Red Dead Redemption 2 is filled with a plethora of treacherous and unsavory characters. The city of St. Denis, in particular, houses a nest of dangerous vipers. The worst among them is arguably Angelo Bronte, a local Italian crimelord. His character represents the burgeoning influence of the American Mafia in its infancy.
Although not the main villain of the game, Bronte plays a significant role in the St. Denis chapter. Throughout their dealings with Bronte, Dutch's gang realizes that he's not a man to be trusted. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a massive game, so it's easy to miss a few details along the way. When dealing with this vicious mafioso, it's important for the player to know as much as possible.
Biggest Crimelord In St. Denis
The Wild West has no shortage of criminals. All types of unsavory characters inhabit the world of Red Dead Redemption 2. The worst of all is Angelo Bronte, the premier gangster of St. Denis. His wealth and influence is such that very few major decisions are made without his input or approval.
Bronte has a couple of things going for him that make him such an effective crime boss. Chief among these qualities is his enormous wealth, allowing him to live in substantial luxury. A document inside his mansion suggests a good deal of this income is the result of extorting small businesses. Bronte's riches has allowed him to bribe every major official in the city, including the mayor. It's due to his cozy relationship with local politicians that allows him to run his criminal empire with significant impunity. The mission "The Gilded Cage" gives the player a perfect glimpse of the extent of Bronte's political connections.
Jack Marston Is Sold To Him
In addition to extortion and racketeering, Bronte isn't shy about dabbling in kidnapping. At the end of Chapter 3, the duplicity of the Braithwaite family is revealed. The matriarch of the family, Catherine Braithwaite, double-crosses Dutch's gang by kidnapping Jack Marston. The boy is subsequently sold to Angelo Bronte in St. Denis.
Angelo is willing to release John's son, but not for free. He agrees to let Jack go on the condition that Arthur and John eliminate a band of grave robbers who have been plaguing the local cemetery. Bronte proves to be a man of his word and releases Jack unharmed to his family. Interestingly, Jack appears to have had a rather enjoyable time living with Angelo, referring to him affectionately as "Papa Bronte."
Betrays The Van Der Linde Gang
At first, the relationship between Bronte and the Van der Linde gang seems mutually beneficial. After the issue of Jack's kidnapping is settled Bronte appears to give Dutch's organization a hot tip. He grants his blessing for the gang to rob the trolley station in St. Denis, which promises to be a hefty payday.
Unfortunately, Dutch and Arthur realize too late that the trolley heist is a set-up. Bronte, in an effort to rid himself of unwanted competition alerts the police and ambushes the gang. The subsequent firefight results in a close-call for Dutch's band, who vows revenge on the Italian crimelord.
His Arrogance Leads To His Downfall
Angelo Bronte makes it abundantly clear that he is superior to Dutch and his uncouth way of living. He regards himself as a "civilized" businessman where the old way of doing things plays no role in the dawning 20th century. Ultimately, it's Bronte's ingrained sense of superiority that leads to his downfall in the end.
After surviving the trolley ambush, Dutch is driven by an overwhelming sense of revenge to take the fight to Bronte. The latter's mansion is stormed during the night and results in the man himself being apprehended after a short tussle. Spiteful until the end, Bronte is violently drowned by Dutch before being thrown into the swamp. Hungry alligators finish the job.
Represents The Early American Mafia
Angelo Bronte's presence in St. Denis mirrors the real-life infiltration of Italian organized crime in American cities. In particular, New Orleans was one of the first ports-of-call for gangsters from Sicily and Naples. The germ of the budding American Mafia was born in cities like New Orleans, a phenomenon that is represented by Angelo Bronte's growing influence in St. Denis.
Bronte himself seems to be an amalgamation of the Matrangas and Provenzanos, two rival families who battled over control of the New Orleans waterfront in the late 19th century. Like most early Mafia families in New York and New Orleans, gangsters made it a habit to cozy up to corrupt local politicians to maintain their burgeoning power. Bronte does this exactly with the elite of St. Denis. In addition, a newspaper article in Red Dead Redemption 2 details the murder of a police officer, Henry Jenkins, at the hands of Bronte. This case bears some similarities to the real-life murder of New Orleans police chief David Hennessy in 1890. Hennessy was thought to have been murdered by members of the Mafia at the time.