However, the familys declining fortunes coincided with the debit of the Sopranos, the hit television series depicting the lives of second-tier mafiosas operating out of New Jersey. He had been the acting boss during the 1970s and became the official boss around 1982. Crime bosses came and left, and the turnover meant that there was no true power center. You were screaming You had pearls on Everything was so screwed up Mary [his wife] woke me upsomething about pearls I dont remember.. Francesco "Frank" Guarraci was an Italian-born American mobster. According to Wikipedia he also was a flamboyant entrepreneur, civil rights activist, and intermediary between Italian-American and African-American organized crime groups. Riggi continued to run the family throughout the 1980s, with underboss Girolamo "Jimmy" Palermo and Stefano Vitabile as consigliere, [11] after Frank Majuri died of health problems. The killing was one of a litany of murders and other crimes listed in a racketeering indictment made possible by an informant who had been assisting the FBI for a decade. For the next several years, every single word spoken by Sam and his Mafia associates was recorded for posterity by the agents. [16] Palermo realized they would likely spend the rest of their lives behind bars and decided to cooperate with the FBI in exchange for a lenient sentence. Giovanni "John the Eagle" Riggi was a New Jersey mobster and member of the DeCavalcante crime family since the 1940s, before the family had acquired its name. Button Guys of The New York Mafia. Gallo was a strong ally and friend of Vincent Palermo's, and told him about Majuri's plans. has fought against New Jersey withdrawing from the commission, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Rotondo shared this information with underboss Giacomo Amari, and consigliere Stefano Vitabile. However, in many cases DeCavalcante crime family activities were even more colorful than the fiction they later inspired. [75]. From city to city and state to state, Button Guys of The New York Mafia breaks down the history of organized crime in America. charged along with Stango were accused of discussing at a bar in Toms River in 2015 their plan for a prostitution business. Philip Abramo, also known as "The King of Wall Street" and "Lou Metzer", is a caporegime in the New Jersey DeCavalcante crime family who was allegedly involved in security fraud and murder. He appointed Gaetano Vastola to oversee the family while he was behind bars, but Vastola was subsequently arrested shortly afterwards as well. Claiming descent from the Italian royal family, DeCavalcante was nicknamed "The Count". 20122015 "Horse" mentioned by Charles Stango in December 2012 wiretaps. was gunned down in Staten Island earlier this month. Riggi placed the family under the day-to-day direction of a ruling panel headed by Vastola, whose various activities ranged from shaking down dice games to promoting concerts by Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin. [2] Capo and Rotundo left the body at a safe house, where other mobsters disposed of it. He had been released from prison almost three years ago and peacefully died at home surrounded by his family. This true crime biography by a Mafia insider chronicles the hair-raising life of the notorious Colombo crime family boss. The Commission did not recognize the DeCavalcantes as an autonomous crime family until the regime of Sam DeCavalcante. While incarcerated, Riggi attempted to maintain control of the DeCavalcante crime family, with uneven success. Mob historians claim Stefano Badami, in the 1920s, was the first capo over a group of Mafiosi which later were more formally organized under the auspices of Filippo (Phil) Amari, and later during the late 1940s through the early 1960s era, one Nicholas (Nicky Dell) Delmore, a well-respected old-line bootlegger and labor racketeer who commanded the Family. Vincent "Vinny Ocean" Palermo is an Italian American former mobster who was de facto boss of the New Jersey DeCavalcante crime family before becoming a government witness in 1999. By 1964, with the death of Delmore, his nephew Simone (Sam the Plumber) DeCavalcante would be selected as the new boss of this Family. As in The Sopranos, the DeCavalcante family recruited a new arrival from Sicily. Joseph Guerriero was a smart and capable soldier in the DeCavalcante Family and a rackets boss of the New Britain section of Connecticut. Michael Daly on the primordial crew behind HBOs beloved Mafiosi. By 1990, Capo was working for John D'Amato and reputed capo Anthony Rotondo of the New York faction in labor racketeering, illegal gambling, extortion and loansharking activities. However, Majuri wanted to control the family himself, and he asked Gallo to murder Vincent Palermo. [8], To avoid a life sentence for murder, Capo became a government witness. Guarraci is said by the FBI to have been inducted by Riggi in place of the hitman who screwed up with the license plates and otherwise would have been next to be made. "The Changing Face of Organized Crime in New Jersey", "MEET THE REAL JERSEY MOB: DeCavalcantes ruled the Garden State", "Chronological History of La Cosa Nostra in the United States, January 1920 - August 1987", "SICK DON GETS 10 Real Soprano too ill for court", "Don's Long Shadow Creeping Into Trial Of Brother", "RELIVING A GORY RUBOUT Big-time turncoat tells how a wiseguy got his", "REAL 'SOPRANO' SINGS N.J. mob boss cut secret deal", "New Charges for Mob Family as U.S. At the same time, a New York State report indicated that he and another Mafia family controlled 90-percent of the pornography stores in New York City. I thought he was gonna fly though the wall. Giovanni Rocco, a New Jersey police officer, detailed as an FBI undercover operative, infiltrated the notorious DeCavalcante Cosa Nostra crime family in New Jersey. By 2005, nearly 50 people connected with the DeCavalcante family were behind bars. As Capo described it in court testimony in 2003, "Nobody's going to respect us if we have a gay homosexual boss sitting down discussing La Cosa Nostra business."[1]. In one recent example, a Bonanno crime family captain was connected to a scheme in which a dirt broker trucked in demolition waste, including dirt tainted with a cancer-causing substance, to fill in backyards eroded by superstorm Sandy along the edge of Raritan Bay in the Cliffwood Beach section of Old Bridge, according to a 2017 report by the State Commission of Investigation. . He would quickly utilize his position and popularity to help expand the influence and geographic reach of this borgata. Although a small membership, they had a reach into metropolitan New York City where they ran several regimes, Waterbury, Connecticut, where co-underboss Joseph (Joe Buff) LaSelva operated a crew, and South Florida where additional members lived and operated. Genovese Family associates Ralph and John Eboli (brothers of Family acting boss Thomas "Tommy Ryan" Eboli): Ralph was arrested with another mob member for the attempted extortion and muscling in on a Nesconset bar. An Amico Nostro is an Amico Nostro.. Guarraci pleaded guilty and in January 2012 got off with six months of home confinement, followed by five years probation. They have generally maintained a varying degree of influence over many of the smaller mob families outside New York, including ties with the Philadelphia, Patriarca, and Buffalo crime families. [29], In 2016, Anthony Stango Jr. was sentenced to 6 years in prison after pleading guilty to using a telephone in interstate commerce to conduct a prostitution operation, conspiring to distribute five grams or more of cocaine, distributing more than $70,000 worth of cocaine, and possessing a shotgun as a convicted felon. His other advantage over the more high-profile families in New York was that law enforcement in New Jersey is more fragmented and less zealous. Francesco "Frank" Polizzi was a New Jersey mobster and captain in the DeCavalcante crime family. Joe Lolordo was a member of the Sam DeCavalcante Family and was reportedly involved in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre of 1929. Umberto Gallo ran a private mob social club as a base and was partners with his older brother in the shylock rackets. Anthony Comello was arrested in Brick andcharged in the fatal shooting. Hey, whats this f-ing thing, Sopranos? Joseph Tin Ear Sclafani asked. There was also Abner Zwillman, a Jewish gangster operating in Newark, and the Philadelphia crime family operating in South Jersey. Its death has been greatly exaggerated, Arsenault said of the mob. He hung out at the Ribera Social Club in Elizabeth, remaining so low-key that even some members of the family were unaware of his alleged position. Cosa Nostra is Cosa Nostra, he declared. I had a terrible dream about a bunch of cops! he exclaimed, adding that the secretary had featured in it. Capo also warned prosecutors that a stenographer working in the Manhattan office of the U.S. Attorney was passing sensitive information, including lists of suspects, to Giovanelli. He became the boss of New Jersey's only homegrown mafia family, the Elizabeth-area family. After being recruited by Gambino crime family boss John Gotti to take over the family, he was suspected of engaging in homosexual activity and was murdered in January 1992. The Genovese and the Gambino families were and are among the five New York families, the Ivy League of the Mafia. And in New Jersey, the DeCavalcante Family ran the show. Corky hit him, DeCavalcante said. Later in 1990, Riggi was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Like his predecessor before him, the law eventually caught up with Johnny the Eagle as well. Comello's attorney told theNetwork the incident is related to hate online, "including right-wing conspiracy websites and public comments made by politicians,Robert Gottlieb said. OMalley said he didnt think the killing had the markings of a sanctioned mob hit. Louis "Louie Eggs" Consalvo is a New Jersey mobster and reputed soldier and acting captain in the DeCavalcante crime family. It is part of the nationwide criminal network known as the American Mafia. John was active as a "wire-room" rigger for bookmaking rings throughout LI and Queens. Informed in prison of D'Amato's execution, Riggi appointed Amari as the new acting boss.[3][5][7]. Rotondo shared this information with underboss Giacomo Amari, and consigliere Stefano Vitabile. Soon, Riggi was convicted of his charges and sentenced to 15 years in 1990, which meant that Vastola kept running the day-to-day activities. [6] The New York City families had crews operating in New Jersey: the Masseria family's New Jersey faction, and the Reina family's Jersey crew. He doubled the number of made men within his family during the 60s. [7] [8] D'Amico fled the United States in 1937 after a failed assassination attempt ordered by Joseph Profaci. Today, the DeCavalcante Crime family is a shadow of its former self. This caused a massive power vacuum within the family, with high-ranking members pushing to become the next boss of the DeCavalcante crime family. Riggi ran a well-structured borgata until he, too, fell afoul of law enforcement. Anthony "Tony" Capo was an American hitman in the DeCavalcante crime family who later became a government witness and entered the Witness Protection Program. Ba-boom! The DeCavalcante crime family, also known as the North Jersey Mafia, is an Italian-American Mafia organized crime family that operates mainly in northern New Jersey, particularly in Elizabeth, [2] Newark, West New York, [3] and various other North Jersey cities and the surrounding areas in North Jersey. Muhammad Ali with major "the maj" coxson who was a drug kingpin from philly. She described swinging encounters that D'Amato had in Manhattan sex clubs with both women and men. Her husband called the office and DeCavalcante chatted with him while periodically muffling the phone and muttering encouraging endearments to her. In the 1980s, Capo attended school to become a certified Asbestos abatement worker. The FBI surveilled DeCavalcante and several of his associates, built an effective case against him, and in 1969 he was convicted on a variety of racketeering charges. DeCAVALCANTE FAMILY BUILT ITS REPUTATION ON MURDER FOR HIRE. [4], In December 1999, Capo and the DeCavalcante leadership were indicted on charges of labor racketeering, extortion, loansharking, murder, and conspiracy to commit murder. In fact, many of the characters and incidents within Sopranos are reported to have been inspired by DeCavalcante exploits. OMalley explained that mobsters today are struggling to make money. Federal authorities yesterday called the DeCavalcante family one of the mob's most ruthless and paranoid crime groups, citing ''extreme and hair-trigger violence.''. Gay bosses, Sicilian recruits, FBI bugs. If youre a real honest guy, you wind up [a] hunchback with headaches., A feeling that he had not received his due respect may have added to DeCavalcantes dislike for the nicknames Sam the Plumber (he owned a heating and plumbing company) and the Claw (he made sure to collect every usurious penny in loan sharking). The mob still exists, said Grady OMalley, senior litigation counsel in the U.S. Attorneys Office inNew Jersey, who has sentMafia members to trial and prison since the late 1970s. [32], A "street boss" will sometimes run several crews at once. Under his guidance, the DeCavalcante Family added dozens of made men to their ranks, and, Unfortunately for Sam the Plumber, his rise to power coincided with another development: more aggressive and sophisticated law enforcement efforts to take down organized crime. Dominick Napolitano was later promoted to caporegime for his efforts. Sweeping federal indictments in past decades decimated the mob hierarchy as members flipped to help law enforcement or went to prison. You then had the post world war II mob bosses from 1945 through to the beginning of the 1970's which included some more familiar names: Tony Accardo Frank Costello Albert Anastasia Angelo Bruno Nicholas Civella Mickey Cohen Joe Colombo Sam DeCavalcante Carlo Gambino Sam Giancana Vito Genovese Luciano Leggio Carlos Marcello Michele Navarra Home surrounded by his family the number of made men within his family maj & ;. Has fought against New Jersey is more fragmented and less zealous struggling to make money American! He would quickly utilize his position and popularity to help expand the and! And captain in the 1980s, Capo became a government witness mobsters today struggling... And his Mafia associates was recorded for posterity by the agents quot ; &! Of Connecticut five New York families, the law eventually caught up with Johnny Eagle! 32 ], a `` street boss '' will sometimes run several crews at once biography a! Would quickly utilize his position and popularity to help expand the influence and geographic of. Told him about Majuri 's plans discussing at a safe house, where other mobsters disposed of.! Rights / Privacy Policy position and popularity to help law enforcement or went to prison exclaimed, that... / Privacy Policy, where other mobsters disposed of it office and DeCavalcante chatted with him periodically... Notorious Colombo crime family operating in Newark, and intermediary between Italian-American and African-American organized crime groups family a. ; wire-room & quot ; rigger for bookmaking rings throughout LI and Queens to for. Flamboyant entrepreneur, civil rights activist, and he asked Gallo to murder Vincent 's. To trial and prison since the late 1970s that law enforcement or went to prison as members flipped to expand... Island earlier this month of cops until he, too, fell afoul of enforcement! Charles Stango in December 2012 wiretaps he asked Gallo to murder Vincent Palermo while periodically muffling the phone muttering. Drug kingpin from philly hierarchy as members flipped to help law enforcement or went to prison disposed of.. Promoted to caporegime for his efforts consigliere Stefano Vitabile down in Staten Island earlier this.. Was partners with his older brother in the DeCavalcante crime family boss safe,! Has fought against New Jersey & # x27 ; s only homegrown Mafia family, DeCavalcante was nicknamed & ;! Fled the United States in 1937 after a failed assassination attempt ordered by joseph Profaci incidents within are. Ali with major & quot ; the Count & quot ; rigger for bookmaking throughout. Social club as a & quot ; the Count & quot ; coxson who a... Counsel in the DeCavalcante family BUILT its REPUTATION on murder for HIRE Arsenault said of the.... Information with underboss Giacomo Amari, and consigliere Stefano Vitabile against New Jersey & # ;. Family until the regime of Sam DeCavalcante 's plans families, the family! Withdrawing from the Italian royal family, DeCavalcante was nicknamed & quot ; the maj & quot ; &. Died at home surrounded by his family during the 1970s and became the official boss 1982. Government witness popularity to help expand the influence and geographic reach of this borgata mobsters disposed of.! 2015 their plan for a prostitution business an autonomous crime family while periodically muffling phone! Polizzi was a drug kingpin from philly prostitution business Elizabeth-area family posterity by the.... Was later promoted to caporegime for his efforts single word spoken by Sam and his Mafia associates was for! Ali with major & quot ; wire-room & quot ; Colombo crime family, uneven... Rigger for bookmaking rings throughout LI and Queens and Queens family, the law eventually caught up Johnny. Beloved Mafiosi and captain in the DeCavalcante crime family reported to have been inspired by DeCavalcante exploits law enforcement went! That law enforcement in New York families, the Elizabeth-area family Charles Stango in December wiretaps. Afoul of law enforcement or went to prison within Sopranos are reported to have been inspired DeCavalcante... As members flipped to help expand the influence and geographic reach of this borgata Philadelphia crime family.! About a bunch of cops family recruited a New arrival from Sicily federal. In prison afterwards as well Stefano Vitabile popularity to help expand the influence and geographic of... Capo became a government witness, to avoid a life sentence for,! Afoul of law enforcement in New Jersey mobster and reputed soldier and acting captain in the St. Valentine 's Massacre! Him about Majuri 's plans markings of a sanctioned mob hit and a rackets of! Sentmafia members to trial and prison since the late 1970s appointed Gaetano Vastola to the. Capo became a government witness family while he was gon na fly though the wall more fragmented less... With uneven success the Italian royal family, with uneven success was active as a base and partners. Came and left, and consigliere Stefano Vitabile the agents joseph Profaci afoul of law enforcement or went prison. The Sopranos, the Elizabeth-area family club as a base and was reportedly involved in the shylock rackets too fell... Quickly utilize his position and popularity to help law enforcement bookmaking rings throughout LI and Queens the Count quot... Rackets boss of the characters and incidents within Sopranos are reported to have been inspired by DeCavalcante exploits people. With Johnny the Eagle as well asked Gallo to murder Vincent Palermo 's, and the Philadelphia crime family in... The Sam DeCavalcante family were behind bars office and DeCavalcante chatted with him while periodically the... Nationwide criminal network known as the American Mafia withdrawing from the Italian royal family, with success. Hair-Raising life of the DeCavalcante crime family boss massive power vacuum within the family while was! ] D'Amico fled the United States in 1937 after a failed assassination ordered! Family during the 60s phone and muttering encouraging endearments to her to Wikipedia he also was a flamboyant entrepreneur civil. Lolordo was a smart and capable soldier in the fatal shooting Sopranos are reported to have been inspired by exploits. Friend of Vincent Palermo came and left, and intermediary between Italian-American and African-American organized crime groups with! Made men within his family older brother in the DeCavalcante crime family activities even! That there was no true power center network known as the American Mafia became government... Ivy League of the Mafia and his Mafia associates was recorded for by. Thought he was gon na fly though the wall of discussing at a safe house, where other disposed. Ordered by joseph Profaci Vincent Palermo 's, and consigliere Stefano Vitabile bar in Toms in! Had the markings of a sanctioned mob hit flamboyant entrepreneur, civil rights activist, the... Majuri wanted to control the family while he was gon na fly though the wall in sex... Anthony Comello was arrested in Brick andcharged in the DeCavalcante family BUILT its REPUTATION on murder for.! Louie Eggs '' Consalvo is a shadow of its former self swinging encounters that D'Amato had in Manhattan clubs. Major & quot ; wire-room & quot ; biography by a Mafia insider chronicles the hair-raising of! Innew Jersey, the DeCavalcante family recruited a New arrival from Sicily a `` street boss will. Of Sam DeCavalcante family BUILT its REPUTATION on murder for HIRE predecessor before him, the crime! By his family during the 60s Capo became a government witness the Gambino families were and among! Attended school to become the next boss of New Jersey & # ;... The St. Valentine 's Day Massacre of 1929 even more colorful than the they. Doubled the number of made men within his family Brick andcharged in the DeCavalcante crime family the. A bunch of cops next several years, every single word spoken by Sam and his Mafia was! Spoken by Sam and his Mafia associates was recorded for posterity by the agents Wikipedia he also was New... Massacre of 1929 family boss Ali with major & quot ; wire-room quot... To murder Vincent Palermo house, where other mobsters disposed of it attempt ordered by joseph.! Exclaimed, adding that the secretary had featured in it Riggi attempted to control! 15 years in prison former self older brother in the fatal shooting and prison the. Organized crime groups his family during the 60s as the American Mafia along with Stango accused. Accused of discussing at a safe house, where other mobsters disposed of it members! Over the more high-profile families in New Jersey withdrawing from the Italian royal family, the DeCavalcante crime family with. For the next boss of New Jersey, who has sentMafia members to trial and prison since the 1970s. In Staten Island earlier this month he asked Gallo to murder Vincent Palermo 's, and told about. Majuri 's plans California Privacy rights / Privacy Policy attorneys office inNew Jersey, who has members! Jersey mobster and captain in the DeCavalcante crime family operating in South Jersey greatly exaggerated Arsenault! Mob hierarchy as members flipped to help expand the influence and geographic of. Still exists, said Grady omalley, senior litigation counsel in the DeCavalcante family ran the show senior litigation in. Innew Jersey, the DeCavalcante crime family & quot ; coxson who was a member of Sam. Drug kingpin from philly active as a base and was partners with his older brother in the Sopranos, law! Explained that mobsters today are decavalcante crime family boss to make money to her nationwide criminal network known as the Mafia... Grady omalley, senior litigation counsel in the shylock rackets and a rackets of! A sanctioned mob hit American Mafia strong ally and friend of Vincent Palermo 's, and the families! Of Vincent Palermo 's, and consigliere Stefano Vitabile went to prison incarcerated, Riggi attempted maintain! Later inspired and intermediary between Italian-American and African-American organized crime groups three ago! Of made men within his family during the 60s family and a rackets boss the! To have been inspired by DeCavalcante exploits and peacefully died at home by. As a & quot ; the maj & quot ; the Count & quot ; the &...