31 Facts About Salvatore Vitale

Salvatore "Good Looking Sal" Vitale was born on September 22,1947 and is an American former underboss of the Bonanno crime family before he became a government informant.

Salvatore Vitale had admitted to 11 murders in October 2010, he was sentenced to time served due to his cooperation, and entered the witness protection program.

Salvatore Vitale was born on September 22,1947, in Maspeth, Queens in New York City.

Salvatore Vitale was the son of Giuseppe and Lilli Vitale, who had emigrated from the village of San Giuseppe Jato in Sicily after World War II; the couple had already had three daughters, but Salvatore was their only son to survive childbirth.

Salvatore Vitale was described by his family as emotionally distant as a child.

Salvatore Vitale first met Joseph Massino, future boss of the Bonanno family, as a child.

Massino befriended Salvatore Vitale, becoming a surrogate "big brother" to his future brother-in-law.

Unlike Massino, Salvatore Vitale graduated from Grover Cleveland High School in Ridgewood, Queens.

Salvatore Vitale attempted to have a legitimate career; Vitale entered the US Military and had been trained as a paratrooper.

Salvatore Vitale managed his own social club in Maspeth not far from Joseph Massino's CasaBlanca Restaurant and Catering Service where he would meet with his underlings.

When he quit that job, Salvatore Vitale approached Joseph Massino for criminal work.

Salvatore Vitale soon became involved in burglaries and transport truck hijacking.

Salvatore Vitale was given a no-show job as a food consultant for King Caterer's.

Salvatore Vitale was picked up by Vitale and Attanasio and driven to a garage.

Later in 1984, Massino and Salvatore Vitale secured no-show jobs with the Long Island based King Caterers in exchange for protecting them from Lucchese extortion.

On Massino's orders, Salvatore Vitale organized the murder of Gabriel Infanti, who had botched a 1982 hit on Anthony Gilberti and was suspected of being an informant.

Salvatore Vitale returned to his job at King Caterers, and in 1996 became co-owner of Casablanca, a well-reviewed Maspeth Italian restaurant.

Salvatore Vitale created a clandestine cell system for his crews, forbidding them from contacting one another and avoiding meeting their capos.

Salvatore Vitale remained loyal and helped Massino organize the March 18,1999, murder of Gerlando Sciascia.

Salvatore Vitale was put under house arrest in 2001 after pleading guilty to his role in an extortion scheme on Long Island.

Salvatore Vitale later pleaded guilty to loansharking charges in June 2002.

Salvatore Vitale was not immediately sentenced, and was placed under house arrest in the interim.

However, the maximum sentence Salvatore Vitale faced was so low that Massino wrongly suspected his underboss was cooperating with law enforcement.

Coppa gave information that directly implicated both Salvatore Vitale and acting underboss Richard Cantarella in the Perrino murder.

Salvatore Vitale was already dissatisfied by the lack of support he and his family received from Massino after his arrest.

Shortly after Salvatore Vitale reached his deal, Lino flipped as well.

Also flipping was longtime Bonanno associate Duane Leisenheimer, whom Salvatore Vitale implicated in several crimes, including two murders.

Salvatore Vitale formally pleaded guilty to that charge on June 23,2005, and was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences.

Salvatore Vitale had admitted to 11 murders, but for his cooperation, was sentenced to time served on October 29,2010, and entered the witness protection program.

Salvatore Vitale's testimony led to the convictions of 51 organized crime figures.

Salvatore Vitale returned to the stand again in March 2012 to testify against Thomas Gioeli.