Joseph Vollero
Encyclopedia
Joseph Vollaro, also known as "Joey V" and "Joe Andrews" (born 1966), is a Staten Island
-based American trucking executive and Gambino crime family
associate who is now a government informant and witness.
Vollaro did construction work and worked in several gyms as a young man. Vollaro became an associate of the Gambino family in the 1990s. Vollaro's father, Anthony Vollaro, was a Gambino bookmaker
operating in New Jersey
. It was rumored Vollaro that was up for induction into the family in the mid-1990s before being sent to prison on drug dealing and loansharking charges.
and others, Gerard Pappa
rescued Sammy Gravano and Joseph Vollaro. Joe was nearly fatally shot in the abdomen during a bungled car theft in Bensonhurst. Gerard bandaged up Joe V. who was bleeding profusely from a gunshot wound to the side and thought to be in critical condition. Sammy thought that he himself had been shot in the head. Joe and Sammy had been shot by a distraught citizen who was attempting to pursue Gerard Pappa
and the others for stealing his car. He drove Joe to Coney Island Hospital
where he dropped himself out front of the emergency ward. Afterward, he drove Gravano to a doctor who practiced in Upstate New York
that could be relied upon for discretion. In the hospital, due to Gerard's rescue efforts, Joe V. miraculously survived his nearly fatal gunshot wound.
. Vollaro became close to Corozzo, and when released from prison, Vollaro started making payments to Corozzo and his brother Joseph "Jo Jo" Corozzo
. Vollaro's company, Andrews Trucking, quickly became one of the city's leading construction truckers, hauling dirt from the city's excavation sites. Vollaro and Gambino soldier Joseph Spinnato co-owned several Staten Island businesses which they used to produce money for the Gambinos, and to extort other business owners. Vollaro was responsible for getting the Gambino family involved in a NASCAR
speedway that was planned for Staten Island; Andrews Trucking received a lucrative hauling contract at the site. Vollaro and the Gambinos soon came to dominate the construction business in Staten Island. At one point, the wealthy Vollaro owned three 40-foot yachts named "No Limits", "Cat in the Act", and "All Fired Up".
and charged with heading a large-scale narcotics trafficking operation. Facing a lifetime prison term, Vollaro chose to become a government witness and assist with surveillance for the Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI). The operation was originally focused on narcotics, but Vollaro's rise to one of Nick Corozzo's trusted aides changed the operation's complexion. Corozzo was even planning to propose Vollaro for induction into the family as a made man
or soldier.
In early 2008, Vollaro's work resulted in a massive federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
(RICO) indictment that snagged both Corozzo brothers, acting boss John "Jackie Nose" D'Amico
, underboss Domenico Cefalu
, capo
Frank Cali
, and over 40 capos, soldiers, and associates. However, the racketeering cases were weak and the government was forced to accept lesser plea bargain
deals from the plaintiffs for extorting payments from Vollaro's business.
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
-based American trucking executive and 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...
associate who is now a government informant and witness.
Vollaro did construction work and worked in several gyms as a young man. Vollaro became an associate of the Gambino family in the 1990s. Vollaro's father, Anthony Vollaro, was a Gambino bookmaker
Bookmaker
A bookmaker, or bookie, is an organization or a person that takes bets on sporting and other events at agreed upon odds.- Range of events :...
operating 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...
. It was rumored Vollaro that was up for induction into the family in the mid-1990s before being sent to prison on drug dealing and loansharking charges.
Near Death Encounter with Sammy Gravano
While a member of the Rampers with Sammy GravanoSammy Gravano
Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano is a former underboss of the Gambino crime family. He is known as the man who helped bring down John Gotti, the family's boss, by agreeing to become a Federal Bureau of Investigation informant and turn state's evidence.Originally a mobster for the Colombo crime...
and others, Gerard Pappa
Gerard Pappa
Gerard Pappa , also known as "Gerry" and "Papa Bear" , was a former Colombo crime family associate and eventually a Genovese crime family soldier and known hitman, who was widely feared for his violent tendencies, which directly attributed to his own murder in 1980.-Biography:Gerard was 36 when he...
rescued Sammy Gravano and Joseph Vollaro. Joe was nearly fatally shot in the abdomen during a bungled car theft in Bensonhurst. Gerard bandaged up Joe V. who was bleeding profusely from a gunshot wound to the side and thought to be in critical condition. Sammy thought that he himself had been shot in the head. Joe and Sammy had been shot by a distraught citizen who was attempting to pursue Gerard Pappa
Gerard Pappa
Gerard Pappa , also known as "Gerry" and "Papa Bear" , was a former Colombo crime family associate and eventually a Genovese crime family soldier and known hitman, who was widely feared for his violent tendencies, which directly attributed to his own murder in 1980.-Biography:Gerard was 36 when he...
and the others for stealing his car. He drove Joe to Coney Island Hospital
Coney Island Hospital
Coney Island Hospital is a public hospital located in Brooklyn, New York City. It is owned by the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation.-History:...
where he dropped himself out front of the emergency ward. Afterward, he drove Gravano to a doctor who practiced in Upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
that could be relied upon for discretion. In the hospital, due to Gerard's rescue efforts, Joe V. miraculously survived his nearly fatal gunshot wound.
Mob connections
While in prison, Vollaro shared a cell with Gambino family mobster Nicholas "Little Nick" CorozzoNicholas Corozzo
Nicholas "Little Nick" Corozzo is a New York mobster who is the reputed acting boss of the Gambino crime family.-Biography:...
. Vollaro became close to Corozzo, and when released from prison, Vollaro started making payments to Corozzo and his brother Joseph "Jo Jo" Corozzo
Joseph Corozzo
Joseph "Jo Jo" Corozzo, Sr. , is a New York mobster who is the reputed Consigliere of the Gambino crime family.-Background:...
. Vollaro's company, Andrews Trucking, quickly became one of the city's leading construction truckers, hauling dirt from the city's excavation sites. Vollaro and Gambino soldier Joseph Spinnato co-owned several Staten Island businesses which they used to produce money for the Gambinos, and to extort other business owners. Vollaro was responsible for getting the Gambino family involved in a NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
speedway that was planned for Staten Island; Andrews Trucking received a lucrative hauling contract at the site. Vollaro and the Gambinos soon came to dominate the construction business in Staten Island. At one point, the wealthy Vollaro owned three 40-foot yachts named "No Limits", "Cat in the Act", and "All Fired Up".
Government informant
In 2004, Vollaro was arrested with two kilograms of cocaineCocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
and charged with heading a large-scale narcotics trafficking operation. Facing a lifetime prison term, Vollaro chose to become a government witness and assist with surveillance for the 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). The operation was originally focused on narcotics, but Vollaro's rise to one of Nick Corozzo's trusted aides changed the operation's complexion. Corozzo was even planning to propose Vollaro for induction into the family as a made man
Made man
A made man, also known as a Mafioso , made guy, man of honor, or uomo d'onore , is someone who has been officially inducted into the Sicilian or American Mafia . They may also be referred to by some as a goodfella or wiseguy...
or soldier.
In early 2008, Vollaro's work resulted in a massive federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, commonly referred to as the RICO Act or simply RICO, is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization...
(RICO) indictment that snagged both Corozzo brothers, acting boss John "Jackie Nose" D'Amico
Jackie D'Amico
John "Jackie the Nose" D'Amico is a New York mobster that served as street boss of the Gambino crime family from 2005 to 2011. "Street boss" had been the family's number one position ever since official Boss Peter Gotti started serving a life sentence in prison.-Early life:D'Amico stands 5'11" ...
, underboss Domenico Cefalu
Domenico Cefalu
Domenico "Italian Dom" Cefalu, also known as Greaseball and Dom from 18th Avenue is the boss of the Gambino crime family and leader of the organization's Sicilian faction....
, capo
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...
Frank Cali
Frank Cali
Francesco Paolo Augusto Calì , known as "Frank" or "Franky Boy", is a reputed acting captain in the Staten Island faction of the Gambino crime family. Law enforcement considers Cali to be the Gambino "ambassador to Sicilian mobsters" and have linked him to the Inzerillo Mafia family from Palermo...
, and over 40 capos, soldiers, and associates. However, the racketeering cases were weak and the government was forced to accept lesser plea bargain
Plea bargain
A plea bargain is an agreement in a criminal case whereby the prosecutor offers the defendant the opportunity to plead guilty, usually to a lesser charge or to the original criminal charge with a recommendation of a lighter than the maximum sentence.A plea bargain allows criminal defendants to...
deals from the plaintiffs for extorting payments from Vollaro's business.
Current status
Vollaro is currently part of the federal Witness Protection Program. In October 2008, Vollaro started legal proceedings for $600,000 in financial restitution from the Corrozzos and other Gambino family members for extorting his business.External links
- New York Times: Informant in Mob Case Had Power, and a Wire by WILLIAM K. RASHBAUM
- New York Daily News: Supposed mob KO falls apart BY JOHN MARZULLI
- New York Daily News: Mob turncoat Joseph Vollaro seeking more than $600K from Gambinos BY JOE GOULD AND JOHN MARZULLI