Joseph Schiavo was an original veteran who was inducted as a “soldier” in the old Gagliano/Lucchese Family and was involved in garment rackets and labor racketeering. Joseph (Joe Reese) Schiavo was born on December 13, 1910, in Brooklyn. He lived in Brooklyn for much of his early life. In the early 1940s, he moved to 123 Nassau Avenue in Freeport, Nassau County, Long Island. By the late 1950s, he had again moved to 75 North Corona Avenue in the Valley Stream area. Schiavo was an original veteran inducted “soldier” in the old Gagliano/Lucchese Family. Joseph Schiavo He was a partner of Benjamin Sackrin and the co-owner and operator of a garment factory (sportswear and coats) in the East New York section of Brooklyn for decades (Hendrix Coat Co., 587 Hendrix St., and 722 Livonia Ave). He was also a partner with Tommy Lucchese in several additional dress (contractor) factories over the years. Schiavo was a very close associate of Lucchese, Lucchese's brother-in-law Joseph (Joe Palisades) Rosato, Paul Vario, and Bonanno capo Vincent Morsellino, who was a Long Island neighbor of Schiavo's. He was also a cousin (by marriage) to Alphonso (Little Al) D’Arco, who later became an informant. His activities included garment rackets, labor racketeering, extortion, policy, and shylocking. His criminal record dates back to 1940, and he had five arrests for disorderly conduct, conspiracy, grand larceny and attempted extortion, policy (twice), and vagrancy. He had been convicted of vagrancy (90 days in jail), disorderly conduct, policy, and attempted extortion (one year in jail). The Canarsie Crew Schiavo was a very low-profile mafioso who was aligned with the Brooklyn (Canarsie) faction of the Family and served under Capo Salvatore (Turiddo) Curiale. He was said to have later been offered a position in the hierarchy during the 1950s but declined, instead promoting one of his proteges, Paul Vario, for a higher position of “capo di decina.” Schiavo was happy to “fly under the radar” and stay as a senior (and influential) soldier within the Vario regime. In 1943, he was one of six men, including his close associate Solomon Massarsky, charged on 17 counts in the operation of a fake labor union (that would throw up fake picket lines and then approach business owners for cash to remove the pickets) the “Congress of Industrial Unions” that “shook down” various photography firms in New York City. They were nabbed after receiving $1,000 in marked bills from Wheelan Photo Studio at 370 Seventh Ave., in Manhattan, toward the payment of a $15,000 extortion fee. Robert DeFilippo, Max Sherman, Jay Cohen, and Robert Kaufman - a lawyer, were the other defendants. By 1945, most had pled guilty or were convicted. Schiavo received one year. Massarsky received 2.5 to 3 years in the penitentiary. In 1948, Schiavo was accosted on the street in Brooklyn by two armed bandits and robbed of a $5,500 cash payroll for his garment factory. The bandits allegedly stated, “Keep quiet and hand over the coconuts!” Side Note: His cousin and mobster, Al D’Arco, later stated that he was SURE that Schiavo had “staged” the robbery to collect the business insurance because that phrase “hand over the coconuts” was a pet phrase that Schiavo would always say in conversation. Typical mob guy, always scheming! In 1954, according to the “State of Israel Bonds” organization, he was one of two businessmen honored by New York civic, business, and labor representatives for their economic aid and contributions to Israel. The recipients were partners Schiavo and Benjamin Sackrin of the Hendrix Coat Company located at 722 Livonia Ave. in Brooklyn. By the early 1980s, Schiavo was already in his mid-70s and slowing down. He died on September 29, 1987 in Boca Raton, Florida. The name “Schiavo” was never a household name known to the public. Who had to know in the mob knew. Otherwise, “Joe Reese” spent his entire life well in the shadows and only served a one-year prison term! Not bad for a high-level soldier in the thick of things all his life! Postscript: Schiavo mentored and later “proposed” Al D’Arco for induction into the Family. Until next time..."The Other Guy"
