CLEVELAND FAMILY

Joseph Lonardo started out in 1920 in a bootlegging gang and by 1925 they had become so big he made himself the Don of the Cleveland Mafia. but his end came after firing his finacial advisor Salvatore "Black Sam" Todaro. Black Sam was connected with Joe Masseria during the Castellammarese War. He was killed by Joseph Lonardo's son, Angelo, in 1929. Joseph Porello then became boss. He had troubles with a gang called, The Mayfield Road Mob headed by Frank Milano. Both Milano and Porello wanted to merge their operations together, but at a meeting in a hotel room in 1930 the meeting turned into a gangland murder. Joseph Porello was now dead and so Frank Milano was boss. Corn sugar was a very profitable business, it was required to make whiskey in Cleveland and Tim Porello, Joe's brother, was the only competitor in Milano's way, so Milano bombed Tim's house. There after Milano controlled the corn sugar business. Frank became a member on the National crime Commission when Charlie "Lucky" Luciano founded it. In 1934 Milano was going to be tried for tax evasion, so he escaped to Vera Cruz, Mexico. While away from Cleveland Dr. Joseph Romano was put in charge unitl Angelo Lonardo murdered him two years later in 1936. Al Polizzi smoothed things out with the family and helped complete the Desert Inn in Las Vegas. He retired in 1944. For thirty two years, 1944-1976, John Scalise ruled the family with no problems until he died. James Licavoli was the new boss but some thought Scalise should have named Angelo Lonardo his successor. Non the less, Licavoli was boss, but a disorderly boss at that. He didn't cover up his trail from the murder of Irish gangster, Danny Greene. In 1982, Licavoli was sentenced to prison for racketeering. Now that Licavoli was out of the way Angelo Lonardo now had his chance to become boss, and so he did. But Angelo fizzled under the bright lights, in 1983 faced with life in prison he turned government informant. After Angelo flipped, John Tronolone took over. Tronolone died in 1991 because of heart problems. There are now rumors that the family died with Tronolone, but other say it is still thriving with Joseph IaCobacci. Leading a faction of five made members. Whether this is true or not is still being debated.



Joseph Lonardo Sam Todaro Joseph Porello Frank Milano John Scalise


James Licavoli Angelo Lonardo John Tronolone Joseph Iacobacci

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