San Francisco

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The San Francisco crime family's history began with a gang war. On April 28, 1928, bootlegger Jerry Feri, San Francisco's leading crime lord, was murdered in his apartment. His suspected murderer, Alfredo Scariso, was murdered on December 19, 1928, his body found with multiple gunshot wounds dumped in Fair Oaks. On December 23, Mario Filippi, a suspect behind the Scariso murder, was found shot to death. Frank Boca, another suspect, was found murdered in his car on July 30, 1929. The next murder was of the so-called "Al Capone of the West", Genaro Broccolo, found dead on October 14, 1930. The final murder was of Luigi Malvese, a hijacker, bootlegger and gun running racketeer, shot down on May 18, 1932 while walking through an Italian neighborhood in the middle of the day. Francesco "Frank" Lanza became San Francisco's first crime boss after the war ended in 1932. He was co-owner of San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf and a bootlegger, pimp, loan shark and drug dealer. Lanza derived his income from loansharking, gun running, prostitution, gambling and narcotics. He founded Fisherman's Wharf with his partner Giuseppe Alioto. After Lanza's death on July 14, 1937, he was succeeded by Anthony Lima.

In Their Own Story

Anthony Lima took over the crime family. Lima and his underboss, Michael Abati, planned the 1947 murder of Chicago gangster Nick De John. De John lived at 60 El Verano then moved to Santa Rosa, living as Nicolo Rossi. In May 1947, De John was found in the trunk of his car at 3004 Laguna St., San Francisco. In 1949, both were tried for the murder. Charges were dropped when District Attorney Pat Brown dismissed the jury and called a mistrial due to lack of confidence in key witness Anita Venza. Lima lost power after he was convicted on April 27, 1953 of grand theft and sentenced to a California State Prison. Michael Abati replaced Lima as boss. His underboss James "Jimmy the Hat" Lanza was one of many Mafia leaders spotted by police at the 1957 Apalachin Meeting. In 1961, Abati was deported to Italy for being involved in criminal activity and died of natural causes on September 5, 1962. Francesco Lanza's son, James Lanza, became the syndicate's new head from 1961 to 2006. LIFE Magazine published his picture and listed him as the crime boss of San Francisco in the late 1960s. Lanza had a close friendship with San Francisco mayor Joseph Alioto, an allegation denied by Alioto. Lanza was well connected in Las Vegas via his friend William "Bones" Remmer, a Jewish associate with ties to the Genovese crime family of New York. Lanza became wary of defectors and brought very little new blood into the San Francisco mob as the membership aged. He made solid ties with other bosses, including Joseph Civello of Dallas and Joseph Cerrito of San Jose. His longtime underboss, Gaspare "Bill" Sciortino, was cousin to the underboss of the Los Angeles crime family Samuel Sciortino. In his book, "Jimmy the Weasel" Fratianno said he reported to Lanza in 1973 when he moved to the Bay Area after his release from prison. Lanza ended their friendship, complaining about Fratianno being in San Francisco. In 1977, when Fratianno heard he had a hit on him, one charge was that he was bringing too much attention to the existence of the San Francisco crime family. Lanza was believed to have given permission for the murder of former New England crime family associate turned government witness Joseph Barboza in 1976. By 1990, there were only a few made men left. One was Sergio Maranghi, involved in cocaine and heroin trafficking. Maranghi moved from Florence, Italy in 1975, settled in San Francisco in 1978, worked for Starfish Co., a fish processing company doing business with Alioto's Restaurant. In 1980 he opened the Anchor Bay Cafe in North Beach. Lanza noticed his ability as a money maker and made him a member. Maranghi was spotted meeting with Lanza and other mob figures at the cafe until it closed in 1983. He was involved in a cocaine bust in October 1991. Maranghi became an FBI informant instead of serving a long prison sentence, telling federal agents of cocaine transactions over several years. Another man arrested was Gaetano Balistreri, a San Francisco mob associate who owned the Portofino Cafe on Columbus Ave. Balistreri was arrested for distributing cocaine, but the charge was dropped. In 1994, San Francisco Police raided the Portofino and arrested Balistreri for running an illegal gambling operation with video poker machines. Another made member still living was Steve Trifiro, who ran a small gambling operation near Sacramento, California. Lanza died of natural causes on February 14, 2006. He was 103.

Reader's Guide

The San Francisco crime family had a clear historical leadership. Bosses: 1932–1937: Francesco "Frank" Lanza—died July 14, 1937. 1937–1958: Anthony Lima—imprisoned. 1958–1961: Michael Abati—deported. 1961–2006: James Lanza—died February 14, 2006. Underbosses: 1932–1937: Anthony Lima—became boss. 1937–1953: Michael Abati—became boss. 1953–1961: James Lanza—became boss. 1961–unknown: Gaspare Orlando "Bill" Sciortino—stepped down. The family's membership peaked at around 15 or 20 "made men" under James Lanza. Key locations included the Little Italy neighborhood of North Beach, Fisherman's Wharf (co-founded by Frank Lanza and Giuseppe Alioto), the Anchor Bay Cafe (run by Sergio Maranghi until 1983), and the Portofino Cafe on Columbus Ave (owned by Gaetano Balistreri). The family's activities included bootlegging, loansharking, gun running, prostitution, gambling, narcotics, and cocaine trafficking. The family's connections extended to other syndicates through figures like William "Bones" Remmer (ties to Genovese family), Joseph Civello of Dallas, and Joseph Cerrito of San Jose.

Did You Know?

• The San Francisco crime family's membership peaked at around 15 or 20 'made men' under James 'Jimmy the Hat' Lanza.
• Francesco 'Frank' Lanza co-founded San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf with his partner Giuseppe Alioto.
• James Lanza was one of many Mafia leaders spotted by police at the 1957 Apalachin Meeting.
• LIFE Magazine published James Lanza's picture and listed him as the crime boss of San Francisco in the late 1960s.
• James Lanza died of natural causes on February 14, 2006 at the age of 103.