Ralph Ronga
| Ralph Ronga | |
|---|---|
| Born | Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, U.S. |
| 🏳️ Nationality | Italian American |
| Other names | "Ralphie" |
| 💼 Occupation | |
| Known for | Member of the Colombo crime family |
Ralph Ronga (born June 3, 1939 - died November 6, 1971) was a well-respected Colombo family associate who ran with Ralph Spero’s crew. Ronga was also close friends with Sammy Gravano and Ronga’s death ultimately led to Gravano switching from the Colombo family to the Gambino family.
Early Life and Criminal History[edit]
Ronga was born in Bensonhurst Brooklyn, NY in 1939. From a young age, Ronga was involved with criminal activity. He had been a member of the notorious Brooklyn street gang, “The Rampers,” which had included members such as Thomas Spero, Ralph Spero, Joe Vitale, James Emma, Gerard Pappa, and future Gambino underboss Sammy Gravano. Ronga himself was especially notorious, along with childhood friends James Emma and Gerard Pappa who were described as some of the “baddest bad asses” Brooklyn has ever produced. As a criminal from a young age, Ronga had multiple arrests and had served significant jail time, including time at Sing Sing for robbery. He also had 3 burglary convictions on his record at the time of his death.
Though he was not alive to be charged, in 1972 Ronga was also named as a coconspirator in a case where multiple people, including Ralph Spero, were charged with conspiring to use violence and extortion.[1]
Ronga’s Death[edit]
On November 6th, 1971, Ronga along with fellow mob associate Nicholas Rao, stuck up the Engineer’s club in Manhattan. While walking out the front door, Ronga and Rao were met by police and told to surrender. Ronga was not the type of person to surrender and gunfire was exchanged with police. “What balls that guy had” said Sammy Gravano. “We all respected him very much.”[2]
Though Ronga and Rao eventually got away, they were both wounded by the gunfire. Ronga had been shot in the chest and was found in East Flatbush dead, apparently pushed from the car, while Rao was shot in the shoulder and arrested at a Brooklyn hospital. Also killed in the crossfire of the shootout was an investment banker named Mario Sereni.
Gravano family switch[edit]
Shortly after Ronga’s death, Gravano and his crew ran into Ronga’s widow Sybil Davies at a bar. According to Gravano, he saw Davies there with another man and he decided to confront her about it considering Ronga's death was so recent. According to Gravano, the unknown male Davies was with went to the bathroom and Davies then began to flirt with Gravano himself. As a friend of Ronga's, this angered Gravano, prompting him to yell at Davies and tell her to leave the bar.
Though Gravano claims Davies was hitting on him, Ralph Spero and Ronga’s old crew saw things differently and sought to kill Gravano for disrespecting Ronga after his death. According to Gravano, this was a lie made up by Ralph Spero to turn people against him. Shorty Spero, who was Ralph Spero’s older brother and a Colombo family capo, believed Gravano’s story but did not want to take his side over his own brother Ralph. Seeing as how Ralph Spero and Sammy Gravano wanted each other dead, Thomas Spero helped Gravano leave the Colombo family entirely and be accepted into the Gambino family, making him untouchable by Ralph Spero and effectively ending the feud.[3]
Personal Life[edit]
Ronga was married to Sybil Davies until his death in 1971. Sybil had 3 children named Dorothy Lipuma, Carole Lipuma (now Carole Sobrio), and Thomas Lipuma Jr. The 3 kids were from a previous marriage to Thomas Lipuma Sr, a Gambino family soldier. Because of mafia rivalries and mutual dislike, Ronga and Lipuma would never come into contact with each other when exchanging the children for custody days.
References[edit]
- ↑ Kaplan, M. Labor Extortion Laid to 7 Here. New York Times. January 13, 1972
- ↑ Montgomery, Paul. Investment Banker is Slain in Crossfire Between Police and Two Robbery Suspects on Fifth Avenue. New York Times. November 6, 1971.
- ↑ Maas, Peter. Underboss: Sammy The Bull Gravano's Story of Life in the Mafia. Pgs 63-66. New York: HarperCollins, 1996. ISBN 978-0-06-093096-7 Search this book on
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