top picture is:Anthony Colombo

bottom left:Bill Bonanno

bottom right:Thomas Gambino

While his father Vincenzo Troia was known for his escapades in the midwest and for his involvement on a peace committee to end the Castellammarese War, Joseph Troia seems to have been forgotten. Despite being murdered at only 24 years old, he led an intriguing life. Here's a better look at him:

Joseph Troia's Timeline

Jan 3 1911 - Born in San Giuseppe Jato, Palermo, Sicily to Vincenzo Troia & Rosaria Ruffino

Nov 17 1930 - Filed a certificate of arrival claiming to be Giuseppe Troia (born 1907 - Capaci, Sicly) who arrived in the US on Jan 6 1921

Dec 26 1930 - (Dec. Intention) Living at 1334 McCollum Ave, Los Angeles, CA. This was the home of bootlegger Salvatore Simonetti (from San Giuseppe Jato). In October 1930, Simonetti's naturalization was witnessed by LA member Frank Borgia

Sep 8 1931- Arrested in Passaic, NJ after a raid on a non-union garment factory. Also arrested were:
- Bufalino member Sam Costanzo
- Newark (future Lucchese) member Joseph Accardi
- Newark member Jack LoPiccolo
- Future Genovese member Thomas Campisi

Living at 29 Bloomfield Ave, Bloomfield, NJ. This was the home of Andrea Todaro, his son was Gambino member Vincent Todaro (1913-1969) & his daughter Dominica was married to Newark member Charles Matranga (1908-1990 - Camporeale). The Todaro family was from San Cipirello, a town adjacent to San Giuseppe Jato.

Jul 29 1932 - Arrested alongside Newark members Jack LoPiccolo (1898-1981) & Onofrio Sciortino (1896-1970) for the Jun 23 1932 slaying of William Schlegel, killed after being mistaken for Passaic gangsters Edmund "Whitey" Adamchesky & Harold Wilda.

Both LoPiccolo & Sciortino were from Monreale. The latter's wife was Frances Frisina from San Cipirello while the former was married to Mary Matranga, sister of Newark member Charles Matranga. LoPiccolo's naturalization was witnessed by Bonanno member Thomas Scardino.

Feb 16 1933 - Dropped from the Schlegel case after a witness suddenly "lost confidence"

Apr 17 1933 - Indicted for the April 12 1933 murder of Max Greenberg & Max Hassel, Jewish beer barons & Abner "Longie" Zwillman's rivals, following an anonymous phone tip. Years later, Genovese member Paul "Frankie" Carbo was arrested for this

Sep 23 1933 - Arrested under the name Joe Caiole in Springfield, IL alongside Springfield members Tony Campo, Pasquale "Patsy" Aiello, Vito Impastato, Charles "Fenello" Supino, and Frank Longo for the attempted kidnapping of Peoria banker Milton Newman.

Aug 22 1935 - Killed in Newark, NJ // Listed at 109 N 15th St, Bloomfield, NJ

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The Candy Store Massacre:

On Aug 22nd 1935 at 11 AM, two gunmen entered a candy store (317 South 6th Street, Newark, NJ) and opened fire. Vincenzo Troia and his bodyguard Frank Longo were killed immediately. Joseph Troia was severely wounded, managed to reach his car but passed out and died in the hospital. Two others, Jerome Bevinetto and Antonio Sunseri were wounded but recovered.

The police arrested Nicholas Gallicchio, who was inside the store but unharmed, as an inside man, along with his son Robert Gallicchio & Salvatore Barraco as shooters with Leonard Cipolla as the driver. They couldn't get the charges to stick.

Victims:

• Vincenzo Troia (1887-1935)
• Joseph Troia (1911-1935)
• Frank Longo (1898-1935): Born in San Giuseppe Jato, Palermo. Immigrated to Frankfort NY in 1921, not clear how long he was here but there was a colony of SGJ people here. Was involved in crime in the midwest before joining Troia's entourage as he went to the NYC area
• Girolamo "Jerome" Bevinetto (1893-1943): Born to Antonio Bevinetto & Caterina Rizzuto, family from Camporeale. He was Vincenzo Troia's lieutenant in charge of the lottery racket. His sister Anna Monaco was married to Newark underboss Sam Monaco (from Vita, Trapani) who was killed in 1931.
• Antonio Sunseri (1896-1961): Born in San Giuseppe Jato but filed false documents claiming to be a different person of the same name from Marineo. Was using an alias of Tony Cangelosi, from his wife's maiden name. Owned the candy store. Would later be involved in garment rackets.

Perpetrators:

• Nicholas "Big Nick" Gallicchio (1879-1955): From Vallata, Avellino. His wife Jennie Spatola's brother was Jerry Spatola, funeral home owner & prominent Newark Italian. He had been involved in previous crimes as well. His son Jerry "The Boot" Gallicchio (1913-2005) would become a longtime NJ narcotics figure.
• Robert Gallicchio (1909-1981): Son of Nicholas Gallicchio & Jennie Spatola. Would associate with the Campisi & DiNorscia families.
• Salvatore "Charles" Barracco (1890-1978): From Marsala, Trapani. In the late 1930s, he moved from NJ to NYC.
• Leonardo Cipolla (1883-1943): Born in Partinico, Palermo but married to a Marie Saladino from Camporeale. Unlike everyone else, he wasn't a NJ resident and was in NYC. Much bigger than his role as driver in this hit; he was a Bonnano member with close ties to boss Nicola Schiro and had likely been boss in New Orleans early on. Was murdered in 1943

The Press attributed it to a lottery feud while Nicola Gentile explained it as revenge for Troia killing Gaspare D'Amico to take power in Newark. Both explanations had large holes. D'Amico passed away in 1975 and the incident that removed him from power took place in February 1937 well after this affair.

Vincenzo Troia was likely a faction leader though it's unclear if he held any rank in Newark. His faction looks like an amalgamation of his entourage and a group that existed around underboss Sam Monaco. This candy store (317 South 6th Street, Newark, NJ) had been a coal company C. Mangiaracina & S. Monaco run by Sam Monaco & Calogero Mangiaracina (1880-1963 - Camporeale) before Troia took it over. While the reasons behind the hit aren't clear, the idea that boss Gaspare D'Amico would feel threatened by Troia who possessed an enormous amount of connections both nationwide and in Sicily makes sense.

Kinda interesting to listen to.

I'm looking for quintessential Mafia sunglasses. Not sure if there is such a thing. Maybe Carrera?

My opinion on snitches & rats has changed recently. While I still think being a loose-lipped tattletale is a horrible look, I have developed a begrudging respect & appreciation for a few informants.

Little Al D'Arco from the Lucchese Family is the first one who comes to mind. He seemed to be in a miserable position once Casso & Amuso (really Casso, he seemed to be worse) went on a warpath against seemingly everyone in the Family.

Another question I'd like to raise here is: What's there to like about snitches?

The main reason for my recent change of heart regarding informants is that they really are the best sources (albeit sometimes unreliable) for insider info about the mob. We wouldn't know much of anything without their assistance. Yes, law enforcement typically does a good job but there's something endlessly fascinating about hearing an account from someone who was really part of the life. It confirms what the police suspect or know.

Many rats have such a compelling way of describing things that I can't just help myself. They are very charming & charismatic in a messed up way.

Do you guys have any favorite Mafia informants? Or informants whom you respect? Let me know & tell me why.

He appears quite a lot in reels about soviet gangs

Has anyone else noticed this, that Turco character whole look two earrings in both ears the jewellery and the hairstyle down too the clothing copies Toronto mafia guy Joe Ferraro? The documentary Mafia most wanted has a scene, with Joe wearing the blue suit and shirt, that we first see Turco in when he pulls the head out of the bag for Quiet Ray.

It’s amusing too think someone in production of Tulsa King or Stallone himself, saw the mafia documentary saw Joe Ferraro and literally copied the whole man. Except he’s shorter then Robert Davi in height. This is actually cool to see a Canadian Toronto Mafia member replicated in a USA show.

Actual news coverage from back in the day.

Following Scalish's death, Nardi actively challenged Licavoli's leadership, allied himself with Danny Greene, and reportedly ordered the murder of underboss Leo Moceri. According to contemporary FBI intelligence, four Cleveland family members also aligned themselves with the opposing faction. Why would Cleveland members align themselves with a simple associate ?

What I find particularly interesting is Nardi's apparent ambition to lead the family itself. We all know even if he is very powerful, an associate cannot formally become bossç Even if Nardi had successfully eliminated Licavoli and his administration, what position could he realistically have occupied without being inducted? Why would the remaining made members recognize an associate as their boss?

For me his behavior makes considerably more sense if he was an inducted member attempting to overthrow a rival administration. This would also explain why he was willing to escalate the conflict beyond the usual objectives of a rebellious associate, particularly by targeting an underboss.

Interestingly, I heard a FBI explicitly identifies Nardi as a Cleveland LCN member and reports that he was making a play for leadership as early as 1973. This contradicts accounts suggesting that he was never inducted.

I'm not claiming that Nardi was definitely made though his behavior much more like a rival faction leader than an ordinary associate rebelling against his superiors.

I know there documented are associates who fought with LCN but not by killing made men because that was a death sentence. They survived attacks, and created heat so made men would eventually leave them alone or get picked by police. Nardi's behavior is not like this.

If the FBI intercepted a wiretap or a tip from an informant--that Lefty Ruggiero was going to be murdered at a bar—he was actually going to for a meeting. why did the FBI not charge the people at the bar for conspiracy to murder or at least storm the place at the last possible moment to arrest the people with weapons?
Or did someone get charged with the attempted murder of benjamin left ruggerio?

And do we know who was given the contract to murder lefty? Do we know which guys he was supposed to meeting that night when the FBI pulled him over and arrested him?

The guys, Bellomo, Persico, Cefalu, DeSantis, and Mancuso have been in that thing for a long time. Were any of them friends or any record of them doing crimes or doing time together? This thing has a lot of people related by marriage and stuff so maybe one of their cousins is married to one of their daughters, or something, and they‘ve met at weddings or something?

It would be highly unlikely, in my opinion, that they’ve never met or spoken, even one on one, in all the years they’ve lived in New York City.

any record of anything between them personally?

John says that Tommy is being paid to discredit him and that he needs to STFU, stay in his lane and find Jesus.