Salvatore "Big Nose Sam" Cufari was a Genovese family caporegime who became the most influential leader the Springfield faction in the 1940s.
[2] The government used Arillotta and Tranghese to prosecute capo Arthur "Artie" Nigro and his associates for the murder of Adolfo "Big Al" Bruno.
[5] Antonio Miranda died of blood poisoning in 1930 after dominating organized crime activities in Western Massachusetts for over 9 years.
Miranda's funeral procession included 22 flower cars, 147 limousines and a shower of rose petals dropped overhead by airplane, according to news accounts from the time.
After Miranda's death, Salvatore "Big Nose Sam" Cufari took over and was the first recognized leader of the Springfield crew.
Cufari held sway over several underworld operations in parts of Eastern Connecticut and worked hand-in-glove with fellow Calabrian racketeer Francesco Iaconi, who was the reigning Genovese Caporegime in the nearby City of Worcester, Massachusetts.
By the late 1930s and early 1940s, Cufari had developed the Springfield faction into one of the largest Cosa Nostra regimes in the American underworld.
[7] In 1961 Frankie Skyball was turned in to police by a nun, for running a gambling ring from the phone booths at Providence Hospital, a crime for which he served nineteen months in jail.
[6] Victor DeCaro was a hairstylist and son-in-law of a Francesco "Skyball" Scibelli with a manslaughter conviction.He disappeared outside a bar he owned in Agawam, Massachusetts in May, 1972 allegedly about a romantic entanglement with the wife of Salvatore “Big Nose Sam” Cufari.
"Jake" Nettis shot convicted bookmaker Joseph Maruca in a barn owned by Bruno's brother Frank.
On November 23, 2003, after having dinner with his family Adolfo Bruno drove to the Society of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Club to play the Italian card game briscola.
[10][11][12] In 2004, Frankie Roche, a fringe player in Springfield rackets, was arrested in Tampa, Florida as the suspected shooter.
[15] On July 23, 2010, Felix Tranghese and Ty Geas were arrested in Springfield; in their capacities associated with the Genovese family, Nigro, Tranghese, Emilio Fusco, Fotios Geas, and Ty Geas conspired to murder and aided and abetted in the murder of Bruno, to maintain and increase their position in the Genovese family, as well as to prevent Bruno from providing information to law enforcement about crimes committed by members and associates of the Genovese family.
[17] Roche, imprisoned for the murder and hoping that his testimony would speed his release, testified that he had killed Bruno for a promised payment of $10,000.
[19] After Arillotta, the Springfield rackets would be "given" to Eugene "Rooster" Onofrio who was sentenced to 30 months in prison in 2018 leaving faction member Albert "The Animal" Calvanese to take over.