20 Facts About Anthony Mirra

Anthony "Tony" Mirra was an American mobster, soldier and later caporegime for the Bonanno crime family.

Anthony Mirra is well known for being the individual who introduced FBI Special Agent Joseph "Donnie Brasco" Pistone into the Bonanno family.

Anthony Mirra was the nephew of Bonanno family caporegime Alfred Embarrato and cousins with street soldier Joseph D'Amico, capo Richard Cantarella, capo Frank Cantarella, and Bonanno family capo Paul Cantarella.

Anthony Mirra was born in the poverty-stricken Lower East Side at Knickerbocker Village where he lived in the same apartment building as Embarrato, Richard Cantarella and D'Amico.

Anthony Mirra was once a good friend of Benjamin "Lefty" Ruggiero; Anthony Mirra owned the Bus Stop Luncheonette in Little Italy, Manhattan not far from Ruggiero's bar.

Anthony Mirra worked for Bonanno capo Michael Zaffarano, and was involved in extortion, gambling and drug trafficking.

On July 10,1962, Anthony Mirra was convicted of drug trafficking and was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.

Anthony Mirra remained a recluse from his fellow mobsters including his own relatives, which included Richard Cantarella, and eventually even became estranged from his uncle Alfred.

Anthony Mirra was the first contact FBI agent Joseph Pistone made in his undercover operation, which led to his infiltration of the Bonanno family.

Anthony Mirra introduced Pistone to "Lefty" Ruggiero and offered him a job handling his slot-machine route.

In 1977, Anthony Mirra fled New York after being indicted for drug trafficking.

Anthony Mirra took the issue right to the top and had several meetings over the situation.

Anthony Mirra muscled in on several Little Italy, Manhattan, restaurants and bars.

Anthony Mirra was involved in a vending machine operation that dealt in slot machines, peanut vending machines, video arcade machines and pinball machines that were distributed all over New York City.

Anthony Mirra had them installed in stores, luncheonettes, social clubs and after-hours establishments.

Anthony Mirra was involved in "strong arm" schemes and extorted from several bars and restaurants.

The owners "fee" was $5,000 a week in protection money and if they defaulted an angry Anthony Mirra would follow up with threats and violence.

The day before Giaccone, Trinchera and Indelicato were to be ambushed and executed, Anthony Mirra announced at the Toyland Social Club to Nicholas Marangello that he was joining the opposition.

Anthony Mirra thought we were going to hit him too.

In mid-1981, when Pistone was revealed as an FBI agent, "Sonny Black" Napolitano, "Lefty" Ruggiero, and Anthony Mirra were all in the firing line for initially allowing the infiltration.