Joseph (Joe Z) Zammuto – Rockford Family Boss

To friends and family, Joe Zammuto was a soft-spoken grandfather who was jealously protective of his family. But, in reality, he was actually an important midwest mafioso and the decades-long “Capo Familia” over the entire Rockford Family of Cosa Nostra .

FBI Agents claimed that despite his demure outward appearance and grandfatherly demeanor, Zammuto remained Rockford’s underworld leader for upwards of three decades since 1957.

Joe Zammuto - Early Life

Joseph (Joe Z) Zammuto - aka “Giuseppe Zammuto (TN)” and “Joe Zamutta” - was born in Aragona, Sicily on February 16, 1896. After immigrating to the United States in 1913, he made his way to Rockford, Illinois, where he set down permanent roots.

He later bought a brick ranch-style home at 1515 Harding Street. This is where Zammuto resided with his wife Lena and their three children and remained for the rest of his life.

Joseph (Joe Z) Zammuto

Some years later, Zammuto also purchased a second residence in affluent Hollywood, Florida, where he and Lena flew each winter as “snowbirds” to avoid the bitter temperatures of the midwest.

Bespectacled, short, and frail, the elderly Joe Zammuto hardly resembled the popular image of an underworld boss . To friends and family, he was a soft-spoken grandfather who was jealously protective of his family.

The Capo Familia

But, in reality, Joe Zammuto was actually an important midwest mafioso and the decades-long “Capo Familia” over the entire Rockford Family of Cosa Nostra. FBI Agents claimed that despite his demure outward appearance and grandfatherly demeanor, Zammuto remained Rockford’s underworld leader for upwards of three decades since 1957.

By 1984, the 88-year-old Zammuto was thought to be serving as overall “elder statesman” of the borgata by then having handed over the daily reins to his trusty underboss Frank (Frankie Bush) Buscemi.

By that time, Buscemi was serving as “acting boss” in Zammuto’s stead.

Zammuto had a police record dating back to at least 1923 reflecting four arrests. These arrests included two pinches in the 1920s for liquor bootlegging that were both eventually dismissed and a 1931 arrest for carrying a concealed weapon for which he was fined $208.

He also had an arrest in 1965 for criminal investigation after he was picked up with a known bookmaker. This last charge was also dismissed for lack of evidence.

By the early 1980s, the authorities were observing him being chauffeured around daily in his brand new Cadillac by a nephew also named Joseph, who was a suspected member of the crime family as well.

Despite his age and frailties, Zammuto continued making his daily rounds to check up on his illicit racket holdings and considerable business assets .

Racket Holdings and Business Assets

Over the years, he was known to have held ownership in such businesses as a billiard parlor named the Stateline Vending Company; Reliable Distributors Corporation, which was a wholesale liquor supply firm he opened near the end of Prohibition in 1932; a Rockford-based bottling company distributorship for Dr. Pepper soda , which was a nationally known brand; and several local bars and grills.

He also owned extensive income-real estate and land holdings around Rockford as well as the leases for several pizzerias including Capri Restaurant & Pizzeria and Giuseppe’s Pizzeria.

But very typical of the mentality of this wily old mafioso was the fact that most of these business holdings were always held in the names of relatives and friends; never in Joe’s name, per se.

Joe Zammuto lived a very charmed life indeed. He passed away in 1990 at the ripe age of 93 years old…having never served even one day behind bars.

Until next time..."The Other Guy"

Joseph (Joe Z) Zammuto – Rockford Family Boss

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Joseph (Joe Z) Zammuto – Rockford Family Boss

Unlock This Door to the Underworld

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You May Also Enjoy

Racketeer Snapshot: Lucchese Family Soldier Carlo Piccioli

A Question About The Commission

Racketeer Snapshot: Detroit Mafia Soldier “Tony the Chump” Abate

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