Sicilian Mafia Boss “Don” Vito Vitale

One of the most powerful early Mafia bosses to ever rule over the Island of Sicily was the legendary Trapanese mafioso Vito Vitale.

Vito Vitale, better known throughout the Italian underworld as “Don Vito” and “Don Vitone,” was one of the most important capos to ever head the infamous Mafia clan based in the town of Castellammare del Golfo, Trapani Province, in Northwestern Sicily.

Born in the historic seaside village of Castellammare back on August 24, 1885, to parents Antonino Vitale and Giovanna (nee’ Ciaravino), as he rose to power within the Sicilian mafia, Vitale would ultimately maintain several residences and power bases in his hometown as well as the northern Italian City of Rome, and the nearby City of Ostia.

In fact, at the height of his power, law enforcement authorities say Vito resided at Corso Regina Maria Pia #21C in the City of Ostia.

He was known to own other properties in the cities of Rome, Palermo, and Castellammare del Golfo. He was also suspected of having hidden ownerships or controlling interests in various legitimate businesses across Trapani province.

Vito stood a mere 5 feet 2 inches tall and would rank as a lightweight boxer at only 135 pounds.

Yet, he was anything but a “lightweight” in underworld power and respect. He had a medium build, very dark-brown “wolf-like” eyes and hair that turned grayish as he aged, and sported a Mediterranean olive complexion.

Although he reportedly never traveled to the United States himself, Vito’s mafioso son Michelangelo and daughter Giovanna later both immigrated to the states.

In fact, Giovanna eventually married a notorious Detroit mafia capo named Raffaele (Jimmy Q) Quasarano.

Warm Relations with NYC

Vitale also maintained warm relations and contacts with top New York City mafiosi including Giuseppe (Joe) Bonanno , his longtime underboss Francesco (Frankie Carroll) Garofalo , Bonanno’s uncle Giovanni (John) Bonventre, Buffalo’s Antonino and Stefano Magaddino , and key members of Detroit’s Zerilli Family through his son Michelangelo Vitale and former Detroit bigwig Francesco (Three Finger Frank) Coppola; both of whom were later deported back to Sicily.

In Sicily, Vito numbered among his closest associates most of the top mafia figures across the island.

These included Antonio Minore, Vito Minore, Vincenzo Rimi, Natale Rimi, Gaetano Badalamenti, Vito Badalamenti, Calogero Buccellato, Felice Buccellato, Diego Plaia, Giuseppe Caiozzo, Giuseppe Corso Sr., Giuseppe Corso Jr., Serafino Mancuso, Giuseppe Mancuso, and Salvatore Mancuso.

All the aforementioned men hailed from Trapani Province; and Santo Sorge, Mimi LaFata, Genco Russo, and Salvatore and Leonardo Greco.

Vitale’s known criminal record with the Carabiniere (Sicilian Police) seems to have started late in life, dating back to 1918 when he was already thirty-three years old.

But in the coming years, he would accumulate arrests for extortion, alien smuggling, theft, bootlegging alcohol, cigarette smuggling , and several counts of murder.

Through the years, he was said to have held a controlling interest in such rackets as cattle and livestock rustling, monopolies that controlled farming and the price of fruits and vegetables to the marketplace, extortions of retail businesses, narcotics manufacturing and the international trafficking of multi-kilo loads to North America, international cigarette smuggling, and massive real estate frauds among other Mafia-type activities.

No Reservations

During his rise to power, Vitale was also said to have had little reservation about using strong-arm tactics and murder to achieve his goals.

He was reputed to have been in attendance at the infamous Hotel del Palmes meetings in 1957 when Joe Bonanno and his hierarchy flew to Sicily to conference in the City of Palermo with their counterparts in the Sicilian Brotherhood; Presumably, to discuss the logistics of the American and Sicilian mafia’s joint partnership in the transcontinental heroin trade.

Italian authorities and the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN) both regarded Vitale as “a top leader and arbitrator of the Mafia in Italy who arranges money transfers from America to Italy regarding narcotics traffic and other illicit transactions.”

They further went on to state, “Vitale introduces American gangsters to their Sicilian and Corsican counterparts who are narcotic suppliers.”

Until next time…”The Other Guy”

Sicilian Mafia Boss “Don” Vito Vitale

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