Bill Bufalino | |
|---|---|
| Born | William Eugene Bufalino (1918-04-13)April 13, 1918 Pittston, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | May 12, 1990(1990-05-12) (aged 72) Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. |
| Resting place | Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Michigan, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Dickinson School of Law |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 5 |
| Relatives | Russell Bufalino (cousin)[1] Angelo Meli (uncle-in-law) Vincent Meli (brother-in-law) |
William Eugene Bufalino (/ˌbʌfəˈliːnoʊ/; April 13, 1918 – May 12, 1990) was an American attorney who represented theInternational Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) from 1947 until 1971. He retired in 1982. Bufalino worked closely withJimmy Hoffa until 1971.[2] Bufalino died on May 12, 1990.
Bufalino was born on April 13, 1918, inPittston, Pennsylvania, to Salvatore and Louise Bufalino, Italian immigrants fromMontedoro,Sicily.[3] He was one of nine children in a coal mining family. He studied for theRoman Catholicpriesthood for two years before switching to law. He graduated fromDickinson School of Law in 1942 and served inWorld War II as a lieutenant in the Army's Judge Advocate General Corps.[4]
In 1945, after he returned from the Army, Bufalino married Marie Antoinette Meli, sister ofDetroit mobsterVincent Meli[5] and niece of crime bossAngelo Meli,[6] then began practicing law in 1947.[4] Bufalino had a son, William Jr., and four daughters, Louise, Grace Ann, Toni and Fran.[4]
Bufalino represented union leaderJimmy Hoffa for nearly 25 years. He helped the union and Hoffa fightracketeering charges. Bufalino represented the union in seven trials, winning five. Hoffa was eventually jailed forjury tampering.[4]
Bufalino was a Teamster official for 20 years serving as president of Local 985 in the Detroit area. ASenate investigation portrayed Local 985 as "a collection agency for gangster-dominated operators". Bufalino, whose first cousin was Pennsylvania Mafia bossRussell Bufalino, was repeatedly accused ofMafia connections.[4]
Hoffa disappeared on July 30, 1975. Bufalino claimed Hoffa was killed by theCentral Intelligence Agency because of his knowledge of an alleged government plot to useMafia members to assassinate Cuban presidentFidel Castro.[7]
Bufalino died ofleukemia on May 12, 1990, atHoly Cross Hospital inFort Lauderdale, Florida.[4] He is buried inHoly Sepulchre Cemetery in Michigan.[7]
Bufalino is portrayed byRay Romano inMartin Scorsese's 2019 crime filmThe Irishman.[8]
The attorney ended his lengthy relationship with Hoffa in 1971, four years before the labor leader disappeared.
Attorney Bufalino was born April 13, 1918, in Pittston, the son of the late Salvatore and Louise Bufalino, Italian immigrants.
Bufalino was born in Pittston, Pa., one of nine children in a coal miner's family. He studied for the Roman Catholic priesthood for two years but switched to career in law and received a degree from the Dickinson School of Law in 1942. After World War II, in which he served as a lieutenant in the Army's Judge Advocate General Corps, he entered private law practice and in 1947 began his association with the teamsters [...] is survived by his wife, the former Marie Antoinette Meli, a son, William Jr., and four daughters, Louise Blake, Grace Ritter, Toni DeClaire and Fran Arent, all of the Detroit area. [...] William E. Bufalino Sr., a lawyer and associate of the former teamster leader James R. Hoffa, died of leukemia on Staursay at Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He was 72 years old.
Beloved wife of the late William. [...] Sister of Vince Meli.
Three years later, Bill Bufalino fell in love and married Marie Antoinette Meli, the niece of Detroit crime boss Angelo Meli.
After Hoffa disappeared in 1975 from a Bloomfield Township parking lot, the lawyer often was asked what he thought has happened. Mr. Bufalino theorized the CIA had asked Hoffa to have Chicago Mafia boss Sam Giancana arrange for assassination of Cuban leader Fidel Castro. [...] According to Mr. Bufalino's theory, because Hoffa was involved in the intrigue, he had to be killed to insure his silence. [...] with entombment in Holy Sepulchre Mausoleum, Southfield.
According to THR, Ray Romano will appear inThe Irishman as Bill Bufalino,