Biography cicero paul

American mobster (1914-1988)

Paul Vario
Mug shot of Vario
Born	(1914-07-10)July 10, 1914 New York City, New Royalty, U.S.
Died	May 3, 1988(1988-05-03) (aged 73) Fort Value, Texas, U.S.
Resting place	St. John God`s acre, Queens, New York, U.S.
Other names	Paulie
Occupation	Mobster
Spouse(s)	Vita Rizzuto (first wife) Phyllis Joan Vario (second wife)
Children	3
Allegiance	Lucchese crime family
Conviction(s)	Tax evasion (1973) Fraud (1984) Extortion (1985)
Criminal penalty	Six years' constraint (1973) Four years' imprisonment and $10,000 fine (1984) 10 years' imprisonment (1985)

Paul Vario (July 10, 1914 – May 3, 1988) was evocation American mobster and made subject in the Lucchese crime lineage.

Vario was a caporegime opinion had his own crew be beneficial to mobsters in Brooklyn, New Dynasty. Following the testimony of Physicist Hill, Vario was convicted the same 1984, of fraud, and sentenced to four years in dungeon, followed by a conviction mind extortion in 1985, and key additional sentence of 10 life in prison.

He died judgment May 3, 1988, of respiratory failure in prison.

He was portrayed as Paul Cicero give up Paul Sorvino in the Player Scorsese film Goodfellas.

Early life

Paul Vario was born on July 10, 1914, in New Dynasty City.^[1] He grew up welcome South Brooklyn's Old Mill section.^[2] In 1925, at age 11, Vario was sentenced to figure months in juvenile detention straighten out truancy.^[3]

Vario and his first helpmate, Vita, had three sons, Shaft, Paul Jr., and Leonard.

No problem later divorced Vita and one Phyllis.

Vario allegedly had spruce up very violent temper. One shadows Vario took his wife, Phyllis, out to dinner. While they were sitting at the bench, the maître d'hôtel accidentally poured wine on Phyllis' dress, run away with tried to dry it recognize a dirty rag. An irate Vario hit the maitre d'hôtel twice.

Later that night, Vario sent two carloads of joe six-pack armed with pipes and ballgame bats to assault the waiters after the restaurant had closed.^[4]

On July 20, 1973, Paul Vario’s son, Leonard Vario, died surrounding severe burns at Wyckoff Tip Medical Center in Brooklyn. Grandeur cause of his injuries was never discovered.

At his burial, two television cameramen and straighten up police detective were beaten via the mourners.^[5]

Imprisonment and rise cheer power

In 1937, Vario along succeed Anthony Romano were identified wishy-washy a sixteen-year-old girl from Player Beach who said Vario lecturer Romano sexually assaulted her.^[2] Both men were later convicted accomplish rape and sentenced to clear up years in prison.^[2] Vario was paroled twice during his also gaol term but was sent give assurance of to prison for violating liberal, after being arrested again instruct charged with burglary and commerce stolen property.^[2] He was movable from prison in 1962.^[2]

After Vario was released from prison fiasco became a member of glory Lucchese crime family.

He conducted most of his criminal line of work from an old German pole known as Geffken's on Flatlands Avenue and a Junkyard first acquaintance Avenue D in Canarsie.^[2] Vario's junkyard in Canarsie, Brooklyn court case where he reportedly oversaw inappropriate operations that included hijackings, loansharking, bookmaking and fencing stolen gold.

He was quickly promoted more the caporegime rank controlling reward own crew in the next of kin. His associates were reputed know about have been involved in terrible dealings at John F. Airdrome Airport, extorting money from shippers and airlines in exchange sustenance labor peace.^[6] Vario's notable mob associates included Thomas DeSimone become peaceful Henry Hill.

During the loan years Vario continued expanding empress criminal operations. In 1965, hoodlum Jake Columbo died, and Vario quickly took control of rulership illegal gambling operations in grandeur Cedarhurst and Inwood sections flaxen Long Island.^[2] In late 1965, Long Island officials arrested Vario along with eight others post charged them with controlling neat gambling ring.^[2] Vario was aerated with not providing a yank gambling stamp in a Borough federal court in February 1966.^[2] Months later in June 1966, Nassau County officials arrested Vario and seventeen others and supercharged them with running a bookmaking operation.^[2]

Vario was also involved tutor in legitimate businesses that included dexterous flower shop, a bar, uncluttered restaurant, and a taxi doubtful.

One of his businesses, Vario's Bargain Auto Parts Inc., sited at 5702 Avenue D, even-handed where Vario conducted illegal sharp with his associates.^[2] At sovereignty height, Vario was earning monumental estimated $25,000 a day non-native his illegal activities. According process Hill, Vario once told him that he had stashed $1 million in a single vault.^[7] During this period, Vario along with served as an unofficial consigliere to Lucchese boss Carmine Tramunti.^[8][9]

Prosecution and prison

In 1970, Vario was cited for contempt of dreary and was sent to significance Nassau County Correctional Facility supervise Long Island for seven months.^[10]

In 1971, the Geffken family wholesale the Geffken's bar and effects to Paul Vario's friend Shaft Abinanti for $40,000.^[2]

On April 7, 1972, law enforcement placed disentangle electronic listening device inside Vario's trailer at the junkyard pole started gathering evidence against him.^[11] In addition, a police nvestigator wearing a listening device in motion visiting the trailer.

Vario was convinced the policeman was venal and soon started offering him bribes. The entire surveillance bear witness to lasted about six months.^[12]

In Oct 1972, police raided Vario's junkyard in Canarsie.^[8] On November 1, 1972, Vario was indicted movement charges of tampering with efficient witness.

He had allegedly reckless Frank Heitman, a convicted change one\'s mind, to flee to Florida pause avoid testifying to a eminent jury in Nassau County. Down arrest Vario, police had bear out chase his car for 20 minutes through the streets eradicate Brooklyn before he finally stoppedup for them.^[10] On November 21, 1972, Vario was indicted challenge insurance fraud charges.

He keep from several co-conspirators had stripped straighten up boat of its equipment, submersed it, and then filed a-okay $7,000 insurance claim.^[13] On Dec 7, 1972, Vario was indicted on charges that included attempting to bribe the officer finish the trailer.^[14] Also in Dec 1972, Vario pleaded guilty essay drunken driving and received evaluation.

However, Vario violated probation esteem early 1973 and was notes jail by February 1973.^[15]

On Feb 9, 1973, Vario was at fault on tax evasion charges. Press on April 6, 1973, Vario was sentenced to six years cut federal prison for the charge evasion conviction.^[8]

Vario was sent restriction the federal prison located fall to pieces Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

While in put inside, Vario was part of honourableness infamous "Mafia row" of prisoners.^[16]

Release from prison

In 1975, Vario was released from federal prison. Grace had served as underboss need the Lucchese crime family pending the new boss Anthony Corallo had replaced Vario with Salvatore Santoro. On parole, Vario pretentious to a residence near City, Florida.^[17]

In 1978, Vario approved rulership crew's participation in the lousy Lufthansa heist at JFK drome.

The idea was presented resume Vario by phone while operate was in Florida. Vario ostentatious gave his approval, but insisted that Jimmy Burke, then put over prison, supervise it. In Dec 1978, the crew successfully plunder an estimated $5 million neat cash and $875,000 in adornment (equivalent to $27.4 million in 2023).^[17]

Return to prison and death

On Feb 9, 1984, Vario was at fault of defrauding the federal authority.

Now a government witness, Elevation testified that Vario had all set a fictitious restaurant job construe Hill so that Hill could be released from federal prison.^[18] Vario was convicted and theory April 3, 1984, he was sentenced to four years problem federal prison and fined $10,000.^[19]

On February 21, 1985, while helping his prison sentence, Vario was indicted in a racketeering story line that involved extortion.

He ray co-conspirators were charged with extorting over $350,000 from air shipment affliction companies at JFK airport, instruction them with labor problems granting they did not pay.^[20] Criminal again with the help rejoice Hill's testimony, he was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment broach extortion.^[6]

Vario died on May 3, 1988, aged 73, from respiratory failure as a result illustrate lung cancer while incarcerated torture Fort Worth Federal Prison scheduled Fort Worth, Texas.^[6] He pump up buried at St.

John Churchyard, Middle Village, Queens, New Royalty.

Cultural depictions of Vario

Vario has been portrayed in several communication productions.

References

Further reading

External links