Marco Reginelli
Encyclopedia
Marco "Small Man" Reginelli (1897 – May 26, 1956) was a New Jersey
mobster who became underboss of the Bruno crime family and operated a famous nightclub in Atlantic City, New Jersey
. Reginelli's nickname came from his short stature.
in the Abruzzo
region of Italy
, Reginelli immigrated to the United States in 1914 at age 17. He first settled in an Italian-American community in Penns Grove, New Jersey
, with many neighbors from Valle San Giovanni
and Teramo
. Many of these immigrants worked at the nearby DuPont
chemical factory. In the 1930s, Marco moved to Camden, New Jersey
, where he became a member of the Cosa Nostra
.
area".
In 1942, while Reginelli was visiting Miami, Florida
, he called up his girlfriend Louise in Camden and invited her to join him in Florida. Using an airline ticket purchased by Reginelli, Louise flew to Florida and stayed with him in his hotel room in Miami Beach for ten days. However, a US Attorney in Trenton, New Jersey
heard about her trip and indicted Reginelli under the federal Mann Act
. Designed to combat the transportation of women across state lines for prostitution
, the law could also cover adult women in a consenting relationship who were transported by their partner. Reginelli was convicted and, as a result, was denied naturalization as a US citizen.
Reginelli eventually extended his influence to the resort area of Atlantic City. In the late 1940s, he built the 500 Club, a nightclub in Atlantic City. In the early 1950s, the 500 Club frequently presented singer Dean Martin
, who first performed with comedian and future partner Jerry Lewis
at the club.
The Federal Government unsuccessfully tried to deport Reginelli to Italy. They also failed to block his citizenship application; Reginelli was finally naturalized as a U.S. citizen in June 1955.
Marco Reginelli died in 1956 at age 58 and is buried in the Calvary Cemetery in Cherry Hill, New Jersey
. Reginell's successor as underboss was his protegee Angelo Bruno
.
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...
mobster who became underboss of the Bruno crime family and operated a famous nightclub in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
. Reginelli's nickname came from his short stature.
Early life
Born in NepezzanoNepezzano
Nepezzano is a suburb of the provincial capital Teramo, Italy and is located about 4 miles away from the town center.The first written documentation regarding Nepezzano dates back to the 12th century in a listing of feudal properties found in the county of Teramo...
in the Abruzzo
Abruzzo
Abruzzo is a region in Italy, its western border lying less than due east of Rome. Abruzzo borders the region of Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and south-west, Molise to the south-east, and the Adriatic Sea to the east...
region of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Reginelli immigrated to the United States in 1914 at age 17. He first settled in an Italian-American community in Penns Grove, New Jersey
Penns Grove, New Jersey
Penns Grove is a Borough in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the borough population was 4,886.Penns Grove was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 8, 1894, from portions of Upper Penns Neck Township Penns Grove is a...
, with many neighbors from Valle San Giovanni
Valle San Giovanni
Valle San Giovanni is a small village in the province of Teramo, in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. It is a frazione of the town of Teramo.-Geography:...
and Teramo
Teramo
Teramo is a city and comune in the central Italian region of Abruzzo, the capital of the province of Teramo.The city, from Rome, is situated between the highest mountains of the Apennines and the Adriatic coast...
. Many of these immigrants worked at the nearby DuPont
DuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
chemical factory. In the 1930s, Marco moved to Camden, New Jersey
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
, where he became a member of the Cosa Nostra
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
.
Criminal career
Marco's specialty was gambling and the numbers racket, although he was also convicted of larceny and receiving stolen goods. A congressional committee once described Reginelli as "the top hoodlum in the Philadelphia-New JerseyNew 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...
area".
In 1942, while Reginelli was visiting Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, he called up his girlfriend Louise in Camden and invited her to join him in Florida. Using an airline ticket purchased by Reginelli, Louise flew to Florida and stayed with him in his hotel room in Miami Beach for ten days. However, a US Attorney in Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
heard about her trip and indicted Reginelli under the federal Mann Act
Mann Act
The White-Slave Traffic Act, better known as the Mann Act, is a United States law, passed June 25, 1910 . It is named after Congressman James Robert Mann, and in its original form prohibited white slavery and the interstate transport of females for “immoral purposes”...
. Designed to combat the transportation of women across state lines for prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
, the law could also cover adult women in a consenting relationship who were transported by their partner. Reginelli was convicted and, as a result, was denied naturalization as a US citizen.
Reginelli eventually extended his influence to the resort area of Atlantic City. In the late 1940s, he built the 500 Club, a nightclub in Atlantic City. In the early 1950s, the 500 Club frequently presented singer Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
, who first performed with comedian and future partner Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis...
at the club.
The Federal Government unsuccessfully tried to deport Reginelli to Italy. They also failed to block his citizenship application; Reginelli was finally naturalized as a U.S. citizen in June 1955.
Marco Reginelli died in 1956 at age 58 and is buried in the Calvary Cemetery in Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Cherry Hill is a township in Camden County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a population of 71,045, representing an increase of 1,080 from the 69,965 residents enumerated during the 2000 Census...
. Reginell's successor as underboss was his protegee Angelo Bruno
Angelo Bruno
Angelo "The Gentle Don" Bruno was a Sicilian-American mobster who ran the Philadelphia crime family for two decades. Bruno gained his nickname and reputation due to his preference for conciliation over violence.-Early years:Born in Villalba, Sicily, Bruno emigrated to the United States in his...
.