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| 1960s |
Joseph 'Joe Reese' Schiavo was a member of the Lucchese Family.
Born December 13, 1910 in Brooklyn, New York to John and Filomena Barberis.
Father and mother were born in the Trapani comunes of Castellammare del Golfo and Alcamo respectively.
The Schiavos resided at 152 Hamburg (now Wilson) Ave in Bushwick, Brooklyn. John worked as a polisher in a piano factory.
By 1918 the family resided one block over at 318 Knickerbocker Ave. John was employed with the Technola Piano Company at Borden and Review Aves in Long Island City, Queens.
By 1920 they had moved an address on Scholes St in Williamsburg.
As of March 1925 the family was living at 757 East 85th St in Canarsie.
By 1930 Joseph Schiavo listed his occupation as self-employed painter.
His World War II Draft Card lists employment with Glenridge Farms Incorporated at 778 Hart St in Bushwick.
Around October 1943 he and wife Sylvia Abramowitz moved to 123 Nassau Ave in Freeport, Long Island.
The following month he and five others were indicted by a New York State Grand Jury on extortion and grand larceny charges related to fraudulent union activity.
Two years later he pleaded guilty and received a one year penitentiary term.
By 1948 he was partners in the Hendrix Coat Company located at 587 Hendrix St in Brooklyn's East New York neighborhood.
By the 1950s Schiavo was a made member of the Lucchese Family's Brooklyn crew headed by Salvatore 'Don Turi' Curiale.
Members of the Curiale crew included Peter 'Pete the Killer' Abinanti, Alfonso 'Foo' Curiale (Don Turi's son), Paolo Danna, Luigi and Rosario Sacco (Curiale relatives), Joseph Schiavo and brothers Paul and Salvatore 'Babe' Vario.
Schiavo sponsored the Vario brothers, and possibly Abinanti, for membership.
'Don Turi' Curiale and Schiavo were partners with Family Boss Thomas Lucchese in the garment business.
Born December 13, 1910 in Brooklyn, New York to John and Filomena Barberis.
Father and mother were born in the Trapani comunes of Castellammare del Golfo and Alcamo respectively.
The Schiavos resided at 152 Hamburg (now Wilson) Ave in Bushwick, Brooklyn. John worked as a polisher in a piano factory.
By 1918 the family resided one block over at 318 Knickerbocker Ave. John was employed with the Technola Piano Company at Borden and Review Aves in Long Island City, Queens.
By 1920 they had moved an address on Scholes St in Williamsburg.
As of March 1925 the family was living at 757 East 85th St in Canarsie.
By 1930 Joseph Schiavo listed his occupation as self-employed painter.
His World War II Draft Card lists employment with Glenridge Farms Incorporated at 778 Hart St in Bushwick.
Around October 1943 he and wife Sylvia Abramowitz moved to 123 Nassau Ave in Freeport, Long Island.
The following month he and five others were indicted by a New York State Grand Jury on extortion and grand larceny charges related to fraudulent union activity.
Two years later he pleaded guilty and received a one year penitentiary term.
By 1948 he was partners in the Hendrix Coat Company located at 587 Hendrix St in Brooklyn's East New York neighborhood.
By the 1950s Schiavo was a made member of the Lucchese Family's Brooklyn crew headed by Salvatore 'Don Turi' Curiale.
Members of the Curiale crew included Peter 'Pete the Killer' Abinanti, Alfonso 'Foo' Curiale (Don Turi's son), Paolo Danna, Luigi and Rosario Sacco (Curiale relatives), Joseph Schiavo and brothers Paul and Salvatore 'Babe' Vario.
Schiavo sponsored the Vario brothers, and possibly Abinanti, for membership.
'Don Turi' Curiale and Schiavo were partners with Family Boss Thomas Lucchese in the garment business.
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| P. Vario |
By the mid-1960s Paul Vario replaced Curiale as Captain.
Schiavo's on-record associates then included his in-law Alfonso D'Arco.
Much of the information on Schiavo and his activities comes from D'Arco, who became a cooperating witness in 1991 and was the subject of 2013's Mob Boss: The Life of Little Al D'Arco, the Man Who Brought Down the Mafia.
In Mob Boss D'Arco described Schiavo as one of his mentors in the life who 'knew the whole history' and 'could trace back the families' to their origins.
One of the claims Schiavo made to D'Arco was that the first LCN Family in the United States was in Newark. Known as La Chiesa (the Church), D'Arco stated the Lucchese Family was 'the descendant of that first group'. (Most sources agree that New Orleans was the first Family.)
Schiavo also pointed D'Arco and his associates toward garment businesses ripe for burglary. He demanded nothing in return according to D'Arco, who nonetheless gave 'a couple cases of good olive oil' in appreciation.
Schiavo's on-record associates then included his in-law Alfonso D'Arco.
Much of the information on Schiavo and his activities comes from D'Arco, who became a cooperating witness in 1991 and was the subject of 2013's Mob Boss: The Life of Little Al D'Arco, the Man Who Brought Down the Mafia.
In Mob Boss D'Arco described Schiavo as one of his mentors in the life who 'knew the whole history' and 'could trace back the families' to their origins.
One of the claims Schiavo made to D'Arco was that the first LCN Family in the United States was in Newark. Known as La Chiesa (the Church), D'Arco stated the Lucchese Family was 'the descendant of that first group'. (Most sources agree that New Orleans was the first Family.)
Schiavo also pointed D'Arco and his associates toward garment businesses ripe for burglary. He demanded nothing in return according to D'Arco, who nonetheless gave 'a couple cases of good olive oil' in appreciation.
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| Petillo FBN Mafia Book |
In the late 1960s Schiavo authorized D'Arco to work with Genovese Soldier David 'Little Davie' Petillo and Petillo's associate Ralph Masucci. D'Arco went on to carry out arson and labor related schemes with the pair. The arrangement ended when Petillo tried and failed to recruit D'Arco into a murder plot.
In October 1973 Paul Vario's son Leonard died from burns received while carrying out an arson. Schiavo and D'Arco attended the funeral at St. Fontana's Church in Brooklyn. During the service a member of the press was assaulted by Paul's brother Vito Vario and crew associates Thomas DeSimone and Steven 'Stacks' Edwards. (Edwards and DeSimone were murdered in the wake of the December 1978 Lufthansa heist.)
In the mid-1970s Schiavo first put D'Arco up for membership. The proposal was turned down. D'Arco later testified: "My name had gone around and everything was okay. It was just some politics going on between Joe Schiavo and Paul Vario and another member." (The other member was Vario crew member Frank Manzo.)
In October 1973 Paul Vario's son Leonard died from burns received while carrying out an arson. Schiavo and D'Arco attended the funeral at St. Fontana's Church in Brooklyn. During the service a member of the press was assaulted by Paul's brother Vito Vario and crew associates Thomas DeSimone and Steven 'Stacks' Edwards. (Edwards and DeSimone were murdered in the wake of the December 1978 Lufthansa heist.)
In the mid-1970s Schiavo first put D'Arco up for membership. The proposal was turned down. D'Arco later testified: "My name had gone around and everything was okay. It was just some politics going on between Joe Schiavo and Paul Vario and another member." (The other member was Vario crew member Frank Manzo.)
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| D'Arco Gang Land News |
By 1982, with D'Arco still an Associate, Schiavo and others campaigned on his behalf. As a result he was inducted, along with Vario crew member Louis Daidone and others, in August of that year.
A few days after the ceremony a dinner was held so that D'Arco and Daidone could be formally introduced to the Vario crew members.
By 1985 Schiavo resided at 91 King St in Malverne, Long Island.
He died September 29, 1987 in Palm Beach, Florida.
The following year Paul Vario died in prison and Alfonso D'Arco replaced him as Captain.
In 1991 D'Arco was named the Family's Acting Boss. After about six months he was taken down and, fearing a plot against his life, soon became a cooperating witness. He died in 2019.
A few days after the ceremony a dinner was held so that D'Arco and Daidone could be formally introduced to the Vario crew members.
By 1985 Schiavo resided at 91 King St in Malverne, Long Island.
He died September 29, 1987 in Palm Beach, Florida.
The following year Paul Vario died in prison and Alfonso D'Arco replaced him as Captain.
In 1991 D'Arco was named the Family's Acting Boss. After about six months he was taken down and, fearing a plot against his life, soon became a cooperating witness. He died in 2019.
