Maxie's Gambino Profiles

[maxiestern11]

Pasquale (Patsy) Crapanzano - was a low key, old line Anastasia/Gambino member who specialized in the labor rackets. He was the secretary-treasurer and business agent of Local #27 Teamsters Union. He also had a son, Liborio (Bobby Red) Crapanzano who also became a union official. When he was younger he had been arrested several times for robbery (serving a 2-10 yr term). In later life he was indicted for labor racketeering (labor extortion), but avoided a jail term, being placed on 3 years probation and fined instead. Former close associate of murdered garbage racketeer Vincent (Jimmy Jerome) Squillante. After Squillante’s disappearance he became close with Gambino. Eventually he retired, leaving his position to his son Liborio.

[bronx]

father and son were made men with gambino's.the union hall was on 14th st. and union sq. nyc. they were later on in piney's crew then giordano.might have been with joe gallo before that

[bronx]

maxi, how did you dig up patsy? you related?

[maxiestern11]

Hiya Bronx, no just friends of friends that’s all. Low key guy I found interesting. An original! Lol

[maxiestern11]

Ettore (Terry) Zappi - May have born 1905 in Naples, Italy. Settled in south Brooklyn by the 1920’s. Already involved with the mob. Seems to have been involved in early conflicts and shootouts in that era. Became affiliated at some point with D’Aquila and Gambino. He was active in bootlegging and was charged in New Jersey for prohibition violations but seems to have avoided a jail term. Became afifiliated by the mid-late 1940’s in labor union activity. He actually became an official of Teamsters Local # 854, and thrived for many years. One of his biggest targets for unionization was the Castro Convertible Co., Zappi organized it and in 1957 actually took over ownership of the company. In spite of Local #854 being one of the smaller locals (with less than 1500 members), because of its stranglehold on several key companies in several industries became a valuable asset to the Gambino Family. By this time he and Carlo Gambino became very close friends and associates. With Gambino’s rise in the family to the boss seat, Zappi was made a “Capo di decine”, presiding over a large crew which included John Allu, Steve and Frank (Frankie Dap) Dapolito and Natale (Chris) Richichi, Frank (The Wop) Gagliardi, his son Anthony (Tony) Zappi and others. By the early 1960’s he had bought lots and built a beautiful oceanfront home at 30 Club Drive in Massapqua for himself and at 34 Club Drive for his “compare” Carlo Gambino. As next door neighbors their relationship grew even closer and it could be argued that Ettore Zappi rose to become Gambino’s top Capo and adviser (actually serving more in the capacity of a de facto Consigliere than Capo per se). Joseph N. Gallo had the official title of Consigliere but Zappi had the boss’s ear non the less and counseled Gambino often (Gambino respected Zappi’s opinion very much). Zappi had an eye for legitimate business which Gambino respected. By the mid-1960’s Zappi bought a winter home in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida where he started spending more time. He was given supervision at one point of Gambino members in South Florida in addition to his NY crew. He became a partner in the T. & D. Drive-In Movie in Miami. And as the 1970’s approached a fellow by the name of Bobby Rubino came to Zappi with an idea for a baby-back Rib Restaurant. The rest is history. Zappi became a silent partner in the Bobby Rubino’s Ribs throughout the east coast. His grandson Frank Galgano was installed to operate several Bobby Rubino’s in Florida.
He started spending more and more time in Florida, leaving the day to day operations to his trusted “acting Capo” Frank Dapolito. Dapolito had been installed as
“business manager” of Local #854. Tony Zappi became secretary-treasurer. All through the 1960-80’s both would work in tandem to maintain the cash cow that was #854. The local was based in Valley Stream for many years. Local # 854, Television, Radio, Instrument, Business Machines and Furniture Manufacturers Drivers, Workers, Warehousemen and Employees Union International Beotherhood of Teamsters (Independent), An employee of this local and friend of Anthony Zappi was the doomed John Favara, who of course in later years would run over and kill John Gotti’s young son Frankie. Favara would be kidnapped after leaving work for the day at Castro Convertible (but that’s a story for another day - Lol). By the 1980’s with the federal governments cleanup and purging of all mob elements from labor unions Frank Dapolito and Anthony Zappi would resign their union posts before being officially kicked out by the feds. Frankie Dap was hired by Joseph Curcio, a family associate and owner of several multi-million dollar bus companies in Brooklyn that held huge contracts with the city to bus school children. Dapolito seemlessly moved into the very companies that his union local had represented, making millions more for the Gambino Family in the process. Ettore Zappi died in Florida by the early-mid 1980’s (I don’t have the exact date). But his accomplishments lived on. He had an arrest record by the early 1920’s for assault and robbery, possession of a gun, felonious assault with a
weapon, liquor law violations. Convicted once of prohibition law violation. Activities: labor racketeering, large-scale shylocking. ....... he was active for over 65 years amassing great wealth and largely avoiding public exposure and jail. A confidant of several succeeding family administrations. By all accounts a high respected and major player who kept a very low key profile and violence to a minimum..... from a bygone era!

[maxiestern11]

As though Ettore Zappi had not accomplished enough in his life for himself and the Gambino Family. One of his protégés was Robert (DB) DiBernardo. In the late 1960’s DiBernardo entered the pornography rackets. This semi legitimate business became a multi-million dollar windfall for the mob. Zappi gave DiBernardo his blessing to expand and helped him with cross country distribution, providing the Gambino Family clout and backing. Zappi’s Son Anthony was put in to supervise this operation for his father and Carlo, in addition to his union duties. Anthony (Tony) Zappi actually was indicted in California in appx 1970-71 on pornography charges. He eventually beat the case. But it showed the involvement and profit potential that Terry Zappi would involve his own son in this activity. DiBernardo of course thrived for many years making millions for himself and the Gambino’s. After Terry’s death DiBernardo aligned himself direct with the administration and Paul Castellano viewed him as a favorite. With Gotti’s acension to Boss DiBernardo got caught up in Family politics and jealousy and was murdered by Sammy Gravano who of course absorbed his rackets and businesses. Again the saga goes on and on! .... till the next post!

[CabriniGreen]

These post are great!!!!

I once read about Zappi establishing some sort of trucking monopoly on mattresses at department stores. As well as supplying the mattresses if I recall correctly..

[Snakes]

These are great, I just wanted to condense some of the threads. I collapsed them into "parent" threads by family.

[bronx]

great insight Maxi..thanks..

[HairyKnuckles]

father and son were made men with gambino's.the union hall was on 14th st. and union sq. nyc. they were later on in piney's crew then giordano.might have been with joe gallo before that

Same crew. Gallo was acting captain of this crew (for Dongarra) before he was made acting consigliere in 1967. This was a very powerful crew once headed by Steven Armone.

[maxiestern11]

CARMINE (CHARLIE WAGON WHEELS) FATICO - born 1920 was a longtime Gambino member who became a top “Capo di decina”, running one of the more gritty crews of the family from a headquarters in the East New York section of Brooklyn. Fatico operated from a social club named the “Bergen Hunt & Fish Club” of John Gotti fame. Except the original “Bergen” was Fatico’s club before Gotti. In fact, Gotti was originally brought around and became a protege’ of Carmine Fatico. This was a large crew of real street guys; burglars, truck hijackers, armed robbers, as well as, the more mundane white collar bookmakers, numbers guys, and varied gamblers and hangers on. Carmine and his brother/partner Donato (Danny Wagons) Fatico, a soldier in Carmine’s regime and his “acting captain”, operated a large very active truck hijacking ring responsible for many of the trucks snatched from JFK and its outer environs, and the related fencing of these loads. Fatico had moved from Brooklyn to Higbie Lane, in West Islip and started to conduct activities on Long Island by the early 1960’s. His primary action was gambling and a large shylock operation. He also pushed into businesses and attempted the “strong arm” takeover of a LI painters union, having a union official beaten in an effort to coerce him into submission. By the mid-60’s he was under intense surveillance by LE and was indicted for the attempted murder of an East Rockaway business owner for complaining about Fatico’a theft of over $185,000. In air-conditioning equipment from his firms warehouse. By the early 1970’s he had another indictment related to his loansharking ring and several extortion counts. A Colombo/Gambino associate named Salvatore (Sonny Black) Montella, a hijacker turned informer, named Fatico as an accomplice. With the extensive “heat” that accompanied these indictments, Fatico tried backing up a bit, utilizing his brother Danny as a proxy, but Danny before long had his own legal headaches. He was indicted in relation to several “deviant” sex bars-clubs he was backing in Island Park, and a gambling “pinch” he took...... as a side note, the legal precedent, the so called “Fatico Hearing” (which alleges to prove a persons Mafia affiliations and criminal record), which is a common statue used by prosecutors was created from a criminal case of Carmine Fatico. He went down in legal history for this. Fatico had a long criminal arrest record;
assault (5 times) grand larceny, burglary, possession of burglars tools, making a false statement, dice games, robbery (twice), policy, bookmaking (twice), disorderly conduct (twice), conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy, usury and extortion, but had only served one jail term (3-5 years) on a grand larceny conviction.
By the late 1970’s Fatico semi-tired. He still hung around the Bergen on occasion but allowed an up-and-comer, John Gotti, assume more and more responsibility for the day to day operations of the Fatico crew.

[maxiestern11]

CARMINE (CHARLIE WAGON WHEELS) FATICO - born 1920 was a longtime Gambino member who became a top “Capo di decina”, running one of the more gritty crews of the family from a headquarters in the East New York section of Brooklyn. Fatico operated from a social club named the “Bergen Hunt & Fish Club” of John Gotti fame. Except the original “Bergen” was Fatico’s club before Gotti. In fact, Gotti was originally brought around and became a protege’ of Carmine Fatico. This was a large crew of real street guys; burglars, truck hijackers, armed robbers, as well as, the more mundane white collar bookmakers, numbers guys, and varied gamblers and hangers on. Carmine and his brother/partner Donato (Danny Wagons) Fatico, a soldier in Carmine’s regime and his “acting captain”, operated a large very active truck hijacking ring responsible for many of the trucks snatched from JFK and its outer environs, and the related fencing of these loads. Fatico had moved from Brooklyn to Higbie Lane, in West Islip and started to conduct activities on Long Island by the early 1960’s. His primary action was gambling and a large shylock operation. He also pushed into businesses and attempted the “strong arm” takeover of a LI painters union, having a union official beaten in an effort to coerce him into submission. By the mid-60’s he was under intense surveillance by LE and was indicted for the attempted murder of an East Rockaway business owner for complaining about Fatico’a theft of over $185,000. In air-conditioning equipment from his firms warehouse. By the early 1970’s he had another indictment related to his loansharking ring and several extortion counts. A Colombo/Gambino associate named Salvatore (Sonny Black) Montella, a hijacker turned informer, named Fatico as an accomplice. With the extensive “heat” that accompanied these indictments, Fatico tried backing up a bit, utilizing his brother Danny as a proxy, but Danny before long had his own legal headaches. He was indicted in relation to several “deviant” sex bars-clubs he was backing in Island Park, and a gambling “pinch” he took...... as a side note, the legal precedent, the so called “Fatico Hearing” (which alleges to prove a persons Mafia affiliations and criminal record), which is a common statue used by prosecutors was created from a criminal case of Carmine Fatico. He went down in legal history for this. Fatico had a long criminal arrest record;
assault (5 times) grand larceny, burglary, possession of burglars tools, making a false statement, dice games, robbery (twice), policy, bookmaking (twice), disorderly conduct (twice), conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy, usury and extortion, but had only served one jail term (3-5 years) on a grand larceny conviction.
By the late 1970’s Fatico semi-tired. He still hung around the Bergen on occasion but allowed an up-and-comer, John Gotti, assume more and more responsibility for the day to day operations of the Fatico crew.

[AlexfromSouth]

Just the dob is wrong, he was born 1910 and his brother Danny 1920

[maxiestern11]

Giuseppe (Joe Bandy) Biondo...... original member of Gambino Family, low key but powerful. Profile to follow.... stay tuned.

[bert]

Giuseppe (Joe Bandy) Biondo...... original member of Gambino Family, low key but powerful. Profile to follow.... stay tuned.

He was very big and very low key, especially in the early days of the modern mafia. Very respected too.