Joseph Corozzo
Encyclopedia
Joseph "Jo Jo" Corozzo, Sr. (born 1943 Canarsie, Brooklyn
), is a New York mobster who is the reputed Consigliere
of the Gambino crime family
.
was the alleged one time boss of the Gambino family. Joseph also has identical twin brothers Blaise Corozzo, an alleged Gambino soldier, and Anthony Corozzo, an alleged Gambino associate. Joseph is the father of the pugnacious New York criminal attorney Joseph Corozzo, Jr and the brother-in-law of Gambino associate Vincent Dragonetti. Joseph Corozzo, Jr.
trial of Gambino boss John Gotti
, the Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) named Joseph Sr as a Gambino caporegime
. Joseph Sr. earned the nickname "Miserable" because he allegedly suffers from bipolar disorder
.
In 1992 or 1993, Joseph became the Gambino consigliere, replacing Frank LoCascio
after his sentence to life in prison. At the time, Joseph's only conviction had been a 1994 plea agreement in Louisiana
for illegally owning poker machines.
In 2003, "Ruling Panel" member Michael "Mikey Scars" DiLeonardo
testified that Arnold "Zeke" Squitieri
was Gambino Underboss
and that John "Jackie Nose" D'Amico
and Nicholas Corozzo ran the day-to-day family operations. Joseph was the final decision-maker. DiLeonardo also stated that these men have controlled the Gambino family since the 1990s.
. In June 2008, Joseph pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy involving the extortion
of a Staten Island
cement
company owned by businessman Joseph Vollero
. Joseph received 46 months in federal prison, the low end of the sentencing guidelines.
On January 1, 2011, five months before his scheduled release date, Joseph was indicted again as part of an FBI operation against over 100 alleged Mafia members and associates.
As of August 2011, Corozzo is imprisoned at the Metropolitan Detention Center
(MDC) in Brooklyn awaiting trial. His projected release date is unknown
) tells a story about a visit to Las Vegas, Nevada
when Joseph was a fugitive.
Canarsie, Brooklyn
Canarsie is a neighborhood in the southeastern portion of the borough of Brooklyn, in New York City, United States. The area is part of Brooklyn Community Board 18....
), is a New York mobster who is the reputed Consigliere
Consigliere
Consigliere is a position within the leadership structure of Sicilian and American Mafia crime families. The word was popularized by Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather , and its film adaptation...
of the Gambino crime family
Gambino crime family
The Gambino crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The group is named after Carlo Gambino, boss of the family at the time of the McClellan hearings in 1963...
.
Background
Joseph Corozzo's brother Nicholas "Little Nick" CorozzoNicholas Corozzo
Nicholas "Little Nick" Corozzo is a New York mobster who is the reputed acting boss of the Gambino crime family.-Biography:...
was the alleged one time boss of the Gambino family. Joseph also has identical twin brothers Blaise Corozzo, an alleged Gambino soldier, and Anthony Corozzo, an alleged Gambino associate. Joseph is the father of the pugnacious New York criminal attorney Joseph Corozzo, Jr and the brother-in-law of Gambino associate Vincent Dragonetti. Joseph Corozzo, Jr.
From Capo to Consigliere
Joseph Sr. started with the Gambino family as a transport truck hijacker. In 1991, during the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations ActRacketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, commonly referred to as the RICO Act or simply RICO, 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...
trial of Gambino boss John Gotti
John Gotti
John Joseph Gotti, Jr was an American mobster who became the Boss of the Gambino crime family in New York City. Gotti grew up in poverty. He and his brothers turned to a life of crime at an early age...
, 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) named Joseph Sr as a Gambino caporegime
Caporegime
A caporegime or capodecina, usually shortened to just a capo, is a term used in the Mafia for a high ranking made member of a crime family who heads a "crew" of soldiers and has major social status and influence in the organization...
. Joseph Sr. earned the nickname "Miserable" because he allegedly suffers from bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
.
In 1992 or 1993, Joseph became the Gambino consigliere, replacing Frank LoCascio
Frank Locascio
Frank "Frankie Loc" LoCascio is a New York mobster who became the Consigliere to the Gambino crime family, under Boss John Gotti. LoCascio is the father of Salvatore LoCascio, a caporegime in the Gambino family....
after his sentence to life in prison. At the time, Joseph's only conviction had been a 1994 plea agreement in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
for illegally owning poker machines.
In 2003, "Ruling Panel" member Michael "Mikey Scars" DiLeonardo
Michael DiLeonardo
Michael "Mikey Scars" DiLeonardo is an Italian-American New York mobster who formerly belonged to the Gambino crime family and is now a government informant.-Background:...
testified that Arnold "Zeke" Squitieri
Arnold Squitieri
Arnold "Squiggy" Ezekiel Squitieri of Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey is a convicted drug dealer and former acting boss and current Underboss of the Gambino crime family. He is also known as "Zeke", "Bozey", and "Squitty".-Murder charge:...
was Gambino Underboss
Underboss
Underboss is a position within the leadership structure of Sicilian and American Mafia crime families. The underboss is second in command to the boss...
and that John "Jackie Nose" D'Amico
Jackie D'Amico
John "Jackie the Nose" D'Amico is a New York mobster that served as street boss of the Gambino crime family from 2005 to 2011. "Street boss" had been the family's number one position ever since official Boss Peter Gotti started serving a life sentence in prison.-Early life:D'Amico stands 5'11" ...
and Nicholas Corozzo ran the day-to-day family operations. Joseph was the final decision-maker. DiLeonardo also stated that these men have controlled the Gambino family since the 1990s.
Prison
In February 2008, Joseph was indicted as part of Operation Old BridgeOperation Old Bridge
Operation Old Bridge is the code name for the February 7, 2008 arrests in Italy and the United States that targeted the Gambino crime family. Among the indicted were the reputed acting bosses Jackie D'Amico, Nicholas Corozzo and Consigliere Joseph Corozzo of the Gambino crime family...
. In June 2008, Joseph pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy involving the extortion
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
of a Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
company owned by businessman Joseph Vollero
Joseph Vollero
Joseph Vollaro, also known as "Joey V" and "Joe Andrews" , is a Staten Island-based American trucking executive and Gambino crime family associate who is now a government informant and witness....
. Joseph received 46 months in federal prison, the low end of the sentencing guidelines.
On January 1, 2011, five months before his scheduled release date, Joseph was indicted again as part of an FBI operation against over 100 alleged Mafia members and associates.
As of August 2011, Corozzo is imprisoned at the Metropolitan Detention Center
Metropolitan Detention Center
"Metropolitan Detention Centers" are federal detention facilities operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and located throughout the United States...
(MDC) in Brooklyn awaiting trial. His projected release date is unknown
In popular culture
In the opening scene of the 1996 HBO movie Gotti, John Gotti (Armand AssanteArmand Assante
-Personal life:Assante was born in New York City and raised in Cornwall, New York, the son of Katherine , a music teacher and poet, and Armand Anthony Assante, Sr., a painter and artist. His father was Italian and his mother was Irish, and was raised in a devoutly Roman Catholic family...
) tells a story about a visit to Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
when Joseph was a fugitive.
External links
- http://www.federalcriminaldefenseblog.com/2010/08/articles/miscellaneous/inhouse-counsel-to-the-mob-court-denies-governments-motion-to-disqualify-attorney-joseph-corozzo-jr/
- CBSNews.com - Mob Turncoat Breaks Vow Of Silence
- Last Days of the Gotti Gang - Part Nine: The Three Victims by J. R. de Szigethy and Lou Eppolito Jr.