| Paul "Paulie" Vario | |
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| Born | July 9, 1914 New York City, New York, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Died | May 3, 1988 (aged 73) Tarrant County, Texas, U.S. |
Paul Vario (July 9, 1914 – November 22, 1988) was a member of the U.S. Italian Mafia and a Caporegime in the Lucchese Family. Events 455 - Roman military commander Avitus is proclaimed Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1914 ( MCMXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The City of New York New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 1491 - Kongo monarch Nkuwu Nzinga is baptised by Portuguese missionaries adopting the baptismal name of João Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) Tarrant County is a County located in the US state of Texas. As of 2007 it had a population of 1717435 The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 455 - Roman military commander Avitus is proclaimed Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1914 ( MCMXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Events 498 - Kofi Aseidu- After the death of Anastasius II, Symmachus is elected Pope in the Lateran Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Mafia (also known as Cosa Nostra) is a Sicilian Criminal Secret society which is believed to have first developed in the mid-19th century A caporegime (or Capodecina) (sometimes shortened to capo) is a term used in the Mafia for a high ranking member of a crime family who heads The Lucchese crime family is one of the " Five Families " that controls Organized crime activities in New York City, USA, within Some reports say that he also was the Underboss of the Luccheses in the 1970s but was either demoted or resigned. Capo Bastone or " Sotto Capo " known as the " Underboss " is second in command to the Capo Crimini. Vario is a maternal cousin of Colombo crime family consigliere John Oddo and his brother, mobster Steven Oddo. The Colombo crime family is one of the " Five Families " that controls Organized crime activities in New York City, USA, within Consigliere (konsiʎˈʎɛːɾe is the Italian term for an adviser or counsellor He ran his own crew. The Vario Crew was a group operating in metropolitan New York City area in the Lucchese crime family, run by Caporegime Paul Vario from the Additionally Vario was thought to have held the position of acting underboss for Stefano LaSalle of the Lucchese crime family just prior to the conviction of then mob boss Carmine Tramunti and before Anthony Corallo became of the official leader. Capo Bastone or " Sotto Capo " known as the " Underboss " is second in command to the Capo Crimini. The Lucchese crime family is one of the " Five Families " that controls Organized crime activities in New York City, USA, within Carmine "Mr Gribbs" Tramunti ( October 1, 1910 - October 15, 1978) was a New York mobster who was the titular head of the Lucchese Anthony "Tony Ducks" Corallo ( February 12, 1913 &ndash August 23, 2000) was a New York City Mobster and Under the rule of Corallo the Underboss rank went to Salvatore "Tom Mix" Santoro. Capo Bastone or " Sotto Capo " known as the " Underboss " is second in command to the Capo Crimini. Salvatore "Tom Mix" Santoro Sr (1913 – 2000 was the powerful Underboss of the Lucchese crime family during the 1980s before he was eventually convicted
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Life
Vario lived all his life in New York City and was believed to be involved in loansharking and union racketeering. The City of New York A loan shark is a person or body that offers illegal Unsecured loans at high Interest rates to individuals often backed by Blackmail or threats The Vario crew stole from the neighboring JFK International Airport through hijacking. John F Kennedy International Airport is an International airport located in Queens County on Long Island in southeastern New York City about 12 miles (19 Prior to 1963 the airport was known as the Idlewild Airport and was also then used as fountain for stealing. Besides the Vario crew, the well-known Gambino family crew led by Carmine Fatico and later John Gotti also exploited the airport for their own criminal gain. The Gambino crime family is one of the " Five Families " that controls Organized crime activities based in New York City, United States Carmine "Charley Wagons" Fatico ( January 19, 1910 - August 1, 1991) was a Caporegime in the Gambino crime family John Joseph Gotti Jr ( October 27, 1940 &ndash June 10, 2002) commonly known by the media as "The Dapper Don" and "The According to former Vario associate Henry Hill, the airport was like the crew's 'personal Citibank'. Henry Hill (born June 11, 1943) is a former American Mobster, Lucchese crime family associate and FBI Informant Due to his influence over the cargo haulers' union, Vario could often threaten with a labor strike in order to turn an investigation away. During the 1980s the FBI would listen in with hidden microphones as fellow Lucchese family members and associates boasted 'we own JFK', an obvious testament to the power and influence Vario wielded.
Illegal gambling and loansharking were also staples for Vario and his associates. Gaming law can be described as the set of rules and regulations that apply to the gaming or Gambling industry A loan shark is a person or body that offers illegal Unsecured loans at high Interest rates to individuals often backed by Blackmail or threats It was believed that any form of gambling (most commonly numbers game, bookmaking or underground casinos) that operated in the Brownsville-East New York section of Brooklyn paid regular 'protection' (extortion) payments. The numbers game, or policy racket, is an illegal Lottery played mostly in poor neighborhoods in U A bookmaker, bookie or turf accountant, is an organization or a person that takes bets and pays winnings depending upon results and depending on the nature East New York is a low-income residential neighborhood located in eastern Brooklyn, a borough of New York City. Extortion, outwresting, or exaction is a criminal offense, which occurs when a person Unlawfully obtains either money property or services It was common knowledge that any racketeer wishing to operate in this area had to pay Vario and his brothers a portion of their earnings.
He and his brothers were involved in a number of legitimate businesses, including a flower shop, restaurant and cabstand, from which he would conduct business most of the time. Brother Tuddy ran the cabstand and Presto Pizzeria. At his height, Vario was earning an estimated $25,000 a day. Vario and his brothers, along with their criminal associates, operated in Brownsville. Both the cabstand and pizzeria were located in close proximity on Euclid Avenue and the cabstand was the Euclid Avenue Taxicab and Limousine Service.
According to Hill, Vario never used a phone because he always believed it was too easy for someone else to overhear his conversations. Instead he would meet with his soldiers or other intermediaries who would talk to the people Vario needed to communicate with. He was married with three sons, all of whom became involved in their father's dealings in one way or another.
Nicknamed "Paulie", he stood six feet tall and weighed 250 pounds, but his narrow bone structure gave the appearance that he weighed even more than that. Former associates likened him to a sumo wrestler. is a competitive Contact sport where two Wrestlers ( rikishi) attempt to force one another out of a circular ring ( Dohyo) or to touch the ground A popular legend holds that Vario would often eat without a fork, instead holding the plate up to his face and shoving his mouth over the food.
In the early 1970s Paul was a Membership Director for mob boss Joe Colombo's Italian-American Civil Rights League. For the Italian industrial designer see Joe Cesare Colombo. Joseph "Joe" Colombo Sr The Italian-American Civil Rights League was formed as a political group in and around New York City in the early 1970s However he rescinded his membership and withdrew all support when it became apparent that the relentless accusations Colombo was making against the FBI and U. S. government about racism and anti-Italian discrimination were attracting attention, which could easily divert from Colombo and his supporters' politics and into their criminal behaviour.
It was also during the 1970s that Vario began to come under greater scrutiny from the FBI. Since the late 1960s the Vario brothers had ventured into the junkyard business, most likely a front for a chop shop operation and would use an on-site trailer as an office to discuss business-legal and illegal. A chop shop is a slang phrase for an illegal location or business which disassembles stolen automobiles for the purpose of selling them as parts As a result of the surveillance Vario was indicted but refused to cooperate. Surveillance is the monitoring of Behavior. Systems surveillance is the process of monitoring the behavior of people objects or processes within systems for conformity He was eventually found guilty of contempt and conspiracy to commit perjury and was sentenced to three years. Contempt is an intense feeling or attitude of regarding someone or something as inferior base or worthless—it is similar to scorn Perjury, also known as forswearing, is the act of lying or making verifiably false statements on a material matter under Oath or Affirmation in a Prior to his conviction it was thought that Vario was serving as the underboss to then boss Carmine Tramunti. Carmine "Mr Gribbs" Tramunti ( October 1, 1910 - October 15, 1978) was a New York mobster who was the titular head of the Lucchese Vario was shipped off to the federal prison located in Lewisburg, PA. While in prison Vario was part of the infamous 'mafia row'. This was a tier of fellow mobsters and according to Hill they lived like kings compared to other prisoners with wine and fine food. Hill was also serving a sentence at the Lewisburg facility. Additionally, infamous Lucchese soldier John Dioguardi (Johnny Dio) was serving time and according to Hill acted as a cook for Vario and others. Johnny Dio (born John Dioguardi) ( April 28, 1914 – January 12 1979) was a mafioso and union boss in the Lucchese
Following Vario's release from prison in 1975, it was quite clear that he would not return to previous underboss slot for the Lucchese crime family, as it was apparent that Anthony Corallo had made his intentions of having Salvatore "Tom Mix" Santoro fill the role. Anthony "Tony Ducks" Corallo ( February 12, 1913 &ndash August 23, 2000) was a New York City Mobster and
According to Hill, Vario forbid those closest to him to engage in narcotics trafficking (although while in prison Hill openly dealt narcotics with Vario's blessings). The illegal drug trade or drug trafficking is a global Black market consisting of the cultivation manufacture distribution and sale of illegal Drugs During the first few years of his release, Vario maintained his strong ties to the notorious Lucchese family capo and well-known dope trafficker Joseph "Joe Beck" DiPalmero. Due to their surveillance, the FBI believed that Vario had financed at least one large scale cocaine shipment with the assistance of DiPalermo. Cocaine ( benzoylmethyl ecgonine) is a Crystalline Tropane Alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the Coca plant The shipment involved 30 tons of the narcotic that was seized in the borough of Queens following a tipoff to the DEA. At the time the estimated value was $1. 5 million USD. Vario's misfortune was soon forgotten when he approved of the Lufthansa Heist in 1978 and collected a handsome tribute payment. The Lufthansa Heist was a robbery at John F Kennedy International Airport on December 11 1978
Vario was an extremely wealthy man. He once showed Henry Hill a vault claiming it held one million dollars in cash.
Among Vario's associates were Jimmy Burke and Hill. James Burke, also known as "Jimmy the Gent" "The Big Irishman" and "The Irish Guinea" ( July 5, 1931 New York City New Vario owned a cab stand across the street from the apartment where Hill grew up, and took Hill under his wing when the boy was twelve or thirteen, having him run errands and act as a valet. As the years went by, Vario initiated Hill into criminal life, telling all of his associates that Hill was his nephew. It was while on a double date with one of Vario's sons that Hill met his wife, Karen. Karen later became a courier for Hill, running messages to Vario, with whom she had an affair. When Burke's protege Tommy DeSimone attempted to rape Karen Hill, Vario held a sit-down with members of the Gambino family and revealed to them that DeSimone was responsible for the murders of two of their members, prompting them to murder DeSimone. Thomas Anthony "Two-Gun Tommy" DeSimone ( May 24, 1950 – January 14, 1979 Karen Friedman (born circa 1946) is one of three daughters of a Vario was imprisoned in 1984, largely because of the testimony of Hill.
Vario was known to be brutal and ruthless, despite his portrayal as brooding and gentle in Goodfellas. Goodfellas (also spelled GoodFellas) is an Academy Award winning 1990 Crime drama film directed by Martin Scorsese Hill saw a show of this violence first hand. He watched, aged twelve or thirteen, as Vario drove up to a barmaid's apartment, took a baseball bat from the trunk of his car and severely assaulted her for telling his wife that the two were having an affair. The barmaid's collar bone was broken.
He died while incarcerated at the Ft. Worth federal prison located in Tarrant County, Texas on November 22, 1988, aged seventy-four. Tarrant County is a County located in the US state of Texas. As of 2007 it had a population of 1717435 Events 498 - Kofi Aseidu- After the death of Anastasius II, Symmachus is elected Pope in the Lateran Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) His body is buried at St. John's Cemetery, Middle Village, Queens, New York. Middle Village is a neighborhood in central Queens, a borough of New York City.
Family and Lineage
Paul had a wife, Phyliss and three sons, Peter, Paul, Jr. , and Lenny Vario, all of whom became involved in crime. Paul Jr. was a good friend of mobster Hill and introduced him to his first wife Karen Hill. Karen Friedman (born circa 1946) is one of three daughters of a Lenny was allegedly Paul, Sr. 's favorite son; he burned to death while torching property in connection with a union. Originally a torch was a portable source of Fire used as a source of light usually a rod-shaped piece of wood with a rag soaked in pitch and/or some other Little is known about his other son, Peter. Vario adored Phyliss and was once so enraged that a maitre 'd spilt wine over her that he sent his entire 'crew' to the restaurant, where they assaulted the staff.
Paulie also had four brothers; Vito 'Tuddy' Vario (1928-1988), Salvatore Vario (1919-1976), Leonard Vario (1909-1981), and Thomas Vario (1917-1984). The Vario family originated from Sicily. The etymology of the Vario surname is that it was originally a nickname given to a person who lives in or comes from the property of Vannius. Etymology is the study of the History of Words &mdash when they entered a language from what source and how their form and meaning have changed over time
In popular culture
In the 1990 film Goodfellas, chronicling Henry Hill's life in the Mafia, Vario is featured as a major character. Goodfellas (also spelled GoodFellas) is an Academy Award winning 1990 Crime drama film directed by Martin Scorsese He is called "Paul Cicero" instead and portrayed by Paul Sorvino. Paul Anthony Sorvino (born April 13 1939 is an American actor whose solid career has largely been the portrayal of authority figures both as a legal enforcer and criminal in television
In the 2001 film for TV, The Big Heist, following the events of the 1978 Lufthansa Heist, Vario was played by actor Gino Marrocco. The Lufthansa Heist was a robbery at John F Kennedy International Airport on December 11 1978
References
- The Real GoodFella. Dir. Simon George. Perf. Henry Hill. Channel 4 Television Corporation, 2006.
- Pileggi, Nicholas, Wiseguy: Life In A Mafia Family, Corgi (1987) ISBN 055213094X
- 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
External links
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