Anthony DiGregorio: Bonanno Mafia Royalty

Despite being a formerly inducted Mafia soldier, Anthony DiGregorio remained largely an unknown to law enforcement. He never had a reputation as a dyed-in-the-wool “street guy,” per se. Nonetheless, through the years, Tony operated by his father’s side and enjoyed the sphere of influence that came with being the son of a noted Mafia boss.

Even after his father's death from natural causes in 1970, Tony Dee would continue to travel and reap the benefits of his family’s surname, living quietly and operating in the shadows as a Bonanno Family soldier for many years to come.

Anthony (Tony Dee) DiGregorio was born in June 1926 in the Ridgewood section of Brooklyn. He was the son of young Sicilian-born immigrant parents, Gaspare DiGregorio and Maria Magaddino. Both sides of his family hailed from the legendary seaside town of Castellammare del Golfo (Trapani Province), Sicily. At the time of Anthony's birth, his father, Gaspare, was only 21 years old; his mother, Maria, was 23.

Unfortunately, one year later, tragedy would strike the young DiGregorio family.

Anthony DiGregorio

On August 4, 1927, Maria died of natural causes while receiving treatment for an unknown medical condition in Manhattan. Anthony was an infant, only 14 months old, when he lost his mother.

As a boy, Tony grew up in Kings County, where his dad had purchased a small home for the family at 409 Rodney Street in Brooklyn's Williamsburg section. It was an area predominantly populated with fellow Sicilian immigrants -- especially those hailing from DiGregorio's ancestral birthplace of Castellammare del Golfo.

Rodney Street, Brooklyn

Tony grew up to be a pleasant-looking man who stood approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighed in at a trim 150 pounds or so. He had a full head of dark wavy-brown hair and dark brown eyes and wore eyeglasses. He had a low-key gentlemanly way about him and had a soft-spoken, easy disposition.

He was known for his friendly demeanor and was generally considered a well-liked young Bonanno Family soldier.

Gasparino and Joe Bananas

While growing up in Castellammare, his father, Gaspare, had been a boyhood schoolmate and close chum to a man who was to become one of the world’s most important Mafia leaders, Giuseppe Bonanno.

After they immigrated to the United States, the two friends continued their close friendship, with Gaspare eventually becoming a loyal disciple and lifelong ally to Bonanno. As Bonanno rose into the Mafia hierarchy, he also made sure his friend and sidekick Gaspare DiGregorio rose in status.

Gaspare DiGregorio

Often referred to by his nickname, Gasparino, as the years passed, Gaspare himself would be elevated to a capodecina status and put in charge of his own regime of soldiers.

Years later, by the 1960s, he would rise even further within the Family structure when he was tapped by New York’s Mafia Commission to lead the Bonanno Family as its new boss after internal strife broke out among the rank-and-file membership.

This conflict, referred to in local tabloids as “The Banana Split” led to the so-called “Banana War” fought between rival factions for control of the borgata. The conflict pitted those soldiers loyal to DiGregorio and his close associate, Bonanno capo Paul Sciacca , against those Family members who remained loyal to Joe Bonanno...but thats a story for another day.

Mafia Royalty

As far as the organized Italian criminal underworld was concerned, young Anthony was largely viewed as having been fortunate enough to have been born with the Mafia's version of the proverbial "silver spoon in his mouth."

Aside from his father's position within the Sicilian Mafia and that of Gaspare's brother Matteo, Tony's mother, Maria Magaddino, hailed from another infamous Mafia clan. The Magaddino family's notorious ancestry and Mafia lineage traced back to Castellammare del Golfo for almost two centuries, since at least the early 1800s.

Matteo DiGregorio

And if that royal bloodline was not enough to raise more than a few eyebrows, as he came of age, DiGregorio's father and uncles would become matchmakers of sorts by introducing young Tony to the daughter of another significant mafioso.

During the family’s frequent trips to upstate New York to visit his mother Maria’s blood relations, as a teenager, Tony was eventually introduced to the daughter of a family friend.

Sam Scro

Rosalie Scro was the daughter of Salvatore (Sam) Scro , who was a close friend and ally to important members of the "Castellammarese branch" of the Mafia located upstate and elsewhere.

It appears that Scro, a relatively little-known but relatively important Mafia figure, was closely affiliated with Binghamton's infamous Joe Barbara and Buffalo's equally infamous Stefano Magaddino .

Apparently, Sam and Gaspare both welcomed and encouraged the courtship of their respective children.

A Mafia Wedding

Subsequently, as fate and destiny would have it, on November 3, 1951, Anthony and Rosalie took their marriage vows before the eyes of God and their family and friends during a formal Mass held at the Scro family’s hometown parish, a Roman Catholic Church in the City of Syracuse, NY. After the nuptials, a large formal reception celebration was then held at a local catering hall in their honor. It was well attended.

It is safe to assume that everybody who was anybody within the world of Cosa Nostra attended their wedding. After all, during the early 1950s, Gaspare was already a top capo to Bonanno -- arguably the closest of almost two dozen Bonanno Family capo -- and Sam was at least a high-ranked soldier within the Family structure of Binghamton boss Joe Barbara Sr. of Apalachin fame...or infamy.

Joe Bonanno

So, the guest list of invited Mafia figures is suspected of having been a long one, and the mafiosi who were present for the wedding reception were full.

Certainly, the top leader of their borgata -- boss Joe Bonanno himself -- was there. After all, he was not only Gaspare’s oldest "compare" and closest associate but also served as Godfather at Anthony’s baptism.

Bonanno’s attendance naturally led the way for all the other top leaders of their borgata to follow the boss’ lead. Although we are not privy to the guest list, it’s almost a certainty that the family’s underboss Carmine Galante , consigliere Giovanni (John) Tartamella, the Bonanno Family’s estimated fifteen or so capodecina, as well as more than a score of soldiers from various regimes also attended the wedding.

Stefano Magaddino

I think it’s also a very safe assumption that the bosses and hierarchies of numerous other families like Stefano Magaddino and Giuseppe Barbara and their top men also attended the DiGregorio/Scro wedding.

In keeping with Mafia tradition, there is also little doubt that New York City’s four other "Families" -- the Profaci, Genovese, Gambino, and Lucchese -- also sent emissaries to bring wedding envelopes and good wishes to the happy couple.

If they were unable to be there in person, I also don’t think it's a stretch to assume that many other borgatas sprinkled throughout the country also sent a "boosta" (money envelopes) as a sign of respect to not only Gaspare DiGregorio and Sam Scro themselves but also to show respect to their respective Family bosses, namely Joe Bonanno and Joe Barbara.

Getting His Finger Pinched

Tony was now 25 years old and a newly married man. This is also around the time that Tony was suspected of having taken his vow and blood oath into the Mafia as a newly minted soldier of the Joseph Bonanno Family.

Noting the timing of his formal acceptance into the ranks of the Bonanno Family, Tony’s induction could have also been an additional "wedding gift" from his father and Bonanno.

After all, it was his birthright. He was now following in the footsteps of his father, numerous uncles, cousins, and many family friends.

Anthony -- who most everyone knew better as Tony Dee -- had now become one of the youngest members of the formidable Bonanno crime Family.

He joined a very exclusive club populated by the young sons of other Mafia scions, such as Salvatore (Bill) Bonanno, the son of boss Joe Bonanno, and Sereno (Bobby T) Tartamella, the son of another of Bonanno’s longtime pals, Family consigliere John Tartamella.

Tony’s new status also allowed him to rub elbows with various key members of the Family’s inner circle. Because although most of these men had known young Tony since childhood, they now viewed him in a completely different light. Tony was now officially one of them.

Syracuse & Long Island

Initially, Tony and Rosalie remained in upstate Syracuse, New York, near her parents. Less than a year later, Maria gave birth to their firstborn child, a son.

Following the Italian tradition, they named their son after his paternal grandfather, Tony’s dad. Gaspare J. DiGregorio was born on October 21, 1952, at a local Syracuse hospital.

The DiGregorios would eventually have two children together. Several years later, they added a daughter to their family.

Brooklyn -- Anthony and Rosalie DiGregorio in happier times.

By the early 1950s, Gaspare had relocated his family from Brooklyn to the south shore of Long Island. The Cosa Nostra titan bought a small, unpretentious house in Suffolk County. He chose the modest blue-collar neighborhood of West Babylon for his new home. It was an area with a large community of fellow Italians.

With that in mind, Tony and Rosalie eventually decided to relocate their young family back to Long Island. So, they started making regular trips downstate to look at model homes for sale along the South Shore, near where Tony’s father had settled. After looking around a bit, they purchased a small home near Gaspare and some other relatives.

Following his father’s lead, Tony bought a small ranch-style house for Rosalie and the kids in the Bayshore area at 1195 Brookdale Avenue. Their new home was conveniently located just six miles east of Gaspare’s West Babylon home.

1195 Brookdale Avenue, Bayshore

Over the years, Gaspare DiGregorio listed his legitimate employment as part-owner of several small dress contracting factories to satisfy the income tax man. One was located in Brooklyn. Later, he gained an ownership interest in a second garment factory in Suffolk County.

As a young man, Gaspare had put his son to work as a part-time “presser” at the Brooklyn factory to teach the boy a legitimate trade.

With that in mind, in future years -- from the 1950s through at least the 1970s -- Tony would continue to list his business and employment as a clothes presser at their Brooklyn dress firm.

Completely Mobbed-Up

Aside from his father and Joe Bonanno, Tony met nearly everyone through the years. Not only within his own Bonanno Family but a good portion of the membership of New York’s other families as well, not to mention the many out-of-town mafiosi and racketeers who he came into contact with through his father and father-in-law and extended blood family.

But among his closest known underworld associates were members of the Bonanno’s Family “Long Island faction” where DiGregorio mostly spent his time and energy. These included such notables mafiosi as:

Gaspare (his father) and his uncle Matteo DiGregorio (his father’s brother, also a Family soldier.)

Paul Sciacca -- Another low-keyed member who later became a capo. Years later, Paul was named the Family boss after taking over the leadership from DiGregorio after Gaspare had a massive heart attack, which forced him to step down from the Bonanno Family throne.

Philip (Rusty) Rastelli -- A top Brooklyn-based Capo who later became the Family boss after Sciacca. Tony served under Rastelli for a time during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Nicola (Nick the Battler) DeStefano -- A very respected old-time capodecina who lived near the DiGregorios in Babylon. Among DeStefano’s other activities he was known to control a small policy-numbers business in Suffolk and held an ownership interest in a Long Island-based construction firm.

Vincent Asaro -- An important soldier whose lineage traced back to another family of mafiosi from Castellammare. His great-grandfather, grandfather, father, and several uncles were all mafiosi. By the 1980s, Asaro was elevated to a capo post, and DiGregorio was placed in Asaro’s crew. Years after, Vinny allegedly brought his son into the fold, making it five generations in a row.

Sereno (Bobby T) Tartamella -- Son of John Tartamella, the consigliere. As noted above, Sereno himself became a Family soldier. Sereno was a longtime friend and fellow member of their Long Island faction.

James (Jimmy) Genna -- Another Family soldier and fellow Long Island regime member. Genna became a son-in-law to John Tartamella and a brother-in-law to Sereno Tartamella after Jimmy married into the Tartamella family.

Michael (Mike the Sailor) Casale -- He was a longtime soldier who controlled several mobbed-up social clubs on Suffolk’s South Shore where high-stakes card games were operated. A loyal aide and disciple of Paul Sciacca, Casale was eventually elevated to a capo status after Sciacca became boss of the Family.

Side Note: Tony was a very, very well-connected hood. Besides his father, his uncle Matty, and several cousins, another uncle through marriage was the infamous Buffalo boss Stefano (The Undertaker) Magaddino. Other relatives included Stefano’s brother, capo Antonino (Nino) Magaddino, and a slew of Upstate cousins, not the least of whom were Pietro Magaddino, Gaspare Magaddino, Peter J. Magaddino, Peter A. Magaddino. After marrying Sam Scro's daughter, Tony also became the brother-in-law of Buffalo consigliere Vincent A. (Jimmy) Scro, as well as Jimmy’s three brothers -- all of whom the FBI considered Mafia associates.

Rusty's L.I. Overseer

Although he wasn’t considered a hardcore gangster, through the years, Tony did get involved in a variety of underworld rackets. He generally made his money by engaging in gambling and the shylock businesses. But he did so in a very quiet and subtle manner, hardly causing a ripple.

Truth be told, Tony Dee never operated what could be called a “major” underworld racket, nor did he achieve great wealth during his lifetime.

Instead, he seemed to be happy just grinding out a day-to-day living running a small shylock business, dabbling in a little bookmaking, or partnering in various card games held inside several private social clubs run by the Bonanno Family, several of which dotted Suffolk’s South Shore area along Sunrise Highway and Merrick Road.

But despite his low-key persona and relative anonymity, Tony eventually came into law enforcement’s cross hairs in 1971 when he became a target for investigation by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Rackets Squad.

That was the year DiGregorio got arrested along with four other members and associates of the Bonanno Family for operating a loansharking ring active in Queens and Long Island.

After the authorities gave all their evidence to local prosecutors, who then presented it to a Suffolk County Grand Jury, the five hoodlums were subsequently indicted on dozens of counts of criminal usury and conspiracy in violation of the New York State Penal Code.

Suffolk County Organized Crime Bureau Detectives described the “shylock” ring as an underworld operation headed by members of a Bonanno crew on behalf of the notorious Philip (Rusty) Rastelli -- the Bonanno Family’s new Brooklyn-based leader.

The authorities named Tony DiGregorio as serving in the capacity of Rastelli’s Long Island "overseer," or second in command for the loanshark ring.

One of those arrested with Rastelli and DiGregorio was Joseph Lombardi, who was described as a convicted bookmaker and garbage-carting operator who also happened to be a cousin to DiGregorio.

Another of those indicted was Frank Andosca, who police described as a suspected Bonanno Family member and the prime suspect in a gangland-style murder that took place in Brooklyn during the late 1960s.

The loanshark operation was said by the Suffolk County D.A. to have lent money at interest rates ranging from 5% to 6% weekly -- the equivalent of a whopping 250-300% annually -- to approximately 15 to 20 borrowers in Nassau, Suffolk, and Queens Counties over the course of several years.

Prosecutors alleged that Rastelli was the “bank” for the ring and that “Tony D” was the resident overseer and collector, with the assistance of the others.

Side Note: Philip Rastelli had only recently ascended to the Bonanno Family throne in that era. But because of his notorious reputation as a mobster, their indictment became front-page headlines in all the local newspapers during their arrests. Prosecutors said the investigation to indict them took over two years .

1971 -- Seen here after his arrest on loanshark and conspiracy charges, Family boss Rusty Rastelli being brought in with handcuffs.

Button Guys could find no exact final disposition of the case regarding DiGregorio and the others, but Rastelli, who was described as the boss and prime target of the investigation, later pled guilty and accepted an 18-month jail term for loansharking.

The other defendants probably also copped out to lesser charges. However, it may have been due to a "no-jail" plea deal with the District Attorney’s Office because Tony was not believed to have ever served a jail term.

Trouble in Love Island

By the late 1970s, trouble was brewing between Tony and Rosalie. Despite the storybook "arranged" Mafia marriage between the two Cosa Nostra Families, over time, cracks began to develop between the couple.

Their marital strife would eventually lead to a separation. Tony moved out of the family house and into a rental apartment nearby.

This parting of ways later led to Tony and Rosalie seeking a formal divorce from one another, something not typically commonplace or readily accepted for Italians during those years, especially among Mafiosi families.

After their divorce, Rosalie relocated to Florida with their children. She would live there for the remainder of her lifetime.

For his part, Tony moved into a quiet one-bedroom garden apartment complex in West Babylon. Tony lived there for many years to come.

As a newly minted bachelor once again, his time was mostly his own. In the coming years, Tony continued hanging out with “the boys” at local restaurants and various Bonanno Family social clubs -- several of which he was a partner in -- spending most evenings in the company of fellow soldiers and mob associates of their crew.

Putting in a Formal Complaint

During the late 1990s, a well-vetted story made the rounds about a formal complaint that DiGregorio and a fellow soldier put in with the Bonanno Family hierarchy against their capo, Vincent (Vinny) Asaro.

The crux of their complaint was the unrelenting verbal disrespect and monetary abuse the capo exhibited toward his men.

Vinny Asaro was widely known as an inveterate gambler, and a very unlucky gambler at that. In fact, one could say that he was a lifelong degenerate gambler. A born loser!

That said, Asaro’s unsavory habits and weakness generally found him at the local racetrack daily, be it Aqueduct, Belmont, Yonkers, or Roosevelt Raceways.

When he wasn’t betting the ponies, Vinny could usually be found rolling the bones at a local floating dice game or playing in a high-stakes card game. The man was insatiable. There is little doubt that during his lifetime, he blew millions.

DiGregorio and company reportedly informed then-Family boss Joe Massino that Asaro was -- in fact -- “abusing” them both verbally and financially by robbing his own men. They said he would regularly demand the lion’s share of whatever money they generated weekly from the various gambling, shylock, and other activities they operated.

His demands far exceeded what a capodecina is normally entitled to as his fair share of his regime’s profits. They informed the Bonanno hierarchy that Asaro also continually spoke to them in a not-so-subtle threatening manner.

These were dangerous waters DiGregorio and his fellow soldiers were treading in. Many good men before them have gone to their own slaughter for opening their mouths with complaints about their mob superiors.

But, luckily for them, boss Joe Massino did not take their accusations lightly. He summoned Asaro to immediately "come in" and explain his actions.

After listening to what his shifty capodecina had to say in defense of himself, Massino quickly transferred DiGregorio and the others to another crew, then summarily demoted Asaro -- breaking him down to a soldier rank for his infractions of Cosa Nostra rules. It was almost the equivalent of "shelving" him.

Side Note: Mob reporter Jerry Capeci also reported on this particular incident between Asaro and his men in one of his weekly columns.

Blessed with Longevity

Despite the hazardous line of work he chose for himself, the dangerous friends he kept, and his family’s history, Tony received the blessing of a long life.

Anthony (Tony D) DiGregorio died in February 2021. He was 93 years old.

He had managed to outlive his parents by many decades. Tony’s mom, Maria, died back on August 4, 1927, when he was still an infant.

His father, Gaspare, passed away forty-some-odd years later, in 1970, at the age of 63. Tony was 43 years old when his father died.

Postscript: Despite having been a formally inducted “made man” in the Bonanno crime family for nearly seventy years, as well as his arrest with Phil Rastelli back in 1971, oddly enough,Tony DiGregorio was never officially recognized by the FBI or any other law enforcement agency as such.

Tony’s lifelong anonymity becomes clearly evident when perusing the reams of federal intelligence reports and Mafia hierarchy charts put together by various local and federal law enforcement agencies over the years.

A perfect example is his notable absence from the FBI’s documented members list of New York’s Five Family structure, which the agency submitted to the United States Senate Hearings Committee in 1983 and again in 1988. Nor does his name appear on the City of New York Police Department’s Organized Crime Bureau list for the Five Families.

In fact, to this day, Anthony DiGregorio’s name still doesn’t appear on any government list of known Cosa Nostra members. He is just one example of many mafiosi from all across the country who successfully slipped through the cracks of law enforcement over the years.

Until next time..."The Other Guy"

Anthony DiGregorio: Bonanno Mafia Royalty

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Anthony DiGregorio: Bonanno Mafia Royalty

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Murad (Mickey Coco) Nersissian

Giuseppe (Joe) Bonanno: Infamous and Controversial Cosa Nostra Boss

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