Pasquale (Fat Patty) Catalano: The Hijacking Hoodlum

Pasquale (Fat Patty) Catalano was a long-time associate of the Profaci/Colombo Crime Family who was eventually officially inducted and quickly elevated to “capo” status. Operating out of the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn, Catalano took over the crew previously headed by Benedetto (Benny) Aloi .

Pasquale (Fat Patty) Catalano was born in 1931 in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn. By the late 1950s, he had moved to the neighboring Middle Village in Queens.

Catalano was a longtime associate in the Profaci Family which later became known as the Colombo Family of LCN. By 1990, he was officially inducted and was quickly elevated to “capo” status.

Pasquale (Fat Patty) Catalano

He took over the crew formerly run by Benedetto (Benny) Aloi that operated out of a club on Metropolitan Avenue. A close Aloi associate and soldier by the name of Dennis Guzzardo ran the club on a daily basis.

But shortly after Guzzardo died, he was exposed as a long-time federal informer.

So, Fat Patty eventually closed that location and started operating out of another club several blocks away which was previously controlled by murdered Family soldier Vito Guzzo Sr.

Fat Patty's activities included shylocking, bookmaking, hijacking, bar/nightclub infiltration, vending machines, and extortion.

Over the years, his legitimate interests included ownership of several popular bars and nightclubs including the old Pep McGuires on Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills which he renamed The Gardens.

He also owned another lounge on Hillside Avenue in the Floral Park area.

During the 1970s, Fat Patty “pushed in” on a Jewish vending machine operator from Long Island named Stanley Nankoff from Amityville who, years before, had been “with” (Tommy Ryan) Eboli before his killing.

Catalano became a silent “partner” having Nankoff provide him with a new Cadillac every few years and an occasional envelope.

At one point, Catalano was loosely affiliated with John (Sonny) Franzese (they came from the same area) and became close to Benny and Vinny Aloi, “hooking up” with that regime.

He also worked under acting underboss Jerry Langella, borrowing hundreds of thousands in “shylock” money to further “push” out in the street.

Side Note: Even after Langella got the 165 years in the Commission case, all Family members continued to pay him “interest” until the last Colombo war. Then most of it stopped to Langella’s chagrin.

Patty Brown

Fat Patty Catalano, who weighed a good 350 pounds or more, was never called Fat Patty to his face. He preferred to be called Patty Brown.

He was a very well-liked hood and friendly with many varied crews in different Families over the years.

An intelligent hoodlum, he might have been inducted years before except that Carmine Persico, for whatever reason, kept him out.

As a young man, Catalano was very close to the Gallo Gang. He may even have officially joined them until their conflict with Joe Profaci.

Catalano ran a moderately large regime active in the north Brooklyn and Queens areas.

His close associates over the years included the Aloi brothers, Charles Lombardo, Vincent Cascio, Joseph Pastore, Joseph Audino, Vito Guzzo, Sr., and Jr., Frank Boncimino, Jerry Lewis, and most members and associates from north Brooklyn and Queens.

During the Third Colombo War of the early 1990s, Catalano was one of many hoods subpoenaed before grand juries investigating the conflict.

A Heist Ring

In 1962, he was indicted for operating a hijacking ring with his kid brother Robert and others, including Joseph and Anthony Bello, Raymond DeStiso, and Joseph Pastore. They were accused of stealing over $500,000 in merchandise over 18 months.

Authorities said the gang's operation extended all along the eastern seaboard from Maine to Florida where they hijacked cargos of whiskey, cigarettes, garments, and electrical appliances.

All involved were all charged with conspiracy, grand larceny, interstate theft, and possession of stolen property.

Side Note: Also indicted was Joseph (Doo Doo) Pastore, a Colombo associate who would be murdered in the 1970s by future Bonanno Boss Joe Massino and his buddy Carmine (Tutti) Franzese (Sonny’s nephew.)

Some of their heists included:

$50,000 load of 1,000 cases of whiskey, (Brooklyn)

$50,000 load of cameras, jewelry, and radios (Fresh Meadows)

$150,000 shipment of cigarettes (Kearney, NJ)

$10,000 cargo of underwear (Manhattan)

$147,000 load of electric shavers (Hoboken, NJ)

The NYC police Hijacking Squad made raids on 13 locations and recovered $407,000 in stolen goods in a Driggs Avenue warehouse in Greenpoint. Two additional men were charged with possession of stolen goods.

School Lunch Scam

In the early 1980s, Catalano came under fire during the investigation by the NYS Organized Crime Task Force into an elaborate “scam” to bilk 11 government school lunch program suppliers of over $750,000 in seven states of foods, utensils, and services.

Supposedly supplying a Texas school district’s school lunch contract, the scammers conned multiple supply houses to provide food and other goods on credit, until the Texas school district submitted payment

Of course, they “busted out” their company (T & S Inc.), defrauding all the suppliers.

Charged with grand larceny, fraud by deception, and conspiracy, the fraud scheme was operated by Colombo associate Frank (Frankie Five Boros) Boncimino, a Catalano minion; Sheldon Weinstein; Gerard (Jerry) Lewis, and James Bushey.

Fat Patty Catalano was indicted for criminal contempt and perjury for lying when put before the investigating grand jury in upstate Tomkins County, which had indicted the others.

Social Club Loanshark Ring

In approximately 1995, Catalano, Salvatore Cambria, and Vincent Morena were arrested by the Queens D.A. for a large-scale loanshark ring operating out of Catalano’s Middle Village Social Club.

Authorities alleged the men charged between 3% and 5% weekly “vigorish” on loans ranging from $1,000 to $25,000 that they had out “on the street.”

They were all convicted by plea. Catalano took a sweet nine-month jail term as the alleged head of the ring. Cambria got a one to three-year stretch.

Pasquale (Patty) Catalano died after a short illness in 1999. He was 68 years old.

Until next time..."The Other Guy!"

Pasquale (Fat Patty) Catalano: The Hijacking Hoodlum

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Pasquale (Fat Patty) Catalano: The Hijacking Hoodlum

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