Operating from the Triple Cities Region in Upstate New York, what later became known as the “Binghamton Crew” was in fact the Upstate New York membership of the original Santo Volpe Family of Pittston-Scranton, Pennsylvania.
By the mid-1940s, the leadership baton had passed from Volpe to Giovanni (John) Sciandra who reportedly headed the borgata from that point until his death in 1949.
Thereafter, a top “capo di decina” of the borgata named Giuseppe (Joe the Barber) Barbara Sr. ascended to the top spot until his own death from natural causes a decade later in 1959, at which time underboss Rosario (Russ) Bufalino took over control of the family for the next four decades.
It was during Barbara’s tenure as boss that he first elevated a highly trusted soldier named Anthony (The Governor) Guarnieri to serve as his eyes and ears over their large Upstate New York membership.
A fellow native of Binghamton himself, “Gov” Guarnieri held this position as the top “capo di decina” for the next thirty years, serving under the regimes of both Barbara and Bufalino.
Keep reading to learn more about this short history of the Guarnieri regime and view the Guarnieri Regime Leadership Chart.
The Reign of Anthony (Gov) Guarnieri
Guarnieri oversaw a deceptively large network of soldiers and associates spread out across New York State and later expanded their interests to South Florida after he moved there and helped the Bufalino Family extend their territory to the Sunshine State.
Through the years, the Binghamton regime was known to operate extensive gambling rackets that included horse and sports bookmaking, policy numbers, “Treasury Balance” lottery, various card games, floating dice games, police bribery, shylocking, extortion, labor-union rackets, organized theft rings, fencing stolen goods, jukeboxes and coin-machines, and a sprawling garment racketeering operation that enjoyed non-union dress factories sprinkled throughout Upstate New York, Manhattan’s Garment District, and Northeastern Pennsylvania.
After Gov and several of his close associates relocated to Florida he continued as the capo of a crew active in gambling, labor union rackets, criminally receiving and “fencing” stolen goods, distributing counterfeit watches, and suspected narcotics traffic.
The Gov in Florida
Guarnieri figured into many organized crime investigations and arrests over the years.
These included a major federal probe into the 1957 Apalachin Mafia Meeting after he and sixty-two other top mafiosi across the country were captured at Joe Barbara’s home.
But all in all, “The Governor” largely operated unscathed from law enforcement arrests and imprisonment throughout his long underworld career.
By the mid-1980s, he figured into yet another major indictment.
This time around brought by Florida State law enforcement after they conducted an undercover investigation in local mob rackets and business infiltration in South Florida.
Guarnieri became a central target in the probe and was eventually charged with the sale of counterfeit designer watches, purchasing stolen liquor, and conspiracy to distribute 300-pounds of marijuana.
In July 1988, the then 77-year-old mafioso eventually pled out to reduced charges and received a 2-year prison stint.
What follows below is the known (and previously unknown) New York State membership of the Anthony Guarnieri Regime.
Keep in mind that not all those listed in this Guarnieri Regime Leadership Chart served under him during the same time period.
