Salvatore (Blackie) Graffagnino

Salvatore (Blackie) Graffagnino was a soldier in the Lucchese Family involved in armed robberies and served under capo Paul Vario Sr..

Salvatore (Blackie) Graffagnino -- aka Salvadore Graffagio, Sammy Graffagnino, Sam Graffagnino, Salvatore Greffaino, Sammy, Sam, Sol, Vito Marchese, and Black Sam -- was born December 20, 1912, at 2334 85th Street in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn to parents Itae and Mary Groffagnino, both Italian immigrants. He resided for many years at 163-15 86th Street in the Howard Beach section of Queens.

He was married to Vera (nee Marchese), who died in 1977. She was 63 years old. They had no children together.

Graffagnino stood 5 foot 9 inches tall and weighed a stocky 200 pounds, with gray hair and brown eyes. He had a bullet hole in his left knee, a bullet hole on his right hand, an 8-inch vertical abdominal scar, and a tattoo "SH" on his right forearm. He also owned a green 1969 Oldsmobile.

The FBI identified him and, in the 1983 U.S. Senate hearings, described him as a documented “soldier” in the Lucchese Family.

NYCPD # B-85449

He was registered as being the owner of the following garment businesses: Dawn Joy Fashions, Inc. at 501 7th Ave., NYC; L.T. Oe Cutting, Inc. at 247 W. 35th Street, NYC; Lieberman and Reynitsky Trucking at 213 W. 35th St., NYC.

Blackie was known to frequent Lenny's Clam Bar on Cross Bay Boulevard in Howard Beach and Mike's New Linden Bar in Queens. The FBI noted he was a known associate of Paul Vario.

By the time he was 26 years old, he had been arrested 11 times for assault, robbery, armed robbery, grand larceny, gun possession, and bank robbery (sentenced to 10 to 20 years).

In 1938, a dry cleaner’s mark in a topcoat left at a gang’s hideout, found by detectives in Laurel, Long Island, led to the arrest of Graffagnino.

He was one of five men who staged the armed robbery of $6,300 at the Mattituck National Bank & Trust Co. in Riverhead on Long Island. All five were caught, pled guilty, and were sentenced to long prison terms at Sing Sing.

Those sentenced besides Graffagnino included Lawrence Taylor, Joseph Fulton, Charles Rickleef, and Billy Hokenski.

Brooklyn detectives had nabbed Graffagnino as he pulled up to the curb of his home in a brand new $1,300 car. He later admitted to the robbery and stated he bought the automobile with his robbery proceeds.

In 1972, he was brought before a Kings County grand jury as part of D.A. Eugene Gold’s probe of hundreds of mob figures and policemen who visited capo Paul Vario's trailer office and mob headquarters in a Canarsie junkyard. The authorities had “bugged” the office, which was eventually called the “Gold Bug” after Gold.

Subpoenas were sent out for 677 mobsters who had either visited the trailer or were mentioned in the bug. It was discovered that Graffagnino, Salvatore Ferrugia, Anthony Leone of the Bonanno Family, and Anthony Ruggiano of the Gambinos were among the mobsters who visited the trailer.

In later years, “Blackie” Graffagnino had kept a very low profile. Nothing more was heard from him. He probably served in the regime of either Vario or Christopher Furnari, both Brooklyn capos.

Salvatore (Blackie) Graffagnino died on February 21, 1990, at age 78.

Until next time…”The Other Guy”

Salvatore (Blackie) Graffagnino

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Salvatore (Blackie) Graffagnino

Often Imitated. Never Duplicated. Button Guys of The New York Mafia...There's Only One!

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