The Vario Crew, also known as the Canarsie Crew, is a group of

Italian-American Italian Americans ( it, italoamericani or ''italo-americani'', ) are Americans who have full or partial Italian ancestry. The largest concentrations of Italian Americans are in the urban Northeast and industrial Midwestern metropolitan areas, w ...

mobsters A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from '' mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization a ...

within the

Lucchese crime family The Lucchese crime family (pronounced ) is an Italian-American Mafia crime family and one of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City, in the United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as ...

that controls

organized crime Organized crime (or organised crime) is a category of transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for profit. While organized crime is generally th ...

activities within the

New York metropolitan area The New York metropolitan area, also commonly referred to as the Tri-State area, is the largest metropolitan area in the world by urban area, urban landmass, at , and one of the list of most populous metropolitan areas, most populous urban agg ...

but has been predominantly based from

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

neighborhoods of

Canarsie Canarsie ( ) is a mostly residential neighborhood in the southeastern portion of Brooklyn, New York City. Canarsie is bordered on the east by Fresh Creek Basin and East 108th Street; on the north by Linden Boulevard; on the west by Ralph Aven ...

and Flatlands. In the past the crew was controlled by capo

Paul Vario Paul Vario (July 10, 1914 – May 3, 1988) was an American mobster and made man in the Lucchese crime family. Vario was a caporegime and had his own crew of mobsters in Brooklyn, New York. Following the testimony of Henry Hill, Vario was convic ...

from the early 1950s into the early 1980s, when Vario, Jimmy Burke, and a number of other associates were imprisoned, primarily due to the testimony of another long-term associate,

Henry Hill Henry Hill Jr. (June 11, 1943 – June 12, 2012) was an American mobster who was associated with the Lucchese crime family of New York City from 1955 until 1980, when he was arrested on narcotics charges and became an FBI informant. Hill testif ...

. Hill's life in the Vario crew was the subject of

Nicholas Pileggi Nicholas Pileggi (, ; born February 22, 1933) is an American author, producer and screenwriter. He wrote the non-fiction book ''Wiseguy (book), Wiseguy'' and co-wrote the screenplay for ''Goodfellas'', its 1990 film adaptation, for which he rece ...

's book '' Wiseguy'' and

Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominatio ...

's crime film adapted from that book, ''

Goodfellas ''Goodfellas'' (stylized ''GoodFellas'') is a 1990 American biographical crime film directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Nicholas Pileggi and Scorsese, and produced by Irwin Winkler. It is a film adaptation of the 1985 nonfiction book '' Wis ...

'' (1990), starring

Ray Liotta Raymond Allen Liotta (; December 18, 1954 – May 26, 2022) was an American actor. He was best known for his roles as Shoeless Joe Jackson in ''Field of Dreams'' (1989) and Henry Hill in Martin Scorsese's ''Goodfellas'' (1990). He was a Primeti ...

as Hill. Today the crew is still active, but less influential than before, and was led by Patrick “Patty Red” Dellorusso.

History

Paul Vario's power

Paul Vario received money from members of his crew and local criminals. Vario's crew was involved in hijacking cargo shipments from

JFK Airport John F. Kennedy International Airport (colloquially referred to as JFK Airport, Kennedy Airport, New York-JFK, or simply JFK) is the main international airport serving New York City. The airport is the busiest of the seven airports in the Avia ...

Queens, NY Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long ...

; they also ran several

loanshark A loan shark is a person who offers loans at extremely high interest rates, has strict terms of collection upon failure, and generally operates outside the law. Description Because loan sharks operate mostly illegally, they cannot reasonably ...

ing and

bookmaking A bookmaker, bookie, or turf accountant is an organization or a person that accepts and pays off bets on sporting and other events at agreed-upon odds. History The first bookmaker, Ogden, stood at Newmarket in 1795. Range of events Bookm ...

operations in

. James Burke, a close ally of Vario's, ran a crew of hijackers that would pay off truck drivers and then unload the goods at a warehouse Vario controlled. Another ally of Vario's was

John Dioguardi Giovanni Ignazio Dioguardi (; April 29, 1914 – January 12, 1979), known as John "Johnny Dio" Dioguardi, was an Italian-American organized crime figure and a labor racketeer. He is known for being involved in the acid attack which led to the bl ...

, a Lucchese family capo who controlled labor unions in New York City. In the 1970s, when Vario and Burke were imprisoned, the majority of Vario's bookmaking operations were taken over by his

Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

associate, Martin Krugman.

Henry Hill's drug organization

Two of Vario's crew members,

and Jimmy Burke, began dealing in amphetamines, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. Hill ran his criminal enterprise with his wife

Karen Karen may refer to: * Karen (name), a given name and surname * Karen (slang), a term and meme for a demanding woman displaying certain behaviors People * Karen people, an ethnic group in Myanmar and Thailand ** Karen languages or Karenic l ...

, William Arico, Anthony and Rocco Perla, Robin Cooperman, and Judith Wicks. In early 1979, Burke and Hill began selling heroin. After Robert "Bobby" Germaine Jr., the son of Henry Hill's drug partner, became an informant, Hill was monitored. In 1980, Hill was arrested for drug dealing and looking at several life-sentences. He accepted the option to become an informant. Hill's testimony led to 50 convictions. In 1980, on Burke's orders,

Angelo Sepe The Lufthansa heist was a robbery at New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport on December 11, 1978. An estimated $5.875 million (equivalent to $ million in ) was stolen, with $5 million in cash and $875,000 in jewelry, ma ...

shot and killed Bobby Germaine, Jr. in

Kew Gardens, Queens Kew Gardens is a neighborhood in the central area of the New York City borough of Queens. Kew Gardens is bounded to the north by the Union Turnpike and the Jackie Robinson Parkway (formerly the Interboro Parkway), to the east by the Van Wyck Exp ...

. Burke was given 20 years for fixing sporting events and a life sentence when the authorities convicted him for murdering scam-artist Richard Eaton. Vario was given a 12½-year sentence during the ''KENRAC trial''.

Robert's Lounge Crew

The Robert's Lounge Crew was a semi-independent group of criminals working under the Vario Crew, led by Jimmy Burke, and based in Burke's bar,

Robert's Lounge Robert's Lounge was a saloon located at 114-45 Lefferts Boulevard, in South Ozone Park, Queens, New York City. The saloon was used as a hangout by Paul Vario. The basement was a graveyard for mob victims. A human leg bone and a portion of a huma ...

. They were active from 1957 to 1979. The Robert's Lounge crew comprised numerous members, some described as inept, whose specialties included armed robbery, hijacking, and murder. Although an independent outfit, they were closely associated with the

Lucchese Family The Lucchese crime family (pronounced ) is an Italian-American Mafia crime family and one of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City, in the United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as ...

through which Burke had a longtime friendship and working relationship with Vario.

Historical leadership

Caporegimes

*1930s–1950s – Salvatore "Don Turiddo" Curiale *1950s–1988 –

— in 1984 he was sentenced to years in prison; he died on May 3, 1988 **''Acting'' 1970–1988 – Vito "Tuddy" Vario — Vario's younger brother *1988–1991 – Alphonse "Little Al" D'Arco — served as ''Street Boss'' from May 1990 to January 1991; then served as ''Acting Boss'' from January 1991 to July 1991 when he was demoted; he became a government witness on September 21, 1991 **''Acting'' 1990–1991 – Louis Daidone — promoted to official capo. *1991–1992 – Louis "Louie Bagels" Daidone — imprisoned on May 1, 1992. *1992–2017 – Domenico "Danny" Cutaia — released from prison on October 5, 2013 died August 14, 2018 **''Acting'' 2008 – Michael "Mikey Bones" Corcione — arrested in 2008 **''Acting'' 2010 –

Carlo Profeta Current members Ray Argentina Ray Argentina is a soldier in the Brooklyn faction. His younger brother Peter Argentina is an associate in the family. In 1992, Argentina along with Louis Daidone, Alan Taglianetti and Robert Molinelli were found gui ...

— arrested in 2010 *2017–2020 – Patrick “Patty Red” Dellorusso — promoted to underboss

Current members and associates

;Members * Salvatore Cutaia (''Soldier'') * John Baudanza (''Soldier'') * Michael "Mikey Bones" Corcione (''Soldier'') *

(''Soldier'') ;Associates * Joseph Cutaia (''Associate'') *Steven Lapella (''Associate'') *Victor Sperber (''Associate'') *Louis Colello (''Associate'') *John Rodopolous (''Associate'')

Past members and associates

These are past members and associates who have retired, been murdered, or died other ways. ;Soldiers * Frank Manzo (''Soldier'') *Vito "Tuddy" Vario (''Soldier'') *Peter "Rugsy" Vario (''Soldier'') *Peter "Jocko" Vario (''Soldier'') *Salvatore "Babe" Vario (''Soldier'') *Thomas Vario (''Soldier'') *Peter "Pete the Killer" Abinati (''Soldier'') *Leonard Vario Jr. (''Soldier'') *Joseph D'Arco (''Soldier'') *Bruno Facciolo (''Soldier'') *Rosario Sacco (''Soldier'') *Luigi Sacco (''Soldier'') *Alfonso "Foo" Curiale (''Soldier'') *Paolo Danna (''Soldier'') *Ray Argentina (''Soldier'') *Joseph Chiavo (''Soldier'') *Carmine "Fats" Taglialatela (''Soldier'') * Louis "Lou Bagels" Daidone (''Acting Capo'') ;Associates *Clyde Brooks (''associate'', died in 1994) *Angelo 'Sonny Bamboo' McConnach (''associate'', died in 1996) *Joseph Abinati (''associate'') *Thomas "Tommy Red" Gilmore (''associate'', Murdered on February 6, 1989) *Frank James Burke (''associate'', murdered on May 18, 1987) * Jimmy Burke (''associate'', died on April 13, 1996) *Louis Cafora (''associate'' disappeared in March 1979) *

Thomas DeSimone Thomas DeSimone (May 24, 1950 – disappeared January 14, 1979) was an American criminal associated with New York City's Lucchese crime family who is alleged to have participated in both the Air France robbery and the Lufthansa heist. He also co ...

(''associate'', murdered on January 14, 1979) *Richard Eaton (''associate'', murdered on July 18, 1979) *

(''associate'', became a witness in 1980, died on June 12, 2012) *Martin Krugman (''associate'', disappeared on January 6, 1979) *Angelo Sepe (''associate'', murdered on July 18, 1984) *Louis Werner (''associate'', convicted on May 16, 1979)

Former headquarters and hangouts

The crew operates throughout the

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

; these are some of its former headquarters and hangouts. * La Donna Rosa Restaurant in Little Italy, Manhattan * Bargain Auto Junkyard *Euclid Taxi Cab Company in

Brownsville, Brooklyn Brownsville is a residential neighborhood in eastern Brooklyn in New York City. The neighborhood is generally bordered by Crown Heights to the northwest; Bedford–Stuyvesant and Cypress Hills to the north; East New York to the east; Canarsie ...

*Geffkens Bar – a bar owned by Paul Vario * Kew Motor Inn *

– the former headquarters of Jimmy Burke's crew, located on Lefferts Boulevard and

Rockaway Boulevard Rockaway Boulevard is a major road in the New York City borough of Queens. Unlike the similarly named Rockaway Beach Boulevard and Rockaway Freeway, it serves mainland Queens and does not enter the Rockaways. Route description It begins as an un ...

South Ozone Park, Queens South Ozone Park is a neighborhood in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Queens. It is just north of John F. Kennedy International Airport, between Aqueduct Racetrack to the west and the Van Wyck Expressway to the east. Adja ...

*The Bamboo Lounge – former hangout, located on

Rockaway Parkway Rockaway Parkway is a major commercial street in the Canarsie & Brownsville neighborhoods of Brooklyn, New York. Canarsie High School, as well as a firehouse and several homes and businesses are on Rockaway Parkway. The Rockaway Parkway statio ...

and Avenue N in

Canarsie, Brooklyn Canarsie ( ) is a mostly residential neighborhood in the southeastern portion of Brooklyn, New York City. Canarsie is bordered on the east by Fresh Creek Basin and East 108th Street; on the north by Linden Boulevard; on the west by Ralph Aven ...

*The Lefferts Bar – *The Suite – a former hangout owned by

, located on

Queens Boulevard Queens Boulevard is a major thoroughfare in the New York City borough of Queens connecting Midtown Manhattan, via the Queensboro Bridge, to Jamaica. It is long and forms part of New York State Route 25. Queens Boulevard runs northwest to so ...

near

Forest Hills, Queens Forest Hills is a mostly residential neighborhood in the central portion of the borough of Queens in New York City. It is adjacent to Corona to the north, Rego Park and Glendale to the west, Forest Park to the south, Kew Gardens to the southeast, ...

Government informants and witnesses

* Richard Bilello – ''associate'', murdered on October 28, 1974 * Alphonse "Little Al" D'Arco – became a witness on September 21, 1991, died in 2019 *

Theresa Ferrara The Lufthansa heist was a robbery at New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport on December 11, 1978. An estimated United States dollar, $5.875 million (equivalent to $ million in ) was stolen, with $5 million in cash and $8 ...

– became a government informant, disappeared on February 10, 1979 * Peter Gruenwald – ''associate'', became a witness in 1978, died in 1979 *

– ''associate'', became a witness in 1980, died on June 12, 2012

In popular culture

*''

'' (1990), directed by

, is based on the Vario Crew and the life story of crew associate

(portrayed by

)

References

Notes Sources *

, '' Wiseguy: Life In A Mafia Family'' (1986) *Greg and Gina Hill. ''On the Run: A Mafia Childhood'' *May, Allan
''The Lufthansa Heist Revisited''.
TruTv.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Vario Crew Organizations established in the 1950s 1950s establishments in New York (state) Lucchese crime family American Mafia crews Gangs in New York City Canarsie, Brooklyn