Joseph Nicholas Gallo (January 8, 1912 – September 1, 1995) was a New York

mobster A gangster (informally gangsta) is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from '' mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level ...

who served as

consigliere Consigliere ( , ; plural is a position within the leadership structure of the Sicilian, Calabrian, and Italian-American Mafia. The word was popularized in English by the novel ''The Godfather'' (1969) and its film adaptation. In the novel, a c ...

of the

Gambino crime family The Gambino crime family (pronounced ) is an Italian American Mafia crime family and one of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the American Mafia. ...

under three different bosses. Joseph N. Gallo was not related to Joe Gallo of the

Colombo crime family The Colombo crime family (, ) is an Italian American Mafia crime family and the youngest of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City within the criminal organization known as the American Mafia. It was during ...

Biography

Joseph N. Gallo was born on January 8, 1912, in

Calabria Calabria is a Regions of Italy, region in Southern Italy. It is a peninsula bordered by the region Basilicata to the north, the Ionian Sea to the east, the Strait of Messina to the southwest, which separates it from Sicily, and the Tyrrhenian S ...

, but grew up in the

Little Italy Little Italy is the catch-all name for an ethnic enclave populated primarily by Italians or people of Italian ancestry, usually in an Urban area, urban neighborhood. The concept of "Little Italy" holds many different aspects of the Italian cul ...

section of Manhattan. Gallo was married and was the father of Gambino associate Joseph C. Gallo. Joseph N. Gallo and his family lived in Mill Basin, Brooklyn and

Long Island City, Queens Long Island City (LIC) is a neighborhood within the New York City borough of Queens. It is bordered by Astoria to the north; the East River to the west; Sunnyside to the east; and Newtown Creek, which separates Queens from Greenpoint, Brook ...

. In the 1930s, Gallo was convicted in New York of illegal gambling. Over the years, Gallo built his power base in the New York garment industry. He owned a dress manufacturing company in Brooklyn and eventually controlled the Greater Blouse, Shirt, and Undergarment Association, a trade group. Gallo also had strong ties with the

Trafficante crime family The Trafficante crime family, also known as the Tampa crime family or the Tampa Mafia, is an Italian Americans, Italian-American American Mafia, Mafia crime family based in Tampa, Florida. The most notable boss of the family was Santo Trafficante ...

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, and the New Orleans crime family boss Carlos Marcello. Gallo frequently represented their leaders at Cosa Nostra meetings in New York. In the early 1970s, Gallo replaced Joseph Riccobono as consigliere under boss Carlo Gambino. Gallo was considered as a possible candidate to succeed the ailing Gambino. However, on February 21, 1974, Gallo suffered a severe

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...

. Gallo recovered from this illness, but decided that he did not have the will or stamina to be Gambino's successor. After Gambino's death in 1976, Gallo continued as consigliere for boss Paul Castellano. In 1986, after Castellano's assassination, new boss

John Gotti John Joseph Gotti Jr.Capeci, Mustain (1996), pp. 25–26 ( , ; October 27, 1940 – June 10, 2002) was an American '' mafioso'' and boss of the Gambino crime family in New York City. He ordered and helped to orchestrate the murder of Gambin ...

also kept Gallo as consigliere. On December 22, 1987, Gallo was convicted of

Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization. RICO was e ...

charges that included two counts of bribery and one count of illegal interstate travel to commit bribery. In February 1988, Gallo was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison and ordered to pay fines totaling $380,000. Before his sentence, he was released on parole to spend a last

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with his family, since at his age any sentence imposed on him would have assured he would die in prison. He became the oldest inmate in federal custody. In 1987, Gallo after holding the position for twenty years was demoted in favour of Salvatore Gravano. This move was already decided on following the Castellano hit. However, Gotti waited until 1987 to do so. In 1995, Gallo was released from prison. On September 1, 1995, Gallo died of natural causes in

Astoria, Queens Astoria is a neighborhood in the western portion of the New York City Boroughs of New York City, borough of Queens. Astoria is bounded by the East River and is adjacent to four other Queens neighborhoods: Long Island City, Queens, Long Island C ...

. He is buried in St. Michaels Cemetery in

East Elmhurst, Queens East Elmhurst is a residential neighborhood in the northwest section of the New York City borough of Queens. It is bounded to the south by Jackson Heights and Corona, to the north and east by Bowery Bay, and to the west by Woodside and Dit ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gallo, Joseph N. 1912 births 1995 deaths American gangsters of Italian descent Consiglieri Gambino crime family People from Mill Basin, Brooklyn People from Long Island City, Queens Italian emigrants to the United States

Biography

References

Further reading

External links