Frank Bompensiro

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Frank "Bomp" Bompensiero (September 29, 1905–February 10, 1977), was a capo in the Los Angeles Mafia from way back but was demoted to a soldier upon the retirement of Jack Dragna in the 1950s by the new boss, Frank DeSimone.

Bompensiero participated in loansharking, gambling, and was a hitman in San Diego teaming up with Aladena (Jimmy The Weasel) Fratianno. Bomp also had dealings in Las Vegas with Moe Dalitz, Anthony Spilotro and Johnny Roselli. Frank and Anthony Spiltro started a loanshark operation after becoming friends in the early 1970's. In November of 1975 Frank helped Anthony Spiltro locate millionairess San Diego real estate broker and investor Tamara Rand. Allen Glick was being pressured by Tamara Rand to make good on a promise he made to her, following a $2 million loan. Anthony Spilotro attacked Tamara in her home shooting her once in the head, once in the back and three times under the chin, once she collapsed on the floor.

Bompensiero was highly critical of the upper echelon of the Los Angeles Family, and fell out of favor with them. In addition to this, Bompensiero was an informant for the FBI (as was his main partner). However, Bomp was an extremely cautious gangster (as are most informants) and proved difficult to kill. The Los Angeles Family promoted him from soldier to consigliere in the family to lower his guard, and Bomp was murdered on February 10, 1977 in a phone booth in San Diego. He was shot at close range with a silenced .22 caliber.

As fingered by Los Angeles mob turncoat Aladena "Jimmy the Weasel" Fratianno in 1978, the killer of Bompensiero was Thomas Riccardi, a New Jersey transplant mobster who got his membership in the Los Angeles crime family for the murder. He was later charged with the crime but died before trial of heart complications. Others were acquitted of the murder at trial and included Los Angeles boss Dominick Brooklier, whose real last name was Bruccoleri.