The Vario Crew, also known as the Canarsie Crew, is a group of Italian-American mobsters 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 know ...

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 Ave ...

and Flatlands. In the past the crew was controlled by capo Paul Vario 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. 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'' and co-wrote the screenplay for ''Goodfellas'', its 1990 film adaptation, for which he received a nominati ...

'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 many major accolades, incl ...

's crime film adapted from that book, '' Goodfellas'' (1990), starring Ray Liotta 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 in Queens, NY; they also ran several loansharking and bookmaking 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

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 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, m ...

Henry Hill's drug organization

Two of Vario's crew members, Henry Hill 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 la ...

, 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 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 E ...

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

Historical leadership

Caporegimes

*1930s–1950s – Salvatore "Don Turiddo" Curiale *1950s–1988 – Paul Vario — 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 — 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'') * Carlo Profeta (''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 (''associate'', murdered on January 14, 1979) *Richard Eaton (''associate'', murdered on July 18, 1979) * Henry Hill (''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 *Geffkens Bar – a bar owned by Paul Vario * Kew Motor Inn * Robert's Lounge – the former headquarters of Jimmy Burke's crew, located on Lefferts Boulevard and Rockaway Boulevard in South Ozone Park, Queens *The Bamboo Lounge – former hangout, located on Rockaway Parkway and Avenue N in Canarsie, Brooklyn *The Lefferts Bar – *The Suite – a former hangout owned by Henry Hill, located on Queens Boulevard 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 southeas ...

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 – became a government informant, disappeared on February 10, 1979 * Peter Gruenwald – ''associate'', became a witness in 1978, died in 1979 * Henry Hill – ''associate'', became a witness in 1980, died on June 12, 2012

In popular culture

*'' Goodfellas'' (1990), directed by

, is based on the Vario Crew and the life story of crew associate Henry Hill (portrayed by Ray Liotta)

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