Mob Wives: All In The Families

It’s very hard to keep up with the two sets of families represented on VH1’s Mob Wives show. The first set of families are the housewives themselves: the Gravanos, the Grazianos, the Facciolos, and the D’avanzos, The second set of families are the Mafia families that their husbands and fathers allegedly belong(ed) to. There are five Mafia families that have been “working” in New York City since the 1930’s. They are the Lucchese, Gambino, Bonanno, Colombo and Genevese crime families. I can never remember which mobster is allegedly associated with which crime family. So, to help keep it all straight in my mind, and maybe yours, I am creating a “cheat sheet” I can refer to from time to time to refresh my memory.

Lee D’avanzo is a bank burglar or robber, depending on the source of your information. He is alleged to be the head of the “New Springville Boys,” a burglary crew that is allegedly a “farm team” for both the Bonanno and Colombo crime families. He is currently in prison and his release date is up in the air. Just ask Drita, she’ll drop a few F-Bombs about it.

Anthony Graziano is alleged to be the current consigliere of the Bonanno crime family. He allegedly operated a pension fund scam that netted over 11.7 million dollars from its elderly victims. He also allegedly ran the largest drug trafficking operation in Florida. In 2002 he was imprisoned on federal racketeering charges and murder charges. He is in prison with a release date said to be in January, 2012. I wonder what he is going to say about the show then, if it’s still on the air.

Hector Pagan is the ex-husband of Renee. In the past he was an alleged associate of the Bonanno crime family. Currently, he is allegedly an associate of the Colombo crime family. This is according to the documents of the arrests and indictments made on January 20, 2011, when approximately 120 members of the Mafia from crime families in NY and NJ (including Hector), were taken down by the FBI. I think we might see Renee getting very dramatic over this on episode three, if the previews are correct.

Bruno Facciolo, Carla’s uncle, was allegedly a soldier in the Lucchese crime family, while Louis Facciolo, Bruno’s brother, was allegedly an associate of the Gambino crime family. Both brothers are dead now and Carla doesn’t seem anxious to talk about them.

Joesph Ferragamo, Carla’s soon to be ex-husband, was recently released from prison for his involvement in a mulitmillion dollar stock fraud scam, and is alleged to have ties with the Colombo and Lucchese crime families. Carla seems to deny her husband has mob connections by the sly, evasive way she answers her questions, but the truth always comes out.

Sammy “The Bull” Gravano was the former underboss of the Gambino crime family. This is the one mobster who owns his connection.

Now, I want to say that it’s all clearer to me, but it looks even more confusing on paper. Four of the five New York mafia families are represented in this small group of women; the Lucchese, Gambino, Bonanno and Colombo crime families. That’s pretty impressive if you ask me, and isn’t it nice that they all seem to get along?