Bonanno soldier Tony Lisi was active in narcotics trafficking and purchased his heroin from drug couriers connected to the Cotroni Family in Montreal for distribution in New York City. That is not surprising, considering he was closely associated with the infamous Carmine Galante.
But Lisi was also known as a gunman and was once accused of murder along with future Bonanno Family capo Angelo (Little Moe) Presinzano.
Gaetano (Tony) Lisi – aka “Tommy Lisi,” “Thomas Lisi,” “Anthony Lisi,” and “Anthony Leis” – was born on July 11, 1911, in Palermo, Sicily.
He immigrated to this country as a child along with his parents Sebastiano and Nellie Lisi (nee’ Greco) and his four siblings. The family settled on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
Over the years, the Lisi’s resided variously in the Little Italy section and around the waterfront and docks in a neighborhood known as the “Fourth Ward” by Lower Manhattan’s Fulton Fish Market area.
He later married Josephine Armano, but records show there were no known children born to this union.
They once resided in an apartment at 81 Mulberry Street, but Lisi generally preferred to live and operate more around the Fourth Ward.
By the late-1950s, the couple was living at 154 East Broadway.
Tony Lisi stood approximately 5 feet 5 inches in height and had a medium build. He weighed in at about 165 pounds. He had dark brown eyes and dark hair combed straight back, a prominent nose, and a dark olive complexion.
FBI #771146, NYCPD #B-108091
By the time he was 21 years old, Tony Lisi had already started notching up arrests.
Over the years, his police “yellow jacket” would include such charges as grand larceny, armed robbery (twice), possession of a deadly weapon, vagrancy, disorderly conduct, first-degree murder, parole violation, conspiracy, and narcotics law violations.
By the 1940s, he had become a well-known Manhattan-based racketeer and gunman.
Tony Lisi was one of three known hoodlums charged by the police with murdering a small-time racketeer by the name of Anthony (Babe) Imperiale. The three suspects were seen entering a Downtown Manhattan apartment house with Imperiale.
Minutes later, they were seen running out of the apartment house right after gunshots were heard by neighbors. Once police arrived on the scene, they found Imperiale dead in the entry-level hallway from multiple gunshot wounds.
A Suspected Mafia Member
Around that same time, police started listing Tony Lisi as a suspected mafia member connected with the Joseph Bonanno crime family.
In fact, Tony Lisi was an “inducted” soldier of that borgata serving under Moe Presinzano and his cousin, the family’s notorious underboss Carmine (Lilo) Galante.
Lisi was arrested along with future Bonanno capo Angelo (Little Moe) Presinzano and another local hood for the Imperiale killing.
Murder charges were eventually dropped against the three for a lack of witnesses coming forward, which subsequently became a lack of hard evidence.
Tony Lisi frequented known mob hangouts such as the C.I.A. Social Club, 72 Forsyth Street; The Holiday Bar, 55 Madison Street; Jay’s Bar, 49 East Houston Street; and the Madison Bar, 116 Madison Street. All were located in Lower Manhattan.
He was said to hold a hidden interest in the C.I.A. Social Club where he often operated from.
Lisi allegedly also held interests in the Holiday Bar, Deeds Transportation Company (a trucking firm) in Brooklyn, and even an accounting firm, Dan & Jay Accountants, located at 154 East Broadway.
Tony Lisi numbered among his underworld associates most of the known hoodlums and major racketeers operating in Lower Manhattan.
But among his closest associates were top Bonanno members such as underboss Carmine (Lilo) Galante, Frank (Frankie T) Mari, Salvatore (Little Sal) Giglio, Michael Sabella, Anthony (Tony) Mirra, and Angelo and Frank Presinzano.
He was also said to be affiliated with such Genovese members as Carlo (Carlie) DePietro and Frank (Frankie the Bug) Caruso, and Lucchese soldier Angelo (Little Ange) Tuminaro.
Most of these mafiosi were known or convicted narcotics violators.
Tony Lisi himself was listed by authorities as a known narcotics trafficker who dealt in kilo quantities of heroin that he obtained from drug couriers connected to the Cotroni mob up in Montreal, Canada, and then resold to local dealers in New York City.
Until next time…”The Other Guy”
