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| 1962 |
Giuseppe 'Joe Booza' Sabato was a member of the Philadelphia Family.
His son Joseph John Sabato (1912-1980) was a proposed associate and possible member with the DeCavalcantes in New Jersey.
Giuseppe was born August 19, 1886 in Enna, Sicily to Giuseppe and Maria Tremaglia.
By 1912 he married Lucia Branciforte (21y) in Enna.
On March 23, 1912 arrived at Port of New York aboard S.S. Madonna. Destined for brother-in-law Vincenzo Branciforte (34y) residing on First Ave in East Harlem, Manhattan.
During the 1910s worked as coal miner in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. (Per 1965 interview.)
Resided in Philadelphia for a three-month period in 1919. (Per 1965 interview.)
On June 7, 1920 filed Declaration of Intention in State Supreme Court New York County.
He described himself as a laborer residing at 341 East 105th St in East Harlem.
By Summer 1923 moved to Brooklyn, where his first Petition for Naturalization was denied on grounds 'lack of prosecution'.
By 1925 the Sabatos resided at 6613 11th Ave in Brooklyn's Dyker Heights neighborhood. Giuseppe worked in the trucking business.
On November 20, 1925 he filed a second Petition for Naturalization in US District Court Brooklyn.
Witnesses were fellow Dyker Heights residents Joseph DeMaso (1889-1976) and Louis Desiderio (1892-1953), both of whom worked in real estate. (They were also both mainlanders. DeMaso was born in Potenza, Basilicata to parents from the comunes of Montemurro and Spinoso, while Desiderio was from Sant'Egidio del Monte Albino in Salerno, Campania.)
Giuseppe was naturalized February 25, 1926.
After his wife's death the following year, Sabato and family moved to South Philadelphia.
By 1929 he worked in the furniture shipping department of Lit Brothers department store at 17th and Callowhill Sts in Franklintown.
Giuseppe was a formally inducted member of the Philadelphia Family by the 1930s. (It's possible he was already a member in New York and transferred his membership.)
As of 1940 listed an address at 1318 S 29th St in the Grays Ferry neighborhood.
In September of that year he married his second wife, Maria Mazzola (40y). Bride's parents, identified as Joseph (Deceased) and Maria Taranato, were also from Enna.
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| Sabato (1945) |
On March 10, 1945 he was arrested by the Philadelphia PD on a charge of keeping and maintaining an unlawful lottery at Washington and Passyunk Aves in South Philadelphia.
Nine days later he was arrested on similar charges, this time at Reed and Callahan Sts.
On May 25, 1945 both cases were settled with guilty pleas and suspended sentences.
In September 1947 interviewed by the FBI in Philadelphia. (The interview itself is not available).
On July 11, 1962 photographed for US Passport.
The Philadelphia Family was then headed by Angelo Bruno. Ignazio Denaro and Giuseppe 'Joe the Boss' Rugnetta served as Underboss and Consigliere respectively.
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| J. Cappello (1961) |
By 1964 Sabato was a member in the crew of John Cappello (1916-1992).
Son of a former Member, John was inducted in the early 1940s and became a Captain during the reign of Acting Boss Antonio Dominic 'Mr. Miggs' Pollina around 1958.
Members of the Cappello crew included John Botte (1888-1967), Francesco DiBella (1893-1975) and Giuseppe Sabato. (By 1967 the crew also included Filippo Pollina [1884-1969], brother to the former Acting Boss.)
On September 10, 1964 Rocco Scafidi, Bruno Soldier and Federal informant, met with fellow Bruno Member Ernest Perricone in South Philadelphia. An FBI bug picked up the conversation, during which the pair were heard trading gripes and old stories. At one point the conversation centered on trips each made to New Jersey around the 1940s:
Scafidi: You I done a favor. What the hell was I - drove from here to [Redacted] (phonetic) place. He was supposed to do something there. You know I got hell for doing it. I got hell for taking him over there without getting permission by him using my car. -- says -- What are you doing here. Coming in from Camden - told me to pick this man up take him to you. Says does your father (Former Captain Gaetano 'Tom' Scafidi) know about it. I says no, you mean you leave the house without telling nobody -- got hell for it. So I turn around and go back and leave him there.
Perricone: -- friend of ours?
Scafidi. Yeah. He was a friend of ours.
Perricone: Father -- you talking about Joe (Sabato). Thick glasses.
Scafidi: You remember him, yeah him.
Perricone: He's still around ain't he.
Scafidi: Yeah, Joe --
Perricone: -- brother of mine.
Scafidi: He's a a carpenter. He worked in Lit Brothers (Department Store, Philadelphia.)
Perricone: Yeah.
Scafidi: You remember that time I drove him to Rosenhayn (New Jersey). I got hell for it.
Perricone: --
Scafidi: I got hell for it. When I had the Pontiac.
Perricone: Joe Booze.
Scafidi: Yeah his name is Joe Booza (phonetic). His name is Joe Booza. I drove him over there. He was your 'Pisan' too.
Perricone: Yeah -
Scafidi: - Mig - I only drove the guy up there. The next time you leave you tell your father. What ever they want you to go - tell your father.
Perricone: Yeah.
Scafidi: Wherever you go tell your father.
Perricone: Who the hell am I going to tell Rock.
In December 1964 FBI CI reported: "[CI advised he] learned Joe Booza's True Name to be Joseph Sabato."
In April 1965 FBI Philadelphia reported: "[CIs both advised] they knew Joseph John Sabato's father Giuseppe (Joseph) Sabato to be a member of the Angelo Bruno LCN Family. Informants said that Sabato's father was a part of the Caporegime of John Cappello but is not known to be active in the LCN at this time."
On April 20, 1965 FBI CI (Bruno Member) reported: "CI was first questioned concerning Giuseppe Sabato by name, and said that he did not know the old man, but knew a Joe Sabato who he presumed would be the son of this person. A photograph of the elder Sabato was displayed to him, whereupon he said that he did know this individual, but did not know his name was Sabato. He said that he had seen him quite frequently and recognized him as a member of LCN. He pointed out that he had not seen this individual for some 20 years. He added that he did not know why the elder Sabato was a member of LCN since he was a legitimate working man, to the best of his knowledge."
On May 11, 1965 Sabato was interviewed by the FBI and provided background information on himself and his family.
Around June 9, 1965 FBI CI reported: "John Sabato - He is [redacted] who died of pneumonia about 18 to 20 years ago. He then worked at Lit Brothers and resided on South Mascher St. [CI] said he had only one nickname, that of [Redacted]. He explained that [redacted]. [Redacted]. He has never heard of an individual by the name of Joe Booza (ph), however, he does have a friend by the name of Dominick Busa, a carpenter by occupation, who now resides in Springfield, PA. Busa is also a paisan, having been born in Enna, Italy. He is now age about 60 to 65, and has worked for a number of years as a carpenter in a department store in downtown Philadelphia. This store possibly fronts on Chestnut St. This Busa has two daughters and one son. [Redacted] but had no contact with him after coming to the US until he met him at a wedding sometime during the middle 1950's. He has periodically seen Busa at social events since that time." (Although the Joe Booza discussed by Scafidi and Perricone in 1964 appears to have been confirmed as being identical with Giuseppe Sabato, the similarities to Domenico Busa (1899-1971), also a carpenter from Enna who worked at a department store, are worth noting. Busa was subject of another FBI investigation.)
On August 18, 1967 Gambino Soldier John Rizzo and Associate Liborio 'Louie' Milito were arrested in Philadelphia on charges of burglary, conspiracy, criminally receiving stolen property and possessing burglar tools. FBI later reported: "[Philadelphia PD] confidentially advised [that] Milito demanded to be released stating he was a friend of Sam DeCavalcante of New York. Rizzo said he was a close friend of Angelo Bruno of Philadelphia. Milito made a phone call to New York. When arrested the above individuals had a Volkswagen which contained over $300 in change apparently taken from other telephone booths in Philadelphia. The men were in possession of keys to the telephone booths. [PD] stated that it was his understanding that the men were to be held without bail in view of the evidence seized when arrested. He later found out that they were both released on bail at 11:00 AM [following morning]. A further hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, 8/29/67." Rizzo also mentioned Joseph Sabato to the police, although it's not clear if he was referring to Giuseppe or his son Joseph, the DeCavalcante Associate. (Milito, inducted into the Gambinos during the late 1970s, was murdered in 1988. Rizzo died of natural causes a few months after the murder.)
On October 25, 1967 FBI Newark reported: "[Philadelphia CI] advised that [redacted] Joseph Sabato Sr. worked for Lit Brothers Department Store, Philadelphia. [Redacted]. CI stated that [redacted] he does not know Joseph Sabato Jr.'s present whereabouts. CI stated he does not have any reason to believe Sabato Jr. is a member of LCN; however, Sabato's father has been a member of the Bruno LCN Family since at least the 1930's."
In November 1969 Giuseppe Sabato was included in the FBI's list of 75 identified Philadelphia Family members.
He died April 1973.
In January 1975 the FBI described Sabato's former Capodecina John Cappello as 'inactive' and having 'only one member under his leadership', referring to Francesco DiBella who died later the same year.
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| Joseph John Sabato |
Giuseppe's son Joseph John Sabato continued to be associated with the DeCavalcantes and may have been inducted into that Family after the books re-opened in 1976. He died January 22, 1980 at a hospital in Trenton.