Dominick Cirillo
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Dominick "Quiet Dom" Cirillo (July 4, 1929 – January 14, 2024) was a longtime high-ranking member of the Genovese crime family. Long holding allegiance to the family's Manhattan faction, Cirillo rose in power to caporegime, then briefly served as acting boss for imprisoned boss Vincent "Chin" Gigante, before stepping down to serve as consigliere.
Early life
Cirillo was born in
In 1949, Dominick who at the time was a twenty-year-old welterweight was knocked out in three matches and had one match drawn before retiring. In 1953, at the age of twenty three he pleaded guilty to overseeing a clandestine heroin trafficking ring that was said to have grossed up to $20,000 a day. For his drug trafficking conviction he served nearly four years in Federal Correctional Institution, Milan in Milan, Michigan, before returning to East Harlem. Between 1958 and 1965, he was arrested four times for consorting with known criminals, which were all later dismissed.[2] He is married to an Italian-American woman named Bella who bore him two children, Nicholas and Anne Marie.[2] Whenever fellow criminal associates would want to mention Cirillo's name they used an adapted clandestine sign language where they put their finger to their lips which would mean that they were discussing Dominick. He claimed to be a retired construction worker and said to live off of $510 a month in social security checks.[2] He lived in the Country Club section of the northeast Bronx, near Pelham Bay Park and Eastchester Bay.[2]
Boxing career
Dominick started out as a boxer with future Genovese crime family boss
Genovese crime family
His first conviction came in 1952, when he was imprisoned on
Gigante's acting boss
After Gigante was imprisoned in 1997 for
Nick Cirillo missing
Cirillo's son, Nicholas, who was not believed to be a made man, disappeared on May 9, 2004.[10] Three weeks later his abandoned car was discovered, but Nicholas Cirillo has never been found.[10] Investigators believe the younger Cirillo was killed after he insulted the son of acting Bonanno crime family boss Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano and caporegime Dominick Cicale.[11][12] It remains unclear whether this would have been allowed to happen without the explicit permission of Dominick Cirillo.[13] Sources in 2010 say that Dom ordered the death of Nicholas on Mothers Day of 2004.[14][15] On December 4, 2004, Randolph Pizzolo, who allegedly bragged about his role in the murder and disappearance of Nicholas, was found shot to death.[16]
Trial and guilty plea
On October 18, 2005, Cirillo, who again was recognized as "acting boss" for Gigante, and four Genovese capos, Lawrence "Little Larry" Dentico, John "Johnny Sausage" Barbato and Anthony "Tico" Antico, pleaded guilty on charges of racketeering and racketeering conspiracy.[17][18] Cirillo was sentenced to 48 months in prison and forced to pay $75,000 restitution.
Consigliere
On August 22, 2008, the 79-year-old Cirillo was released from federal prison after serving more than three years.[19][10] After being "acting boss" following the death of longtime family godfather Vincent "Chin" Gigante in December 2005, Cirillo began to serve as consigliere of the Genovese family.[10] It appears that he had stepped down in 2015 to allow former street boss Peter "Petey Red" DiChiara to serve as consigliere.
Cirillo died on January 14, 2024, at the age of 94.[20][21]
References
- ^ Corrigan, Conn (August 27, 2008). "Two Genovese Family Members Plead Guilty in Illegal Betting". The New York Sun. Archived from the original on 2019-10-19. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Raab, Selwyn (September 15, 1997). "'Quiet Dom' Is Seen as Heir to Gigante as Crime Family Boss". New York Times. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
- ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
- ^ Bastone, William (April 29, 1997). "The last Dom". The Village Voice. Vol. 42, no. 17. New York. p. 36.
- ^ "Roving Brief:'Oddfather' business safe in family hands despite conviction", The Observer. London (UK): Jul 27, 1997. pg. 004
- ^ "New York's Mob Families - Nymag". New York Magazine. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
- ^ "The Mob Was the City's Watchdog". www.villagevoice.com. April 2003. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
- ^ a b c d "Massino testimony sheds light of mysterious disappearance of Nick Cirillo". International Business Times. 2011-04-22. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
- ^ Cornell-Smith, Kati (November 26, 2004). "Mob-Hit Alarm - Jailed Godfather's Son in Danger". New York Post. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
- ^ Marzulli, John. "Tape in Vinny Gorgeous trial reveals mob king Dominick (Quiet Dom) Cirillo OKed his son's murder". nydailynews.com. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
- ^ Marzulli, John (March 2, 2006). "QUIET DOM MUM ON MISSING SON". New York Daily News. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
- ^ Saxena, Jaya (April 23, 2011). "Mob Boss Ordered Son Whacked On Mother's Day". The Gothamist. Archived from the original on 13 July 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
- ^ Marzulli, John (October 8, 2012). "FBI pursuing murder case against one-time Genovese boss for hit on son". New York Daily News. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ Haberman, Zach (2006-02-17). "MOB 'NOSE' OUT OF JOINT – OFFICIALS BUST TOP BONANNO IN 2004 MURDER". New York Post. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
- ^ Tavernise, Sabrina (April 6, 2005). "Four Are Held on Charges Linked to Genovese Family". New York Times. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
- ^ Smith, Kati Cornell (2005-04-06). "'DOM' DE DUM DUM – ACTING GENOVESE 'BOSS' IS ARRESTED". New York Post. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
- ^ "Dominick Cirillo". Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator. Archived from the original on 8 February 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
- ^ "Quiet Dom Cirillo, Boxer, Acting Genovese Boss, Checks Out At 94". Gangland News. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
- ^ "Dominick Cirillo". Echovita. Retrieved 28 January 2024.