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| R. Nastasa |
Rosario 'Black Sam' Nastasa was a Soldier in the Colombo Family.
Born 20 March, 1912 in NYC to Rosario 'Sam' Nastasa Sr (28y), a Laboratory Assistant, and Rosina Sparici (18y). Both parents were born in Italy.
In 1933 married Sarah McKay. Son Sam was born the following year.
At an unspecified time in the early 1940s served time in prison for bookmaking. For the next fifty years Nastasa's main activity would be various types of illegal gambling.
Possibly started as a Genovese Family Associate that transferred to the Colombo Family. An 1948 intelligence report from the NYPD Detective Bureau named Nastasa as a bookmaker reporting to Anthony 'Tony Adonis' Doto (1898-1967), brother of Genovese Capodecina Joseph 'Joey Adonis' Doto.
Doto operated his bookmaking operation out of the Salfred Sign Company located at 5910 Fort Hamilton Parkway.
By 1950 resided at 5510 11th Ave, Brooklyn.
By the late-1950s he was an inducted member of the Colombo Family.
By 1965 Nastasa reported to Capodecina John 'Sonny' Franzese.
In early 1966 served six months in prison on Hart Island for bookmaking. At the time he resided at 929 60th St. Brooklyn.
While incarcerated indicted on 43 Counts of bookmaking. Charges grew out of two raids carried out on Broadway and in the Garment center the previous October. Sonny Franzese also indicted. Manhattan District Attorney Frank Hogan called Nastasa Franzese's "lieutenant and muscleman persuader."
Another defendant was Genovese Family Soldier Dominick 'Buddy' Cappolla (1923-2020) who was accused of using a baseball bat to extort $19,000 and attempting to extort another $10,000.
In 1971 Franzese and Nastasa plead guilty to aiding and abetting bookmaking and fined $500. Cappolla was sentenced to six years in prison.
Nastasa attended the Colombo Family's picketing of FBI headquarters in Manhattan during 1970. In attendees was FBI CI and Colombo Member Gregory Scarpa Sr who reported to his FBI handers on 18 May, 1970:
"Informant advised he has attended the picketing on a nightly basis and that COLOMBO has been keeping a "head count of all those attending and is angry at those who haven't shown regularly. Informant said on the previous night JIMMY ROSELLI was in attendance as well as ANTHONY AUGELLO, FUNZIE D'AMBROSIO and the usual crew. At one point, AUGELLO falsely claimed an FBI agent had torn his placard off him, spit on him and an incident almost ensued. After this incident, JOE COLOMBO took him aside and severely censured him over this “attempted” incident on AUGELLO's part, informing him that if he wanted one he (COLOMBO) would arrange one and have "his photographers” nearby. Informant advised previously BLACK SAM had attempted to start trouble and COLOMBO likewise berated him.
Informant advised that COLOMBO complained that the demonstration was costing him a great deal of money and that he had discontinued the daily arrival of a food truck."
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| Louis Malpeso |
FBI CI Gregory Scarpa, Sr gave information on Nastasa Associate Louis Malpeso in a "fur deal" involving Gambino Family Underboss Neil Dellacroce:
"On October 19, 1971 informant advised he was again in contact with [redacted] at which time [redacted] advised that also involved in this fur case was NELL DELLACROCE who "steered" the furs [redacted] one BOBO (true name LOUIS MALFESO NYCPD B# 578672), who operates as a courier and [redacted] who operates Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Informant said that [redacted] primarily deals in swag jewelry, however, often handles other types of swag as well.
It is to be noted MALPESO was last known to be driving a 1969 green Cadillac, NY License LX 8517. Informant also advised that BOBO is "with" BLACK SAM NASTASI."
On May 6, 1975 FBI CI Gregory Scarpa, Sr gave information about Nastasa:
"ROSARIO NASTASI, a "button", who operates a club in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY [redacted] and a large card games are played in the club."
On August 10, 1975, an FBI CI provided the FBI with the hierarchy of the Colombo Family with Nastasa listed as a Soldier in the crew of Capodecina Joe Brancato:
"[Informant] cautioned that the hierarchy is in a state of flux.
Boss TOMMY DI BELLA
Underboss ANTHONY ABBATEMARCO
Consigliere ALPHONSE PERSICO
Captain JOE BRANCATO
ANTHONY PERAINO
JOE PERAINO
SAM NASTASI"
On February 8, 1975 Colombo Soldier Joseph Vitacco married. At the reception Nastasa seated at the same table as Colombo members Joe Brancato, Joe Periano, Leonard Dello, and Associates Carmine Franzese and Ralph Scopo. Both were later inducted into the Colombo Family.
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| Nastasa during 1982 raid |
In August of 1982 a large casino type gambling operation with a number of craps tables opened at 3516 Nostrand Avenue in Brooklyn. Likely a joint venture between serval or all five families the casino was raided by the NYPD on September 1, 1982 at a time when 150 patrons and 24 employees was at the premises, among them Paul Vario, Jr (1938-2019) son of Lucchese Family Capodecina Paul Vario, Sr.
Nastasa and Lucchese Family Associate Vincent Diorato (1926-2006) charged with grand larceny after they tried to take gambling money seized in the raid.
In 1983 he resided at 929 60th St. Brooklyn.
Nastasa was identified as a Soldier in the Colombo Family in 1983 and 1988 Senate Charts.
In December of 1990 FBI CI Greg Scarpa, Sr reported that Nastasa's longtime Associate Louis 'Bobo' Malpeso had become an inducted Member of the Colombo Family. Although no sponsor is named, it is likely Nastasa sponsored Malpeso for membership.
"ON DECEMBER 12, 1990, SOURCE ADVISED THAT CARMINE SESSA
IS THE OFFICIAL CONSIGLIERE OF THE COLOMBO FAMILY, AND BENNY ALOI THE UNDERBOSS.
SOURCE SATD RECENTLY TEN NEW INDIVIDUALS WERE TAKEN INTO
THE COLOMBO FAMILY. THEY ARE IDENTIFIED AS "FAT PATTY" WHO WAS
AN EXPRESSO PLACE AT 20TH AVE. AND 72ND ST. BROOKLYN; BO BO
MALPESO; AND JOEY AMATO; AND FRANKIE "HIGHWAY". THE SOURCE ALSO IDENTIFIED NEWLY MADE MEMBERS AS JOE MONTE, AND SAL FUSCO, JR."
On March 16, 1991 FBI CI Scarpa identified Nastasa and Malpeso as a Soldiers reporting to Capodecina Pasquale 'Patty' Amato.
By 1991 the hostilities between the Colombo Family's Persico and Orena factions turned into open warfare for control of the Family. Nastasa sided with Family Boss Carmine Persico, Louis Malpeso sided with Orena.
On December 5, 1991 Nastasa was shot and killed inside his base of operations, The Belvedere Social Club, located at 911 63rd St in Brooklyn.
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| Nastasa 1991 |
FBI CI Gregory Scarpa, Sr named Colombo Soldier Vincent DeMartino and Associates Frank Iannaci and Dominick Dionosio as the killers.
According to Scarpa they were also responsible for the murder of Colombo Soldier Henry 'Hank the Bank' Smurra on November 24, 1991 and the attempted murder of Scarpa himself.
The next day the Scarpa crew killed Orena Associate Vincent Fusaro in Bay Ridge. Two days later BoBo Malpeso's son James was shot in the stomach but survived.
On April 7, 2009, NYPD raided the Bonnano Family linked Banner Civic Social club on 72nd Street in Bensonhurst. During the raid the club's caretaker Sam Nastasa went into cardiac arrest and subsequently died. He was the son of Black Sam Nastasa and also a sometime actor with credits on the TV-show the Sopranos and the mob themed movie Out for Justice (1991) and Carlito's Way (1993). Sam Nastasa reportedly had no criminal record.
