Ettore (Terry) Zappi: De Facto Consigliere

Ettore (Terry) Zappi's activities included labor racketeering and large-scale shylocking. He was active for over 65 years, amassing great wealth and largely avoiding public exposure and jail.

Ettore (Terry) Zappi was born on July 4, 1904, in Caserta, Italy. He immigrated to the United States in 1906 when he was two years old. By the 1920s, he settled in South Brooklyn. By 1927, they were living at 570 Henry Street in Brooklyn. He was married by 1927. He had a son named Anthony (Tony). He also had a daughter, Helen, who was married to Frank Galgano.

When he applied for citizenship in 1927, he listed his occupation as a chauffeur and his address as 73 Warren Street in Brooklyn. In the 1940s, he resided at 7415 18th Avenue in Brooklyn. By 1950, he had moved to 1462 53rd Street in Kings County, Brooklyn, and listed his occupation as a union delegate in the Teamsters Union.

Ettore (Terry) Zappi

In 1957, he was denied Naturalization.

By the 1960s, he moved to 30 Club Drive in the waterfront community of Massapequa, which had a stunning view of the Atlantic Ocean. He also owned a snowbird residence at 2764 Northeast 17th Street in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. His home was valued at $150,000 in 1973. He also owned another residence at 2300 N Atlantic Blvd in Fort Lauderdale and 3031 NE 25th St in Fort Lauderdale.

He stood 5 feet 3 inches tall with brown hair and brown eyes and weighed in at 150 pounds.

Zappi had already been involved with the mob and seems to have been involved in the early conflicts and shootouts of that era. He became affiliated at some point with Salvatore D’Aquila and Carlo Gambino.

He frequented the Gulf Stream race track in Florida.

In 1967, informants reported to the FBI that Zappi must be a "bigshot" because he reportedly passed down orders to Frank Gagliardi, who was residing in Fort Lauderdale at the time. Informants also reported that Zappi was involved in shylocking and maybe even bookmaking. He owned 51 percent of Castro Convertible Furniture company. Also, he was a "power" in Brooklyn waterfront rackets. They also reported that "they heard" Zappi operated games in Providence, RI, and was "close "friendly" with Raymond Patriarca. They also agreed to have a 50 percent interest in a Castro Convertable warehouse in Boa Raton.

He was reportedly observed on January 10, 1967, leaving a restaurant in Brooklyn (Bonaparte Restaurant at 1613 Avenue M) with Carlo Gambino, Neil Dellacroce, Joe Colombo Vincent Aloi, Simone Andolino, Rocco Miraglia, and Robert Barbieri.

FBI #386326

He had an arrest record by the early 1920s for assault and robbery, possession of a gun, felonious assault with a weapon, and liquor law violations.

He was active in bootlegging and was charged in New Jersey for prohibition law violations but seems to have avoided a jail term.

In 1931, he was arrested in Coney Island for disorderly conduct. The police officer who arrested him, Charlie Burnes, claimed that Zappi used "bad language and caused a crowd to collect." He also claimed that Zappi "abused him without cause." Zappi denied the charge and pled not guilty. Later, the charges were dropped.

Labor Unions and Carlo Gambino

By the mid-to-late 1940s, he became affiliated with labor union activity. He became an official of Teamsters Local # 854, where he thrived for many years. Local # 854 was the Television, Radio, Instrument, Business Machines, Furniture Manufacturers, Drivers, Workers, Warehousemen, and Employees Union International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

One of his biggest targets for unionization was the Castro Convertible Co. Zappi organized it and, in 1957, took over ownership of the company.

Despite Local #854 being one of the smaller locals (with less than 1500 members), and because of its stranglehold on several key companies in several industries, it still became a valuable asset to the Gambino Family.

By this time, he and Carlo Gambino became very close friends and associates.

With Gambino’s rise in the Family to the boss' seat, Zappi was made a “Capo di decine,” presiding over a large crew that included John Allu, Steve and Frank (Frankie Dap) Dapolito and Natale (Chris) Richichi, Frank (The Wop) Gagliardi, his son Anthony (Tony) Zappi, and others.

By the early 1960s, he had bought lots and built a beautiful oceanfront home in Massapequa for himself and his “compare” Carlo Gambino.

As next-door neighbors, their relationship grew even closer, and it could be argued that Ettore Zappi rose to become Gambino’s top Capo and adviser (actually serving more in the capacity of a de facto Consigliere than Capo per se.)

Joseph N. Gallo had the official title of Consigliere, but Zappi had the boss’s ear, nonetheless, and counseled Gambino often (Gambino respected Zappi’s opinion very much.) Zappi had an eye for legitimate business which Gambino respected.

The Porno Scene

In August 1973, he was indicted with eight others after $1,500,000 worth of obscene magazines were found in a Santa Ana, California warehouse. He didn't show up at his arraignment because, according to his lawyer, he was sick with a heart condition and couldn't travel. The government wanted to extradite him to face charges.

Earlier in July 1973, authorities believed he was close to a local California pornographer named Paul Rothenburg, who had been found murdered at the end of July. Authorities believed he was "close to Ettore Zappi."

Michael Zaffarano of the Bonannos was also wanted by authorities for questioning. At the time, Zaffarano was serving a 30-day contempt of court sentence for refusing to testify about a February 1973 murder of a guy named Carlo Lombardi and the attempted murder of Elizabeth Brices in August 1973.

He was indicted in July 1973. on charges of running a nationwide porno ring. Authorities said the operation was called Suki Inc., which sold porno materials, hardcore magazines, and films to distributors across the nation. One warehouse employee claimed he handed two briefcases stuffed with money to Zapi once in Miami and once in NYC.

Zappi ended up being arrested on August 24 and was forced to go to a Nassau County court to face the Los Angeles charges. He opted to travel by ambulance. He was charged with conspiracy, sale, and advertisement of obscene material.

President of Convertible Mattress Corp in Brooklyn, a supplier to Castro Convertibles.

His son Anthony, who was 48 at the time, was also arrested with him. Both were released on 20k bail last May when they were indicted on another case. Anthony was living at 212 Harbor Lane in East Massapequa Park in 1973. He was secretary-treasurer of Local 854 in Valley Stream at the time. This was the indictment in May, where they found 1.5 million materials in the Santa Ana warehouse.

In October of that year, the smut charges were dropped, as was the conspiracy charge. The judge said there was insufficient evidence to hold the charge. The charges against his son Anthony stayed, as did five others. Two others also got charges dropped.

The authorities found 12,0000 porno magazines in a warehouse in North Hollywood.

He was charged with being a fugitive from justice while he was in the hospital but got 10k bail. LA authorities had issued a warrant for his arrest. he was taken to a hospital to face charges - he said he was too ill, and doctors said he had suffered a heart attack.

Rothenberg was found in an alley by a Rosyln office building. He was found by a passerby with two shots in the back of the head. Authorities said in July, he had been found with 500k worth of obscene films. in raids on two film processing companies Rothenberg owned. Rothenberg told police he had been infiltrated by organized crime. Authorities speculated to newspapers that maybe he had been killed because they feared he would turn informant.

On August 14, 1973, a 35-year-old woman who authorities described as a close friend of Zappi agreed to testify about the conspiracy case. This is Peggy Kiska.

When Zappi was presented with a warrant for his arrest, he said he was ill.

Rothenberg was described as the king of smut film distributors. He was killed on July 29. He claimed he was forced to pay mobsters 25 cents for every reel of film distributed. He was arrested at his Arro film in Manhattan and "had a date" to discuss his case with a Manhattan district attorney but canceled several days before he was slain, at least according to reports.

One detective said, "If they had to worry about somebody cracking, he'd be the likely candidate, one detective told the press. "He was not actually in the mob, but his connections with organized crime helped make him one of the biggest sex film dealers in the country."

In 1983, he was summoned to testify before a grand jury in Fort Lauderdale about the tax evasion case of two pornographers, but Zappi didn't testify because of his heart condition. The two guys were Myron and Michael Wistosky.

Wissotsky was in charge of a South Florida peep machine business run by Zappi associate Natale Richichi. In September 1975, the FBI reportedly caught Witsoky Richichi and Zappi meeting at a Tomy Roma's restaurant in Plantation that was shut down for renovations. Witsoky told authorities that Richici was interested in purchasing peep machine parts. He also said that he didn't know Zappi was affiliated with organized crime until the FBI started questioning his neighbors, and an FBI agent told him Zappi was.

Natale Richichi, born in 1916, was listed by the FBI, New York City Police Department, and multiple U.S. Senate hearings as a top ‘caporegime’ in the old Gambino Family of NYC. He was closely associated with Carlo Gambino and his close confidante, Capo Ettore (Terry) Zappi.

He was a longtime soldier in Zappi’s crew until he was elevated to a capo post after Zappi’s death in 1986.

Richichi was active over the years in bootlegging, gambling, shylocking, extortion, and smuggling. In later years, he was tasked with overseeing pornography rackets on behalf of the Gambino Family.

He moved for some years to Las Vegas, Nevada, where he became the contact and point man for Cosa Nostra figures visiting Sin City. He was a highly respected mob figure.

In 1981, authorities reported that one of his favorite hangouts was Le Club International in Broward County, where he supposedly docked his 58-foot yacht, "Poopsie."

In August 1977, he was arrested with William Bittner, who was a South Florida porn kingpin. Both Zappi and his son Anthony were arrested on obscenity charges, but they were later dropped because of a "technicality." Bittner also went by the name William Hamowitz. Bittner also happened to be part of the 1973 case of $1.5 million.

In 1994, after his death, he was named in an indictment in Thee Dollhouse III, a club in Broward County authorities alleged had been taken over by organized crime - including Nicolo Richichi, who authorities said had taken over Zappi's interest in the club. Michael Peter and Richichi were charged with skimming money from the club - racketeering. Peter was considered an adult nightclub king in South Florida.- a nude dance club in Pompano Beach. Chared with extortion, mail fraud, and tax evasion of state sales tax. Peters ran a network of over 50 nude clubs, part of an estimated 100 million a year worldwide network of nude clubs.

Also reported meeting with several Gambino Family members at Le Club International and Bobby Rubinos in Fort Lauderdale.

In February 1984, he was called to testify before the Governor's Council on Organized Crime in Tampa. Zappi told the panel he abhorred pornography and was simply a retired mattress manufacturer who likes to go out and eat barbecue ribs. When asked if he was a top lieutenant in the Gambino Family, Zappi denied it and said, "They also list me as the top man in pornography. I don't know where they get their information."

He also said he was considering filing a libel suit after a panel member asked why he hadn't already.

In 1984, when asked about his relationship with the Wolskys, Zappi said he'd known them for about 12 years, and they once tried to offer him a deal involving peep shows. He said he walked away from it after he learned it involved pornography. He also said, "They should close them up as far as I'm concerned. I don't like it."

His grandsons Frank and Anthony Galgano owned a significant interest in Booy Rubinos in Fort Lauderdale. He denied he had any financial interest in the company but that he advised them on business matters and that he liked to go in there to eat because the ribs were "pretty good." Discuss business and ways to improve business. He said he met Bobby Rubino in 1977 when he needed his boat painted. That Bobby was a painter by trade. Knew him six, seven years. He hired Bobby to paint his boat and, later, his house.

He also said he knew Jerry Catena and Sam DeCavalcante. When asked if he knew why all these people "identified as organized crime members" were down in South Florida, Zappi replied, "I guess they like the weather."

Peter allegedly was looking for investments for Thee Dollhouse III, and Zappi reportedly gave him 25000 to open the business and, in return, got weekly 500 in cash in envelopes. Authorities say Richichi got the envelopes after Zappi died.

In 1981, there was a probe into organized crime infiltration into gay bars. His nephew Ronald Zappi owns two gay clubs in Atlanta. Witsosky, btw, was busted in Atlanta for robbery or something in xxx.

A U.S. Organized Crime task force began an investigation of organized crime ties into the gay bars in South Florida and Zappi's alleged link to three owners.

In October 1984, he married Margaret Veronica Kiska, aka Peggy. His wife Josephine had died in 1971. Peggy was born in 1939. Kiska's maiden name was Jaskey. Authorities alleged that the Zappis had used her name in traveling and setting up corporations to peddle porn, and she agreed to travel to California to testify.

Down in South Florida

By the mid-1960s, Zappi bought a winter home in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, where he started spending more time. At one point, Gambino members in South Florida, in addition to his NY crew, supervised him.

He became a partner in the T & D Drive-In Restaurant at 731 NE 79th Street in Miami, allegedly with Dave Iacovetti. As the 1970s approached, Bobby Rubino came to Zappi with an idea for a baby back rib restaurant.

The rest is history.

Zappi became a silent partner in Bobby Rubino’s Ribs throughout the East Coast. His grandson, Frank Galgano, was installed to operate several Bobby Rubino’s in Florida.

Zappi started spending more and more time in Florida, leaving the day-to-day operations to his trusted “acting Capo” Frank Dapolito. Dapolito had been installed as “business manager” of Local #854 while Tony Zappi became secretary/treasurer.

From the 1960s to the 1980s, both worked in tandem to maintain the cash cow that was #854, which was based in Valley Stream for many years.

Local # 854 was the Television, Radio, Instrument, Business Machines, and Furniture Manufacturers Drivers, Workers, Warehousemen, and Employees Union International Brotherhood of Teamsters (Independent),

An employee of this local and friend of Anthony Zappi was the doomed John Favara, who, of course, in later years, would run over and kill John Gotti’s young son Frankie.

Favara would be kidnapped after leaving work for the day at Castro Convertible (but that’s a story for another day.)

By the 1980s, with the federal government's cleanup and purging of all mob elements from labor unions, Frank Dapolito and Anthony Zappi would resign their union posts before being officially kicked out by the feds.

Frankie Dap was hired by Joseph Curcio, a Family associate and owner of several multi-million dollar bus companies in Brooklyn that held huge contracts with the city to bus schoolchildren.

Dapolito seamlessly moved into the very companies that his union local had represented, making millions more for the Gambino Family in the process.

A Trusted Protege

As though Ettore Zappi had not accomplished enough in his life for himself and the Gambino Family, one of his proteges was Robert (DB) DiBernardo.

In the late 1960s, DiBernardo entered the pornography rackets. This semi-legitimate business became a multi-million dollar windfall for the mob.

Zappi gave DiBernardo his blessing to expand and helped him with cross-country distribution, providing the Gambino Family clout and backing.

Zappi’s son, Anthony, was put in to supervise this operation for his father and Carlo, in addition to his union duties.

Anthony (Tony) Zappi was actually indicted in California in approximately 1970 or 1971 on pornography charges. He eventually beat the case. But it showed the involvement and profit potential in that Terry Zappi would involve his own son in this activity.

Of course, DiBernardo thrived for many years, making millions for himself and the Gambinos. After Terry’s death, DiBernardo aligned himself directly with the administration, and Paul Castellano viewed him as a favorite.

Unfortunately, after Castellano's murder new boss John Gotti allowed the heavy-handed, greedy, and jealous Sammy Gravano to “oversee” DiBernardo and his activities for the Family

“Clocking” his money, overall wealth, and Family influence, Gravano badmouthed and maneuvered to set “Dee Bee” up for the kill. After DiBernardo was shot in the head at Gravano's Brooklyn construction office, Sammy the Bull “inherited” DB's rackets and its subsequent revenue.

Ettore Zappi was active for over 65 years, amassing great wealth and largely avoiding public exposure and jail.

By all accounts, he was a highly-respected and major player who kept a very low-key profile and violence to a minimum – from a bygone era!

Ettore Terry Zappi died in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on July 27, 1986

Until next time..."The Other Guy"

Ettore Zappi on Mob Fireside Chat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJW4bDta9v8

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Ettore (Terry) Zappi: De Facto Consigliere

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