Future Los Angeles Brugad boss Joe Ardizzone was in hiding for years after murdering George Maisano • when his neighbors reported him for sleeping with their underaged daughter and authorities came out and arrested him they found out who he really was • although Ardizzone married the child to avoid statutory charges he soon faced a murder rap • one he eventually beat—though the Matrangas did not forgive • they blew up his house shortly after #joeardizzone #ardizzone #ironman #labrugad #losangelesfamily #lafamily #mafia #sunland #rancher #mafioso #boss #statuatory #arrested #murder #selfdefense #vendetta #matranga #bomb #arson #mugshot
Business card of one-time San Diego Caporegime Tony Mirabile for his Tijuana hotel-club Midnight Follies plus flyers, photos, and souvenirs from the 1920s through 1940s. #tonymirabile #mirabile #caporegime #sandiego #losangeles #tijuana #tiajuana #mexico #club #hotel #gambling #burlesque #flyer #souvenir #labrugad #crew #borgata #lafamily #mafia
LA Brugad chart put together by a member of the Los Angeles Mafia Group on Facebook. We are a smaller group but have some exceedingly knowledgeable members plus authors, historians, relatives of criminal figures, and even a few who have been a part of the life. Come check us out! #lamafiagroup #facebook #group #labrugad #brugad #borgata #family #westcoast #lcn #chart #mafiachart #organizedcrime #valachipapers #mugshot #ilovela #sandiego #caporegime #consigliere #underboss #boss #capo #gangster #mob #history #mafia
The cops gave one story. But the files reveal Canzoneri got the drop on them and only lowered his sawed off shotgun when ordered to by Jack. The “clean record” of Russo can be explained by the fact he was really Charlie Fischetti of the Chicago Outfit under an alias. And yes, they had just picked up some cash from Grandpa Jack Dragna’s first gambling ship, Monfalcone. Mugshot thanks to @the_bash_collection from our co-authored pictorial Los Angeles Underworld. #monfalcone #gamblingship #pulledover #mugshot #fischetti #caponemob #chicagooutfit #labrugad #lincoln #arrested #johnnyroselli #johnnyrosselli #charliefischetti #dragna #jackdragna #la #ilovela #gangster #lineup #questioned #avibashcollection #losangelesunderworld
One of the members in the Los Angeles Mafia group on Facebook, a group I co-founded and mediate, put together this retro style chart recently for the LA Brugad under my Great Grandfather Jack Dragna’s reign (1931-1956). Couple changes needed but overall looks like a solid A effort wise. #valachi #mafiachart #chart #organizedcrime #lafamily #mafia #labrugad #borgata #brugad #dragna #jackdragna #ilovela #losangeles #la #associate #capo #caporegime #underboss #consigliere #lawyer #boss #family #fbi
Joe Giammona, longtime Caporegime in the Los Angeles Brugad ran the Blue Palm Cafe in Hollywood for years. Later in life he relocated from LA to San Diego, where he retained his title in retirement. Due to his health, no soldiers were assigned to him. #caporegime #soldier #losangeles #sandiego #bluepalmcafe #hollywood #ilovela #mafia #cafe #club #thelife #madeguy #mademan #oldtimer #labrugad
My Great Uncle Frank Paul Dragna was part uncle and part grandfather to me after my grandfather passed in 1997. Uncle Frank co-owned the Gold Rail bar and “steakhouse” in downtown San Diego. It sat across the street from the US Grant Hotel before they demolished that whole block. The Matrangas owned a couple of bars right next door. His father, my Great Grandpa Jack Dragna (boss of the LA Brugad 1931-1956), helped him and his business partners get started in the business. Uncle Frank’s partners in the endeavor were his cousin and LA Family Caporegime Louie Tom Dragna (an eventual acting boss for the Brugad) and San Diego Caporegime Frank Bompensiero. I’ve been looking for photos or ads or memorabilia from the bar for two decades or so and finally came across this print ad a few days ago. Which I could find more. Uncle Frank passed on my birthday in either 2011 or 2012. #goldrailbar #steakhouse #downtownsandiego #usgranthotel #dragna #jackdragna #family #bar #sandiego #labrugad #brugad #socal
TGIF (and I don’t have to work the weekend aka TGIFAIDHTWTW) • a member in my Los Angeles Mafia Group on Facebook sent me this fun representation of my Great Grandpa Jack Dragna, West Coast boss (1931-1956), who was involved in the Los Angeles rackets for more than 4 decades and was involved in “the life” in East Harlem and his hometown of Corleone before Prohibition. #grandpa #tgif #noworkweekend #jackdragna #family #smile #happy #dragna #losangelesmafiagroup #labrugad #cheersbigears
LA Brugad consigliere Tommy Palermo managed this Los Angeles wine distributor on Compton, which got its start nearly a century back and is still open for business. Meetings and even mafia initiation ceremonies were conducted on the premises. #bigtreewinery #tommypalermo #labrugad #mafia #losangeles #initiationceremony #gunandaknife #lcn #compton
When the press takes your photo without asking and you tell them to ask so you can smile #readyformycloseup #mrdemilleimreadyformycloseup #jackdragna #dragna #photoop #pictureday #boss #bossoflosangeles #hollywoodboss #labrugad #family #photographers #getmygoodside #cheese #saycheese
Los Angeles Brugad boss Dominic Brooklier came out of Detroit and spent time in Cleveland before reaching Los Angeles and taking up work for Mickey Cohen under the alias of Jimmy Regace. His old pal Jimmy Fratianno convinced him to switch sides in the latter 1940s. The pair were made by Brugad boss Jack Dragna. Fratianno would later become an acting underboss and Brooklier would take over the family following the death of boss Nick Licata. Brooklier died in a Tucson prison and is buried in Whittier’s Rose Hill #jimmyregace #labrugad #losangeles #mickeycohen #jimmytheweasel #fratianno #dragna #jackdragna #brooklier #dominicbrooklier #boss #cemetery #underboss #caporegime #capo #whittier #losangeles #mafia #mob #syndicate #mademan
3rd known boss of the Los Angeles Brugad, Joe “Strong Man” Ardizzone, was forced to step down by members of his own crime family and was disposed of shortly after relinquishing the title of boss to longtime family member and former business associate, Jack Dragna. Ardizzone left his home in October of 1931 to visit a cousin just in from Italy. His body was never found #ardizzone #joeardizzone #strongman #labrugad #brugad #dragna #jackdragna #la #losangeles #boss #coup #mugshot #mafia #mob #history #organizedcrime #lcn
Files, Files, Files… #fratianno #jackdragna #lafamily #labrugad #jimmytheweasel #losangeles #mob #mafia #fbi #lapd #files #truecrime #investigation #lastmafiosos #theearlydaysoflosangeles
Another proof page from my new book with @the_bash_collection - Jack Dragna, Johnny Roselli, Canzoneri, and Al Capone cousin Charlie Fischetti (under alias James Russo) were pulled over when they rolled through a stop sign and tried to outrun a police cruiser. They had just dropped off some of the profits from Jack’s gambling ship Monfalcone at his Leimert Park residence and had all the hardware on them to protect the cash. When the cops forced their Lincoln into the curb, Canzoneri pulled his shotgun on them. He didn’t lower the weapon until Jack told him to. A slew of character witnesses came into the police station early in the morning to secure their release. #mugshot #fischetti #capone #alcapone #jackdragna #dragna #roselli #handsomejohnny #monfalcone #pulledover #arrested #resistingarrest #shotgun #canzoneri #showdown #californiastop #losangelesunderworld #jmichaelniotta #avibash #author #pictorial #truecrime #chicagooutfit #labrugad #lcn
On his 1917 WW1 draft card, longtime LA Brugad consigliere Tom Dragna indicated he was a shaper (wood/plaster worker) at the LA based City Dye Works plant on South Central near 32nd #consigliere #labrugad #LCN #mafia #advisor #ww1 #draft #mob #losangeles #dragna #southcentral
One time Mickey Cohen employee, Jimmy Regace, became the LA Brugad’s boss as Dominic Brooklier #boss #mickeycohen #labrugad #obituary #mafia #lcn #SoCal #theearlydaysoflosangeles #mob #syndicate #truecrime
Grandpa Jack Dragna comes to life! Wait for the smile! #jackdragna #dragna #family #video #boss #losangeles #kingoflosangeles #lcn #labrugad #mobboss #mafia #truecrime #beneaththehollywoodmafiamask #losangelesunderworld #cali
Antonio Campagna (center) was bailed out following this liquor still bust by Strong Man Joe Ardizzone’s partner Vincenzo “Little Jimmy” Basile shortly before Basile was gunned down in Downey. Ardizzone barely escaped the endeavor, taking a slew of blasts to his back. #strongman #joeardizzone #labrugad #lacrimefamily #theearlydaysoflosangeles #mugshot #lcn #mafioso #hit #hitman #bootlegger #mafia #mob #liquor #bail #bondman #cali #socal #orgcrime #organizedcrime #westcoast #losangeles #laconfidential #lanoir #mobcity #dragna
Pete Bruno aka Pete Marino was ID’d by Phil Galuzo before slipping into a coma and dying. Galuzo said Pete was one of 3 men who abducted him from the Bartender’s Union clubhouses, stuffed him in the trunk of a car, drove him to a remote area then shot him and left him for dead. Frank Bompensiero was one of the other abductors. Neighbors who had a chance to speak to Galuzo before his passing indicated that he told them he was shot because he knew too much about the Les Bruneman murder. #LABrugad #philgaluzo #galuzo #bomp #bompensiero #hitman #abduction #kidnapping #murder #killing #lcn #mob #mafia #aka #alias #arrested
Unearthing the unseen • mugshot of LA Brugad Boss Joe “Iron Man” Ardizzone. Side view from his mugshots over the murder of George Maisano #ardizzone #labrugad #mafia #mob #mobboss #boss #sicilian #losangeles #sunland #rancher #bootlegger #blackhand #theearlydaysoflosangeles #ironman #strongman #mafiadon #lcn #cosanostra #mugshot #newdiscovery
65 years ago today, my Great Grandfather Jack Dragna passed in his sleep in Hollywood • He lived a life most couldn’t even imagine #jackdragna #rip #dragna #beneaththehollywoodmafiamask #losangelesunderworld #jmichaelniotta #family #labrugad #godfather #hollywood #losangeles #boss #don
What do you think? Do I look like my cousin Louie? #ltd #dragna #family #cousins #louietomdragna #labrugad #boss #actingboss #losangeles #jmichaelniotta
My Great Uncle Johnny Cacioppo - Outlaw entrepreneur, LA bootlegger, & bookmaker #bootlegger #bookie #bookmaking #numbers #rackets #lafamily #labrugad #theearlydaysoflosangeles #thelosangelessugarring #family #history #alias #aka #arrest #bail #freed #publicenemy #gangster
Etiwanda rancher and Matranga clan leader Peter Matranga was an early LA Brugad member and corporate executive in the Italo-American Welfare League with Jack Dragna, Joe Ardizzone, and Rosario DeSimone. #theearlydaysoflosangeles #matranga #beneaththehollywoodmafiamask #jackdragna #dragna #losangelesunderworld #labrugad #losangeles #truecrime #mafia #lcn #borgata #rancher #viticulturist #wine #politics #etiwanda #grapevine
Newspaper depiction of the Chicago barber shop slaying of Los Angeles Brugad leader, Vito DiGiorgio • #losangeles #chicago #theearlydaysoflosangeles #vitodigiorgio #labrugad #lcn #hit #mobhit #barbershop #crimescene #truecrime #murder #assassin #killing #sicilian #mafia
Fakin it to make it? • slides on Mickey Cohen from my @mobmuseum_underground Mob Museum lecture in late Sept of 2018 #mickeycohen #jackdragna #theearlydaysoflosangeles #dragna #battleofthesunsetstrip #killing #takingthefall #streetcred #liarliar #fbifiles #crimefamily #labrugad #mobmuseum #factvsfiction #boss #gambler #bookie #killer
Hollywood Squares • Org Crime Style #mickeycohen #sica #dragna #licata #labrugad #lcn #ncs #nationalcrimesyndicate #theearlydaysoflosangeles #truecrime #happy #socal #hollywoodsquares #mugshot #lineup
When an old time alias is funny today • Johnny Roselli, when pinched with fellow LA Brugad member Tony Bruno in a bootlegging rum bust, gave the alias of Jimmy Hendricks 🤣 #Roselli #Rosselli #tonybruno #bruno #labrugad #bootlegger #dragna #lafamily #lcn #socal #alias #aka #alsoknownas #funny #busted #handsomejohnny