Tag: Vario Crew

About The Vario Crew

Among the different Mafia families that existed in the United States, one of the most popular was the Vario Crew. This mafia gang is said to have operated in the city of New York and was established by the Lucchese Crime Family. It was Paul Vario, the Capo regime under whose supervision, the Vario Crew is known to have worked. This gang started its operations in 1950s and lasted for about thirty years until 1980s.

Their territory

The Vario Crew is known to have their territory spread to the different neighborhoods of the regions of Queens, Long Island, Staten Island and Brooklyn. The Mafia members of this gang generally were considered to be associates and made men of the American – Italian and Italian ethnicity. But the actual gang members were not known.

Some of its varied allies were the Colombo Crime Family, Bonanno Crime Family, Gambino Crime Family and the Genovese Crime families.

Involvement and activities undertaken by the gang members

This gang was more or less involved actively in different types of criminal activities which included burglary, bookmaking, cigarette smuggling, cargo theft, drug trafficking, conspiracy, fencing, extortion, hijacking, hotel robbery, gambling, jewelry heist, loan sharking, labor racketeering, prostitution and murder.

Leadership

For a period of 10 years, ranging from 1969 to that of 1979, Paul Vario had served the group as its Underboss. However, he got arrested and for about 12 years, received imprisonment sentences and on May 3rd, 1988 he died in prison. After his arrest in 1980, his younger brother Vito ‘Tuddy’ Vario is known to have taken over the gang leadership and was its acting boss until 1988, the death of Paul Vario.  Alphonse D’ Arco ‘Little Al’ from 1988 to 1991 had served as the Street Boss, before getting promoted to become the Acting Boss of the gang. But in July 1991, he got arrested by the law enforcement officials and turned into a government witness, to escape death. The current boss from 1991 until today is Domenico Cutaia also called ‘Danny’.

The Crew is known to have their different types of activities to be carried out from various places, which includes Euclid Taxi Cab Co., Bargain Auto Junkyard, Robert’s Lounge of Jimmy Burke, Kew Motor Inn and The Suit a night club of Henry Hill.