Giuseppe Magliocco
c. 1898 to Dec. 28, 1963.
"Fat Man"
Magliocco was related by blood or by marriage with the bosses of the Bonanno, Magaddino and Profaci crime families. A member of the "conservative" wing of New York Mafiosi, he served the purposes of Profaci and Bonanno.
He was among the attendees at 1957's mob conference in Apalachin, NY. He was one of 19 meeting participants to be convicted of conspiracy after giving authorities ridiculous reasons for the Apalachin gathering. The convictions were later overturned (while the attendees were obviously conspiring, no one could prove that they were doing so for illegal purposes).
He became a target of the rebellious Joey Gallo and was reportedly kidnapped by Gallo in 1960. He served as his brother-in-law Joe Profaci's underboss and stepped to the family leadership upon Profaci's death of cancer in 1962. Magliocco's inability to resolve the conflict with Gallo and his followers was a mark against his leadership ability. Some believe that it caused the Mafia Commission to lose faith in him.
Others report that Magliocco's involvement in an unsuccessful Joe Bonanno plot to assassinate Carlo Gambino and Tommy Lucchese resulted in a sort of trial before the Mafia's ruling Commission. Magliocco's life was spared, but he was removed from his position of authority over the Profaci family (probably what the Gambino-Lucchese wing was hoping for all along). Magliocco was replaced by Gambino ally Joseph Colombo, though some New York journalists believed that Magliocco's protege Sonny Franzese was next in line for the underworld post.
Magliocco died of a heart attack at West Islip's Good Samaritan Hospital late in 1963, shortly after being relieved of power.
Related Links:
© 2007 T.Hunt
The American "Mafia"