Peter Chiodo

Past member(s)

Joseph Abate

Joseph "Joe" Abate (July 8, 1902 – 1994) was a capo in the family's New Jersey faction. In the 1920s, Abate served as an enforcer for Al Capone in Chicago before settling in New Jersey.Raab, p.1-3 In June 1976, Abate attended Anthony Accetturo's induction ceremony into the Lucchese family. In 1979, Abate went into semiretirement and Accetturo succeed him as boss of the New Jersey faction.Raab, p. 10-11 He moved to Margate, New Jersey and served as a liaison between families in New Jersey until 1989 when he retired from Mafia affairs. In 1992, his daughter Catherine Abate was appointed New York City's new Correction Commissioner. She was confronted about her father's past and denied that he was ever involved in organized crime. In 1994, Joseph Abate died of natural causes. In 1998, his daughter Catherine admitted that she could no longer dismiss allegations that her father belonged to the Lucchese crime family.

Settimo Accardi

Settimo "Big Sam" Accardi (October 23, 1902 in Vita, Sicily – December 3, 1977) served as capo in the family's New Jersey faction up until his deportationDevico
p.161
/ref> and was one of the largest heroin traffickers during the 1950s. Accardi emigrated to the U.S. shortly before World War I and associated with mobsters Joseph Sica, Willie Moretti, Joe Adonis and Abner Zwillman. During World War II, Accardi sold counterfeit food ration cards. On January 22, 1945, he became a naturalized US citizen. His naturalization was revoked on July 10, 1953, because he had not disclosed two previous arrests during his naturalization hearing.

In 1955, Accardi was arrested on a federal narcotics charge in Newark, New Jersey. After posting a $92,000 bond, Accardi skipped bail and fled to Turin, Italy, where he continued smuggling heroin into the US and Canada. Accardi later moved to Toronto, Canada, to oversee this operation. In 1960, U.S. authorities finally located Accardi in Turin, Italy and on November 28, 1963, after a long legal fight, Accardi was extradited back to New York. On July 21, 1964, Accardi was convicted on narcotics conspiracy and skipping bail. On August 24, he was sentenced to fifteen years of imprisonment and a $16,000 fine. He died on December 3, 1977.

Joseph Brocchini

Joseph E. "Joe Bikini" Brocchini (1933 – May 20, 1976) was a soldier under Joseph "Joe Brown" Lucchese in the Corona crew. Born and raised in Corona, Queens, he was arrested as a 17-year-old along with four other youths for carrying out a series of burglaries that robbed eight businesses in north Queens of $26,000 during a week-long spree in 1950. Police believed that the burglary ring was responsible for approximately twenty robberies in Queens and Nassau County before being apprehended.

Brocchini, who was known as an enforcer, later became involved primarily in loansharking and gambling. By the early 1960s, he was managing a lucrative weekly dice game in Manhattan's Little Italy, and also had interests in auto theft and narcotics. Circa 1967, Brocchini ventured into the pornography business via a partnership with a Jewish associate. He became one of the most successful pornographers in New York City and allegedly owned or controlled at least four pornography distribution companies as well as five adult book shops/ peep shows in Times Square. The State Investigation Commission charged in 1970 that his pornography businesses had grossed $1.5 million a year. During this period, Brocchini relocated to the affluent town of Harrison in Westchester County. On April 20, 1972, Brocchini was among twelve people linked to the Lucchese, Colombo and DeCavalcante families indicted on charges of wholesale promotion of obscene material. The arrests were made following a four-month undercover police investigation of New York's major pornography distributors.

In 1976, Brocchini was involved in a dispute with Roy DeMeo, a Gambino family associate at the time, with Brocchini giving DeMeo a black eye. DeMeo and his ''caporegime'' Nino Gaggi decided to kill Brocchini in revenge and, knowing that they would never be given permission by the Lucchese family, decided to disguise Brocchini's murder as a robbery-gone-wrong. Weeks later, on May 20, 1976, Brocchini was shot five times in the head in the office of his used car dealership in Woodside, Queens, where he conducted his day-to-day operations, by Roy DeMeo and Henry Borelli. DeMeo and several of his associates had first handcuffed and blindfolded two other employees at the car lot and ransacked the office, giving the killing the appearance of an armed theft-gone-awry. Brocchini was laid to rest at Mount Saint Mary Cemetery in Flushing, Queens.

His brother-in-law Alfred "Sonny" Scotti and others took over his operations. Brocchini's murder remained a mystery to law enforcement and to the Lucchese family for several years. At the time, police detectives believed that he was killed because of suspicions that he was skimming profits for himself without permission from his boss. Gambino associate Dominick Montiglio would later reveal the events surrounding Brocchini's murder after becoming a government witness in 1983.

Robert Caravaggio

Robert "Bucky the Boss" Caravaggio (1939 – July 28, 2017) was a soldier and leader of the New Jersey faction. From 1986 to 1988, Caravaggio was one of the twenty defendants in the 21-month-long trial of Lucchese crime family's New Jersey faction.Rudolph, p.13-14 In August 1997, Caravaggio, along with other members of the Lucchese family's New Jersey faction, was indicted and charged with racketeering, loan-sharking and gambling. In 2004, the New Jersey Commission of Investigation stated that Caravaggio was the head of the Lucchese crime family's North Jersey faction. Caravaggio was overseeing operations in Northern Jersey, especially in Morris County. Caravaggio died on July 28, 2017, from pancreatic cancer.

Frankie Carbo

Alfonso Cataldo

Alfonso T. "Tic" Cataldo (April 18, 1942 – August 21, 2013) was a soldier in the New Jersey faction. Cataldo grew up in Newark, New Jersey with his cousins Michael and Martin Taccetta. From 1986 to 1988, Cataldo was one of the twenty defendants in the 21-month-long trial of the Lucchese crime family's New Jersey faction.Rudolph, p.13-14 During the trial Cataldo was listed as a member supervising numbers and loansharking operations in New Jersey. In 2002, Cataldo was indicted on illegal gambling charges and for the October 7, 1981 murder of William Kennedy. In 2004, the New Jersey Commission of Investigation stated that Cataldo was running illegal gambling operations in New Jersey. In December 2007, Cataldo was indicted, along with capos Joseph DiNapoli, Matthew Madonna and Ralph V. Perna and others, on gambling, money laundering and racketeering charges. On August 21, 2013, Cataldo died of natural causes. Alfonso is a blood relative to Genovese capo Augustino "Crazy Augie" Cataldo and Genovese soldier Pete "Scarface" Cataldo.

Samuel Cavalieri

Samuel "Big Sam" Cavalieri (April 11, 1911 – November 4, 1987) was a former capo of the Harlem crew. In 1980, Cavalieri and Thomas Mancuso were under investigation for corruption of Local 29 of Blasters, Miners and Drill runners Union. The investigators suspected that Cavalieri illegal paid off Local 29 President Louis Sanzo and Local 29 secretary-treasurer Amadeo Petito. The investigation revealed that in 1978, Petito met in Cavalieri's social club in East Harlem. In 1981, Cavalieri was found guilty of criminal contempt and sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison. On November 4, 1987 Cavalieri died of natural causes.

Ettore Coco

Ettore "Eddie" Coco (July 12, 1908 Palermo, SicilyGiancana, pp.399 – December 1991) was a former acting boss in the Lucchese family.DeVico, pp. 175 In the 1940s, Coco worked with James Plumeri, Frank Palermo, Harry Segal and Felix Bocchicchio for soldier Frankie Carbo, in a group known as "The Combination", an arm of Murder, Inc. which acted as boxing promoters; the group was accused of fixing matches. During this period, Coco met Rocky Graziano, then an amateur boxer fighting in the Lower East Side.Myler, Thomas & Sugar, Bert R. ''The Sweet Science Goes Sour: How Scandal Brought Boxing to its knees''. 2006
(pg 31)
/ref> He helped Graziano start a professional boxing career and throughout the following years was viewed as a de facto boxing manager.Christenberry, Robert K. ''My Rugged Education in Boxing'' by Robert K. Christenberry (May 26, 1952) Life Magazin
pg.114–116, 118, 120, 123–124, 126, 129–130)
/ref> In the late 1940s, Coco was suspected of placing wagers and taking bets on fights while Graziano was accused of taking bribes. These accusations continued until Graziano retired in 1952. In 1953, Coco was arrested in Florida for murdering a Miami car-wash operator in a dispute over a bill. On November 12, 1953, Coco was sentenced to life in prison.''Ring Figure Gets Life Term''
(November 13, 1953) '' The New York Times''Sosin, Milt ''Parolee Fingered in Extortion Case''. (August 24, 1972) The Miami Newsbr>(pg 7A)
/ref> During the 1963 McClellan hearings, government witness Joseph Valachi identified Coco as a ''capo'' in Gaetano "Tommy" Lucchese's crime family.''The Gaetano Lucchese Family McClellan 1963 Chart ''. Gangrule.com
/ref> In 1965, Coco was released from prison after serving ten years on his life sentence. He stayed in Florida and was under government surveillance. In July 1967, family boss Thomas Lucchese died and Coco became a candidate to become the new boss. He served as ''acting boss'' in 1967. In late 1967, Anthony "Tony Ducks" Corallo went to Florida and met with Coco. Coco later stepped down as ''acting boss'' and Carmine Tramunti became the new boss. Coco continued to operate as a capo under Tramunti, with criminal activities in New York and Florida that kept him under strict government watch.

In 1972, Coco, his brother-in-law James Michael Falco, and Louis "Louis Nash" Nakaladski were indicted in Miami on extortion and loansharking charges.''United States of America vs. Louis Nakaladski, Ettore Coco''
. July 6, 1973 (Docket: No. 72-3441); (Citation: 481 F. 2d 289).
July 22, 1974 (Docket: No. 73-3681); (Citation: 496 F. 2d 1359).Pileggi, Nicholas. ''The Decline and Fall of the Mafia''. (March 3, 1972) Life (Magazine
(pg. 42–44)
/ref> During the trial, witness Joel Whitice testified that he borrowed money in the late 1960s from Falco. He made payments to Falco, Coco and Nash, and described Coco as the leader of a loan-sharking ring. Coco was convicted and sentenced to fifteen years in prison on loan-sharking and extortion. By the late 1980s, Coco was considered a semi-retired mobster living in Florida. In 1986, he served as '' consigliere'' for the Lucchese family while boss Anthony Corallo, Salvatore Santoro and Christopher Furnari were on trial in the Commission Case. Coco later resigned and continued to operate in New York and Florida.

In 1986, Coco created a bingo operation to launder money from criminal rackets.McCord, Joe
''Chicago Man Admits Scheme At Bingo World''
April 8, 1992. '' The Baltimore Sun''. The mobsters used Bingo World, a company operating bingo halls in several states, to launder the money. Coco and Chicago Outfit members Dominic Cortina and Donald Angelini became silent partners in the company. The new owner, Stephen Paskind, served as the front owner of the company; while claiming he controlled 84% he actually only had 42%. Izaak Silber soon joined in the bingo operation. In 1991, Coco and his bingo partners were arrested. In December 1991, Coco died while awaiting trial on money laundering.West, Norris P
''Reputed Chicago mobster sentenced in conspiracy Local Bingo World was his target North County – Lunthicum * Ferndale * Brooklyn Park * Pumphery''
June 9, 1993. ''The Baltimore Sun''.

Anthony Corallo

Ralph Cuomo

Ralph "Raffie" Cuomo (1933 – April 2008), also known as "Raffaele", was a soldier who owned Ray's Pizza on Prince Street between Elizabeth and Mott Streets in Little Italy. In 1959, Cuomo opened the first "Ray's Pizza"; he later opened another in the Upper East Side. In 1969, he was convicted of drug trafficking after being found with 50 pounds of heroin. In 1995, Cuomo was arrested and charged with operating a drug network out of Ray's Pizza on Prince Street in New York. In 1998, Cuomo was sentenced to four years in prison for making heroin sales in the pizzeria. He was released from prison on May 24, 2002. Cuomo died in 2008 from complications of diabetes and a heart ailment. In October 2011, Cuomo's pizzeria "Ray's Pizza" on Prince Street closed over a rent dispute. Cuomo's pizzeria "Ray's Pizza" was later sold for almost $6 million.

Domenico Cutaia

Domenico "Danny" Cutaia (November 22, 1936 – August 14, 2018), born in East New York Brooklyn, was the capo of the Vario Crew operating from Brooklyn. His son Salvatore Cutaia is a member of the crew. His daughter Danielle married John Baudanza, who later became a member of the Lucchese family. Cutaia worked as a loan shark and as a chauffeur for capo Paul Vario.Capeci and Robbins
p.209
/ref> While working for capo Paul Vario, Cutaia also controlled some illegal gambling operations and had control of the carpenters union local in Brooklyn. He later took over as capo of Vario's crew in Brooklyn. During the early 1990s he was a member of a ruling panel along with Steven Crea and Joseph DeFede running the crime family. In 1995, Cutaia was indicted for extortion, loan sharking, and racketeering; in 1996, he pled guilty to extortionate extensions of credit and was sentenced to thirty months in prison.New Jersey Casinos Exclusion: Domenico Cutaia Exclusion List State of New Jersey Casino Control Commission In 2002, Cutaia was indicted on loan sharking charges; he pled guilty and was sentenced to two years and three years of supervised probation upon his release. In August 2005, he was released from prison.

His parole terms banned him from communicating with family members until August 2008. However, in January 2007 it was reported that Cutaia was the primary liaison between jailed boss Vittorio "Vic" Amuso and the three man panel of capos who were running the family. On February 28, 2008, Cutaia, his son Salvatore, his son-in-law John Baudanza, and former acting capo Michael Corcione were indicted on federal racketeering charges that included loansharking, extortionate collection of credit, extortion, marijuana distribution conspiracy, illegal gambling, bank fraud, and mail fraud for activities dating back to the 1980s. On October 25, 2009, Cutaia was sentenced to 39 months in federal prison for bank fraud. At the sentencing, Cutaia's attorney asked the court for home confinement, saying that Cutaia suffered from depression and advanced multiple sclerosis; the request was denied. In October 2012, Cutaia was sentenced to one year in prison for loan sharking. Cutaia was released from prison on October 4, 2013. He died on August 14, 2018.

Paul Correale

Paul "Paulie Ham" Correale (April 25, 1911 – died 1962) was a capo in the Lucchese family. Correale controlled gambling and narcotics in East Harlem. In December 1930, Correale and Carmine Tramunti had charges of robbery dropped and they were released from jail. Correale ran a Lucchese family gambling club between Second Avenue and East 112th Street in East Harlem. In 1952, Joseph Valachi and others murdered Eugenio Giannini near Correale's club.

Anthony Delasco

Anthony "Ham" Delasco (sometimes spelled Dolasco) was a former boxer and capo in New Jersey. In the 1950s, he took over The Jersey Crew after Settimo Accardi was deported. Delasco ran his crew from East Orange, New Jersey, where he controlled jukebox machines, cigarette vending machines, illegal gambling and loan-sharking operations in Newark, New Jersey. In the late 1950s, Delasco took Anthony Accetturo as his protege. When Delasco died in the late 1960s, Accetturo took over his rackets.

Anthony DiLapi

Anthony DiLapi (February 9, 1936 – February 4, 1990), also known as "Blue Eyes over the Bridges" or "Fat Anthony", was a soldier. His uncle, Salvatore Santoro, was a former underboss in the Lucchese family.Lawson and Oldham
p.245-252
/ref> DiLapi controlled the Lucchese family's Teamsters union local in New York City's Garment District and a bookmaking business, and owned part of a vending machine company in Brooklyn. He also worked with Thomas Gambino, the son of Carlo Gambino and son-in-law of Thomas Lucchese, in extorting businesses in the Garment District.

After being released from prison, DiLapi was summoned to a meeting with Anthony Casso, and fled. Casso ordered Burton Kaplan to use two NYPD detectives on his payroll, Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa, to track down DiLapi. The two detectives found him in Reseda, California. Vic Amuso and Anthony Casso then ordered Joseph "Little Joe" D'Arco to kill DiLapi. On February 4, 1990, D'Arco shot DiLapi to death in his Hollywood, California apartment building's underground garage. DiLapi was shot five times in the face and four times in the body. On April 6, 2006, Eppolito and Caracappa were convicted of murder for their role in eight mob killings, including that of Anthony DiLapi.

Jackie DiNorscio

Johnny Dio

Salvatore DiSimone

Salvatore "Sally Bo" DiSimone (sometimes spelled DeSimone) (died October 2017), was a former capo. His son Anthony was a member of the Tanglewood Boys. In 1994, his son Anthony went into hiding after the murder of Louis Balancio. In 1999, his son Anthony turned himself in to the police and was sentenced in 2000 to 25 years to life. On December 22, 2003, a soldier in his crew Albert J. Circelli Jr. was shot and killed inside Rao's, an Italian restaurant located in Harlem by mafia associate Louis "Louie Lump Lump" Barone. In 2005, the FBI revealed that DiSimone and Lucchese soldier Daniel Latella had meetings in doctors' offices with Gambino family capo Greg DePalma. His son Anthony DiSimone served seven years in prison before the conviction was overturned; he later pled guilty to manslaughter in 2010, and served no additional time. DiSimone's other son Andrew DiSimone became a made member in the Lucchese family. Salvatore DiSimone died in October 2017. In 2018, a soldier in his crew Dominick Capelli was indicted for operating a large illegal gambling operation in Westchester.

Christopher Furnari

Christopher "Christie Tick" Furnari, Sr. (April 30, 1924 – May 28, 2018) was a former consigliere until his 1986 racketeering conviction. He was sentenced to 100 years in prison before being released in 2014 after serving almost 28 years.

In 1924, Christopher Furnari was born in New York to first-generation Sicilian- Italian emigrants from Furnari, a commune in the Province of Messina in Sicily. By age 15, Furnari was managing his own loanshark operations in Brooklyn and Northern New Jersey. By 1943, the 19-year-old Furnari had already served two prison terms for armed robbery. Furnari was also sentenced to 15 to 30 years after he and several other youths were arrested with three girls in a car and charged with rape.

In 1956, Furnari was released from prison on parole. Furnari became an associate of Gaetano "Tommy Three-Finger Brown" Lucchese's crime family through Furnari's connection with mobster Anthony Corallo. During the late 1950s, Furnari became involved in illegal gambling and loansharking. Furnari soon became an influential member of the Brooklyn faction of the family and was earning $25,000 a day. In 1962, at age 38, Furnari became a made man in the Lucchese family. In 1964, Furnari became a caporegime.

The Lucchese powerbase was traditionally in Manhattan and the Bronx, the family's birthplace; the family's first three bosses, Gaetano "Tom" Reina, Tommaso "Tommy" Gagliano, and Thomas Lucchese, were all from this area. In contrast, Furnari belonged to the less influential Brooklyn faction. Furnari operated his crew in Bensonhurst at the 19th Hole, a nondescript bar and mob social club. His crew was involved in illegal gambling, loansharking, extortion, burglary, narcotics dealing, occasional murder contracts, and union and construction rackets. At this time, Furnari's criminal record included convictions for assault and sex offenses.

Furnari controlled New York District Council 9, which represented 6,000 workers who painted and decorated hotels, bridges, and subway stations in New York. Furnari managed the Council through the union secretary and treasurer, James Bishop, and Bishop's associate, Frank Arnold. Bishop and Arnold would pick up cash payments from the contractors, who charged a 10 to 15 percent tax on all major commercial painting jobs, and passed the payments to Furnari.

The 19th Hole, Furnari's social club, was the hub of criminal activity in Bensonhurst. Mobsters from every New York crime family conducted business in the club and socialized over food and drink. In the mid-1960s, aspiring mobsters Vittorio "Vic" Amuso and Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso joined Furnari's crew. Furnari saw that both men could make money and were willing to use violence if needed. Furnari put Amuso and Casso in charge of a large bookmaking operation and debt collecting operation.

In 1967, family boss Thomas Lucchese died of a brain tumor, leaving the family to be run by an interim boss, Carmine "Mr. Gribbs" Tramunti.Clines, Francis X
L.I. Police Record A Mafia Funeral – Mourners at Services for Luchese Are Photographed
(July 16, 1967) New York Times Lucchese's real successor, Anthony "Tony Ducks" Corallo, was convicted of bribery in 1967 and sentenced in 1968 to prison for two years. Tramunti served as acting boss, even after Corallo was released from prison in 1970. In 1973, with Tramunti's imprisonment, Corallo finally became the official Lucchese boss.

In the early 1970s the Five Families of New York organized crime decided to "open the books', allowing a new generation of mob associates to become made men. Furnari immediately sponsored Amuso and Casso for family membership and then made them overseers of the "Bypass Gang", a highly successful burglary ring. During the 1970s and 1980s, the Bypass Gang reportedly stole hundreds of millions of dollars in cash, jewelry, and other merchandise.

In January 1972, Furnari backed and sanctioned the squad of armed robbers who took the famed Pierre Hotel in Manhattan under siege and stole approximately $3 million in jewels and cash. The Pierre Hotel robbery stands as the largest unrecovered hotel robbery in history. The case was never solved: none of the perpetrators ever confessed to the heist and only a diamond necklace valued at $780,000 was recovered. The eight brazen armed robbers were Robert Comfort, Sammy Nalo, Donald 'Tony the Greek' Frankos, Al Green, Ali Ben, Robert "Bobby" Germaine, and Al Visconti.

In 1980, Furnari was promoted to consigliere in the Lucchese family. He wanted Casso to take over as capo of the 19th Hole crew, but Casso declined and endorsed Amuso instead. Casso opted to become Furnari's aide; a consigliere is allowed to have one soldier work directly for him.

Furnari now enjoyed enormous influence both within his own family, the other New York families, and crime families from other US cities. Furnari continued to oversee his criminal interests from the 19th Hole, but spent much of his time providing advice and mediation for family members as well as settling disputes with the other families. Furnari reigned as one of New York's top Mafia bosses throughout the early 1980s until his 1985 racketeering indictment.

On February 25, 1985, Furnari was indicted in the Mafia Commission case, the most comprehensive Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) prosecution brought against the mob at the time. Furnari was indicted as a result of a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) probe that used undercover surveillance and bugging techniques against the mob leaders. The bug that snared Furnari had been placed in Salvatore Avellino's Jaguar car. FBI surveillance recorded Corallo conducting business with Furnari and other family leaders. Pleading not guilty to the charges, Furnari was released on $1.75 million bail pending trial.

In early 1986, while Furnari was awaiting the Commission trial, the Lucchese family uncovered a new, potentially lucrative racket. A Russian-American crime family based in Brighton Beach in Brooklyn, run by Ukrainian immigrant Marat Balagula, had started to bootleg gasoline. By collecting gasoline taxes from customers and then not paying them to the government, Balagula was making very large profits. When Colombo crime family capo Michael Franzese started pressing Balagula for extortion payments, Balagula went to Furnari for help. Casso later reported on a meeting at the 19th Hole, in which Furnari told Balagula,

Here there's enough for everybody to be happy... to leave the table satisfied. What we must avoid is trouble between us and the other families. I propose to make a deal with the others so there's no bad blood.... Meanwhile, we will send word out that from now on you and your people are with the Lucchese family. No one will bother you. If anyone does bother you, come to us and Anthony will take care of it.

As a result of the 19th Hole meeting, the Five Families imposed a two cent per gallon "Family tax" on Balagula's bootlegging operation, which became their greatest moneymaker after drug trafficking. According to one former associate,

The LCN reminded Marat of the apparatchiks in the Soviet Union. He thought as long as he gave them something they would be valuable allies. Then all of a sudden he was at risk of being killed if he couldn't pay to the penny.

According to author Philip Carlo,

It didn't take long for word on the street to reach the Russian underworld: Marat Balagula was paying off the Italians; Balagula was a punk; Balagula had no balls. Balagula's days were numbered. This, of course, was the beginning of serious trouble. Balagula did in fact have balls, he was a ruthless killer when necessary, but he also was a smart diplomatic administrator and he knew that the combined, concerted force of the Italian crime families would quickly wipe the newly arrived Russian competition off the proverbial map.

On June 12, 1986, one of Balagula's rivals, Russian-American gangster Vladimir Reznikov, entered Balagula's nightclub in Brighton Beach. Reznikov pushed a 9mm Beretta handgun against Balagula's skull and demanded $600,000 and a percentage of Balagula's rackets. After Balagula acceded to his demands, Reznikov told him, "Fuck with me and you're dead, you and your whole fucking family; I swear I'll fuck and kill your wife as you watch, you understand?"

After Reznikov left the nightclub, Balagula suffered a massive heart attack. He insisted, however, on being treated at his home in Brighton Beach, where he felt safer. At home, Balagula asked Casso to come help him. Casso gave these instructions to Balagula, "Send word to Vladimir that you have his money, that he should come to the club tomorrow. We'll take care of the rest." Casso also requested a photograph of Reznikov and a description of his car.

The next day, Reznikov arrived at Balagula's nightclub to pick up his money. Lucchese soldier Joseph Testa confronted Reznikov and fatally shot him. According to Casso, "After that, Marat didn't have any problems with other Russians."

In September 1986, Furnari went on trial in the famous New York Mafia Commission case, along with Corallo and underboss Salvatore "Tom Mix" Santoro. The charges included extortion and labor racketeering within the construction industry and murder for hire of former Bonanno crime family boss Carmine "Lilo" Galante. Galante had been gunned down on July 12, 1979, allegedly on the orders of the Commission. Some have argued that Furnari wasn't on the Commission then and had no connection with the Galante hit. However, Furnari could not use this as a defense argument.

By the fall of 1986, Corallo realized that he, Santoro and Furnari would not only be convicted, but were facing sentences that would all but assure they would die in prison. Furnari persuaded Corallo that either Amuso or Casso should become the new boss. At a meeting in Furnari's home, Furnari, Amuso and Casso all agreed that Amuso should succeed Corallo as boss.

On November 19, 1986, Furnari was convicted on all counts, including the Galante murder. On January 13, 1987, Furnari was sentenced to 100 years in prison without parole and fined $240,000.

With the imprisonment of Corallo and Furnari, Amuso became boss, and Casso became consigliere and later underboss. Peter "Fat Pete" Chiodo took over Furnari's Bensonhurst crew.

In 1990, Amuso and Casso became fugitives to avoid prosecution in the famous "Windows Case." In 1992, Amuso was captured and sentenced to life in prison. In 1993, Casso was also captured; however, in 1994 he struck a deal with the government to testify against Furnari and other family leaders.

In 1995, Furnari started challenging the "no parole" stipulation of his sentence in court. The government had previously revoked Casso's witness deal with prosecutors, and in 1996 Casso was sentenced to life in prison. Furnari's lawyers insisted that Casso's court testimony against Furnari was tainted.

In July 2000, the Third Circuit Federal Court of Appeals ruled that the parole board officials had been denying Furnari's parole eligibility on the tainted assertions of mob turncoat Casso. However, in 2001, the Bureau of Prisons National Appeal Board ruled that Furnari was a multiple murderer and was not eligible for parole, based on what some people considered to be Casso's discredited testimony. On February 15, 2006, Furnari filed a habeas corpus petition in District Court claiming that the United States parole commission had improperly denied him parole. On June 20, 2007, the court denied his petition.

Furnari was imprisoned in the Allenwood Medium Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Allenwood, Pennsylvania. His projected release date was November 24, 2044, effectively a life sentence. However, since he was convicted before Congress eliminated parole for federal prisoners, he and his co-defendants became eligible for parole in 1996. Furnari was the only defendant to be granted early release by the U.S. Parole Commission, most likely relating to the weak evidence behind his murder conviction. Furnari was released from a prison hospital in Minnesota on September 19, 2014, after serving 28 years. On May 28, 2018, Furnari died at his home in Staten Island, New York.

Tommy Gagliano

Stefano LaSalle

Stefano "Steve" LaSalle (real name LaSalaCritchley
p.130-131
/ref>) was an early member of the Morello family; he later joined Reina's family.Critchley
p. 111–113
/ref> In 1915, East Harlem's Italian lottery "king" Giosue Gallucci was murdered, allowing LaSalle and Tommaso Lomonte to take over the lottery games. LaSalle served as underboss to Thomas Lucchese and later Carmine Tramunti, until he retired in the 1970s.

Frank Lastorino

Frank "Big Frank" Lastorino (April 9, 1939 – November 2022) was a soldier, former capo and consigliere of the Lucchese family. Lastorino was formally inducted into the crime family in 1987. In the late 1980s, the family's consigliere Christopher Furnari put Lastorino in charge of the Lucchese family's portion of a bootleg gasoline scheme with Russian mobster Marat Balagula. In August 1990, Lastorino was ordered by Anthony Casso to murder mobster Bruno Facciola.Carlo pp.179–180 The order to murder Facciola was given after Casso had received information from two NYPD police detectives Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa on his payroll that Bruno Facciola was an informant. On August 24, 1990, Frank Lastorino, Louie Daidone and Richard Pagliarulo murdered Bruno Facciola.Capeci, Robbins pp.285–287 Lastorino arranged to bring Facciola to a Brooklyn garage, where Lastorino stabbed Facciola and Pagliarulo shot him six times in the face and chest. Daidone stuffed a dead canary into Facciola's mouth, put his body in the trunk of his 1985 Mercury sedan and abandoned the car on East Fifty-Fifth Street in Canarsie. In April 1991, Lastorino was ordered by Anthony Casso to murder Gambino family capo Bartholomew Boriello, who was a former bodyguard of John Gotti. On April 13, 1991, Lastorino shot Boriello to death outside his Bensonhurst, Brooklyn home. The Boriello murder was allegedly performed with the assistance of Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa. In September 1991, during a Staten Island meeting, Vic Amuso and Anthony Casso replaced Alphonse D'Arco as acting boss and created a four-man ruling panel that consisted of Lastorino, Alphonse D'Arco, Anthony Baratta, and Salvatore Avellino.Capeci, Robbins pp.334Raab, pp.498–499 On September 18, 1991, Lastorino, along with capo Anthony Baratta and soldier Mike DeSantis, conspired to kill Alphonse D'Arco in the Kimberly Hotel in Manhattan but failed. D'Arco defected on September 21, 1991, and became a government witness.Mob boss Said to Have Fled Over Botched Assassination
by Selwyn Raab (October 3, 1991) New York Times

In October 1991, Lastorino, along with Anthony Baratta, Salvatore Avellino, Richard Pagliarulo, Anthony Tortorello, George Conte, Thomas Anzellotto and Frank Papagni inducted (made) Thomas D'Ambrosia, Joseph Tortorello Jr., Frank Gioia Jr., Gregory Cappello and Jody Calabrese into the crime family during a ceremony that was held in a Howard Beach, Queens home. Some time after, Lastorino was appointed consigliere of the family. It was later revealed by government informant Frank Gioia Jr. that Lastorino was ordered by Anthony Casso to murder Patrick Testa on December 2, 1992. Casso intended to blame the murder on the Gambino family in a plot to kill John A. Gotti. In April 1993, Lastorino was indicted and jailed along with Michael DeSantis and Richard Pagliarulo on murder conspiracy, extortion and other racketeering charges.Capeci, Ganglan
pp.151-152
/ref> During the May 16, 1994, trial, the prosecution planned to use government witnesses and former Lucchese mobsters Alphonse D'Arco, Peter Chiodo, and associate Corrado Marino to testify against Lastorino. In June 1995, Lastorino took a plea deal and was sentenced to 18 years in prison. Lastorino was released from prison on December 23, 2008, after serving 14 years in prison on conspiracy to commit murder, racketeering and several murders, including the murder of painters union official James Bishop. On June 22, 2011, his son Carl Lastorino attempted to kill Peter Argentina, shooting him in the hand and shoulder at a Brooklyn tire shop. When Carl tried to escape, he was shot to death by police in an apparent suicide-by-cop. Lastorino died in 2022 at age 83.

Carmine LoCascio

Carmine "Willie the Wop" LoCascio (September 23, 1911 – March 13, 1983) was a New York mobster who was involved in drug trafficking along with his brother Peter LoCascio. In 1929, he was arrested on bootlegging, narcotics and robbery. LoCascio would frequent Oldtimers Bar on 184th Street in Corona Queens. He worked with his brother Peter LoCascio, John Ormento, Sam Accardi, brothers Joseph and John Amici, Charles DeStefano, Charles Bracco, Salvatore Santoro, Joseph Marone and Charles Albero in various criminal rackets. On August 15, 1962, Carmine LoCascio along with Lucchese mobster Angelo Loicano and Genovese family members Rosario and Joseph Mogavero were charged with transporting around 400 kilograms of heroin between January 1950 to August 1962 in the United States.

Peter LoCascio

Peter Joseph "Mr. Bread" LoCascio (June 10, 1916 – September 2, 1997) was a New York mobster involved in drug trafficker along with his older brother Carmine LoCascio. In 1935, he was arrested on illegal alcohol trafficking and narcotic trafficking. In the 1940s, LoCascio was identified as a major heroin drug trafficker. LoCascio would frequent been seen in the Lower East Side and Little Italy in Manhattan. He worked with his brother Carmine LoCascio, John Ormento, brothers Joseph and Peter DiPalermo, Rocco Mazzie, James Picarelli and Sammy Kass in many criminal rackets.

Anthony Loria Sr.

Anthony "Tony" Loria Sr., also known as "Tony Aboudamita", was a mobster who played a major role in the French Connection heroin scandal. Loria, along with his longtime partner Vincent Papa and his crew, are known as "The Men who Stole The French Connection".

Loria was known to federal agents and the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs as a major drug trafficker within the Lucchese Crime Family. He was convicted in 1961 of trafficking heroin but his conviction was overturned on appeal in 1968 because of violations of the Fourth Amendment.

He was implicated along with Papa, Anthony Passero, Virgil Alessi and Frank D'Amato in the New York Police Department scandal, in which over $70 million worth of drugs seized during the French Connection operation was stolen from the police property room. The crew stole 398 pounds of heroin and 120 pounds of cocaine from 1969 to 1972. In October 1973, Loria was indicted, along with the boss of the Lucchese Family Carmine Tramunti and 42 other mobsters, on drug dealing charges.

He died in 1989 from natural causes.

Joseph Lucchese

Joseph "Joe Brown" Lucchese was a capo and brother to Tommy Lucchese, the boss of the Lucchese crime family. He controlled gambling operations along with Aniello Migliore. In 1963, during the Valachi hearings, Lucchese was identified as a capo in the Lucchese family. He died during the early 1970s.

Tommy Lucchese

Anthony Luongo

Anthony "Buddy" Luongo was a former capo in the Harlem-Bronx faction. Luongo was a longtime protégé of Lucchese Underboss Salvatore "Tom Mix" Santoro and would meet him weekly at Santoro Beverage Company on Morris Park Ave in the Bronx. In 1986, Luongo tried to take over the Lucchese family after boss Anthony Corallo was imprisoned during the Commission case. According to informant Al D'Arco, the murder of Luongo was organized by Vic Amuso and Anthony Casso who suspected that Underboss Santoro was plotting with his two protégé Luongo and Anthony DiLapi to seize control of the family.

In December 1986, Luongo was lured to 19th Hole bar in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn to meet with Vic Amuso who persuaded Luongo meet him in nearby house. In the Brooklyn home Luongo met with Vic Amuso, Anthony Casso, Bobby Amuso and Dom Carbucci, until Bobby Amuso excused himself and returned killing Luongo by shooting him three times in the head. Luongo was buried somewhere in Canarsie, Brooklyn.

Mariano Macaluso

Mariano "Mac" Macaluso (born June 7, 1912) was a former member. He served as consigliere during the 1960s. In the 1960s, Macaluso became partners with Lucchese mobster Andimo "Tony Noto" Pappadio in Ideal Trucking and in Garment Carriers Corporation. In 1986, after the Mafia Commission Trial, Macaluso became the new underboss. In 1989, boss Vic Amuso forced him into retirement. In 1992, he died from natural causes.

Vincent Mancione

Vincent "Vinny Casablanca" Mancione (1964) is a soldier and former acting capo. In 2002, Mancione was indicted along with consigliere Joseph Caridi, capo John Cerrella and soldier Carmelo Profeta for extorting the ''Hudson & McCoy Fish House'' restaurant in Freeport, Long Island. Mancione was released from prison on August 2, 2006. Mancione died in 2013.

Thomas Mancuso

Thomas "Tommy Tea Balls" Mancuso (August 29, 1907 – 1981) former member of the Harlem crew. Mancuso and Carmine Tramunti were part owners of the Pussycat Bar and club in New York City. On August 14, 1968, Mancuso was indicted on narcotics charges; convicted on March 26, 1969 and sentenced to 1 year in prison. In 1980, Mancuso and Samuel Cavalieri were under investigation for corruption of Local 29 of Blasters, Miners and Drill runners Union. Mancuso died in 1981.

Frank Manzo

Frank Manzo (February 2, 1925 – October 23, 2012), also known as "Francesco Manzo", "Frank Manse", and "Frankie the Wop", was a soldier in the Vario Crew who oversaw the family's interests at John F. Kennedy International Airport ("JFK") in Queens, New York. He served as a union delegate in the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, controlled Local 295 and owned two trucking companies: LVF Air Cargo, Inc., and LVF Airport Service Inc. at JFK Airport. Manzo also owned Villa Capra, a restaurant in Cedarhurst, New York, where he conducted illegal activities.

In 1972, Manzo was kidnapped by James McBratney, Eddie Maloney, Tommy Genovese, and Richie Chaisson; they held him for $150,000 in ransom, then released him when it was paid. In 1983, Manzo was overheard in an FBI wiretap, saying, "We rule this airport". In 1985, Manzo, Local 295 President Frank Calise, Local 851 Vice-president Harry Davidoff, and others were indicted on charges of extorting shipping and trucking companies at JFK Airport. In 1986, Manzo pled guilty to racketeering and was sentenced to twelve years in prison and fined $325,000. On April 8, 1987, Manzo was banned from New Jersey casinos due to his history of involvement with organized crime.

Manzo was released from prison in 1994. In 1995, Manzo was charged with racketeering for extorting $2 million in payoffs from cement company owner John Quadrozzi over a 13-year period, between 1978 and 1991. However, the charges were dropped when the judge ruled that the crimes were covered under his 1986 plea agreement. On October 23, 2012, Manzo died in his sleep.

Aniello Migliore

Aniello "Neil" Migliore (October 1933 – September 11, 2019), born in Queens, New York, was a made man. He served as a capo, as the acting consigliere, and as the underboss on a ruling panel in the family. Migliore was a close associate of family bosses Tommy Lucchese and Anthony Corallo.Newton
pp.92
/ref> He was recruited into the Lucchese family by capo Joseph Laratro, who controlled illegal gambling operations in Corona, Queens. By the late 1950s Migliore, a soldier, already was overseeing Laratro's illegal gambling operations from bookmaking, policy operations and large telephone setups.The Committee, 197
pp.196
/ref> In 1957, it was reported that after paying tribute to his boss, Migliore was making $50,000 a day from running illegal gambling operations in New York City. On November 14, 1957, Migliore was suspected of driving boss Tommy Lucchese and underboss Steve LaSalle to the famous Apalachin Meeting, a national Cosa Nostra summit in Apalachin, New York that was broken up by law enforcement. The next day on November 15, 1957, Migliore was in a car accident while driving through Binghamton, New York leading to more suspicion that he was supposed to attend the Apalachin Meeting.

On October 22, 1974, Migliore was indicted, along with members Frank Altimari, Nicholas Bonina, Anthony Romanello, Frank Ruggiero, Richard Rubino, Thomas DeMaio, brothers Michael Struzzieri and William Struzzieri, and NYPD Police Officer James Maxwell, on bribery charges in order to protect a gambling operation in Queens. Migliore as a capo represented the family's interest in ''Northberry Concrete'', a Brooklyn-based contractor and member of the New York City's Concrete club.Goldstock
pp.85
/ref> He also held a salesman position with "Port Dock and Stone", one of the main suppliers of trap rock to the two companies that controlled the production of concrete in New York City.

On March 21, 1986, Migliore was indicted, along with Genovese family acting boss Anthony Salerno, Genovese family captains Vincent Cafaro, Vincent DiNapoli and Giuseppe Sabato, Genovese family members Louis DiNapoli, Carmine Della Cava and Thomas Cafaro, and Cleveland crime family members John Tronolone and Milton Rockman, Gambino family member Alphonse Mosca, and four businessmen, Edward J. Halloran, Nicholas Auletta, Alvin O. Chattin, and Richard Costa, on extortion and bid rigging charges. The charges alleged Migliore and other mobsters had rigged the bidding process for the supplying of concrete to high rise building projects in Manhattan such as the Trump Plaza and sites for Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. In November 1986, ''The New York Times'' reported Migliore, a captain and owner of a Queens marble business who also controlled gambling operations with Joe Lucchese (the brother of former boss Thomas Lucchese) replaced Anthony Corallo as the new boss of the Lucchese family, after Corallo was convicted during the Commission trial. Former Lucchese mobster Alphonse D'Arco revealed that Vic Amuso was chosen as the new family boss and Migliore served as consigliere before being replaced by Anthony Casso when Migliore went to prison. On May 4, 1988, Migliore was convicted was sentenced to 24 years in prison and fined $266,000.

In 1991, Migliore's conviction was overturned and he was released from prison. Migliore held an on-the-book job as a sales representative with a traprock supplier in the concrete business.

On April 3, 1992, Migliore was celebrating the birthday of a friend's granddaughter at Tesoro's Restaurant in Westbury, Long Island. During the party, a shooter in a passing car fired shotgun blasts through the restaurant window. Migliore was struck in the neck and upper body. Despite his wounds, Migliore survived.

On May 14, 1997, Migliore was released from prison.

In 2003, it was reported by author Jerry Capeci that the Lucchese crime family was being run by a three-man ruling committee consisting of Migliore, Matthew Madonna, and Joseph DiNapoli in the absence of an acting boss. Migliore, who served as underboss in the past to Anthony Corallo, was considered the biggest influence on the ruling committee. Migliore died on September 11, 2019.

Richard Pagliarulo

Richard "Richie the Toupe" Pagliarulo (November 30, 1948 – 1999) was a hit man and former capo, who took over as capo of Peter Chiodo's old Bensonhurst crew. In 1991, Pagliarulo served as a member of a panel that conducted a Lucchese crime family induction ceremony in Howard Beach, Queens.Capeci
p.225–227
(Gang Land, 2003) He sponsored both Gregory "Whitey" Cappello and Jody Calabrese for membership during the ceremony. Pagliarulo was imprisoned on the information and testimony of Frank Gioia Jr. who stated that Pagliarulo helped Louis Daidone plan the murder Bruno Facciola. He was later sentenced to life in prison for murder and racketeering.

Former Lucchese capo turned government informant Peter Chiodo, admitted that he ordered soldiers Pagliarulo and Michael "Baldy Mike" Spinelli to murder Lucchese associate Sarecho "Sammy the Arab" Nalo. On October 25, 1988, Sarecho Nalo was murdered, while on the phone with Greek crew boss Spiro Velentzas disputing gambling territory when Michael Spinelli pulled the trigger shotting him. In 1999, Pagliarulo died in prison of a heart attack.

Vincent Papa

Vincent C. Papa (December 5, 1917 – July 26, 1977) was a former made member in the family who became notorious for masterminding the theft of the French Connection heroin from the New York Police Department (NYPD) property office. Papa grew up in Astoria, Queens and owned a tire company in the neighborhood. He had been arrested 28 times; two of the arrests were on drug charges. Papa ran his criminal operations from Ditmars Car Service, in Astoria, Queens, and from the Astoria Colts Social Club. He worked closely with mobsters Anthony Loria and Virgil Alessi.

Between 1969 and 1972, New York Police Department detectives James Farley, Joseph Nunziata, Frank King and others were paid by Papa to steal approximately $70 million in confiscated narcotics (heroin) from the New York City Police Property Clerk's office in Lower Manhattan. Papa was arrested on February 3, 1972, in a car parked on Bronxdale Avenue with Joseph DiNapoli in the back seat. There was a suitcase with $967,500 in hundred dollar bills. In 1975, Papa was convicted and sent to the Atlanta Federal Prison in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1977, Papa was stabbed to death in prison. He is buried in St. John's Cemetery in Queens. Papa's infamous theft became famous after the movie ''French Connection II''.

Andimo Pappadio

Andimo "Tony Noto" Pappadio was a former member of who controlled the Lucchese family's garment district racket. In the 1960s, Pappadio became partners with Lucchese mobster Mariano Macaluso in Ideal Trucking and in Garment Carriers Corporation. In 1965, Pappadio was sentenced to two years in prison for refusing to answer questions before a Federal grand jury in Manhattan about meeting with Tommy Lucchese. In the 1970s, his two brothers Fred and Michael Pappadio joined him in controlling Ideal Trucking in the Garment district. In 1975, Pappadio was a suspected of controlling construction contracts of the Suffolk County Meadows horse racetrack. On September 24, 1976, Pappadio was shot and killed outside his home in Lido Beach, Long Island.

Michael Pappadio

Michael "Mike" Pappadio was a Bronx soldier who controlled the Garment district racket, after his bother Andimo Pappadio was murdered. Pappadio worked closely with family boss Anthony Corallo. In the 1970s, Pappadio joined his brother Andimo in controlling Ideal Trucking in the Garment district. In 1987, the family's new boss Vic Amuso and Anthony Casso suspected Pappadio of skimming 15 million a year from the shakedown and loan sharking rackets in the garment district. Amsuo and Casso ordered Pappadio to be removed from the garment district racket and replaced him with Sidney Lieberman. Anthony Casso planned Pappadio's murder ordering brothers Carmine Avellino to bring Pappadio to Crown Bagels, a bakery on Rockaway Boulevard in the South Ozone Park, Queens. On May 13, 1989, Pappadio and Avellino arrived at the bakery, when Pappadio entered he was ambushed by Al D'Arco who smashed him over the head with copper cable and then George Zappola shot him in the head killing him. The murderers emptied Pappadio's pockets taking cash and an address book to be given to Casso before putting his body into a body bag. Government informant Al D'Arco suspected that Casso had arranged with Vic Orena Jr., son of the Colombo family acting boss, to use one of the Colombo family's-controlled funeral home for Pappadio's body.

Michael Perna

Michael J. Perna (1942 – October 28, 2020) was the acting capo of the New Jersey faction. Perna's father Joseph Perna was a mob bookmaker and shylock during the 1960s operating from Newark, New Jersey. His son Joseph R. "Big Joe" Perna followed him into the life and became a member of the Lucchese family's New Jersey faction. His younger brother Ralph V. Perna is also a member in the New Jersey faction. During the 1980s, Perna was a member of Michael Taccetta's inner circle and controlled operations from the Hole in the Wall, a luncheonette in Newark's Down Neck section.Rudolph
p.308
/ref> In August 1988, Perna was acquitted in the 21-month trial along with the other twenty members of the New Jersey faction. On April 18, 1991, Perna was charged in two separate indictments.Rudolph
p.420-422
/ref> The first indictment charged Perna, along with Michael Taccetta, Martin Taccetta, Anthony Accetturo and Tommy Ricciardi, with racketeering. The second indictment charged Perna, along with Michael Taccetta, Anthony Accetturo and Tommy Ricciardi, with corruption. On August 13, 1993, Perna convicted in the first trial. During the second trial both Thomas Ricciardi and Anthony Accetturo agreed to become Government witnesses; they testified against Perna and Taccetta. On September 20, 1993, Perna and Michael Taccetta pled guilty to federal racketeering. In the plea deal both Perna and Michael Taccetta admitted they bribed or tried to bribe jurors in the 1988 trial against 20 members of the Lucchese family and the 1991 trial of John Riggi, the boss of the DeCavalcante crime family. Perna and Michael Taccetta were sentenced to twenty-five years each. He was released from prison on July 31, 2015. Michael J. Perna died on October 28, 2020.

Joseph Pinzolo

Bonaventura "Joseph" Pinzolo (1887 – September 5, 1930), also known as "Fat Joe", was the boss of the family during 1930. In July 1908, Pinzolo was arrested for trying to bomb 314 East 11th Street in an effort to force owner Francisco Spinelli to pay Black Hand extortion demands.Critchley, p.29 After his arrest Pinzolo gave up his boss Giuseppe Costabile, a Camorrista who controlled the area south of Houston Street to Canal Street and from East Broadway to the East River. Pinzolo served 2 years and 8 months to 5 years after refusing to testify against Costabile.

In February 1930, Gaetano Reina was murdered and boss Joseph Masseria backed Pinzolo to take control of the Reina family. Pinzolo may have been responsible for Reina's murder, although the most widely suspected culprit for that crime was Vito Genovese. As boss Pinzolo was unfamiliar with the members of the family and the East Harlem area. His promotion angered Tommaso Gagliano, Tommy Lucchese and Dominick Petrilli, who formed a splinter group within the family and planned his murder.Maas, p.65-67 On September 5, 1930, Pinzolo's body was found in the Brokaw building on 1487 Broadway in Suite 1007 occupied by California Dry Fruit Importers. The office was leased by Tommy Lucchese four months earlier.Critchley, p.181 According to Joseph Valachi the killer was Girolamo "Bobby Doyle" Santucci. Valachi also mentioned that after Pinzolo's assassination a meeting was held on Staten Island to uncover who was responsible for the murder.

Stefano Rannelli

Stefano Salvatore "Steve" Rannelli (sometimes spelled Rondelli) (born in Palermo, Sicily – November 19, 1936) was an early member of Tom Reina's family in the Bronx. In 1922, Rannelli was arrested for a shooting several bystanders on August 8, after another gunman attempted to shoot Joe Masseria. In 1930, Reina was murdered, and boss of bosses Joe Masseria appointed his ally Joe Pinzolo as the new boss of the Reina family. Within the Reina family, Tommaso Gagliano formed a splinter group with Tommy Lucchese, Steve Rannelli, John DiCaro and others who opposed Pinzolo's leadership. On September 5, 1930, Joe Pinzolo was murdered by Girolomo "Bobby Doyle" Santuccio. All the members of the Reina family held a meeting on Staten Island to determine who murdered Pinzolo, but nothing came of that meeting because everyone remained silent. This allowed Gaetano Gagliano to become boss of the family.

After the Pinzolo murder, Rannelli began working with Salvatore Maranzano's Brooklyn Castellammarese clan. He learned the truth about the August 15, 1930, murder of Giuseppe Morello, the gunmen were Sebastiano Domingo and another unidentified man. During the Castellammarese War, Rannelli continued working with Maranzano until he failed to murder Paul Gambino, the brother of Carlo Gambino, a Masseria family member and was demoted by Maranzano. On November 19, 1936, Rannelli was murdered outside of 235 East 107th Street, a building that was owned by Vincent Rao. Government witness Joseph Valachi, revealed that Rannelli was murdered because he had plotted against Vito Genovese and Lucky Luciano.

Vincenzo Rao

Vincenzo "Vincent" John Rao (June 21, 1898 Palermo, Sicily – September 25, 1988),Giancan
p.602
/ref> also known as Vincent or Vinny, was a former Consigliere in the family. His father was Antonio Rao and his mother Liboria Gagliano.Critchle
pp. 89–90, 205
/ref> He had a brother Calogero "Charles" and a sister Maria Speciale.Critchle
pp. 89–90, 148, 205
/ref> On his mother's side, Rao was a distant relative to Tommaso Gagliano. He was a cousin to gangster Joseph Rao. He married Carmelina Alberti and the couple had two daughters, Nina Vento and Liboria Pancaldo. On December 5, 1921, Vincenzo Rao became a naturalized United States citizen in New York City.

He began his criminal career working for the Gaglianos in East Harlem. Rao became a powerful mobster in the lathing end of the lath and plaster industry. He became partners in Five Boro Hoisting Company, United Lathing Company, Westchester Lathing Corporation and Ace Lathing Company operating from the Bronx and Westchester. In the 1950s, boss Gaetano Lucchese promoted Rao to Consigliere in the family.

In 1957, Rao was arrested with 60 other mobsters at the abortive Apalachin meeting in rural Apalachin, New York. When asked by investigators why he was at the meeting, Rao said he went there for the luncheon buffet and did not speak to anyone else because he was not "introduced". During the 1963 Valachi hearings, Rao was listed as the Lucchese family's consigliere. In 1965, Rao was convicted on perjury charges and was sentenced to five years in prison. At the same time the longtime boss Thomas Lucchese had become ill and Rao was thought of as a suitable successor. His chance to become the new boss never came to fruition due to his trials. During the early 1970s, Rao retired. On September 25, 1988, Rao died of natural causes and is buried at Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York.

Gaetano Reina

Michael Russo

Michael "Mike Valentino" Russo (November 23, 1893 - March 1975) was a long-time soldier of the Lucchese crime family New Jersey faction. During his younger days, Michael Russo reportedly work as an "enforcer". In the early 1920s, Russo was inducted into the Newark family of Gaspare D'Amico, and during his time under this family, he attended the 1928 Cleveland Mafia meeting at the Hotel Statler as an official member. In 1933, he was one of the individuals arrested in New York City in connection with the murder of John Bazzano, who was the boss of the Pittsburgh crime family at the time. When the D'Amico family collapsed in 1937 with its rackets being divided up by the Commission, Michael Russo joined the Lucchese crime family, presumably to serve under Settimo Accardi.

In the early 1960s, when the FBN was compiling Mafia members, Russo, already in semi-retirement, was listed as living at 105 Ridgely Avenue, Iselin, New Jersey. His criminal record since 1911 consisted of: assault, burglary, swindling, homicide, embezzlement. Some of Michael Russo's other associates were: Vito Genovese, Joe Profaci, Joe Magliocco, Charles Tourine Sr., and former friends in the old Newark family: Andrew Lombardino and Emanuel Cammarata, by then both Colombo members. Other aliases of Russo listed by the FBN were: Mike Fedesco, Mike Partiro, Max Sender.

Salvatore Santoro

Salvatore T. "Tom Mix" Santoro, Sr. (November 18, 1915 Bureau of Narcotics, Sam Giancana, The United States Treasury Department. ''Mafia: The Government’s Secret File on Organized Crime''. 2007
(pg. 626)
/ref> – January 2000)Capeci, Jerry. "The complete idiot's guide to the Mafia.
(pg. 251)
/ref> served as underboss in the Lucchese crime family during the 1980s before being convicted in the Mafia Commission Trial and sentenced to 100 years in federal prison.

He was born in Leonia, New Jersey

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