Organized Crime Figure. Joseph "Fat Joe" Pinzolo was the boss of one of the five New York City organized crime families for less than six months during 1930. He immigrated from Italy to the United States in 1906 and by 1919 was a naturalized citizen. In July 1908, Pinzolo was arrested for trying to bomb a store in order to force the owner to pay extortion demands made by crime boss Giuseppe Costabilee. After refusing to testify against his boss, Costabilee, he served 2 years and 8 months of a 5-year sentence . The Castellammarese War was a bloody power struggle between Masseria and Maranzao for control of the Italian-American Mafia families . During the Castellammarese War, Joe "the Boss" Masseria appointed Pinzolo to head the Reina Family over other loyal supporters of that family including Tommy Lucchese and Tommaso (Tommy) Gagliano . He was placed in charge of the ice-distribution racket. This decision was made after the February 26, 1930 murder of Gaetano Reina. Reina was known for having a vicious personality, but Pinzolo's was even worst. As an outsider, he was unfamiliar with this job, hence he became a difficult boss and quickly made many jealous enemies. On September 9, 1930, he was called for a meeting in the Brokaw building on 1487 Broadway in suite 1007, which occupied by California Dry Fruit Importers; the office space had been leased to Lucchese four months earlier. In that office, the members of the Reina Family, who turned their loyalty to Salvatore Maranzano, murdered Pinzolo with five gun shot wounds. After Pinzolo's death, Gagliano become head of the Reina Family remaining boss until his death on February 16, 1951. Pinzolo left his widow and several young children.
Organized Crime Figure. Joseph "Fat Joe" Pinzolo was the boss of one of the five New York City organized crime families for less than six months during 1930. He immigrated from Italy to the United States in 1906 and by 1919 was a naturalized citizen. In July 1908, Pinzolo was arrested for trying to bomb a store in order to force the owner to pay extortion demands made by crime boss Giuseppe Costabilee. After refusing to testify against his boss, Costabilee, he served 2 years and 8 months of a 5-year sentence . The Castellammarese War was a bloody power struggle between Masseria and Maranzao for control of the Italian-American Mafia families . During the Castellammarese War, Joe "the Boss" Masseria appointed Pinzolo to head the Reina Family over other loyal supporters of that family including Tommy Lucchese and Tommaso (Tommy) Gagliano . He was placed in charge of the ice-distribution racket. This decision was made after the February 26, 1930 murder of Gaetano Reina. Reina was known for having a vicious personality, but Pinzolo's was even worst. As an outsider, he was unfamiliar with this job, hence he became a difficult boss and quickly made many jealous enemies. On September 9, 1930, he was called for a meeting in the Brokaw building on 1487 Broadway in suite 1007, which occupied by California Dry Fruit Importers; the office space had been leased to Lucchese four months earlier. In that office, the members of the Reina Family, who turned their loyalty to Salvatore Maranzano, murdered Pinzolo with five gun shot wounds. After Pinzolo's death, Gagliano become head of the Reina Family remaining boss until his death on February 16, 1951. Pinzolo left his widow and several young children.
Bio by: Linda Davis
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