Carmine Galante: The Life and Brutal Death of a Notorious Mob Boss
Carmine "Lilo" Galante was one of the most feared and influential figures in the history of organized crime. Known for his ruthless tactics and unrelenting ambition, Galante rose to power within the Bonanno crime family, leaving a trail of violence and treachery in his wake. Despite claims of having a low mental age, his cunning and strategic acumen were evident throughout his criminal career. His life was a blend of fact and myth, with allegations ranging from serving as an assassin for Mussolini to orchestrating major narcotics operations. As Robert Lacey described in his book Little Man: Meyer Lansky and the Gangster Life,
“Galante was one of the most vicious and feared of all the Mafia godfathers” .
Early Life and Rise to Power
Carmine Galante was born on February 21, 1910, in East Harlem, New York City, to Italian immigrant parents. Galante's early life was marked by crime; he dropped out of school at age 15 and quickly became involved with local gangs. His criminal career began with petty thefts and assaults, which rapidly escalated.
By his early twenties, Galante was already a well-known figure in the Mafia. His ruthlessness and ambition caught the attention of Vito Genovese, a powerful Mafia boss. This connection helped Galante rise through the ranks. During the 1930s, he became involved in the notorious French Connection heroin smuggling ring, which cemented his reputation as a significant player in organized crime.
The Question of Mental Age
There are claims that Galante had a low mental age, often described as that of a 14-year-old. This assertion mainly stems from a psychological evaluation conducted while he was in prison. However, it's essential to approach such claims with caution. Despite his alleged low mental age, Galante demonstrated considerable cunning and strategic thinking, orchestrating complex criminal enterprises and maintaining power in a highly competitive and dangerous environment. This contradiction suggests that while he may have had some learning or behavioral difficulties, his criminal instincts and abilities were sharp.
Ralph Salerno, a former NYPD detective, once said,
"Of all the gangsters that I've met personally, and I've met dozens of them in all of my years, there were only two who, when I looked them straight in the eye, I decided I wouldn't want them to be really personally mad at me. Aniello Dellacroce was one and Carmine Galante was the other. They had bad eyes, I mean, they had the eyes of killers. You could see how frightening they were, the frigid glare of a killer."
Galante and Mussolini: The Assassin Allegation
It is believed that in 1943, Galante was responsible for the killing of Carlo Tresca, who was the publisher of an anti-fascist newspaper in New York. Genovese, who was living in exile in Italy at the time, reportedly offered to carry out the murder of Tresca as a favour to Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini. Genovese is said to have assigned the contract for the murder to Galante.
On January 11, 1943, Galante allegedly shot and fatally wounded Tresca as he left his newspaper office in Manhattan, before fleeing in a car. Galante was arrested as a suspect following the murder, but no one was ever formally charged in connection with the crime. Subsequently, Galante was returned to prison for violating his parole after the Tresca assassination. He was released from prison on December 21, 1944.
Prison Sentences and Notorious Activities
Galante's criminal activities led to multiple incarcerations. One of his significant prison sentences was served in Sing Sing Correctional Facility. In 1931, he was convicted of assault and robbery, receiving a 12-and-a-half-year sentence. During his time in prison, Galante continued to wield influence and maintain connections with the outside criminal world.
After his release, Galante's involvement in the French Connection continued, and he became even more deeply entrenched in the narcotics trade. By the late 1960s and early 1970s, he had positioned himself as a major power in the Bonanno crime family, eventually becoming the acting boss.
The Power Grab and His Downfall
Galante supposedly orchestrated the killings of a minimum of eight individuals associated with the Gambino crime family during the late 1970s. This was believed to be part of his strategy to seize control of a significant drug trafficking enterprise due to a fierce rivalry.
The New York Mafia families were concerned about Galante's bold move to dominate the drug trade. Genovese Mafia boss Frank Tieri started reaching out to other Mafia leaders to gain support for Galante's assassination, even getting the green light from retired mobster Joseph Bonanno. In 1979, their efforts got a boost when the official boss Rastelli sought permission from the Commission to eliminate Galante. Joseph Massino, a loyal soldier to Rastelli, passed on the request to the Commission, which promptly approved a contract to kill Galante.
Galante's unquenchable desire for power and authority led to his ultimate downfall.
On July 12, 1979, Galante met his demise while having lunch on the outdoor terrace of Joe and Mary's Italian-American Restaurant at 205 Knickerbocker Avenue in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Accompanying him were Leonard Coppola, a Bonanno capo and devoted supporter of Galante, and Giuseppe Turano, a Bonanno soldier and owner of the restaurant who was also his cousin. Galante's Sicilian bodyguards, Baldassare Amato and Cesare Bonventre, were present at the table.
At 2:45 pm, three masked assailants entered the restaurant, proceeded to the patio, and unleashed a barrage of gunfire using shotguns and handguns. Galante, Turano, and Coppola were fatally shot on the spot. A photograph taken after the attack depicted Galante with a cigar still in his mouth. Amato and Bonventre, who failed to shield Galante from the attack, emerged unscathed. The gunmen swiftly fled the scene.
