Anthony Indelicato
Encyclopedia
Anthony "Bruno" Indelicato (born 1947), also known as "Bruno", "Whack-Whack" and "Anthony Indelligado" is a capo with the Bonanno crime family
in New York City
,
governor Michael Dukakis
. Anthony Indelicato's wife is Catherine Burke, a daughter of Lucchese crime family
associate Jimmy Burke.
, along with cousin Steve Indelicato A.K.A. Steve Carter, A.K.A. Stevie "Two Guns", who is also a restaurant and nightclub owner in New York and Las Vegas. With the official Bonanno boss Philip Rastelli
in prison, Galante had taken effective control of the family in the early 1970s. His ruthlessness and ambition created many enemies within the Bonanno family and in the other New York families. Galante refused to share any of the profits that he made from heroin trafficking.
The Mafia Commission
finally allowed several Bonanno capos to plot Galante's assassination. On July 12, 1979, Galante entered the "Joe and Mary Italian-American Restaurant" in Bushwick, Brooklyn
for lunch. Later that afternoon, Indelicato and three other men drove up to and entered Joe and Mary's, wearing ski masks. One of the masked gunmen is suspected to have been his cousin Steve a Capo in the Bonanno crime family. The gunmen murdered Galante at his table as he was eating lunch. As a reward for killing Galante, Indelicato was promoted to capo.
, wanted to murder the leaders of the Massino faction and assume power for themselves. After receiving permission from the Mafia Commission, Massino set up a plot to murder the rival captains first.
On May 5, 1981, Alphonse Indelicato, Giaccone, and Trichera were lured to a meeting at restaurant, where they were executed. Anthony Indelicato missed the meeting and avoided death. Alphonse chose to bring Frank Lino
with him instead of his son. The Bonannos wanted Anthony Indelicato dead as well, believing that he would try to get revenge for the murder of his father. Napolitano ordered Donnie Brasco to murder Indelicato, though the hit was eventually called off. Brasco was warned to be careful when approaching Indelicato, since he was considered dangerous and wild with a gun, especially when high on cocaine
.
After the three capos' murders, Alphonse's brother Joseph assumed control of his crew, which included Anthony. At one point, Indelicato allegedly attempted to assassinate Gambino crime family
boss John Gotti
and Gambino mobster Angelo Ruggiero
. Gotti had assisted Massino in the murder of the three capos by disposing of the bodies. Indelicato allegedly drove alongside Gotti's car on the Van Wyck Expressway in Queens
during a high speed chase and shot at him. However, Ruggiero, who was driving at the time, swerved in time to dodge the gunfire.
. On November 19, 1986, he was sentenced to 40 years in prison. Soon after being sent to prison in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
, Indelicato met Catherine Burke while she was visiting her incarcerated friend John Carneglia In 1992, Indelicato and Catherine Burke were married at the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana
.
In 1998, Indelicato was released from prison and moved home with his wife to Howard Beach, Queens
. Although wanted dead at one point, Indelicato went back to work for the Bonannos, operating his father's old crew and becoming one of the Bonanno family's biggest earners. During this period, he briefly returned to prison for violating parole by meeting with Bonanno mobsters.
In February 2006, Indelicato was charged with murder and racketeering for the 2001 Santoro murder. In August 2008, Indelicato pleaded guilty to lesser charges and on December 16, 2008, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. As of July 2010, Indelicato is imprisoned at the Fort Dix Federal Correctional Institution FCI in New Jersey
. His projected release date is July 20, 2023, when he would be 76 years old.
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 ....
in New York City
New 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...
,
Biography
Anthony Indelicato was the son of Alphonse "Sonny Red" Indelicato, a powerful capo in the Bonanno family. Indelicato is a nephew of Gerard Indelicato, a former Special Assistant to MassachusettsMassachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
governor Michael Dukakis
Michael Dukakis
Michael Stanley Dukakis served as the 65th and 67th Governor of Massachusetts from 1975–1979 and from 1983–1991, and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988. He was born to Greek immigrants in Brookline, Massachusetts, also the birthplace of John F. Kennedy, and was the longest serving...
. Anthony Indelicato's wife is Catherine Burke, a daughter of Lucchese crime family
Lucchese crime family
The Lucchese 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 family originated in the early 1920s with Gaetano "Tommy" Reina serving as boss up until his murder...
associate Jimmy Burke.
Galante murder
In 1979, Anthony Indelicato participated in the murder of Bonanno boss Carmine GalanteCarmine Galante
Carmine Galante, also known as "Lilo" and "Cigar" was a mobster and acting boss of the Bonanno crime family...
, along with cousin Steve Indelicato A.K.A. Steve Carter, A.K.A. Stevie "Two Guns", who is also a restaurant and nightclub owner in New York and Las Vegas. With the official Bonanno boss Philip Rastelli
Philip Rastelli
Phillip "Rusty" Rastelli was a New York mobster and former boss of the Bonanno crime family.-Biography:...
in prison, Galante had taken effective control of the family in the early 1970s. His ruthlessness and ambition created many enemies within the Bonanno family and in the other New York families. Galante refused to share any of the profits that he made from heroin trafficking.
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...
finally allowed several Bonanno capos to plot Galante's assassination. On July 12, 1979, Galante entered the "Joe and Mary Italian-American Restaurant" in Bushwick, Brooklyn
Bushwick, Brooklyn
Bushwick is a neighborhood in the northern part of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood, formerly Brooklyn's 18th Ward, is now part of Brooklyn Community Board 4...
for lunch. Later that afternoon, Indelicato and three other men drove up to and entered Joe and Mary's, wearing ski masks. One of the masked gunmen is suspected to have been his cousin Steve a Capo in the Bonanno crime family. The gunmen murdered Galante at his table as he was eating lunch. As a reward for killing Galante, Indelicato was promoted to capo.
Three capos murder
After Galante's murder, a power struggle erupted between two factions of the Bonanno family. One faction included capos Dominick Napolitano and Joseph Massino, who were loyal to Rastelli. The second faction, which included Indelicato's father Alphonse, Phillip Giaccone and Dominick TrincheraDominick 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...
, wanted to murder the leaders of the Massino faction and assume power for themselves. After receiving permission from the Mafia Commission, Massino set up a plot to murder the rival captains first.
On May 5, 1981, Alphonse Indelicato, Giaccone, and Trichera were lured to a meeting at restaurant, where they were executed. Anthony Indelicato missed the meeting and avoided death. Alphonse chose to bring Frank Lino
Frank Lino
Frank "Curly" Lino is a Sicilian-American caporegime in the Bonanno crime family who later became an informant.-Biography:...
with him instead of his son. The Bonannos wanted Anthony Indelicato dead as well, believing that he would try to get revenge for the murder of his father. Napolitano ordered Donnie Brasco to murder Indelicato, though the hit was eventually called off. Brasco was warned to be careful when approaching Indelicato, since he was considered dangerous and wild with a gun, especially when high on cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
.
After the three capos' murders, Alphonse's brother Joseph assumed control of his crew, which included Anthony. At one point, Indelicato allegedly attempted to assassinate Gambino crime family
Gambino 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...
boss John Gotti
John 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...
and Gambino mobster Angelo Ruggiero
Angelo Ruggiero
Angelo Salvatore Ruggiero Sr. pronounced was a caporegime of the Gambino crime family and close friend of John Gotti.-Mob family roots:...
. Gotti had assisted Massino in the murder of the three capos by disposing of the bodies. Indelicato allegedly drove alongside Gotti's car on the Van Wyck Expressway in Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
during a high speed chase and shot at him. However, Ruggiero, who was driving at the time, swerved in time to dodge the gunfire.
Prison
In 1986, Indelicato was convicted of the 1979 Galante murder during the historic Mafia Commission TrialMafia 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...
. On November 19, 1986, he was sentenced to 40 years in prison. Soon after being sent to prison in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
Lewisburg is a borough in Union County, Pennsylvania, United States, south by southeast of Williamsport and north of Harrisburg. In the past, it was the commercial center for a fertile grain and general farming region. The population was 5,620 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Union...
, Indelicato met Catherine Burke while she was visiting her incarcerated friend John Carneglia In 1992, Indelicato and Catherine Burke were married at the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
.
In 1998, Indelicato was released from prison and moved home with his wife to Howard Beach, Queens
Howard Beach, Queens
Howard Beach is a suburban neighborhood in the southwestern portion of the borough of Queens in New York City. It is bordered in the north by the Belt Parkway and South Conduit Avenue in Ozone Park, the south by Jamaica Bay in Broad Channel, the east by 102nd-104th streets, and the west by 78th...
. Although wanted dead at one point, Indelicato went back to work for the Bonannos, operating his father's old crew and becoming one of the Bonanno family's biggest earners. During this period, he briefly returned to prison for violating parole by meeting with Bonanno mobsters.
Santoro murder
In 2001, Indelicato participated in the murder of Bonanno associate Frank Santoro who had threatened to kidnap one of the sons of then Bonanno capo, Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano, a close friend of Indelicato's. Santoro was shot to death while walking his dog in the Bronx. Indelicato served as a driver. In 2007, Basciano was convicted of the murder.In February 2006, Indelicato was charged with murder and racketeering for the 2001 Santoro murder. In August 2008, Indelicato pleaded guilty to lesser charges and on December 16, 2008, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. As of July 2010, Indelicato is imprisoned at the Fort Dix Federal Correctional Institution FCI in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. His projected release date is July 20, 2023, when he would be 76 years old.
Popular culture
Indelicato is portrayed as "Bruno" in the 1997 movie Donnie Brasco by actor Brian Tarantina.Further reading
- Jacobs, James B., Christopher Panarella and Jay Worthington. Busting the Mob: The United States Vs. Cosa Nostra. New York: NYU Press, 1994. ISBN 0-8147-4230-0
- Raab, Selwyn. Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires. New York: St. Martin Press, 2005. ISBN 0-312-30094-8
- Saggio, Frankie and Fred Rosen. Born to the Mob: The True-Life Story of the Only Man to Work for All Five of New York's Mafia Families. New York: Thunder Mouth Press, 2004. ISBN 1-56025-559-5
- Giovino, Andrea Divorced from the Mob: My Journey from Organized Crime to Independent Woman
- DeStefano, Anthony. The Last Godfather: Joey Massino & the Fall of the Bonanno Crime Family. California: Citadel, 2006.
- Pistone, Joseph, 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...
. Random House Value Publishing (February 1990) ISBN 5552531299 - Pistone, Joseph D.; & Brandt, Charles (2007). Donnie Brasco: Unfinished Business, Running Press. ISBN 0-7624-2707-8.
External links
- Anthony Indelicato, Petitioner vs. United States of America, In the Supreme Court of the United States: On Petition for a Writ of Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- United States of America, Appellee, vs. Anthony Indelicato, Defendant - Appellant, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- TIME.com - Hitting the Mafia by Ed Magnuson