Maxie's Lucchese Profiles

[maxiestern11]

Daniel Capra, a little known Lucchese Family Soldier. Lived for a time in Smithtown LI. Originally from E. Harlem. Believed to be a brother or cousin of old Lucchese Capo Joseph (Joe Cap) Capra. Arrest record consists of a policy (numbers) arrest, and a counterfeiting arrest for sale of $5,000. fake US currency. Ran a restaurant in E. Harlem back in the 1940-50’s. Connected to the garment industry........ Capra was very typical of the low key type profile of many early members of the families.
............. what else is known about this interesting figure of the Lucchese mob? All are welcome to contribute to this thread!

[maxiestern11]

Felice Falco aka “Philly Black”, was born 1907 in East Harlem. He had several brothers, James and Philip, who were also mob members. Primarily a gambler, active in the Harlem policy (numbers) racket with his brothers. He was arrested at least 5 times for policy, as well as, assault, disorderly conduct, rape, vagrancy. Very close associate of Capo Anthony (Tony Ducks) Corallo, who’s regime he served in. He actually hid Corallo from authorities during the US Senate hearings. He was also active in the Queens-LI vending machine rackets, where he had a home in Huntington. Eventually, relocated to south Florida where he operated a loan shark ring with Capo Ettore (Eddie) Coco, a relative of his, and his brother “Jimmy Black”. Although active for more than 50 years in the gambling and shylock rackets, he is believed to have only served a brief 30 days on a contempt of court charge in the 1960’s...... another of those old line “original” members who flew under the radar for most of his life. Believed to have died in Florida by the mid 70’s. ........

[newera_212]

assuming this is an older relative or father of Lucchese solider (capo?) John "Hooks" Capra, who was born in the 1940s?

[maxiestern11]

I don’t know if theirs a relation, in spite of the surname

[Snakes]

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

[maxiestern11]

CALOGERO (CHARLIE) RAO - born 1889 in Corleone, Sicily. Naturalized 1920 in NYC. Older brother of Vincent (Vincey) Rao, longtime Lucchese consigliere. Uncle of Jasper Speciale, a major family affiliated bookmaker. Lifelong resident of the E. Harlem/Bronx sections of NY.
Maintained a summer home in Long Beach LI. He owned and operated (in conjunction with brother Vincent) large
tracts of property and buildings in Harlem. He also ran a
insurance firm on 116 St., where he based operations. A major loan shark, alleged to have out “on the street” over 1 million dollars, working in tandem with Vincent. Rao’s Bar on 114th Street (long before its fame on page 6 of The Post), served as the de facto headquarters for the Rao brothers. All through the 1940’s through the 1970’s the Rao’s operated. He has no known arrest record, and largely remained in the shadow of his more famous brother. But Charlie did very well for himself over the years. No known dod is available..... another “sleeper” if you will, of early NYC members.

[maxiestern11]

CALOGERO (CHARLIE) RAO - born 1889 in Corleone, Sicily. Naturalized 1920 in NYC. Older brother of Vincent (Vincey) Rao, longtime Lucchese consigliere. Uncle of Jasper Speciale, a major family affiliated bookmaker. Lifelong resident of the E. Harlem/Bronx sections of NY.
Maintained a summer home in Long Beach LI. He owned and operated (in conjunction with brother Vincent) large
tracts of property and buildings in Harlem. He also ran a
insurance firm on 116 St., where he based operations. A major loan shark, alleged to have out “on the street” over 1 million dollars, working in tandem with Vincent. Rao’s Bar on 114th Street (long before its fame on page 6 of The Post), served as the de facto headquarters for the Rao brothers. All through the 1940’s through the 1970’s the Rao’s operated. He has no known arrest record, and largely remained in the shadow of his more famous brother. But Charlie did very well for himself over the years. No known dod is available..... another “sleeper” if you will, of early NYC members.

[SonnyBlackstein]

Good post

[bert]

He was well known, I'm surprised he had no record.

[maxiestern11]

Vincenzo (Jimmy Doyle) Plumeri.... notorious garment racketeer, uncle of the equally notorious “Dio brothers”.
Profile to follow.... stay tuned!

[maxiestern11]

Paul (Paulie Ham) Correale, born 1911 in East Harlem. By the late 1950’s had moved to 38 Olive St., Lake Success, LI. Top “Capo di decina” in the old Lucchese Family.
He was arguably one of the most important capo’s, a Lucchese favorite. Reputedly in line to have succeeded Lucchese, but Paulie died very young. Passed away suddenly while on a trip to Florida appx 1962, in his early 50’s. A very astute underworld power. Very well liked by the membership. He ran a private social club for many years on 112th Street as his base. Heavily engaged in the policy racket (numbers), controlling multi-million dollar volume in Harlem. Also, ran floating dice games (The so-called Harlem game). Close associates included Vincent Rao, Joey Rao, Pasquale Zaccaro, Carmine (Gribbs) Tramunti (a childhood friend and life long partner), Gaetano Lucchese, Louis (Louie Beans) Foceri, Joseph (Socks) Lanza, (Trigger Mike) Coppola, (Jimmy Blue Eyes) Alo, among many more of the NYC underworld elite. Arrest record starts 1924 for; truancy, robbery, felonious assault, parole violation. Held interests in the Gay Lady Dress Mfg., Co., Bronx, NY. Suspected of having hidden interest in several midtown Manhattan bars and nightclubs, including The Golden Door (with Vinny “Bruno” Mauro) and The Bazaar Room. Activities listed as:
policy, shylocking, dice games and suspected high-level narcotics trafficking (heroin). Note: his brother Jimmy served a long prison term for a charge murder, and Tommy Lucchese himself got involved to attempt at getting Jimmy parole. (It was said Jimmy had taken the fall for Lucchese himself in the case). Maybe another reason why Paul Correale was favored by Tommy Lucchese. In 1959, narcotics detectives raided a mid-town apartment, thinking it was a drug stash house. It wasn’t!..... but it was the “bank” of Correale’s policy network. They nabbed, a huge amount of policy slips, ribbons, $30,000. cash (a enormous amount in 1959), and what was believed to be shylock records. Alleging a $60,000. a day volume,
several underlings were arrested, Correale was charged by released. He was pulled in a conspiracy count that didn’t hold up (he was not on the scene). Members in his regime were said to include Teddy Orso (his cousin and a convicted narcotics dealer), Louis Forceri, Jacob (Jack Mace) Maislich (a top NYC fence), Joseph (Joe Babes) Bendenelli, James (Pat Patty) Reger, Frank Petrella,
among others.
In 1941, Correale was charged with felony assault (for shooting at a cop to allow a partner to escape), it is said that person was his “compare” Tramunti.
In closing, it was common underworld knowledge that Correale was a big spending, generous and
classy mob figure. A rarity in the mob!.... he died very young of lung cancer. The Lucchese Family might have taken a different historic turn if Correale had lived and succeeded to the boss position.... Note: not much has ever been written about “Paulie Ham”. I thought he deserved a write up!

***Note: among my sources were The FBN Mafia Book, The Daily News archives, MF, and many other sources. Lol.... ok fella’s?

[HairyKnuckles]

Not sure why you decide to start a new thread for every mobster bio you put up, in spite of being asked to put them in correct Family category. Please do that, it looks better and they will be easier to find in the future.

[maxiestern11]

I did it but it loses its headline. Is theee a way to do it and make it prominent, with the headline showing. I’m not too savvy at this . Explain and I’ll do it. You see it did it after we talked but thought it lost it’s prominence. Please explain the steps ok HK

[HairyKnuckles]

I don t think you can put a different headline in same thread unless two different threads are merged by us mods. I suggest you put a headline in bold as a first sentence in your post and go from there. That way readers will clearly see the name of the guy you are writing about.

[maxiestern11]