Girolamo Palermo

Girolamo "Jimmy Dumps" Palermo (born 1938) is the longtime Underboss of the DeCavalcante crime family in Elizabeth, New Jersey, under the regime of current imprisoned boss, Giovanni "John the Eagle" Riggi.

Murdering Al Colicchio

According to Jerry Capeci, on September 13, 1960, Palermo reportedly shot Alphonso "Zeeny" Colicchio to death in his bar and grill called "Zeeny’s Tavern" in Elizabeth, New Jersey, when the bar owner tried to defend himself from a "beating" Palermo and other gangsters tried to give him. According to US prosecutors, Colicchio had disrespected the then Boss of the DeCavalcante crime family and New Jersey mobster, Nicholas "Nick" Delmore. Palermo reportedly murdered Colicchio on the orders of Delmore himself, and kept it quiet for his fellow mobster Giovanni "John the Eagle" Riggi, who ironically was Colicchio's brother-in-law.

From Made to Underboss

Girolamo Palermo was first recognized as a made man under Giovanni "John the Eagle" Riggi in the late 1970s, and when infamous boss Simone "Sam the Plumber" DeCavalcante retired in the 1980s, Palermo was promoted to Underboss of the DeCavalcante crime family, with John Riggi as boss toward the indictments in the early 1990s, despite that he had murdered his brother-in-law only 20 years earlier.

Racketeering acquittal

In 1989, Riggi and Palermo, along with several other associates, were put on trial for racketeering and extortion by illegally using Local 394 of the "International Association of Laborers and Hod Carriers", to extort jobs, goods and services from the construction industry in New Jersey. Additionally, Riggi used his power and influence to place subcontractors and workers other than laborers at various construction projects around the state. In this way, Riggi and the DeCavalcantes were able to rip-off union welfare and pension funds. In 1990, John Riggi was sentenced to 15 years in prison, while Palermo was acquitted on his racketeering charges.

On the Ruling Panel

During the 1990s, "acting boss" Giacomo "Jake" Amari died of stomach cancer, which triggered a huge power vacuum between several mobsters who were trying to reorganize the DeCavalcante crime family. But Palermo and Consigliere Stefano "Steve the Truck Driver" Vitabile were loyal to the imprisoned Riggi, and decided to create the "Ruling Committee/Panel", which consisted of three various capos who were to run the family's day-to-day activities. Vincent "Vinny Ocean" Palermo (not related to Jimmy Palermo) and Charles "Big Ears" Majuri, together with Jimmy Palermo who was demoted to Caporegime, were placed on the panel, which went as an administration of "street bosses" in the 1990s.

Riggi's Acting boss

After Vincent "Vinny Ocean" Palermo became only one of the mobsters turning state's evidence after 2000, as well as increased law enforcement pressuring the entire DeCavalcante crime family, the imprisoned Riggi used Jimmy Palermo along with Stefano "Steve the Truck Driver" Vitabile and Giuseppe "Pino" Schifilliti as the family's "acting bosses". Unfortunately for him, Palermo became a victim of his own success, as he was indicted on labor racketeering, extortion and two murder conspiracy charges, and ultimately put under house arrest in 2004.

Current house-arrest

As of December, 2007, Girolamo Palermo at age 69, is still recognized as a prominent member of the DeCavalcante crime family, despite the fact that he is on trial on murder and conspiracy charges, and held against bail. Recently, Palermo went under house arrest again, as well as being permanently barred from holding an office in, or being employed by, Local 394 or from being an officer or being employed by LIUNA.

External links

* [http://ganglandnews.com/column350.htm This Week in Gangland: Golden Oldie Hits Haunt The Mob] by Jerry Capeci
* [http://ganglandnews.com/column358.htm This Week in Gangland: The Gang's All Here] by Jerry Capeci
* [http://www.mafianj.com/sci89/decavalcante.shtml La Cosa Nostra – State of New Jersey Commission of Investigation 1989 Report - The DeCavalcante Family]
* [http://www.thelaborers.net/decisions/d99-01.htm LABORERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA - Girolamo Palermo]
* [http://www.ipsn.org/indictments/loren-maltese_indictment/decavalcante_indictment2.htm UNITED STATES OF AMERICA vs. Girolamo Palermo]