- Soprano crime family
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Soprano crime family Founded 1950s In New Jersey, United States Founded by Domenico Ercole DiMeo Years active 1950s–present Territory Northern New Jersey Ethnicity Italian, Italian-American, made men with other ethnicities as "associates" Membership 50-60 made men (based on 5-6 crews consisting of approx 10 men each), 200+ associates Criminal activities auto theft, bank fraud, bid rigging, bookmaking, building violations, calling card fraud, cement violations, construction violations, credit card fraud, drug trafficking, extortion, identity theft, illegal gambling, labor racketeering, loan sharking, mail fraud, money laundering, mortgage fraud, Murder, pornography, pier and port theft, racketeering, securities fraud, truck hijacking, waste management, wire fraud, witness tampering Allies Lupertazzi crime family, Vittorio/Zucca Camorra family, Russian mafia, Jewish mob and Middle-Eastern crime syndicate Rivals Philadelphia crime family, Vipers motorcycle gang, African-American drug crews, Colombian drug crews and other New Jersey gangs, including some their allies at various times The DiMeo crime family, later referred to as the Soprano crime family, is a fictional Mafia family from the HBO series The Sopranos. It is thought to be loosely based on the DeCavalcante crime family, a real New Jersey Mafia family.[1]
The DiMeo crime family consists of an administration and six crews.
Contents
History
Formation
In the series, the DiMeo crime family is believed to have been formed in Northern New Jersey in the 1950s. Ercole DiMeo is believed to have been the first official boss. Key members from the 1960s include brothers John Francis "Johnny Boy" Soprano and Corrado "Junior" Soprano, as well as Michele "Feech" La Manna. The Sopranos were a key faction in the DiMeo crime family, running two separate crews led by Johnny Boy and Junior, and also had longstanding ties with the five New York Families (particularly the Lupertazzi crime family led by Carmine Lupertazzi). Despite DiMeo's reign as Boss, it is implied throughout the series and stated in the finale by Tony Soprano that the two Soprano brothers unofficially ran North Jersey.
Unrest of '83
During the early and mid-1980s many DiMeo crime family members and associates were arrested, causing the biggest blow to the family since its formation. Among those arrested were Tony Blundetto and Michele 'Feech' La Manna, sentenced to 17 and 20 years, respectively. When released in 2004, they were referred to in the media as the "Class of 2004".
It was during the Unrest of '83 that Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero, a cat burglar and associate in the Johnny Boy Soprano crew, stood up for (i.e., carried out a killing on behalf of) Johnny Boy Soprano. Johnny Boy's son, Tony Soprano would make his bones, as shown in the episode Remember When, by killing a small-time bookie and become a made man shortly thereafter.
Rise of Tony Soprano
Johnny Boy Soprano died of emphysema in 1986. Before his death, he requested that his son become the capo of the Soprano crew. Tony, one of the fastest rising stars in the Family after holding up Feech La Manna's card game with Aprile crew chief Giacomo "Jackie" Aprile, was a relatively young man to be a capo at the age of 27. Tony's transition into captain was aided by the loyalty of Bonpensiero, longtime Johnny Boy Soprano soldier Peter Paul "Paulie Walnuts" Gualtieri, and childhood friend Silvio Dante. Tony would also avoid a long stint in prison when he missed a failed hijacking involving his cousin, Tony Blundetto. Caught by the police, Tony B. ended up getting charged under the RICO law and spending 17 years in prison, while Tony became one of the top earners in the DiMeo Family. At first, Tony said he was robbed by two black men, but he later admitted to Dr. Melfi and to Tony B. that he had a panic attack after arguing with his mother and passed out, missing the hijack.
New acting boss
Ercole DiMeo was convicted and given a life sentence in prison in 1995. Jackie Aprile was named Acting Boss of the family by DiMeo, much to the chagrin of Junior Soprano. It was assumed that a Soprano would take over the reins when DiMeo died or went to prison, but DiMeo was impressed by Jackie Aprile's leadership abilities (the Aprile crew had been the top earner and best-run crew of the family for years). The years of Jackie's tenure as Boss (1995–1999) are generally considered to have been peaceful, prosperous years; Jackie was a well-respected and much beloved Boss who didn't "eat alone," much to the contentment of his Capos.
War of '99
When Jackie Aprile was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 1998, Tony Soprano, his closest friend and Junior's nephew, basically took over Jackie's responsibilities, again to Junior's displeasure. Uncle Junior and Tony were, at that point, at each other's throats because Junior plotted to have a rival, Gennaro "Little Pussy" Malanga, killed in Malanga's favorite restaurant, Vesuvio, a restaurant owned by Tony's childhood friend Artie Bucco. Tony foiled Junior's plans by ordering Silvio Dante to set fire to Artie's restaurant to prevent the hit from happening. Also, Tony's nephew, Christopher Moltisanti and his associate Brendan Filone, were hijacking trucks from Comley Trucking, a business that paid protection to Junior. Junior's enforcer, Mikey Palmice, killed Brendan, and hired Russian hitmen performed a mock execution on Christopher under Junior's orders. When Jackie Aprile died in spring of 1999, and tensions between Junior and Tony were at an all-time high, it was assumed that the two would go to war over the top position. Tony instead deferred to Junior, giving him the official title as Boss. This was effectively in name only, as Tony still controlled the capos in the family and was the main conduit to the Lupertazzi Family, represented by underboss John "Johnny Sack" Sacramoni.
Tensions flared up between Junior and Tony after Tony's mother, Livia Soprano, revealed that Tony was seeing a psychiatrist and had been meeting secretly with his capos in Livia's nursing home. An assassination attempt on Tony was made, but Tony luckily escaped with just an injury to the ear, leaving one hitman dead when the other accidentally shoots him while aiming at Tony. The FBI revealed to Tony that his mother's retirement home was bugged and let Tony listen to the tapes in a failed attempt to get him to flip. The tapes revealed that the assassination attempt was concocted by Junior and made it sound like his mother was in on it, too. In retaliation, Tony ordered the deaths of key members of Junior's crew: soldier Chucky Signore, consigliere Mikey "Grab Bag" Palmice, and acting capo (after Junior's arrest) Phillip "Philly Spoons" Parisi. Junior Soprano was spared when he was indicted by the federal government, along with underboss Joseph "Beppy" Sasso and capo Lawrence "Larry Boy" Barese, and because Tony wished to keep him as the lightning rod that took the hits for the Family. Tony then took over virtually all of Junior's business and became the Boss of the now renamed Soprano Crime Family. Former Junior Soprano soldiers Gigi Cestone and Pasquale "Patsy" Parisi defected over to various crews on Tony's side. Gigi Cestone went to the Aprile crew. Tony named Silvio Dante as his consigliere, and promoted long-time soldier Peter Paul "Paulie Walnuts" Gualtieri to captain of his old crew, renamed the Gualtieri crew. Patsy Parisi went to the Gualtieri crew.
Although Junior had been usurped of nearly all power and was under house arrest awaiting trial, he still retained the title of Boss, as Tony wanted the FBI to think they had indicted the head of the family, and acted as an adviser to Tony. Two of the factors that brought the two closer together was when Junior informed Tony of Richie Aprile's plot to kill Tony, and take over the family, and when Junior was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2001. However, Tony continued to punish Junior through business arrangements, and only allowed him to earn on a "subsistence level." Junior managed to beat the disease before the RICO trial against him started.
FBI investigations
After years of investigating Tony Soprano (at one point trying to turn him into an informant) and failing to connect him to anything (the closest they came was pinning him to the murder of associate Matthew "Matt Drinkwater" Bevilaqua, which was tossed out when an eyewitness retracted his statement after finding out one of the shooters may have been Tony Soprano), the FBI arrested Tony in 2000 when it was discovered that he had been extorting Davey Scatino. While busting out Scatino's sporting goods store, Tony had been receiving stolen airline tickets, which was discovered due to information given by turncoat Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero and when Tony gave one of the stolen tickets to his mother, Livia. The case fell through when Big Pussy "disappeared" and when Livia died of a stroke. The FBI continued to build a case against Tony, but fell on difficult times when a wiretapping of his basement was compromised (when Tony's daughter Meadow Soprano took the lamp they had bugged) and because of the deaths of several FBI informants.
In 2002, the RICO trial against Junior Soprano ended in a hung jury, but the government moved to schedule a re-trial, meaning Junior had to stay under house arrest. Due to his diminished position in the family because of the house arrest, longtime Junior Soprano loyalist Robert "Bobby Bacala" Baccalieri was named acting Capo of the Junior Soprano crew, after it became clear that his elderly, senile Capo, Murf Lupo, wasn't up for it anymore.
Periods of unrest
In the meantime, the Soprano Family continued to stay in a period of transition, with Richie Aprile, older brother of Jackie Aprile, taking over the previously defunct (due to the death of Jackie Sr.) Aprile crew after his release from prison in 2000. Richie became a threat to Tony's power, crippling associate Beansie Gaeta and disobeying Tony repeatedly when it came to selling cocaine on garbage routes. Richie also came to Junior about overthrowing Tony, but Junior decided that he would be better off with his nephew. Tony caught wind of Richie's plot and set the wheels in motion to have him killed, but he was spared the trouble when Richie was killed in the heat of an argument by his fiancée, who coincidentally happened to be Tony's sister Janice Soprano.
When Gigi Cestone, a Soprano crew soldier set to take over and spy on the Aprile crew, died of a heart attack, Tony had no choice but to install rival Ralph Cifaretto as captain. Tony had longtime problems with Ralph, despite the fact that the two grew up together with Jackie Aprile and Silvio Dante. Tony, in a fit of rage, once hit Ralph after he murdered a Bada Bing dancer named Tracee. Ralph also took under his wing, Jackie Aprile, Jr., even though Tony and Jackie Sr. both wanted to keep Jackie Jr. out of the family business. When Jackie Jr. held up one of Ralph's underling's poker games and shot at made men Furio Giunta and Christopher Moltisanti in an attempt to emulate his father, Ralph had no choice but to order Jackie's death at the hands of Vito Spatafore.
Despite disagreements with Tony, Ralph became the top earner in the family, running lucrative construction deals such as the Esplanade Construction site and HUD scams in Newark. Ralph also owned a racehorse named Pie-O-My that died due to a stable fire. Convinced that Ralph cruelly and intentionally killed the horse in order to pay for his disabled son's medical bills with the insurance money, Tony, in a fit of anger and outrage, attacked and killed Ralph. Christopher then helped Tony dispose of the body by dismembering it and placing the several body parts in different dump sites. Tony blamed the disappearance of Ralph on the New York family, particularly Johnny Sack, who had a problem with Ralph due to a typically tasteless joke that was made about his wife, Ginny and a part of her anatomy. Vito Spatafore was named captain of the Aprile crew in 2002.
During that time, Tony Soprano began to groom his cousin/nephew, Christopher Moltisanti, into a leadership role. Christopher, already a young made man, was named acting Capo of the Gualtieri crew when Paulie Walnuts was jailed on a gun charge (which was later dropped). Patsy Parisi was dissatisfied with this choice, as was Silvio Dante who wanted to see Patsy as Capo. Christopher was also named by Tony as his successor, but that was compromised when Christopher was found out to have a serious heroin addiction and was sent to rehab. Christopher temporarily cleaned up and proved his loyalty to Tony by giving up his fiancée, Adriana La Cerva, for execution when it was discovered that she had been cooperating with the FBI. As a reward for putting the Family above his own fiancée, Chris was made captain of the Gualtieri crew (with Paulie Gualtieri being promoted to Underboss.)
It was also during this period that the working relationship between the Lupertazzi Crime Family and the Sopranos reached a rocky point in 2002, when the two families joined together to control the Esplanade construction site in Newark, New Jersey. Disagreements over the split of the money of the Esplanade, plus the HUD projects that Tony was keeping secret from Lupertazzi and the displeasure of Johnny Sack with Ralph Cifaretto, nearly caused the two families to go to war. Both Johnny Sack and boss Carmine Lupertazzi blamed one another for the conflict, and reached out to Tony to whack the other as a means of ending the conflict. In both cases, cooler heads prevailed and the two families worked out a deal.
Class of 2004
The prison release of "The Class of 2004" (Phil Leotardo, Angelo Garepe, Michele "Feech" La Manna, and Tony Blundetto) along with the death of Carmine Lupertazzi set off another series of conflicts. "Little" Carmine Lupertazzi and Johnny Sack went to war over the position of Boss in New York, and Tony had to deal with the insubordination of Feech La Manna and his cousin, Tony Blundetto. One problem in his family was solved when Feech La Manna was sent back to prison after stolen flat-screen televisions were found in his garage by a probation officer called on the orders of Tony Soprano. The other problem was complicated when Tony B. killed Lupertazzi associate Joe Peeps on the orders of Lupertazzi Capo Rusty Millio and consigliere Angelo Garepe. When Angelo was killed in retaliation, Tony B. went after Phil Leotardo and killed his brother, Billy Leotardo, in an unsanctioned hit. Faced with threats of war and torture from Johnny Sack and Phil Leotardo plus unease in his own family, Tony Soprano was left with no choice but to kill Tony B. himself.
The relationship between New York and New Jersey families was further complicated when Johnny Sack was busted by the FBI and sent to prison to await trial, and Phil Leotardo, still nursing hard feelings about Blundetto, was named Acting Boss of the Lupertazzi Family.
Shooting of Tony Soprano
During his house arrest and trials/re-trials, Junior would develop signs of dementia due to a head injury sustained after being hit with a boom microphone and knocked down the courthouse steps, as well as several mini-strokes over the years. Junior's increasingly diminished capacity led him to shoot Tony in the abdomen, mistakenly thinking that Tony was his already deceased nemesis "Little Pussy" Malanga.
The shooting of Tony Soprano set off a media frenzy, with reporters stalking the Soprano house and outside the hospital where Tony lay in a coma. Junior Soprano was arrested and questioned about the shooting, which he insisted must have been a self-inflicted gunshot by Tony, whom he labeled as a "depression case". The captains of the Family agreed to cut all ties to Junior and allow Tony to decide what happens to him. Junior was judged to be mentally unstable and was sent to a mental rehabilitation facility.
With Tony incapacitated, his consigliere Silvio Dante took over as Acting Boss of the Soprano Crime Family; however, Silvio was unable to handle the pressure of being boss, and suffered an asthma attack that put him in the hospital. Tony, after a near-death experience, would awake from his coma soon after, just in time to settle a dispute over the future of Barone Sanitation with Johnny Sack and Phil Leotardo.
Tension with New York
While in prison, Johnny Sack reached out to Tony through Phil Leotardo to whack his insubordinate capo, Rusty Millio. Tony refused at first, but had a change of heart after talking to Johnny Sack at his daughter's wedding. Tony conducted the execution of Millio with caution, bringing in two men from Naples to carry out the hit on Rusty and his soldier, Eddie Pietro. Johnny Sack later plead guilty in his RICO trial to lessen his sentence, thus making Phil Leotardo the boss in all but title.
More complications occurred in the organization when Vito Spatafore, the top earning captain of the Aprile crew and cousin-in-law to Phil Leotardo, fled New Jersey after his homosexuality was revealed. Carlo Gervasi was named by Tony as the replacement point man for the Family's construction interests. After hiding in New Hampshire for months, Vito returned to New Jersey, approaching Tony about starting up a separate operation in Atlantic City involving prostitution. Tony considered the request, but ultimately decided that Vito needed to be taken out in order to placate Phil Leotardo, who was incensed about Vito's lifestyle. However, Phil got to Vito first, breaking into his hotel room and watched while soldiers Dominic "Fat Dom" Gamiello and Gerry Torciano beat his cousin-in-law to death. Tony, realizing that Phil was sending the message that New York can do whatever they want, decided to hurt Phil financially as payback for Vito. Tony reasoned that a war with New York would prevent his family from earning. However, when Fat Dom went to Satriale's on a delivery stop and made jokes about Vito's death and implied Carlo was a homosexual, Silvio and Carlo killed the New York soldier.
Tony's response to Vito's murder was to blow up a wire room held by Phil in Sheepshead Bay — Benny Fazio was on the scene for the explosion. After a sit-down between the New Jersey and New York Families, a truce was nearly reached before a reference from Little Carmine to the death of Billy Leotardo resulted in Phil Leotardo storming out. At a conference with Gerry Torciano, Albie Cianfiore, and Butch DeConcini, a decision was reached to take out a high ranking member of the Soprano crime family. Butch was particularly vocal in his desire to kill Tony, but Phil had more sense than that, and decided against it. Phil suffered a massive coronary soon afterwards and FBI Agent Harris informed Tony that someone on his crew could be in danger. In an attempt to clear the air between them, Tony paid a visit to Phil's hospital bed, telling him of his own near-death experience. During his disagreement with Phil about an asbestos removal project, Tony reminds him of their discussion in the hospital but Phil snubs him. Tony retaliates by taking two members of Phil's crew off a project payroll, after which after one of them threatens Tony's daughter Meadow. Tony retaliates by curb-stomping him on a wooden step in a restaurant in front of Butch DeConcini, shattering all of the threatener's teeth. Phil refuses to meet with Tony after this incident and war between the two families seems imminent.
The War of 2007
It becomes clear that there is no compromise available between NY and NJ, and as a result the wheels begin to move. New York convinces Burt Gervasi to switch sides, and he approaches Silvio Dante to join in on a coup d'état attempt on Soprano. The likely idea is that if Tony is killed, Silvio will take over and make peace, and Gervasi will be rewarded. Silvio responds by strangling Burt Gervasi at his house with a garotte. Soprano knew what had to be done, and arranged for Phil Leotardo to be executed. At the same time, Phil had a war-room discussion where he arranged for New Jersey to be wiped out. Phil gives orders to "decapitate the leadership" of the Sopranos and "do business with what's left", and orders contracts on Tony Soprano, Silvio Dante and Robert "Bobby Bacala" Baccalieri. The Sopranos attempt to hit Phil went awry however when Phil's Ukrainian mistress and her father were mistaken for Phil and were mistakenly killed by the non-English speaking Italians who were brought over from "the other side" specifically to perform this contract.
The hits on the Sopranos in New Jersey took place with more finesse, however. Bacala is killed at a model train shop when two assassins ambush him. Word comes down that Leotardo has vanished, and the Soprano Family decides to do the same. However, as Patsy Parisi and Silvio Dante attempt to go on the lam, they are ambushed by a pair of New York hitmen outside the Bada Bing. In the ensuing carnage, Silvio Dante is shot multiple times but Parisi escapes. Silvio is rushed to a hospital where he is left in a coma. Tony and some soldiers head to a safe house to hide, as the search for Phil continued. Tony, surrounded by bodyguards, attempts to sleep while holding an AR-10 rifle in his arms, which Bobby gave to him on his 47th birthday,
Tony came out of hiding shortly after and arranged a sit down with Butch DeConcini and Albie Cianflone through "Little" Carmine Lupertazzi and retired Five Families Boss, George Paglieri. During this meeting the New York Family agreed that Phil Leotardo's decision to go to war with North Jersey was a bad one, has gone much too far and that consequently the New York leadership would back off. Tony also demanded that they give him a location on Phil, but Butch refused to tell of Phil's whereabouts (either because he didn’t know or still felt loyal to his boss). Butch did, however, give Tony implicit permission to take Phil out should he find him, without retaliation from Butch and New York. Butch also agrees to financially compensate Bobby’s widow. Since Tony had previously given FBI Agent Harris information on two Pakistani men that used to be small time associates of the family, he eventually told Tony that Phil had been making calls from a pay phone at a gas station in Oyster Bay. The Soprano family began patrolling the area's gas stations looking for Phil. It wasn't long before Walden Belfiore, a soldier in the Gervasi crew, caught up with Phil at the gas station. Phil was shot in the head and chest in front of his wife and grandchildren, then, his car being in gear while Phil was on the ground, the car ran over his head, thus ending the New York/New Jersey War and bringing the conflict to its final conclusion.
Organization
Administration
- Boss Anthony "Tony" Soprano — he served as acting boss from 1999 to 2005 when he took over as the official boss. In 2006, Tony Soprano was shot and went into a coma, he later recovered and took over as boss again.
- Cosigliere Silvio "Sil" Dante — has served as Tony Soprano's Consigliere from early 2000. In 2007, he was critically injured during an assassination attempt and fell into a comatose state.
Current capos
Capo is short for a caporegime, a name given to a top ranking person of the Mafia. A capo basically refers to the leader of a team of soldiers who works as the intermediate between the Mafioso Boss and his crew. Also known as a captain.
- Soprano/Gualtieri crew and Gervasi/Aprile crew - Peter Paul "Paulie Walnuts" Gualtieri
- Barese crew - Lawrence "Larry Boy" Barese (incarcerated) Albert Barese (Acting)
- Junior Soprano/Baccalieri crew - Unknown
- Curto crew - Unknown, possibly defunct
Historical leadership
Bosses (official and acting)
- 19??–1995 - Domenico Ercoli "Eckley" DiMeo — Boss from unknown–1995, imprisoned for life.
- 1995-1999 - Giacomo "Jackie" Aprile — served as Boss from 1995–1999 until his death of cancer, was referred to as the "Acting Boss" out of respect for DiMeo.
- 1999-2004 - Corrado "Junior" Soprano — served as Boss from 1999 to 2006, sent to a state mental hospital in 2006 after shooting Tony Soprano.
- Acting 2000-2004 - Anthony "Tony" Soprano — only officially served as acting boss, but de facto controlled the family from 1999 to 2004. He was promoted to official Boss in 2006 after Junior Soprano shot him.
- 2006–present - Anthony "Tony" Soprano
- Acting 2006 - Silvio "Sil" Dante — served as acting boss in 2006 during Tony Soprano's comatose state.
Underbosses
- 1999 - Joseph "Beppy" Sasso — Underboss to Junior Soprano (1999, awaiting re-trial).
- 2005-2007 - Peter Paul "Paulie Walnuts" Gualtieri — served as underboss for Tony Soprano from 2005 to 2007,reassigned to take over Cifaretto crew.
Consigliere
- 1999 - Mikey "Grab Bag" Palmice — Consigliere to Junior Soprano (1999, deceased)
- 2000–present - Silvio "Sil" Dante — Consigliere to Tony Soprano (2000–?, critically injured during an assassination attempt in 2007, comatose, prospects for recovery uncertain.)
Crews
Soprano/Gualtieri Crew Formerly known as the Soprano Crew, now known as the Gualtieri Crew. Paulie Gualtieri becomes capo of this crew and the Aprile crew was mereged into the Gualtieri crew.
History of Capos - 19?—1986 — John "Johnny Boy" Soprano
- 1986—2000 — Anthony John "Tony" Soprano – promoted to Underboss
- 2000—present — Peter Paul "Paulie Walnuts" Gualtieri – took over the Moltisanti crew, and the Aprile/Gervasi crew in 2007.
Current members and associates Pasquale "Patsy" Parisi · Benito "Benny" Fazio · Frankie Cortese · Paul "Little Paulie" Germani (Associate) · Perry Annunziata (Associate) · Corky Caporale · Peter "Bissell" LaRosa (Associate) · Cary DiBartolo (Associate) · Corky Ianucci (Associate) · James "Murmur" Zancone (Associate) · Jason Parisi (Associate) · Jason Gervasi (Associate) Former soldiers and associates Pat Blundetto (retired) · Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero (FBI informant murdered in 2000) · Gigi Cestone (became capo of the Aprile crew) · Silvio Dante (became Consigliere) · Furio Giunta · Eugene Pontecorvo (F.B.I informant) · Burt Gervasi · Richard "Dickie" Moltisanti · Fabian "Febby" Petrullio (FBI informant) · Matthew Bevilaqua · Brendan Filone · Sean Gismonte · Alfie Rackets and businesses - The traditional and primary income of the crew stems from bookmaking, loansharking, and extortion, as well as truck hijacking. Under the ascension of Tony Soprano to Acting Boss, more diverse and modern criminal enterprises were pursued. These include an HMO scam with Hesh Rabkin, the "pump and dump" Webistics stock scam, buying calling cards on credit through front companies and selling them at discount, and selling stolen credit card numbers.
- The Soprano Crew are the main proprietors of the Bada Bing strip club on Route 17 in Lodi, New Jersey. Silvio Dante officially owns and manages the club.
- Business has also been established through Satriale's Pork Store, a meat market in the North Ward that was left to "Johnny Boy" Soprano when "Old Man" Satriale, a compulsive gambler and debtor, committed suicide in the early 1970s.
- Tony also owned the building that housed Caputo's Poultry Store in the North Ward, before selling the property to Jamba Juice in 2006.
- Garbage routes were also considered "bread and butter" for the crew as of 1999. Up until its sale in 2006, Barone Sanitation acted as a lucrative and protective front business and handled their garbage hauling routes, which included Triborough Towers. Tony Soprano was a longtime paid consultant of Barone Sanitation until Jason Barone sold the company after his father, Dick Barone's death. Tony still receives a salary from the company (until 2016) and netted 12% of the sale price.
- Tony and Silvio also run the Executive Card Game, a high-stakes poker game once run by Johnny and Junior Soprano until Tony took over as Acting Boss in 2000 and seized most of Junior Soprano's businesses.
- Christopher Moltisanti was the silent partner of the Crazy Horse nightclub, once run by his fiancée Adriana La Cerva. Furio Giunta was a partner until he fled to Italy.
- The crew's relationship with the Vittorio/Zucca Camorra family in Naples allowed for the smuggling of stolen cars to Italy in return for money and free use of Neapolitan enforcers, notably Furio Giunta. This business was formerly run by the Junior Soprano crew until 2000.
- Bonpensiero also ran an auto body shop before his death, now operated by his widow Angie and brother Duke, though the family still does business through the body shop and Angie works as a loan shark for Tony.
- After becoming a made man in 2001, Christopher was given a betting shop, managed by Warren Dupree, to run with a minimum $6,000/week kick up to Paulie. This betting shop likely belonged to Pussy Bonpensiero until his execution and Paulie until Christopher became a made man.
- The crew had an interest in Massarone Construction until 2004 when its owner, Jack Massarone, became a government informant and subsequently killed.
- The crew has run the Feast of St. Elzear (a three-day festival with rides, vendors and a procession) for profit since the 1950s. Paulie Gualtieri took this part of the crew's business with him when he was promoted.
Junior Soprano/Baccalieri Crew The crew is formely known as the Junior Soprano crew. Then became the Baccalieri crew. It is unknown who became the capo of the crew after the shooting of Bobby Baccalieri.
History of Capos - 19?—1999 — Junior Soprano – promoted to Boss
- Acting 1999- Mikey Palmice – murdered in 1999
- Acting 1999–2000 — Phillip "Philly Spoons" Parisi – murdered in 2000
- Acting 2000–2002 — Murf Lupo – demoted to soldier, semi-retired
- Acting 2002–2006 — Robert "Bobby Bacala" Baccalieri – promoted to capo
- 2006–2007 — Robert "Bobby Bacala" Baccalieri – murdered in 2007
- 2007–present — Unknown
Current members Anthony Maffei · Thomas Di Palma · Murf Lupo (semi-retired) · Beppy Scerbo · Beppy Sasso (imprisoned) Former soldiers and associates Robert Baccalieri, Sr. (died in 2001) · Gigi Cestone (joined the Gualtieri crew 2000) · Patsy Parisi (joined the Gualtieri crew 2000) · Mikey Palmice (murdered 1999) · Charles Signore (murdered 1999) · Eugene Pontecorvo (suicide) · Salvatore Intile (associate murdered) · Donnie Paduana (associate murdered) Rackets and businesses - Jointfitting Union
- Paving Union (given to Tony Soprano in 1999)
- Sports books in Roseville and Bloomfield Ave (given to Tony Soprano, the crew kept 5% of the profits in 2000 it was changed to 7.5%)
- Shylocking racket (given to Tony Soprano, the kept 5% of the profits in 2000 it was changed to 7.5%)
- Cocaine trafficking (given to Tony Soprano, the crew kept 5%)
- Stolen car ring co-ordinated with the crime family in Naples (given to Tony Soprano crew in 2000)
- The "Executive Game", high stakes card game with celebrity guest players, was controlled by the crew from the 1960s until it was taken over by Tony Soprano in 2000)
- Protection money from Comley Trucking
- Importing prescription narcotics from Canada from 2007
- Construction contract replacing windows in the housing projects from 2007
Moltisanti Crew (defunct) History of Capos - 2005-2007 - Christopher "Chrissy" Moltisanti — formed crew from old Soprano/Gualtieri crew. He was murdered in 2007.
In 2007, the Crew is merged back into the Soprano/Gualtieri Crew under Peter Paul "Paulie Walnuts" Gualtieri
Aprile/Cifaretto/Spatafore Crew (defunct) Formerly known as the Aprile crew, the Cifaretto crew or the Spatafore crew.
History of Capos - 1990—1997 — Giacomo "Jackie" Aprile, Sr. – promoted to Acting Boss
- 1997—2000 — Richie Aprile – murdered
- 2000—2001 — Gigi Cestone
- 2001—2002 — Ralph "Ralphie" Cifaretto – murdered
- 2002—2006 — Vito Spatafore – murdered in 2006
Current members and associates Walden Belfiore · Vincent "Vinny Pitts" Pitsaturo · Dante Greco · Jason Molinaro · Terry Doria (Associate) · Sammy Grigio (Associate) · "Dogsy" (Associate) Former soldiers and associates Eugene Pontecorvo (FBI Informant) · Donald "Donny K" Kafranza · Jackie Aprile, Jr. · Peter "Beansie" Gaeta · Carlo Renzi · Sunshine · Dino Zerilli Rackets and businesses - Under the leadership of Jackie Aprile, Sr., the crew had the biggest interests in construction, via illicit control of unions and projects in co-operation with the Lupertazzi Family; this became most lucrative under the leadership of Ralph Cifaretto, who supervised the New Jersey Front Esplanade construction project and the HUD scam, and his successor Vito Spatafore. This had made them the most consistently profitable crew of the whole family. However, since Vito's disappearance and subsequent death in 2006. The Gervasi crew had been granted control of all future construction interests.
- Ownership and operation of Spatafore Construction, Fernandez Paving, and Aprile Roofing.
- Significant income also came from various garbage routes throughout New Jersey, operated by Zanone Bros. Trucking. Richie Aprile at one point used them for cocaine distribution.
- The Cifaretto Crew also has business in some minor pizza joints throughout New Jersey.
- Richie Aprile and Ralph Cifaretto both sponsored mid-level poker games. Eugene Pontecervo also ran a poker game which was robbed by Jackie Jr. in 2001.
- The Altieri control of North Jersey ports was transferred to the Aprile crew when the Aprile and Altier crews were combined in 2006.
- Until the death of Eugene Pontecervo in late 2005, the Cifaretto crew ran a sports book in Roseville. This had since been given to Bobby Bacala.
In 2006, the Aprile crew merged with the Altieri crew under capo Carlo Gervasi.
Altieri/Gervasi Crew (defunct) History of Capos - 1995—1999 — Jimmy Altieri – FBI Informant
- 1999—2007 — Carlo Gervasi – in 2006 Gervasi merged his crew with the Aprile crew. In 2007 he became a FBI Informant
Former members Anthony "Tony B" Blundetto (Associate) Rackets and businesses - The Gervasi crew runs all operations around the New Jersey ports, controlling overseas shipments and business.
- With the death of Aprile Crew Capo Vito Spatafore in 2006, Carlo Gervasi was given control of the Aprile's construction interests.
- The Gervasi crew owns the casino on Bloomfield Avenue, once run by associate Tony Blundetto until his death.
- Pornography production
In 2007, the crew is merged with the Soprano/Gualtieri crew under capo Paulie Gualtieri.
Barese crew
The Barese crew is known for its large crew of made men. Although it's the biggest crew in the family, very few members are actually seen or named on the show. Larry Barese's brother Albert took over the crew since his incarceration and has been running it ever since.
Current organization
- Lawrence "Larry Boy" Barese — Capo (Unknown–present, incarcerated for violating house arrest, awaiting re-trial)
- Albert "Ally Boy" Barese — Soldier/Acting Capo (Unknown–present)
- Nicholas "Nick Spags" Spagnelli — Soldier (2006—present)
- Albert "Ally Boy" Barese — Soldier/Acting Capo (Unknown–present)
Former members
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- "Rusty Irish" — Associate (drug dealer, deceased)
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Territory and businesses
- A percentage of Barese crew profits come from drug trafficking.
- The Barese Crew is also involved in waste management, and in 2000 they were involved in a brief conflict with the Aprile crew over territory that resulted in several fires.
- The Bareses were also involved in calling card and stock scams up until Larry Boy's arrest; these were later replicated by the Soprano/Gualtieri crew.
Curto crew
It is currently unknown of who took over the Curto crew after the passing of its Capo, Raymond Curto.
- Raymond Curto — Capo (unknown–2006, FBI Informant, deceased)
La Manna crew (defunct)
- Michele "Feech" La Manna — Capo (unknown–1984, 2004, in prison)
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- E. Gary La Manna — Associate
- Jimmy La Manna — Associate
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Territory and businesses
- Feech La Manna once ran a high stakes card game, which was famously held up by Jackie Aprile and Tony Soprano.
- Legitimate interests included a La Manna Landscaping—a gardening company run by his nephew Gary—and the La Manna bakery, run by Feech himself.
Miscellaneous members
- Jerry Anastasia — Capo
- Augusto "Little Auggie" Aprile — Soldier
- Rocco DiMeo — Soldier (deceased)
- "Little Pussy" Malanga — Soldier (deceased)
- Cicchi Sasso — Soldier
- Romeo Martin — Soldier (deceased)
- Joey Cippolini — Soldier
Unofficial associates
- Vin Makazian — Detective on Tony Soprano's payroll (deceased)
- Harold Melvoin — Junior Soprano's lawyer
- Neil Mink — Tony Soprano's lawyer
- Herman "Hesh" Rabkin — advisor and business partner to Tony Soprano
- Georgie Santorelli — bartender and head bouncer at the Bada Bing Strip Club
- Ronald Zellman — Newark Assemblyman and later State Senator, primary political/police contact for Tony Soprano
- Italo and Salvatore — hitmen from the Naples Camorra outfit
Front operators
- Dick Barone — formerly handled Soprano crew sanitation business (deceased)
- Angie Bonpensiero — front operator of "Bonpensiero Bros. Body Shop".
- Duke Bonpensiero — front operator of "Bonpensiero Bros. Body Shop".
- Adriana La Cerva — former front operator of the "Crazy Horse" nightclub (FBI Informant, deceased)
- "Black" Jack Massarone — formerly owned and operated Massarone Construction (FBI Informant, deceased)
- Hillel Teittleman — co-owner of the Flyaway Motel run by the Gualtieri crew
- Shlomo Teittleman — co-owner of the Flyaway Motel run by the Gualtieri crew
- Maurice Tiffen — front operator of the Housing and Urban Development scam.
References
- ^ Anthony Bruno. "All about the Real Life Sopranos overview". crimelibrary.com. http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/mob_bosses/sopranos/1.html. Retrieved 2007-06-12.
The Sopranos Creator and crew Related articles Fictional universe Soprano crime family · Lupertazzi crime family · Satriale's Pork Store · Bada Bing · Cleaver · Family tree · FBICharacters PrimarySecondaryArtie Bucco · Charmaine Bucco · Johnny Sack · Bobby Baccalieri · Ralph Cifaretto · Furio Giunta · Vito Spatafore · Phil Leotardo · Tony Blundetto · Carmine Lupertazzi · Little Carmine · Patsy Parisi · Carlo Gervasi · Benny Fazio · Jackie Aprile, Jr. · Mikey Palmice · Brendan Filone · Matthew Bevilaqua · Sean Gismonte · Hesh Rabkin · Ray Curto · Dwight Harris · Rosalie Aprile · Eugene Pontecorvo · Little Paulie Germani · Larry Barese · Butch DeConcini · Albie CianfloneCategory · EpisodesCategories:- The Sopranos characters
- Fictional Mafia crime families
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