Bobby Milano (October 16, 1936 - January 17, 2006) was an American Rock’n’Roll and nightclub singer with reported ties to the underworld.
Cologero 'Charles' Caci was born on October 16, 1936 in Buffalo, New York to Alfonzo and Josephine Dina. Father from Porto Empedocle comune of Agrigento, Sicily. Mother from Palermo. The Caci family resided at 82 10th St in Buffalo's West Village district. Alfonzo worked at the Curtiss-Wright plant located in the adjacent town of Kenmore.
By the age of 12 he was the winner of the 'Ted Mack Amateur Hour' and by the age of 16, he recorded his first record and in 1955 he moved to Los Angeles. It was during this time that Charles, using the name Bobby Milano, began what would be a lifelong involvement of two paths. One was with with the entertainment industry and the other along with several Caci brothers would be in association with Buffalo's Magaddino Family. Eldest brother Onofrio aka 'Al' was a made member of the Family. Vincent aka 'Jimmy' and Salvatore aka 'Sam' were Associates.
In June 1967 Charles and others were indicted for Hobbs Act conspiracy concerning a planned robbery in Los Angeles. Co-defendants included Magaddino Underboss Frederico Randaccio, Capodecina Pasquale Natarelli and Associate Stephen Cino. The group was convicted at trial later that year and Caci received a ten year sentence. When his music career ended, he became known in the underworld there as 'The Crooning Cry Baby'
Bobby Milano by the 1980s, was used an enforcer in the Caci crew, while still performing at various establishments in the Los Angeles and Palm Springs areas. He had married singer Keely Smith at Palm Springs in 1975 and the pair were known to perform together as a nightclub act at times. Frank Sinatra, who was close with Smith, reputedly gave the bride away at the couple’s wedding ceremony. Bobby took care of Keely’s career and even produced an album fror her in 1985, but that didn't stop him from joining the mafia community after moving to Palm Springs to join his brother Peter Milano (Jimmy Caci). Meanwhile in 1981 Bobby appeared in the film “The Million Dollar Face.”
In mid-June 1985 the FBI included Charles Caci in a list of newly identified members of the Los Angeles Family. Also included was his brother Jimmy, a Capodecina who joined the Family a couple of years prior. In May 1987 the brothers were indicted by USAO Los Angeles on Federal racketeering charges. Among the thirteen co-defendants were Family Boss Peter Milano, Underboss Carmen Milano, Capodecina Luigi Gelfuso Jr. and three other Family members, including fellow Buffalo transplant Stephen Cino. Also indicted was Bonanno Soldier Arthur 'Artie' Franconeri from Bayonne, New Jersey.
An article in The Desert Sun noted: "Charles Caci and others allegedly obtained property from two gamblers by extortion and from a Palm Springs bookmaker." The article described a March 1985 meeting between Charles and the unnamed bookmaker: The victim was ordered to give a portion of his gambling business to Caci or his business would be closed." The Caci brothers and five others reached a global plea agreement in late March 1988. On May 16, 1988 Charles and Jimmy were each given prison terms of one year and one day.
Nearly ten years later the brothers were named in another Federal racketeering case, this one out of Las Vegas.On February 3, 1998 sixteen were indicted on various counts that included extortion, money laundering, fraud and murder conspiracy. Returning co-defendants included Family Underboss Carmen Milano and Soldiers Stephen Cino and Rocco Zangari. Capodecina Louis Caruso and Magaddino Member Robert Panaro were also charged.
On January 8, 2001 Charles pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, admitting his role in a plot to sell fraudulent traveler's checks, and was sentenced to four months confinement at his residence in Palm Springs. In law enforcement circles, Weigel says, "Bobby was thought of as an enforcer and petty criminal." But his friend, restaurant owner Tony Prenesti, says Milano wasn't much of a mobster.
Bobby Milano died from liver cancer at the hospital in Rancho Mirage, California on January 17, 2006 and was buried in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Cheektowaga, New York. Shortly after he was inducted into the Palm Springs Walk of Stars. At the time of his death he was with Betty Battista as the relationship with Keely Smith had ended although they were still good friends.
(Edited from LCN Bios blogspot, Silverscreen Wiseguys & rocknroll-schallplatten-forum)