Anthony Peraino
Encyclopedia
Anthony "Big Tony" Peraino (May 10, 1915- October 18, 1996) was a New York mobster in the Colombo crime family
who financed the ground-breaking pornographic film Deep Throat
. Peraino got his nickname "Big Tony" allegedly due to his weight (over 300 pounds
).
and immigrated to the United States from Sicily around 1911 after escaping from the Palermo prison where he had been sentenced to 25 years. Joe Piraino settled in New York around 1911, but it is unknown if he was already married upon his arrival. What is known is that Anthony was born approximately 4 years after his father's arrival from Sicily, and that his father immediately joined his fellow Sicilian countrymen in New York's Italian underworld and started to climb the ranks of the New York Mafia. By 1930, Piraino had become the boss of the Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
area rackets, taking over bootlegging, gambling and extortion activities once controlled by boss Frankie Yale
. Piraino was said to be an associate and ally of powerful New York Mafia boss Salvatore Maranzano
, and on the night of March 27, 1931, Piraino attended a "bootleggers summit" in Brooklyn, where he was murdered as he left the meeting. he is suspected of being another casualty of the Castellammarese War
, but his death could have been the result of separate Mafia conflict that was occurring within the Brooklyn bootlegging community. Author and Mafia historian Patrick Downey
has theorized that Piraino may have in fact been the patriarch of the Profaci crime family, the precursor to the Colombo crime family
, because Piraino's criminal interests, Brooklyn territory and several members of his group were absorbed into the group led by Brooklyn based Mafia leader and Maranzano ally, Joseph Profaci, a theory that is supported by some, and dismissed by others. Another strong fact that lends to Downey's theory is that both of Piraino's sons, Anthony and Joseph became members of the Profaci-Colombo crime family. At some point the spelling of the Piraino family name was changed to its present spelling.
" member of the Profaci crime family most likely sometime before the books were closed for membership in the late 1950s, and like his father he climbed the ranks of the New York Mafia to become one of Colombo crime family's biggest earners. Peraino helped develop pornography
into one of organized crime's biggest moneymakers after narcotics and labor racketeering. He was aided by his brother Joe "The Whale" Peraino, his sons Louis "Butchie" Peraino and Joseph C. Peraino, and his nephew, Joseph Peraino, Jr.
Anthony and Louis used profits from Deep Throat to build a vast financial empire in the 1970s that included, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI), "ownership of garment companies in New York and Miami and investment companies".
The Perainos controlled various adult and porn industry interests based in New York, Los Angeles and South Florida, from adult bookstores, to peep shows and adult movie theaters. Joseph Peraino later became involved in the distribution of another very successful pornographic film, the Devil in Miss Jones, and from his base of operations in California's San Fernando Valley, Peraino would maintain a tight grip on the Colombo crime family's interests in the porn industry well into the 1990s.
and disappeared for the next five years, reportedly to Italy.
In February 1979, as part of the MIPORN Operation, FBI agents raided adult movie theaters, warehouses, retail stores, and offices across the country. Anthony's two sons were arrested in the New York office of their company, Arrow Film and Video, and charged with interstate shipment of obscenity in the form of hardcore videos. Louis received six years in prison and Joseph C. received three years.
In 1981, in poor health, Anthony turned himself in to authorities. In 1982 in Memphis, Tennessee
, Anthony was sentence to ten months in prison and $15,000 in fines for his 1976 conviction and for jumping bail
.
. On January 4, 1982, gunmen chased down Anthony's brother Joseph and nephew Joseph Jnr. in a residential area of Gravesend, Brooklyn
. Joseph Sr. was paralyzed and Joseph Jr. was killed.
In 1986, Anthony was reportedly involved in producing and distributing pornography out of Florida
. He and Louis amongst other interests controlled an adult movie theater, the Gamecock
, in Broward County, Florida
.
In September 1996, Anthony Peraino died in California of natural causes.
Colombo crime family
The Colombo crime family is the youngest of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia ....
who financed the ground-breaking pornographic film Deep Throat
Deep Throat (film)
Deep Throat is a 1972 American pornographic film written and directed by Gerard Damiano and produced by Louis Peraino and starring Linda Lovelace ....
. Peraino got his nickname "Big Tony" allegedly due to his weight (over 300 pounds
Obesity
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems...
).
Early Family History
Anthony and his brother Joseph are the sons of Prohibition era Mafia boss Giuseppe "The Clutching Hand" Piraino. Joe Piraino was known as "The Clutching Hand" due to gnarled fingers on his paralyzed right hand. The Peraino brothers' father was a member of the Sicilian MafiaMafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
and immigrated to the United States from Sicily around 1911 after escaping from the Palermo prison where he had been sentenced to 25 years. Joe Piraino settled in New York around 1911, but it is unknown if he was already married upon his arrival. What is known is that Anthony was born approximately 4 years after his father's arrival from Sicily, and that his father immediately joined his fellow Sicilian countrymen in New York's Italian underworld and started to climb the ranks of the New York Mafia. By 1930, Piraino had become the boss of the Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
area rackets, taking over bootlegging, gambling and extortion activities once controlled by boss Frankie Yale
Frankie Yale
Francesco Ioele , better known as Frankie Uale or Frankie Yale, was a Brooklyn gangster and original employer of Al Capone before the latter moved to Chicago...
. Piraino was said to be an associate and ally of powerful New York Mafia boss Salvatore Maranzano
Salvatore Maranzano
Salvatore Maranzano was an organized crime figure from the town of Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, and an early Cosa Nostra boss in the United States. He instigated the Castellammarese War to seize control of the American Mafia operations, and briefly became the Mafia's "Boss of Bosses"...
, and on the night of March 27, 1931, Piraino attended a "bootleggers summit" in Brooklyn, where he was murdered as he left the meeting. he is suspected of being another casualty of the Castellammarese War
Castellammarese War
The Castellammarese War was a bloody power struggle for control of the Italian-American Mafia between partisans of Joe "The Boss" Masseria and those of Salvatore Maranzano. It was so called because Maranzano was based in Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily...
, but his death could have been the result of separate Mafia conflict that was occurring within the Brooklyn bootlegging community. Author and Mafia historian Patrick Downey
Patrick Downey
For the New Zealand Lawyer see: Pat DowneyPat Downey is a former American football center in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers, the New England Patriots, and the Washington Redskins. Downey was also with the Atlanta Falcons in 2002 as a member of their Practice Squad...
has theorized that Piraino may have in fact been the patriarch of the Profaci crime family, the precursor to the Colombo crime family
Colombo crime family
The Colombo crime family is the youngest of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia ....
, because Piraino's criminal interests, Brooklyn territory and several members of his group were absorbed into the group led by Brooklyn based Mafia leader and Maranzano ally, Joseph Profaci, a theory that is supported by some, and dismissed by others. Another strong fact that lends to Downey's theory is that both of Piraino's sons, Anthony and Joseph became members of the Profaci-Colombo crime family. At some point the spelling of the Piraino family name was changed to its present spelling.
Pornography family
Tony Peraino was a "made manMade man
A made man, also known as a Mafioso , made guy, man of honor, or uomo d'onore , is someone who has been officially inducted into the Sicilian or American Mafia . They may also be referred to by some as a goodfella or wiseguy...
" member of the Profaci crime family most likely sometime before the books were closed for membership in the late 1950s, and like his father he climbed the ranks of the New York Mafia to become one of Colombo crime family's biggest earners. Peraino helped develop pornography
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
into one of organized crime's biggest moneymakers after narcotics and labor racketeering. He was aided by his brother Joe "The Whale" Peraino, his sons Louis "Butchie" Peraino and Joseph C. Peraino, and his nephew, Joseph Peraino, Jr.
Deep Throat
The Peraino family financed and produced the most profitable pornographic film of all time — Deep Throat. Louis produced the movie and his father Anthony loaned him the initial $22,500 in production costs. The Perainos used a unique procedure by leasing the theatres and employees for all proceeds. To ensure compliance, they sent their own employees or associates known as "checkers" to run the movie houses.Anthony and Louis used profits from Deep Throat to build a vast financial empire in the 1970s that included, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
(FBI), "ownership of garment companies in New York and Miami and investment companies".
The Perainos controlled various adult and porn industry interests based in New York, Los Angeles and South Florida, from adult bookstores, to peep shows and adult movie theaters. Joseph Peraino later became involved in the distribution of another very successful pornographic film, the Devil in Miss Jones, and from his base of operations in California's San Fernando Valley, Peraino would maintain a tight grip on the Colombo crime family's interests in the porn industry well into the 1990s.
Pornography bust
Almost from the time of Deep Throats release in 1972, prosecutors started going after the Peraino family. In 1975, Anthony and brother Joseph were convicted for conspiracy to distribute Deep Throat. In 1976, Anthony was convicted on conspiracy to ship obscene material interstate. This conviction was for the distribution of Deep Throat on video tape. However, before he could be sentenced, he jumped bailBail
Traditionally, bail is some form of property deposited or pledged to a court to persuade it to release a suspect from jail, on the understanding that the suspect will return for trial or forfeit the bail...
and disappeared for the next five years, reportedly to Italy.
In February 1979, as part of the MIPORN Operation, FBI agents raided adult movie theaters, warehouses, retail stores, and offices across the country. Anthony's two sons were arrested in the New York office of their company, Arrow Film and Video, and charged with interstate shipment of obscenity in the form of hardcore videos. Louis received six years in prison and Joseph C. received three years.
In 1981, in poor health, Anthony turned himself in to authorities. In 1982 in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, Anthony was sentence to ten months in prison and $15,000 in fines for his 1976 conviction and for jumping bail
Bail
Traditionally, bail is some form of property deposited or pledged to a court to persuade it to release a suspect from jail, on the understanding that the suspect will return for trial or forfeit the bail...
.
Decline of the Perainos
With the Perainos under siege from law enforcement,a dispute between the Peraino brothers over their pornography and business empire was settled in favor of Anthony by the administration of the Colombo crime familyColombo crime family
The Colombo crime family is the youngest of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia ....
. On January 4, 1982, gunmen chased down Anthony's brother Joseph and nephew Joseph Jnr. in a residential area of Gravesend, Brooklyn
Gravesend, Brooklyn
Gravesend is a neighborhood in the south-central section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, USA.The derivation of the name is unclear. Some speculate that it was named after the English seaport of Gravesend, Kent. An alternative explanation suggests that it was named by Willem Kieft for the...
. Joseph Sr. was paralyzed and Joseph Jr. was killed.
In 1986, Anthony was reportedly involved in producing and distributing pornography out of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. He and Louis amongst other interests controlled an adult movie theater, the Gamecock
Gamecock
A gamecock or game fowl is a type of rooster with physical and behavioral traits suitable for cockfighting. Game fowl are more closely related to their wild cousins "jungle fowl"; a shy wild chicken from forests in South Central and Southeastern Asia...
, in Broward County, Florida
Broward County, Florida
-2000 Census:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,623,018 people, 654,445 households, and 411,645 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,346 people per square mile . There were 741,043 housing units at an average density of 615 per square mile...
.
In September 1996, Anthony Peraino died in California of natural causes.
External links
- Inside Deep Throat
- Americanmafia.com; Mob Hits 1996
- MIPORN by Luke Ford
- Porn Mafia
- Attorney General's Commission on Pornography (1986)