The Life We Chose: Russell Bufalino, Billy D'Elia and the Jimmy Hoffa Murder 

For those who don’t know, Pittston is part of Scranton, PA. Think of it like NYC, but with three boroughs instead of 5, namely, Scranton, Pittston, and Wilkes-Barre. These are not incorporated as a single city due to stubbornness and government corruption, but they all constitute one continuous city.

As a bartender in the 70's at Mount Airy Lodge in Mount Airy, Pennsylvania I served Don Bufalino on a couple of occasions. He was a quiet man with a warm smile and a great tipper. As to Hoffa, after 50 years of seriously investigating the case, without any doubt I believe that Sally Bugs pulled the trigger, Giacalone's brother was probably the driver, Sheeran the lure and the Andretta brothers in charge of disposal. Chuckie O'Brian was on the outs with Jimmy at that time, so more than likely was not even present or knew much about it. Although Sheeran's book is flawed in many places, he did not kill Joey Gallo or Sal Briguglio, I do believe that Frank Sheeran did get Jimmy's ending correct. He was more than likely, taken to a nearby funeral pallor owned by Mob associates and cremated. As in the movie, when DeNiro playing as Frank Sheeran, says: "It was no more complicated than that."

Gonna be a movie or what

What's up with that Voss you guys couldn't get no Pellegrino?

When he makes the comment they say russ was above the commission and they differ to Russ when in need to me seems like he's a consiglier to the commission

Sometimes these "Experts" who write these books get their information from second hand authors and they're just repeating and regurgitating previously written text. This guy doesn't even call the BIG MEETING of 1957 at Joseph Barbara's estate in ( CORRECT PRONUNCIATION is Apa-lake-in ) - NOT Apa-lackin, or Appalachian...WHICH is very disconcerting. If these guys weren't so lazy or were more conscientious about getting the REAL FACTS straight, then I could have more positive things to comment about. It just drives me nuts that sometimes these writers talk as if they're the definitive experts on their subjects, which they are not.

Photo at Jilly's Saloon in 1977 includes (L-R) Russell Bufalino, Andrew "Andy" Russo, Frank Sinatra, Thomas "Tom" DiBella and I believe Tony Bennett. Still not sure who is on the far right (often cropped out of this photo in other online versions).

There is actually not much of a story in this book. Its a book that wouldn't exist without the Charles Brandt book which this D' Elia character apparently doesn't like. So for whatever reason this author went along with this guy who has two cents about the explicit details of the actual death of Jimmy Hoffa. "the chemical people" aspect of Sheehan's account is actually exceedingly interesting. He was obviously guilty of killing lots of people from ww2 onward. Really his story comes off like an expose of the bankruptcy of the military and then later the Roman Catholic religion. Obviously both can be acknowledged as extraordinarily morally bankrupt at this point in time. N amongst normal people the mob was always beyond morally bankrupt. D'elia comes off looking like a chump in this book, but he seems to be the one to have instigated it's writing. Does the author have some debt to D'elia or the Mob or what? WTF is the point of this book? An old man defends Michael Jackson against pedophilia?! WTF. I'm glad he had a falling out with DeNaples after he apparently made lots of dough filling the Troop/ Dunmore border area with garbage enough to eventually make a ski slope. Competition for Montage. These people are unworthy of any respect. How about make a tour of NEPA and call it "The damage we caused". Start in Duryea. Take a look at how incredibly environmentally fucked up that area is- with all the strewn refuse and rust soaked water and empty decrepit buildings. Thanx a mil Volpe, Bufalino, Medico. Good fuggin job providing excessively for you and your own for a couple decades. Big fuggin deal you can have people murdered; that''s something to be proud of?! You can go north or south from Duryea on your tour for both directions seem to be equally fucked up. Which is more a mess Wilkes Barre or Scranton? Participants can discuss this. Hazleton or Carbondale probably takes the rotten cake, but I don't think anyone wants to go that far "up the line". I guess Olyphant's picturesque. As a native NE pennsylvanian, raised in NP n then Scranton, with one side from Dunmore and the other from Duryea n Moosic; I can proudly say I've never been to Hazleton. Cuz even if I had to pee en route to Philly I'd wait and stop in Jim Thorpe. Bufalino had the stupidest end to his life. I don't like a snitch but still props to that dude Jack Napoli. Pittston pretends it's not a piece of shit town but being that it's in NEPA it can't help but be a piece of shit, just like every other town there. And it seems to me it's all shit because the mob ran it. Thanx for including the photos; I enjoyed seeing just how very ugly all these people were/are. Fuck "The Godfather " and everyone involved! (as well as all the Scorcese crap) You wanna watch something more on point in regards to NEPA watch "Nothing But Trouble". Maybe Dan Akroid had the "pleasure" of meeting Mr Bufalino?

To say that Russel Buffolino was most influential its just more ridiculous. He was definitely influential but don't try to over exaggerate his role causebhe was influnial enough and by saying this bs most powerful its just stupid and undermines your book. And btw which 3 families he controlled???

The book is so good defiantly in my top 3 mob books probably #1

When I was a kid Russ would give me gold coins with chocolate inside . I’ll never forget it for Getta Bout it The good days

Can't believe the few views this has had. What a gem.

Wow look at that head of hair on Billy.

Never believed Russel ran the Genovese or that Billy was ever running anything lol and that he was made is laughable

I'm gonna go with Tony 'ducks' carallo for the jimmy hoffa ordeal. Since he was mentioned on tv by robert kennedy for being on tape with hoffa talking about taking out of the teamsters pension fund.

I'm from the area. Why wasn't the meetings at Perkins restaurant with Judge Michael Conahan mentioned? Kids for cash? And that whole FBI setup with the Russian monster abduction?

Angelo could not stand Billy and it definitely was not out of jealousy. I saw it in the later years with my own two eyes.

My impression is that Billy, as strange as it might seem, was jealous of Frank Sheeran. I also think that Billy was upset that his character was featured in the movie The Irishman” or that he wasn’t consulted for the movie. Billy probably felt slighted & that’s why he saying that Sheeran didn’t kill Hoffa & that Sheeran’s account isn’t true. If the only reason the Billy believed that Frank Sheeran didn’t kill Hoffa, was because if that one meeting where Frank Sheeran was irate with Salerno & Tony Pro, that doesn’t rule out that Frank killed Hoffa. Frank was very upset with Tony Pro & with Salerno for making his kill Jimmy Hoffa, who was a very close friend of Frank Sheeran. ,

The book was excellent!!!!!

This was Great thanks

As a matter if fact many sicilians first migrated mostly at New Orleans.

And Sheeran did not have kill Joe Gallo

Thanks for uploading. Enjoyed it very much.

Hoffa was sort of a glorified mobster himself..

The Sicilian grocery store owner character in John Steinbeck's Winter of our Discontent maybe based on Rosario Bufalino? the Steinbeck book was published in the late 50s when Mr Bufalino came to the attention of everybody....

Anyone can tell a story any way they want right? Guy selling books

Awsome. Pittston native 👍

Billy drove in my dads wedding.

One my favorites

That’s was fantastic!!!great show

The way Billy slandered Angelo in the book is criminal

You need to talk to Michael Franzese.

not anymore believable than the Irishman version of events.

My friends grandfather is Dominic(Nick) Alaimo.

Never thought that Buffalino was a boss. Significant yes but not a massive player

Don't tell me Joey Naples and Mike Genovese weren't "big enough" to help Frank Deleo!!! You are full of crap