Anthony Corallo

Infobox Criminal
subject_name = Anthony Corallo

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date_of_birth = February 12, 1913
place_of_birth = East Harlem, New York City, U.S.
date_of_death = August 23, 2000 (aged 87)
place_of_death = Springfield, Missouri, U.S.
penalty = 100 years
status = Deceased
occupation = Gangster
spouse =
parents =
children =

Anthony "Tony Ducks" Corallo (February 12,1913 – August 23, 2000) was a New York City mobster and boss of the Lucchese crime family.

Early life

Corallo grew up in an Italian section of East Harlem. In his early years as a teen, he was known as "The Doctor"; most likely because he had saved someone's life. He would get his nickname, "Tony Ducks" by ducking prosecutions. He was introduced to Johnny Dio, a boss of the labor rackets. "Tony Ducks" was subsequently recruited into the 107th Street Gang during the 1920s. He was interested in the usual mafia jobs, like extortion,bookmaking, gambling, etc. He would do very well, and it followed that eventually he became a boss. Corallo's first arrest, for grand larceny, was in 1929 while the family was under Tommy Gagliano. When the family was turned over to Tommy Lucchese, Tony Ducks became a prominent figure in the family. Lucchese thought highly of Corallo and appointed him caporegime while he was still in his early 30's.

Rise to power

After he was appointed capo, he moved his base of operations to Queens. His main business was Labor extortion in the late 1940s, where he would do business with Jimmy Hoffa. He had close ties to the Painters and Decorators Union, the Conduit Workers Union, and the United Textile Workers. All of which proved successful, having executive positions in these unions to show for his efforts. The thing he was best at, though, was maneuvering the control of legitimate businesses toward personal for his own profit. Corallo was, however, called before the McClellan committee to answer some questions about $70,000 US dollars stolen from the Teamsters Union local 239 by using names of dead mob members. Like many other mobsters, Corallo pleaded the fifth amendment many times during his 2 hour interrogation. After Lucchese's death, Corallo was to be put in charge, but that had to be put on hold, however, due to a 2 year prison term Corallo received in 1968. This for attempting to bribe New York Supreme Court Justice James "Vinny" Keogh and Assistant US Attorney Elliot Kahaner in an attempt to get a reduced prison term on a Lucchese family member. While the Commission awaited his release, Carmine Tramunti was selected as interim boss. It has been speculated by former law enforcement and mafia historians that Corallo was promoted immediately upon his release in 1970 and that Tramunti was only an "Acting" or "Front" Boss for the last few years of his reign before being jailed in 1973 allegedly leaving Corallo to take over as official Boss. One of Corallo's first moves was to take over gravel distribution in various areas of New York such as Long Island. In owning major gravel companies in his territories or areas of influence, Corallo increased the Lucchese crime family's influence in the construction industry and with the unions involved. The garbage industry would be next on his list. With the help of a union official named Bernie Adelstein, the front business would be called Private Sanitation Industry Association. Next with the help of Lucchese capo Paul Vario and his crew, Corallo would gain power at JFK airport.

Downfall

Corallo would eventually become a victim of the RICO Act, as had other bosses of the Five Families and other high ranking members of organized crime. A microphone and recorder was planted inside Corallo's car where he often talked to his driver about many family-related items. That is what would bring him down. Corallo owned a million-dollar home in the village of Oyster Bay Cove, New York. The FBI and New York City Police came there on February 25, 1985, with an arrest warrant for Corallo. The next day a federal grand jury indicted Corallo and the other New York crime family bosses. Corallo was convicted and sentenced to 100 years in prison. In 2000, Anthony Corallo died at a medical center for federal prisoners. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= Anthony Corallo, Mob Boss, Dies in Federal Prison at 87 |url= |quote=Anthony Corallo, the salty and stoical former boss of the Lucchese crime family who went to jail for life after the authorities overheard him chatting to his driver about the mob's control of New York City's construction industry, died Aug. 23 in a federal prison hospital in Springfield, Missouri. He was 87. |publisher=New York Times |date=September 1, 2000|accessdate=2007-07-21 ]

References