Salvatore (Sally Pro) Profaci – The Boss’s Son

Salvatore Profaci - aka "Sally Pro" and "Jersey Sal" - was the son of boss Joe Profaci and would later become a capo overseeing a small crew of members and key associates of the Profaci/Colombo Family in New Jersey.

He's also the guy behind the infamous, oft-quoted mob saying, "Good fellows don’t sue good fellows. Good fellows kill good fellows,” which was caught on a wiretap back in 1992 (but there's more to that story as well...)

Salvatore J. (Sally Pro) Profaci - aka “Jersey Sal” - was born in 1937 in Brooklyn. He would later relocate out to Holmdel, New Jersey. He originally lived at 6 Galewood Drive in Holmdel and later moved to a beautiful custom-built estate on Disbrow Hill Road in the Hightstown section.

Salvatore (Sally Pro) Profaci

He had several brothers and cousins (one also named Salvatore) who would also become active on some level within the borgata or with family businesses. He was also related by marriage to the Zerilli/Tocco Family of Detroit. One of his sisters married the son of boss Joe Zerilli , and another married the son of Black Bill Tocco.

In addition, his cousin Rosalie (who was the daughter of his uncle Salvatore Profaci Sr. ) married Bill Bonanno, the son of boss Joe Bonanno .

Sal's activities included shylocking, extortion, business infiltration, labor rackets, and food supply rackets.

FBI # 754737J11

Sally Pro was known as a smart and savvy mafioso cut from his father’s cloth. Old Man Joe had “groomed” him very well in the customs and rules of “The Life” because he was often talked about with respect and awe in that he was an excellent negotiator and knew his way around the “sit-down” table.

An important point to remember is that Jersey Sal inherited not only his father’s name, tutelage, and business acumen but also an estate inheritance said to have been upwards of $50,000,000 dollars. So, Sal was a powerhouse in more ways than one.

Based in New Jersey

Profaci became based in New Jersey because of his father’s early purchase of a three-hundred-acre estate in the Hightstown section where the family would often go. So, he became very familiar with New Jersey early on.

By 1977, he would be tapped as the Family’s residing “capo di decina” for the state where he controlled, under his tutelage, all members and key associates that chose to reside there - an inducted crew of maybe seven to nine men at its maximum.

Profaci’s main strength came from his interest in Roma Foods, Inc., a huge multi-million dollar wholesale Italian foods and paper products firm that supplied over 800 pizzerias and Italian-style restaurants with mozzarella, flour, canned tomatoes, olive oils, pizza boxes, toppings, and a whole smorgasbord of products focused on the pizza industry.

Jersey Sal heading to court.

This company had its genesis in his father’s original Brooklyn-based companies Mamma Mia Imports and the Mamma Mia Packing Co., which Joe started way back at the end of the Prohibition era.

As a side note Sal's brother John, a legitimate businessman, later founded the Colavita Olive Oil Co., the popular, nationwide olive oil brand commonly found on our supermarket shelves.

Jersey Sal would later expand into other related industries, becoming a “consultant” using his lofty mob status to infiltrate and control varied companies and industries. One such company he was a "consultant" in was Eastern States Marketing in Matawan, which he also owned.

Although Profaci was educated and was ostensibly a legitimate businessman, he ran his mob crew according to traditional and accepted Cosa Nostra standards. He allowed his men to practice all the traditional rackets including gambling, shylocking, extortion, and strong-arm work, and received his fair share as their “capo.”

But personally, he always concentrated on immersing himself in a cloak of legitimacy, maintaining an image as a philanthropist and misunderstood businessman who just happened to have had a notorious father. However, the FBI wasn't buying it. Seen in the company of succeeding Family bosses over the years, they kept “Sally Pro” from Jersey on their radar.

Good Fellows Kill Good Fellows

During a separate investigation of New Jersey-based lawyer Salvatore Avena, Sally Pro was caught on an FBI “bug” planted in Avena’s office. It spoke volumes about Sal’s mentality and knowledge of mafia protocol.

In a conversation between the two Sals over Avena having brought a lawsuit against a Genovese Family garbage racketeer who Avena claimed had been stealing from him, Profaci schooled him in the ways of the mob saying, “Good fellows don’t sue good fellows. Good fellows kill good fellows.”

Actually, the conversation recorded in June of 1992 went like this:

"Did I do something wrong?" Avena asked Profaci.

"Well, you started a lawsuit. Good fellows don't sue good fellows," Profaci replied.

"Good fellows don't sue good fellows?" Avena retorted. "So, the thief could do as he pleases and that's it?"

To which Profaci responded: "Good fellows kill good fellows. I guess that's the way it is."

He then instructed Avena to immediately drop the lawsuit before Avena himself got clipped. Avena complied and eventually settled the matter out of court. Nonetheless, Profaci's "goodfellows" statement became something of a mob “mantra” and was often repeated in newspapers and books on the underworld.

But Profaci was also caught on tape saying this, another indication of Sal’s mentality and knowledge of mafia protocol:

"You know, to me Cosa Nostra's very sacred, okay, and my word is better than anything else that I got to offer."

As a side note, Avena was the son of former Philadelphia Mafia boss John "Big Nose" Avena as well as an alleged mobbed-up associate who represented many infamous mobsters including Angelo Bruno, Giuseppe Gambino of the Cherry Hill Gambinos , and John Stanfa. Avena also happened to be Sal Profaci's son-in-law.

A Wrong Choice

In ensuing years, Salvatore Profaci would be indicted for a conspiracy to extort and mail fraud in another racket scheme to dominate the paper cardboard industry in the state (he was using coercion tactics to force supermarkets and other big box stores to relinquish their paper waste to him for pennies) and tax matters. He would serve a four-year federal prison sentence.

Back in 1972, Sal was one of eight Colombo members indicted by the Brooklyn strike force for bank fraud. It was alleged that they had lied on loan applications and had bribed a compliant bank loan officer. No disposition on the case could be found.

In the late 1980s, Sal Profaci would be indicted for a conspiracy to extort and mail fraud in another racket scheme to dominate the paper cardboard industry in the state. He was using coercion tactics to force the A&P Supermarket chain and other big box stores to relinquish their paper waste to him for pennies.

Colombo Soldier Gus Spatafora was also indicted and convicted with Profaci in this case as well as an A&P executive named James Gow. Profaci would serve a four-year federal prison sentence.

While he was away, he elevated a veteran soldier named Salvatore (Tutti) Lombardino up to “acting capo” status to watch over the crew.

This would prove to be a mistake in that Lombardino and two other soldiers brothers Ray and Rocco Cagno would get indicted for the murder of James Randazzo. Randazzo, who was also a Colombo soldier, was suspected of being an informant .

Rocco Cagno ended up becoming an informant himself and testified at the murder trials of both Lombardino and his brother Ray. Both were convicted and ended up serving long prison terms.

At some point soon after, Profaci wisely stepped back from active participation in the rackets. By the time he was in his early 70s, he chose to retire.

Salvatore (Jersey Sal) Profaci died in 2018 at the comfortable age of 81, surrounded by his large, loving blood family and friends.

With his passing ended an era never to be seen again. As the son of an “original” founding member of the American Cosa Nostra, he carried the flag of that life with honor and reverence….and was a reminder to all of what had once been an intricate way of life for many.

Until next time..."The Other Guy"

Sal Profaci Picture Gallery

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Salvatore (Sally Pro) Profaci – The Boss’s Son

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Salvatore (Sally Pro) Profaci – The Boss’s Son

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You May Also Enjoy

Ferdinand (Freddy Red) DeLucia: A Profaci Family Top Torpedo

Albert Maione – “The KG”

John Lusterino – “He Pulled A Houdini”

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