Portrait not available

Born in Italy · Nationality Italian — Organised crime / extortion / obstruction of justice / conspiracy to murder

Russell Bufalino

Documented profile covering 7 controversies, including “1982: appellate court upholds convictions for conspiracy to murder witness and obstruction” and “1981: trial for attempting to arrange murder of government witness Jack Napoli”.

Are you concerned? Right of reply

Profile No. 1963 · Updated on 12 October 2026

7Documented controversies

6Sources

2 followed by a conviction ·

§ Legal statuses reflect the documented sources as of the date shown; they replace neither court decisions nor the presumption of innocence. Counts are not a rating. Methodology

I. Documented controversies

Case · 3 documented stages

1982: appellate court upholds convictions for conspiracy to murder witness and obstruction

Conviction

1982

1982: appellate court upholds convictions for conspiracy to murder witness and obstruction

Conviction

The Second Circuit rejected Bufalino's arguments concerning, among other matters, the Speedy Trial Act, admissibility of certain testimony and jury instructions, and upheld the convictions.

State of the evidence: Documented

Sources · 1

[1]
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit / JustiaUnited States v. Russell Bufalino, 683 F.2d 639Court decisionVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

1981

1981: trial for attempting to arrange murder of government witness Jack Napoli

Formally charged

After the extortion case, Bufalino was accused of recruiting or attempting to recruit intermediaries, including James Fratianno, to have Napoli killed in order to prevent or punish his testimony. At trial, Bufalino denied ordering the murder but admitted making a threat against Napoli in the context of the debt.

Attribution: Accused

Sources · 2

[1]
UPIReputed mob boss denies ordering death of witnessNews agencyHigh reliability
[2]
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit / JustiaUnited States v. Russell Bufalino, 683 F.2d 639Court decisionVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

23 October–November 1981

October–November 1981: convicted of witness murder conspiracy and obstruction; ten years in prison

Conviction

A federal jury found him guilty of conspiring to have Napoli killed and of obstruction of justice. He received ten years in prison and a $10,000 fine on the first count, together with a concurrent five-year sentence and $5,000 fine on the second.

State of the evidence: Established by a court
Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 2

[1]
UPIMobster convicted for ordering witness killedNews agencyHigh reliability
[2]
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit / JustiaUnited States v. Russell Bufalino, 683 F.2d 639Court decisionVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

1975–années 1980

1975–1980s: persistent suspicions surrounding Jimmy Hoffa's disappearance, without indictment of Bufalino

Allegations

Bufalino's name was frequently associated with accounts of Jimmy Hoffa's disappearance because of his links to Teamsters figures and organised crime. However, investigations established no judicial responsibility on Bufalino's part for the disappearance.

State of the evidence: Documented

Sources · 1

[1]
The Washington PostSeven Years Later, Jimmy Hoffa Case Is Still a MysteryPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

1976–10 May 1978

1976–1978: threats against Jack Napoli and conviction for extortionate debt collection

Conviction

Bufalino was prosecuted for using threats to recover a debt of approximately $25,000 attributed to Jack Napoli. He was found guilty of using extortionate means to collect an extension of credit and conspiracy; his conviction was upheld on appeal.

State of the evidence: Established by a court
Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 2

[1]
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit / JustiaUnited States v. Bufalino, 576 F.2d 446Court decisionVery high reliability
[2]
UPIReputed mob boss denies ordering death of witnessNews agencyHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

1959–28 November 1960

1959–1960: convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice and perjury after Apalachin, convictions entirely overturned on appeal

Acquitted / conviction overturned

Bufalino and nineteen other men had been convicted of allegedly conspiring to give false or evasive answers about Apalachin. The Second Circuit Court of Appeals overturned all the convictions, finding in particular insufficient evidence of a common agreement.

State of the evidence: Established by a court
Attribution: Accused
Course of the proceedings: Formally charged — Formal charge before the current outcome

Sources · 1

[1]
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit / JustiaUnited States v. Russell A. Bufalino, 285 F.2d 408Court decisionVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

14 November 1957

1957: attendance at Apalachin meeting, catalyst for federal crackdown on Mafia

No legal proceedings

Bufalino was among the men present at the Apalachin meeting at Joseph Barbara's home. The event became historically central to public recognition of a nationwide organised crime network.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 1

[1]
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit / JustiaUnited States v. Russell A. Bufalino, 285 F.2d 408Court decisionVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

II. Constellation of documented links

No documented link with another published profile for now.

Two profiles are linked when a documented controversy of one names the other. The link points to that controversy and its sources; it does not indicate a personal relationship.

III. Has something changed?

A new court decision, a missing source, a mistake? Tell us what should be updated: every request is read by the editorial team.

Support the archive

Controversia checks and updates its profiles independently. Support is optional and has no effect on the content of profiles.

Donate