Anthony Giordano
Encyclopedia
Antonio Rico Giuseppe Giordano (June 24, 1915 – August 29, 1980) was the boss
of the St. Louis crime family
.
, Missouri
. He married Catherine P. Burns, and together they adopted a son named William Giordano.
, and counterfeiting tax stamps. In his early years, Giordano wore the wide-brimmed pearl gray hats, expensive suits, and rings favored by many mobsters of that time.
Giordano strengthened the family's ties to the Licavoli Crime Family
. He was uncle to Matthew "Mike" Trupiano
, who later became boss
. Giordano was also a cousin to the Licavolis. He was an uncle to St Louis Crime family Capo James Giammanco.
Giordano was known for his explosive temper. In 1965, Giordano threatened a Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) agent who was trying to ask him questions at his restaurant. On another occasion in 1970, Giordano grabbed and physically threatened a priest who was trying to retrieve a stolen church vehicle at Giordano's towing company.
observed him on three trips, but did not gather enough evidence to indict him. In 1956, Giordano was convicted of income tax evasion for his vending machine company and was sentenced to four years in federal prison. When family boss John Vitale
retired in 1960, Giordano took over the St. Louis crime family.
By the 1960s, Giordano had assumed a lower profile as a blue-collar worker. He and his wife lived in a conservative home in southwest St. Louis. Giordano was often seen in work clothes at his rental properties performing carpentry or plumbing chores. In February 1968, he was arrested as a "suspected" gambler during a citywide crack down on gamblers.
In 1975, Giordano was convicted on charges of secretly trying to obtain ownership in the New Frontier Hotel and Casino
in Las Vegas
and was sent to prison. He was released in 1977. Giordano died on August 29, 1980, and was buried on September 2, 1980 in Calvary Cemetery, St. Louis City, Missouri. His wife Catherine survived him and died December 29, 2007. She was buried on January 2, 2008 in Calvary Cemetery, St. Louis City, Mo.
Crime boss
A crime boss or boss is a person in charge of a criminal organization. A boss typically has absolute or near-absolute control over his subordinates, is greatly feared by his subordinates for his ruthlessness and willingness to take lives in order to exert his influence, and profits come from the...
of the St. Louis crime family
St. Louis crime family
The St. Louis crime family, also known as the Giordano crime family, is an American Mafia crime family based in St. Louis, Missouri, United States.-Prohibition era:...
.
Early life
Anthony Giordano, nicknamed "Tony G", was born June 24, 1915 in St. LouisSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. He married Catherine P. Burns, and together they adopted a son named William Giordano.
St. Louis crime family
Beginning in 1938, Giordano was arrested more than 50 times; his charges included carrying concealed weapons, robbery, holdups, income tax evasionTax evasion
Tax evasion is the general term for efforts by individuals, corporations, trusts and other entities to evade taxes by illegal means. Tax evasion usually entails taxpayers deliberately misrepresenting or concealing the true state of their affairs to the tax authorities to reduce their tax liability,...
, and counterfeiting tax stamps. In his early years, Giordano wore the wide-brimmed pearl gray hats, expensive suits, and rings favored by many mobsters of that time.
Giordano strengthened the family's ties to the Licavoli Crime Family
Licavoli Crime Family
The Licavoli Mob was an Italian American mob that was based in Detroit and St. Louis. The mob was formed by the brothers Thomas "Yonnie" Licavoli and Peter "Pete" Licavoli.- Background :...
. He was uncle to Matthew "Mike" Trupiano
Matthew Trupiano
Matthew M. "Mike" Trupiano, Jr. was the boss of the St. Louis crime family from 1982 to 1997.-Early life:Matthew Trupiano was born on November 8, 1938 in Detroit to a Sicilian-American family....
, who later became boss
Crime boss
A crime boss or boss is a person in charge of a criminal organization. A boss typically has absolute or near-absolute control over his subordinates, is greatly feared by his subordinates for his ruthlessness and willingness to take lives in order to exert his influence, and profits come from the...
. Giordano was also a cousin to the Licavolis. He was an uncle to St Louis Crime family Capo James Giammanco.
Giordano was known for his explosive temper. In 1965, Giordano threatened a Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
(FBI) agent who was trying to ask him questions at his restaurant. On another occasion in 1970, Giordano grabbed and physically threatened a priest who was trying to retrieve a stolen church vehicle at Giordano's towing company.
Criminal career
In the early 1950s, Giordano made several trips to Anzio, Italy to smuggle heroin into the United States. The US Federal Bureau of NarcoticsFederal Bureau of Narcotics
The Federal Bureau of Narcotics was an agency of the United States Department of the Treasury. Established in the Department of the Treasury by an act of June 14, 1930 consolidating the functions of the Federal Narcotics Control Board and the Narcotic Division...
observed him on three trips, but did not gather enough evidence to indict him. In 1956, Giordano was convicted of income tax evasion for his vending machine company and was sentenced to four years in federal prison. When family boss John Vitale
John Vitale (mobster)
John Joseph Vitale was a Sicilian-American boss and underboss of the St. Louis crime family. During his lifetime, Vitale allegedly was the boss of the St. Louis crime family on two separate occasions.-Early life:...
retired in 1960, Giordano took over the St. Louis crime family.
By the 1960s, Giordano had assumed a lower profile as a blue-collar worker. He and his wife lived in a conservative home in southwest St. Louis. Giordano was often seen in work clothes at his rental properties performing carpentry or plumbing chores. In February 1968, he was arrested as a "suspected" gambler during a citywide crack down on gamblers.
In 1975, Giordano was convicted on charges of secretly trying to obtain ownership in the New Frontier Hotel and Casino
New Frontier Hotel and Casino
The New Frontier was a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip that had operated continuously since October 30, 1942. Actually located within the unincorporated suburb of Paradise, Nevada, USA, it was the second resort that opened on the Las Vegas Strip. The Frontier closed its doors for...
in Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
and was sent to prison. He was released in 1977. Giordano died on August 29, 1980, and was buried on September 2, 1980 in Calvary Cemetery, St. Louis City, Missouri. His wife Catherine survived him and died December 29, 2007. She was buried on January 2, 2008 in Calvary Cemetery, St. Louis City, Mo.
External links
- St. Louis Family. AmericanMafia.com.
- "Giordano", The St. Louis Crime Family. Crime Library.