Philip Rastelli
Philip Rastelli | |
---|---|
Born | New York City, U.S. | January 31, 1918
Died | June 24, 1991 New York City, U.S. | (aged 73)
Occupation | Crime boss |
Predecessor | Natale Evola |
Successor | Joseph Massino |
Spouse | Connie Rastelli |
Allegiance | Bonanno crime family |
Conviction(s) | Extortion (1976) Conspiracy, contempt of court, and usury (1976) Racketeering (1986) |
Criminal penalty | 10 years' imprisonment (1976) Four years' imprisonment (1976) 12 years' imprisonment (1987) |
Philip "Rusty" Rastelli (January 31, 1918 – June 24, 1991) was an American mobster and former boss of the Bonanno crime family; he spent all but three years of his reign in prison.
Biography
Rastelli was born and raised in Maspeth, Queens. He had three brothers (Carmine, Marinello, and Augustus) and two sisters (Justina Devita and Antonette Brigandi).[1]
Rastelli was heavily involved in
On December 3, 1953, Rastelli and an associate allegedly shot Michael Russo in Queens. However, Russo survived the shooting and Rastelli, fearing identification, went into hiding. Over the next year, Rastelli's wife Connie repeatedly approached Russo's wife Rose with an offer of $5,000 if her husband did not identify Rastelli. Rose refused the bribe each time. In early December 1954, Russo was shot again and killed in Brooklyn. On December 13, 1954, Connie Rastelli was indicted on charges of attempting to bribe a witness. No one was ever charged in the Russo murder.[2] Connie was believed to have been killed in 1962 after she became an informant; her body was never found.[1]
In 1969, in an attempt to restore order to the Bonanno family, the
Boss of the Bonanno family
On July 21, 1971, Rastelli was indicted in
On August 28, 1973, Bonanno boss Evola died of cancer..
Although Rastelli was endorsed by the Commission, the real power in the family soon migrated to rival Carmine Galante, who was released from prison at the same time.[8]
First prison term
On March 6, 1975, Rastelli was indicted on racketeering charges involving
He was imprisoned in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, Rastelli's main contacts to the Bonanno family were mobsters Dominick "Sonny Black" Napolitano and Joseph Massino.[12]
In Rastelli's absence, Galante seized control of the Bonannos as unofficial acting boss.
While Rastelli was in prison, Massino began jockeying for power with Dominick "Sonny Black" Napolitano, another Rastelli loyalist capo. Both men were themselves threatened by another faction seeking to depose the absentee boss led by capos Alphonse "Sonny Red" Indelicato, Dominick "Big Trin" Trincera and Philip Giaccone.[19] The Commission initially tried to maintain neutrality, but in 1981, Massino got word from his informants that the three capos were stocking up on automatic weapons and planning to kill the Rastelli loyalists within the Bonanno family to take complete control.[19] On May 5, 1981, the three capos were murdered.[20]
On April 21, 1983, Rastelli was released from prison,[11] and he and Massino ordered the murder of Bonanno capo Cesare Bonventre.[21] Still a fugitive, Massino summoned Salvatore Vitale, Louis Attanasio and James Tartaglione to his hideout and gave them the order.[22] By this time, even though Rastelli was still officially head of the family, Massino was considered by most mobsters to be the family's street boss and field commander in all but name,[21] as well as Rastelli's heir apparent.[23]
Second prison term
Rastelli was arrested on a parole violation on August 16, 1984, due to "associat[ing] with persons engaged in criminal activity".[11]
In 1985, Rastelli was indicted along with other Cosa Nostra leaders in the famous
On October 14, 1986, Rastelli was convicted on 24 counts of labor racketeering.[27]
On January 16, 1987, Rastelli was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison.[28]
Death
On June 4, 1991, Rastelli was given a
Notes
- Contract Killer: The Explosive Story of the Mafia's Most Notorious Hit Man, Donald "Tony the Greek" Frankos, by William Hoffman and Lake Headley
- DeStefano, Anthony. The Last Godfather: Joey Massino & the Fall of the Bonanno Crime Family. California: Citadel, 2006.
- Pistone, Joseph D.; & Woodley, Richard (1999) ISBN 0-340-66637-4.
References
- ^ a b c d Narvaez, Alfonso (June 27, 1991). "Philip Rastelli, 73, A Reputed Leader Of a Crime Family". New York Times. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
- ^ "Held in Bribe Attempt" (PDF). New York Times. December 14, 1954. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
- ^ DeStefano. King of the Godfathers. p. 51.
- ^ "5 Indicted in Suffolk for Usuary" (PDF). New York Times. July 21, 1971. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
- ^ Andelman, David A (December 30, 1972). "Suffolk Arrests 13 Linked to 2 Mob Gambling Rings" (PDF). New York Times. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
- ^ Gage, Nicholas (August 31, 1973). "Natale Evola, Mafia Figure, Is Dead at 66" (PDF). New York Times. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
- ISBN 978-0-470-83500-5.
- ^ Franks, Lucinda (February 20, 1977). "An Obscure Gangster is Emerging as the Mafia Chieftain in New York" (PDF). New York Times. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
- ^ Seigel, Max H (March 7, 1975). "Crime Figure is Accused in Lunch Wagon racket" (PDF). New York Times. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
- ^ Seigel, Max H (April 24, 1976). "U.S. Convicts Reputed Leader of Crime Group in Shakedown" (PDF). New York Times. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
- ^ a b c "Rastelli v. WARDEN, METRO. CORRECTIONAL CENTER, 610 F. Supp. 961 (S.D.N.Y. 1985)". June 9, 1985.
- ^ DeStefano. King of the Godfathers. p. 86.
- ^ Raab, pp. 203–205
- ^ Raab, pp. 203–205
- ^ Sifkakis, Carl (2005). p. 443.
- ISBN 0-312-36181-5.
- ^ Raab, pp. 607–608
- ^ "Mob Soldier Faces a Return To Jail for Parole Violations". The New York Times. July 18, 2001. Archived from the original on 2009-11-02.
- ^ a b DeStefano 2007, pp. 99, 101–103
- ^ Raab, pp. 610–613
- ^ a b Raab, pp. 626–627
- ^ DeStefano 2007, pp. 160–163
- ^ Pistone; Brandt, p. 317
- ISBN 978-0-8065-2874-8.
- ^ "JUDGE SENTENCES 8 MAFIA LEADERS TO PRISON TERMS". nyimes.com. January 14, 1987. Archived from the original on 2016-03-06.
- ^ "Fact file: Who is Joe Pistone – a.k.a. Donnie Brasco?". globalnews.ca. September 24, 2012.
- ^ Buder, Leonard (October 16, 1986). "LEADER OF BONANNO CRIME FAMILY CONVICTED OF LABOR RACKETEERING". New York Times. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
- ^ Buder, Leonard (January 17, 1987). "RASTELLI OF BONANNO FAMILY FACES 12-YEAR PRISON TERM". New York Times. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
- ^ Raab, pp. 633–635, 637