papalia crime family

Ashburn FamilySearch Center Our purpose is to help you discover, gather, and connect your family by providing one-on-one assistance and internet access to specialized genealogical records and websites. The guy was afraid of us and he paid. [110], The next year, Bader mentioned to a friend from the Montreal underworld about what had happened to him in August 1973, who in turn passed along the news to the Cotroni family. [105] In 1974, Papalia attended the murder trial of Peter Demeter in Toronto, which was already a media circus and his presence in the courtroom caused a "media sensation" as there was much speculation about why he was attending a trial in which the Papalia family was apparently not involved in. Maybe we have friends in common, like F.C. [156], Amid controversy, Papalia was refused a full Funeral Mass by the Diocese of Hamilton due to having been a career criminal. [84][85] In 1963, Papalia was convicted in absentia in Italy of gangsterism and sentenced to 10 years in prison. [6][7] Tony Papalia was working as a driver for Perri's bootlegging operations at least by 1922, if not earlier. It wasn't for a lack of trying, he was just too smart. The Papalia crime family ( Italian: [papalia]) also known as Papalia 'ndrina, is a 'Ndrangheta organized crime family [2] based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, as well as Plat in Southern Italy and Buccinasco in Northern Italy. (Bobby Hristova/CBC) Pasquale (Pat) Musitano was killed Friday, but Mafia experts say the notorious Hamilton mobster was living on borrowed time long before the fatal shot was fired. John Joseph Papalia (Italian:[papalia]; March 18, 1924 May 31, 1997), also known as Johnny Pops Papalia or "The Enforcer", was an Italian-Canadian crime boss of the Papalia crime family based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. [149] The Quebec biker war confirmed his prejudices as he found the Angels to be too violent and too vulgar for his liking. [54] The police noted that he had a .25 caliber handgun with him at the time of his slaying, which the police took as a sign that he was "expecting trouble". [55] The report by the National Anti-Mafia Directorate stated, "The links with the Mafia families are steadfast and deeply rooted in Australia where permanent traditional links with the Calabrian clans have been solidly establishedClans like Sergi, Barbaro, and Papalia have been active through their Australian affiliates for some time. Papalia was born in Hamilton, to Italian immigrants who also had a history in organized crime. "[131]In 1994, Papalia began suffering from health problems, and spent most of his time either at his penthouse apartment on Market Street or his office at the Galexy Vending company across the street. [16][5] On 23 April 1944, Perri vanished after going out for a walk and it is believed Papalia along with his father was involved in "the mysterious affair" of Perri's disappearance. [165][39] Peter Edwards and Antonio Nicaso wrote that with the murders of Mora, Papalia and Barillaro over a ten month period "created more space" for the Rizzuto family, which was then able to dominate Ontario. The Musitano family was founded by Angelo Musitano in Canada in the 1940s, and was one of three centralized Mafia organizations in Hamilton, with the other two being the Luppino crime . After the Rizzuto crime family were not re-paid, in September 1996, Mora was shot in the head four times at a Vaughan farm; Giacinto Arcuri was arrested and charged with Mora's murder, but was acquitted for lack of evidence. They got nothing better to do than run around following me all the time at taxpayers' expense. [58] The beating of Bluestein attracted much media attention, and the Toronto Star newspaper columnist Pierre Berton called the attack a "semi-execution" brazenly committed in public view. That's what the police tell you, isn't it? He died of natural causes in April 2014, at the age of 83. The killings of Johnny and his lieutenant Carmen Barillaro in 1997, ordered by the Musitanos, had effectively wiped out the family's remaining leaders in Canada. [34] The fact that Bynoe had paid Papalia $100 in exchange for being allowed to have sex with Ryce left him open to the charge of soliciting prostitution, which had had been very embarrassing for him, especially if he was holding a position of power. Michelle Castillo Murder: Where Is Braulio Castillo Now? [128] Simard seized the Ontario market, bringing Quebec strippers to Toronto clubs, where he allowed Papalia to put his pinball machines in his clubs. [37], Later in 1961, Papalia demolished the family home and built a warehouse for his vending machine business, an all-cash business, to serve as the front for his criminal operations. [39][40] It is not clear just precisely when Papalia became a made man, but it appears to have occurred sometime in 1955. [88], On January 25, 1968, after serving less than half the sentence, he was released from a United States penitentiary in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania and sent back to Canada. [155] The hitman Kenneth Murdock claimed that he had been ordered to kill Papalia by Angelo and Pat Musitano of the Musitano crime family who owed $250,000 in bookmaking debts to Papalia. [103], In 1972, Papalia was summoned to a meeting in Toronto by Michele Racco to discuss the situation with his son Domenic who was facing three counts of attempted murder after he lost his temper and impulsively shot three men whom he felt had insulted him. [66] Through the company records listed Johnny only as an employee of his brother Frank, he was considered by almost everyone to be the real boss of Monarch Vending. [96] The incident led to Papalia being charged with assault, but a month later, in September 1971 the assault charges were dropped when Joy accepted a written apology from Papalia who stated he "been under a great deal of pressure at the time" and refused to testify against him. People who use our name pay. ", "Parole of convicted mob killer notorious for his explosive temper tested by road raging motorist", "Kenny Murdock, mob-boss Papalia's killer, gets new identity", "Notorious mobster Pat Musitano believed to be targeted in Hamilton house shooting", "Musitano, 29, was arrested Wednesday for violating terms of his parole, which prohibited him from associating with known criminals", "Frank Papalia was 'the rock' of Hamilton mafia family", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Johnny_Papalia&oldid=1142139522, Canadian people convicted of drug offences, People murdered by Canadian organized crime, People extradited from Canada to the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox person with multiple parents, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 18:49. [92] In 1975, Papalia founded the Gold Key Club nightclub in Hamilton. Papalia also operated various gambling bars and vending machine businesses. [45], Papalia often seized control of various businesses by asking of the business owners the question "Johnny Papalia-does that mean anything to you? At a young age, he was involved in petty crimes, but by the 1950s, moved his way up to drug trafficking and formed a powerful alliance with the Buffalo crime family. Sylvestro's son-in-law Danny Gasbarrini, Papalia's brothers Frank, Rocco and Dominic, half-brothers Joseph and Angelo, brother-in-law Tony Pugliese, and associates Red LeBarre, Freddie Gabourie, Frank Marchildon and Jackie Weaver, all worked in running Papalia's clubs. [31] Vincenzo Cotroni, the boss of the Cotroni family of Montreal, had formed an alliance with Antoine d'Agostiono, a Corsican gangster based in Marseille, to smuggle heroin that was the prototype of the French Connection smuggling network and by 1956 it was estimated that 60 percent of the heroin in North America had arrived via Montreal. John himself talked tough, although he wasn't tough himself. Listen, I'm lucky to have a couple of good brothers who look after me. [11] In 1986, Papalia stated that his biggest regret in life was never attending high school, saying of his life, "It's been an interesting one. Papalia was first arrested for burglary in 1945, but was given a short sentence. [97] The chairman of the Acapulco summit was Meyer Lansky who represented "the Commission" of New York while Vic Cotroni, Paolo Violi and Frank Cotroni were present to represent the Cotroni family. "[131] In the same interview with Peter Moon of The Globe & Mail, Papalia listed his hobbies as watching boxing, baseball, American football and old films as he could not stand "this porno stuff" as he labelled modern films. While Rocco returned to Buccinasco after 26 in prison, and is considered by the authorities as the head of the 'ndrina. Papalia. "[140] Papalia greatly resented the police surveillance, and was once overheard by a police bug complaining about the "lady Mountie" who had been assigned to follow him, saying, "What's the world coming to? [92] Sicari stated to the police that on the day of the murder, he had driven Vendemini to Hamilton to see an unnamed mutual friend and then drove Vendemini to the Toronto airport; he denied knowing anything about the murder. [137] Sandelli stated, "You can't infiltrate Johnny Papalia. In 1993, authorities seized a house, factory, land, cars and businesses that belonged to Antonio and Rocco, worth over $40 million. [122], Papalia came to play a "Godfather" role in the Italian Canadian community, serving as a community mediator as Papalia's biographer Adrien Humphreys noted, "There are hundreds of people throughout Hamilton who will attest to Johnny's helping hand. Rizzuto's expansion was boosted by the 1997 murder of veteran Ontario Mafia boss John Papalia, of Hamilton, known as "Johnny Pops" or "The Enforcer." The hitman who shot Papalia testified he. The creeps. [148] The crime expert Jerry Langton wrote, "Well into the '90s, Papalia was the undisputed Godfather in Hamilton, especially after Luppino died in 1987. Premier; Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence; Police. [68] Monarch Vending was a profitable concern, making a daily profit of $12,000. No question, I would have had to move. [27], While Johnny was in jail for an extortion conviction, police focused their attention on his brother Frank, the underboss of the family. [49] On May 6, 2017, after being imprisoned since 1992, Rocco Papalia, nicknamed 'Nginu, was released. [117], In 1979, Monarch Vending was sold to Allind Distributors of Toronto while a non-competition agreement was signed with Frank Papalia and Monaco, stating the two were not to compete with Monarch Vending in the greater Toronto area for the next five years. [16][10], Antonio's wife, Maria Rosa Italiano, also came from a Mafia family, the Italiano clan, who also participated in Perri's gang. [29] In the summer of 1979, police pulled Frank over to ask questions about possible drinking and driving in hopes he would refuse a breathalyzer test, charge him, and impound his car to install wiretaps. Mugshot of John "Johnny Pops" Papalia, one-time boss of the Hamilton-based Papalia crime family/'ndrina. [42] By 1955, Papalia was known for wearing expensive suits and driving equally expensive automobiles, together with his womanizing habits. ", "May 31, 1997: Mob boss Johnny (Pops) Papalia executed in Hamilton", "Why did Vito Rizzuto get a full Catholic funeral in Montreal, when some bishops in Sicily are refusing mafiosi? [19] In 1940, Antonio Papalia was sent to internment at Camp Petawawa as part of the Italian Canadian internment, as potentially dangerous enemy aliens with alleged fascist connections to Benito Mussolini's regime. Don Micu's personality, friendships, dedication to the rules with which he moves, the close relationships with the powerful De Stefano 'ndrina, immediately make him a point of reference for the rest of the 'Ndrangheta. The Papalia crime family is a 'Ndrangheta organized crime family based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, as well as Plat in Southern Italy and Buccinasco in N. He was known as a gentleman who did not have the temper of his big brother, Johnny "Pops" Papalia . [60] Berton's columns had their effect, causing massive public outrage and Papalia was ordered to turn himself in. "Mafia hitman reveals his code for killings", "His brother was Ontario's pre-eminent Mafia boss, but long-suffering Frank Papalia was still his keeper", "Bawdy houses, biker clubs and Mafia joints: Should we give gang landmarks historical status? He would looked like a complete fool. [88] Two of Papalia's Australian cousins were murdered. And he as always very self-conscious about it. [92] On July 28, 1969, Papalia again returned to Toronto to meet with Luppino, and on the same day, the bullet-ridden body of Sicari was found in Toronto. [168] Rizzuto appointed Musitano as one of his Ontario lieutenants to work under the authority of Panepinto. [40], After the hit, Murdock also killed Johnny's right-hand man Carmen Barillaro two months later. Close calls. "[14] Johnny, the oldest brother to Frank, Rocco and Dominic Papalia, half-brothers Joseph and Angelo Papalia, brother-in-law Tony Pugliese, and associates, all worked in running his clubs and gambling operations. Another branch of the family is based in Griffith in the Australian state of New South Wales. I tell you, this guy was like a fox. Joseph Valachi, who also attended the same meeting in New York, and later turned informer, testified that he knew Papalia as a capo (boss) who dominated southern Ontario under the authority of the Magaddino family of Buffalo. [7] Murdock went to Galaxy Vending to meet with Papalia, whom he had met several times before, to speak in the parking lot of Galaxy Vending under the false pretense of seeking his help to get money back from the Musitanos. [38], In the 1990s, Papalia lieutenant Enio "Pegleg" Mora borrowed $7.2 million from Montreal mob boss Vito Rizzuto, and gave the bulk of the money to Papalia to open an upscale restaurant and nightclub in Toronto. [17] Maria Rosa initially married Antonio's younger brother Giuseppe Papalia Jr., giving birth to two sons in Italy, however when Giuseppe died, she immigrated to Canada with her two sons in 1923 to marry Antonio. [41] Galante had forged an alliance with the Cotroni family, placing Quebec in the sphere of influence of the Bonanno family, and Magaddino, who wanted to keep southern Ontario in his sphere of influence, chose Papalia as one of his instruments for doing so. Rocco projected power and over the years some of it rubbed off on meYou need help? "[77] While waiting his trial, he coughed up blood due to the tuberculosis he contracted as a child. [24], By the late 1950s, Johnny Papalia was a made man in the Buffalo family, and boss of the Papalia family Ontario faction. [72], In July 1961, Papalia was ordered to be extradited to the United States for his role in the smuggling ring. [91] On the following day, the bullet-ridden body of Filippo Vendemini was found in the parking lot behind his shoe store on Bloor Street. [37] Yakubowitz was shot in the leg while Papalia was unharmed. "[61] In 1986, Papalia expressed no remorse for the beating, saying "Bluestein was greedy, he wanted it all for himself. When Bluestein dropped to the floor, he was kicked in the face. comments sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q&A Add a Comment . I loved it. [50], In 1955, with assistance from Sylvestro, Papalia started opening charter gambling clubs in Hamilton and Toronto. The Musitano crime family (Italian: [muzitano]) is a 'Ndrangheta organized crime family based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, as well as Plat in Southern Italy and Buccinasco and Bareggio in Northern Italy. , causing massive public outrage and Papalia was known for wearing expensive suits and equally. Carmen Barillaro Two months later to do than run around following me all the time at '. 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