Gaetano Vastola (gangster)
Encyclopedia
Gaetano "Corky" Vastola (born May 20, 1928) is a New Jersey mobster who became an underboss for the DeCavalcante crime family
in New Jersey
.
In his early years, Vastola was a concert promoter for singers Ray Charles
and Aretha Franklin
, and a golf partner with actor/singer Sammy Davis Jr. A part owner of Roulette Records
, Vastola was the listed songwriter on several doo-wop
hits from the 1950s and 1960s, including The Valentines
song "Lily Maebelle", The Cleftones
song "You Baby You", and The Wrens
song "Hey Girl." During this period, Vastola also engaged in the counterfeiting of music records, netting him a $500,000 profit. In 1960, Vastola was convicted of trademark offenses and received a one-year suspended sentence. The Internal Revenue Service
(IRS) also fined Vastola $215 for not reporting his illegal income.
. The operators appealed the demand to DeCavalcante boss Sam DeCavalcante
, who allegedly reduced the demand to $12,000 plus a negotiating fee of $3,800. In March 1972, Vastola was convicted of extorting the dice game operators and was sentenced to 30 months in prison. Vastola's conviction was later overturned. By 1980, Vastola had become a caporegime
for the family, leading a crew of mobsters in Union County, New Jersey
.
in Manhattan. Vastola shared a cell with Gambino crime family
boss John Gotti
. After spending time with Vastola, Gotti became convinced that Vastola would become a government witness rather than spend time in prison. When Gotti was released, he pressured current DeCavalcante boss John Riggi
to agree to Vastola's murder. Unfortunately for the mob bosses, FBI surveillance recorded the conversation. Gotti and the DeCavalcante leadership, including Riggi and underboss Stefano Vitabile
, were later tried and convicted of conspiracy to murder Vastola.
, played by actor Jerry Adler
.
DeCavalcante crime family
The DeCavalcante crime family is an organized crime family that controls organized crime activities in Elizabeth, New Jersey and surrounding areas in the state, despite operating on the other side of the Hudson River in New York, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the American Mafia...
in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
Record mogul
In 1946, Vastola was arrested for burglary in New York City. He was convicted and received a suspended sentence and probation because he was a youthful offender.In his early years, Vastola was a concert promoter for singers Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
and Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
, and a golf partner with actor/singer Sammy Davis Jr. A part owner of Roulette Records
Roulette Records
Roulette Records is an American record label, which was founded in late 1956, by George Goldner, Joe Kolsky, Morris Levy and Phil Khals, with creative control given to producers and songwriters Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore. Levy was appointed as director...
, Vastola was the listed songwriter on several doo-wop
Doo-wop
The name Doo-wop is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African American communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It emerged from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and...
hits from the 1950s and 1960s, including The Valentines
The Valentines (doo-wop band)
The Valentines were one of the most highly regarded American Doo Wop groups from the mid 1950s. Their records are highly sought by collectors....
song "Lily Maebelle", The Cleftones
The Cleftones
The Cleftones were a doo-wop group from Queens, New York. They were formed in 1955 at Jamaica High School. The group consisted of Herbie Cox , Charlie James , Berman Patterson, , William McClane , and Warren Corbin . They were originally called The Silvertones...
song "You Baby You", and The Wrens
The Wrens (R&B band)
The Wrens were a doo-wop band from The Bronx, New York City. They are best-known for their song "Come Back My Love".The Wrens began in the Morrisania section of the Bronx in 1950...
song "Hey Girl." During this period, Vastola also engaged in the counterfeiting of music records, netting him a $500,000 profit. In 1960, Vastola was convicted of trademark offenses and received a one-year suspended sentence. The Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
(IRS) also fined Vastola $215 for not reporting his illegal income.
Criminal activities
In 1965 Vastola was arrested for a burglary and larceny. In 1969, Vastola and mobster Daniel Annunziata had demanded a $20,000 extortion payment from the operators of an illegal dice game in Trevose, PennsylvaniaTrevose, Pennsylvania
Trevose is a neighborhood of Bensalem and Lower Southampton in Pennsylvania, which is north of and borders northeastern Philadelphia. It shares a zip code with Feasterville-Trevose. It is not a municipality. U.S. 1 runs through the town as well as the Pennsylvania Turnpike, but Trevose's main road...
. The operators appealed the demand to DeCavalcante boss Sam DeCavalcante
Sam DeCavalcante
Simone Rizzo "Sam" DeCavalcante , known as "Sam the Plumber", was a member of the New Jersey Mafia. Claiming descent from the Italian royal family, DeCavalcante was nicknamed "The Count"...
, who allegedly reduced the demand to $12,000 plus a negotiating fee of $3,800. In March 1972, Vastola was convicted of extorting the dice game operators and was sentenced to 30 months in prison. Vastola's conviction was later overturned. By 1980, Vastola had become a caporegime
Caporegime
A caporegime or capodecina, usually shortened to just a capo, is a term used in the Mafia for a high ranking made member of a crime family who heads a "crew" of soldiers and has major social status and influence in the organization...
for the family, leading a crew of mobsters in Union County, New Jersey
Union County, New Jersey
Union County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 536,499. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Elizabeth. Union County ranks 93rd among the highest-income counties in the United States. It also ranks 74th in...
.
Plot for Vastola's murder
In 1987, Vastola was sent to jail for assaulting a record company executive who balked at his extortion demands. While housed at the Metropolitan Correction FacilityMetropolitan Correctional Center, New York City
The Metropolitan Correctional Center, New York City is a Federal Bureau of Prisons remand center in downtown Manhattan in New York City, located on Park Row behind the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse at Foley Square....
in Manhattan. Vastola shared a cell with Gambino crime family
Gambino crime family
The Gambino crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The group is named after Carlo Gambino, boss of the family at the time of the McClellan hearings in 1963...
boss John Gotti
John Gotti
John Joseph Gotti, Jr was an American mobster who became the Boss of the Gambino crime family in New York City. Gotti grew up in poverty. He and his brothers turned to a life of crime at an early age...
. After spending time with Vastola, Gotti became convinced that Vastola would become a government witness rather than spend time in prison. When Gotti was released, he pressured current DeCavalcante boss John Riggi
John Riggi
John Riggi is an American television writer, producer, director, and actor who has worked on various television shows.He has worked as a writer on the NBC comedy series 30 Rock...
to agree to Vastola's murder. Unfortunately for the mob bosses, FBI surveillance recorded the conversation. Gotti and the DeCavalcante leadership, including Riggi and underboss Stefano Vitabile
Stefano Vitabile
Stefano "Steve the Truck Driver" Vitabile, , is a New Jersey mobster and former consigliere of the DeCavalcante crime family.-Early years:...
, were later tried and convicted of conspiracy to murder Vastola.
Prison and release
On May 3, 1988, Vastola was convicted of extortion and two counts of racketeering conspiracies and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. In late 1990, Vastola lost his final appeal and was sent to prison. In May 1998, Vastola was released from prison.In popular culture
Vastola is believed to be among the models for the character Hesh Rabkin in the TV series The SopranosThe Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
, played by actor Jerry Adler
Jerry Adler
Jerry Adler is an American theatre director, production supervisor and a television and film actor.Adler was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Pauline and Philip Adler, who was a general manager of the Group Theatre...
.