Nicholas Blanda

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Nicholas Blanda a.k.a. Nicky from Cypress Hills, Brooklyn is a Lucchese crime family mobster who served under capo Paul Vario.

[edit] Biography

Nicholas Blanda was the son of Italian immigrants from Palermo, Sicily Siwho settled in East New York, Brooklyn is the grandfather to at least one son Daniel who is alive as of 1995. He is a distant blood relative of Charles Blanda who was the was the La Cosa Nostra syndicate boss in Pueblo, Colorado from 1936 to 1953. His mob relative took over the crime family after the gangland slaying of Guiseppe Roma. He is not to be mistaken for Genovese crime family sidewalk soldier Nichols (Nosey Blanche) Blanche who was a recognized member of the crime family in 1959 and convicted of drug trafficking from the testimony of mob turncoat Joe Valachi. Nicholas's paternal relative Charles was involved heavily in illegal moonshine stills and became very wealthy. After Charles' death the syndicate crime family lost much of its influence and dominant presence in Pueblo, Colorado. The territory was later divided upon his death to brothers Vincent and James Nicolletti, and the brothers Eugene and Clarence Smaldone. Unfortunately his relative Nicholas never rose to prominence in the Lucchese crime family even with his pedigree. Nicholas was a wealthy land owner and successful hijacker of transport trucks. He was the proprietor and earned himself a no-show position as an undertaker at a funeral home which he operated in the 1920's to 1940's with his brother Benjamin who was a legitimate businessman who ran the day to day operation of the Blanda Funeral Home. Nicholas was known to have one brother named Benjamin who was also an undertaker who worked at the Blanda Funeral Home located at 725 Liberty Avenue in East New York which was closed and later moved to Cypress Hills, Brooklyn in the 1950s. Through his funeral home business he was able to control the Local 727 made up of funeral hearse drivers, funeral directors, embalmers and death care workers. Nicholas was one of the many Lucchese crime family mobsters who Henry Hill grew up with in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. It is unknown if his brother Benjamin Blanda followed Nicholas into joining the Lucchese crime family. The two brothers were very successful with their funeral home. Nicholas and his brother were so successful with the funeral home business that his brother was able to afford a brand new 1934 Packard Phaeton Cabriolet. Nicholas was a close friend of Paul Vario, Jimmy Burke, Henry Hill and Tommy DeSimone. He was involved in hijacking and dealing in stolen goods. Nicholas was a habituate of Robert's Lounge, The Bamboo Lounge and the Kew Motor Inn. As of 2007 the whereabouts and happenings of Nicholas are unknown. His one recognized son Daniel Blanda is still alive as of 2006 and is not involved in organized crime.