Frank Buccieri
Encyclopedia
Frank "The Horse" Buccieri (January 23, 1919 – March 8, 2004), also known as "Frank Russo" or "Big Frank", was a Chicago Outfit
mobster who headed mob operations on the West Coast of the United States
during the 1970s and 80s. He was the brother of Outfit hitman Fiore "Fifi" Buccieri
.
In 1936, the 17 year-old Buccieri was arraigned in a Chicago court on charges of petty larceny. When judge said that he was going to send the charges to a grand jury
, Buccieri's brother Fiore asked if the family could punish him instead. The judge agreed and one of Buccieri's relatives gave him five lashes with a doubled five-foot length of rubber hose. This would be Buccieri's only arrest in a lifetime of crime. During the 1960s, Buccieri was a business manager for illegal gambling and loansharking operations on Chicago's West Side.
In June 1981, the New York-based Mafia Commission
appointed Buccieri to run its criminal operations in California
. Buccieri succeeded mobster Frank "The Bomp" Bompensiero, who had been murdered, and Tommy Ricciardi. Buccieri was reportedly assigned a capo
, or captain, from the New York Lucchese crime family
to help in the day-to-day operations in California. One investigator explained, "The Commission wanted someone they could trust to handle the lucrative California rackets and this time they wanted to make sure nothing went wrong."
On March 8, 2004, Frank Buccieri died of natural causes.
Chicago Outfit
The Chicago Outfit, also known as the Chicago Syndicate or Chicago Mob and sometimes shortened to simply the Outfit, is a crime syndicate based in Chicago, Illinois, USA...
mobster who headed mob operations on the West Coast of the United States
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
during the 1970s and 80s. He was the brother of Outfit hitman Fiore "Fifi" Buccieri
Fiore Buccieri
Fiore "Fifi" Buccieri was a Chicago mobster and member of the Chicago Outfit who specialized in loansharking.-Early years:...
.
In 1936, the 17 year-old Buccieri was arraigned in a Chicago court on charges of petty larceny. When judge said that he was going to send the charges to a grand jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
, Buccieri's brother Fiore asked if the family could punish him instead. The judge agreed and one of Buccieri's relatives gave him five lashes with a doubled five-foot length of rubber hose. This would be Buccieri's only arrest in a lifetime of crime. During the 1960s, Buccieri was a business manager for illegal gambling and loansharking operations on Chicago's West Side.
In June 1981, the New York-based 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...
appointed Buccieri to run its criminal operations in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Buccieri succeeded mobster Frank "The Bomp" Bompensiero, who had been murdered, and Tommy Ricciardi. Buccieri was reportedly assigned a capo
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...
, or captain, from the New York 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...
to help in the day-to-day operations in California. One investigator explained, "The Commission wanted someone they could trust to handle the lucrative California rackets and this time they wanted to make sure nothing went wrong."
On March 8, 2004, Frank Buccieri died of natural causes.
Further reading
- Peterson, Virgil W. Chicago: Shades of Capone. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences, CCCXVII (May 1963).