Perry Criscitelli (born 1950) is an American restaurant owner who is an alleged member of the

Bonanno crime family The Bonanno crime family (pronounced ) is an Italian American Mafia crime family and one of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City. The family was known as the Maranzano crime family until its founder Sal ...

. Criscitelli owns several restaurants and previously managed a popular city street festival. In 1996, Criscitelli was selected as president of Figli di San Gennaro, the

Feast of San Gennaro The Feast of San Gennaro (in Italian language, Italian: ''Festa di San Gennaro''), also known as San Gennaro Festival, is a Naples, Neapolitan and Italian-American patronal festival dedicated to Saint Januarius, patron saint of Naples and Little ...

, an

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

street festival that takes place every September on Mulberry Street in

Little Italy, Manhattan Little Italy () is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan in New York City, once known for its Italian American population. It is bounded on the west by Tribeca and Soho, on the south by Chinatown, on the east by the Bowery and Lower East Side, a ...

. In 1995, New York Mayor

Rudy Giuliani Rudolph William Louis Giuliani ( , ; born May 28, 1944) is an American politician and Disbarment, disbarred lawyer who served as the 107th mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001. He previously served as the United States Associate Attorney ...

had threatened to close the festival because it was controlled by the

Genovese crime family The Genovese crime family (), also sometimes referred to as the Westside, is an Italian Americans, Italian American American Mafia, Mafia crime family and one of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City and Ne ...

. Instead, he chose Criscitelli to run it because Criscitelli was supposedly not associated with organized crime. However, during the 2004 trial of Bonanno crime family boss Joe Massino, it was revealed in court that Criscitelli joined the Bonanno family in 2001 and was a major moneymaker for them. Mobster Richard Cantarella testified that he attended Criscitelli's induction ceremony, and that mob figures regularly discussed family business at one of Criscitelli's restaurants. While serving as acting boss of the Bonanno family,

Vincent Basciano Vincent John Basciano (; born November 14, 1959) is an American mobster who became acting boss of the Bonanno crime family after the arrest of Joseph Massino. Basciano was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole in 201 ...

allegedly met with Criscitelli several times and briefed jailed Bonanno boss

Joseph Massino Joseph Charles Massino (January 10, 1943 – September 14, 2023) was an American mobster. He was a member of the American Mafia, Mafia and Crime boss, boss of the Bonanno crime family from 1991 until 2004, when he became the first boss of one of ...

on Criscitelli's activities. Criscitelli categorically denied any involvement with organized crime. On July 27, 2004, Criscitelli resigned as head of the Feast of

San Gennaro Januarius ( ; ; Neapolitan and ), also known as , was Bishop of Benevento and is a martyr and saint of the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, and Armenian Apostolic Church. While no contemporary sources on his life are preserved, later ...

, citing the best interests of the festival. In recent years, Criscitelli sold his Italian restaurant on

Staten Island, New York Staten Island ( ) is the southernmost of the boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County and situated at the southernmost point of New York (state), New York. The borough is separated from the ad ...

. However, his family still owns Da Nico in Little Italy, one of Giuliani's favorite eateries, along with Pellegrino's, Novello, Il Palazzo, La Nonna and SPQR."Criscitelli Family Increases Its Power Grip on Little Italy"
New York Magazine January 2009

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Criscitelli, Perry 1950 births Living people American gangsters of Italian descent Bonanno crime family