Peter Clemenza
The Clemenza crime family was an organized crime syndicate of the Sicilian Mafia that was founded in 1952 by Peter Clemenza, a former Capo in the Corleone crime family, who was given permission to form his own family. In 1979, when Joey Zasa died, the family ended.
History[]
In 1952, during the brief pause of the Five Families War, Clemenza was given permission to split from the Corleone crime family by Don Michael Corleone, after complaining that the Barzinis were chiseling away at his territory and that if Michael would not let him react, he would be under their thumb. Clemenza already had his own virtual crime family, having a large organization in Brooklyn, his territory. Clemenza and his family pushed back by 1955, after the Barzini family was eliminated. When Clemenza died in 1958, his family had territories in Queens, Little Italy, The Bronx, and Brooklyn. Clemenza was succeeded by Capo Frank Pentangeli, a longtime Corleone ally and a close friend to Vito Corleone. But Capos Carmine Rosato and Tony Rosato split from the family after Pentangeli did not give them the three territories that Clemenza promised them in his will. Pentangeli was almost killed by Carmine Rosato, and believed that Corleone had set him up. He committed suicide in 1960, following the Miami War and a senate hearing. Pentangeli was succeeded by Joey Zasa, who was a Corleone ally, and later, the acting Don; Michael Corleone entrusted his criminal empire in NYC to him after he was going through retirement. Joey Zasa allowed the drug trade, unlike his predecessors, and turned Little Italy into a slum filled with late-night wheelers and dealers. Zasa was assassinated by Vincent Mancini, a Corleone soldier who had personal vendettas against him. This ended the Clemenza crime family, lasting only twenty-seven years.
The Family[]
1945-1958[]
Don: Peter Clemenza
Underboss: Frank Pentangeli
Caporegimes: Carmine Rosato and Tony Rosato
Soldiers: Willie Cicci, Al Hats, Jimmy Mancini, Johnny LaSala, Paulie Gatto, Al Neri, Arturo Donato, Angelo Dello, and Rocco Lampone
1959-1960[]
Don: Frank Pentangeli
Underboss: Willie Cicci and Joey Zasa
Caporegimes: Roberto Nelenza and Joe Bono
Soldiers: Carmine Fucillo, Tony DeRosa, Richard Nobilio, Rafilo Gernzo, Salvatore Plumari, Natale Parri, Tony Dinegio, Charles Locrino, Carmine Coronda, Samuel Corocco, Alphonse Barrino, Carmen Della, and Cristoforo D'Binna
1960-1979[]
Don: Joey Zasa
Capo: Anthony Squigliaro
Soldiers: Colmazio Caporaso, Eufronio Vitullo, Aladino Carda, and Vincent Corleone