Joseph Bonanno: Notorious Mafia Boss

Early Life and Mafia Beginnings

Born Giuseppe Carlo Bonanno in the Sicilian town of Castellammare del Golfo on January 18, 1905, Joseph Bonanno immigrated to the United States with his family as a young boy.

Bonanno entered the world of organized crime at a young age, becoming involved in bootlegging operations during the Prohibition era.

Rise to Power in New York

In the 1930s, Bonanno became a powerful figure in the New York City underworld, forming one of the city's "Five Families." He led his eponymous crime family, also known as the Bonanno Family, with a ruthless and cunning hand.

The "Banana War"

In the 1960s, Bonanno orchestrated a power grab within the Bonanno Family that led to the infamous "Banana War," a bloody struggle for control of the family.

Disappearance and Later Years

In 1968, Bonanno mysteriously disappeared, triggering a wave of speculation and intrigue. He was declared dead in absentia, but later returned to the public eye, living out his final years in Tucson, Arizona, until his death in 2002.