What Do FBI’s Files on Ray Patriarca Tell Us About the Bonded Vault Robbery

Saturday, June 08, 2019

GoLocalProv News Team

 

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Raymond Patriarca, Sr., head of the New England Mafia

While they make movies and write books about the infamous robbery of the Bonded Vault Robbery, GoLocal went to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s files on New England crime boss Raymond Patriarca to get a look at the crime at the time. A new movie "Vault" about the robbery was released this week.

GoLocal, under a Freedom of Information Act request to the FBI, received the massive dossier on arguably one of the most powerful men in organized crime in American history — Raymond Patriarca, Sr.

READ ALL OF THE PATRIARCA FBI FILES HERE

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In the summer of 1975, Patriarca gives the green light to rob the Bonded Vault at the Hudson Fur Building. According to FBI documents, an informant claims that Patriarca owned the building and much of the money stored in safety deposit boxes were owned by mobsters under false names. Patriarca gave approval to rob from, de facto, his own men.

Patriarca's life was complex in the mid-1970s. He was facing significant pressure from federal authorities and the U.S. Attorney's office in Providence led by Lincoln Almond -- later Governor of Rhode Island -- was nearly singularly focused on Patriarca. Patriarca had an ever more complex relationship with Boston's Winter Hill Gang, and Patriarca's friend Supreme Court Justice Joseph Bevilacqua was under judicial review.

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Hudson Fur Building, site of the Bounded Vault Robbery

According to one FBI document capturing a conversation between a Special Agent of the FBI and Patriarca, the Agent warned that one member of Patriarca's crew “should be concerned with the amount of publicity they are receiving over the bonded Vault Affair was receiving, mentioning that REDACTED NAME reportedly took two shares of the loot, $128,000 for them.”

“Patriarca, Sr. replied, you have treated me as a gentleman, and when you arrested me you did not make a circus of it, so I will tell you this. I can die right now and be placed in my grave, I swear to you that I don’t know any of the individuals involved in the Bonded Vault Job,” said an FBI file of the January of 1976 interview which took place at Patriarca's office at the Coin-O-Matic at 165 Atwells.

“Special Agent stated that the Providence FBI Office receives a lot of information from many individuals, all over the State. Patriarca’s name has been used by many of these people for various criminal endeavors,” said the FBI Memo. “Patriarca, Sr. stated he cannot prevent these people from using his name, but he is not violating any laws.”

“Special agent replied that Patriarca’s name is also being used by people in South Providence. Patriarca, Sr. stated you know me and how I feel about those people. I would never do anything with them.”

 

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Bevilaqua's Obit in the Providence Journal

A Million Dollar Safety Deposit Box

According to one FBI document, a member had $1 million in his safe deposit box at Hudson Furs. “According to the informant, Hudson Furs was owned by RAYMOND but public documents will not show this”

“On August 14, 1975, the firm Hudson Services, Inc., also known as Bonded Vault was robbed by seven males. Hudson Services Inc as located at Cranston Street, Providence, Rhode Island. Investigation disclosed that Hudson Services maintained a large number of safe deposit boxes, many of which were rented under assumed names by organized crime figures. Estimates of the amount of loot taken range from $1 to $5 million.”

The amount stolen was later estimated to be in the range of $30 million.

 

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Inside Patriarca's office on Atwells, the Coin-O-Matic, PHOTO: Providence Public Library

One of the Robbers Fingers Patriarca

Another FBI document states that one of the robbers fingers Patriarca. 

On January 1, 1976, REDACTED who was wanted for armed robbery and other charges related to the hold-up of Hudson Services, Inc., Cranston Street…was interviewed in Las Vegas, Nevada. During a subsequent interview REDACTED admitted participation in the robbery…further stated that he learned from REDACTED that Raymond J. Patriarca ‘gave the Okay for the score.’ Following the robbery, two shares of $64,000 each were given to Patriarca.”

Later in another FBI memo, an unidentified Captain of the Rhode Island State Police, “advised that he does not think that sufficient evidence will be developed in the Hudson Services robbery case to indict either Patriarca since REDACTED who refuses to talk..”

 

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