Lucchese crime family members

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For most of its history, the Lucchese family was reckoned as one of the most peaceful crime families in the nation. However, that changed when Corallo decided to put Vittorio "Vic" Amuso in charge of the family. Amuso later promoted one of his longtime partners, Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso to underboss. They instituted one of the bloodiest reigns in Mafia history, ordering virtually anyone who crossed them to be murdered. Amuso was arrested in 1991 and sentenced to life in prison. Several Lucchese wiseguys, fearing for their lives, turned informant. The highest-profile of these was acting boss Alphonse "Little Al" D'Arco, who became the first boss of a New York crime family to testify against the mob. This led to the arrest of the entire Lucchese family hierarchy, with Casso also becoming an informant. Testimony from these informants nearly destroyed the family, though Amuso continues to rule from prison.

Extremely cropped version of FBI surveillance photo of top Lucchese crime family members (WP) top bosses Vittorio "Vic" Amuso (center left), Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso (right), and Gambino crime family bosses John Gotti (center right) and Sammy Gravano (left). August 12, 1988

Current family members

FBI 'mugshot' photo of Steven Crea

Administration

• Boss Steven "Wonderboy" Crea – became Underboss in 1993 then acting boss in 1998. On September 6, 2000, Crea along with other Lucchese family members was indicted and charged with extortion and supervising various construction sites in New York City. In January 2004, Crea was sentenced to 34 months in prison. Crea was released from prison on August 24, 2006. Crea became boss in 2012.

• Underboss Unknown

• Consigliere Joseph "Joe C." Caridi – operating from Long Island and Queens. Caridi was imprisoned on extortion and loansharking charges and was released on November 27, 2009.

Capos

Capo (Crew boss/captain/lieutenant/caporegime): a capo is appointed by the family boss to run his own borgata (regime, or crew) of sgarrista (soldiers). Each capo reports directly to the underboss, who gives the capo permission to perform criminal activities. If the family needs to murder someone, the underboss normally asks a capo to carry out the order. The capo runs the day-to-day operations of his crew. The capo's soldiers give part of their earnings to the capo, and the capo gives a share to the underboss. A capo can recommend to the underboss or boss that a recruit be allowed to join his crew as a mob associate.

New York

The Bronx faction

• Joseph "Joey Dee" DiNapoli – capo operating in The Bronx. DiNapoli was released from prison on September 17, 1999. He has two younger brothers in the Genovese crime family, Vincent and Louis. In 2003, DiNapoli along with Migliore and Madonna became members of a ruling panel that is running the family. On October 1, 2009 DiNapoli was indicted in a racketeering scheme that made approximately $400 million from gambling, loansharking, gun trafficking and extortion. He is free on bail.

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• Matthew "Matt" Madonna – capo operating in The Bronx. Madonna served 20 years in prison for narcotics trafficking. He was released from prison on September 22, 2003. In 2003, Madonna along with Migliore and DiNapoli became members of a ruling panel that is running the family. As of September 2011, Madonna is on trial for two racketeering indictments. He is free on bail.

• John "Johnny Hooks" Capra – capo operating in The Bronx, Westchester and Manhattan. In 2005, Capra was indicted and charged with extortion along with members of the Gambino crime family. Capra received an eighteen-month sentence and was released from federal prison on September 10, 2008.

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• Anthony "Blue Eyes" Santorelli is a suspected Caporegime in the Lucchese crime family operating in Westchester and Bronx. Santorelli is a member of the Lucchese Bronx Faction In the 1990s, Santorelli led the Lucchese recruitment gang, The Tanglewood Boys in Yonkers, New York, named after the Tanglewood Shopping Center, where members of the gang frequently operated. They began to rise in public eye in the 1990s as a "farm team" or recruitment gang for the Mafia, specifically the Lucchese crime family. Several members went on to other crime families as well, and they were usually the sons of made members. In 1994, Santorelli was observed by an FBI agent, dumping something into a garbage can, which turned out to be clothes covered in blood. A DNA check on the blood led to members of the gang being arrested for murdering college student Louis Balancio at a Yonkers sports bar. After the arrests, one member, Darin Mazzarella, became an informant, leading to the convictions of other members of the gang.

Joseph Lubrano

• Joseph Lubrano (born 1970) was a Caporegime in the Lucchese crime family, active on Arthur Avenue in The Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island. In 1994, Lubrano was wrongfully sent to prison for beating a police officer and was released four years later. In May 2010, Lubrano was listed on the FBI Most Wanted List for several armed robberies. Lubrano was captured on on Sept 11, 2010 and was sentenced to do 57 months in jail. Lubrano was arrested on September 11, 2010. In January 2012, Lubrano was sentenced to 57 months. (In prison)

Manhattan & Long Island

• Aniello "Neil" Migliore – capo operating in Manhattan, Long Island and Florida. In 1992, Migliore was shot on orders from Amuso who saw him as a rival. He was released from prison on May 14, 1997. In 2003, Migliore along with Madonna and DiNapoli became members of a ruling panel that is running the family.

• Dominic "Crazy Dom" Truscello – capo of the Prince Street Crew, members are active in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and Long Island. In the 1990s, Truscello along with Steven Crea and Joseph Tangorra formed the Lucchese Construction Group, supervising all the Lucchese family's construction related rackets. On September 6, 2000, Truscello, Crea and Tangorra were charged with bid rigging, corrupting construction labor officials among other crimes. In 2003, Truscello plead guilty to extortion, on January 9, 2006, he was released from federal prison.

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• (Acting) Anthony Croce – an acting capo active in Manhattan, The Bronx and Staten Island. Croce was arrested in November 2008 for running a sport gambling ring operating in the Bronx and Upper Manhattan. He was charged in two separate indictments in 2009; the first was in October for bribery, loansharking, gun trafficking, extortion, gambling and racketeering and the second in November for running a sports betting ring from his bar "Night Gallery" in New Dorp, Staten Island.

Brooklyn faction

• John "Big John" Castellucci – capo of the Bensonhurst crew. His brothers are Eugene Castelle a soldier in his crew and Anthony Castelle the owner of "Coney Island Container" a private carting company. On November 12, 2000 Castellucci was charged along with underboss Eugene Castelle, capo Joseph Tangorra, soldiers Joseph Truncale and Scott Gervasi and associates Lester Ellis (Zullo) and Robert Greenberg (Volturo) with drug trafficking, extortion and loansharking operations in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. In 2009, Castellucci's brother Anthony Castelle was under investigation for a suspicious fire in his carting company.

Copy of FBI surveillance photos of Danny Cutaia, Patty Delaruso, and and a third person whose name is cut off, probably either Dominick Truscello or Dominick Petrelli

• (In prison) Domenico "Danny" Cutaia – capo of the Brownsville Crew. Cutaia is a former messenger between the imprisoned Amuso and the crime family. On October 25, 2009, he was sentenced to three years in prison for bank fraud. His projected release date November 21, 2012.

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• (In prison) Carlo Profeta – acting capo of the Brownsville Crew. On February 24, 2010, Profeta was indicted along with Lucchese soldier Salvatore Cutaia, associates Joseph Cutaia and Eric Maione, Bonanno capo Anthony Mannone and associate Jerome Carameilli on racketeering and extortion charges. In February 2011, Profeta and associate Eric Maione pleaded guilty to extortion charges. As of September 2011, Profetta is being held at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC)

New Jersey

• (In prison) Michael "Mad Dog" Taccetta – capo of the Jersey Crew and boss of the entire Lucchese's New Jersey faction. Taccetta is currently serving life in prison for conspiracy and drug trafficking convictions.

• Ralph Vito Perna – capo in the Jersey crew. Was arrested in December 2007 with Joseph DiNapoli and Matthew Madonna. The Jersey crew ran an illegal gambling operation that earned approximately $2.2 billion overa 15-month period. The crew also worked with New Jersey correction officers and members of Nine Trey Gangster, a set, or subgroup, of the Bloods street gang. The Jersey crew used Bloods members to smuggle illegal drugs and prepaid cell phones into the New Jersey state prisons.

• Joseph "Joey" Giampa – capo operating in New Jersey. Giampa has a stepson named Gennaro Vittorio, a.k.a. Gerry Giampa who is also involved in organized crime.

Soldiers

Soldier (sgarrista/soldato/wiseguy/button/buttonman/goodfella): a soldier is a made man who has already proven himself to the family. In order to become a soldier he must pass the voting of the captains vote then a message is passed up to the boss or underboss. The soldier then takes an oath (Omertà) to honor the family, he is then assigned into a crew and given a captain. A soldier is one of the lowest ranks in the family but still has much power over associates and friends.

• Thomas "Tommy Red" Anzellotto – soldier, in 1998 he replaced Lucchese soldier soldier Samuel Cavalieri.

Wikipedia:Commons:Commons:Deletion requests/File:Salvatoreavellino1.jpg

Salvatore Avellino in a mid-1980s FBI mugshot

• Salvatore "Sal" Avellino – soldier and former capo. In the 1980s, Avellino was the boss Anthony Corallo's bodyguard and chauffeur. In the early 1990s, Avellino was a member of a ruling panel that controlled the family. He was released from prison on October 13, 2006.

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• Carmine Avellino – soldier involved in extorting carting companies. In 1984, Carmine and his brother Salvatore had a sit-down with Bonanno family members Joe Massino, Salvatore Vitale and "Stevie Beefs" Cannone over controlling King Caterers. In 1988, Carmine was banned from New Jersey casinos. In January 1995, Carmine was indicted along with Anthony Baratta, Frank Federico and Rocco Vitulli for the August 1989, murders of Robert Kubecka and Donald Barstow. On February 25, 2004, he was released from prison.

• Robert "Bucky the Boss" Caravaggio – soldier in the Jersey crew. Caravaggio is operating Morris County and Northern New Jersey.

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• Eugene "Bubsie" Castelle – former capo of the Bensonhurst crew. In 1997, Castelle was charged with bribing guards to smuggle food and steroids into the Brookyln Metropolitan Detention Center. On November 12, 2000, Caselle and other Lucchese members were charged with drug trafficking, extortion and loansharking. He was released from prison on August 28, 2008. His brother John Castellucci became the capo of the Bensonhurst crew and his brother Anthony Castelle is the owner of "Coney Island Container" a private carting company he came under investigation for a suspicious fire in 2009.

• Alfonso T. "Tic" Cataldo – soldier running illegal gambling operations in Northern New Jersey and working with Eurasian organized crime groups. Cataldo was arrested in December 2007 on charges of promoting gambling, money laundering and racketeering charges along with two members of the Lucchese ruling panel Joseph DiNapoli and Matthew Madonna.

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• John "Sideburns" Cerrella – soldier, former acting capo in the 1990s. Formerly a Genovese family associate operating in Broward County, Cerrella later became a made man in the Lucchese family. He is a Long Island faction leader who conducts racketeering, fraud, stocks and wire fraud in Queens and Long Island. He was released from prison on November 27, 2009.

Cropped version of FBI surveillance photo of top Lucchese crime family members (WP) top bosses Vittorio Amuso, Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso, and Consigliere Frank Lastorino

• Joseph "Joey Blue Eyes" Cosentino – soldier. In 1997, Cosention and Anthony Mangano murdered Bonanno family drug dealer Constable Farace.

• Raffaele "Ralph" Cuomo – soldier and owner of Ray's Pizza in Little Italy. In 1969, Cuomo was convicted of narcotics trafficking after being found with 50 pounds of heroin. In 1998, Cuomo discussed heroin drug sales with Lucchese soldier Frank Gioia, Jr.

• Salavatore Cutaia – soldier whose father, Domenico Cutaia, is a high-ranking Lucchese capo. Salavtore's son Joseph Cutaia is considered to be an associate in the family. His son Joseph was charged on December 24, 2009 for an attempted robbery and stick up of a Bensonhurst, Brooklyn couple along with Nicholas Bernardo.

• Santo Giampapa – soldier, he and his brother Joseph were acquitted in the 1992 killing of Lucchese capo Michael Salerno.

FBI surveillance picture of Peter Chiodo (WP), Frank Lastorino, and Anthony Baratta (WP), 23 July 2010

• Frank "Big Frank" Lastorino – soldier in the Bensonhurst crew. He is a former capo and Consigliere. In the early 1990s, Lasterino hatched the plot to kill both John A. Gotti and Lucchese capo Steven Crea to take over the family. He was released from federal prison on December 23, 2008 after serving 14 years on racketeering, extortion and conspiracy to commit murder.

• Vincent "Vinny Casablanca" Mancione – soldier and former acting capo. On December 12, 2002, Macione along with Consigliere Joseph Caridi, capo John Cerrella and soldier Carmelo Profeta were arrested for extorting restaurants on Long Island. He was released from prison in August 2006.

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• Anthony Mangano – soldier. In 1997, Mangano and Joseph Cosentino murdered Bonanno family drug dealer Constable Farace.

• Frank Manzo – soldier with the Vario crew.

• Anthony Pezzullo – soldier, former member of the Lucchese Construction Group involved in bid rigging, extorting construction companies, and corrupting union locals. The group consisted of acting boss Steven Crea, capos Dominic Truscello and Joseph Tangorra, soldiers Phillip Desimone, Joseph Datello (Truscello crew member), Joseph Zambardi and associate Andrew Reynolds.

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File:Nscarfojr.jpg

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• Nicodemo Scarfo, Jr. – soldier, he is the son of former Philadelphia crime family boss Nicodemo Scarfo. With help from his father he joined the Lucchese family. Scarfo Jr. is a member of the Lucchese family's New Jersey faction.

• Rocco Vitulli – soldier, he was a member of Anthony Baratta's crew. On August 10, 1989, Vitulli along with Frank Federico murdered Robert M. Kubecka and Donald Barstow, two executives of a trash-collection company in East Northport, New York. In January 1995, Vitulli was charged along with Carmine Avellino, Anthony Baratta and Frank Federico for the murders of Kubecka and Barstow. He was released from prison on September 7, 2000.

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Imprisoned soldiers

• Vittorio "Vic" Amuso – he took over as boss after the 1987 conviction of Anthony Corallo. He was imprisoned in 1992, and sentenced to life in prison. Amuso continued to control the family from prison. He is currently serving life in prison.

• Ray Argentina – soldier in the Lucchese family. In 2001 Argentina was charged along with Louis Gampero for illegal mortgage fraud activities in Brooklyn, up state New York and Long Island. He was also running an illegal cocaine ring in Long Island with Ken Cardona. Argentina is currently incarcerated and projected release date is October 4, 2024.

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• Anthony "Bowat" Baratta – soldier and former capo in the Bronx. Ran large drug trafficking operations in the 1990s and sat on the family's Ruling Panel. He is currently imprisoned with a projected release-date of September 25, 2012.

• John Baudanza – a soldier, operating in his father-in-law Domenico Cutaia's crew. His father Carmine and uncle Joseph are both members of the Colombo crime family. In 1997, John and his cousin Joseph M. Baudanza were involved in stock crimes. On April 17, 2007, John, along with his father and uncle pleaded guilty to racketeering charges related to operating a "pump and dump" stock scam. He is currently serving his sentence in the Allenwood prison with a projected release date of August 2, 2015.

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• Michael "Mikey Bones" Corcione – soldier and former acting capo for Domenico Cutaia's crew. In 2008, Corcione was arrested along with capo Domenico Cutaia, soldiers John Baudanza, Salvatore Cutaia, associates Steven Lapella, Victor Sperber, Louis Colello, and John Rodopolous for loansharking, illegal gambling among other illegal criminal activities. Corcione is currently imprisoned with a projected release date of July 3, 2012.

• George "Goggles" Conte – a soldier, and former capo. In 1991, Conte along with other capos inducted five new members into the crime family. In January 1995, Conte and George Zappola were indicted and convicted of murder and racketeering. Conte is currently imprisoned, with a projected release date of March 10, 2014.

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• Louis "Louie Bagels" Daidone – soldier a former acting boss, Consigliere and capo. He was convicted to life in prison in 2003.

• Andrew DiSimone – a former acting capo operating in the Bronx, Westchester and Manhattan. DiSimone was arrested on October 1, 2009 for bribery and illegal gambling operations. He was convinced that he was paying off corrupt NYPD officers for protection on loansharking, sports bookmaking and illegal gambling activities. The two officers were actually undercover agents for two years the officers in a sting named Operation Open House receiving $222,000 in bribes. He is currently imprisoned, with a projected release date of August 7, 2013.

• Christopher "Christie Trick" Furnari Sr. – soldier a former Consigliere in the Lucchese family, convicted in the 1980s Mafia Commission case. He is currently imprisoned with a projected release date is November 24, 2044.

• James "Jimmy Frogs" Galione – a soldier replaced late Lucchese soldier Pete DePalermo position. In 1997 he and Mario Gallo plead guilty to the murder of an associate to the Bonanno/Colombo families Constable "Gus" Farace in 1989. Farace was a drug dealer responsible for killing an undercover federal agent. He was also charged with running a crack ring that operated in Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst, Brooklyn since 1992. He is currently imprisoned due out on December 24, 2015.

• Joseph "Joey Bang Bang" Massaro – a soldier in the Harlem Crew reported to Capo Anthony Baratta. He was operating in Long Island forcing topless bar owners to book his strippers from Entertainment Plus Agency. Massaro would use threats of intimidations and arson to get his way. In summer of 1989 helped cover up a murder of Joseph Fiorito with Patrick Esposito he was arrested in 1993. At his trail FBI agent Joe Pistone discussed what he learned about a Bonanno-Lucchese family sit-down over the topless bars in Long Island. Former Lucchese family acting boss Alphonse D'Arco also testified against him, Massaro received a life sentenced.

• Frank "Bones" Papagni – soldier and former capo in the early 1990s, with racketeering, illegal gambling and loansharking operations in the Brooklyn section. He is serving 20 years for the attempted murder conspiracy on John A. Gotti in 1993. Papagni's projected release-date is November 24, 2015.

• Michael J. Perna – soldier and former Capo in the Jersey faction; he began working for the Lucchese families Jersey faction sometime in 1976; by the 1980s was serving as the Underboss of the Jersey Faction for Michael Taccetta; acquitted in the 21 month trail along with other Jersey faction members on August 26, 1988; in 1993 was convicted of gambling and extortion along with Michael and Martin Taccetta with the testimony of Thomas Ricciardi and Anthony Accetturo; relatives include his father Joseph Perna, younger brother Ralph; The 67 year-old is currently imprisoned at the Federal Correction Institution at Fairton, New Jersey his projected release date is August 2, 2015.

• Martin Taccetta – soldier and former Capo in the Jersey Crew was released from prison in 2005 due to lack of evidence in his trial, and wrongfully being accused of murder charges in his older brother Michael Taccetta's trial in 1993. On July 30, 2009 the New Jersey Supreme Court reversed lower court decision that granted Taccetta release and reinstated Martin life sentence for racketeering and extortion.

• Joseph "Joey Flowers" Tangorra – soldier and former capo whose crew was based in Bensonhurst Brooklyn and was involved in extortion and racketeering activities. Tangorra is currently incarcerated and reportedly suffers from mental illness. His projected release date is December 9, 2014.

• George "Georgie Neck" Zappola – soldier and former capo under the regime of Amuso and Casso in the 1980s. He operated out of the Brooklyn wing with racketeering, extortion activities. Zappola is currently imprisoned on murder-conspiracy charges in aid of racketeering with Frank Papagni. His projected release date is March 3, 2014

Family crews

A crew is a group of soldiers and associates who operate in a specific area. The capo runs the crew and reports to the underboss. The soldiers run illegal activities such as illegal gambling, loansharking, bookmaking, extortion, and fencing of stolen goods. The soldiers pay tribute to the capo and the capo sends a portion of this tribute money to the boss and underboss. The soldiers are "made men", or full family members, and have associates (who are not made men) working for them. An associate works for a crew in hopes of proving his worth to the family and becoming a made man. To be eligible to become a made man, an associate must be of Italian ancestry on both sides of his family.

• The Vario Crew – active in Brooklyn and Queens
• The Jersey crew – a faction in the Lucchese crime family. The leader of the Jersey crew/faction is imprisoned Michael Taccetta, the acting boss/capo is Ralph Perna.

Recruitment gangs

• The Tanglewood Boys – were an Italian-American gang from Yonkers, New York. They were named after the Tanglewood Shopping Center located on a busy shopping strip on Central Avenue in Yonkers. Members of the gang frequently operated within and around the shopping mall. Although this gang actually began as a localized gang in the mid 1960's (notably for their fights against rival Yonkers gang, "The Lockwood Boys" and the serious attack of a worker outside of the nearby Nathans in the late 1970's), they began to rise in public eye in the 1990s as a "farm team" or recruitment gang for the Mafia, specifically the Lucchese crime family. Several members went on to other crime families as well, and they were usually the sons of made members. In 1994, members of the gang were arrested for murdering a college student Louis Balancio at a Yonkers sports bar. After the arrests, one member, Darin Mazzarella, became an informant, leading to the convictions of other members of the gang, and the release of Joseph Lubrano. Knives were their weapon of choice.

• East Harlem Purple Gang – were a group of Italian American hit-men and heroin dealers. The group was considered a semi-independent gang operating in East Harlem and the Bronx during the late 1970s. Members would join the Lucchese and Genovese families.

Controlled unions

The Lucchese family has taken over unions across United States. The crime family has extorted money from the unions in blackmail, strong-arming, violence and other matters to keep their control over the market. Similar to the other four crime families of New York City they worked on controlling entire unions. With the mob having control over the union they control the entire market. Bid-rigging allows the mob to get a percentage of the income on the construction deal only allowing certain companies to bid on jobs who pay them first. The mob also allows companies to use non-union workers to work on jobs the companies must give a kickback to the mob. Unions give mob members jobs on the books to show a legitimate source of income. The Mafia members get into high union position and began embezzling money from the job and workers.

• Clothes manufacturing - In the Garment District of Manhattan, the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees Locals 10, 23, 24, and 25 were controlled by members of the Lucchese family. Lucchese Associates would extort the businesses and organize strikes. Today some unions still are working for the family.
• Kosher meat companies - In the early 1960s Giovanni "Johnny Dio" Dioguardi merged Consumer Kosher Provisions Company and American Kosher Provisions Inc. together. Dio was able to control a large portion of the Kosher food market, forcing supermarkets to buy from his companies at his prices.
• Food distribution - At the Hunts Point Cooperative Market in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx, the Lucchese family controlled unions involved in the food distribution industry.
• Airport services and freight handling - At John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty, the unions were controlled by the Lucchese family.
• Construction - Teamsters unions in New York City and New Jersey have been under Lucchese control; Mason Tenders Locals 46, 48, and 66 were controlled by the old Vario Crew.
• Newspaper production and delivery - In November 2009, Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau sent search warrants to investigate the Newspaper Mail Deliverers Union. This union controlled circulation, production and delivery offices at The New York Times, The New York Post, The New York Daily News and El Diario La Prensa. When the Cosa Nostra took control over the union, the price and costs for newspapers increased. Charges were put against many union members as well as the former union President Douglas LaChance. LaChance is accused as being Lucchese crime family associate. In the 1980s LaChance was convicted on labor racketeering charges and served five years in prison. He was also involved in the Manhattan 1990s case were New York Post was being strong-armed in to switching their delivery companies, but was acquitted in the case.

Former members

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

• Stefano "Steve" LaSalle (real name LaSala) was an early member of the Morello family. In 1915, East Harlem's Italian lottery "king" Giosue Gallucci was murdered, allowing LaSalle and Tommaso Lomonte to take over the lottery. He later became a member of Reina family. LaSalle served as underboss to Tom Lucchese and later Carmine Tramunti, he retired in the 1970s.

• Anthony "Buddy" Luongo – a capo who tried to take over the family after boss Anthony Corallo was imprisoned in the Commission case. In December 1986, Luongo met Vic Amuso, Anthony Casso, Bobby Amuso and Dom Carbucci in Brooklyn when Bobby Amuso shot Luongo dead.

• Mariano "Mac" Macaluso – served as consigliere in the 1960s. In 1986, after the Mafia Commission Trial, Macaluso became the new underboss. In 1989, boss Vic Amuso forced Macaluso into retirement. He died in 1992 from natural causes.

• Richard "Toupe" Pagliarulo – in 1991 he took over Peter Chiodo's Bensonhurst crew. He later died of natural causes in prison.

• Guido "the Bull" Penosi – was an associate in the Lucchese and Gambino crime family's. Penosi lived in Beverly Hills, and he was a narcotics dealer active in Los Angeles and the West Coast. In the 1980s Penosi along with his cousin Frank Piccolo stopped Genovese family mobster from extorting his friend Wayne Newton (Wayne Newton v. NBC).

• Dominick "The Gap" Petrilli – a former soldier. He got the nickname "The Gap" after losing two front teeth in a childhood fight. Petrilli met Joseph Valachi in Sing Sing prison in Ossining, New York. In 1928, after Valachi was released from prison Petrilli introduced him to Girolama "Bobby Doyle" Santucci and Tom Gagliano. In 1942, Petrilli was convicted on narcotic charges and was deported to Italy. In November 1953, he reentered the U.S. and it was rumored he was working with the government. On December 9, 1953 he was murdered in a bar on East 183rd Street in the Bronx by three gunmen.

• Patrick "Patty" Testa – was the younger brother to Joseph Testa. In 1984, he was indicted on fraud and theft charges along with members of the Gambino family's DeMeo crew. Testa was sentenced to two years in prison and after his release joined the Lucchese crime family. On December 2, 1992 Testa was murdered, he was shot in the back of the head nine times. It was later revealed that Anthony Casso had ordered Frank Lastorino to murder Testa.

Government informants and witnesses

• Alphonse "Little Al" D'Arco – former acting boss from 1990 to 1991. Became government witness on September 21, 1991.
• Joseph "Little Joe" DeFede – former acting boss from 1993 to 1998, then demoted to capo when imprisoned. Became government witness in early 2002 after his release.
• Anthony Casso – former underboss from 1986 to 1993. Became government witness in 1993, but was later removed from program due to lack of cooperation. Currently serving life sentence in federal prison.
• Anthony "Tumac" Accetturo – capo of the Jersey crew from 1970s to 1988. Became government witness in 1993.
• Peter Chiodo – former capo. Became a government witness after being shot 12 times on May 8, 1991.
• Frank "Spaghetti Man" Gioia, Jr. – former soldier. In 1991, he became a made man. In 1993, Gioia was arrested for trafficking heroin from Manhattan to Boston. In 1994, Gioia found out that Frank Papagni planned to murder Gioia's father, prompting the son to become a government witness. Since becoming a government witness, Gioia jr. has testified against 60 defendants.
• Frank Gioia, Sr. – former soldier. Did not testify against the family but entered Witness Protection with son Frank Jr. in 1994.
• Vincent Salanardi – former soldier. In 2002, Salanardi was indicted on racketeering charges and became a government witness. He was later dropped from the program. In March 2006, Salanardi was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison. Salanardi's projected release date is October 29, 2012.
• Frank Suppa – former soldier. Member of the Jersey faction seen as a capo in Florida; became a government witness in late 1997.
• Henry Hill – former associate. His criminal life became the basis for the 1986 book Wiseguy and the 1990 film Goodfellas. Hill and his wife Karen became government witnesses to avoid prosecution on drug trafficking charges. Hill passed away on June 12, 2012, one day after his 69th birthday, in a Los Angeles hospital of an undisclosed illness.

Allied and Rival criminal groups

Mafia allies

• The Lucchese-Gambino-Genovese alliance (1953–1985) between Tommy Lucchese, Carlo Gambino and Vito Genovese began with a plot to take over the Mafia Commission by murdering family bosses Frank Costello and Albert Anastasia. At that time, Gambino was Anastasia's new underboss and Genovese was the underboss for Costello. The first target of the conspiracy was Costello. On May 2, 1957 gunmen attempted to kill Costello on a New York street. Costello survived the assassination attempt, but immediately decided to retire as boss in favor of Genovese. The conspirators' second target was Anastasia. On October 25, 1957, the Gallo brothers (from the Colombo family) murdered Anastasia in a Manhattan barber shop, allowing Gambino to become boss of Anastasia's family. After he assumed power, Gambino started conspiring with Lucchese to remove their former ally Genovese. After the disastrous 1957 Apalachin meeting of mob leaders in Upstate New York, Genovese lost a great deal of respect in the Commission. In 1959, with the assistance of Luciano, Costello, and Meyer Lansky, Genovese was arrested. Gambino and Lucchese assumed full control of the Mafia Commission. Under Gambino and Lucchese, the Commission pushed rival Bonanno boss Joseph Bonanno out of power, triggering an internal war in that family. In the 1960s, the Commission backed the Gallo brothers in their rebellion against Profaci family boss Joe Profaci. In 1962, Gambino's oldest son Thomas married Lucchese's daughter Frances, strengthening the Gambino-Lucchese alliance. Lucchese gave Gambino access into the rackets at the New York airports rackets he controlled and Garment District rackets, Gambino allowed Lucchese into some of their rackets. After Lucchese death in July 1967, Gambino used his power over the Commission to make Carmine Tramunti the boss of the Lucchese family. Gambino continued the alliance with Tramunti's successor, Anthony Corallo. After Gambino's death, the new Gambino boss Paul Castellano continued the alliance with Corallo. In 1985, the Gambino-Lucchese alliance finally dissolved after Gambino capo John Gotti ordered Gambino boss Paul Castellano's assassination without Commission approval.

• The Lucchese-Genovese alliance (1986–present) The new alliance started in 1986 with Amuso and Genovese boss Vincent Gigante teaming up against Gambino boss John Gotti. Gotti had ordered the murder of Gambino boss Paul Castellano who also led the Mafia Commission. The Castellano murder started between the Gambino family and the Genovese and Lucchese families. To avenge Castellano, the alliance ordered the killing of Gambino underboss Frank DeCicco. However, the alliance failed its attempts to kill Gotti. The Lucchese-Genovese alliance is still strong today, with the two families cooperating on deals around New York City. Joseph DiNapoli a member of the family's three man ruling panel has two brothers in the Genovese crime family; Vincent "Vinny" DiNapoli, a captain, and Louis DiNapoli, a soldier in Vincent's crew.

• The Lucchese-Gambino alliance (1999–present) The new alliance between the families started in 1999 when acting boss Steven Crea teamed up with several Gambino capos. The mobsters extorted millions of dollars from the construction industry in bid-rigging scams. In early 2002 Lucchese capo John Capra worked with Gambino acting boss Arnold Squitieri, acting underboss Anthony Megale and acting Capo Gregory DePalma. The group was involved in illegal gambling and extortion activities in Westchester County, New York. The members were arrested in 2005 leaving to reveal that DePalma had allowed FBI agent Joaquin Garcia (known as Jack Falcone) to work undercover with his crew since 2002. In late 2008 Gambino capo Andrew Merola teamed with Lucchese’s Jersey faction acting Boss Martin Taccetta in an illegal gambling ring, extorting money from labor unions and car dealerships. In 2008, Merola was indicted and Taccetta was sent back to prison in 2009.

• The Lucchese-Bonanno sitdown (2010) Lucchese acting capo Carlo Profeta and Bonanno capo Anthony Mannone had a sitdown over a Lucchese soldier who owed $213,000 to Mannone. On February 24, 2010, Profeta, soldier Salvatore Cutaia and associates Joseph Cutaia and Eric Maione, along with Mannone and Bonanno associate Jerome Carameilli were indicted on racketeering and extortion charges.

Other allies

• The Lucchese-Lepke alliance (1920s-1944) started with Tommy Lucchese and Louis "Lepke" Buchalter extorting payments from garment makers in New York's Garment District. During the 1930s, Lepke was one of the most powerful Jewish gangsters in New York City. With his allies Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegel, Lepke fought for control over Jewish neighborhoods throughout Brooklyn and together formed Murder, Inc. Lepke would fall when his trusted Brownsville crew leader, Abe "Kid Twist" Reles, became a government witness and testified against Lepke in a murder trial. On March 4, 1944, Lepke was executed by electrocution. After Lepke's execution, Tommy Lucchese took over Lepke's rackets in the Garment District and Brownsville.

• The Lucchese-Greek Mafia alliance (1980s-present) started in the early 1980s. The Velentzas Family, a Greek-American criminal organization led by Spiros Velentzas, operated in Astoria, Queens and other Greek communities in the city. The Lucchese family offered Velentzas protection in return for a percentage of his family's illegal gambling profits.

• The Lucchese-Russian Mafia alliance took place in the late 1980s. Marat Balagula was a Russian criminal boss whose organization controlled Brighton Beach and other Russian-American communities in New York. When the Colombo family tried to extort payments from Balagula's lucrative gasoline business, he met with Lucchese consigliere Christopher Furnari. Funari offered Balaqula an alliance to protect him from the Colombos and other Cosa Nostra families

• The Lucchese-The Council alliance lasted from the early 1970s into the 1980s. Leroy "Nicky" Barnes was an African-American drug dealer in Harlem who was supplied with heroin by Lucchese associate Matthew Madonna and Colombo capo "Crazy Joe" Gallo. Barnes created a criminal organization known as The Council that dealt large amounts of heroin in Harlem.

Rivals

• The Cuban Mafia, called La Coporacion (the Corporation), was led by Jose Miguel Battle, Sr. a native Cuban who set up the organization in Miami, Florida and Union City, New Jersey. Up into the 1980s, Battle worked in Union City with Bonanno capo Joseph Zicarelli. Battle then swapped connections to Genovese Capo James Napoli. In 1985, La Coporacion battled with the Lucchese family for control over numbers rackets.

• The Albanian Mafia, called the Rudaj Organization, was led by boss Alex Rudaj, Nikolla Dedaj and Italian Nardino Colotti and operated in Yorktown, New York, the Bronx, and Queens. The Rudaj started in 1993 and lasted to 2004, when it was decimated by the Cosa Nostra and criminal prosecution. The Rudaj briefly fought the Lucchese family for control of gambling rackets in Astoria, Queens. The Rudaj attacked two Greek associates of the Lucchese family on August 3, 2001.

In popular culture

• In the 1981 film Gangster Wars, future boss Gaetano "Tommy Brown" Lucchese was played by actor Jon Polito.
• The 1990 film Goodfellas was based on Lucchese associate Henry Hill's recollections about his involvement with The Vario Crew of the Lucchese family.
• In the 1991 film Mobsters, gang leader Gaetano "Tommy" Reina was played by actor Christopher Penn.
• In the 1991 film Out for Justice, the William Forsythe character "Richard Madano" was allegedly based on Lucchese mobster Matthew Madonna.
• The 1999-2007 HBO TV-show The Sopranos, the Lucchese family's New Jersey faction was allegedly the main inspiration for the DiMeo crime family according Crime Library. Main character Anthony "Tony" Soprano was based on Lucchese mobster Michael Taccetta.
• In 2005 and 2006, a fictionalized version of The Tanglewood Boys was featured on CSI: NY, in episode 1.13 "Tanglewood" and in episode 2.20 "Run Silent, Run Deep".
• The 2006 film Find Me Guilty was based on the 1980s trial of 20 members of the Lucchese Jersey Crew.
• The 2006 Electronic Arts video game The Godfather: The Game, the Stracci Family resemblers the Lucchese crime family. In the game, the family is based in New Jersey; the Lucchese family has a large power base in New Jersey.
• In the 2007 film American Gangster, the Armand Assante character Dominic Cattano was allegedly based on Lucchese mobster Carmine Tramunti.
• In the 2008 Rockstar North's video game GTA IV, the fictional Lupisella family resembles on the Lucchese family. The Lupisella family is mainly based in Bohan, the GTA 4 version of the Bronx, and is operating in Liberty City, the game's version of New York City.

See also

• Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa (WP)
• Wikipedia:Lucchese crime family members
• Joseph Lubrano (WP)
• Darin Mazzarella
• Alfred Santorelli
• Anthony Santorelli (WP)

References

Sources

• Raab, Selwyn. Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires. New York: St. Martin Press, 2005. ISBN 0-312-30094-8
• DeStefano, Anthony. The Last Godfather: Joey Massino & the Fall of the Bonanno Crime Family. California: Citadel, 2006.
• Jacobs, James B., Coleen Friel and Robert Radick. Gotham Unbound: How New York City Was Liberated from the Grip of Organized Crime. New York: NYU Press, 1999. ISBN 0-8147-4247-5
• Critchley, David. The Origin of Organized Crime in America: The New York City Mafia, 1891-1931
• Devico, Peter J. The Mafia Made Easy: The Anatomy and Culture of La Cosa Nostra
• Rudolph, Robert. The Boys from New Jersey: How the Mob Beat the Feds
• Mass, Peter. The Valachi Papers, New York: Pocket Books, 1986. ISBN 0-671-63173-X.

Further reading

• DeVico, Peter J. The Mafia Made Easy: The Anatomy and Culture of La Cosa Nostra. Tate Publishing, 2007. ISBN 1-60247-254-8
• Rudolph, Robert C. The Boys from New Jersey: How the Mob Beat the Feds. New York: William Morrow and Company Inc., 1992. ISBN 0-8135-2154-8
• Capeci, Jerry. The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Mafia. Indianapolis: Alpha Books, 2002. ISBN 0-02-864225-2
• Davis, John H. Mafia Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the Gambino Crime Family. New York: HarperCollins, 1993. ISBN 0-06-016357-7
• Jacobs, James B., Christopher Panarella and Jay Worthington. Busting the Mob: The United States Vs. Cosa Nostra. New York: NYU Press, 1994. ISBN 0-8147-4230-0
• Maas, Peter. Underboss: Sammy the Bull Gravano's Story of Life in the Mafia. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1997. ISBN 0-06-093096-9
• Volkman, Ernest. Gangbusters: The Destruction of America's Last Great Mafia Dynasty New York, Avon Books, 1998 ISBN 0-380-73235-1
• Eppolito, Louis. Mafia Cop: The Story of an Honest Cop whose Family Was the Mob. ISBN 1-4165-2399-5
• Lawson, Guy and Oldham, William. The Brotherhoods: The True Story of Two Cops Who Murdered for the Mafia. ISBN 978-0-7432-8944-3
• Jacobs, James B., Coleen Friel and Robert Radick. Gotham Unbound: How New York City Was Liberated from the Grip of Organized Crime. New York: NYU Press, 1999. ISBN 0-8147-4247-5

External links

• Lucchese Crime Family News - The New York Times
• Lucchese Crime Family Epic: Descent into Darkness Part I by Thomas L. Jones
• American Gangland: Lucchese Crime Family
• Dieland: Mob: The Lucchese Family
• Dieland: Mob: The New Jersey Crew

Dump

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-09-13/news/27075191_1_lubrano-luchese-crime-family-mobster Joseph (Big Joe) Lubrano, suspected mobster in Luchese crime family NY Daily News

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/the_mob/2010/09/13/2010-09-13_feds_put_a_crimp_in_capos_career.html

A Wikipedia article on this subject was instantly deleted by an administrator, without open discussion the only requirement, one of the Criteria for speedy deletion WP administrators can restore the edit history of the page upon request See Michael J. Perna for deletion details

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A Wikipedia article on this subject was instantly deleted by an administrator, without open discussion the only requirement, one of the Criteria for speedy deletion WP administrators can restore the edit history of the page upon request See Joseph Tangorra for deletion details

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An article on this subject was deleted on Wikipedia: Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/ Frank Papagni WP administrators can restore the edit history of this page upon request

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Already in articles:

• Columbine conspiracy theories

#Current family members

• Anthony Santorelli - rewrite with lubrano stuff

• Joseph Lubrano

This article contains content from Wikipedia An article on this subject has been nominated for deletion on Wikipedia: Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/ Ralph Vito Perna Current versions of the GNU FDL article on WP may contain information useful to the improvement of this article

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Ralph Vito Perna is a current Caporegime in the Lucchese crime family. Perna is known for making over 2.2 Billion Dollars for the Jersey Crew from illegal gambling in 15 months. Perna and the Jersey Crew worked with New Jersey correction officers and a crew in the street gang Bloods. Perna and the Jersey Crew used the bloods members to smuggle illegal drugs and prepaid cell phones into the New Jersey state prisons.

References

This article contains content from Wikipedia An article on this subject has been nominated for deletion on Wikipedia: Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/ John Castellucci Current versions of the GNU FDL article on WP may contain information useful to the improvement of this article

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John Castellucci is a Caporegime in the Lucchese crime family. John is also the leader of the Brooklyn Lucchese Faction (Due to the other two capos are in prison) and the Bensonhurst crew. John's brothers are Eugene Castelle the former acting Underboss through 1998 - 2001 (3 years) and Anthony Castelle who is the owner of "Coney Island Container" a private carting company. In 2009, Castellucci's brother Anthony Castelle was under investigation for a suspicious fire in his carting company.

References

• Wikipedia:User talk:King Genovese

He gets out Aug 10

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Administrators%27_noticeboard/IncidentArchive749#King_Genovese
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Administrators%27_noticeboard/IncidentArchive750#King_Genovese.2C_again
• http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Log&type=block&page=User:King+Genovese

• Wikipedia:Ralph Cuomo
• http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3EwyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CrMFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5979,2775618&dq=ralph-cuomo&hl=en
• http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0spaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2HsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3843,727513&dq=ralph-cuomo&hl=en
• https://www.google.com/search?q=%22Ralph+Cuomo%22&tbm=nws&tbs=ar:1

This article contains content from Wikipedia An article on this subject has been nominated for deletion on Wikipedia: Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/ Ralph Cuomo Current versions of the GNU FDL article on WP may contain information useful to the improvement of this article

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Ralph Cuomo (1935 aged 76) is a Soldato in the Lucchese crime family. Cuomo started the first Ray's Pizza franchise chain on 1959.. Cuomo has over 49 restaurants since February 2011. On 1969, Cuomo was convicted of narcotics trafficking after being found with 50 pounds of heroin. In 1998, Cuomo discussed heroin drug sales with Lucchese soldier Frank Gioia, Jr.. Ralph Cuomo has been a Soldier since the late 1950s.

This article contains content from Wikipedia An article on this subject has been nominated for deletion on Wikipedia: Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/ Franscesco Caruso Current versions of the GNU FDL article on WP may contain information useful to the improvement of this article

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Template:Infobox person

Caruso was a hitman and Enforcer for Salvatore D'Aquila for nearly 20 years. Caruso became famous for killing a Doctor that laughed at Caruso's childs death, Caruso's face went bright red and jumped onto the Doctor strangling him.

Reference

• CARUSOS HAVE REAL THANKS GIVING FEAST - Family Rejoices at Reversal of Verdict Convicting Father of First Degree Murder. - Article - NYTimes.com Template:Paywall