and became friendly with the government there. (Many Sicilian Mafiosi who were involved in the Pizza Connection drug smuggling operation also settled in Venezuela; some of them then relocated to Canada. The powerful Cuntrera-Caruana clan, a major component of the Sicilian Cosa Nostra's 1980s-1990s drug trafficking operations focused on money laundering, also planted a flag in Venezuela.)
Since Vito’s death in 2022, Grimaldi’s sons have allegedly taken the reins of his businesses.
What’s got Mikey Nose on edge, said the source, is that this story—about Bonanno-linked boats getting blown up by the US military—could make a huge splash in the media. The Bonanno boss doesn't want to wake up one morning and see his face on page one of the Daily News or New York Post while eating his cornflakes.
“Now you’re not talking South American drug cartels. You’re talking about New York organized crime guys.
“I wouldn’t want to be in (Cammarano and Grimaldi’s) shoes. They don’t have enough money in the world to make this go away.”
Shelved with Joe C were then-reputed consigliere John (Porky) Zancocchio (with whom Joe C was on trial in 2019), Vito Grimaldi, and his son Joseph. (Mancuso still valued Vito Grimaldi, who was a major earner via his Grimaldi's Home Of Bread, the legendary Ridgewood, Queens bakery he owned and operated.)
Mancuso was released from prison one day prior to Cammarano’s dramatic acquittal (and one week prior to the unconnected execution of Gambino boss Frank Cali on Staten Island).
If attempting to take over the family wasn’t enough, Mikey Nose also hated the “musical consiglieres” trial strategy used by Cammarano and his codefendants, which actually won them acquittals. (Mancuso apparently didn't appreciate the notion that he frequently replaced consiglieres.)
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| Mikey Nose, the recent prison years. |
The Trump Administration and the Pentagon have presented no public evidence to support their drug trafficking assertions. In fact, many believe Operation Southern Spear is most likely a “false flag” operation—the real goal of the military campaign is not to destroy drug traffickers; it’s more about regime change in Venezuela. It’s also been reported that most of those sunk vessels were not even heading for the US—and any cocaine on any of those boats was likely cocaine headed for Europe, not the USA. Consequently, Trump’s lethal campaign has been causing ripples in Washington, DC, and elsewhere—including, we were recently told, among some Bonanno wiseguys in the Bronx.
Specifically, word has reached Bonanno boss Michael (Mikey Nose) Mancuso that two shelved members of his Bonanno family—former acting boss Joseph (Joe C) Cammarano and Joseph Grimaldi, son of the late Vito Grimaldi—had links to two of the sunk boats.
And Mikey Nose is none too pleased.
Mikey Nose is “seething like a motherfcker,” said a source, who added that Mancuso had been told of the boat connection by “someone close” to Grimaldi and Cammarano.
“Two of their boats – from what I heard – got blown up,” said the source, adding that “a captain on one of the boats was working for Vito (Grimaldi) and his sons. And they’re (Joe C and Grimaldi) scared to death.”
The source noted that Joe C. and Grimaldi have been “doing business in Venezuela for years. They’re trying to deny (their links now), but somebody close to them gave them up.”
Vito Gimaldi, said the source, purchased an estate in Venezuela in the late 1970s-early 1980s and became friendly with the government there. (Many Sicilian Mafiosi who were involved in the Pizza Connection drug smuggling operation also settled in Venezuela; some of them then relocated to Canada. The powerful Cuntrera-Caruana clan, a major component of the Sicilian Cosa Nostra's 1980s-1990s drug trafficking operations focused on money laundering, also planted a flag in Venezuela.)
Since Vito’s death in 2022, Grimaldi’s sons have allegedly taken the reins of his businesses.
What’s got Mikey Nose on edge, said the source, is that this story—about Bonanno-linked boats getting blown up by the US military—could make a huge splash in the media. The Bonanno boss doesn't want to wake up one morning and see his face on page one of the Daily News or New York Post while eating his cornflakes.
“Now you’re not talking South American drug cartels. You’re talking about New York organized crime guys.
“I wouldn’t want to be in (Cammarano and Grimaldi’s) shoes. They don’t have enough money in the world to make this go away.”
Shelved with Joe C were then-reputed consigliere John (Porky) Zancocchio (with whom Joe C was on trial in 2019), Vito Grimaldi, and his son Joseph. (Mancuso still valued Vito Grimaldi, who was a major earner via his Grimaldi's Home Of Bread, the legendary Ridgewood, Queens bakery he owned and operated.)
Mancuso was released from prison one day prior to Cammarano’s dramatic acquittal (and one week prior to the unconnected execution of Gambino boss Frank Cali on Staten Island).
If attempting to take over the family wasn’t enough, Mikey Nose also hated the “musical consiglieres” trial strategy used by Cammarano and his codefendants, which actually won them acquittals. (Mancuso apparently didn't appreciate the notion that he frequently replaced consiglieres.)
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