Bill Bonanno
Salvatore Vincent "Bill" Bonanno (1938-2008) was an American mobster, author, and son of Joseph Bonanno, the longtime boss of the Bonanno crime family, one of New York City's original Five Families. Born into a world of organized crime, Bill rose through the ranks despite his father's reluctance, sparking internal conflicts that reshaped the Mafia landscape.
Later, he chronicled his experiences in bestselling books, offering rare insider perspectives on mob life, power struggles, and alleged conspiracies.[1][2]
Early Life and Family Legacy
Bill Bonanno grew up immersed in the secretive operations of La Cosa Nostra. His father, Joseph Bonanno, led the family from the 1930s through the 1960s, navigating alliances and rivalries across the Mafia Commission.
Unlike the fictional portrayals in films like The Godfather-where Bill was reportedly the inspiration for Michael Corleone-his path was marked by real-world turbulence rather than cinematic drama.[3]
Young Bill witnessed the glamour and violence of mob society, frequenting hotspots like New York's Stork Club alongside celebrities such as Tony Bennett and Marilyn Monroe.
His marriage into another prominent Mafia family further entrenched him in this dynastic world.[3]
The Banana War
In the mid-1960s, family tensions erupted into the "Banana War," a bloody four-year civil conflict within the Bonanno family. It began when Joseph Bonanno plotted with Profaci family boss Joseph Magliocco to assassinate rivals Carlo Gambino, Tommy Lucchese, and Stefano Magaddino.
The scheme unraveled due to betrayal by Joseph Colombo, leading to Joseph's kidnapping in 1964.[1]
During Joseph's absence, rival Gaspar DiGregorio seized control with Mafia Commission backing, splitting the family into Bonanno loyalists and DiGregorio factions. Street shootouts and assassinations ensued, drawing intense FBI scrutiny and weakening the family's position.[1]
- Key Triggers: Joseph's assassination plot exposed by Colombo.
- Main Factions: Bonanno loyalists vs.
DiGregorio supporters.
- Duration: 1964-1968, ending with Bonanno's exile to Arizona.
- Outcome: Commission-imposed peace, family demoted in power structure.
Criminal Convictions and West Coast Operations
Bill's ambitions led him to California and Arizona, where he oversaw rackets but faced legal setbacks.
In 1970, he was convicted on 52 counts of mail fraud for using a stolen Diners Club card to fund a cross-country trip supervising family businesses.[1]
| Date | Charges | Location | Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 9, 1970 | 52 counts of mail fraud | National (Diners Club misuse) | 4 years prison |
| December 18, 1971 | Extortion and conspiracy | San Jose & San Francisco | Imprisonment (details vary) |
His brother Joe Jr.
shared the 1971 extortion conviction for protection rackets on the West Coast. These cases highlighted the family's shift westward amid New York pressures.[1]
Claims on JFK Assassination
In his writings, Bill made explosive allegations about the 1963 assassination of President John F.
Kennedy. He claimed discussions with mobster John Roselli, whom he implicated as the shooter from a storm drain on Elm Street. Bill cited Jack Ruby's televised killing of Lee Harvey Oswald-linking Ruby to Chicago Outfit boss Sam Giancana-as proof of Mafia involvement.[1][3]
These assertions, blending personal anecdotes with conspiracy theories, fueled debates.
He also referenced broader plots involving anti-Castro elements, Trafficante, and FBI pressures under J. Edgar Hoover.[3]
Later Life as Author and Filmmaker
After prison and family exile, Bill reinvented himself.
He authored memoirs revealing Mafia inner workings, political corruption from Sicily's 13th-century secret societies to American shores, and the erosion of organized crime under RFK's prosecutions.[2][3]
- Bound by Honor: A Mafioso's Story (1999) - Details mob infighting, Kennedy ties, and real-life violence.
- The Last Testament of Bill Bonanno (2011, with Gary B.
Abromovitz) - Final revelations on life and death in the Mafia.[4][5][7]
He produced TV films about his family, transitioning from soldier to storyteller. Bill passed away in 2008, eulogized privately, leaving a legacy "born of respect and loyalty... etched in violence and blood."[3]
Bonanno Family Power Timeline (ASCII Graph)
1930s ------------------| Joseph Bonanno Boss Peak
|
1964 | Banana War ------- Civil Strife (DiGregorio Revolt)
| |
1968 ------------------ Exile to Arizona
|
1970s | Convictions ------ Bill's Imprisonment
|
1990s ------------------ Books & Media Career
1930 1960 1980 2000 2008 (Bill's Death)
Graph illustrates key shifts in Bonanno family influence and Bill's personal arc.[1][2]
"These are stories not from Mafia movies, but from real life...Bill Bonanno is the authentic article."[3]
Bill Bonanno's journey-from heir apparent to exiled chronicler-offers a window into the Mafia's golden age and decline. His accounts, while controversial, remain essential for understanding organized crime's human side.