Maxie's Lucchese Profiles

[bert]

Hello guys, if you are enjoying these profiles I’ve been writing, please give me a few suggestions for additional subjects for future profiles. I may not be able to always comply with your name choices, but where I can, I will
develop a profile for the suggested name. I still have a list to write on all 5 families. But I thought I’d offer this to whoever is interested. And although I posted this notice here, it applies to any of the 5 crews

Salvatore "Blackie" Graffagnino
Bruno Facciolo
Domenico "Danny" Cutaia
Rosario Sacco
Louis "Brother" Scida

I think Scida died about 10 years ago.

[maxiestern11]

Was Scids even a Lucchese guy? I’m not really familiar with the Scida. NJ right?

[bert]

Was Scids even a Lucchese guy? I’m not really familiar with the Scida. NJ right?

You mean Scida? He lived in New York. I think he was a New York guy, what family I have no idea.

[Pogo The Clown]

He was a Gambino member. Died in 2011.


Pogo

[maxiestern11]

I think you're correct Pogo.

[johnny_scootch]

I think you're correct Pogo.

He is correct. In fact they're all dead, the connecting thread is neighborhood.

Maxie you said it was ok to list guys from different families in that thread so thats why I didn't separate them. Can't wait to read what you have.

[maxiestern11]

.... I’ll see what I can dig up ok

[bert]

He was a Gambino member. Died in 2011.

Pogo

Pogo, was it a Queens New York adress ? I think he lived in Richmond Hill, but operated in Manhattan.

[Pogo The Clown]

No idea. He was a member of Nick Corozzo's Crew if I remember right.


Pogo

[maxiestern11]

JOSEPH (JOEY NARROW) LARATRO - born 1916 in the Corona section of Queens (108-57 Fiftieth Ave) and raised at (35-20 108th Street). He later moved to Bayside (264-11 60th Ave.) in Queens. By 1965, he had migrated out to Suffolk County on LI, to the exclusive Lloyd Harbor section (12 Bouton Road). NYCPD #E-11494. He was a longtime soldier, who by the late 1950’s was elevated to a position of “Capo di decina” in the Lucchese Family of Harlem. Born and raised in the Corona section, that’s where he based his operations out of for many years. Activities included: policy, bookmaking, shylocking, floating dice games, extortion. He was a partner in LoBosco Scrap Metals, Inc., of Corona, one of whose members was a member of the $1,000. club of the Suffolk Republican Party. He started out (1930’s) as a numbers runner as a kid, and graduated to a policy “controller” for the Corona, Elmhurst and Jackson Heights area. He befriended Joseph (Joe Brown) Lucchese, the brother of the underboss Gaetano Lucchese. Lucchese’s blood family had moved from East Harlem to Corona by the early 1930’s, so they became neighborhood friends. They became partners, and with the blessing of “Tommy Brown”, the “two Joey’s” took over control of the entire area’s gambling rackets (bookmaking, dice and card games, policy). Laratro had a brother named Donato (Danny Narrow), who also became a bookmaker affiliated with his brother and Lucchese. During the 1950’s and 1960’s, Laratro was the head of a $15,000,000. a year gambling operation based in Corona (they were said to have 69 runners). He utilized soldier Aniello (Neil) Migliore as his “right hand” man. He was arrested many times over the years, all gambling related. He had arrests since 1939 for: policy (5 times), bookmaking (3 times), possession of wiretap equipment. Convicted for policy (4 times), bookmaking (twice). But was never jailed. Federal authorities named Laratro as “the overlord of gambling operations under the Lucchese jurisdiction”. He was identified as an attendee at the infamous mob summit at “Apalachin” NY in 1957. During the Valachi hearing, Joe Valachi identified Laratro and Joseph Lucchese as top gambling figures and crime captains. The public exposure from those two events brought tremendous LE scrutiny to them. He numbered among his associates most of the top mobsters in the NYC area if not the country; Thomas Lucchese, Joseph Lucchese, Neil Migliore, Anthony Grio, Anthony Lucchese, Carmine Tramunti, Frank Arra,
Hugh Mulligan, Frank Campanello, Donato Laietta, Joseph Brocchini, Carlo Gambino and many more.
In 1967, police raided the homes of Laratro and Migliore, seizing betting slips and records of $70,000. for the prior weeks “play”. They also confiscated illegal “eavesdropping equipment” in Laratro’a home. With the death of Gaetano Lucchese in 1967 of brain cancer, and the heavy policy and grand jury investigations looming over the Lucchese Family operations, “Joey Narrow” decided to sell his Lloyd Harbor mansion, sell his interest in LoBosco Scrap Metals, and relocate down to South Florida. There, he settled into the sunshine state and purchased a garbage carting business and other property holdings. He also purchased a luxurious home in wealthy Hallandale (543 Palm Drive). He kept a very low profile in the following years, never again being charged with any crime. He had several strokes, passed away in 1989..... “Joey Narrow” lived a very charmed life as a top “Capo” in the family, never served any jail time, and earned millions of dollars in his lifetime.... I dare say, a successful Mafioso career by anybody’s measuring stick!

[johnny_scootch]

He was a Gambino member. Died in 2011.

Pogo

Pogo, was it a Queens New York adress ? I think he lived in Richmond Hill, but operated in Manhattan.

He was in Nicky's crew, Nicky brought him in. I'm not sure where he lived but when Canarsie was Canarsie he was on Ave L every single day.

[pharion]

JOHN (JOHNNY DIO) DIOGUARDI - born 1914, on the LES (170 Forsythe Street). Resided for many years at
108 Freeport Avenue, Point Lookout, LI. FBI #665273, NYPD #B-114267. The brother of Thomas Dioguardi and Frank Dioguardi, nephew of Vincenzo (Jimmy Doyle) Plumeri, and cousin of Thomas (Tommy Flowers) Plumeri - all affiliates of the Lucchese Family. Originally hanging out as a youth on the mean streets of the LES, his haunts included the Forsythe Street Boy Social Club, Delaney St., Ludlow St., Rivington St., Ridge St., Stanton St., Forsythe St., Houston St., Norfolk St., before expanding into the NYC garment district and beyond. Johnny Dio was arguably the most venerable labor racketeer, not only in the NYC area, but in the nation. His exploits in the labor union and management field were unparalleled in scope and breath. He was a Lucchese Family “star” and heir apparent to Tommy Lucchese. Starting in his teens with his uncle, notorious garment racketeer (Jimmy Doyle) Plumeri, they took over a garment truckmen’s assn., and then utilized it to “shakedown” dress makers and garment truckers alike. Charged and convicted in 1937 for extortion, he served a 3-5 year term. Upon being paroled he dove head first deeper into all facets of labor union rackets;.......
Teamsters Joint Council of NY/NJ
Local #295 Air-Freight Union (IBT)
Local #805 Vending Machines (IBT)
Local #102 Ladies Garment Workers
Union (ILGWU)
Local #172 Butchers Union (AFL)
Local #405 Retail Clerks Assn.
United Auto Workers Union
The United Federation of Labor
Bakery-Confectionery Workers Union (AFL-CIO)
Master Truckmen of America -
(controls garment district truckers)
Appx 20 dress factories including:
a shoulder pad-garment contractor
Mary-Anna Sportswear Co.
Dio Garment Mfg., Co.
.....to list but a very few of the unions and industries Dio controlled.
Dioguardi was the vice president of
Equitable Research Associates, Inc.
257 W. 57th Street, NYC. (a labor relations consulting firm utilized to extort money and form sweetheart contracts for victim companies).
He had an arrests record from 1932;
1932 coercion
1933 felony assault, conspiracy and
coercion,
1936 vagrancy
1936 forgery
1937 extortion (twice)
1937 malicious mischief, assault,
conspiracy (3-5 years) sing sing
1944 conspiracy to violate alcohol
tax laws (bootlegging)
1953 tax law violations (60 days)
1956 reckless driving
1956 conspiracy to obstruct justice
(15-30 years)
1967 criminal contempt of court
1968 bankruptcy fraud, conspiracy
(5 years)
1971 stock fraud, wire & mail fraud
and conspiracy (9 years). An intimate of Teamsters President James R. Hoffa, Johnny Dio’s associates also included:
Thomas (Tommy Brown) Lucchese
James (Jimmy Doyle) Plumeri
Thomas (Tommy Dio) Dioguardi
Vito Genovese
Carmine Lombardozzi
Paul (Paulie Ham) Correale
Antonio (Tony Ducks) Corallo
Carmine (Gribbs) Tramunti
Joseph (Joe Brown) Lucchese
Ettore (Eddie) Coco
Charles (Charlie Woppie) Carlino
Gandolfo (Shiekie) Miranti
Charlie Tuso
Theodore (Teddy) Rae
Joseph (Joe Pilo)Carlino
Domenico (Nicky) Bando
Abe Telvi
Harry (Little Gangy) Davidoff
Samuel Goldstein
George Baker
Abe Gordon
Moe Klemis
Joe Berger
Samuel Berger
Sam Sobel
Sam Smith
Max Block
among many, many others. Many of the above names were in his crew. Dioguardi was a longtime soldier and eventually elevated to a capo (regardless of official status he was always a mob powerhouse). From the 1950’s forward Dioguardi was almost constantly in the news. Very handsome, dapperly dressed, Dio looked like he stepped out of “central casting”, the prototype of what the public thought a mafioso and racketeer should look like! He was almost always under indictment. In 1956 arrested for the acid attack on labor columnist Victor Riesel. - who was blinded for life. Dio was held at The Tombs. Then he was indicted in a large bankruptcy fraud scam defrauding several kosher meat firms that he had infiltrated. In the early 1970’s he was again indicted with Carmine Tramunti, Vincent Aloi, Ralph Lombardo and several others in a stock fraud conspiracy. Convicted of several major cases, Dio was sentenced to multiple prison terms. His exploits and rackets were too voluminous for me to fully explain and enumerate here, but suffice it to say if not for his “career” being cut short by prison, John Dioguardi would most likely have been chosen to head the Lucchese crime Family!
........Johnny Dio died in 1979.

great work here maxie!

[maxiestern11]

CARLO PICCIOLI - born 1930. Lived at 69 Wright Avenue, Lynbrook, NY. FBI #715553G, NYPD #B-777734, DCJS #1273780H. Piccioli was formerly affiliated with the Gallo gang who later became a close associate of Paul Vario Sr., a capo in the Lucchese Family. By the early 1980’s, the FBI had Piccioli documented as an inducted “soldier” in the Lucchese Family. The 1983 Senate Hearing on OC list him as a member. Activities: hijacking, fencing stolen cargo, extortion, frauds, shylocking. He was involved with Albert (Kid Blast) Gallo in a betting-ticket fraud scheme at Roosevelt Raceway in Westbury. He was also indicted for his possession of over $1,000,000. in hijacked merchandise. He was repeatedly hauled before a Nassau County grand jury in 1968 by D.A. William Cahn and cited for contempt for his refusal to answer questions about Gallo, Vario, the ticket scheme and gambling rackets in the county.
In 1968, he was one of seven hoods arrested in Queens in possession of a stolen tractor-trailer with over $1,000,000. in stolen cargo.
In 1969, he was one of five men indicted on federal charges of defrauding the U.S. government on over $1,000,000. of winning tickets at Yonkers and Roosevelt Raceways. The men were accused of paying up to 90% of the face value of winning twin-double tickets from bettors at those tracks, and used stand-ins to cash them out, thus avoiding the taxes owed. Prosecutors said the government was defrauded of about $500,000. in taxes, between 1964 and 1966 by the ring.
Associates have included; Paul Vario, Albert Gallo, Joseph (Butch) Musemeci, Rosario Musico, Gerald Longo, Henry Hill. He had an police record listing eight arrests for; civil contempt of a mob grand jury, income tax evasion, conspiracy, criminal contempt of court, possession of stolen property. He had convictions for civil contempt (eight 30-day jail terms at the Nassau County jail), criminal contempt (18 months). After serving several prison terms, it seems Piccioli relocated off Long Island and out of LE’s view. Nothing was heard from him again......
Piccioli just died in January, 2019 at the age of 89 in Lavallette, New Jersey, where he had relocated years earlier.

[maxiestern11]

SALVATORE (BLACKIE) GRAFFAGNINO - born 1912 in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn (2334 85th Street). NYCPD # B-85449. Resided for many years in the Howard Beach section of Queens (163-15 86th Street).
—
Identified by the FBI and in the 1983 U.S. Senate Hearings as a documented “soldier” in the Lucchese Family. By the time he was 26 years old he had been arrested eleven times for: assault, robbery , armed robbery, grand larceny, gun possession, bank robbery (10-20 years-prison).
—
In 1938, a drycleaner’s mark in a topcoat left at a gangs hideout found by detectives in Laurel LI, led to the arrest of Graffagnino. He was one of five men who staged the armed robbery of $6,300. at the Mattituck National Bank & Trust Co., on Long Island (Riverhead). All five were caught, pled guilty, and sentenced to long prison terms at Sing Sing Prison - (Lawrence Taylor, Joseph Fulton, Graffagnino, Charles Rickleef and Billy Hokenski). Brooklyn detectives nabbed him as he pulled up to the curb of his home in a brand new $1,300. car. He later admitted the robbery and stated he bought the automobile with his robbery proceeds.
—
In 1972, he was brought before a Kings County grand jury as part of D.A. Eugene Gold’s probe of hundreds of mob figures and policemen who visited a trailer office and mob headquarters of Capo Paul Vario in a Canarsie junk yard, which had been “bugged” by the authorities.... called the “Gold Bug” after the DA. Subpoenas were sent out for 677 mobsters who had either visited the trailer or were mentioned in the bug.
It was learned that among the mobsters who visited the trailer were Salvatore Ferrugia and Anthony Leone of the Bonanno Family, Salvatore Graffagnino, a soldier in the Lucchese mob, and Anthony Ruggiano of the Gambino’s.
—
In later years, “Blackie” Graffagnino had kept a very low profile. Nothing more was heard from him. He probably served in the regime of either Vario or Christopher Furnari, both Brooklyn capo’s.
—
He died in 1990 at age 77.
————————————-

[johnny_scootch]

Good stuff maxie. Vario's trailer was on Ave D just off Kings Highway.