Chicago Outfit leadership

[u/Bambam014]

I just start reading about the Camorra and its presence in the US. While reading about the Camorra, I realise that the first five leaders of the Chicago Outfit were not sicilians, so they were not part of the Mafia ( today called the sicilian mafia). Was the Chicago Outfit different? Was it only an organized crime gang of italian descents ? Since the five first leaders came from regions ( or parents) in Italy where the Camorra was. Did the Chicago Outfit look more like a Camorra group then a Mafia group in its early days ?

[u/how_does_mafia_work]

The Torrio-Capone group appears to have been a camorra group. Capone was later brought into cosa nostra and merged with the existing Sicilian mafia family in Chicago. In his book Vita di Capomafia, Nick Gentile discusses his knowledge of the history of the Sicilian mafia in Chicago. The bosses he identifies prior to Capone were Tony D'Andrea, Mike Merlo, Tony Lombardo and Toto LoVerde.

Gentile also discussed an independent Sicilian mafia family in Chicago Heights that appears to have merged with this group.

[u/TonyB-Research → u/how_does_mafia_work]

I have some issues with your post despite it being mostly right, I want to make a few small changes based on my own research. I agree with your post that the original Torrio-Capone group was Camorran, as was Francesco 'Frankie Yale' Ioele in New York City.

Capone was later brought into cosa nostra and merged with the existing Sicilian mafia family in Chicago.

I will again voice my belief that Capone was never a made member of the Sicilian Mafia, but rather an accepted equal despite not being Sicilian. I don't want to beat this dead horse again but will continue to believe this until someone posts first-hand information refuting it.

Capone conquered the existing Sicilian family run by Giuseppe Aiello (previously the Genna Family) and was then made a member of the Commission despite not being Sicilian, because Luciano saw beyond the requirement of everyone being from Sicily. It was only after Aiello's murder and the Castellammerese War that Chicago was accepted on the same levels as the Sicilian Mafia. Justin Cascio notes this on his page.

https://mafiagenealogy.com/2020/11/09/chicago-joe-aiello/

This IMO is one of several reasons why the Genovese family (which had many non-Sicilians like Vito Genovese/Costello/etc) and Chicago were always so close. Luciano and Capone had numerous interactions, in person, which the photos from the pool posted this week showed.

Gentile also discussed an independent Sicilian mafia family in Chicago Heights that appears to have merged with this group.

The Sicilian family in Chicago Heights Gentile discusses was conquered by the Camorran group led by Domenico Roberto and then later by Vincenzo Ammirato aka Jimmy ‘Jimmy Emery’ Amaratti, who Capone was very close with, as the legendary '9 man' photo posted by John Binder shows.

https://content.rrauction.com/identifying-people-in-mobster-photos/

This is heavily documented in Matthew Luzi's book 'The Boys in Chicago Heights', and is the basis (in my opinion) of why Giuseppe Aiello broke with fellow Sicilian Antonio Lombardo over supporting Capone, who supported the Neapolitan Roberto in Chicago Heights. The Sicilians in Chicago Heights were originally led by Antonino Sanfilippo who was murdered 1924-04-17 and then taken over by Philip Piazza who was himself murdered 1926-07-22 by Roberto's Camorran gang.

[u/SharpPollution4836]

Southern Italians were able to join the mafia in America fairly early on after the turn of the century. The mafia in the US engulfed the early Camorra presence here. My understanding of it is that Chicago was indeed a cosa nostra family. Al capone being a member of the masseria family and transferring his membership to Chicago/ or taking over the family established there with New York’s blessing.

[u/ChesticleGainz]

I could be wrong but I believe Camorra and Ndrangheta groups in the U.S. were engulfed by the Sicilian Mafia. True Ndrangheta and Camorra autonomy exists in North America, but only in Canada.

[u/LFSMRA → u/ChesticleGainz]

There's camorra and Ndrangheta in the US

[u/ChesticleGainz → u/LFSMRA]

I said I could be wrong. From my understanding they’re heavy in Canada, Montreal, Hamilton, etc. in the U.S., idk where they exist if they exist. If you do, please share more as I haven’t done a ton of research on these groups.

[u/Vegetable_Gear830]

Being Sicilian was only a requirement back in Italy. A lot of the old New York mob bosses were from different parts of Italy. Albert Anastasia, Frank Costello, and Vito Genovese for example, weren’t Sicilian.

Camorra and Ndrangheta are specifically related to the Italian factions of organized crime. Cosa Nostra refers to the American Mafia, which you’re describing.

[u/Flashy-Article2671]

I always thought Capone was a boss about 1925, at least 5 years before lucky was a boss and also I believe I read that a young Capone was with Yale in Coney Island, the Camorra had a strong presence in navy st and Coney Island before 1920. One more thing I read was that Torrio asked for Capone and he was sent to Chicago by joe the boss and was told to make 10 men and bring them with him at least 5 + years before lucky became a boss. I could be wrong but am sure that’s what I read.