Category: Buffalo

Details about the Buffalo crime family

Buffalo crime family is also called The Arm or Magaddino crime family. It is based in New York, Buffalo, U.S. and is an American-Italian crime family. This mafia family operates all over Erie, Pennsylvania, Western New York and Ontario, Canada.

Its rise to power

It was through bootlegging during Prohibition era that this family gained immense power. This group was founded by Angelo Palmeri. Stefano Magaddino, the family boss in 1931 had become The Commission’s original member, while his family had remained quite peaceful. But there was a challenge in his leadership in the 1960s and separate factions broke as Magaddino was tried to be assassinated. Later on 19th July 1974, he died a natural death. Even after his death, the war continued until early 1980s with Joseph Todardo being declared the boss. He had the family united and in 2006 got retired. The present boss of this mafia family is Leonard Falzone. The territory that is under the hold of the Buffalo family is Buffalo and its different regions like the Niagara Falls, Syracuse, metropolitan area, Utica and Rochester; Canadian province of Ontario, Las Vegas and Northwest Pennsylvania. They have 20+ made men and 100+ associates. They indulge in different criminal activities like drug trafficking, bookmaking, extortion, prostitution, gambling, loan sharking, labor racketeering, murder and conspiracy.

Their origins

It is in the Buffalo city of New York that this family’s power has been based upon, in the last century. However, in other areas like Massena, Utica and Rochester, the group did have satellite groups, ‘crews’ and criminal interests. The other regions included Youngstown, eastern Pennsylvania, Toronto, Hamilton, Niagara Falls, southern Ontario cities, Ohio.

Successor

The media, crime writers and the local law enforcement, who have been keeping a close watch, since the 1990s on the Buffalo mafia members have projected that the successor, is likely to be Joseph Todaro Jr. Since 1995, he had been acting boss, but there was circulating rumors, since late 2006 that Todaros, Joseph Todaro Jr. and Joseph Todaro Sr. had retired officially from all kinds of active participation with the family affairs and activities. Leonard Falzone, the consigliore and Nicolletti Jr. ‘Sonny’ Benjamin, the capo has been elevated from their position to boss and underboss. However, in 2013 it appeared that Falzone era was finished and the family’s new leadership has been taken by Bobby Panaro Jr.