Vincent Salanardi

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Vincent "Vinny Baldy" Salanardi (b. 1962) was a Lucchese crime family soldier. Salanardi was "made" in 1998, placed in captain John "Johnny Sideburns" Cerrella's Brooklyn crew. Salanardi was involved with Lucchese family higher ups Joseph "Joe C" Caridi and his capo in maneuvering to force Gambino crime family associate and former John Gotti pal Lewis Kasman out of a Long Island seafood restaurant he was shaking down.

On December 10, 2002, Salanardi, family consigliere Caridi, and over 20 other Lucchese wiseguys were indicted on racketeering charges. Investigators obtained a good deal of evidence against the racketeers by wiretapping both of Salanardi's cell phones, and in one memorable conversation he had with a fellow wiseguy he vented about "the life": "Everything that happens in this crew is not going to be my problem. I am not a boss. I am not a captain. It's not my problem in life. Everything becomes my problem. I ain't the only wiseguy in New York City." (Source: New York Times, December 11, 2002). In another wiretapped conversation that took place after Jerry Capeci wrote an article detailing acting boss Joseph DeFede's cooperation, Salanardi and fellow soldier Joseph Datello detailed the structure of the family, and explained how Datello was made in 1994 and Vinny Baldy in 1998. Datello was nabbed hiding out in Florida five days after the conversation.

In another wiretapped conversation with Cerrella, Salanardi tipped off the feds that paroled mobsterMatthew Madonna, who served 20 years for supplying heroin to Nicky Barnes, was going to attend a Lucchese family Memorial Day party. After his release from prison, Madonna was inducted into the family, and at the time of his parole violation was a Lucchese caporegime.

Salanardi, like his cousin Frank Gioia, Jr. decided to cooperate against his mafia family. Salanardi admitted to roles in extortion, drug dealing, witness tampering, and the frequent use of violence, but insisted that he never killed anyone, because the rules no longer required it to become a made member of a family. Unlike his cousin though, Salanardi's deal included no protection for his wiseguy father Peter, or any other family members.