Joe Cirelli, also known as “Joe Carroll,” was a fixture in New York’s underworld despite having a reputation for staying “clean.”
Known for his connections with top mob figures like Lucky Luciano and Tommy Lucchese, Cirelli managed to keep his name out of criminal records while operating popular restaurants that doubled as gathering spots for Mafia elites.
Though Cirelli didn’t engage in traditional street crimes, his establishments became a meeting point for notorious gangsters, earning him a quiet yet powerful presence within the Mafia.
His lifelong friendship with Luciano not only enriched him but also positioned Cirelli as a trusted courier and silent partner, allegedly facilitating high-stakes financial transactions and secret communications between the exiled crime boss and his stateside associates.
Joseph (Joe Carroll) Cirelli — aka Joe Cirella, Joe Collins, and Giuseppe A. Cirelli (TN) — was born at San Giovanna in Southern Italy on March 19, 1897, though FBI records report March 14, 1897.
After immigrating to the United States, to New York’s Ellis Island with his mother and two siblings in 1914, the Cirelli family settled down and made a home in the “Little Italy” section of the Lower East Side. Joe was one of three sons born to Giovanni Cirelli and Rosa (nee’ Menta). His brothers were named Rocco and John.
Often Imitated. Never Duplicated. Button Guys of The New York Mafia...There's Only One!
