Jack Bonventre a reputed captain in the Bonanno crime family turned down an offer to become the mafia families consigliere or third in command a bump up from capo. During a secretly recorded conversation between fellow Bonanno mobster Vincent Asaro and a mob associate, Asaro says “He (Bonventre) turned it down, he didn’t want it,” back in March of 2013. Seems like they made Bonventre an offer he could refuse.
“Jack Bonventre“
Bonventre is facing a prison sentence of 21 to 27 months on loan sharking charges and the feds are attempting to use this alleged promotion offer against him. Prosecutors claim that the job offer shows the 46 year old Bonventre is a powerful and prominent member of the Bonanno family. A promotion to consigliere or family counselor would of made the mobster part of the mob family’s hierarchy and is a highly respected post in the mafia.
But defense lawyer Gordon Mehler argues that even if the promotional offer is true the feds are exaggerating the relevance of the position. He claims the New York mafia families are much weaker now and the Bonanno family, in particular, has been decimated by defectors and arrest of late hence the position doesn’t mean what it once did. He doesn’t believe it should be used against his client by the prosecution to seek a longer sentence.
According to the feds the Bonanno family is now run by a panel which seems to keep changing as more arrests are made while alleged boss Michael “Mikey Nose” Mansuco serves a 15 year prison sentence. The families current publicly identified consigliere is Anthony “Fat Anthony” Rabito, although he has been plagued by various criminal charges over last couple of years.
