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Wiseguy: The 25th Anniversary Edition

Page 28

by Nicholas Pileggi

payoffs to, 51

  Presto Pizzeria, 10, 12, 23, 38, 40, 132

  Prisons, U.S. Bureau of, see Bureau of Prisons, U.S.

  Profaci, Joe, 20

  Prohibition, 30

  Providence, R.I., Federal Hill in, 34

  Puzo, Mario, 67

  R

  races, see horse races Rat Fink Room, 67

  razor blades, hijacking of, 90

  Rebel Cab Company, 25–26

  Rebmann, Rolf, 186

  Remo (Burke’s friend), 186

  restaurants: “busting out,” 53

  mobsters as silent partners in, 41–43, 53

  tabs run up at, 52

  Riesel, Victor, 147, 152

  Rigaud, Eddy, 48, 109–10

  Riker’s Island, 136–38

  Rinaldi, Dominic, 8

  Riviera Motel, 192

  Rizzo, Danny, 183

  Robert’s Lounge, 107, 108, 130

  Batts’s release party at, 115

  as hijackers’ hangout, 90, 92, 97, 183–84, 208

  Remo buried at, 114

  Spider murdered at, 119

  Rodriguez, Anthony, 184, 200

  Roger’s Place, 148

  Romano, Vinnie, 90

  Rosado, Casey, 108

  death of, 142–43

  Florida vacation of, 139–43

  Rossano, Joey, 107

  Ruggierrio, Fat Andy, 150

  Russo, Joey, 31

  S

  Sanacore, Maria, 208

  Santos, Jimmy, 142

  Sauer (prison guard), 155

  Savino, Johnny, 175

  Scola, Bobby, 40, 41

  seafood, hijacking of, 90

  Sea-Land Service, 48

  securities, stolen, 91

  Senate, U.S., 67

  Sepe, Angelo, 82, 108

  Eaton murder and, 207, 257

  in Lufthansa heist, 184–85, 193, 194, 200–01, 205

  McDonald’s case against, 200–02, 205, 206

  Siegel, Benjamin “Bugsy,” 30,

  Sinatra, Frank, Jr., 82,

  Sindona, Michele, 1

  slaves, Haitian, 109–10

  Sorace, Frank, 35

  South Side, Chicago, Ill., 34

  Spice of Life, 190

  Spider (shooting victim), 119

  Sports Illustrated, 258

  Stabile, Anthony, 32, 108, 119, 148

  Stabile, Tommy, 32, 108

  Stage Delicatessen, 190

  Steeplechase Amusement Park, 14

  Stewart, Paul, 127–28

  Strauss, Harry “Pittsburgh Phil,” 30

  Suite, The, 107–09, 129, 145–46

  Batts murdered at, 116–18

  credit-card fraud at, 109

  Karen Hill’s visits to, 132–33

  Linda spotted at, 132–33

  as mob hangout, 107–09

  Superfecta races, betting on, 55–56

  supermarkets, dummy registers in, 54

  Sutter, John, 106

  Sweeney, Jim, 174–77

  T

  telephones, wiseguys’ aversion to, 9, 225

  Temple Terrace Lounge, 140–41

  Tony the Baker, 45, 58

  Torrio, Johnny, 30

  Tramunit, Carmine, 237

  Trans World Airlines (TWA), 95

  Treasury Department, U.S., 1

  trials, fixing of, 93–94

  U

  “under the limit” buyers, 46

  unions, mob connections to, 49, 94

  U.S. Customs Building, Queens, N.Y., 81

  V

  Valachi, Joseph, 67

  Vanguard Childcare Agency, 84

  Vario, Big Lenny (Paulie’s brother), 10–11, 22, 27, 194

  Vario, Lenny (Paulie’s son), 39, 71

  Azores job of, 41, 44

  bricklaying job of, 40–41

  in cigarette smuggling business, 74–75

  as father’s favorite son, 40

  Hill’s first arrest and, 26–27

  restaurant tabs accumulated by, 51–52

  as witness at Hills’ wedding, 65

  Vario, Paul, Jr., 40, 71

  Hill’s double-date with, 58–59

  Vario, Paul, Sr. “Paulie,” 2, 8–10, 24, 37, 60, 92, 117

  appearance and demeanor of, 9

  Azores and, 41, 43–44

  background of, 8

  Bahamas vacation of, 133

  boats owned by, 9

  bookmaking activities of, 104–07

  Don Pepe’s incident and, 120

  drug dealing outlawed by, 172, 234, 237

  family life of, 10–11

  Hill as errand boy for, 9, 48–49

  Hill give rearview mirror by, 38

  Hill introduced as cousin by, 9

  Hill’s army stint and, 28–38

  Hill’s bricklaying jobs and, 22–23, 40

  Hill’s drug arrest and, 233, 234, 237

  Hill’s second wedding missed by, 71

  and Hill’s takeover of The Suite, 107, 108

  Hill’s testimony against, 256

  illegal activities controlled by, 10–50

  in jail on contempt charges, 27, 40, 71

  Kennedy Airport operations and, 86–87

  legitimate businesses controlled by, 8–9, 49–50, 52–53

  Lenny as favorite son of, 40

  in Lewisburg, 147, 148, 150–54, 157

  Lufthansa heist and, 185, 194

  marriage of, 72, 75, 78

  police and politicians paid off by, 50–51

  protection provided by, 31, 49–50

  rigged basketball games and, 174–79

  stolen credit cards used by, 18–19

  and strong-arm work for Lucchese crime family, 31

  telephone not used by, 9, 49, 225

  thievery enjoyed by, 18

  tribute paid to, 49, 103

  unpaid restaurant tabs and, 51–53

  Veralynn and Linda distrusted by, 126–27

  violence as viewed by, 8

  Vario, Peter, 40, 56, 71, 77, 126

  De Simone murder and, 196

  in Lufthansa heist, 185, 194

  rigged basketball games and, 175

  Veralynn dated by, 126, 129

  Vario, Phyllis, 18–19

  Vario, Salvatore “Babe,” 11, 19, 50

  police and politicians paid off by, 50

  Vario, Tommy, 11, 192

  Vario, Vito, Jr., 12

  Vario, Vito, Sr. “Tuddy,” 11, 44, 87

  arson jobs and, 25–26, 51

  Hill hired by, 12–13

  Hill’s birthday gift from, 22

  and Hill’s enlistment in army, 28

  Hill’s first arrest and, 26–27

  Hill’s food store job and, 18

  Hill’s truancy and, 22–23

  card and dice games run by, 11, 19–20, 108–09

  counterfeit money operation of, 17–18

  credit-card fraud and, 18–19

  members of, 10–11

  name traditions in, 71

  policy racket run by, 14

  Sicilian background of, stinginess of, 6–7

  weddings in, 62

  weekend gatherings of, 11

  Veralynn (Linda’s friend), 126, 129

  Villa Capra, 31, 41, 59, 100

  Vincent’s Clam Bar, 27

  violence: business hurt by, 8

  Don Pepe’s incident and, 120

  as natural to wiseguys, 133 see also murders

  W

  Walden, N.C., 65

  Wekar, Milty, 104–05, 175

  Werner, Beverly, 203, 204, 205

  Werner, Louis, 181–82, 184, 195

  McDonald’s case against, 202–06

  Manri murder and, 210

  trial and conviction of, 208–09

  Whalen, Kerry, 185, 200

  Wicks, Judy, 172, 215–18, 226

  wiretaps, 200–01, 222–26

  wiseguys: arrest as possibility for, 75–76

  court appearances of, 92–
94

  Friday as girlfriend night for, 78–79

  Hill’s childhood fascination with, 12

  Hill’s contemporaries as, 31–32

  insular world of, 75

  jail as viewed by, 149–50

  Karen Hill on, 70–72

  legal expertise of, 32

  legitimate employment of, 31–32

  Linda on, 130

  murder enjoyed by, 114–15

  police scrutiny of, 32

  protection needed by, 49–51

  as silent partners in restaurants, 41, 43, 52–53

  steady girlfriends common among, 125–26

  stolen goods preferred by, 18

  violence as natural to, 33

  “working guys” as viewed by, 32–33

  witness program, see Federal Witness Protection Program

  wives of wiseguys, 68–70, 75, 109–10

  girlfriend night and, 78

  Karen Hill’s views on, 68–70

  murdered husbands of, 197

  prison smuggling and, 167

  About the Author

  NICHOLAS PILEGGI is the bestselling author of Wiseguy, Casino, and Blye: Private Eye. He lives in New York.

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