Frank Magistro (Lucchese)

 

1960

Frank Magistro was a member of the Lucchese Family.

Born July 25, 1901 in Messina, Sicily to Salvatore (29y) and Carmella G. Lisi (24y). Immigrated to the US in 1909. Became a citizen in 1921. Father worked in construction.

By the late 1920s associated with Tom Gagliano, who became Boss of the Lucchese Family in 1930. Magistro was likely a made member by the 1930s. The time frame of Magistro's induction into the Lucchese Family is not known. Included in the 1983 and 1988 Senate Charts of Lucchese Family membership.

By May 1929 resided at 2550 Colden Avenue in the Bronx.

On June 32, 1932 sentenced to four months in federal house of detention the for tax evasion during the years 1927 to 1929. The charges steamed from Magistro's involvment in the construction industry. Family Boss Tom Gagliano was also sentenced to prison for tax evasion and suspected Lucchese Family member Antonio Monforte was sentenced to seven years for extorion in 1929 and to two years in for tax evasion in 1932.

Magistro's nephew Salvatore "Sam" Rizzo (1916-1986) married the daughter of Monforte, and Magistro's niece married the son of Monforte. Nunziata Monforte's, wife of Antonio, maiden name was Magistro. Sam Rizzo was included in the 1983 Senate Charts of Lucchese Family membership.

By July 1942 Magistro resided at 768 South Oak Drive in the Bronx.

By 1942 Magistro operated Metro Lathing Co. in the Bronx. Tom Gagliano was employed at Metro Lathing Co, as was Joseph Gagliano (1911-1979), son of suspected Lucchese Family member Angelo Gagliano (1878-1954). Angelo's nephew Joseph 'Pip the Blind' Gagliano (1903-1947) was a member of the Genovese Family.

By April 1950 Magistro resided at 638 East 227th Street in the Bronx.

In April 1951 Anthony 'Chick' D'Amore, a Mount Vernon gambler, incoperated Ace Lathing Co. A year later he had two equal partners, August Carfano and Carrie Magistro. August Carfano was the brother of Genovese Family Capodecina Anthony 'Little Augie' Carfano and Carrie Magistro was the daughter of Frank Magistro. Later Magistro became part owner of Ace Lathing.

Ace Lathing shared office with Westchester Lathing Co, now operated by Joseph Gagliano. Stockholders included Lucchese Family Consigliere Vincent Rao, his brother Lucchese Family member Charles Rao and Frank Carfano, son of Anthony Carfano. Westchester Lathing Co had been formed in the 1920s by Tom Gagliano and Antonio Monforte.

Testimony from 1960 concluded that Westchester Lathing Co had been formed by a group of lathing contractors as a joint enterprise to facilitate operation of jobs and prevent competition among themselves.

When Anthony Carfano was murderd in 1959, Frank Magistro was among those questioned by detectives.

In the 1980s his son Salvatore Magistro (1930-2013), a Lucchese Family associate, operated Gun Hill Building supplies and Star Lathing at 1015 East Gun Hill Road in the Bronx. The premesis was a known meeting place for members and associates of the Lucchese Family, among them Family members Mariano Macaluso and Michael Salerno.

He died February 26, 1993.