New generations in Sicily and the US lack respect, even across the ocean

Last Updated: November 10, 2023

Not everything was smooth within the US mafia. There were tensions and complaints about the treatment received by new generations who showed no respect for those with experience, established by respectable criminal connections. Disputes between the two ways of managing Cosa Nostra in New York emerged in an interception between Vito Gabriele Rappa and Francesco “Franky” Vicari. Rappa invited Vicari to a meeting, but Vicari refused to have any dealings with anyone other than Rappa and another person. He expressed disrespect for certain American mafiosi, feeling they gave him menial tasks at 60 years old and imposed a monthly protection payment of $6,000. Despite the grievances, there were discussions about business, including the protection money and a victim who voluntarily paid up, illustrating the complex dynamics within the American mafia.