Joseph Todaro Jr.

Joseph A. "Big Joe" Todaro Jr. (born 1945 or 1946)[1] is an American businessman and the son of Joseph Todaro Sr.[2] Todaro is best known as the owner of La Nova Pizzeria, a popular pizzeria chain in Buffalo, New York and the Western New York region that was founded by his father. Both Todaro Sr. and Todaro Jr. have been accused of holding regional leadership roles in the American Mafia, charges that Todaro Jr. has denied.

In 2017, Canadian court proceedings alleged that Todaro Jr. is the current boss of the Buffalo crime family, a position previously held by his father Todaro Sr.[3][4]

Biography

Joseph A. Todaro Jr. was born to Joseph Todaro Sr. and Josephine Santamauro.[5] He later married Carol Ann "Cookie" and had two children Joseph E. Todaro and Carla (she later married Salvatore Pantano).[5]

Joseph "Big Joe" Todaro Jr. became a business agent for the Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 210.[6] Todaro Jr. was accused of being involved in an unsuccessful plot to murder Faust Novino in 1976. Allegedly, the ambush was set up by Novino's long-time associate and friend Louis Pisa who approached him about committing a burglary at a warehouse at 463 Connecticut Street on Buffalo's west side. Novino testified that he believed that he and Pisa were alone when he noticed a heavyset man, whom he identified as John Sacco, raising his arm to hit him. At that moment he drew his .45 and shot Sacco. Then, hearing footsteps behind him, he turned and shot at a man he identified as Leonard Falzone. Novino said that he then saw two men, Todaro Jr. and Frank Billiteri, crouched on the floor on either side of him. Feeling boxed in, he shot once at Falzone, and again at Sacco who was allegedly still coming at him. He then turned, ran into Falzone, and fired the weapon into his chest, but it jammed. Finally, after hiding behind a rolled-up rug, he was able to escape out a door leading to 17th Street.[7][8]

In 1984, Todaro Jr. allegedly became the underboss of the Buffalo crime family when his father became the new head of the crime family upon the retirement of his predecessor Samuel "Sam the Farmer" Frangiamore.[9]

In 1989, an FBI statement was filed in connection with a gambling investigation and identified Todaro Sr. and his son Todaro Jr. as the leaders of a 45 "made" member Buffalo Mafia family and were in control of various criminal activities that included labor racketeering, bookmaking, loansharking and narcotics trafficking.[10][11] The court statements also claimed that Joseph Todaro Jr. was running the Mafia family because his father Todaro Sr. was in semi-retirement splitting time between his Tonawanda and Florida homes.[11][9][12][13] It was also stated that Leonard F. Falzone was running a local loansharking operation and brothers Victor and Daniel Sansanese were controlling bookmaking for the Todaro's.[11] The FBI had also bugged Falzone's union-owned car in 1988, to link the Todaro's in the illegal gambling case but the device was unable to provide any evidence linking the Todaro's.[11]

In 1990, Todaro Jr. resigned as business agent of LIUNA following investigations into the local union's alleged ties to organized crime.[6]

On September 6, 1993, his son Joseph Edward Todaro III married Dana Christine Panepinto, the daughter of Donald Panepinto.[14]

In 1996 Todaro Sr. and his son Todaro Jr. were listed among 24 alleged organized crime figures who were accused of influencing the Laborers International Union of North America since the 1960s.[10]

In 1999, Joseph Todaro Jr. along with his father Joseph Todaro Sr. and 16 others were named in a civil racketeering lawsuit for controlling local 210 through the years by various racketeering acts.[15] The court complaint identified Joseph A. Todaro Jr. as underboss and his father Joseph E. Todaro Sr. as boss of the Buffalo family and the owners of La Nova Pizzeria.[15] Todaro Jr. served as Local 210 business manager in 1990 before resigning.[15] Todaro Jr. attempted to keep control of Local 210 with the help of Peter Gerace and Peter Capitano, both of whom already held positions in the Local.[15] The charges were based on the testimony of Ronald M. Fino, a former business manager of Local 210 before he became an FBI informant.[15]

In 2006, Todaro Sr. retired, and Todaro Jr. become boss,[12] with Leonard F. "Lennie Calzone" Falzone acting under him.[16] His father Todaro Sr. died on December 26, 2012, at age 89 following a lengthy illness.[10] In 2016, Falzone died.[13] Outside of organized crime, Todaro Jr. operates La Nova Pizzeria in Buffalo; Todaro III operates a chicken wing spin-off under the La Nova brand.[1]

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, in 1995, Todaro Jr. assumed the day-to-day running of the Buffalo family from his father, Joseph Todaro Sr., becoming acting boss of the crime family.[17] Until Domenico Violi's trial in 2018 in Hamilton, Ontario, it was believed that Todaro Jr. had stepped down from active participation in the Buffalo Mafia in 2006 and that Leonard Falzone (who died in 2016) had taken over as boss.[18] Ron Fino indicated that he believed that Falzone was acting as the front boss for the Todaros.[16] Wiretaps recorded from 2015 to 2017 also indicated Domenico Violi of the Luppino crime family, was made the underboss of the Buffalo crime family[19] by boss Todaro Jr. in October 2017 in a meeting in Florida; the first Canadian to hold the second-highest position in the American Mafia.[20] The wiretaps also revealed the activity of The Commission (the governing body of the American Mafia) as Violi's promotion was so unusual that Todaro Jr. consulted with The Commission for permission to promote Violi as the Buffalo family's new underboss.[20] Homeland Security Investigations Agent Curtis Ryan indicated Todaro is the current boss of the Buffalo LCN family court papers related to his nephew, Peter Gerace Jr.'s, alleged bribing of DEA agent Joseph Bongiovanni.[21] The Buffalo News speculated that La Nova Pizzeria's growing popularity had prompted the Todaros to lower their profile to avoid scrutiny over the family's ties to the Mafia.[1]

In a January 2023 interview, Todaro denied that he held a leadership role in organized crime.[21]

References

  1. ^ a b c Herbeck, Dan (March 19, 2017). "The Mafia is all but dead in Western New York. So what killed it?". The Buffalo News. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
  2. ^ Fairbanks, Phil (2018-12-08). "Is the Buffalo Mafia dead or alive?". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on 2024-02-09. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
  3. ^ Humphries, Adrian (2018-12-04). "Shocking mob trial allegation: Hamilton crime figure was Underboss of Buffalo Mafia | National Post". Retrieved 2019-01-16.
  4. ^ Hayes, Molly; McArthur, Greg (2018-12-03). "'It opens up an underworld:' How a drug plea has exposed a Mafia network in Hamilton". The Globe and News. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
  5. ^ a b "Todaro - Joseph E. "Papa Joe"". The Buffalo News. December 28, 2012. Archived from the original on February 17, 2020. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  6. ^ a b Herbeck, Dan (1996-01-31). "Justice Dept. Claims Union Has Been Dominated By Mob". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on 2019-01-17. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
  7. ^ Cardinale, Anthony; Buckham, Tom (1993-04-13). "NOVINO DESCRIBES ESCAPE FROM AMBUSH IN 1976 AND IDENTIFIES 4 OF 5 SUSPECTS". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on 2024-03-16. Retrieved 2019-02-09.
  8. ^ Herbeck, Dan (1992-11-22). "NOVINO SET TO TESTIFY AS FEDERAL WITNESS SICURELLA PERJURY TRIAL SEEN AS PART OF EFFORT AGAINST ORGANIZED CRIME". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on 2024-03-16. Retrieved 2019-02-12.
  9. ^ a b Kurek, Albert S. (March 2007). The Troopers Are Coming II: New York State Troopers 1943–1985. AuthorHouse. pp. 177–181. ISBN 9781600080197.
  10. ^ a b c "Joseph E. Todaro, founder of La Nova, dies at 89". The Buffalo News. December 27, 2012. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  11. ^ a b c d Dan Herbeck (July 26, 1989). "TODAROS ATOP MOB, FBI SAYS FAMILY REPUTEDLY SPINS A WIDE WEB OF CRIME". The Buffalo News. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  12. ^ a b "TODAROS ATOP MOB, FBI SAYS FAMILY REPUTEDLY SPINS A WIDE WEB OF CRIME". The Buffalo News. 1989-07-26. Retrieved 2019-08-16.
  13. ^ a b Hudson, Mike. "Who will lead now that Todaro, Nicoletti gone?". Niagara Falls Reporter. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
  14. ^ "Mrs. Todaro". The Buffalo News. September 7, 1993. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  15. ^ a b c d e "Mob-led union needs oversight, court is told". The Buffalo News Staff Reporter. December 2, 1999. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  16. ^ a b Fino, Ronald; Rizzo, Michael (2013). The Triangle Exit: The True Story of a Secret Undercover Operative for the FBI and CIA. Tel-Aviv, Israel: Contento De Semrik. pp. 5105 (Kindle Location). ISBN 978-965-550-193-3.
  17. ^ Beebe, Michael; Herbeck, Dan (1993-06-27). "RAIDS ON TELEMARKETING FIRMS FIND NUMEROUS TIES TO ORGANIZED CRIME". The Buffalo News. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
  18. ^ Hudson, Mike. "Who will lead now that Todaro, Nicoletti gone?". niagarafallsreporter.com. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
  19. ^ "A Canadian murder. 'Buffalo's crime family.' Is the Mafia still around?". 30 April 2019. Archived from the original on 30 April 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  20. ^ a b "Shocking mob trial allegation: Hamilton crime figure was Underboss of Buffalo Mafia". National Post. 2018-12-04. Retrieved 2018-12-04.
  21. ^ a b Reporters, Lou Michel and Dan Herbeck News Staff (16 December 2022). "Who is Joe Todaro and why do the feds say this pizzeria owner runs the Buffalo mob?". Buffalo News. Retrieved 2023-01-26.

Further reading

  • Capeci, Jerry. The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Mafia. Indianapolis: Alpha Books, 2002. ISBN 0-02-864225-2
  • Penn, Stanley. Have I Got a Tip for You, and Other Tales of Dirty Secrets, Political Payoffs, and Corporate Scams: A Guide to Investigative Reporting. New York: Dow Jones & Company, 1994. ISBN 1-881944-01-8
  • United States. Congress. House. Committee on the Judiciary. Subcommittee on Crime. Administration's Efforts Against the Influence of Organized Crime in the Laborer's International Union of North America: Hearings before the Subcommittee on Crime of the Committee on the Judiciary. 1997. ISBN 0-16-054211-1

Read other articles:

Squalicorax

SqualicoraxRentang fosil: Albium-Maastrichtium, 109.56–66.0 jtyl[1][2] PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N Gigi Squalicorax pristodontus dari Maastrichtium akhir di Khouribga, Maroko Klasifikasi ilmiah Domain: Eukaryota Kerajaan: Animalia Filum: Chordata Kelas: Chondrichthyes Subkelas: Elasmobranchii Superordo: Selachimorpha Ordo: Lamniformes Famili: Anacoracidae (punah) Genus: Squalicorax (punah)Whitley, 1939 Spesies tipe Corax pristodontus (punah)Agassiz, 1835 Spesies Liha...

 

2006 FIFA World Cup Group A

Group A of the 2006 FIFA World Cup was one of eight groups in the opening round of the tournament. The group featured four teams, competition hosts Germany, Costa Rica, Poland and Ecuador. Play began on 9 June with the first game of the tournament between Germany and Costa Rica, with the former attaining a 4–2 victory in the highest scoring opening game in World Cup history since the competition introduced a single game opener. Later the same day, Poland and Ecuador faced each other, with ...

 

Fluorine

Not to be confused with Florin, Fluorene, Fluoride, Fluorone, or Florine. Chemical element, symbol F and atomic number 9Fluorine, 9FLiquid fluorine (F2 at extremely low temperature)FluorinePronunciation/ˈflʊəriːn//ˈflɔːriːn/(FLOR-een)Allotropesalpha, beta (see Allotropes of fluorine)Appearancegas: very pale yellowliquid: bright yellowsolid: alpha is opaque, beta is transparentStandard atomic weight Ar°(F)18.998403162±0.000000005[1]18.998±0.001 (abridged)[2...

Epidemiologi

Perbedaan antara wabah, endemi, epidemi, dan pandemi, pola penyakit yang dipelajari dalam epidemiologi. Epidemiologi adalah cabang ilmu biologi yang mempelajari dan menganalisis tentang penyebaran, pola, dan penentu kondisi kesehatan dan penyakit pada populasi tertentu.[1] Epidemiologi merupakan landasan bagi kesehatan masyarakat, yang membentuk pengambilan keputusan dalam kebijakan publik dan praktik berbasis bukti dengan mengidentifikasi faktor risiko penyakit dan mengidentifikasi t...

 

Le Samyn

Belgian one-day road cycling race Le SamynRace detailsDateFebruary/MarchRegionHainaut, BelgiumLocal name(s)Le Samyn des Hommes (men)Le Samyn des Dames (women)(in French)Nickname(s)Le SamynDisciplineRoadCompetitionMen: UCI Europe TourWomen: Lotto Cycling CupTypeSingle-dayWeb sitewww.lesamyn.be Men's historyFirst edition1968 (1968)Editions56 (as of 2024)First winner José Samyn (FRA)Most wins Johan Capiot (BEL) (3 wins)Most recent Laur...

 

McGirt v. Oklahoma

2020 United States Supreme Court caseMcGirt v. OklahomaSupreme Court of the United StatesArgued May 11, 2020Decided July 9, 2020Full case nameJimcy McGirt, Petitioner, v. OklahomaDocket no.18-9526Citations591 U.S. ___ (more)140 S. Ct. 2452 207 L. Ed. 2d 985Case historyPriorDenial for relief, PC-2018-1057 (Okla. Crim. App. Feb. 25) (2019); Cert. granted, 140 S. Ct. 659 (2019)HoldingFor Major Crimes Act purposes, land reserved for the Creek Nation since the 19th century remains Indian country....

Paris Métro Line 7

Subway route in the French capital You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in French. (April 2015) Click [show] for important translation instructions. View a machine-translated version of the French article. Machine translation, like DeepL or Google Translate, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-transl...

 

Heyran Gondola lift

Heyran Gondola lift cabin and structure. Heyran Gondola lift (Télécabine) (Persian: Telekābine Heyrān Āstārā) is a gondola lift in the Alborz mountain range, within Gilan Province of northwestern Iran. It is located above the Heyran villages and near the city of Astara, in Astara County. Description Construction of Heyran Gondola lift is an important step towards the development of tourism in Gilan Province. The Heyran Gondola lift has 30 ordinary cabins with six seats and also there a...

 

Gy (Genève)

Ne doit pas être confondu avec Gy (Haute-Saône). Pour les articles homonymes, voir Gy. Gy Armoiries Drapeau Administration Pays Suisse Canton Genève Communes limitrophes Veigy-Foncenex, Machilly, Jussy, Meinier, Corsier Maire Mandat Antoine Cornut (Agyr) 2020-2025 NPA 1251 No OFS 6624 Démographie Gentilé Gytan Population permanente 499 hab. (31 décembre 2022) Densité 152 hab./km2 Langue Français Géographie Coordonnées 46° 15′ 00″ nord, 6° 15...

Amanda Smith

African-American evangelist For other people named Amanda Smith, see Amanda Smith (disambiguation). Amanda SmithAmanda Smith by T. B. Latchmore, circa 1885.BornAmanda Berry(1837-01-23)January 23, 1837Long Green, MarylandDiedFebruary 25, 1915(1915-02-25) (aged 78)Sebring, FloridaOccupationEvangelistNotable workAn Autobiography: The Story of the Lord's Dealings with Mrs. Amanda Smith the Colored Evangelist, 1893 Amanda Smith (née Berry; January 23, 1837 – February 24, 1915)[1 ...

 

February 6–8, 2021 nor'easter

For other nor'easters that also impacted the continent in the same month, see February 2021 nor'easter (disambiguation). February 6–8, 2021 nor'easterSatellite imagery from GOES-16 of the nor'easter at peak intensity on February 8 near Nova Scotia TypeExtratropical cycloneWinter stormNor'easterBomb cycloneFormedFebruary 6, 2021DissipatedFebruary 16, 2021(Exited to sea on February 8, 2021) Highest winds1-minute sustained:80 mph (130 km/h)Lowest pressure960 mb (28.35 inHg) Maximum s...

 

.44 Special

Revolver cartridge designed by Smith & Wesson (S&W) .44 SpecialCharter Arms Bulldog with five .44 Special 246 gr LRN cartridgesTypeRevolverPlace of originUnited StatesProduction historyDesignerSmith & WessonDesigned1907ManufacturerSmith & WessonProduced1907–presentSpecificationsParent case.44 RussianCase typeRimmed, straightBullet diameter.429 in (10.9 mm)Neck diameter.457 in (11.6 mm)Base diameter.457 in (11.6 ...

Death Star

Fictional moon-sized space station and superweapon For other uses, see Death Star (disambiguation). Death StarOriginal Death StarFirst appearance Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker (1976 novelization) Star Wars (1977 theatrical film) Created byGeorge LucasDesigned byColin CantwellInformationAffiliationGalactic EmpireLaunchedn/a, constructed in space.Combat vehiclesTIE FightersGeneral characteristicsClassOrbital Battle StationArmamentsSuperlaserDefensesTurbolasers, Laser cannons,...

 

Patty Murray

Patty Murray (2013) Patricia Lynn Murray (née Johns; lahir 11 Oktober 1950) adalah seorang politikus Amerika Serikat yang menjabat sebagai Senator Amerika Serikat dari Washington sejak 1993, dan Senator senior sejak 2001. Sebagai anggota Partai Demokrat, Murray sebelumnya menjabat dalam Senat Negara Bagian Washington dan Senator AS perempuan pertama dari Washington. Referensi Pranala luar Wikimedia Commons memiliki media mengenai Patty Murray. Wikisumber memiliki karya asli dari atau mengena...

 

Jonathan Biabiany

Jonathan Biabiany Informasi pribadiNama lengkap Jonathan Ludovic BiabianyTanggal lahir 28 April 1988 (umur 36)Tempat lahir Paris, PrancisTinggi 1,75 m (5 ft 9 in)Posisi bermain PenyerangInformasi klubKlub saat ini ParmaNomor 7Karier junior2000–2004 Blanc Mesnil2004–2007 InternazionaleKarier senior*Tahun Tim Tampil (Gol)2007–2011 Internazionale 14 (0)2007 → Chievo (pinjaman) 0 (0)2008–2009 → Modena (pinjaman) 53 (9)2009–2010 → Parma (pinjaman) 8 (2)2011–2...

Überseestadt

53.096448.76911Koordinaten: 53° 5′ 47″ N, 8° 46′ 9″ O Speicher XI, vorne: Hafenmuseum, Restaurant und Bremer Zentrum für Baukultur; hinten: Hochschule für Künste Rolandmühle mit 12 Silos Alte Feuerwache 5 und Zollamt nahe dem Überseetor Die Überseestadt in Bremen ist seit 2009 ein Ortsteil des Stadtteils Walle. Zugleich ist Überseestadt der Name für ein in der Umsetzung befindliches Stadtentwicklungsvorhaben der alten Hafengebiete in Bremen im S...

 

Regia cinematografica

Questa voce o sezione sull'argomento tecnica cinematografica non cita le fonti necessarie o quelle presenti sono insufficienti. Commento: non c'è nemmeno una fonte Puoi migliorare questa voce aggiungendo citazioni da fonti attendibili secondo le linee guida sull'uso delle fonti. Il regista Ingmar Bergman esamina la pellicola sul set di Il posto delle fragole Il regista Luchino Visconti sul set di Senso La regia cinematografica è la direzione del film, intesa sia dal punto di vista tec...

 

2023–24 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating

Figure skating competition 2023-24 ISU Grand Prix of Figure SkatingType:Grand PrixDate:October 20 – December 10, 2023Season:2023–24NavigationPrevious: 2022–23 Grand PrixNext: 2024–25 Grand Prix The 2023–24 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating was a series of senior international competitions organized by the International Skating Union that were held from October 2023 through December 2023. Medals were awarded in men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance. Skaters earne...

Method of complements

Method of subtraction Complement numbers on an adding machine c. 1910. The smaller numbers, for use when subtracting, are the nines' complement of the larger numbers, which are used when adding. In mathematics and computing, the method of complements is a technique to encode a symmetric range of positive and negative integers in a way that they can use the same algorithm (or mechanism) for addition throughout the whole range. For a given number of places half of the possible representations o...

 

First Battle of Quảng Trị

Part of the Vietnam War (1972) First Battle of Quảng TrịPart of the Vietnam WarDate30 March – 1 May 1972Location16°44′N 106°58′E / 16.733°N 106.967°E / 16.733; 106.967 (First Battle of Quảng Trị)Quảng Trị Province, South VietnamResult North Vietnamese victoryBelligerents North Vietnam South Vietnam Supported by: United StatesCommanders and leaders Lê Trọng Tấn (front commander)Lê Quang Đạo (front commissar)[1] Vũ Vă...