Joseph Todaro, Sr. - Lead Pipe Joe Becomes Boss

Lead Pipe Joe Becomes Boss

From the time Buffalo crime family split in 1969, until it once again came together under a sanctioned Boss in 1974, the 2 major dissident factions that made up the crime family were led by Sam Pieri and Joe Fino, but after Acting Underboss, Danny Sansanese was imprisoned in April 1972 and capo, John Cammilleri was assassinated on May 8, 1974, the Fino-Sansanese Faction lost its power and influence within the crime family to the Pieri-Frangiamore Faction. According to former LIUNA executive, Buffalo crime family F.B.I. operative, Ron Fino, his father, Joe Fino is allegedly schedualled to be assassinated with Cammilleri, he is given a pass by Acting Boss and Sam Pieri who has been recently paroled from prison, but is forced to retire from active crime family affairs in late 1974. This left Capo, Joseph Todaro Sr. as the last of the Fino-Sansanese Faction who opposed the Pieri-Frangiamore Faction leadership and was able to build support within the crime family throughout the 1970s so that he could become the new Boss in the 1980s. By the early 1980s capo, Joseph Todaro Sr. was making his bid for the Buffalo crime family leadership known as he campaigns and recruits support within the crime family and from other bosses in making his final bid for leadership. Former Buffalo crime family Boss, Sam Pieri was convicted and jailed in 1978, paroled in early 1981 on humanitarian grounds and dies several months later on July 24, 1981, leaving his brother, Joe Pieri Sr. in control of all of the Pieri interests and second in command to Sam Frangiamore. Sam Frangiamore has led the Buffalo crime family for a decade Boss and Underboss, Joe Pieri Sr. becomes a candidate for succession of the leadership by 1983. It is possible that sometime before Sam Frangiamore retires in 1984 he promotes Joe Pieri to the acting Boss position in order to show support for his succession, this is not a proven fact, but only a theory I have made based on an important meeting in New York in late 1984 between Genovese, Buffalo and Cleveland crime family representatives. In October 1984, Buffalo crime family Underboss and possible Acting Boss, Joseph Pieri Sr. and former Buffalo area resident and Cleveland crime family Acting Boss, John "Peanuts" Tronolone meet with Genovese crime family Acting/Front Boss, Anthony "Fat Tony" Salerno at his Palma Boys Social Club in East Harlem, New York to discuss current conflicts in the Buffalo crime family and to solicit support from the Commission in Peri Sr.'s bid to officially become the new Buffalo crime family Boss. Joe Pieri Sr. is a leading contender for the crime family leadership along with Joe Todaro Sr. who has amassed a great amount of support in his bid to become Boss. As Tony Salerno listens to Joe Pieri Sr. and John Tronolone lay out their complaints against Joe Todaro Sr. the F.B.I listens in on their conversation through a bug planted in Salerno's social club. After Tony Salerno listens to Joe Pieri Sr. discuss the affairs of Buffalo Local 210 union and his opposition to the Todaro Sr. and his perceived insult in Todaro Sr.'s bid for leadership, Salerno states, "The Commission wants it taken care of, let the Commission decide", "Tell him it's the Commission from New York, tell him he's dealing with the big boys now!" Joseph Todaro Sr. was chosen by the Commission as the new boss of the Buffalo crime family in late 1984 or early 1985 and Todaro Sr.s first official action was to name his son, Joseph Todaro Jr. as the Underboss of the crime family. Joe Todaro Sr. quickly showed his intelligence and political wit by naming Joe Pieri Sr. as the Consigliere, the #3 spot in the crime family, eliminating any chance of internal conflict and subversion on the part of Joe Pieri Sr. and his supporters, hopefully keeping the crime family unified for the time being.