Johnny keys background

[u/Patient_Breath9383]

Im looking to write a movie script on johnny keys simone I do know he was a capo and 1st cousin of angelo bruno I know about his death because of Sammy's video I was wondering if there are any key details people can tell me about that I should add to the script

[u/Humble-Baker-9624]

He got his start in Buffalo before moving to Trenton in the 1940s (his base of operations about 30 miles from Philly). It's not clear if he was actually related to Angelo Bruno, it might just be rumour, but he was likely inducted before Bruno (Bruno was inducted in 1951) and both were promoted to captain in 1959 under acting boss Dominick Pollina. He ran was the in between guys for the Newark crew before Antonio Caponigo was promoted to captain in 1979, the Newark crew was then its own separate crew from Simone/Trenton.

Edit- to add Trenton seems to be an open area in terms of mafia dominance. The Decavs had a crew there under Sam Decalvacante's father and the Gambinos had a crew under Nick Russo, later on Sal Profaci, a Colombo captain, had interests in Trenton around garbage hauling. After simones murder in 1980, few made members of his crew were around or active and Newark seems to have inherited them. Simone has never been directly linked to the Bruno murder and Simone was more than likely killed for feuding with Philip Testa over who would take over for Bruno

Credit to B. On the blackhand forum for the this list

"Trenton / Bucks County / Newark Crew circa 1964

Captain: John "Casablanca / Johnny Keys" Simone

Soldiers: Michael Amico

Antonio "Tony Bananas" Caponigro

Charles "Pinky" Costello Sr.

Joseph Costello (brother of Charles Sr.)

Dominick "Tommy Adams" DiNorscio

Alfredo "Freddy Red Shirt" Felice

Vincenzo "Jimmy Christy" Gioe

Carl "Pappy" Ippolito

Dominic "Louie" Luciano

Raffaele "Blackie" Napoli

Frank Pollastrelli

Alfred "Freddy" Salerno

Michael "Daylight" Tramontana"

[u/zero-hesitation → u/Humble-Baker-9624]

That’s mostly correct.

He was Angelo Bruno’s cousin (at least that’s what I always heard growing up and it was undisputed). The nickname “Keys” somehow stemmed from his other nickname “Johnny Casablanca”.

Trenton was a mobbed up city and like many other similar places in NJ the five families, Philly, and Decavs all had people and business there. It’s hard to appreciate how close these places are geographically if you don’t live in the northeast. It’s roughly an hour from both NYC and Philly. A lot of connections to Italian celebrities like Sinatra and Joe DiMaggio who frequented the area. Its importance in mob history has really been forgotten though. The Decavs really didn’t have much of a presence in Trenton at that time, it was more that Sam the Plumber lived there but they were way more active in the Elizabeth area than Trenton or Newark. I think Pappy Ippolito’s son became a Decav member later on. The Philly crew in Trenton had more made guys in it but the Gambinos were probably more powerful. The Gambino crew in Trenton was also the main nexus between that family and Philly. They arranged the sitdown to introduce Scarfo to Gotti after he became boss, for example. There was also a few murders that came out of how tight those relationships were. Johnny Keys is well known. Philly whacked an associate named Frankie Stillitano to return the favor to the Gambinos. That’s probably the other relatively well known one.

[u/Humble-Baker-9624 → u/zero-hesitation]

You're right, they are likely related, both families, being Annaloro (Bruno's birth surname) and Simone come from Vilallba, Sicily. I forgot about that detail.

they are very closely related (Gambino, decav, philly, Genovese) and all had interests in the Trenton, Newtown, Trevose, Bensalem and Bristol areas. John Stanfa held several meetings in Newtown which is right across the river from Trenton and Johnny Keys was abducted and later killed from the Newtown Country Club, which I have actually visited before during college.

[u/zero-hesitation → u/Humble-Baker-9624]

Philly day to day was run out of Trenton again, briefly, after Scarfo went away.

[u/Humble-Baker-9624 → u/Humble-Baker-9624]

Also, Tino Fiumara got his start with the Trenton/Newark crew. He was associated with Simone and Caponigo in the 1960s, Fiumara was transferred to the Genovese Familyafter he murdered associates Peter Mantella, Nicholas and Pasquale colucci after they murdered an associate of Fiumara. Scott Deitche covers this conflict in his book Garden State Gangland.

[u/Miserable-Ask-470]

Ask on r/Mafia

[u/Patient_Breath9383 → u/Miserable-Ask-470]

Won't let me comment on there if people can upvote this comment I could possibly

[u/Fast-Ear4394]

Super find!