Salvatore Santoro
Encyclopedia
Salvatore T. "Tom Mix" Santoro, Sr. (November 18, 1915 – January 2000) served as Underboss
in the Lucchese crime family
during the 1980s before being convicted in the Mafia Commission Trial
and sentenced to 100 years in federal prison.
to Antonio and Teresa Bargio, Santoro stood at 5'9 and weighed 200 pounds, he married Mary Zangaglia but did not father any children. He is the uncle to Lucchese family soldier and union boss Anthony DiLapi
. He earned the mob moniker "Tom Mix
" because in his younger years he closely resembled the Dutch
-German-American western film actor by that name.
's 107th Street gang in operating extortion
, loansharking, narcotics and prostitution rings during the early 1930s. He was made
sometime in the 1940s in the Gagliano crime family operating drug trafficking and loansharking rings.
On July 6, 1942, Santoro received six months to two years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to import narcotics from Mexico.
In March 1951, Santoro was indicted on charges of conspiracy to import opium
from Mexico
and convert it into heroin. Santoro went into hiding and allegedly spent time in Europe before returning to Oyster Bay, New York
. On September 24, 1951, he surrendered to federal authorities in New York City. On January 7, 1952, after pleading guilty to narcotics charges, a judge labeled Santoro as a "bad fellow" and sentence him to four years in prison.
In 1951 or 1953, longtime boss Gaetano "Tommy" Gagliano
died. Underboss Tommy Lucchese took over what was now called the Lucchese crime family. Lucchese then promoted Santoro to capo
of the family's powerful Bronx faction.
and the Bronx
controlling a large heroin drug trafficking operations during the 1950s. In 1958 he was arrested and tried for narcotics charges, as well recognizing him as a partner and associate of Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson
, although this never was confirmed. Santoro was convicted of all charges in 1959 and was given a twenty year prison sentenced.
and Santoro's longtime friend Anthony Corallo was seen as the most obvious candidate for Boss
, however, Corallo was imprisoned during the time and the family leadership went to Carmine "Gribbs" Tramunti
, who also favored the imprisoned Santoro, as well as Corallo. After Corallo released in the early 1970s from prison, he reputedly took over the Lucchese crime family at once. Corallo put Paul Vario
in charge as Underboss of the family on acting basis, until his dear friend Santoro was to release from prison.
members were sent to prison on various of charges. When Santoro was released from prison in 1978 he took over as Underboss operating the powerful Bronx faction of the family. He left the drug trade alone and instead took over the labor and construction racketeering operations for the Lucchese crime family in New York City. Santoro gained a reputation of being an excellent labor racketeer and cooperated with Consigliere
Christopher "Christie Tick" Furnari
and other top capos in the family. He bought a home on City Island Avenue in City Island, Bronx
.
found a new way to discuss business without ever meeting his top underlings Santoro and Furnari. Corallo used his Jaguar
with a phone inside and talked to mostly Santoro on the phone while he was driving around in New York with his chauffeur Aniello "Neil" Migliore
. This way succeeded mostly because the noise of the old Jag was so loud that it wasn't possible to hear anything, however, after the Jaguar came with a new engine and new filter to prevent any sound annoying the ones driving the car, Federal Bureau of Investigation
planted a bug
in it, and listened to a lot of the conversations Corallo had with Santoro, mostly about the profit from the labor and construction racketeering operations in the Bronx, where they extorted the unions
and made great influence in construction industry.
activities in New York City
during the mid 1980s, they put eleven top members of all the Five Families
on a trial, called the Mafia Commission Trial
or the Commission Case, including the entire administration of the Lucchese crime family. Santoro, including Anthony Corallo, and powerful Consigliere Christopher Furnari were all arrested on February 25, 1985, on various of charges, including labor racketeering, extortion, loansharking, illegal gambling and murder charges. Every boss of the Five Families was brought before this court, which began in September 1986. The charges also involved the execution of Bonanno crime family
de facto boss Carmine "Lilo" Galante
in 1979, which were allegedly on the orders of the Commission
because they saw Galante as a potential rival and thought he planned to take over everything.
On November 19, 1986, Santoro and the other defendants were convicted on all counts. Santoro was sentenced to 100 years in prison and fined $250,000.
After the sentencing, Santoro and the other defendants met with their lawyers and together in a backroom of the courthouse for a final Italian
meal and a bottle of wine. Corallo gave the traditional Italian toast of Cent'anni, may we live 100 years, at which time Santoro stated, "I think it's time to get a new toast", prompting laughter from the rest of the mobsters.
and Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso
who seized the complete power of the family. As nobody wanted a new war within the organization, Furnari advised Corallo to make Amuso and Casso the new bosses in early 1987, although Santoro is to have strongly advised against it, knowing the succession of Amuso and Casso would be the biggest mistake in the crime family's history. However, Corallo still made Amuso the new boss of the Lucchese crime family that same year.
Months later Corallo died in August 2000. Furnari and Colombo crime family
boss Carmine "Junior" Persico
and Underboss Gennaro "Jerry Lang" Langella
are currently serving their life sentence as the only survivors of the defendants from the Mafia Commission Trial who received 100 years.
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...
in the Lucchese crime family
Lucchese crime family
The Lucchese 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 family originated in the early 1920s with Gaetano "Tommy" Reina serving as boss up until his murder...
during the 1980s before being convicted in the Mafia Commission Trial
Mafia Commission Trial
The Mafia Commission Trial was a criminal trial in New York City, USA. Using evidence obtained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, eleven organized crime figures, including the heads of New York's so-called "Five Families," were indicted by United States Attorney Rudolph Giuliani under the...
and sentenced to 100 years in federal prison.
Early life
Born in Leonia, New JerseyLeonia, New Jersey
Leonia is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,937. It is located near the western approach to the George Washington Bridge....
to Antonio and Teresa Bargio, Santoro stood at 5'9 and weighed 200 pounds, he married Mary Zangaglia but did not father any children. He is the uncle to Lucchese family soldier and union boss Anthony DiLapi
Anthony DiLapi
Anthony DiLapi also known as "Blue Eyes over the Bridges" was a Teamsters union leader in New York City's Garment District and a soldier in the Lucchese crime family.-Garment District Boss:...
. He earned the mob moniker "Tom Mix
Tom Mix
Thomas Edwin "Tom" Mix was an American film actor and the star of many early Western movies. He made a reported 336 films between 1910 and 1935, all but nine of which were silent features...
" because in his younger years he closely resembled the Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
-German-American western film actor by that name.
107th Street gang
Santoro started working for Gaetano "Tommy Brown" LuccheseTommy Lucchese
Gaetano "Tommy" Lucchese , also known as "Tom Brown" or "Three-Finger Brown", was an American mobster who became the Boss of the Lucchese crime family in New York City...
's 107th Street gang in operating 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...
, loansharking, narcotics and prostitution rings during the early 1930s. He was made
Made 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...
sometime in the 1940s in the Gagliano crime family operating drug trafficking and loansharking rings.
On July 6, 1942, Santoro received six months to two years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to import narcotics from Mexico.
In March 1951, Santoro was indicted on charges of conspiracy to import opium
Opium
Opium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy . Opium contains up to 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine...
from Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and convert it into heroin. Santoro went into hiding and allegedly spent time in Europe before returning to Oyster Bay, New York
Oyster Bay, New York
Oyster Bay is the name of a hamlet and census-designated place on the North Shore of Long Island in Nassau County in the state of New York, United States...
. On September 24, 1951, he surrendered to federal authorities in New York City. On January 7, 1952, after pleading guilty to narcotics charges, a judge labeled Santoro as a "bad fellow" and sentence him to four years in prison.
In 1951 or 1953, longtime boss Gaetano "Tommy" Gagliano
Tommy Gagliano
Gaetano "Tommy" Gagliano was an American gangster who founded the Lucchese crime family, one of the powerful "Five Families" of New York City, and served as its low-profile Boss for over two decades...
died. Underboss Tommy Lucchese took over what was now called the Lucchese crime family. Lucchese then promoted Santoro to capo
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...
of the family's powerful Bronx faction.
Drug conviction
As capo Santoro operated out of East HarlemItalian Harlem
Italian Harlem was the name that was given to East Harlem in the New York City borough of Manhattan, when it was largely inhabited by an Italian American population....
and the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
controlling a large heroin drug trafficking operations during the 1950s. In 1958 he was arrested and tried for narcotics charges, as well recognizing him as a partner and associate of Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson
Ellsworth Johnson
Ellsworth Raymond "Bumpy" Johnson was an African-American mob boss and bookmaker in New York City's Harlem neighborhood. The main Harlem associate of the Genovese crime family, Johnson's criminal career has inspired films and television.-Early life:Johnson was born in Charleston, South Carolina on...
, although this never was confirmed. Santoro was convicted of all charges in 1959 and was given a twenty year prison sentenced.
Death of Lucchese
In 1967, longtime boss and Lucchese crime family founder Tommy Lucchese died of a brain tumorBrain tumor
A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...
and Santoro's longtime friend Anthony Corallo was seen as the most obvious candidate for Boss
Crime boss
A crime boss or boss is a person in charge of a criminal organization. A boss typically has absolute or near-absolute control over his subordinates, is greatly feared by his subordinates for his ruthlessness and willingness to take lives in order to exert his influence, and profits come from the...
, however, Corallo was imprisoned during the time and the family leadership went to Carmine "Gribbs" Tramunti
Carmine Tramunti
Carmine "Mr. Gribbs" Tramunti was a New York mobster who was the boss of the Lucchese crime family. Tramunti helped build the massive French Connection heroin smuggling ring.-Operating in Harlem:...
, who also favored the imprisoned Santoro, as well as Corallo. After Corallo released in the early 1970s from prison, he reputedly took over the Lucchese crime family at once. Corallo put Paul Vario
Paul Vario
Paul Vario was a caporegime of a crew in the Lucchese crime family. In the 1970s Vario held the position of consigliere in the family but later resigned. In 1980, longtime associate Henry Hill became a government witness and testified against Vario and members of his crew...
in charge as Underboss of the family on acting basis, until his dear friend Santoro was to release from prison.
Underboss
During the late 1970s, Vario and most of the Vario CrewThe Vario Crew
The Vario Crew is a group operating within the Lucchese crime family. It was once controlled by powerful Capo Paul Vario from the early 1950s into the early 1980s, when Vario and Jimmy Burke were betrayed by Henry Hill. Hill betrayed the crew by testifying against many members and his life-story...
members were sent to prison on various of charges. When Santoro was released from prison in 1978 he took over as Underboss operating the powerful Bronx faction of the family. He left the drug trade alone and instead took over the labor and construction racketeering operations for the Lucchese crime family in New York City. Santoro gained a reputation of being an excellent labor racketeer and cooperated with 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...
Christopher "Christie Tick" Furnari
Christopher Furnari
Christopher "Christie Tick" Furnari, Sr. is a Lucchese crime family mobster serving life in prison. During the 1980s, Furnari served as the family consigliere until his 1986 racketeering conviction.-Early years:...
and other top capos in the family. He bought a home on City Island Avenue in City Island, Bronx
City Island, Bronx
City Island is a small island approximately 1.5 mi long by .5 mi wide. At one time attached to the town of Pelham, Westchester County, it is now part of the New York City borough of the Bronx. As of the 2000 census the island had a population of 4,520. Its land area is 1.023 km²...
.
Tony Ducks & the Jag
In the early 1980s, Anthony "Tony Ducks" CoralloAnthony Corallo
Anthony "Tony Ducks" Corallo was a New York City mobster and boss of the Lucchese crime family.-Early life:...
found a new way to discuss business without ever meeting his top underlings Santoro and Furnari. Corallo used his Jaguar
Jaguar (car)
Jaguar Cars Ltd, known simply as Jaguar , is a British luxury car manufacturer, headquartered in Whitley, Coventry, England. It is part of the Jaguar Land Rover business, a subsidiary of the Indian company Tata Motors....
with a phone inside and talked to mostly Santoro on the phone while he was driving around in New York with his chauffeur Aniello "Neil" Migliore
Aniello Migliore
Aniello "Neil" Migliore is a New York City mobster, and acting leader of the Lucchese crime family. Migliore was a close associate of family bosses Gaetano "Tommy" Lucchese and Anthony "Tony Ducks" Corallo.-Early years:...
. This way succeeded mostly because the noise of the old Jag was so loud that it wasn't possible to hear anything, however, after the Jaguar came with a new engine and new filter to prevent any sound annoying the ones driving the car, 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...
planted a bug
Wire
A wire is a single, usually cylindrical, flexible strand or rod of metal. Wires are used to bear mechanical loads and to carry electricity and telecommunications signals. Wire is commonly formed by drawing the metal through a hole in a die or draw plate. Standard sizes are determined by various...
in it, and listened to a lot of the conversations Corallo had with Santoro, mostly about the profit from the labor and construction racketeering operations in the Bronx, where they extorted the unions
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
and made great influence in construction industry.
Commission case
As US law enforcement decided to crush most of the organized crimeOrganized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
activities in 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...
during the mid 1980s, they put eleven top members of all the Five Families
Five Families
The Five Families are the five original Italian-American Mafia crime families which have dominated organized crime in America since 1931. The Five Families in New York remain as the powerhouse of the Italian Mafia in the United States.-History:...
on a trial, called the Mafia Commission Trial
Mafia Commission Trial
The Mafia Commission Trial was a criminal trial in New York City, USA. Using evidence obtained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, eleven organized crime figures, including the heads of New York's so-called "Five Families," were indicted by United States Attorney Rudolph Giuliani under the...
or the Commission Case, including the entire administration of the Lucchese crime family. Santoro, including Anthony Corallo, and powerful Consigliere Christopher Furnari were all arrested on February 25, 1985, on various of charges, including labor racketeering, extortion, loansharking, illegal gambling and murder charges. Every boss of the Five Families was brought before this court, which began in September 1986. The charges also involved the execution of Bonanno crime family
Bonanno crime family
The Bonanno 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 ....
de facto boss Carmine "Lilo" Galante
Carmine Galante
Carmine Galante, also known as "Lilo" and "Cigar" was a mobster and acting boss of the Bonanno crime family...
in 1979, which were allegedly on the orders of the Commission
The Commission (mafia)
The Commission is the governing body of the American Mafia. Formed in 1931, the Commission replaced the "Boss of all Bosses" title, with a ruling committee, consisting of the New York Five Families bosses and the boss of the Chicago Outfit...
because they saw Galante as a potential rival and thought he planned to take over everything.
On November 19, 1986, Santoro and the other defendants were convicted on all counts. Santoro was sentenced to 100 years in prison and fined $250,000.
After the sentencing, Santoro and the other defendants met with their lawyers and together in a backroom of the courthouse for a final Italian
Italian cuisine
Italian cuisine has developed through centuries of social and political changes, with roots as far back as the 4th century BCE. Italian cuisine in itself takes heavy influences, including Etruscan, ancient Greek, ancient Roman, Byzantine, Jewish and Arab cuisines...
meal and a bottle of wine. Corallo gave the traditional Italian toast of Cent'anni, may we live 100 years, at which time Santoro stated, "I think it's time to get a new toast", prompting laughter from the rest of the mobsters.
New leadership
As the entire Lucchese crime family administration were sent to prison, Corallo chose Anthony "Buddy" Luongo as the new boss of the family to run the day-to-day activities, however, toward the year of 1987 Luongo was allegedly murdered by Furnari's protégés and Brooklyn faction leaders Vittorio "Vic" AmusoVictor Amuso
Vittorio "Little Vic" Amuso is a New York mobster and, as of 2011, the reputed Boss of the Lucchese crime family. Amuso is currently serving life at the Federal Correctional Complex in Beaumont, Texas on murder and racketeering charges....
and Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso
Anthony Casso
Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso is a former New York City mobster who served as underboss and acting boss of the Lucchese crime family until he was arrested in 1993, becoming a cooperating witness for the Federal Government...
who seized the complete power of the family. As nobody wanted a new war within the organization, Furnari advised Corallo to make Amuso and Casso the new bosses in early 1987, although Santoro is to have strongly advised against it, knowing the succession of Amuso and Casso would be the biggest mistake in the crime family's history. However, Corallo still made Amuso the new boss of the Lucchese crime family that same year.
Death
In January 2000, Santoro died at age 87 of natural causes at a medical center for federal prisoners.Months later Corallo died in August 2000. Furnari and 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 ....
boss Carmine "Junior" Persico
Carmine Persico
Carmine John Persico, Jr. also known as "Junior", "The Snake" and "Immortal", has been the de-facto boss of the Colombo crime family since the early 1970s. Persico has overseen gang wars, murders, and major rackets, most of the time from prison. He has been serving life imprisonment without...
and Underboss Gennaro "Jerry Lang" Langella
Gennaro Langella
Gennaro Adriano Langella also known as "Gerry Lang", is a member of the Colombo crime family who eventually became underboss and acting boss.-Background:...
are currently serving their life sentence as the only survivors of the defendants from the Mafia Commission Trial who received 100 years.