Edward Quirolo (Gambino)

 

E. Quirolo

 

Edward 'Eddie Guida' Quirolo was a Soldier in the Gambino Family.

Born June 7, 1910 in NYC to Victor Quirolo (32y) and Giuseppina Guida (27) in NYC.

Father owned the Victor Quirolo Funeral Home.

Father was born in Northern Italy in the Chiavari comune, close to the city of Genua. Mother was born in Sorrento in Campania.

At time of birth the family resided at 327 East 109th St. Father's funeral parlor had an office at the same address.

From 1926 to 1932 boxed professionally under the name 'Eddie Guida'. He fought 46 bouts with a knockout rate of 46%.

On June 2, 1935 older brother Guido Quirolo (1908-1950) married Helen Paterra. Bride was the sister of Joseph 'Joe Swede' Paterra (1906-1974) was a Soldier in the Genovese Family's East Harlem Crew. Brother also worked for Victor Quirolo Funeral Home and also resided at 327 East 109th St.

It is not known when Quirolo became associated with the Gambino Family but he was likely an Associate by the late 1930s.

 

Michael Baratta after being shot in the leg.

On August 5, 1938 Quirolo, Michael Baratta [Future Gambino Soldier] (1904-1988), Frank Cipoletti and four other men attempted to extort tavern owner Anthony Marano at his 'Dutch Tavern' in Astoria, Queens. During the following mele Marano shot Baratta in the leg and Quriolo was grazed by a bullet in the neck. 

He was taken to hospital for treatment, where he was arrested.

Initially charged with attempted extortion and assault. Marano later retracted the charges.

By 1940 Quirolo resided at 327 East 109th St and worked for the Victor Quirolo Funeral parlor.

During the early 1950s involved in Florida in a Florida business with among others Gambino member Joseph 'The Hat' Zingaro. 

 

An FBI informant advised:

"Concerning Royal House Fruit Company he stated this company was formed in 1953 and incorporated in the Bronx. The President was VINCENT SQUILLANTE, JOE ZINGARO was Vice-President and MARIO PICCININNI was Treasurer to the best of his recollection. These 1ndividuals were not stock holders and merely took a salary. One of the stock holders he recalls was OLIVIA SQULLLANTE, wife of VINCENT. He does not know any of the other stock holders.

He stated he has been in the produce business all of his adult life and has been employed by MARIO PICCININNI in the past.

In 1955, he, JOE ZINGARO and MARIO bought out the previous interests in Royal House Fruit Company for $1,000. The three put up §333 each. He said EDWARD QUIROLO never had a part of this business. He said Royal House Fruit Company is presently inactive having gone out of the fruit business in 1960.

About four years ago, JOE ZINGARO came to him with the idea of the company buying 110 acres of land in Florida. The total price for the land was $180,000 and it was decided Royal House Fruit would buy Into the deal. Reval House Fruit invested a total of about $1,000, EDWARD QUIROLO put in additional money and GEORGE MANZI also put money into this deal."

Around the mid-to-late 1950s Quirolo was inducted into the Gambino Family.

At two associations in 1960 interviewed by FBI agents concerning his association with Genovese Family member Anthony 'Fat Tony Salerno':

"In Feb. and Dec., 1960, Edward Quirolo advised he was born in the East Harlem area of NYC and that he had mown Anthony Salerno all his life. He became friendly with Salerno who was now known as a racketman. Salerno was well liked by the people in his area for doing small favors for them when they were hard up."

During 1962 involved in a Florida real estate deal with Philadelphia Boss Angelo Bruno. Bruno's brother-in-law Ralph Maranca acted as a courier during the deal:

"[Informant] stated EDDIE (QUIROLO), Undertaker from New York, was seen entering Penn Jersey Vending on February 9, 1962 and Mareh 8, 1962 to talk to ANGELO BRUNO concerning the purchase of parcels of land with BRUNO and mortgage money."

"EDVARD QUIROLO interviewed on March 23, 1962, by [redacted] and advised that-he was one of the owners 110 acres of land in Broward County, Florida  which was purchased for $180,000 in May, 1957.

QUIROLO also advised that he knows ANGELO BRUNO from Philadelphia and admitted meeting with him in Philadelphia on various occasions, in addition he met BRUNO in March 1962, in Miami Beach, Florida, to see if BRUNO, knew anyone who would be interested in purchasing the land, also CARLO GAMBINO attended this meeting. QUIROLO admitted GAMBINO previously."

"Philadelphia teletype to Bureau, 11/19/62.

Person believed to be RALPH MARANCA delivered an envelope to EDWARD QUIROLO, 327 East 109th Street, NYC, at about 6:30 pm, 11/16/62. Envelope appeared to contain legal papers and no money was observed in the envelope by NYO SAS. QUIROLO maintains a business and residence address at 327 East 109th St., and is a funeral director.

MARANCA arrived at residence at 6:29 pm and departed at 6:31 pm, in the same cab bearing NY license 0-19346. After MARANCA departed, QUIROLO left residence and visited a luncheonette several doors from his home. No one was observed meeting QUIROLO in the luncheonette.

JOSEPH VALACHI (protect) advised 11/8/62, that EDWARD QUIROLO is a “button man" in the CARLO GAMBINO family."

The real estate sale between Quirolo and Bruno was finalized during the summer of 1964.

On September 23, 1966 an FBI CI reported on Quirolo:

"Informant stated he is familiar with QUIROLO and knew 225 him to be a "button guy" in the GAMBINO "family" and operating in East Harlem, NY, as a shylock. Informant said he had recently heard that QUIROLO was having considerable trouble with his wife."

Quirolo died in June 1976 in Westchester, NY.

Joseph Frangipane (Lucchese)

 

J. Frangipane

Joseph 'Pippeneddu' Frangipane was a Soldier in the Lucchese Family.

Born September 5, 1925 in NYC to Leone (41y) and Antonia Scavuzzo (28y). Father was born in Ciminna, close to the city of Palermo. Mother was born in the Province of Trapani, Sicily.

Father worked as a Waiter and Elevator Operator.

At the time of birth the family resided at 232 Elizabeth St.

Through his paternal grandmother, Maria Cassato, he was related to Lucchese Capodecina Frank 'Chick Wilson' Citrano (1900-1960). The families both resided at 232 Elizabeth St. In 1920 Frank Citrano moved next door to 234 Elizabeth St.

By 1943 resided at 8 Prince St. Listed his employer as the American Labour Party.

By the mid 1940s associated with the Lucchese Family's Crew in Lower Manhattan. On August 3, 1945 he and three others, including future Lucchese Soldier Victor Panica (21y), were arrested for running a dice game. in Westbury, LI. About 70 players were present at the time of the raid. 

 

Peter Simonetti

The principle operator of the dice game was said to be Peter Simonetti (35y), a possible Lucchese Associate/Member. The game operated with Police protection. On July 23 1945, the operators had paid $300 to two Detectives to leave the game alone.

Simonetti was shot dead two weeks later as he sat in a car at the corner of Elizabeth Street and Houston Street. With him was future Lucchese Member John Nuccio. Nuccio's brothers Frank, Salvatore and Vincent would all become members of the Lucchese Family. Their father Sebastiano (1879-1941) may have been a member of the Lucchese Family as well. The Nuccio's resided at 265 and 268 Elizabeth Street.

On October 26, 1945 pleaded guilty to participating in the dice game and paid a $100 fine.

On September 8, 1947 arrested at an illegal still located on a farm in Newburgh, NY. 375 gallons of alcohol seized by police. Also arrested was Salvatore Nuccio and five others.

On September 1, 1955 arrested for theft in Manhattan. Also arrested were Geonvese Family members and brothers Frank 'Frankie Skimp' Caggiano and William 'Willie Skimp' Caggiano. 

By 1970 resided at 18 Wesley Place, Staten Island.

Sometime after mid 1984 Lucchese leadership appointed Frangipane to control of Local 20 Cement & Concrete Workers Union with the positions of treasurer and business agent. Lucchese Soldier Christopher Furnari, Jr was made Vice-President of Local 20. 

Local 20 had previously been under control of Lucchese member Luigi 'Louie Beans' Foceri (1922-1989).

Frangipane also exercised control over Local 46 of the Mason Tenders through Family Associate Peter 'Butch' Vario.

Lucchese Underboss and CW Al D'arco later testified about the Family's influence over Local 46:

"Before his conviction in 1989, Peter "Butch" Vario, a Luchese Family associate, who was also an officer of Local 46 & the nephew of Paul Vario, exercised influence over Local 46 for the Luchese Family. Butch Vario reported to Joseph "Pippeneddu" Frangipane, a made member of the Luchese Family."

On August 18, 1987 indicted for labour racketeering in the 'Conrax' case, an investigation that had been initiated in 1984. The indictment included 12 union leaders from Local 13 and 46 Mason Tenders, Carpenters Union 351 and Local 20 Cement & Concrete Workers. 

 

Local 13 Mason Tenders were controlled by the Genovese Family.

The indictment charged that the defendants: "systematically bled the construction industry in Queens through a pattern of extortion, bribery and various forms of collusion and fraud."

"[Butch] Vario and Walaski were also involved, along with Cervone and another codefendant, Joseph Frangipane, in a series of payoffs for labor peace from the Spartan Concrete Corp. ("Spartan"). Frangipane was the business agent of the Cement and Concrete Workers Local Union 20 ("Local 20" or "Concrete Workers"), whose territory included a Spartan jobsite on Atlantic Avenue in Queens. The site was also arguably within the jurisdiction of Vario's Mason Tenders' Local 46, which handled certain jobs involving concrete. Although Martin Padover, Spartan's president, had reported the job to the District Council of Cement and Concrete Workers Unions as required under the collective bargaining agreement, Vario, upon learning of the project, took the position that it was a Mason Tenders' job, rather than one for the Concrete Workers.

Padover sought Cervone's intervention to establish which union had jurisdiction. Cervone and Vario agreed that the job likely fell under the authority of both unions, and Cervone therefore arranged that Padover would pay bribes to officials of both. Frangipane was paid off through "ghost" paychecks, while Vario, despite Padover's view that Atlantic Avenue was a Concrete Workers' job, received a cash payment of $1000, "just to start off the relationship." This payment was the basis of Vario's conviction on Count 61 for labor bribery."

On November 18, 1988 found guilty of violating the federal Taft-Hartley labour stature. He was sentenced to six months in prison.

Frangipane is included in both the 1983 and 1988 Senate Charts of Lucchese Family membership.

On January 19, 1990 released from Federal prison.

He died April 25, 1992 in NYC.