Carmine Galante
Carmine Galante | |
|---|---|
Mugshot of Galante in 1947 | |
| Born | February 21, 1910 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | July 12, 1979 (aged 69) New York City, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Gunshot wounds |
| Resting place | Saint John's Cemetery, Queens |
| Other names | "Lilo", "The Cigar", "The Heroin Don". |
| Occupation | Crime boss |
| Spouse |
Helen Marulli (m. 1945) |
| Children | 5 |
| Allegiance | Bonanno crime family |
| Convictions | Contempt of court (1961) Drug trafficking (1962) |
| Criminal penalty | 20 days' imprisonment 20 years' imprisonment and fined $20,000 |
Carmine Galante (Italian: [ˈkarmine ɡaˈlante]; February 21, 1910 – July 12, 1979) was an American Mafioso who was de facto boss of the Bonanno crime family of New York City. Law enforcement have accused Galante of participating in between 80 and 100 murders, with an extensive arrest record dating back to 1926 for assault, robbery, murder, grand larceny, alcohol tax violation, and narcotics. According to FBI files, during the 1930s and 1940s, Galante served as an enforcer for Don Vito Genovese, including himself carried out several murder contracts. During the 1950s, Galante ran an international narcotics ring with Joe Bonanno. Galante also attended the infamous October 1957 Apalachin meeting.
In 1958 and 1960, Galante was indicted for drug trafficking. In 1962, Galante was sentenced to 20 years in prison, and was paroled in 1974. Galante was rarely seen without a cigar hanging from his mouth, leading to the nickname "The Cigar" and "Lilo", named after the Italian slang word for "a stubby little cigar". He was assassinated on Commission orders in 1979 while dining at the patio of a restaurant, alongside his cousin Giuseppe Turano and Bonanno associate Leonardo Coppola.