When he was released from prison in 1993, Benjamin “Lefty” Ruggiero faced a reality far different from the one depicted in the film *Donnie Brasco*. In the movie, his character is killed by the mob for allowing undercover FBI agent Joe Pistone, known as Donnie Brasco, to infiltrate the Bonanno crime family. In real life, although his life was believed to be in danger, the mob did not kill him. Instead, the FBI arrested him, and in November 1982, Ruggiero, then 56, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for racketeering-related crimes, including his involvement in murders.
Ruggiero’s time behind bars is well-documented. He served just over a decade of his 15-year sentence and was released from the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut, on April 2, 1993, after nearly 11 years. While he was incarcerated, some sources claim the mob had a contract on his life, but it was reportedly canceled at some point during his time inside. It was also reported that while in prison, Ruggiero vowed to seek revenge against FBI agent Joe Pistone, the man whose undercover work had brought him down.
Just four days after his release, on April 6, 1993, FBI agents visited Ruggiero at his Manhattan apartment in the Nolita neighborhood of Little Italy. The purpose of the visit was twofold, according to the FBI file. The agents informed him that they had received reliable information that a threat existed against his life, and they also had information that Ruggiero was contemplating revenge against an individual believed to be Donnie Brasco. Agents did not mention Pistone by name, but Ruggiero made repeated references to him throughout the conversation.
According to the file, Ruggiero dismissed the notion that he had anything to fear on the street. He pointed out that he had been in prison with many wise guys and was far more likely to have been in jeopardy there than on the streets. He commented that he had done his time like a man, had returned home to his neighborhood, and had every intention of walking about freely. He rebuffed the agents’ attempts to leave him a business card or contact number, insisting he could take care of himself.
When it came to the allegations that he had made threats, Ruggiero denied them entirely. He claimed that while in prison, an unidentified informant had thwarted his bid for bail by falsely reporting that he had been making threats. Although he denied plotting any reprisal against Pistone, the file states that Ruggiero made no effort to hide his resentment toward the agent, and he suggested that the interviewing agents should share in that resentment. He also complained about redacted information during the conversation.
Eventually, Ruggiero told the FBI agents that he was dying from cancer and simply wanted to spend time with his family. He assured them that they had nothing to fear from him, explaining that he had terminal cancer and only wanted to use whatever time he had left to be with his grandchildren. He advised the agents that he was set to enter the hospital immediately after Easter for lung surgery. The FBI agents warned Ruggiero that his activities would be monitored and that if it was learned he was trying to determine the whereabouts of anyone connected to his case, an immediate attempt would be made to revoke his probation.
On the same day, the agents also visited Bonanno crime family boss Joseph Massino at his residence. Massino initially said he was not meeting with anyone, but after the agents identified themselves as federal law enforcement officers, he assured them that Joe Pistone was not in any danger. The agents also visited Anthony Spero, a Bonanno family consigliere, for a similar conversation about Ruggiero. Spero told them there was nothing to be concerned about, remarking that barking dogs don’t bite.
He described Ruggiero as old and sick and incapable of doing anything to harm anyone, even if he could locate the person in question. Benjamin “Lefty” Ruggiero died of natural causes in November 1994, more than a year after his release from prison. Special thanks are due to LCN Bios for their excellent research on this particular story.
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