Vitale is an Italian surname and given name which derives from the Latin word Vita meaning 'life'. The name may refer to:
The Castellammarese War was a bloody power struggle for control of the American Mafia between partisans of Joe "The Boss" Masseria and Salvatore Maranzano that took place in New York City, New York, from February 26, 1930 until April 15, 1931. The war was named after the Sicilian town of Castellammare del Golfo, the birthplace of Maranzano.
Gambino is an Italian surname. Notable persons with that surname include:
Russo is a common Southern Italian and Sicilian surname. It is the Southern counterpart of Rossi and comes from a nickname indicating red hair or beard, from russo, russë and russu, from Late Latin russus or rubius, Classical Latin rubeus, "red".
A barrel murder was a method for disposing of the bodies of people killed by early American mafiosi since the 1870s, although the earliest recorded barrel murders in New York were reported in 1895 and 1900.
Thomas Gagliano was an Italian-born American mobster and boss of what U.S. federal authorities would later designate as the Lucchese crime family, one of the "Five Families" of New York City. He was a low-profile boss for over two decades. His successor was his longtime loyalist and underboss, Tommy Lucchese.
In the American and Sicilian Mafia, a made man is a fully initiated member of the Mafia. To become "made", an associate first must be Italian or of Italian descent and sponsored by another made man. An inductee will be required to take the oath of omertà, the Mafia code of silence and code of honor. After the induction ceremony, the associate becomes a "made man" and holds the rank of soldier in the Mafia hierarchy. Made men are the only ones who can rise through the ranks of the Mafia, from soldier to caporegime, consigliere, underboss, and boss.
A Mustache Pete is a member of the Sicilian Mafia who came to the United States as an adult in the early 20th century.
Lombardo is an Italian demonym and surname, most commonly found in Sicily where it is the third most common family name. Notable people with the name include:
Cesare "The Tall Guy" Bonventre was a Sicilian mobster who served as a caporegime in the Bonanno crime family, operating out of Knickerbocker Avenue in Bushwick. Bonventre alongside Salvatore “Toto” Catalano led the Sicilian “Zips” faction of the family and was a key member of the Pizza Connection until his assassination on April 16, 1984 on orders of Joe Massino and Philip “Rusty” Rastelli.
A series of meetings between Sicilian Mafia and American Mafia members were allegedly held at the Grand Hotel et des Palmes in Palermo, Sicily, between October 12–16, 1957. Also called the 1957 Palermo Mafia summit, the summit discussed the international illegal heroin trade in the French Connection. The FBI believed it was this meeting that established the Bonanno crime family in the heroin trade.
Greco is a common Italian surname, ranking 10th among the most widespread surnames in Italy, and it literally means "Greek". Historically, its popularity is due to the frequent relationships between Italy and Greece.
Salvatore "Sal the Iron Worker" Montagna was an Italian-Canadian crime boss and acting boss of the Bonanno crime family in New York City, as well as the Sicilian faction-leader of the Bronx section. He had later been associated with the Rizzuto crime family of Montreal.
The American Mafia, commonly referred to in North America as the Italian-American Mafia, the Mafia, or the Mob, is a highly organized Italian American criminal society and organized crime group.
The Bonanno crime family is an Italian-American Mafia crime family and one of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City, and in the United States, as part of the criminal phenomenon known as the American Mafia.
Caruso is an Italian surname derived from the Sicilian word for boy. In 19th century Sicily, the Carusi were young mine workers.
Messina is an Italian surname, originating from the city of Messina. Notable people with the surname include:
Amato is a family name of Italian origin, meaning "beloved" or "dear one". Notable people with the surname include:
Borsellino is an Italian surname.
Morello is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: