Giovanni Bonventre
Encyclopedia
Giovanni "John" Bonventre (April 18, 1901 - ?) was a New York mobster with the Bonanno crime family
.
in Sicily
, Bonventre emigrated to New York with his family. The family settled in the Williamsburg
section of Brooklyn
, a stronghold of immigrants from their village. Bonventre and his brother Vito Bonventre
soon joined the local Castellammarese criminal organization, the precursor of the modern Bonanno crime family. Boss Cola Schiro ran the organization until 1930, when he was forced out by Salvatore Maranzano
. Bonventre was the uncle of family founder Joseph Bonanno
, who himself immigrated to New York City in 1924. Bonventre's nephews were Joseph Profaci, the future founder of the Profaci crime family and Cesare Bonventre
. Bonventre married Caterina Vitale, but it is unknown if they had any children.
, a major conflict between the Sicilian clans in New York, Bonanno became boss of the reorganized Bonanno family and Bonventre became a caporegime
, the captain of a crew of mobsters. That same year, Bonanno and Bonventre purchased a dairy farm near Middletown, New York
in the Catskill Mountains
. The farm's main product was mozzarella cheese; Bonanno and Bonventre used their mob influence to eventually dominate the production of this cheese in New York State, Wisconsin
, and Vermont
. Bonventre's other business ventures included a garment factory in Brooklyn. At some point, Bonventre was promoted to family underboss, directly under Bonanno.
that was broken up by New York State Police
; Bonanno and Bonventre were picked up by police as they tried to escape the meeting site through a field. In September 1957 Bonventre had attended several meetings in Palermo, Sicily with Bonanno and the exiled mob boss Charles "Lucky" Luciano.
In May 1971, Italian Carabinieri
police banished Bonventre and 14 other Sicilian Mafia leaders to Filicudi
, a three mile long island off the coast of Sicily.
Bonanno crime family
The Bonanno crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia ....
.
Early years
Born in Castellammare del GolfoCastellammare del Golfo
Castellammare del Golfo is a town and comune in the Trapani Province of Sicily. The name is roughly translated "Sea- Fortress of the Gulf", deriving from the medieval fortress in the harbor...
in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, Bonventre emigrated to New York with his family. The family settled in the Williamsburg
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Williamsburg is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, bordering Greenpoint to the north, Bedford-Stuyvesant to the south, Bushwick to the east and the East River to the west. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 1. The neighborhood is served by the NYPD's 90th ...
section of Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, a stronghold of immigrants from their village. Bonventre and his brother Vito Bonventre
Vito Bonventre
Vito Bonventre was a New York mobster involved in bootlegging with Brooklyn mobster Cola Schiro throughout the Prohibition era.Bonventre later served as underboss to New York mob boss Salvatore Maranzano during the Castellammarese War...
soon joined the local Castellammarese criminal organization, the precursor of the modern Bonanno crime family. Boss Cola Schiro ran the organization until 1930, when he was forced out by Salvatore Maranzano
Salvatore Maranzano
Salvatore Maranzano was an organized crime figure from the town of Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, and an early Cosa Nostra boss in the United States. He instigated the Castellammarese War to seize control of the American Mafia operations, and briefly became the Mafia's "Boss of Bosses"...
. Bonventre was the uncle of family founder Joseph Bonanno
Joseph Bonanno
Joseph Charles Bonanno, Sr. was a Sicilian-born American mafioso who became the boss of the Bonanno crime family. He was nicknamed "Joe Bananas," a name he despised.-Early life:...
, who himself immigrated to New York City in 1924. Bonventre's nephews were Joseph Profaci, the future founder of the Profaci crime family and Cesare Bonventre
Cesare Bonventre
Cesare "The Tall Guy" Bonventre was a Sicilian mobster and caporegime for the New York Bonanno crime family.-Early life:...
. Bonventre married Caterina Vitale, but it is unknown if they had any children.
Association with Bonanno family
With the end of the Castellammarese WarCastellammarese War
The Castellammarese War was a bloody power struggle for control of the Italian-American Mafia between partisans of Joe "The Boss" Masseria and those of Salvatore Maranzano. It was so called because Maranzano was based in Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily...
, a major conflict between the Sicilian clans in New York, Bonanno became boss of the reorganized Bonanno family and Bonventre became a caporegime
Caporegime
A caporegime or capodecina, usually shortened to just a capo, is a term used in the Mafia for a high ranking made member of a crime family who heads a "crew" of soldiers and has major social status and influence in the organization...
, the captain of a crew of mobsters. That same year, Bonanno and Bonventre purchased a dairy farm near Middletown, New York
Middletown, New York
Middletown is the name of two separate places located in the U.S. state of New York:*Middletown, Delaware County, New York, a town*Middletown, Orange County, New York, a city...
in the Catskill Mountains
Catskill Mountains
The Catskill Mountains, an area in New York State northwest of New York City and southwest of Albany, are a mature dissected plateau, an uplifted region that was subsequently eroded into sharp relief. They are an eastward continuation, and the highest representation, of the Allegheny Plateau...
. The farm's main product was mozzarella cheese; Bonanno and Bonventre used their mob influence to eventually dominate the production of this cheese in New York State, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, and Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. Bonventre's other business ventures included a garment factory in Brooklyn. At some point, Bonventre was promoted to family underboss, directly under Bonanno.
Move to Sicily
In 1950, Bonventre decided to move back to Sicily. However, this move did end his involvement in the Bonanno family. In 1957, Bonventre attended the abortive Apalachin Conference of American Cosa Nostra leaders in rural Apalachin, New YorkApalachin, New York
Apalachin is a census-designated place within the Town of Owego in Tioga County, New York, United States. The population was 1,126 in the 2000 census. It is named after the Apalachin Creek. Apalachin means From where the messenger returned in the Lenape.Apalachin is in the southeast part of the...
that was broken up by New York State Police
New York State Police
The New York State Police is the state police force of over 4,600 sworn Troopers for the state of New York. It was established on April 11, 1917 by the New York Legislature, in response to the 1913 murder of a construction foreman named Sam Howell in Westchester County, which at that time did not...
; Bonanno and Bonventre were picked up by police as they tried to escape the meeting site through a field. In September 1957 Bonventre had attended several meetings in Palermo, Sicily with Bonanno and the exiled mob boss Charles "Lucky" Luciano.
In May 1971, Italian Carabinieri
Carabinieri
The Carabinieri is the national gendarmerie of Italy, policing both military and civilian populations, and is a branch of the armed forces.-Early history:...
police banished Bonventre and 14 other Sicilian Mafia leaders to Filicudi
Filicudi
Filicudi is one of eight islands that make up the Aeolian archipelago, situated 20–30 miles northeast of the island of Sicily. It is a frazione of the comune of Lipari.-Geography:...
, a three mile long island off the coast of Sicily.