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Russell Bufalino

Rosario Alfredo "Russell" Bufalino (September 29, 1903 – February 25, 1994) was an Italian-American organized crime leader who directed the Bufalino crime family, a Mafia syndicate operating in northeastern Pennsylvania's Lackawanna and Luzerne counties, from 1959 until his death.^[1] Immigrating from Sicily as a child, Bufalino rose through local underworld ranks, establishing control over garment manufacturing, labor unions, gambling operations, and loansharking in the Pittston-Scranton region while maintaining a notably low public profile that belied his regional influence.^[2]^[3] Bufalino's tenure as boss coincided with federal scrutiny of organized crime, including his attendance at the 1957 Apalachin Meeting, a gathering of Mafia figures raided by authorities that confirmed the national scope of such networks.^[2] FBI assessments from the 1950s onward described him as one of the area's most potent Mafia figures, linking his operations to union racketeering, fencing stolen goods, and political influence in Pennsylvania's anthracite coal country.^[4]^[2] In the 1970s and 1980s, Bufalino faced convictions for extortion—stemming from threats to collect debts—and for conspiring to murder a government witness in that case, resulting in prison sentences totaling over a decade before his parole in 1989.^[5]^[6]^[7] These legal setbacks did not dismantle his family's structure, which persisted under successors into the late 20th century, underscoring Bufalino's enduring organizational acumen amid law enforcement pressures.^[8]^[2]

Early Life and Background

Birth and Immigration to the United States

Rosario Alberto Bufalino was born on October 3, 1903, in Montedoro, Sicily, to Angelo Bufalino and Maria Cristina Buccoleri, a couple from the agrarian region of Caltanissetta province where poverty and limited economic prospects drove many families to emigrate.^[9]^[2] Angelo Bufalino immigrated to the United States on July 9, 1903, arriving at Ellis Island and initially heading to Pennsylvania coal country before the family reunited in Buffalo, New York, a hub for Sicilian immigrants drawn by industrial jobs in steel mills, railroads, and garment trades.^[10] Bufalino's family followed to the U.S. around 1906–1910, entering through the Port of New York as part of the wave of over two million Italians fleeing Sicily's feudal land systems, unemployment, and post-unification instability, which left rural families like the Bufalinos in dire straits with few alternatives to overseas migration.^[11]^[12] In Buffalo's tight-knit Italian enclave on the city's West Side, the Bufalinos confronted acute economic pressures typical of early 20th-century Sicilian arrivals: overcrowded tenements, low-wage manual labor, and cultural isolation amid widespread anti-Italian prejudice, including lynchings and labor exploitation that forced children into work from young ages to support households.^[13] As a youth, Bufalino adapted through self-reliant labor in Buffalo's factories and odd jobs, reflecting the gritty resilience required of immigrant sons in upstate New York's competitive industrial environment, where Sicilian families often toiled in textile sweatshops or construction to eke out survival before establishing any stability.^[14] This foundational period in Buffalo laid the groundwork for his assimilation into American urban life, amid a community where family networks and manual toil were essential countermeasures to systemic barriers faced by Southern European newcomers.^[15]

Entry into Criminal Activities

Bufalino entered organized crime in Buffalo, New York, during his teenage years amid the Prohibition era, engaging in bootlegging operations under the influence of Stefano Magaddino, the boss of the Buffalo crime family who smuggled alcohol from Canada.^[16] He also participated in gambling rackets and petty thefts, leveraging family and clan ties common among Sicilian-American criminals to build associations with emerging figures in the local underworld.^[14] Unlike more flamboyant contemporaries, Bufalino adopted a calculated, low-profile approach, avoiding high-visibility violence and focusing on profitable, discreet enterprises that minimized law enforcement scrutiny.^[2] By the early 1940s, Bufalino relocated to northeastern Pennsylvania, settling in areas like Kingston and Pittston near Scranton, where he supervised operations for the nascent crime network.^[17] There, he established legitimate fronts in the garment industry, owning multiple dress factories that served as covers for extortion schemes targeting local businesses and labor racketeering involving garment workers.^[2] These activities allowed him to extract tribute from the regional apparel sector while maintaining his understated demeanor, blending into community life through routine visits to local establishments.^[2]

Rise Within Organized Crime

Ascension to Leadership of the Bufalino Family

Following the death of the previous boss, John Sciandra, in 1949, Russell Bufalino succeeded to the leadership of the Northeastern Pennsylvania crime family, thereafter known as the Bufalino family.^[18] This transition marked Bufalino's elevation from a senior caporegime to the top position, consolidating his influence over operations spanning northeastern Pennsylvania, parts of New York, and New Jersey.^[4] Bufalino restructured the family's hierarchy to enhance operational efficiency and loyalty, appointing longtime associate James "Dave" Osticco as underboss to oversee day-to-day enforcement and crew management.^[19] He also designated Edward Sciandra as consigliere, leveraging familial and advisory ties to resolve internal conflicts discreetly. Strict enforcement of omertà—the Mafia code of silence—became a cornerstone of his regime, minimizing leaks to law enforcement and fostering secrecy amid growing federal scrutiny of organized crime.^[20] In the early 1950s, Bufalino directed expansion into legitimate and illicit rackets, particularly control over garment industry trucking and loansharking in New York City's garment district, where the family cultivated alliances with New York-based syndicates for mutual protection and revenue sharing.^[21] Vending machine operations, including jukeboxes and coin-operated games, proliferated in Pennsylvania and New York territories, providing steady, cash-based income streams that evaded taxation and supported broader family activities.^[20] These ventures solidified Bufalino's authority by demonstrating his capacity to generate profits while navigating inter-family dynamics without overt violence.

Expansion of Business and Influence

Bufalino diversified the Bufalino crime family's operations in the 1950s by extending control over garment industry rackets, labor unions, and vending machines across northeastern Pennsylvania and into New York, leveraging post-war economic opportunities while minimizing violent enforcement to sustain profitability.^[2] Associates under his direction managed soft drink distribution, including ties to Canada Dry bottling plants in the region, which served as fronts for skimming and extortion schemes.^[2] These ventures capitalized on wartime shortages and reconstruction demands, generating steady revenue through legitimate-appearing enterprises that masked illicit collections. International expansion included gambling interests in Cuba during the late 1950s, where Bufalino held stakes in a casino and racetrack under the Batista regime, aligning with broader Mafia investments in Havana's tourism boom.^[2] The 1959 Cuban Revolution under Fidel Castro nationalized these assets, inflicting heavy losses on U.S. mob figures including Bufalino, who had traveled frequently to oversee operations.^[2] This setback prompted a shift toward domestic rackets like loansharking and numbers games, emphasizing discreet cash flows over high-risk foreign gambles. Strategic partnerships with New York families, notably Genovese and Gambino, elevated Bufalino's role as an arbiter in interstate disputes, granting the Bufalino family outsized influence relative to its size of around 30-40 made members.^[22] His low-key style—eschewing public ostentation—facilitated these alliances, positioning him as a reliable mediator who prioritized racket stability and profit-sharing protocols.^[2] By the 1960s, these efforts yielded considerable wealth through casino skimming, high-interest loans, and union kickbacks, with Bufalino amassing assets in construction and manufacturing while evading detection via layered fronts.^[23] This pragmatic focus on economic leverage over sensational acts underscored his tenure, sustaining family operations amid growing federal scrutiny.^[2]

Key Events and Operations

The Apalachin Meeting and Its Aftermath

On November 14, 1957, approximately 60 leaders from various American Mafia families gathered at the rural estate of Joseph Barbara in Apalachin, New York, for a summit intended to address internal disputes, including those stemming from the recent murder of New York mobster Albert Anastasia.^[2]^[24] The meeting, organized by Russell Bufalino in his capacity as Barbara's superior within the Northeastern Pennsylvania crime family, aimed to stabilize operations amid a perceived power vacuum.^[23]^[25] New York State Police, alerted by the influx of over 50 luxury vehicles with out-of-state plates converging on the isolated property, established roadblocks and raided the site around 12:30 p.m.^[26]^[24] Attendees, including Bufalino, scattered in panic—many fleeing into nearby woods and fields—resulting in the detention of 63 individuals, with police recovering items such as firearms, $300,000 in cash, and contraband cigarettes.^[2]^[26] Bufalino, present as a key figure, was among those apprehended during the operation.^[25]^[2] The raid publicly confirmed the existence of a structured national Mafia syndicate, contradicting prior dismissals by FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and prompting intensified federal investigations into organized crime.^[24]^[26] In the immediate aftermath, 20 attendees, including Bufalino, faced federal charges for conspiring to obstruct justice by providing false accounts of the gathering's purpose—claiming it was a casual social event rather than a criminal conclave—and were initially convicted in 1959.^[25] These convictions, however, were later overturned on appeal in 1960 due to prosecutorial entrapment in the questioning process.^[25] For the Bufalino crime family, the exposure triggered short-term disruptions, including asset scrutiny and temporary halts in overt activities, but ultimately spurred adaptive measures such as stricter operational compartmentalization and reduced visibility to preempt broader federal incursions like those foreshadowing RICO statutes.^[23]^[2] Heightened FBI surveillance compelled the family to enforce even more insular protocols, minimizing inter-family communications and public gatherings to sustain influence amid escalating law enforcement pressure.^[23]^[25]

Interactions with Labor Unions and Prominent Figures

Bufalino served as a business agent for the Teamsters union in Northeastern Pennsylvania during the mid-20th century, a role that provided direct access to union operations in the region's coal and trucking sectors.^[27] His position facilitated the Bufalino crime family's infiltration of local Teamsters chapters, where members exerted control to engage in labor racketeering, including extortion from employers and manipulation of contract negotiations for garment and construction industries.^[28] This influence yielded benefits such as preferential bidding on construction projects and garment manufacturing contracts, with family associates leveraging union locals to enforce compliance among non-union competitors.^[20] In the 1960s, Bufalino mediated disputes between organized crime elements and labor groups in Pennsylvania, using his union ties to resolve conflicts over jurisdiction and fund allocations without resorting to open violence.^[28] These efforts aligned with broader mob interests in maintaining steady revenue from infiltrated locals, particularly amid rivalries in the anthracite coal region where Teamsters represented truckers hauling mined materials.^[20] Bufalino's underlings, embedded in Pennsylvania Teamsters locals, handled day-to-day enforcement, ensuring family-aligned businesses secured loans and avoided strikes through informal arbitration.^[27] Bufalino maintained associations with prominent Teamsters leader Jimmy Hoffa, whose national influence complemented local control in the Northeast. Hoffa relied on figures like Bufalino for regional enforcement against dissident union factions, particularly in Pennsylvania where internal rivalries threatened pension fund stability and organizing drives.^[28] Documented communications and meetings in the early 1960s underscored this mutual arrangement, with Bufalino's network providing logistical support for Hoffa's campaigns against reformist elements, in exchange for access to Central States Pension Fund resources used in mob-backed ventures.^[20]

Legal Prosecutions and Imprisonment

Federal Investigations and Trials

Federal investigations into Russell Bufalino's activities began in earnest during the late 1950s, amid broader probes into organized crime's infiltration of labor unions. The U.S. Senate Select Committee on Improper Activities in Labor and Management, chaired by Senator John McClellan, examined racketeering in industries including apparel and garment workers, areas where Bufalino held influence through associations in northeastern Pennsylvania. The committee's 1959 report identified Bufalino as "one of the most ruthless and powerful leaders of the Mafia in the United States," citing his role in coordinating garment industry operations across multiple states, though no direct testimony from Bufalino is recorded in the hearings, and he publicly denied any Mafia affiliation.^[29] Throughout the 1960s, federal scrutiny persisted through FBI surveillance and tax-related inquiries, but yielded limited prosecutable evidence against Bufalino, attributed in part to the insulated nature of his operations and reluctance of witnesses to testify amid fears of reprisal. Bufalino maintained his innocence in such matters, portraying himself as a legitimate businessman in garment and vending enterprises, with defenses emphasizing lack of concrete ties to criminal syndicates. These early efforts highlighted prosecutorial challenges, as grand juries and audits often stalled without cooperating informants or admissible wiretap data, allowing Bufalino to avoid indictments despite persistent allegations of extortion and labor manipulation. By the 1970s, intensified electronic surveillance by the FBI captured conversations implicating Bufalino in extortion schemes targeting debtors within his network. On October 27, 1976, Bufalino was arrested in Kingston, Pennsylvania, for conspiring to extort $25,000 from Jack Napoli through threats of physical violence, including murder, after Napoli failed to repay a loan shark debt; Napoli had previously informed authorities of the threats made during a April 1976 meeting.^[30]^[6] The case underscored ongoing difficulties in securing convictions against figures like Bufalino, as initial witness cooperation was tempered by documented intimidation risks, though federal prosecutors proceeded based on recorded evidence and Napoli's testimony.

Conviction, Sentencing, and Prison Term

On October 23, 1981, a federal jury in Manhattan convicted Russell Bufalino of conspiracy to murder Jack Napoli, a government witness who had testified against him in a prior 1977 extortion trial.^[7] The charge stemmed from recorded conversations and testimony indicating Bufalino had plotted Napoli's killing to silence him after Napoli's cooperation led to Bufalino's earlier three-year extortion sentence.^[31] Bufalino, then 77, testified in his defense, denying any intent to harm Napoli.^[32] In November 1981, Bufalino was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison on the conspiracy count, along with a concurrent five-year term and fines totaling $30,000 across related charges.^[6] He was incarcerated at the United States Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas, where he served approximately seven and a half years before parole. Bufalino was released on parole in May 1989.^[2] Bufalino's extended absence created a temporary leadership vacuum in the Bufalino crime family, prompting concerns among law enforcement of potential internal power struggles in northeastern Pennsylvania.^[33] Operations persisted under acting figures, including William D'Elia, who maintained continuity in rackets like labor influence and gambling while exposing the family's reliance on Bufalino's stabilizing presence.^[34] This period highlighted vulnerabilities, as federal scrutiny intensified on successors amid Bufalino's imprisonment.

Controversies and Allegations

Suspected Roles in High-Profile Disappearances and Assassinations

Bufalino has been alleged to have ordered the disappearance of Teamsters leader Jimmy Hoffa on July 30, 1975, primarily through claims made by Frank Sheeran, a purported associate, in his 2004 memoir I Heard You Paint Houses.^[23] Sheeran asserted that Bufalino directed him to execute Hoffa at Bufalino's behest to thwart Hoffa's bid to reclaim control of the union, amid tensions over Hoffa's release from prison and potential threats to mob-influenced pension funds.^[35] However, Sheeran's account lacks forensic corroboration, such as remains or physical evidence, and has been contested by Hoffa investigators who prioritize alternative motives, including internal Teamsters rivalries or involvement by Detroit mob figures like Anthony Giacalone and Anthony Provenzano.^[36] The FBI's 1975 Hoffex memorandum identified Bufalino as a suspect due to his northeastern Pennsylvania operations and union ties, yet no charges ensued, and federal probes emphasized causal uncertainties over mob-wide consensus.^[37] Conspiracy theories have also implicated Bufalino in the November 22, 1963, assassination of President John F. Kennedy, positing a mafia retaliation for Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy's aggressive prosecutions and the post-Cuban Revolution losses of mob casino interests in Havana.^[38] Sheeran claimed Bufalino and Hoffa discussed foreknowledge of the plot days prior, framing it as retribution against the Kennedys' anti-organized crime stance.^[39] These narratives draw on broader mafia grudge speculations but falter on evidentiary grounds; the Warren Commission concluded Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, a finding upheld by subsequent reviews dismissing organized involvement due to absent direct linkages or ballistics tying figures like Bufalino to Dallas.^[40] Absent concrete causal chains—such as documented orders or participant testimonies beyond self-reported anecdotes—theories remain speculative, with no indictments linking Bufalino. Bufalino faced rumors of mediating or authorizing the April 7, 1972, murder of Joseph "Crazy Joe" Gallo, a Colombo family insurgent killed outside Umberto's Clam House in New York amid factional wars.^[41] Sheeran's retelling positioned Bufalino as the orchestrator, enlisting Sheeran to avert broader commission unrest from Gallo's disruptive activities.^[42] Yet, primary attributions trace the hit to Colombo loyalists under Carmine Persico, motivated by Gallo's prison rebellions and 1971 shooting attempts, rendering Bufalino's purported role ancillary and unproven without independent verification.^[43] Throughout his life, Bufalino denied mob leadership or violent directives in court testimonies, such as during 1981 proceedings where he rejected conspiracy charges, maintaining no convictions tied him to these events.^[32] Empirical voids, including unrecovered evidence and reliance on posthumous, uncorroborated narratives, underscore the allegations' fragility against Bufalino's operational discretion and the absence of prosecutable links.

Conflicts with Government Authorities and Denials of Involvement

Bufalino consistently denied membership in organized crime syndicates, asserting that federal designations as a Mafia leader were baseless and inflicted reputational harm on his lawful garment manufacturing operations in Pittston, Pennsylvania. In a 1974 interview with the Scranton Times-Tribune, he characterized Pennsylvania Crime Commission investigations as a targeted vendetta by state and federal entities, arguing that repeated labeling without evidence undermined his commercial enterprises and personal standing.^[44] Throughout multiple proceedings, Bufalino refused cooperation with authorities, invoking the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination to shield against queries on his business associations and financial dealings. This occurred notably in his 1959 immigration appeal, where he contested inferences from his silence in deportation-related hearings, and during 1981 U.S. Senate subcommittee examinations into waterfront racketeering, where he declined to affirm or refute alleged extortion activities.^[45]^[46] Such non-cooperation embodied the omertà principle upheld by Bufalino and his associates, prioritizing collective discretion to mitigate risks from informant defections and surveillance amid heightened post-Apalachin federal pressure. Supporters, including defense counsel in related cases, depicted the scrutiny as an extension of J. Edgar Hoover-influenced FBI overreach, impugning informant reliability and electronic intercepts as insufficient for proving criminality.^[47] Federal prosecutors, however, countered these positions with evidentiary records of patterned racketeering, such as documented extortion in credit extensions, which precipitated convictions and underscored discrepancies between Bufalino's public assertions and operational realities.^[48]

Decline, Death, and Legacy

Post-Release Period and Family Succession

Bufalino was released from federal prison on May 5, 1989, after serving a term for convictions related to racketeering and conspiracy. He returned to his home in Pittston, Pennsylvania, under strict federal parole supervision, which included potential constant surveillance by authorities to monitor his activities. At the age of 86, Bufalino's advanced age and declining health significantly limited his capacity for direct operational control within the crime family.^[2]^[49] With Bufalino's diminished physical involvement, William "Big Billy" D'Elia, who had functioned as acting boss during Bufalino's imprisonment since 1981, assumed greater responsibility for day-to-day leadership of the family's operations. D'Elia, identified by law enforcement as Bufalino's protégé and a key figure in the organization, handled the management of remaining rackets, including gambling and extortion, while Bufalino provided occasional advisory input from a peripheral role. This transition occurred amid ongoing federal pressure, as the family navigated the aftermath of RICO prosecutions that had weakened its structure.^[50]^[51] The Bufalino crime family adapted to the intensified law enforcement environment post-RICO by focusing on its core territorial holdings in northeastern Pennsylvania, particularly around Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and Pittston, while experiencing a contraction in broader influence and membership. Despite these challenges, the organization maintained low-profile activities in vice and labor-related schemes under D'Elia's stewardship, preserving a semblance of continuity from Bufalino's era without his overt dominance.^[22]

Death and Long-Term Impact on Organized Crime

Russell Bufalino died on February 25, 1994, at the age of 90 from natural causes, including a myocardial infarction, while at Nesbitt Memorial Hospital in Kingston, Pennsylvania.^[1]^[52] His passing marked the end of a tenure characterized by evasion of high-profile prosecutions until his late 80s, underscoring a strategy of operational secrecy that minimized direct exposure.^[2] Upon Bufalino's death, William "Big Billy" D'Elia assumed leadership of the Bufalino crime family, maintaining control into the early 2000s before his own federal conviction on drug trafficking and money laundering charges led to a prison term from 2008 to 2013.^[53] Under D'Elia and subsequent figures, the family underwent marked decline, with membership and territorial influence eroding due to persistent FBI informant recruitment—exemplified by turncoats like Edward Sciandra—and sporadic internecine conflicts that fragmented remaining operations.^[54] By the 2010s, the organization's structure had largely dissipated, reflecting broader post-RICO pressures on Cosa Nostra families that Bufalino had navigated more successfully through his emphasis on garment industry rackets and alliance-building rather than expansive violence.^[55] Bufalino's long-term impact on organized crime lies in his archetype of restrained, regionally dominant authority, which prioritized endurance over aggression and influenced later iterations of Mafia adaptation toward legitimate business fronts and inter-family diplomacy to counter intensified surveillance.^[2] This approach enabled the Bufalino family to thrive from the 1950s through the 1980s in northeastern Pennsylvania's coal and apparel sectors, but its absence in successors accelerated the group's marginalization amid the 1990s wave of defections and prosecutions that dismantled many traditional syndicates.^[23]

References

[1]
Russell Alfredo “McGhee” Bufalino (1903-1994) - Find a Grave
Birth: 29 Sep 1903. Montedoro, Provincia di Caltanissetta, Sicilia, Italy ; Death: 25 Feb 1994 (aged 90). Kingston, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, USA ; Burial.
[2]
Profiling the low-profile godfather, Russell Bufalino - Times Leader
Jul 31, 2019 · Russell Bufalino was born Oct. 3, 1903, in Sicily and ran one of the country's most effective and influential crime families until his death in ...
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The Bufalino file: A look inside the FBI paper trail on NEPA's most ...
Jul 16, 2011 · Bufalino and his crime family to union racketeering, bookmaking, the fencing of stolen goods, loan-sharking, narcotics and related violence. “He ...
[4]
[PDF] docid-32306687.pdf
Nov 17, 2017 · they figured that RUSSELL BUFALINO, of Pittston, Pennsylvania, was the person who made all the arrangements for the meeting. at BARBARA's on ...
[5]
BUELINO SENTENCED ON EXTORTION CHARGT
Oct 22, 1977 · Mr. Bufalino, who will be 74 years old next week, was convicted of conspiracy and extortion charges on Aug. 10. In addition to the prison term ...
[6]
United States of America, Appellee, v. Russell Bufalino, Defendant ...
In any case, Napoli lived to testify at the extortion trial and Bufalino was convicted of extortion in August 1977 and was sentenced to four years in prison, ...
[7]
Mobster convicted for ordering witness killed - UPI Archives
Oct 23, 1981 · Reputed Mafia kingpin Russell Bufalino was found guilty Friday night of ordering the killing of a government witness to prevent him from testifying against him.
[8]
[PDF] Report 1 - Fourth Grand Jury - Dauphin County
Russell Bufalino. Russell Bufalino was the reputed head of an organized crime family in. Northeastern Pennsylvania. Bufalino served lengthy federal prison ...<|control11|><|separator|>
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Rosario Alfredo Bufalino (1903–1994) - Ancestors Family Search
When Rosario Alfredo Bufalino was born on 29 September 1903, in Montedoro, Caltanissetta, Sicily, Italy, his father, Angelo Bufalino, was 39 and his mother, ...Missing: Alberto | Show results with:Alberto
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Russell Bufalino - Wikiwand
Bufalino was born on October 29, 1903, in Montedoro, Sicily, to Angelo Bufalino and Cristina Buccoleri. On July 9, 1903, his father immigrated to the United ...Missing: Alberto background parents<|separator|>
[11]
History of Russell Bufalino - Timeline - Historydraft
Bufalino married Carolina Sciandra, who came from a Sicilian Mafia family. ... location_on Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S.. calendar_today Friday Apr 20, 1973.<|control11|><|separator|>
[12]
Feature Articles 273 - AmericanMafia.com
Russell A. Bufalino was born Rosario Bufalino in 1903 in Catania, Sicily. He was an infant when his family disembarked at Ellis Island for immigrant processing.
[13]
Russell Bufalino - Finding Hoffa
Russell “McGee” Bufalino died at the age 90, on February 25, 1994, in Kingston, Pennsylvania. As far as we know, he never confessed having anything to do with ...
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Dec 18, 2023 · Sicilian-born crime boss Russell Bufalino was not only the godfather of Pennsylvania, but he may have ordered Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran to kill Jimmy Hoffa.
[15]
Lifestory of the powerful mob boss from Bufalino crime family
Nov 16, 2020 · Russell Bufalino biography. Russell's parents were Angelo Bufalino (father) and Cristina Buccoleri (mother). His dad relocated from Montedoro ...
[16]
A story of Pa. casinos, corruption and the greatest mobster you've ...
Oct 7, 2013 · A gripping biography of the little-known Russell Bufalino, a crime boss with the uncanny ability to pop up, like a malevolent Forrest Gump, at crucial moments.Missing: arrests | Show results with:arrests
[17]
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In 1940 Russell Bufalino moved to Kingston, Pennsylvania where he supervised the family operations. In 1957, Buffalo crime family boss Stefano Magaddino ...Missing: connection | Show results with:connection
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Feb 25, 2020 · Bufalino spent much of his time in New York and is believed to have aided Mafiosi from that area in setting themselves up in non-union garment ...Missing: relocation | Show results with:relocation
[19]
Bufalino Crime Family Chart (WIP) - GangsterBB.NET
* Named James David Osticco his Underboss and Ed Sciandra his consigliere * Spoke little, remained faithful, insisted on traveling alone * Held control over ...Missing: reorganization | Show results with:reorganization
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[PDF] Pennsylvania - Office of Justice Programs
of a Crime Family. At this writing, it appears that the Russell Bufalino. Family, which operates in northcastcm Pennsylvania,. • New York State and New York ...
[21]
On June 17, 1959, Italian-American mobster, who became the boss ...
Jun 18, 2025 · The New York garment industry interests & rackets, such as loansharking to the business owners & control of garment center trucking, were ...
[22]
[PDF] 1990 Report - Office of Justice Programs
Feb 9, 2021 · ... criminal organizations. The past decade also demonstrated the impact of drug trafficking on the quality of life in Pennsylvania and its ...
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Russell Bufalino Took the True Story of 'The Irishman' To His Grave
Nov 27, 2019 · He began committing petty crimes and attracted the attention of Northeastern Pennsylvania mob leader Joseph Barbara.
[24]
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Nov 14, 2013 · On Nov. 14, 1957, 56 years ago today, New York state troopers noticed a suspicious number of expensive cars with out-of-state license plates ...Missing: details | Show results with:details<|separator|>
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who owned a Canada Dry ginger ale distributor, yet ordered sugar in such massive quantities ...Missing: legitimate | Show results with:legitimate
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Tapes Provide Rare Glimpse of Union‐Crime Dealings
Oct 28, 1979 · Named as co‐conspirators are Russell Bufalino, a former teamsters business agent and reputed head of organized crime in Pennsylvania's coal ...
[28]
[PDF] 102922NCJRS.pdf - Office of Justice Programs
Oct 31, 1983 · ... Teamsters; the Laborers International Union of. North America; and ... Russell Bufalino, who participated in a nationwide labor ...
[29]
An Unlikely Alliance | Sun Valley Magazine
Sep 27, 2019 · In a report of its findings, the McClellan Committee on Organized Crime of the United States Senate called Russell Bufalino “one of the most ...Missing: testimony | Show results with:testimony<|separator|>
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Bufalino, Chieftain In Mafia, Arrested In an Extortion Plot
Oct 28, 1976 · Bufalino, the reputed Mafia chief of northeastern Pennsylvania, was arrested yesterday in an alleged extortion scheme to use “physical violence ...<|separator|>
[31]
Reputed mob boss denies ordering death of witness - UPI Archives
Oct 22, 1981 · ... charged with plotting to kill government witness Jack Napoli to prevent him from testifying at Bufalino's 1977 extortion trial. Bufalino and ...Missing: Napke | Show results with:Napke
[32]
MAN CONVICTED OF A CONSPIRACY TO KILL WITNESS
Oct 24, 1981 · Russell A. Bufalino, portrayed by the prosecutor as a leader of organized crime, was convicted in Federal District Court in Manhattan last ...
[33]
Video Vault: Russell Bufalino Sent to Federal Prison in 1982 - WNEP
Jul 31, 2019 · Bufalino was sent to federal prison back in 1982, and during that time, there was a fear that in his absence, a mafia power struggle would break out in our ...<|separator|>
[34]
Billy D'Elia and Russell Bufalino - Gangland Wire
Oct 16, 2023 · We discuss D'Elia's role as a negotiator for the mob and his close relationship with Russell Bufalino. The conversation delves into behind-the-scenes dealings.
[35]
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Jan 4, 2020 · While Hoffa's death is still a mystery, Sheeran claims in the book that he allegedly shot his longtime friend Hoffa in the head after luring him to a house in ...
[36]
New Scorsese movie to spotlight Jimmy Hoffa's disappearance
Jul 30, 2018 · Many Mafia experts believe Pennsylvania Mafia boss Russell Bufalino authorized the killing.
[37]
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May 18, 2006 · Bufalino was a northeastern Pennsylvania crime boss. Federal investigators believe he ordered the killing of Hoffa to prevent him from regaining ...
[38]
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Oct 1, 2019 · This ties into some of the most famous conspiracy theories that the mafia was behind the JFK assassination. In I Heard You Paint Houses ...
[39]
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Nov 26, 2019 · Sheeran claims that “a few days to a week” before John F. Kennedy's assassination, and at the behest of Jimmy Hoffa and Russell Bufalino ...Missing: theories | Show results with:theories
[40]
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Mar 19, 2025 · Conspiracy theorists have long surmised the mafia was involved in the assassination due to the enmity created when JFK and his brother Robert F. Kennedy began ...
[41]
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Dec 1, 2019 · How was Gallo murdered? Much of Gallo's murder played out similarly to how it was portrayed in The Irishman. As in the film, he spent the night ...
[42]
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Nov 29, 2019 · 'The Irishman' on Netflix: The True Story Behind the Crazy Joe Gallo Murder ... Russell Bufalino (Joe Pesci) order Sheeran to do the hit.
[43]
Umberto's Clam House served up murder for Crazy Joe Gallo
Aug 24, 2024 · He needed to be taken off the board and Gallo was reportedly behind the attempted murder at a 1971 rally. ... Russell Bufalino.
[44]
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-tribune-bill-halpin-interviews/45078249/
[45]
Russell Bufalino, Appellant, v. John W. Holland, District Director of ...
The dates shown are September 29, 1904 and October 29, 1904. His social security and selective service registrations show the same place of birth. Both give his ...<|separator|>
[46]
Russell Bufalino, Tino Fiumara & Michael Clemente (1981) - YouTube
Oct 13, 2021 · Waterfront Mob Racket Hearings: Russell Bufalino, Tino Fiumara & Michael Clemente (1981) For Educational Purposes #MOBFAX #GenoveseFamily ...Missing: invokes Fifth Amendment
[47]
Russell Bufalino: The Mafia's Best-Kept Secret - Facebook
Mar 15, 2025 · He received life in prison without parole and was transferred to United States Penitentiary, Marion. Gotti died of throat cancer on June 10, ...On 11/24/2008With Martin Scorsese's The Irishman about to hit the screens, here is ...More results from www.facebook.com
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United States of America, Appellee, v. Russell Bufalino, Michael ...
Bufalino was recorded on one of the tapes as cursing Napoli and threatening that "I'm going to kill you." Jacobs told Napoli over the telephone that if he " ...Missing: 1981 | Show results with:1981<|separator|>
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Last Days Of The Bufalino Crime Family Timeline (1980-1990)
August 11, 1988 – Dave Osticco is released from prison. May 5, 1989 – Russell Buffalino is released from prison. October 1989 – “Guv” Guarnieri and Bufalino ...<|separator|>
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Just A Good Fella? By Many Accounts, William D'elia Can't Be A ...
Apr 17, 1994 · D'Elia since 1980, when investigators first pegged him as a bodyguard to the late mob boss, Russell Bufalino. D'Elia, 47, could not be ...Missing: imprisonment | Show results with:imprisonment
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Russell Bufalino, Billy D'Elia and the Jimmy Hoffa Murder
Russell Bufalino was one of the most powerful Mafia bosses of the 20th century. Based in Pennsylvania's coal country, Bufalino's influence extended to ...Missing: biography | Show results with:biography
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Russell Alfred Bufalino (1903 - 1994) - Genealogy - Geni
Nov 15, 2020 · Russell Alfred Bufalino (1903 - 1994). Birthdate: September 25, 1903. Birthplace: Montedoro, Provincia di Caltanissetta, Sicilia, Italy.
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What Happened To The Bufalino Crime Family From The Irishman?
Nov 28, 2019 · Bufalino is thought to have remained the leader of the crime family until his death in 1994, including during his time in prison.
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The rise and fall of a mob power – Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice
Jul 16, 2011 · Russell Bufalino, seated at left wearing a tie, and two associates were arrested on obstruction of justice charges in 1959 for allegedly ...Missing: Havana | Show results with:Havana
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The Quiet Don - MATT BIRKBECK
The charges opened the door to the shocking truths about Bufalino, who quietly built his organized crime empire in the decades between Prohibition and the ...