Benjamin Ruggiero is well known for his friendship and mentorship of FBI undercover agent Joseph D Pistone.
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21 Facts About Benjamin Ruggiero
2.
In November 1982, Benjamin Ruggiero was sentenced to 15 years in prison for racketeering conspiracy; he was released in April 1993 before his death from cancer.
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3.
Benjamin Ruggiero joined the Bonanno family organization as a young man, serving as a street soldier under caporegime Michael Sabella.
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4.
Benjamin Ruggiero soon became successful in bookmaking, extortion and loansharking rackets.
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5.
Benjamin Ruggiero lived in an apartment on Monroe Street in Manhattan in the same building as his friend and Bonanno soldier Anthony Mirra.
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6.
Benjamin Ruggiero reportedly owned a cigarette boat that he kept docked on the East River in New York.
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7.
Benjamin Ruggiero became good friends with future family boss Philip "Rusty" Rastelli and Mirra.
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9.
Around the time Benjamin Ruggiero became a made member in the Bonanno family, Anthony Mirra introduced him to Joseph Pistone.
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10.
Brasco started working for Benjamin Ruggiero, placing bets and helping him make collections for the bookmaking operation in Benjamin Ruggiero's social club.
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11.
Benjamin Ruggiero mentored Brasco and eventually promised to sponsor him for membership in the family.
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12.
Benjamin Ruggiero developed a close friendship with Brasco, which caused friction with his old friend Mirra, who had originally introduced Brasco to Benjamin Ruggiero.
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13.
Ruggiero and Brasco were in a Miami Beach, Florida restaurant as Ruggiero read a Time magazine containing an article about the infamous Abscam scandal and detailing how FBI agents posed as rich Arab businessmen to catch U S Congressmen taking bribes.
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14.
Benjamin Ruggiero recognized the boat, the Left Hand, as the same boat Brasco provided several months before for a party.
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15.
Benjamin Ruggiero admitted to Pistone that he felt threatened while in the presence of Balistrieri.
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16.
In 1979, Benjamin Ruggiero converted his social club into a candy store and gave it to one of his daughters to manage.
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17.
Benjamin Ruggiero had a reputation as a killer but on a daily basis was not prone to violence.
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18.
Benjamin Ruggiero had never served time in prison; he had been arrested many times, but never jailed.
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19.
Benjamin Ruggiero earned his nickname "Lefty" from tossing dice left-handed while playing craps.
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20.
Benjamin Ruggiero got the nickname "Two Guns" because when he went out on a hit, he liked to use two guns.
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21.
Benjamin Ruggiero refused to believe that Donnie Brasco was a special agent in the FBI and not his associate.
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