Anthony Mirra
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Anthony Mirra | |
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Born | New York City, U.S. | July 18, 1927
Died | February 18, 1982 New York City, U.S. | (aged 54)
Relatives | Richard Cantarella (cousin) Joseph D'Amico (cousin) Alfred Embarrato (uncle) |
Allegiance | Bonanno crime family |
Anthony "Tony" Mirra (July 18, 1927 – February 18, 1982) was an American
Early life
Mirra was born to Albert Mirra and Millie Embarrato in Manhattan. He was the nephew of Bonanno family caporegime Alfred Embarrato and cousins with street soldier Joseph D'Amico, capo Richard Cantarella, capo Frank Cantarella, and Bonanno family capo Paul Cantarella.
Mirra was born in the poverty-stricken
Criminal career
Mirra worked for Bonanno capo Michael Zaffarano, and was involved in
Mirra remained a
In 1977,[1] Mirra fled New York after being indicted for drug trafficking. The FBI caught up with him three months later and he was sent to federal prison again for eight and a half years. When Mirra got out of jail, Brasco had since become close with Ruggiero and was working under him. Mirra argued that Brasco belonged to him, not Ruggiero. Mirra took the issue right to the top and had several meetings over the situation. In the end, Ruggiero won.
After the sudden death of his capo, Michael Zaffarano, Mirra took over the Bonanno family
The slot machines, since they were illegal, would be installed in the establishment's back room or basement. The coin collection route produced $2,000 a week, and he would open the machines with a key he carried and give the store owner his cut of the profits (at least $25). Mirra was involved in "strong arm" schemes and extorted from several bars and restaurants. Each of the owners would pay him $5,000 a week in protection money and he would become angry if he did not receive the money.
Bonanno civil war
In 1979, following the takeover of
On May 5, 1981, the day of the executions, Napolitano called Mirra's uncle,
Reputation
Joseph Pistone said that Mirra was the nastiest and most intimidating man he had met during his seven years undercover. Due to Mirra's irrational behavior, nobody could ever build a close relationship with him. He would never talk about anything that did not involve criminal activities. Pistone said that, "One day you might ask him, 'How's your mother, Tony?' He might say, 'Okay.' Another day you ask him, and he might answer, 'What the fuck you so nosy about?' "
He was known among fellow mobsters as a "knife man". It was a common practice for mobsters to carry knives, because they were routinely rousted by police officers and did not want to be caught with firearms. Mirra carried a folding knife with a long blade. Unlike Mirra, it was uncommon for mobsters to ever use their blade, preferring the use of a firearm. Pistone was warned by fellow mobsters that, "If you ever get into an argument with him, make sure you stay an arm's length apart, because he will stick you."
Although Mirra was despised, he was tolerated because he was a remarkably good moneymaker. Mirra was a hard worker who was out on the street every day from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., making around $5,000 a day for the family. He once bragged to Pistone that since he had been out of prison, he had made over $200,000. He had a reputation for either cheating people out of money or outright stealing, demanding that goods and services be provided to him "
He was known to be violent with women, physically abusing his mistresses and threatening to murder one when she confessed that she was a lesbian. Ruggiero told Pistone that the problem with Mirra was that he was always abusing somebody. Mirra insulted everybody and was always in arguments. Mirra was so loathed by mobsters that when Donnie Brasco was revealed to be an undercover agent, he immediately went into hiding instead of attempting to negotiate for his own life, as he knew that countless mafiosi would be eager to take the opportunity to murder him.
Operation Donnie Brasco and death
In mid-1981, when Pistone was revealed as an FBI agent, "Sonny Black" Napolitano, "Lefty" Ruggiero, and Mirra were all in the firing line for initially allowing the infiltration. Mirra went into hiding. Joseph Massino ordered Mirra's uncle Alfred Embarrato and Mirra's two cousins, Richard Cantarella and Joseph D'Amico, to find and kill him. On February 18, 1982, D'Amico lured him to a parking garage in Lower Manhattan. Embarrato and Cantarella were waiting in a getaway car. The pair went to the parking garage, climbed into Mirra's car, and drove up to a locked security gate. D'Amico later described in a testimony, "He took out his key, put it in the box, but he didn't get a chance to turn the box... I shot him at close range several times on the side of his head."[3][4]
References
- ^ OCLC 36631381.
- ISBN 9780786741199.
- ^ "TIGHT-HIT FAMILY – CLOSE CUZ CHOSEN TO KILL 'BRASCO' WISEGUY". nypost.com. June 17, 2004.
- ^ "FAMILY TIES MADE IT EASY TO WHACK CUZ: MOB THUG". nypost.com. June 17, 2004.
External links
- FBI Files pertaining to Anthony Mirra
- Carpenter, Teresa, Mob Girl: The biography of Arlyne Weiss
- Crittle, Simon, The Last Godfather: The Rise and Fall of Joey Massino Berkley (March 7, 2006) ISBN 0-425-20939-3
- Dearborn, Mary V., Mailer: A Biography Mariner Books (December 10, 2001) ISBN 0-618-15460-4
- May, Allan, Colletti & Drake: Women In the Wrong Place At the Wrong Time
- Pistone, Joseph D. and Woodley, Richard, ISBN 5-552-53129-9
- Pistone, Joseph D.; & Brandt, Charles (2007). Donnie Brasco: Unfinished Business, Running Press. ISBN 0-7624-2707-8.
- DeStefano, Anthony. The Last Godfather: Joey Massino & the Fall of the Bonanno Crime Family. California: Citadel, 2006.
- 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
- Anthony Mirra FamilySearch Profile