35 Facts About Carmine Galante

Early Life and Family Background

Carmine Galante's journey into the world of organized crime began early, shaped by his upbringing and environment.

1. Birth and Early Life: Born on February 21, 1910, in East Harlem, Manhattan, Carmine Galante grew up in a tenement building. His parents, Vincenzo "James" Galante and Vincenza Russo, were Italian immigrants.

2. Family Background: The Galante family emigrated from Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, in 1906. Carmine had two brothers, Samuel and Peter, and two sisters, Josephine and Angelina.

3. Early Involvement in Crime: By age 10, Galante was already involved in criminal activities, leading to his placement in reform school. He soon formed a juvenile street gang on New York's Lower East Side.

4. Education: Dropping out of seventh grade at 15, Galante quickly immersed himself in more serious crimes.

5. Psychological Evaluation: In 1931, while in prison, doctors diagnosed Galante with a psychopathic personality.

Personal Life and Business Ventures

Despite his criminal activities, Galante maintained a facade of normalcy through various business ventures and personal relationships.

6. Business Ventures: Galante owned the Rosina Costume Company in Brooklyn and was associated with the Abco Vending Company in West New York, New Jersey.

7. Marriage and Children: On February 10, 1945, Galante married Helen Marulli. They had three children: James, Camille, and Angela. For the last 20 years of his life, he lived with Ann Acquavella, with whom he had two more children.

8. Legitimate Businesses: Galante operated several legitimate businesses, including the Rosina Costume Company, which was a contract cutter for major dress manufacturers. His wife, Helen, was listed as Vice-President.

9. Latamer Shipping Company: Another business he operated was Latamer Shipping Company, based at 10 East 49th Street, New York. This company was suspected by the feds to be part of a worldwide distribution network involving his drug business.

10. ABCO Vending Machine Company: Galante was also associated with ABCO Vending Machine Company in Union City, New Jersey. This business was interesting for its potential use in money laundering and other illicit activities.

Rise to Power and Criminal Activities

Galante's ruthless ambition and involvement in narcotics trafficking helped him rise through the ranks of the Bonanno crime family.

11. Assassination of Carlo Tresca: Allegedly, in 1943, Galante was responsible for killing Carlo Tresca, the publisher of an anti-fascist newspaper in New York, reportedly on behalf of Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini.

12. French Connection Involvement: During the 1930s, Galante became involved in the notorious French Connection heroin smuggling ring, cementing his reputation in organized crime.

13. Rise to Power: Galante's ruthlessness and ambition caught the attention of Vito Genovese, a powerful Mafia boss, helping him rise through the ranks of the Bonanno crime family.

14. Heroin Trafficking: Known for his role in heroin trafficking, Galante embraced narcotic trafficking, making him one of America’s most consecrated and rapacious drug dealers.

15. The Black Man Test: Galante reportedly invented the black man test, an experiment to ascertain the purity of heroin by injecting a black addict with a double-bag of heroin to see if they became comatose within a specific time.

Leadership and Brutality

Galante's leadership style was marked by brutality and a fierce reputation for meanness.

16. Leadership Style: Galante allowed his men a loose rein in running their operations, provided they kept their tributes flowing in. This approach often led to conflicts and power struggles within the organization.

17. Narcotics Manager: In 1962, law enforcement placed a bug in the office of Angelo ‘The Gyp’ De Carlo, revealing that Zicarelli may have taken over as the narcotics manager for the Bonanno family when Galante was sent to prison.

18. Kidnapping and Torture: Known for his brutal methods, Galante often resorted to kidnapping and torturing individuals to extract information or enforce his will.

19. Business Operations in Canada: While living in Montreal, Galante operated several legitimate businesses, including the Bonfire Restaurant and Alpha Investments. He also made Canada a major staging post for heroin importation from Sicily and Marseilles for forward shipment into New York.

20. Deportation from Canada: In 1955, Galante was deported from Montreal as an undesirable alien. His brother-in-law, Tony Marulli, was placed in his position to oversee his interests but was also kicked out in 1956.

Surveillance and Psychological Profile

Law enforcement kept a close eye on Galante, documenting his activities and psychological profile.

21. FBI Surveillance: The FBI closely monitored Galante, not just as a member of the Mafia but also as a ‘hoodlum.’ Despite Hoover’s initial reluctance to acknowledge the existence of Cosa Nostra, Galante’s activities were well-documented in FBI files.

22. Personal Life: Despite his notorious reputation, Galante maintained a complex personal life. He was married to Helen Marulli and had three children with her, but he also lived with Ann Acquavella for the last 20 years of his life and had two more children with her.

23. Psychological Profile: Claims suggest Galante had a low mental age, often described as that of a 14-year-old. However, this assertion is not universally accepted and may stem from a psychological evaluation conducted while he was in prison.

24. Ruthlessness and Ambition: Galante's ruthlessness and ambition were well-documented. He believed in rapid extermination of opposition and any who endangered his position of power. His associates feared him for his bad temper and willingness to use violence to achieve his goals.

Assassination and Aftermath

Galante's brazen attempt to dominate the narcotics market led to his assassination, orchestrated by rival crime families.

25. Assassination Plot: Alarmed by Galante's brazen attempt to take over the narcotics market, Genovese crime family boss Frank Tieri began contacting Cosa Nostra leaders to build a consensus for Galante's murder. This led to a contract being placed on Galante by the Commission, which was swiftly approved.

26. Assassination: On July 12, 1979, Galante was killed just as he finished eating lunch at Joe and Mary's Italian-American Restaurant in Bushwick, Brooklyn. He was dining with Leonard Coppola, a Bonanno capo, and restaurant owner/cousin Giuseppe Turano, a Bonanno soldier. Three ski-masked men entered the restaurant, walked into the patio, and opened fire with shotguns and handguns. Galante, Turano, and Coppola were killed instantly. Amato and Bonventre were left unharmed.

27. Funeral and Burial: The Archdiocese of New York refused to allow a funeral mass for Galante due to his notoriety. He was buried at Saint John's Cemetery in Middle Village, Queens.

28. Aftermath of Assassination: In 1984, Bonventre was found murdered in a New Jersey warehouse, allegedly to guarantee his silence in the Galante murder. On January 13, 1987, Anthony Indelicato was sentenced to 40 years in prison for his role in the Commission trial related to the Galante, Coppola, and Turano murders.

Legacy and Cultural Depictions

Galante's life and crimes have left a lasting impact, depicted in various forms of media and literature.

29. Documentary Depiction: Galante is depicted in the first episode of the UK history TV channel Yesterday's documentary series Mafia's Greatest Hits.

30. FBI Files: The FBI has made available a file on Carmine Galante that contains over 1200 pages. Most of it is useless due to severe redaction, but there are occasional nuggets worth scavenging for. One such nugget is an agent’s report dated December 1974, which describes Galante as a vicious, cold-blooded killer who talks and acts like the movie conception of a gangster.

31. Legacy in Literature: Joe Bonanno and his son Bill have both written books about their lives in the Mafia, but neither mentions Carmine Galante. This omission is notable given Galante's significant role in the Bonanno crime family.

32. Johnny “Pops” Papalia Connection: While living in Canada, Galante became a good friend and mentor to Johnny “Pops” Papalia, who would later become the Mafia boss of Hamilton, Ontario. Papalia was eventually shot dead in 1997 in a gangland dispute.

33. Operational Style: Galante’s operational style was characterized by his ability to maintain power in a highly competitive and dangerous environment. Despite his alleged low mental age, he demonstrated considerable cunning and strategic thinking.

34. Fear and Respect: Ralph Salerno, a former NYPD detective, once said that Galante had bad eyes, meaning he had the eyes of a killer. This frigid glare was enough to instill fear in those who encountered him.

35. Historical Significance: Carmine Galante’s life is a blend of fact and myth, with allegations ranging from serving as an assassin for Mussolini to orchestrating major narcotics operations. His legacy as one of the most feared and influential figures in organized crime history remains significant to this day.

Galante's Legacy in Organized Crime

Carmine Galante's life paints a vivid picture of the brutal world of organized crime. Born in East Harlem, he climbed the ranks of the Bonanno crime family through sheer ruthlessness and ambition. Known for his involvement in the French Connection heroin smuggling ring and his ruthless leadership style, Galante left a lasting mark on the Mafia landscape. His assassination in 1979 was a dramatic end to a life filled with violence and power struggles. Despite his notorious reputation, he managed to maintain a complex personal life, juggling family and criminal activities. Galante's legacy remains significant, illustrating the dark allure and perilous nature of the Mafia. His story serves as a reminder of the lengths some will go to achieve power and the inevitable consequences that follow.