Salvatore D'Aquila
Encyclopedia
Salvatore "Toto" D'Aquila (November 1877 Palermo
, Sicily
– October 10, 1928 Manhattan, New York
) was a New York City
mobster from the Mustache Pete
-era and the first boss of the Gambino crime family
.
Salvatore D'Aquila was born in November 1877 Palermo
, Sicily
and immigrated to America in 1906. He worked alongside the Morello's
in East Harlem. D'Aquila was arrested in 1906 and in 1909 both times the charges were dropped. In 1910, boss of bosses Giuseppe "the Clutch Hand" Morello
was imprisoned and Salvatore D'Aquila separated from the Morello family. D'Aquila formed his own crime family and apponited himself the new Boss of Bosses
. His crime family operated from East Harlem and the Bronx where he rivaled the Morellos.
D'Aquila expanded his crime family's power into Brooklyn
. The top members of his crime family were Alfred Mineo
, Giuseppe Traina and Frank Scalise. In 1920 when Joseph Morello was released from prison D'Aquila tried to have him and his closest allies murdered. In 1925, D'Aquila moved back into the Bronx. On October 10, 1928, D'Aquila was shot to death on Avenue A in Manhattan, New York.
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
– October 10, 1928 Manhattan, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
) was a New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
mobster from the Mustache Pete
Mustache Pete
Mustache Petes was the name given to members of the Sicilian Mafia who came to the United States as adults in the early 1900s.-History:...
-era and the first boss 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...
.
Salvatore D'Aquila was born in November 1877 Palermo
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
and immigrated to America in 1906. He worked alongside the Morello's
Morello crime family
The Morello crime family is the direct ancestor of the Genovese crime family, the oldest of New York City's Five Families.-From Corleone to America:...
in East Harlem. D'Aquila was arrested in 1906 and in 1909 both times the charges were dropped. In 1910, boss of bosses Giuseppe "the Clutch Hand" Morello
Giuseppe Morello
Giuseppe "the Clutch Hand" Morello , also known as "The Old Fox", was the first boss of the Morello crime family and later top adviser to Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria. He was known as Piddu and his rivals the Castellammarese knew him as Peter Morello...
was imprisoned and Salvatore D'Aquila separated from the Morello family. D'Aquila formed his own crime family and apponited himself the new Boss of Bosses
Capo di tutti capi
Capo di tutti capi or capo dei capi is Italian for "boss of all bosses" or "boss of bosses". It is a phrase used mainly by the media, public and the law enforcement community to indicate a supremely powerful crime boss in the Sicilian or American Mafia who holds great influence over the whole...
. His crime family operated from East Harlem and the Bronx where he rivaled the Morellos.
D'Aquila expanded his crime family's power into 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...
. The top members of his crime family were Alfred Mineo
Alfred Mineo
Alfredo "Al Mineo" Manfredi was a Brooklyn based New York mobster, who headed a strong American Mafia crime family during the Castellammarese War. Mineo's organization would eventually become the present-day Gambino crime family....
, Giuseppe Traina and Frank Scalise. In 1920 when Joseph Morello was released from prison D'Aquila tried to have him and his closest allies murdered. In 1925, D'Aquila moved back into the Bronx. On October 10, 1928, D'Aquila was shot to death on Avenue A in Manhattan, New York.