Salvatore Bonnano

Salvatore "Bill" Bonanno (1932-) is the son of Mafia boss Joseph Bonanno, and is widely reputed to be the basis for Michael Corleone in Mario Puzo's The Godfather. He was intended to succeed his father as head of the Family, but due to internal conflict he did not.

Life

He married into the Profaci crime family making an alliance between the two Mafia families. However this alliance was broken when Joseph Profaci was replaced by the more liberal Joseph Columbo who sided with Tommy Lucchese and Carlo Gambino against Bonanno. However enemies inside the family were a bigger threat to the Bonnano Family, and when Joe Bonnano attempted to retire and make Bill his successor, The Commission backed Gaspar DiGregorio as the new head of the family. These actions caused the 'Banana War', between the Bonnano family and Gaspar DiGregorio. In October 1964, Joe Bonnano was kidnapped leaving Bill to fight the 'Banana War' himself.

Related Topics:
Profaci crime family - Joseph Profaci - Joseph Columbo - Tommy Lucchese - Carlo Gambino - Gaspar DiGregorio

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In 1966, Gaspar DiGregorio attempted to assassinate Bill Bonnano, luring him using the false pretences of a peace meeting. However Bill with the help of his Uncle Frank managed to fight his way out of the assassination attempt leading the Mafia commission to question Gaspar's leadership, forcing him out and giving the leadership of the Bonnano family to Paul Sciacca.

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Joe Bonnano returned in May 1966, and helped his son fight the Banana War. The Banana War eventually ended with no real victor, with the leadership of the Bonnano family in Brooklyn being passed from Paul Sciacca to Natale Evola to Phillip Rastelli to Carmine Galante, back to Rastelli then finally to Joseph Massino, where it remains today.

Related Topics:
Brooklyn - Natale Evola - Phillip Rastelli - Carmine Galante - Joseph Massino

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Salvatore Bonnano returned to Arizona, and currently writes books under the name Bill Bonnano, writing an auto-biography Bound by Honor, and a novel The Good Guys with Joseph D. Pistone (AKA Donnie Brasco)

Related Topics:
Joseph D. Pistone - Donnie Brasco

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