- Lucchese crime family
Infobox Criminal organization
name =Lucchese crime family
caption =Named afterGaetano Lucchese
founded on =1931
founding location =flagicon|USNew York City
founded by =Gaetano Lucchese
years active =1931-present
territory =Various neighborhoods overNYC
ethnic makeup =Italian,Italian-American made men and other ethnicities as "associates"
membership est =130 - 160 made members, 600 associates approx
criminal activities =Racketeering , conspiracy,loansharking ,money laundering ,murder ,extortion ,gambling ,hijacking ,fraud ,waste management and fencing.
allies =Gambino, Bonanno, Colombo, and Genovese crime families
rivals =Variousgangs over NYC including their alliesThe Lucchese crime family is one of the "
Five Families " that controlsorganized crime activities inNew York City , USA, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as theMafia (orCosa Nostra ). Their illicit activities includes profiting from labor and constructionracketeering ,illegal gambling ,loansharking ,extortion ,drug trafficking ,money laundering , hijacking,fraud , fencing andmurder for hire . [http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters/lucchese/index.html]History of the Lucchese crime family
The two Tommys
With the creation of the "
Five Families " as the pillars on which the strength of the American Mafia was based, the new head of the branch previously led by Gaetano "Tom" Reina and then Joseph "Fat Joe" Pinzolo, was Gaetano "Tommy" Gagliano, with Gaetano "Tommy" Lucchese as his Underboss. The pair led the family into profitable areas of the trucking and clothing industries. [ [http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/lucchese1/1.html The story of the Lucchese, one of the 5 NY crime families - Crime Library on truTV.com ] ]When Gagliano died in 1953, Lucchese, who had been loyal to his boss from beginning to end, took over as Boss, and took Vincent "Three Finger Brown" Rao as his second. He carried on the traditions Gagliano had established, making the family which now bore his name one of the most profitable in New York. Lucchese further developed the family's interests by controlling
Teamsters unions, workers' co-operatives and trade associations, and racketeering at the newIdlewild Airport . He also developed close relationships with politicians and members of the judiciary, which aided the family on numerous occasions. All this while keeping the low profile for which he became lauded in Mafia circles. Lucchese spent 44 years in the mafia without receiving a single criminal conviction. [ [http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/lucchese1/2.html The story of the Lucchese, one of the 5 NY crime families - Crime Library on truTV.com ] ]Toward the end of his life, Lucchese suffered various health problems and his heart finally gave up
July 13 ,1967 . The man who took over at the head of the family was Carmine "Gribbs" Tramunti. At the time, Tramunti was almost 70 years old and himself suffering from ill health, but with boss-in-waiting Anthony "Tony Ducks" Corallo in prison, Tramunti was chosen as caretaker boss while Corallo served out his sentence. Tramunti faced a number of criminal charges during his time at the head of the family and was eventually convicted of financing a largeheroin smuggling operation. This also included the arrests and convictions ofVincent Papa andAnthony Loria Sr. in the infamousFrench Connection . This scheme was responsible for distributing millions of dollars in heroin up and down the East Coast during the early seventies, which in turn led to a majorNYPD corruption scheme. The scope and depth of this scheme is still not known, but officials suspect it involved corrupt NYPD officer/officers who allowed access to the NYPD property/evidence storage room, where hundreds of kilograms of heroin lay seized from the now-infamousFrench Connection bust, and then replaced the missing heroin with white baking flour. The substitution was only discovered when officers noticed insects eating all the bags ofheroin . By that point an estimated street value of approximately $70 million worth of "smack" had already been taken. The racket was brought to light and arrests were made. Certain plotters received jail sentences, including Papa. (Papa was later assassinated in theAtlanta Federal Penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia; several conflicting reasons why have been suggested). These were the times ofFrank Serpico and the DEA'sKnapp Commission . Corallo took over upon Tramunti's incarceration in 1974. [ [http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/lucchese1/3.html The story of the Lucchese, one of the 5 NY crime families - Crime Library on truTV.com ] ]Tony Ducks & the Jaguar
After the incarceration of Carmine "Gribbs" Tramunti in 1974, the Lucchese crime family received a powerful Capo by the name of Anthony "Tony Ducks" Corallo from the
Queens faction as their new leader. Corallo, nicknamed "Tony Ducks" from a reputation of 'ducking' criminal convictions, was a Boss squarely in the Tommy Lucchese mold. He was heavily involved inunion control and worked closely withJimmy Hoffa , the international president of the Teamsters Union, during the 1940s and 1950s. Corallo, who had close ties to the "Painters and Decorators Union", the "Conduit Workers Union", and the "United Textile Workers", put Salvatore "Tom Mix" Santoro as the Underboss and supervisor of all labor and constructionracketeering operations in New York, and Christopher "Christie Tick" Furnari as the reputedConsigliere . The family prospered under Corallo's leadership, particularly in the trafficking ofnarcotics , as well as unionracketeering and majorillegal gambling operations. As Corallo never discussed business during sit-downs, fearing US government were monitoring the conversations, he bought a new Jaguar with a phone in it, and reportedly drove around New York while on the phone discussing business. Salvatore "Sal" Avellino and Aniello "Neil" Migliore swifted as Corallo's chauffeurs during the 1970s and 1980s. [http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/lucchese1/4.html The story of the Lucchese, one of the 5 NY crime families - Crime Library on truTV.com ] ] [http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/lucchese2/6.html]Corallo, a huge fan of the
New Jersey faction of the family, reputedly inducted and promoted Anthony "Tumac" Accetturo and Michael "Mad Dog" Taccetta into the organization and put them in charge of the Jersey Crew, which reportedly controlled most of theloansharking and illegal gambling operations inNewark, New Jersey at the time. [http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/lucchese2/4.html]But as Corallo maintained a strong leadership of the Lucchese Family, the
FBI had managed to plant a bug in Corallo's car in the early 1980s, where he conducted most of his businesses over the car's phone, and he was duly overheard talking at great length about mob affairs, all fromillegal gambling and laborracketeering , todrug trafficking and murder. Corallo was arrested and put on trial along with all the heads of theFive Families at the time. This trial became legendary as theMafia Commission Trial , and saw Corallo to be convicted on numerous charges and sent to prison, where he would spend the rest of his life (he died in 2000). Corallo's second choice as successor was, after the disappearing of acting boss Anthony "Buddy" Luongo in 1986, Vittorio "Vic" Amuso.The iron fists of Amuso and Casso
The period that followed was one of the most turbulent the Lucchese family had ever seen, given the relative calm under previous bosses. Vittorio "Vic" Amuso and his fierce Underboss, Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso, seized control of the Lucchese family in 1986, and promoted a powerful and notorious regime at the top. Both Amuso and Casso were heavily involved in labor
racketeering ,extortion ,drug trafficking and especiallymurder activities, as they were recognized as strong rivals ofGambino crime family bossJohn Gotti during the mid 1980s, but strong allies ofGenovese crime family boss Vincent "Chin" Gigante, who together conspired to murder Gotti, and onApril 13 ,1986 , a car-bomb meant for Gotti, instead killed his UnderbossFrank DeCicco . The assassination-plot was in retaliation for the unauthorized murder of former Gambino bossPaul Castellano . This, however, sparked a long and confusing 'tension' between these three crime families, as there was reported multiple deaths on all sides of the families. [http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/lucchese1/5.html The story of the Lucchese, one of the 5 NY crime families - Crime Library on truTV.com ] ] http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/lucchese3/3.html]Later, during the late 1980s, Amuso questioned the share of profit he received from the Jersey Crew and reportedly demanded 50% of the crew's total profit, however, New Jersey faction leaders Anthony "Tumac" Accetturo and Michael "Mad Dog" Taccetta refused, and Amuso gave the order to "Whack Jersey", meaning that the entire
New Jersey faction should be eliminated. Summoned to a meeting with Amuso inBrooklyn ,New York , nobody showed up in fear of being massacred. Taccetta and Accetturo were later put on trial in 1990, as both Amuso and Casso were implicated in a case involving the fitting of thousands of windows in New York at over-inflated prices, and the pair went into hiding of that same year, ruling the family from afar and ordering the execution of anyone they deemed troublesome, either they were considered rivals or potentialinformant s. [http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/lucchese1/8.html The story of the Lucchese, one of the 5 NY crime families - Crime Library on truTV.com ] ]What followed next was a series of botched hits, which led some members of the family turning informants to save their own lives. The planned executions went as high as Alphonse "Little Al" D'Arco, the acting boss while Amuso was in hiding, who had little choice but to turn himself over to the authorities to spare him and his family from Amuso and Casso and their increasingly erratic demands. Amuso also ordered the slaying of captain Peter "Fat Pete" Chiodo, who along with Casso was in charge of the "Windows Case" operation, but as he was shot 12 times and survived, he also turned state's evidence and provided the entire windows operation that eventually controlled $150 million in window replacements, sold in New York City. As Amuso also sanctioned the hit on Anthony "Tumac" Accetturo, who was on trial in 1990, he also cooperated with the government. [ [http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/lucchese1/6.html The story of the Lucchese, one of the 5 NY crime families - Crime Library on truTV.com ] ] [http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/lucchese3/4.html]
On
July 29 ,1991 , the FBI captured Amuso inPennsylvania , and two years later Casso was caught inNew Jersey . Amuso had resisted all attempts by the police to turn on the mob, but Casso wasted little time in doing so. Unfortunately for Casso, his testimony proved so inconsistent that he was ultimately accused of having gone back on his deal to help the authorities and refused leniency in sentencing for his various crimes. Amuso was sentenced tolife imprisonment in 1991, as well as Casso in 1994, who had been a fugitive for over four years, and reportedly conspired with reputed ConsigliereFrank Lastorino andBrooklyn faction leadersGeorge Zappola ,George Conte , Frank "Bones" Papagni andFrank Gioia, Jr. into murdering Steven "Wonderboy" Crea, Amuso's acting underboss ofThe Bronx , as well asGambino crime family acting boss John "Junior" Gotti, son of the imprisonedJohn Gotti , along with members of theGenovese crime family once again. But due to massive indictments, none of the plots were committed. [ [http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/lucchese1/7.html The story of the Lucchese, one of the 5 NY crime families - Crime Library on truTV.com ] ] [http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/lucchese3/5.html]Acting bosses
Joseph "Little Joe" DeFede was chosen as the acting boss of the Lucchese family, though Amuso continued to pull the strings from behind bars throughout the mid 1990s. DeFede, who supervised the powerful
Garment District racket, reportedly earned more than $40,000 to $60,000 a month, and when placing Steven "Wonderboy" Crea in charge of the family's labor and constructionracketeering operations, the Lucchese family earned something between $300,000 and $500,000 every year. But as US law enforcement kept pressuring theorganized crime actvities in New York, DeFede was arrested and indicted on nine counts of racketeering in 1998, and pled guilty to the charges. He was sentenced to five years in prison. Angry at his guilty plea, Amuso became uncertain of DeFede's loyalty, and promoted Crea as new acting boss of the Lucchese family. [http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/lucchese1/8.html]Crea, a powerful Bronx faction leader, raised the family's profit enormously, which convinced Amuso that DeFede had been skimming off the profit, and decided to put out a 'contract' on his life in late 1999, but on on
September 6 ,2000 , Crea and seven other Lucchese members were arrested and jailed onextortion charges, mostly to the supervising of the construction sites with various capos Dominic "Crazy Dom" Truscello and Joseph "Joey Flowers" Tangorra. Crea was eventually convicted in 2001 and sentenced to 5 years in prison. [http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/lucchese3/6.html] [http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/lucchese3/7.html]To complete a fairly hapless trio of acting bosses, the fierce
Consigliere of Queens, Louis "Lou Bagels" Daidone, who had been a prominent member of the Lucchese family since the 1980s, seized control of the family upon Crea's conviction in 2001, and kept running the family. However, with the releasement of Joseph "Little Joe" DeFede, whom Amuso had ordered to be killed earlier, DeFede turned state's evidence while fearing for his life, which was enough to convict Daidone ofmurder and conspiracy. This was also the result of the testimony fromAlphonse D'Arco in September 2004. [http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/lucchese1/8.html]Mafia cops
In April 2006, it was revealed that two respected New York City
police detective s were also working as hired hitmen and informants forAnthony Casso during the 1980s and early 1990s before they both retired from local law enforcement. They were determined to beLouis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa , who had spent much of their combined 44 years with theNYPD committing murders and leaking confidential information to the Lucchese crime family. They participated in eightmurder s between 1986 and 1990, and over a period of six years, they were paid $375,000 by Casso in bribes and as payments for murder 'contracts'. It is proven that Casso used Caracappa and Eppolito to put pressure on theGambino crime family by murdering several of their members, because Casso, along with the imprisoned Vittorio "Vic" Amuso andGenovese crime family boss Vincent "Chin" Gigante, wanted their rivalJohn Gotti out of the way. Caracappa and Eppolito are now seen as two of the most important reasons for why the 'tension' between these three families during the late 1980s and early 1990s, continued so long.http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/lucchese3/6.html]Among their contracts was putting James Hydell into the trunk of a car and handing him over to Casso for torture. Hydell's body has never been found. They also shot
Bruno Facciolo , who was found inBrooklyn in the trunk of a car with acanary in his mouth. After having been pulled over for a routine traffic check,Gambino crime family captain Edward "Eddie" Lino was killed on a freeway in hisMercedes-Benz . In 2006, Eppolito and Caracappa were convicted of murdering James Hydell, Nicholas Guido, John "Otto" Heidel, John Doe,Anthony DiLapi ,Bruno Facciolo ,Edward Lino andBartholomew Boriello on the orders of Casso and the Lucchese crime family. That year, they were reportedly sentenced tolife imprisonment .http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/lucchese3/7.html] [ [http://www.slate.com/id/2138170/?nav=navoa Dispatches from mob trial. - By Dan Ackman - Slate Magazine ] ]Current position and leadership
Vittorio "Vic" Amuso, 73, remains the official Boss of the Lucchese crime family despite serving a life sentence. It is unclear how much influence he has over the family from his prison cell. In the last few years, a three man ruling panel, Joseph "Joey Dee" DiNapoli, 71, Aniello "Neil" Migliore, 73, and
Matthew Madonna , 72, has been running the family. All three are long time capos in the family, but Migliore is believed to have the final say on things. Migliore has been a major player in the family for more than 30 years and is said to have huge respect on the street. Recently in 2006, former acting bossSteven Crea was released from jail after serving five years in prison. [http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/lucchese3/8.html] Still, under parole restrictions, it remains to be seen what role Crea will play for the Lucchese crime family in the future. In the last few years, after suffering greatly from turncoats, federal prosecution, and internal conflicts due to bad leadership, the Lucchese family has avoided further dramatic federal indictments. Arguably, recognized Underboss Migliore has managed to bring some stability to the Lucchese family. [http://www.angelfire.com/blog/organizedcrime/lucchese/main.html Lucchese Crime Family - One of New York's Five Cosa Nostra Families ] ]Bosses of the Lucchese crime family
* 1920–1930 — Gaetano "Tommy" Reina (murdered February 26, 1930 during the
Castellammarese War by the Masseria faction. * some believe his murder sparked the shooting war between the Masseria and Maranzano factions, others believe the war truly started with the murders of Castellammarese Clan leaders in Detroit and Chicago the following May and October.)
* 1930– — Bonaventura "Joseph/Fat Joe" Pinzolo (murdered September 5, 1930 by the Gagliano/Lucchese faction of the Reina crime family.)
* 1931–1953 — Gaetano "Tommy" Gagliano (allegedly semi-retired due to ill health sometime in 1951, died February 16, 1953. * others speculate he died in 1951.)
* 1951–1953 — Gaetano "Tommy Brown" Lucchese ("acting boss") (official underboss and the long the acknowledged successor to Gagliano.)
* 1953–1967 — Gaetano "Tommy Brown" Lucchese (by 1966 he was basically incapacitated and semi-retired due to terminal illness, died of brain tumor on July 13, 1967.)
* 1966–1967 — Carmine "Mr. Gribbs" Tramunti ("acting boss") (he became commission "substituto" and an intern boss for a year when Lucchese was unable to continue as an active leader, stepped down for a short period of time.)
* 1967– — Ettore "Eddie" Coco ("acting boss") (he was Luchese's second choice as successor, but like Lucchese's first choice Coco was imprisoned in 1967 and had to step down.)
* 1967–1973 — Carmine "Mr. Gribbs" Tramunti (due to Coco's imprisonment Tramunti was once again chosen as an acting leader until Luchese's first choice was released from prison. Tramunti himself was imprisoned in October 1973 and died in prison October 15, 1978.)
* 1973–1986 — Anthony "Tony Ducks" Corallo (he was Luchese's first choice for successor, but at the time of Luchese's death Corallo was on trial, soon convicted in 1968 and sentenced to 2 years in prison. indicted in the famous commission case on February 15, 1985, convicted on November 19, 1986 and on January 13, 1987 he was sentenced to 100 years in prison, died in prisonAugust 23 ,2000 .)
* 1986– — Anthony "Buddy" Luongo (Luongo was named Coralla's successor soon after the verdicts of the commission case were rendered in late 1986, but sometime in December 1986, Luongo, a Bronx faction leader was murdered by Brooklyn faction leaders Vic Amuso and Tony Casso.)
* 1987–present — Vittorio "Vic" Amuso (former Brooklyn faction leader and consigliere Chris Furnari convinced Tony Corallo to make Furnari's protégés Vic Amuso and Tony Casso the new bosses in early 1987. Former Bronx faction leader and underboss Tom Santoro advised against it knowing the succession of Amuso and Casso would be the biggest mistake in the crime family's history.)
* 1990–1991 — Alphonse "Little Al" D'Arco ("street boss") (a "caporegime" who was promoted by Amuso, held the position from May 1990 - January 1991, then promoted once again.)
* 1991– — Alphonse "Little Al" D'Arco ("acting boss") (held the position from January 1991 - September 1991, he was then demoted by Amuso, but held a position within the crime family's ruling panel/committee until he defected to the government on September 21, 1991.)
* 1991–1993 — 4 Man Ruling Panel/Committee, with help from the family consigliere, various capos, Salvatore "Sal" Avellino, Anthony "Bowat" Baratta,Steven "Wonderboy" Crea, Domenico "Danny" Cutaia, and "consigliere", Frank "Big Frank" Lastorino
* 1993–1998 — Joseph "Little Joe" DeFede ("acting boss") (a caporegime and close associate who was promoted by Amuso and was eventually jailed in 1998. DeFede defected to the government soon after being released from prison in early 2002 fearing Amuso had sanctioned his murder.)
* 1998–2001 — Steven "Wonderboy" Crea ("acting boss") (the official underboss who was promoted by Amuso and eventually indicted and jailed on September 6, 2000 on extortion charges. Crea was eventually convicted in 2001 and sentenced to 5 years in prison.)
* 2001–2003 — Louis "Louie Bagels" Daidone ("acting boss") (one of the last violent supporters of Amuso, he was arrested in March 2003 and sentenced to life in prison January 2004)
* 2003–2006 — 3 Man Ruling Panel/Committee , top capos Aniello "Neil" Migliore ,Joseph DiNapoli ,Matthew Madonna (street bosses) (allegedly after the new acting boss was chosen sometime in 2006 it was decided that the 3 man ruling panel/committee would be substituted for the official "underboss " position for the time being and act as street bosses in assisting the acting boss.) [http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/crimelaw/features/10870/ New York's Mob Families ] ]
* 2006–2007 — Steven "Wonderboy" Crea ("acting boss") (released from prison August 24, 2006 under strict parole restrictions.)
* 2007–2008 — Vittorio "Vic" Amuso ("imprisoned boss"), Steven "Wonderboy" Crea ("acting boss"), Aniello "Neil" Migliore, Joseph "Joey Dee" DiNapoli, Matthew "Matt" Madonna (street bosses/top "caporegimes" in place of official "underboss", reports to Crea), Joseph "Joe C." Caridi ("imprisoned consigliere")
* 2008–present — Vittorio "Vic" Amuso ("imprisoned boss"), Steven "Wonderboy" Crea ("acting boss"), Aniello "Neil" Migliore ("underboss"), Joseph "Joe C." Caridi ("consigliere") (present regime-hierarchy 2008) [http://www.geocities.com/OrganizedCrimeSyndicates/LuccheseFamily.html Organized Crime Syndicates ] ]Current family leaders
*Vittorio "Vic" Amuso - Boss of the Lucchese crime family since the conviction of
Anthony Corallo in 1987. One of the most feared mobsters from the old Brooklyn faction of the family. Jailed in 1992, currently serving alife sentence . [ [http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/InmateFinderServlet?Transaction=NameSearch&needingMoreList=false&LastName=Amuso&Middle=&FirstName=Vittorio&Race=U&Sex=U&Age=&x=0&y=0 Federal Bureau of Prisons ] ]
*Steven "Wonderboy" Crea - Capo, although promoted to acting boss in 2006 after releasing from prison. ABronx faction leader and longtime construction racketeer, Crea is a longtime ally ofVictor Amuso . Currently running the day-to-day activities of the family.
*Aniello "Neil" Migliore - Current Underboss of the Lucchese crime family. A longtimeBronx faction leader and former rival of Amuso, he was shot and wounded in 1992 on the orders of Amuso. Sat on the family 'Ruling Panel' withJoseph DiNapoli andMatthew Madonna .
*Joseph "Joe C." Caridi - FamilyConsigliere . Operates out of theLong Island andQueens factions of the Lucchese crime family with extortion and labor racketeering. Former ally of Vic Amuso and is currently imprisoned on extortion and loansharking charges.Current family Capos
*Steven "Wonderboy" Crea - Capo, although promoted to acting boss in 2006 after releasing from prison. A
Bronx faction leader and longtime construction racketeer. Currently running the day-to-day activities of the Lucchese family.
*Aniello "Neil" Migliore - Capo in the Lucchese crime family. A longtimeBronx faction leader and former rival of Amuso, he was shot and wounded in 1992 on the orders of Amuso. Currently promoted to the unofficial Underboss position of the family. [http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/lucchese2/5.html] [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE7DE103DF936A35757C0A964958260&sec=&spon= Reputed Mobster Shot; Power Struggle Suspected - New York Times ] ]
*Joseph "Joey Dee" DiNapoli - Capo in the Lucchese crime family. Longtime Lucchese member and operates out of theBronx andBrooklyn factions of the family. A former rival of Vittorio "Vic" Amuso.
*Matthew "Matt" Madonna - Capo of the Lucchese family. Former rival ofVictor Amuso and operates out of theBronx faction. Sat on the family 'Ruling Panel' with Migliore and DiNapoli as street boss of the Lucchese crime family.
*Salvatore "Sal" Avellino - Capo in the Luccheses since the 1980s. Longtime Amuso supporter and used to sit at the family's 'Ruling Panel' in the early 1990s. Currently operates out of theManhattan and Queens factions with racketeering and extortion activities. Also the family's current waste management executive in New York.
*Frank "Bones" Papagni - Capo in the Luccheses since the early 1990s, with racketeering, illegal gambling and loansharking operations in theBrooklyn section. Serving 20 years for the attempted murder conspiracy on John "Junior" Gotti in 1993. [ [http://www.geocities.com/americanmafioso_lucchese/caporegime.html caporegime ] ] [http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/1998/05/04/1998-05-04_dumb_fellas_grads__dream_of_.html Dumb Fellas Grads' Dream Of Mob Glory Died Behind Prison Bars ] ] [http://www.ipsn.org/characters/patriarca/Lucchese%20Class%20of%20'91.htm Lucchese Class of '91 ] ]
*George "Georgie Neck" Zappola - Caporegime in the Lucchese crime family since the regime of Vic Amuso andAnthony Casso in the 1980s. Operated out of theBrooklyn wing with racketeering, extortion activities. Currently imprisoned on murder-conspiracy charges in aid of racketeering with Frank Papagni. [ [http://www.americanmafia.com/News/5-7-00_Seedy_Mob_Boss.html Rick Porrello's AmericanMafia.com - this just in ... Mob News and Features ] ] [ [http://www.altlaw.org/v1/cases/545909 United States v. Zappola - AltLaw ] ]
*Frank "Big Frank" Lastorino - Capo in theBrooklyn section of the Lucchese family. A former familyConsigliere , Lasterino hatched the plot to kill both John "Junior" Gotti and captainSteven Crea , plus to take over the Lucchese crime family in the early 1990s. Serving 20 years for murder conspiracy charges. [ [http://www.nysun.com/new-york/wiseguys-breaking-mob-laws/17004/ Wiseguys Breaking Mob Laws - July 14, 2005 - The New York Sun ] ]
*John "Hooks" Capra - Capo of the Lucchese family. Operated out of theBronx andManhattan factions with extortion and illegal gambling. Convicted of an illegal gambling operation that earned more than $20 million every year with members of theGambino crime family . [ [http://www.thelaborers.net/DOJ/doj_pr_squitieri_gambino_indictments.htm DOJ press release on Gambino Squitieri et al indictments ] ]
*Anthony "Bowat" Baratta - Capo in theBronx faction of the Lucchese crime family. Used to ran largedrug trafficking operations in the 1990s, as he sat on the family's 'Ruling Panel'. Currently imprisoned on narcotics and racketeering charges.
*Domenico "Danny" Cutaia - Capo with loansharking, extortion andmoney laundering operations in the Brooklyn faction of the Lucchese family. Former messenger between the imprisonedVictor Amuso and the 'Ruling Panel'. [ [http://www.state.nj.us/lps/ge/exclusion/cutaia_d.html N.J. Excluded Person - Domenico Cutaia ] ]
*Joseph "Joey Flowers" Tangorra - Capo of the Lucchese crime family. Crew based in the Brooklyn faction and huge muscle with extortion and racketeering activities. Currently incarcerated due to alleged mental illness.
*Dominic "Crazy Dom" Truscello - Capo with racketeering, extortion and illegal gambling operations in theBronx andBrooklyn sections of the Lucchese family. Longtime ally of Vic Amuso and co-worker in construction racketeering withSteven Crea . [ [http://www.ipsn.org/ny_%20indictments_press_release.htm Construction Indictments DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEW YORK COUNTY Press release ] ] [ [http://www.laborers.org/nyt_Local20_9-7-00.html Laborers-LIUNA Local 20 Official Charged In Mob Racheteering ] ]
*John "Sideburns" Cerrella - Capo of the Lucchese family since the 1990s. ALong Island faction leader, Cerrella operates with racketeering, fraud, stocks and wire fraud in Queens andManhattan . Currently imprisoned withJoseph Caridi .
*George "Goggles" Conte - Capo in theBronx and Manhattan factions of the family with racketeering, drug trafficking, extortion and loansharking activities. Convicted of these charges in 1995, including murder-conspiracy. Currently imprisoned. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9802E1D71F3CF931A35753C1A960958260 Officials Say Mafia Ran Crack Ring In Brooklyn - New York Times ] ] [ [http://www.ipsn.org/characters/crea/Steven%20Crea.htm Steven Crea ] ] [ [http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/InmateFinderServlet?Transaction=NameSearch&needingMoreList=false&LastName=Conte&Middle=&FirstName=George&Race=U&Sex=U&Age=&x=0&y=0 Federal Bureau of Prisons ] ]
*Michael "Mad Dog" Taccetta - Capo of the Jersey Crew and theNew Jersey faction of the Lucchese family. Longtime rival of Vittorio "Vic" Amuso. Currently serving life in prison for conspiracy charges and drug trafficking. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9901E7D71439F934A35751C0A960958260 NEW JERSEY DAILY BRIEFING;Jailed Mob Boss Indicted - New York Times ] ] [ [http://www.nj.com/sopranos/ledger/index.ssf?/sopranos/stories/mafiosi_20020410sl.html Jersey mob soon to get infusion of old blood ] ] [ [http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/lucchese1/5.html The story of the Lucchese, one of the 5 NY crime families - Crime Library on truTV.com ] ]References
Further reading
*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
*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
*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
External links
*http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/crimelaw/features/10870/
*http://www.angelfire.com/blog/organizedcrime/lucchese/main.html
*http://www.geocities.com/OrganizedCrimeSyndicates/LuccheseFamily.html
*http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/lucchese1/1.html
*http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/l/lucchese_crime_family/index.html
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.