Anthony (Tony) Carubia: A Deadly Serious and Prolific Gangster

Anthony (Tony) Carubia was a soldier in the Decavalcante Family. He was not a well-publicized hoodlum to the general public, but he was very well-known within underworld circles. He had the reputation of a “no-nonsense” guy, a “serious” individual.

Anthony (Tony) Carubia -- aka Joseph Lombardo -- was born on June 8, 1919, in Downtown Manhattan to Frank and Lucy (nee Dicaro.) Tony grew up on the Lower East Side before relocating out to 73-07 Ditmars Blvd. in the Astoria section of Queens where he would remain and operate for the rest of his life.

He had an older brother named Joseph (Joey) who also was a mob associate, and a younger brother named Bennie.

Carubia was not a well-publicized hoodlum to the general public, but he was very well-known within underworld circles. He had the reputation of a “no-nonsense” guy, a “serious” individual. He was identified as an inducted “soldier” in the DeCavalcante Family.

He was active early on in his mob career with burglaries, armed robberies, and various heists in both the New York City area and out-of-state targets.

Criminal Record and Associates

He listed among his associates Anthony (Tony Baker) Napolitano, Anthony (Tony) Vanella , Benjamin Waldman, Frank (Big Frankie) Cocchiaro , Virgil Alessi, Vito Loiacono, Vincent (Vinny) Papa, and Pasquale (Patsy) Manganelli. Many of these men also hailed from the Astoria section.

In 1937, as a young hood of 18, while still living in Lower Manhattan, he was arrested on a felony charge with his brother Joseph and several young hoodlum friends, including Carlo Russo and Alcesti Ricasi, for the theft of a parked car from a Manhattan Street at First Avenue and East 60th Street. They were nabbed in the Bronx after being stopped by police for a minor traffic violation.

In 1957, Tony Carubia was among seven indicted for the thefts, forgery, and passing of stolen stocks and forged securities valued at more than $466,000. Carubia and Benjamin Waldman were alleged to be the heads of the racket that had operated since at least 1954.

The securities were taken in a wide-ranging series of burglaries and robberies of safes at banks, houses, and securities firms in Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey by their accomplices. Waldman and Carubia each received 5-year jail terms after the well-publicized arrests and jury trial.

Several Jewish associates, including corrupt attorneys Herbert Grossman, Fred Kaplan, and Irving Rathbaum helped facilitate the thefts and fencing of the stolen securities. Additional confederates included Patsy Manganelli and Rose Libonti.

In 1958, Carubia was again indicted for a separate theft and cashing of $93,000 in savings bonds while out on bail in the previous above-listed case.

Turning to the Gambling Rackets

Switching gears, when he was finally released from prison after serving several related jail terms, Tony turned his attention to the more low-key, profitable, and safer option of gambling rackets. He soon went knee-deep into running a horse-sport bookmaking business and operating steady card games in his Astoria, Queens neighborhood.

By 1971, Carubia fell again. He was indicted on three counts of gambling along with numerous associates by Queens D.A. Thomas Mackell for operating a large, very active “gambling den” and “wire room” at the Long Island Veterans Social Club, located at 20-15 Steinway Street in Astoria.

After surveillance of the club on many occasions, detectives placed court-authorized bugs at that location and on the telephone at another address utilized by Carubia and his men at Distinctive Tours Limited (a firm in which Carubia was president) at 90-31 Queens Blvd., in Forest Hills.

Law enforcement soon got an earful. Approximately 40 to 50 known gamblers would patronize the club daily. The club was used as a drop-off point for bets and money, carrying gambling receipts in and out, and accepting bets on horses and sports. Most of those patrons were documented KG's or “known gamblers” and hoodlums in law enforcement records.

In 1977, he was arrested again on gambling charges in a sweep by the Nassau County Rackets Bureau of over 20 bookmakers and wire rooms operating throughout several New York counties and Long Island. Among his co-defendants were several Colombo associates, including Vito Loiacono and Robert Mauro.

Anthony (Tony) Carubia is reported to have died relatively young in March 1981. He was only 61 years old.

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Anthony (Tony) Carubia: A Deadly Serious and Prolific Gangster

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Anthony (Tony) Carubia: A Deadly Serious and Prolific Gangster

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