9237005496?profile=original

By Angelo Carmelo Gallitto
Posted on December 29, 2011

The Mandamento within the Sicilian Cosa Nostra

Sicilian Cosa Nostra is organized crime at its most organized. The mafia families on the island all work together through so-called 'mandamento'. A 'mandamento' is formed by three or more neighboring crime families and it's led by a 'capomandamento', who is a member of the Provincial Commission. The 'capomandamento' is the boss of a crime family and he is usually elected by the other bosses of the area who are represented by him on the Provincial Commission. But in time the rules changed. According to turncoat Tommaso Buscetta, in the past even a simple soldier could be elected as 'capomandamento', in order to not create rivalry between the family bosses. When Totò Riina became the boss of bosses, the 'capimandamento' were chosen directly by him. Some 'mandamenti' were deleted or put under the supervision of others.

After the 'capomandamento' gets a seat on the Commission, he designates a 'sottocapo mandamento', who is the underboss of the 'mandamento' and one or more 'consigliere mandamentale', who is the consigliere of the 'mandamento'. In the fact the 'mandamento' acts as one crime family.

The members of the Provincial Commission elect the 'capoprovincia' or provincial boss, who is a member of the Regional Commission, the supreme leadership body of Cosa Nostra. The Regional Commission is formed by the provincial bosses of Palermo, Trapani, Agrigento, Caltanissetta, Enna and Catania/Eastern Sicily.

The provincial boss of Palermo is always the 'capo dei capi' or boss of bosses of Cosa Nostra, since almost half of the members are located in the Palermo province, which is historically the most powerful.

In Sicily there are about 35 'mandamenti', 15 of them located in the Palermo province. Every 'mandamento' has about 150-200 'made members' and several thousands of 'associates'.

According to Tommaso Buscetta, the 'mandamento' and the first Provincial Commission of Palermo were formed in 1957 when the bosses of American Cosa Nostra advised the Sicilians to form a Commission in order to decide the strategies of the organization as a whole. The Sicilian bosses would form the 'capomandamento' because there were too many crime families in Sicily.

But according to some police reports of the late 1800s, the structure of the Commission was present even at that time. However, in certain periods the Provincial Commission was dismantled, like in 1963 after the first mafia war and reformed at the beginning of the 1970s. The same could have happened in the past periods.

The following is a detailed description of these ‘mandamento’, past and present.

Mandamento San Lorenzo

The San Lorenzo mandamento, located in the western part of Palermo city, is formed by the San Lorenzo, Tommaso 9237006091?profile=originalNatale, Partanna Mondello, Capaci and Carini crime families. It has been always an important and strategic stronghold for Sicilian Cosa Nostra. Within the area there are ghettos like the Zen neighborhood where the mafia recruits much of its manpower and it is the place where the Falcone massacre was planned. It was led in the 1950s and 1960s by Mariano Troia, boss of San Lorenzo family and after him by Rosario Riccobono, former boss of the Partanna Mondello family, killed in 1982 during the mafia war. The same year the boss of bosses Totò Riina put Giacomo Giuseppe 'Baldy' Gambino in as the official boss and member of the Provincial Commission. When Gambino was arrested and later deceased he was replaced by Salvatore Biondino (right) as boss of San Lorenzo family; he was among the most loyal ally of the 'Corleonese' faction. However Biondino was caught in 1993 together with Totò Riina while he was driving his car and he was sentenced to life. After the arrest of Biondino, Salvatore 'The Baron' Lo Piccolo, boss of the Tommaso Natale family, took over as head of the mandamento. But he was arrested in 2007 after 25 years on the run together with his son Sandro, the reputed underboss. Before being caught Lo Piccolo was going to become the head of the Provincial Commission and the new boss of bosses because of the arrest of Bernardo Provenzano in 2006. After the arrest of Lo Piccolo, according to the latest police wiretaps, the sons of Salvatore Biondino are the new members of the Provincial Commission as head of the San Lorenzo mandamento.

Families:

San Lorenzo
Former Boss and Capomandamento: Salvatore Biondino
Acting boss: Girolamo Biondino

Tommaso Natale
Former Boss: Salvatore Lo Piccolo
Acting boss: Calogero Lo Piccolo

Partanna Mondello
Boss: Salvatore Davì

Capaci
Boss: Giovanni Battaglia

Carini
Boss: Salvatore Gallina

Mandamento Resuttana

9237006853?profile=originalThe Resuttana mandamento, located in the south-western part of Palermo city, is formed by the Resuttana, Acquasanta and Arenella crime families. Once led by the historical boss Nino Matranga, head of the Resuttana family and member of the Provincial Commission from the 1950s to 1962, the year of the Ciaculli massacre when seven policemen were bombed and Cosa Nostra was dismantled because of the huge crackdown by the government. When a new Commission was going to be formed, the Acquasanta boss Michele Cavataio, who had waged war on the Galatolos in order to take over as head of the mandamento and take over the business of the new-born fruit and vegetables market, was killed in 1969 during the so-called Viale Lazio slaughter because he was held responsible by the other bosses for being the main instigator of the mafia war in the 1962-63 period.
His escalation started in 1955 when he killed Gaetano 'Tanu Alatu' Galatolo, an important member of the Acquasanta family. In 1970 Nino Matranga was also murdered. Since then the Madonia Family runs the area, before through Francesco 'Don Ciccio' Madonia (right), recently deceased, and after him through his sons Antonino, Giuseppe and Salvatore. With all the Madonias currently imprisoned, the acting boss of the mandamento is, according to the latest inquiries, Salvatore Lo Cicero.

Families:

9237007075?profile=originalResuttana
Former Boss and Capomandamento: Antonino Madonia
Acting boss: Salvatore Lo Cicero (left)

Acquasanta
Former Boss: Vincenzo Galatolo
Acting boss: Angelo Galatolo

Arenella
Former Boss: Gaetano Fidanzati
Acting boss: Gaetano Vegna

Mandamento Passo di Rigano

9237007269?profile=originalThe Passo di Rigano mandamento, located in the south part of Palermo city, is formed by the Passo di Rigano, Uditore and Torretta families. This historical stronghold of Cosa Nostra was noted in the police reports as early as the late 1800s because of several important bosses of that period came from this region, including Antonio Giammona, the boss of Uditore family. Several other important members of Cosa Nostra like the Gambino brothers, member of the Gambino crime family of New York, one of them John Gambino is the reputed member of the current ruling panel and the Inzerillo-Mannino-Manno's, all involved in the 'Pizza Connection', came from this area. In the Provincial Commission formed in 1957, the boss of the mandamento was Salvatore Manno, head of the Passo di Rigano family. In 1965, according to the judge Terranova's report, the head was Rosario Di Maggio, former boss of the Torretta family. When the Provincial Commission was reformed at the beginning of the 1970s, Salvatore Inzerillo became the boss until he was murdered in 1982 by the “Corleonesi” faction headed by Totò Riina, who changed the hierarchy and he put two of his best allies at the head of this strategic area: Salvatore Buscemi (right) was named boss of Passo di Rigano family and mandamento, Francesco Bonura was named boss of the Uditore family. In the past few years several members of the Inzerillo's came back to Italy from the United States where they had fled to in the 1980s after the 'Corleonesi' waged war on them. The fact caused quite a stir within Cosa Nostra since some bosses wanted to let them return and others disagreed for fear of a new war. An anti-mafia operation in conjunction of both Italian and American police in 2008 showed like Cosa Nostra wanted to rebuild the criminal connections of the 1980s between Italy and the United States.

Families:

Passo di Rigano
Former Boss and Capomandamento: Salvatore Buscemi
Acting boss: Giovanni Marcianò

Uditore
Former Boss: Francesco Bonura
Acting boss: Rosario Inzerillo

Torretta
Boss: Vincenzo Brusca

Mandamento Noce

The Noce mandamento, located in the center of Palermo city, is formed by the Noce, Malaspina and Altarello di Baida families. According to the Sangiorgi's report which was written in 1898, the head of Malaspina family Francesco Siino 9237007465?profile=originalwas the reputed boss of bosses at that time. In this area is present the Zisa neighborhood, the stage of the feud of boss Tommaso Spadaro and his sons. In 1962, Calcedonio 'Doruccio' Di Pisa, boss of the Noce family and member of the Commission, was murdered in that bloody mafia war among most of Palermo's crime families. The attack came from the La Barbera brothers, bosses of the Palermo centro family and rising stars of Cosa Nostra. Salvatore 'The Boxer' Scaglione had been the boss of the mandamento since the beginning of the 1970s to 1982 when he was murdered and replaced by Raffaele Ganci (right), who was eventually demoted in the 1990s. According to the recent wiretaps, Luigi Caravello, present at the more recent meetings of the new-born Provincial Commission, is the reputed current boss of the Noce mandamento.

Families:

9237007472?profile=originalNoce
Boss and Capomandamento: Luigi Caravello (left)

Malaspina
Boss: Pierino Di Napoli

Altarello di Baida
Boss: Vincenzo Tumminia

Porta Nuova mandamento

The Porta Nuova mandamento, located in the center of Palermo city, is formed by Porta Nuova, Palermo Centro and Borgo Vecchio families, as famous turncoat Tommaso 'Masino' Buscetta testified. Salvatore La Barbera, boss of the Palermo Centro family, was a member of the Provincial Commission which was formed in 1957. He disappeared in 1963 during the mafia war after he had a conflict with the Grecos from Ciaculli. He was probably killed during a meeting of bosses, his body was never found. Angelo La Barbera, brother of Salvatore and among the most active subject in the mafia war of that time, took over the crime family until he was killed in 1975. Since then Pippo 'The Cashier' Calò, boss of the Porta Nuova family, became member of the Provincial Commission and boss of the mandamento. He was arrested in Rome in 1985 and replaced by a plethora of acting bosses, included Salvatore Cangemi, arrested in 1993, Vittorio Mangano (famous for being a friend of senator Marcello Dell'Utri and the 'stableman' of Silvio Berlusconi in the 1970s) died in 2000, Nicola Ingarao, murdered in 2007, Gaetano Lo Presti, died in 2008 and Giovanni Lipari. Behind the old bosses there are young up-and-comers like the fugitives Francesco Bonomolo, reputed acting boss of the Palermo Centro family and Antonino 'The Sparkling' Lauricella, reputed underboss of the Porta Nuova family.

Families:

Porta Nuova
Boss and Capomandamento: Giovanni Lipari

Palermo Centro
Former Boss: Salvatore Pispicia
Acting Boss: Francesco Bonomolo

Borgo Vecchio
Boss: Angelo Monti

Pagliarelli mandamento

The Pagliarelli mandamento, located in the south-east part of Palermo city, is formed by the Pagliarelli, Mezzomonreale and Corso Calatafimi families. The Motisis had been the historical bosses of the area. The Motisis were mentioned in police reports since 1800s and labeled as members of the mafia. Lorenzo Motisi was the boss and member of the 9237008255?profile=originalProvincial Commission in 1957, replaced later by his son Matteo Motisi, who had been the former boss of the mandamento until he died in 1998. For a couple of years Antonino Rotolo and his young right hand Gianni 'Little Boy' Nicchi run the family; Rotolo was arrested again in 2007 and he faced 20 years, Nicchi was nabbed in 2009 and he faced 12 years. But recently Giovanni Motisi, nephew of Matteo Motisi, described as the boss of the Pagliarelli family and mandamento since the 1990s but believed dead by the police, seems to be still in control of the family since a turncoat declared he's alive and hiding around Agrigento province. Giovanni Motisi (right), on the run since 1993, is among the list of 30 most wanted in Italy.

Families:

Pagliarelli
Boss and Capomandamento: Giovanni Motisi

Mezzomonreale
Boss: Pietro Badagliacca

Corso Calatafimi
Boss: Filippo Annatelli

Santa Maria di Gesu' mandamento

9237008460?profile=originalThe Santa Maria di Gesu' mandamento, located in the east part of Palermo city, is formed by the Santa Maria di Gesu' and Villagrazia families. Boss Andrea Messina was a member of the Provincial Commission in the 1950s and 1960s, replaced later by Paolo 'Don Paolino' Bontade and after that by his son Stefano 'The Prince' Bontade, who was part of a triumvirate that controlled Cosa Nostra together with Tano Badalamenti and Luciano Leggio, before the Commission was formed again at the beginning of 1970s. He was murdered in 1982 by the 'Corleonesi'. After the death of Stefano Bontade, considered the most important boss in Palermo, Totò Riina put Pietro Aglieri (right) at the head of Santa Maria di Gesu' family and mandamento, he was arrested in 1997. The current boss is Benedetto Capizzi, head of Villagrazia family. He was going to be promoted boss of bosses before the 'Perseo' anti-mafia operation in 2009, which showed that a new Provincial Commission was going to be formed. His son Sandro Capizzi was present at the latest meetings of the Commission while he was under house arrest.

Families:

Villagrazia
Boss and Capomandamento: Benedetto Capizzi
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Santa Maria di Gesu'
Boss: Giovanni Adelfio (photo right)

Brancaccio mandamento

The Brancaccio mandamento, located in the east part of Palermo city, is formed by the Brancaccio, Roccella, Ciaculli and Corso dei Mille families. In 1939 a violent mafia war started between the Greco's from Ciaculli and the Greco's from Croceverde Giardini, both mafia's dynasties since the 1800s. Croceverde Giardini was a crime family apart before being usurped later within the Ciaculli family. The war of the two homonymous groups ended in 1946 after a meeting of bosses included Nino Cottone from Villabate and Joseph Profaci, who was the boss of a crime family in New York. Salvatore 'Little Bird' Greco, was the boss of Ciaculli family 9237008692?profile=originaland member of Provincial Commission since the late 1950s to 1963 when he went to Venezuela in order to escape Italian police being accused of the Ciaculli's massacre and where he died in 1978. Michele 'The Pope' Greco replaced him as boss of the Ciaculli family and mandamento. He was one of the most important ally of Totò Riina and the 'Corleonesi' faction. He was finally arrested in 1984 and sentenced for murders and other crimes in the maxi-trial; he recently died. Giuseppe Greco, famous member of the command of shooters known as the 'Death Team', was going to take over the Ciaculli family but he disappeared in 1985; his body was never found. Totò Riina put at the head of the mandamento the Graviano brothers, Filippo and Giuseppe (left), bosses of the Brancaccio family. Since then the head of the mandamento passed to the Brancaccio family. The Graviano brothers were caught in 1994 and sentenced to life. Despite one of the brothers, Benedetto Graviano, is living in freedom and he is considered an important member of the family, the current boss is according to the recent wiretaps Ludovico 'Uncle Ludovico' Sansone.

Families:

Brancaccio
Boss and Capomandamento: Ludovico Sansone

Roccella
Former Boss: Giuseppe Guttadauro
Acting Boss: Lorenzo Di Fede

Ciaculli
Former Boss: Filippo La Rosa
Acting Boss: Angelo La Rosa

Corso dei Mille
Boss: Lorenzo Tinnirello

Corleone mandamento

The Corleone mandamento, located in the south of Palermo province, is formed by the Corleone, Prizzi, Roccamena, Bisacquino and Campofiorito families. This area is famous for the bloody escalation of the so-called 'Corleonesi' at the beginning of 1980s. However the 'Corleonesi' faction within Cosa Nostra was not formed solely by members of the Corleone crime family, it was an alliance between several bosses from both Palermo city and province and among them the most powerful were the bosses of Corleone. According to the turncoat Buscetta, before the 1980s the Corleone family was an ordinary crime group of Cosa Nostra among several others present in the Palermo province. In 1958 when Michele 'Our Father' Navarra, the old boss of the Corleone family, was gunned down, Luciano Leggio, who planned the murder, took over the family and became the new boss after a mafia war which left about 150 dead and finished in 1963.

Among the most loyal allies and the best shooters of Leggio's faction there were Totò 'Shorty' Riina and Bernardo 'The Tractor' Provenzano. Luciano Leggio was a member of the triumvirate that ran Cosa Nostra before the Commission was formed again at the beginning of the 1970s. After the arrest of Leggio in 1974, the command passed to Totò Riina, who started the most violent war ever seen inside Cosa Nostra. From 1978 to 1993 he planned the murders of thousands mobsters and dozens members of the Institutions, including judges, policemen, politicians, journalists, businessmen and bankers. He was formally the boss of bosses from 1982 to 1993 when he was finally arrested. In 1992 He planned the murders of the judges Falcone and Borsellino, both bombed together with the policemen who protected them. These murders shocked Italy and the Italian government sent the national army in Sicily in order to stop this bloody strategy. After the arrest of Riina, Bernardo Provenzano became the boss until he was arrested in 2006 after 43 years on the run. The strategy of Provenzano was much less violent and he always kept a low profile. The other bosses and 9237009288?profile=originalmembers of the Commission kept a low profile too, in order to avoid a strong reaction from the government. Nowadays the Corleone mandamento is run by Rosario Lo Bue (right). According to police wiretaps, Lo Bue told Riina's sons to stay away because he was named the boss of the family and member of the Provincial Commission.

Families:

Corleone
Former Boss: Bernardo Provenzano
Acting Boss: Rosario Lo Bue

Prizzi
Boss: Tommaso Cannella

Roccamena
Boss: Bartolomeo Cascio

San Giuseppe Jato mandamento

The San Giuseppe Jato mandamento, located in the south-western part of Palermo province, is formed by the San Giuseppe Jato, Altofonte, San Cipirello, Monreale and Camporeale families.

9237009483?profile=originalThe old godfather Antonino Salomone, patriarch of the San Giuseppe Jato family, was the most important boss of this area in the 1950s and 1960s, and member of the Provincial Commission. Being wanted by the police he left Italy after the first mafia war and he escaped to Brazil where he would die. He was replaced by Bernardo Brusca, who later would become part of the 'Corleonese' faction. When the former boss of the San Giuseppe Jato family, Bernardo Brusca (right), was arrested in the 1980s, Totò Riina put his son Giovanni Brusca as acting boss. The years in which the younger Brusca was also imprisoned, the family was run by Baldassare 'Balduccio' Di Maggio, who turned at the beginning of the 1990s and he cooperated with the police in order to catch boss of bosses Riina. When in 1996 Giovanni Brusca was arrested and sentenced to life, the boss became Domenico 'The Veterinarian' Raccuglia, who was the head of the Altofonte family while he was on the run. However after Raccuglia was recently caught, Gregorio Agrigento, the old boss of the San Cipirello family, was promoted capomandamento and member of the new-born Commission.

Families:

9237010070?profile=originalSan Cipirello
Boss and Capomandamento: Gregorio Agrigento (left)

Altofonte
Former Boss: Domenico Raccuglia
Acting Boss: unknown

San Giuseppe Jato
Former Boss: Salvatore Genovese
Acting Boss: Giovanni Genovese

Monreale
Boss: Antonino Badagliacca

Camporeale
Boss: Antonino Sciortino

Belmonte Mezzagno Mandamento

9237010096?profile=originalThe Belmonte Mezzagno mandamento, located in the center of the Palermo province, is formed by the Belmonte Mezzagno, Misilmeri, Bolognetta, Baucina, Ciminna and Villafrati families. In the 1980s members of this territory, like the brothers Alfredo and Giuseppe Bono from Bolognetta village, were very active in international drug trafficking and involved in several operations including the famous 'Pizza Connection'. After the murder of Pietro Ocello, boss of Misilmeri family and an old member of the Commission, gunned down in 1991, Benedetto Spera (left) was promoted to boss of the mandamento. He was on the run since the 1970s and close to Bernardo Provenzano, who had a sort of supervision on that territory, but before he could consolidate his supremacy he had to fight a war against Pietro Lo Bianco, leader of a faction supported by Leoluca Bagarella, who had a conflict with Provenzano at that time. 9237010274?profile=originalWhen in 1995 Pietro Lo Bianco and his right hand Salvatore Vitrano were murdered he became the undisputed boss until he was finally arrested in 2001. His nephew Antonino Spera (right) is the current boss of the mandamento, as latest police wiretaps showed.

Families:

Belmonte Mezzagno
Former Boss and Capomandamento: Benedetto Spera
Acting Boss: Antonino Spera

Misilmeri
Boss: Pietro Calvo

Bolognetta
Boss: Giuseppe Bono

Baucina
Boss: Giuseppe Pinello

Ciminna
Boss: Antonino Episcopo

Villafrati
Boss: Pasquale Bedami

Partinico mandamento

The Partinico mandamento, located in the western part of Palermo province, is formed by the Partinico, Borgetto and 9237010295?profile=originalMontelepre families. Salvatore 'Turiddu' Giuliano, the famous bandit and according to Buscetta also a member of Cosa Nostra, was born in Montelepre and he was involved in an obscure plot between the mafia, the government, the secret services and the separatist party. He was involved in the Portella della Ginestra slaughter and he personally killed the boss of Partinico family Santo Fleres in 1949. He was finally killed in 1950 when he was abandoned by both the mafia and the politicians and his secrets passed away with him. Antonino 'Nenè' Geraci was the boss of Partinico family and member of the Provincial Commission from 1957 to 1992 when he was arrested. The old boss was released from prison some years ago due to health problems but he's considered retired. Since then the boss is Vito Vitale (right), although Partinico was expelled by the Commission because of the internal wars of the last few years and the territory is currently under the supervision of San Giuseppe Jato mandamento. The latest inquiries showed that Giovanni and Leonardo Vitale, young sons of the imprisoned boss Vito, are running the local family.

Families:

Partinico
Former Boss: Vito Vitale
Acting Boss: Giovanni Vitale

Borgetto
Boss: Nicolò Salto

Montelepre
Boss: Salvatore Lombardo

Bagheria mandamento

9237011057?profile=originalThe Bagheria mandamento, located in the north-eastern part of Palermo province, is formed by the Bagheria, Villabate, Ficarazzi. Altavilla and Casteldaccia families. In the past Villabate was a divided mandamento but the two areas joined to become one. Giuseppe Fontana, boss of Villabate family and friend of the senator Raffaele Palizzolo, was involved in the famous murder of the banker Emanuele Notarbartolo in 1893. In the 1950s the bosses were Antonino Mineo from Bagheria and Giuseppe Panno from Casteldaccia, both members of the Commission. In the 1980s the 'Corleonesi' changed the hierarchy supporting Salvatore Montalto in the war against the Di Peri's, in order to take over Villabate family. On Christmas day of 1981 a brigade of shooters killed Giovanni Di Peri, the boss of the family, Antonio Pitarresi, the underboss, and his son Biagio Pitarresi. The same year the Casteldaccia boss Giuseppe Panno was also gunned down. In 1989 the old boss of Bagheria family Antonino Mineo was killed and replaced by Leonardo Greco, who is also very involved in international drug trafficking and in the 'Pizza Connection'. Leonardo Greco (right) and his brother Nicolò Greco, the reputed underboss of the family, are currently living out of Palermo province because of a police restriction. According to the latest wiretaps of the operation 'Perseo' in 2009, the acting boss of Bagheria family and mandamento is Giuseppe Scaduto.

Families:

Bagheria
Former Boss: Leonardo Greco
Acting Boss: Giuseppe Scaduto

Villabate
Boss: Antonino Mandalà

Ficarazzi
Boss: Giovanni Trapani

Cinisi mandamento

9237011095?profile=originalThe Cinisi mandamento, located in the north-western part of Palermo province, is formed by the Cinisi, Terrasini and Villagrazia di Carini families. Cesare Manzella was the boss of Cinisi family and member of the Commission until he was assassinated in a car-bomb attack in 1963. He was replaced by Gaetano 'Don Tano' Badalamenti, who was also a member of the triumvirate that ran Cosa Nostra at the beginning of the 1970s. At the beginning of the 1980s he left Italy after the 'Corleonesi' waged war on him. He fled to Brazil first and after that to Spain where he was nabbed in 1984; he was wanted by the American authorities because of his involvement in the 'Pizza Connection' and he faced 40 years for international drug trafficking. He died inside an American prison in 2002. Since the 1980s Cinisi is not a mandamento anymore because Totò Riina expelled it by the Commission in order to punish Badalamenti. Today the area is under the supervision of San Lorenzo mandamento but after years behind the scenes, the Badalamentis have made a powerful come back. Vito Badalamenti (right), son of Gaetano, on the run since 1995 and in the list of the 30 most wanted in Italy, is an important member and probably head of the Cinisi family.

Families:

Cinisi
Boss: Vito Badalamenti

Terrasini
Boss: Salvatore D'Anna

Villagrazia di Carini
Boss: Gianbattista Pipitone

Caccamo mandamento

9237011692?profile=originalThe Caccamo mandamento, located in the north-eastern part of Palermo province, is formed by the Caccamo, Trabia, Termini Imerese, Cerda, Vicari, Lercara Friddi and Castronuovo di Sicilia families, as turncoat Giuffrè testified. He also told authorities that in the past Vicari, Lercara Friddi and Castronuovo di Sicilia each were a separate mandamento but the 'Corleonesi' merged them in the 1980s. In the 1950s Giuseppe 'Don Peppino' Panzeca, historical boss of Caccamo family and Mariano Marsala, boss of Vicari family, were both members of the Provincial Commission. When Panzeca, friend of several local politicians, passed away, he was replaced by Lorenzo Di Gesu' and after him by Nino 'Little Hand' Giuffrè (right), who became a turncoat after he was arrested in 2002. He was the first former capomandamento who cooperated. Since then the boss of the mandamento is Salvatore 'Totuccio' Rinella, head of the Trabia family.

Families:

Trabia
Former Boss: Salvatore Rinella
Acting Boss: Domenico Rancadore

Caccamo
Boss: Giorgio Liberto

Termini Imerese
Boss: Santo Balsamo

Cerda
Boss: Rosolino Rizzo

Vicari
Boss: Salvatore Umina

Castronuovo di Sicilia
Boss: Salvatore Gentile

San Mauro Castelverde mandamento

9237011492?profile=originalThe San Mauro Castelverde mandamento, known also as the Madonie's mountains mandamento, located in the eastern part of Palermo province next to the border of Messina province, is formed by the San Mauro Castelverde, Gangi, Polizzi Generosa, Petralia Sottana, Lascari and Mistretta families. Although Mistretta village is located in Messina province and is historically part of this territory. The Farinella's have been the leaders of this area since the 1800s. During the Fascism period and the crackdown against the mafia ordered by Mussolini, the village of Gangi was surrounded by the fascist army in order to catch a dangerous fugitive and mafia member of that time named Luigi Ferrarello. Mario Farinella, boss of San Mauro Castelverde family, was a member of the Commission in 1957. When he later died he was replaced by his son Giuseppe 'The Big Father' Farinella, who recently died. Giuseppe Farinella (right) was an ally of the 'Corleonesi' and he was close to Totò Riina and Leoluca Bagarella, who stayed in this territory for a couple of years while he was on the run and he was planning a war against Provenzano's faction before being caught in 1995. The current boss of the mandamento is Francesco Bonomo, son-in-law of Giuseppe Farinella. The underboss is Domenico 'Mico' Farinella, son of Giuseppe, currently imprisoned he will be released in 2012.

Families:
9237012268?profile=original
San Mauro Castelverde
Boss and Capomandamento: Francesco Bonomo (left)

Gangi
Boss: Domenico Virga

Polizzi Generosa
Boss: Antonio Maranto

Petralia Sottana
Boss: Carmelo Fazio

Lascari
Boss: Samuele Schittino

Mistretta
Boss: Sebastiano Rampulla

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Comments

  • Excellent data on the bosses and mandamenti. Keep up the good work Gangsters Inc., love the site!

  • Yes, you're right that most of these bosses were charged or arrested, but nobody of them (except Motisi) got a final sentence.

    Filippo Annatelli, Salvatore Lombardo and Antonino Mandalà were absolved at all. Others like Nicolò Salto, Benedetto Capizzi etc. are under house arrests on health grounds and others because of their age.

    You're right to say they are almost all charged recently, but most of them have not any final sentence on the third grade.  

     

  • Hello, Angelo!

     

    Of course, you're right, and I shouldn't have used the word "incapacitated."  My archive of recent news articles showed me that, with one exception, the persons I mentioned have indeed been arrested and/or imprisoned recently.  Perhaps I should have written that they have been restricted at some point by law enforcement in the last few years.

     

    The power dynamics of the state and the mafia fascinate me.  I'm always interest when a boss brushes with the law.  So I added that perspective.  Every case is different, and, with modern surveillance regularly employed by the Italian government, a boss loses his power capital to some degree.

     

    But I do stand corrected on the Motisi--he's still latitante.  A silly mistake!

     

    I look forward to your next post!

     

    Bluto Ray

    www.mafiaexposed.com

  • It depends for you mean for uncapacitated

    First off i should say it's very difficult to know like all the trials are going on or end. You should know that since the trial is not ended the people charged can live in freedom for years, especially if not charged for murders or slaughter.

    I could be wrong about some bosses, i don't doubt about it and you could be right.

     

    But Filippo Annatelli was absolved and he's living in freedom, Giovanni Motisi is fugitive and sure not uncapacitated, Nicolò Salto is free, Salvatore D'Anna is free, Giorgio Liberto is free, Antonino Mandalà was absolved after being charged and he's free, although his son Nicola Madalà was sentenced.Tommaso Cannella is living in freedom. The others got house arrests or they are waiting in freedom the end of the trials (and you probably know what it means in Sicily).

     

    greetings

  • Kudos for Sig. Gallitto's diligent reporting!

     

    By way of an update, the following bosses in his list have been imprisoned or otherwise incapacitated:

     

    Nino Spera, Giovanni Vitale, Giovanni Genovese, Ludovico Sansone, Benedetto Capizzi, Giovanni Lipari, Vincenzo Brusca, Angelo Galatolo, Girolamo Biondino, Calogero Lo Piccolo, Pierino Di Napoli, Giovanni Motisi, Filippo Annatelli, Benedetto Capizzi, Giovanni Adelfio, Lorenzo Di Fede, Lorenzo Tinirello, Tomasso Cannella, Rosalino Rizzo, Giuseppe Pinello, Nicolò Salto, Salvatore Lombardo, Antonino Mandalà, Giovanni Trapani, Salvatore D'Anna and Giorgio Liberto.

     

    And Salvatore Umina is dead.

     

    Bluto Ray

    www.mafiaexposed.com

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