The Bufalino Crime Family is a criminal organization based in Scranton, Pittston and Wilkes-Barre in Pennsylvania USA within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known familiarly as the Mafia (also known as Cosa Nostra). The Bufalino Crime Family exercises influence in Northeastern Pennsylvania, Northwestern New Jersey, Southern and Western New York while maintaining strong contacts with mafia counterparts in New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and New England. Organized crime is crime carried out systematically by formal criminal organizations. ... Motto: Embracing Our People, Our Traditions and Our Future Nickname: Electric City, Map Political Statistics Incorporated Borough:February 14, 1856 City: April 23, 1866 County Lackawanna County Mayor Christopher A. Doherty (D) Geographic Statistics Area  - Total  - Land  - Water 65. ... Pittston (properly pronounced pits-ton) is a third class city located in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania between Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. ... Wilkes-Barre (IPA: , , or [1]) is a city located in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, of which it is the county seat. ... Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq. ... The Mafia, also referred to in Italian as Cosa Nostra (Our Thing or This Thing of Ours), is an organized criminal secret society that evolved in mid-19th century Sicily. ... Charles Lucky Luciano, one of the most famous American bosses Cosa Nostra, literally translated into English, means Our thing, or This thing of ours. ... Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Largest city Trenton Newark Area  Ranked 47th  - Total 8,729 sq. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 141,205 km²  (54,520 sq. ... Nickname: The Big Apple, The Capital of the World [1], Gotham Official website: City of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area Total 468. ... Philadelphia is a village located in Jefferson County, New York. ... City nickname: The Steel City Location in the state of Pennsylvania Founded 1758 Mayor Tom Murphy (Dem) Area  - Total  - Water 151. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... The states of New England are Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. ...

Impact of the Bufalino Crime Family

The impact of organized crime is generally regarded as a global phenomenon, and the Italian Mafia in the United States is seen as having connections to other ethnic criminal organizations operating within the United States (including Asian gangs, Russian Mafiya, Albanian Organized Crime, Biker Gangs, etc.), to their counterparts in Sicily and southern Italy, as well as to other international criminal organizations including stolen car rings abroad. Organized crime is crime carried out systematically by formal criminal organizations. ... The Mafia, also referred to in Italian as Cosa Nostra (Our Thing or This Thing of Ours), is an organized criminal secret society that evolved in mid-19th century Sicily. ... The Albanian Mafia or Albanian Organized Crime (OC) are the general terms used for various criminal organizations based in Albania or comprised of ethnic-Albanians. ... Sicilian redirects here. ...

The Bufalino Crime Family has been connected to labor racketeering, counterfeiting, prostitution, loansharking and extortion, illegal gambling, cartage theft, fraud, and automobile theft among other criminal operations that bring in hundreds of millions of dollars in profit each year, in addition to many legitimate enterprises over which they exercise control. While the Bufalino may be one of the smaller criminal organizations within the Mafia phenomenon, the extent of its influence and strength has often been underestimated by observers in law enforcement and the media. A counterfeit is an imitation that is made with the intent to deceptively represent its content or origins. ... Prostitution is the sale of sexual services. ... Usury (from the Latin usus meaning used) was defined originally as charging a fee for the use of money. ... Extortion is a criminal offense, which occurs when a person obtains money, behaviour, or other goods and/or services from another by wrongfully threatening or inflicting harm to this person, reputation, or property. ... // Gambling has had many different meanings depending on the cultural and historical context in which it is used. ... Motor vehicle theft is a crime of theft. ...

However, many reports claim that a large portion of the organization's income is through "sweetheart contracts" obtained through government bidding in the area of construction and waste management and through money laundering. In the early days, much of the family's income was derived by its control of the coal industry, especially through its manipulative influence over the labor unions governing coal miners. Recently, media and law enforcement reports claim that current family members have been meeting with prominent clerics and business figures within the Arab-American community primarily in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A union (labor union in American English; trade union, sometimes trades union, in British English; either labour union or trade union in Canadian English) is a legal entity consisting of employees or workers having a common interest, such as all the assembly workers for one employer, or all the workers... Arab Americans are Americans of Arab ancestry and constitute an ethnicity made up of several waves of immigrants from 22 Arab countries, stretching from Morocco in the west to Oman in the east. ... Motto: Philadelphia maneto (Let brotherly love continue) Nickname: City of Brotherly Love, Philly, the Quaker City Map Political Statistics Founded October 27, 1682 Incorporated October 25, 1701 County Philadelphia County Mayor John F. Street (D) Geographic Statistics Area  - Total  - Land  - Water 369 km² (143 mi²) 350 km² (135 mi²) 20...

Law enforcement estimates that the Bufalino family consists of approximately 30 members, and an unknown (but presumably large) number of associates, operating chiefly in the area of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Northwestern New Jersey, Southern and Western New York while maintaining strong contacts with mafia counterparts in Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and New England. Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Largest city Trenton Newark Area  Ranked 47th  - Total 8,729 sq. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 141,205 km²  (54,520 sq. ... This article is about the largest city in California. ... Nickname: The Big Apple, The Capital of the World [1], Gotham Official website: City of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area Total 468. ... Philadelphia is a village located in Jefferson County, New York. ... City nickname: The Steel City Location in the state of Pennsylvania Founded 1758 Mayor Tom Murphy (Dem) Area  - Total  - Water 151. ... The states of New England are Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. ...

History of the Bufalino Crime Family

Early history

The Barbara Era to Apalachin

Joe Barbera's estate off Highway 17 was the scene of a big meet to peacefully divide up assassinated Joe Anastasia's Brooklyn rackets including lucrative Pier One in 1957. New York State Trooper raid caught either the heads of families or in odd case his deputy, but prosecutions and convictions forlying to them about why they were there were thrown out by the Federal Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

The Bufalino Era

During Barbara's reign he made one brilliant move by naming Russell Bufalino as his underboss. Bufalino took over the family after Barbara's death in 1959 and ran it until a conviction in the 1980s, after which the aging boss retired. Besides being Boss of his crime family, Bufalino was rumored to have also been "Acting Boss" of one of the New York "Five Families" sometime during the 70's.

When Bufalino was imprisoned, Edward Sciandra, the family's consigliere, became the acting boss.

Recent Years

William "Big Billy" D'Elia, boss of the Bufalino crime family since 1994

Since Russell Bufalino's death in 1994, and Edward Sciandra's "retirement" to Florida, William D'Elia became the new boss of the crime family in Northeastern Pennsylvania. D'Elia, born in 1946, started his career in the Bufalino family in the late 1960s and 1970s as Russell Bufalino's driver. billy delia, public domain picture from state of NJ website, gaming enforcement exclusion list. ... billy delia, public domain picture from state of NJ website, gaming enforcement exclusion list. ... William Big Billy DElia (b. ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1961 to 1970, inclusive. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1971 to 1980, inclusive. ...

D'Elia's background in solid waste brokering, and keen business sense made him a valuable asset and aided in developing close connections with counterparts in New York City, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Regarded as a peacemaker, he has helped resolve disputes over territory and business interests that could have erupted into bloodshed. Nickname: The Big Apple, The Capital of the World [1], Gotham Official website: City of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area Total 468. ... Philadelphia is a village located in Jefferson County, New York. ... City nickname: The Steel City Location in the state of Pennsylvania Founded 1758 Mayor Tom Murphy (Dem) Area  - Total  - Water 151. ...

Over the last decade, William D'Elia has attempted to better him image and avoid prosecution by engaging in more legitimate enterprises. In addition to the solid waste business, D'Elia maintains an active presence in the management of Spaniel Transportation, a trucking concern, and an equity share in the Newcastle Group, possibly from money laundering. However, he continues to earn income from traditional criminal activities: drug trafficking, loansharking, illegal gambling and bookmaking, securities fraud, and cartage theft.

In the 1990s D'Elia's name was linked to a money laundering scheme that involved a weekly newspaper in Exeter, Pennsylvania called The Metro. Internal Revenue Service investigators from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania claim that $3.0 million, the proceeds of a drug and prostitution ring, were laundered through the newspaper. The Wilkes-Barre Citizen's Voice reported, "The money is believed to have purchased bogus advertisements and subscribers that never existed. The publication ceased operation in 1998." Reputed to be linked to the laundering scheme is embattled Lackawanna County Court Judge Michael Barrasse (formerly a county prosecutor), who is currently under investigation for running protection prostitution and drug rackets. William D'Elia had no children, but has two nephews, Jesse and Jeremy D'Elia, currently living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that threaten to take control of his business after he is put out of commission. Seal of the Internal Revenue Service The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the United States government agency that collects taxes and enforces the tax laws. ... Map Location in Pennsylvania Political Statistics Founded c. ...

However, many mafia observers have pointed out that D'Elia's days as a free man may be numbered. D'Elia was at one time involved in gambling junkets to Atlantic City, New Jersey, recording almost six million dollars in losses in a three year period where he reported $8000 per year in income to the IRS. On May 31, 2001 agents from the Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS, US Postal Inspectors and Pennsylvania State Police executed search warrants at the homes of D'Elia, his mistress, and three others, seizing records in an ongoing investigation. On February 26, 2003, D'Elia was banned for life from stepping foot in casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey by New Jersey's Division of Gaming Enforcement based on information shared by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the now defunct Pennsylvania Crime Commission. Motto: Nickname: Map Map of Atlantic City in Atlantic County Political Statistics Founded Sister Cities {{{sister cities}}} Incorporated March 1854 County Atlantic County Borough {{{borough}}} Parrish {{{parrish}}} Mayor Bob Levy Geographic Statistics Area  - Total  - Water 44. ... Seal of the Internal Revenue Service The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the United States government agency that collects taxes and enforces the tax laws. ... Seal of the Internal Revenue Service The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the United States government agency that collects taxes and enforces the tax laws. ... The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) is the state police force of Pennsylvania, responsible for statewide law enforcement. ... Motto: Nickname: Map Map of Atlantic City in Atlantic County Political Statistics Founded Sister Cities {{{sister cities}}} Incorporated March 1854 County Atlantic County Borough {{{borough}}} Parrish {{{parrish}}} Mayor Bob Levy Geographic Statistics Area  - Total  - Water 44. ... Official FBI Seal The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a Federal criminal investigative and intelligence agency which is the principal investigative arm of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). ...

Bosses of the Bufalino Crime Family

• 1908–1933 — Santo Volpe ( –1933)
• 1933–1940 — Giacomo "John" Sciandra ( –1940)
• 1940–1959 — Giuseppe "Joe the Barber" Barbara, Sr. ( –1959)
• 1959–1975 — Rosario Alberto "Russell" Bufalino (1903–1994)
• 1975–1994 — Edward "Eddie the Conductor" Sciandra ( –present) (acting boss)
• 1994–present — William "Big Billy" D'Elia (1946–present)

William Big Billy DElia (b. ...

See also

• Jimmy Hoffa
• Mafia

This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ... The Mafia, also referred to in Italian as Cosa Nostra (Our Thing or This Thing of Ours), is an organized criminal secret society that evolved in mid-19th century Sicily. ...

References

• George Anastasia The Goodfella Tapes (Avon, 1998) ISBN 0380796376
• Charles Brandt I Heard You Paint Houses: Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran and the Inside Story of the Mafia, the Teamsters,and the Final Ride of Jimmy Hoffa (Steerforth, 2004) ISBN 1586420771

External links

• The Pittston Family
• Northeastern Pennsylvania from Rick Porrello's AmericanMafia.com