Two of his siblings brother Rocco and sister Antoinette Pugliese are still alive. You have to remember, he grew up in an era when it was a terrible thing to be conceived out of wedlock. [29] Reflecting the new power structure, Gerald "Skinny" Ward of Welland, who had long served as the Papalia's family drug distributor and smuggler in the Niagara Peninsula area, went over to the Hells Angels after Johnny's murder. It would take you forever to infiltrate somebody like that to the extent that you would be a personal trust to him, that he would take you as one of his boys to tell you to do things for him. Police. [133] When Longo died, Iannuzzeli disappeared three days later. [38], By the mid-1950s, Papalia was called back to Ontario by Magaddino and inducted as a made man into the Canadian arm of the Buffalo crime family and to be boss of the Papalia family in Ontario. [20] Papalia then began to expand his enterprise with his son Johnny who had some relationship with the Buffalo crime family. "[92] Papalia had a propriety attitude towards the wives and mistresses of his men, taking the viewpoint that it was his right as a boss to sleep with the girlfriends and wives of his men, which made him unpopular. [148] Papalia was prepared to grudgingly tolerate other outlaw biker clubs such as the Outlaws and Satan's Choice, but drew a line at the Hells Angels. [22] Johnny Papalia did not volunteer for overseas service (until November 1944, Canada only sent volunteers overseas to fight in World War II). [56] The "French Connection" heroin was grown in the poppy fields of Turkey and further afield in the "Golden Crescent" nations of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran or the "Golden Triangle" nations of Burma, Thailand and Laos. [30] Frank did refuse, fined $150, his licence suspended for three months and his car taken to impound, where it was worked on by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The Papalia crime family is one of three major crime families in Hamilton, the other two being the Musitano crime family and the Luppino crime family. [37], Later in 1961, Papalia demolished the family home and built a warehouse for his vending machine business, an all-cash business, to serve as the front for his criminal operations. The Papalia crime family is a 'Ndrangheta organized crime family based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, as well as Plat in Southern Italy and Buccinasco in N. [118] After the sale, two of Papalia's other brothers, Rocco and Dominic, promptly set up a new company, Galaxy Vending, whose office was located at the Monarch Vending's old office at 20 Railroad Street. [159][160][161] In February 2000, the brothers were sentenced to 10 years for conspiracy to commit murder in the murder of Barillaro in a plea bargain arrangement. And he as always very self-conscious about it. [70][71] On May 22, 1961, several people were indicted related to the "French Connection" from informants Salvatore Rinaldo and Matteo Palmeri. [167] On 22-23 October 1997, Rizzuto met twice in a Hamilton restaurant with his Toronto agent Gaetano "Guy" Panepinto and Pasquale "Fat Pat" Musitano. [131] The police considered Papalia to be one of the prime suspects behind Volpe's murder. Buffalo crime family . I never had to wait for a drink. [57] Bluestein refused to "merge" his operations with Papalia's and was beaten with brass knuckles, iron bars and fists as a result. "[123] A police officer said, "John Papalia would like nothing better than to walk into a bar and have everyone in the room bow their head in respect. Now? [92] The way that murders in Toronto always seemed to occur at the same time that Papalia met with Luppino led the police to suspect that Papalia was the killer. Help me! Rocco projected power and over the years some of it rubbed off on meYou need help? "[131] In the same interview with Peter Moon of The Globe & Mail, Papalia listed his hobbies as watching boxing, baseball, American football and old films as he could not stand "this porno stuff" as he labelled modern films. John was the type of guy-even back then-that if he sensed fear in you, he tried to prey on it. [39], Johnny Papalia was shot dead on May 31, 1997, at the age of 73, in the parking lot outside his vending machine business, Galaxy Vending, on 20 Railway Street in Hamilton by hitman Kenneth Murdock claimed to be ordered by Angelo and Pat Musitano of the Musitano crime family who owed $250,000 to Papalia. [78], On March 4, 1963, Papalia pleaded guilty just as his trial was about to begin. To John, it would have been the fact that he was taken for a fool, which he couldn't handle; that he had trusted somebody that he couldn't. He was a bootlegger and you looked up to him. [14] In Toronto and Hamilton, Zaneth purchased considerable amounts of cocaine, heroin and morphine from members of the Perri-Starkman group. They're taking me somewhere I don't want to go! Johnny Papalia was the Buffalo crime family capo in charge of all Southern Ontario operations and Johnny . "[170] In a sign of the new power structure, one of Papalia's leading lieutenants, Gerald Ward of Welland, who had served as the Papalia family's principle drug dealer in the Niagara Peninsula, defected over to the Hells Angels after his murder. [56] Under the "French Connection", the Mafia brought heroin via France into North America. [28] At his trial, Papalia claimed that he was not selling heroin as the prosecution claimed, but rather buying it as he maintained he needed heroin to treat the pain caused by the syphilis he contacted. [11] In June 1955, while collecting money from various Montreal businesses together with the boxer Norm Yakubowitz, Papalia was the subject of an assassination attempt when someone opened fire on the duo. Mafia Criminal organization Social issue Activism . [27] In 1972, Ryce became the mistress of Frank Papalia, who also used her, having her "entertain" other mafiosi via dinners, drinks and sex, through she was informed she that she must never engage in oral sex, which was forbidden to mafiosi. Sylvestro's son-in-law Danny Gasbarrini, Papalia's brothers Frank, Rocco and Dominic, half-brothers Joseph and Angelo, brother-in-law Tony Pugliese, and associates Red LeBarre, Freddie Gabourie, Frank Marchildon and Jackie Weaver, all worked in running Papalia's clubs. [139] One criminal who wore a wire at a meeting with Papalia later stated in an interview with Humphreys:, "It would have been a horrendous situation if he had found the wire. [47], Domenico Papalia, was involved in at least five kidnappings and convicted for the 1976 murder of the emerging boss Antonio D'Agostino, outside a restaurant. The. Papalia was first arrested for burglary in 1945, but was given a short sentence. The creeps. [56] Berton described the beating, "as terrible a beating as it is possible to give a man without killing himIron bars with ropes attached to them for greater leverage rained down on Bluestein's head and across his forehead, eyes and cheekbones. Papalia, even though he was 73 when he died, he wouldn't have put up with that."[172]. [151], In the 1990s, Mora borrowed $7.2 million from Montreal mob boss Vito Rizzuto and gave the bulk of the money to Papalia to open an upscale restaurant and nightclub in Toronto. Papalia also operated various gambling bars and vending machine businesses. [127] The strippers from Quebec were the first to engage in nude table dancing in Ontario, which made them very popular. They were generous that way. [110] In 1974, Montreal mobsters Vincenzo Cotroni and Paolo Violi were overheard on a police wiretap threatening to kill Papalia and demanding $150,000 after he used their names in the $300,000 extortion of Toronto business man Stanley Bader without notifying or cutting them in on the score. [92] Sicari stated to the police that on the day of the murder, he had driven Vendemini to Hamilton to see an unnamed mutual friend and then drove Vendemini to the Toronto airport; he denied knowing anything about the murder. [22] 1955, with assistance from Sylvestro, Papalia started opening charter gambling clubs in Hamilton and Toronto. I tell you, this guy was like a fox. "[121] The Gold Key Club became Papalia's principal base for entertaining visitors as the large, illuminated neon yellow key on the front of the club became a symbol of his power in Hamilton. [76] The "French Connection" case was described by Robert F. Kennedy, the attorney-general of the United States, as "the deepest penetration ever made in the illegal international trafficking of drugs. [127] Despite their first meeting, Papalia managed to get along well with Simard, who spoke fluent English and always respectful towards him. [83], Due to the indictment, Magaddino promoted Santo Scibetta to leader of the Buffalo family's Ontario branch, replacing Papalia. [12] Maria Rosa initially married Antonio's younger brother Giuseppe Papalia Jr., giving birth to two sons in Italy, however when Giuseppe died, she immigrated to Canada with her two sons in 1913 to live with Antonio, whom she married at some point, through it remains unclear when the wedding actually took place. Frank, Rocco, Koaches and Monaco were all arrested and charged with conspiracy to defraud the federal government of $50,000. [50], Another branch of the 'ndrina moved to Griffith, New South Wales. Killed. Another branch of the family is based in Griffith in the Australian state of New South Wales. No conviction was obtained in relation to the murder of Papalia. ", "Parole of convicted mob killer notorious for his explosive temper tested by road raging motorist", "Kenny Murdock, mob-boss Papalia's killer, gets new identity", "Notorious mobster Pat Musitano believed to be targeted in Hamilton house shooting", "Musitano, 29, was arrested Wednesday for violating terms of his parole, which prohibited him from associating with known criminals", "Frank Papalia was 'the rock' of Hamilton mafia family", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Johnny_Papalia&oldid=1142139522, Canadian people convicted of drug offences, People murdered by Canadian organized crime, People extradited from Canada to the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox person with multiple parents, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 18:49. [145] One Toronto businessman, Donald Pressey, paid Papalia $10,000 after "Pennybender" threatened him and said he was working on behalf on the Montreal underground. The Musitano family was founded by Angelo Musitano in Canada in the 1940s, and was one of three centralized Mafia organizations in Hamilton, with the other two being the Luppino crime . [84] Papalia's homecoming to Hamilton was a lavish affair as Railway Street was filled up with a vast assortment of parked Lincolns and Cadillacs as a number of the underworld figures of southern Ontario arrived to pay their respects. John would have had me hit. [13] Antonio is believed to have been involved in Starkman's murder as her killers fled in an automobile stolen from the garage where Antonio worked. That's what the police tell you, isn't it? [120], As a boss, Papalia was feared rather than loved; one of his associates stated, "We had to respect him because of his role. [93] The speech caused a media storm in Ontario. According to the investigations, Domenico is "one of the most authoritative figures, by far, of the entire 'Ndrangheta organization". Image Credit: True Crime Daily/YouTube. [96] The incident led to Papalia being charged with assault, but a month later, in September 1971 the assault charges were dropped when Joy accepted a written apology from Papalia who stated he "been under a great deal of pressure at the time" and refused to testify against him. Another branch of the family is based in Griffith in the Australian state of New South Wales. Brass knuckles were smashed into his eyes and a broken bottle was ground into his mouth. Walter Stadnick, a Hamilton native and Hells Angels in charge of expanding them into Ontario, was forced to keep a low profile in his hometown as long as Papalia lived. The Papalia crime family is one of three major crime families in Hamilton, the other two being the Musitano crime family and the Luppino crime family . [33] With her gathered recordings, trial began in the summer of 1981, where Frank and Papalia lieutenant Steve Koaches pleaded guilty to obstructing justice, and in return, Frank's prostitution charge was dropped. [5] On April 30, 1974, Papalia went to Montreal, where Cotroni told him, "I don't want chicken feed. They had a lot of balls. The Papalia crime family ( Italian: [papalia]) also known as Papalia 'ndrina, is a 'Ndrangheta organized crime family [2] based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, as well as Plat in Southern Italy and Buccinasco in Northern Italy. Pat Musitanothe alleged boss of Hamilton's Musitano crimefamilyhas been released from the hospital after being shot four times in an apparent mafiahit. [98] The various gangsters who attended the summit numbered at least 100 and it was intended to use the Quebec casinos to engage in money laundering on a colossal scale. "Mafia hitman reveals his code for killings", "His brother was Ontario's pre-eminent Mafia boss, but long-suffering Frank Papalia was still his keeper", "Bawdy houses, biker clubs and Mafia joints: Should we give gang landmarks historical status? [92] In 1975, Papalia founded the Gold Key Club nightclub in Hamilton. [31] A court authorization also allowed for the implementation of wiretaps at the Papalias' businesses on Railway Street in Hamilton and consigliere Bruno Monaco's car while parked at Toronto Pearson International Airport. [27] When visiting Toronto, Papalia was known to joke that the particular branch of the Toronto-Dominion bank that he robbed in 1944 was "our bank. In November 1998, Murdock pleaded guilty to three counts of second degree murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment, and he named Pat and Angelo as the men who had ordered the murders; he was released on parole after serving 13 years. Frank Papalia was the rock of Hamilton mafia family One of the last remaining figures from one of Ontario s most infamous mafia dynasties, Papalia died on Tuesday at the age of 83. [117], In 1979, Monarch Vending was sold to Allind Distributors of Toronto while a non-competition agreement was signed with Frank Papalia and Monaco, stating the two were not to compete with Monarch Vending in the greater Toronto area for the next five years. [126] At a meeting at Hanrahan's strip bar in Hamilton, Papalia told Simard, "Maybe you have friends? Pat and his baby-faced, 21-year-old brother, Angelo, were charged with the murder, but struck a deal, pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit murder in the death of Papalia's lieutenant, Carmen. "[115] The fact that Cotroni had threatened to kill Papalia if he went to prison caused him much alarm, and it came as a considerable relief to him in May 1977 when Violi and Cotroni were acquitted on most of the charges on an appeal. But that doesn't mean I was involved; I wasn't, because I wouldn't have anything to do with Greeks I don't like them, I don't like their restaurants, I don't like their food. Another of Papalia's lieutenants was a man known as "Pennybender", whose special talent was to place a penny between his teeth while bending it with his hand, which considered to be a terrifying act by those who saw it, and inspired many people to give in to Papalia's demands. [153] Musitano was unhappy with the way that his family was subordinate to the Papalia family, which in turn was the Canadian branch of the Magaddino family. [22], Johnny was extradited to the United States for trial in 1962 for his role in the French Connection heroin smuggling ring, found guilty and sentenced to 10 years. [120] The footage was aired anyhow with the four-words being beeped out, which made Papalia appear crude and vulgar on national television. When I saw Bluestein, some 10 days after the affair, he looked like a piece of meat. "[81] Another Hamilton policeman told the same reporter, "A real deadly man who would crush you without thinking. [6], In Italy, the Papalia family is a sort of branch within the Barbaro 'ndrina, operating in Lombardy, and having its stronghold in the city of Buccinasco. You know you didn't have to give them anything back. [38], In the 1990s, Papalia lieutenant Enio "Pegleg" Mora borrowed $7.2 million from Montreal mob boss Vito Rizzuto, and gave the bulk of the money to Papalia to open an upscale restaurant and nightclub in Toronto. [25] By the early 1960s, he earned his reputation from the French Connection, a smuggling operation that supplied over 80 percent of America's heroin market between the 1960s and 1970sdeveloping strong connections with the Buffalo family. "[112] Inspector Ron Sandelli of the Toronto police stated, "This was a period in John's life when John was afraid. . [10] Papalia later gave his father's internment as the reason as to why he did not serve in the military during World War II. The branch was founded and headed by the children of Giuseppe Papalia and Serafina Barbaro. [2], The Papalia family, like many 'ndranghetist families, has the habit of marrying its members with other important 'Ndrangheta families of Plat, such as the Marando, Agresta, Perre, Sergi, Trimboli, Musitano, and Molluso. [60], A profile of Papalia was published in Toronto Star Weekly Magazine by Peter Sypnowich under the title "He Wanted To Be Canada's Al Capone. [32] Through the wiretap planted in his car, Frank was heard procuring a woman, Shirley Ryce, for the Papalias' lawyer Clive Bynoe to have sex with her on September 5, 1979. Havana Conference . "[81] Papalia later sought to reverse his conviction, claiming that he was of unsound mind when he made the guilty plea due to the anti-tuberculosis drugs he was taking and wanted a new trial, taking his case all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States, which refused to hear his appeal on October 12, 1964. Frank was born into a crime family that built a notorious empire on Hamilton's Railway Street. "[46] Those who refused his offers of partnership were then beaten bloody by Papalia's thugs. [96], In August 1970, Papalia attended a crime summit in Acapulco representing the Magaddino family to meet with gangsters from Canada, the United States, France, and Mexico to discuss plans to take over the soon to be legalized casino industry in Quebec. Shraman Mitra. At a young age, he was involved in petty crimes. [109] Bader believed these claims, saying he had noticed "strange" cars parked outside of his house at night, whom he felt were from Montreal, and agreed to hand over the money to Papalia. But maybe I'd liked it to be different. [11] Papalia later described himself as a "wild kid" who was known for his womanizing, and who had contracted syphilis by the age of 19. [2] Magaddino informed Papalia that he was not to replace the older leaders in Ontario, but rather to work with them. [32] Cotroni had made contact with exiled Charles "Lucky" Luciano in 1951, saying he wanted access to the American market. [108] Papalia devised a plan under which Swartz would tell Bader that the investors were from the Cotroni family, and that Papalia would volunteer to "return" the stolen money to Montreal in exchange for sparing Bader's life. Everywhere I went I was treated as somebody special. In November 1998, Murdock pleaded guilty to three counts of second degree murder, was sentenced to life imprisonment, and named Pat and Angelo as the men who had ordered the murders; he was released on parole after serving 13 years. [130] Papalia is reported to have told Cotroni, "Put a leash on Melo or I'll kill him. [165][39] Peter Edwards and Antonio Nicaso wrote that with the murders of Mora, Papalia and Barillaro over a ten month period "created more space" for the Rizzuto family, which was then able to dominate Ontario. Box 7200, Leesburg, VA 20177 In 1984, Papalia attempted to redevelop an entire city block he owned in Hamilton to put up a luxury hotel, which was frustrated by the city of Hamilton, which refused the necessary permits to redevelop the block. The Papalia crime . Money was no object. Known as the "The Enforcer," Johnny (Pops) Papalia was born March 18, 1924 in Hamilton and died at the age of 73 when he was shot in the head outside his family's vending machine business,. On May 10, 1987, Domenico Papalia was murdered outside of his house in Melbourne and on September 3, 1989, Filippo Papalia was also murdered outside of his house in Sydney. [2] Papalia's territory covered Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville, St. Catharine's, Welland, Niagara Falls and much of Toronto. [47] Papalia especially liked to target stockbrokers who worked on Toronto's Bay Street, usually demanding that they pay him about $1,000 per week as "protection", supposedly against their enemies, but in fact for protection against being beaten by Papalia's crew. [119] In 1977, Papalia was featured in the CBC television documentary, Connections, about Mafia influence on the Canadian economy. They are always looking to compromise people who might help them, even if it's years and years down the road". The Papalia crime family is a 'Ndrangheta organization based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, as well as Plat in Southern Italy and Buccinasco in Northern Italy. It wasn't for a lack of trying, he was just too smart. [54] Both Domenico and Filippo Papalia were the cousins of Johnny Papalia of Hamilton. [16] The refusal of Perri and Starkman to financially support the Italiano family during his imprisonment caused much resentment in the Papalia family with police reports from the time noting that Tony Papalia was unhappy with the breach of the Mafia code. Papalia was born in Hamilton, to Italian immigrants who also had a history in organized crime. Johnny was too much like Sonny Corleone," said Dubro, referencing James Caan's hotheaded character in 1972's The Godfather. "[2] Antonio Papalia was released in 1941 after he convinced the authorities that he was not a Fascist. "[118], In 1982, after Bader had moved south to Miami, he was sprayed with bullets when answering his front door. [29] In the summer of 1979, police pulled Frank over to ask questions about possible drinking and driving in hopes he would refuse a breathalyzer test, charge him, and impound his car to install wiretaps. [156] Papalia was brought to Hamilton General Hospital where he was pronounced dead. [107] In 1973, Bader swindled a group of Montreal investors, which Swartz mentioned to Papalia. Musitano wanted an alignment with the Rizzuto family, which in turn was looking to expand into Ontario. $11 million boost for frontline response to family and domestic violence: 24/11/2022. [65] The office for the Monarch Vending company was located at 20 Railroad Street and became Papalia's principle base, through officially Monarch Vending was owned and managed by his brother Frank Papalia together with Bruno Monaco. [86] Papalia worked closely with the Italian branch of his 'ndrina (clan). The Musitano crime family (Italian: [muzitano]) is a 'Ndrangheta organized crime family based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, as well as Plat in Southern Italy and Buccinasco and Bareggio in Northern Italy. "[47] The protection payments served as seed money for Papalia's loan sharking business, which he called "shylocking. He died of natural causes in April 2014, at the age of 83. [49] Chard failed to win any professional titles, but during his time in Kingston Penitentiary, had been the prison boxing champion, a title that commanded both respect and fear on the streets. [104] The meeting was held in Italian, a language that Papalia could speak competently, albeit he was "not fluent in the delicacies of the language. [168] Rizzuto appointed Musitano as one of his Ontario lieutenants to work under the authority of Panepinto. The Papalia clan that operate in Italy have alliances with the Barbaro 'ndrina, while the Papalia clan in Canada is one of three centralized Mafia organizations in Hamilton the other two being the Musitano crime family and the Luppino . [26] In 1944, Papalia, Giondrano, and Pasquale robbed a Toronto-Dominion bank to provide themselves with venture capital for their criminal enterprises. [17], Papalia attended St. Augustine Catholic School on Mulberry Street, dropping out in grade 8 after he suffered from a case of tuberculosis that put him in a sanitorium for several months. [49] In 1955, Papalia organized in Toronto a bare-knuckle boxing match between Chard and James. It's widely believed by Mafia insiders that Magaddino and Papalia wanted to move in on Perri's territory in Ontario. People who use our name pay. [66] Through the company records listed Johnny only as an employee of his brother Frank, he was considered by almost everyone to be the real boss of Monarch Vending. Calls came in reporting a shooting Read More Canadian Mafia Is the Musitano family era at an end in Hamilton? [35] Both Galante and Cotroni served as mentors for Papalia, whom modelled himself after them. [135] Despite his fondness for Chinese food, Papalia refused to go to Lee's Garden, his favourite Chinese restaurant, which was located just outside outside of Hamilton in Burlington, instead patiently waiting in his car for someone to pick up the food he ordered. [147], Regarding the Greektown case, Papalia said in 1986, "Yeah, I know the people they charged they're friends of mine. He's hard, hard, hard. "[11] As a teenager, Papalia was a member of a gang that staged burglaries in Hamilton, with the icehouse at the corner of Railway and Mulberry streets serving as their base. In 1993, authorities seized a house, factory, land, cars and businesses that belonged to Antonio and Rocco, worth over $40 million. [84][85] In 1963, Papalia was convicted in absentia in Italy of gangsterism and sentenced to 10 years in prison. [37] He liked to flash what he called "reds and browns" ($50 and $100 bills) as a sign of his wealth. [49] On May 6, 2017, after being imprisoned since 1992, Rocco Papalia, nicknamed 'Nginu, was released. [69] He worked in this operation with the Sicilian Agueci brothers, Alberto and Vito, along with the vending machine businesses with Alberto, until he was brutally murdered by the Buffalo crime family in late 1961, and Vito jailed. The Musitano family was founded by Angelo Musitano in Canada in the 1940s, and was one of three centralized Mafia organizations in Hamilton, with the other two being the Luppino crime . [119] Mora ran the Papalia family's operations in the greater Toronto area while Barillaro ran the operations in the Niagara Peninsula. In the 1960s, he played a role in the French Connection drug smuggling operation, for which he was extradited to the United States and served five years of a 10-year prison sentence. "[75], On June 6, 1969, Papalia visited Toronto to meet with Luppino. (Bobby Hristova/CBC) Pasquale (Pat) Musitano was killed Friday, but Mafia experts say the notorious Hamilton mobster was living on borrowed time long before the fatal shot was fired. [121] By the 1980s, Papalia's firms were the largest suppliers of beer dispensers for bars in Ontario while leasing out at least 2,000 vending and pinball machines. Close calls. "[37] Papalia's fondness for the wives and girlfriends of other men led him to engage in a succession of fights with the cuckolded men. He was rushed to the hospital on April 25th after being gunned down outside of his lawyer's office in Mississauga. [Frank Cotroni]"[127] Simard replied that F.C is "my friend", leading Papalia to ask "Can you get in touch with him? [47], In the 1970s, the Papalia siblings relocated their operations from Plat to Buccinasco near Milan.

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