Salvatore (Sally the Sheik) Mussachio – The Colombo Family’s Sheik

Salvatore (Sally the Sheik) Mussachio was an early member of what became the Profaci Family . He was suspected of being part of many gangland killings including that of Joe Colombo's father .

He was also one of the men kidnapped by Larry and Joe Gallo during the Profaci-Gallo War in the early 1960s.

Continue reading for more about the life of Sally the Sheik Mussachio.

Sally the Sheik Mussachio - Early Life

Salvatore (Sally the Sheik) Mussachio was born in 1907 in Italy and was an early member of what became the Profaci Family.

He was related by marriage to the Magliocco/Profaci families as his daughter married one of Joe Magliocco's sons.

He lived and operated in his early years primarily in Brooklyn. By the early 1960s, following the building boom on Long Island, Sally the Sheik Mussachio moved to a new home at 2947 Murdock Avenue in Wantagh.

Sally the Sheik Mussachio

He was a close associate of John (Johnny Bath Beach) Oddo , Cassandro (Tony the Chief) Bonasera, Joseph (The Old Man) Profaci, Salvatore (Sal) Profaci , Joseph (Joe Malyak) Magliocco, Sebastiano (Buster) Aloi, and Antonio (Tony) Colombo, among many others.

He even served side by side with the notorious Sonny Franzese and then at some point served under Franzese.

Murder, Gambling, and Other Mayhem

Sally the Sheik Mussachio was a very active member of the Profaci Family who was pulled in for questioning many times over the years in connection to gangland killings and mob activity.

He was a suspect. with several others, in the 1938 gangland double-murder of 42-year-old Antonio (Nino) Colombo and his 24-year-old girlfriend Christina Oliveri who were both married - but not to each other - at the time of their killing.

Nino was future boss Joe Colombo’s father.

Mussachio was active in gambling, shylock, and extortion.

He piled up over 22 arrests over the years including bookmaking (twice), vagrancy (seven times), conspiracy, possession of a gun, burglary, attempted extortion, unlawful entry, robbery (three times), assault, and disorderly conduct (three times).

He was convicted only twice of unlawful entry and bookmaking , and never saw the inside of a prison!

An inveterate gambler, and although highly respected by the old-timers, Mussachio was known as a “brokester” who was constantly broke and borrowing money from fellow members and anyone he could.

It was an embarrassment that eventually diminished him in the eyes of the hierarchy.

Nevertheless, he became partners over the years in a profitable fuel oil company and the famed Sapienza Bakery in Elmont, Long Island.

Kidnapped by the Gallos

Sally the Sheik Mussachio's name was publicized during the Gallo-Profaci War as one of five men kidnapped by the Gallo gang as a negotiating tool with Joe Profaci .

Others included Frank Profaci, Joe Magliocco, Joe Colombo, and John Scimone. These men represented the underboss, consigliere, several top capos, and Profaci’s driver-bodyguard.

Headline about the kidnappings.

They had also intended to seize Joe Profaci himself and had reportedly just missed snatching him at his New Jersey compound.

Unprecedented in their audacity, moxie, and sheer balls, the Gallo Gang, with Larry Gallo as their spokesman, laid out their gripes and voiced their dissatisfaction to Joe Profaci and later to the entire Commission, which had tried to intercede in this crazy conflict before things got any more out of hand than they already were.

For his part, Joe Profaci stated that he would unequivocally not negotiate with the rebels until all his men were released from captivity. Only then would he sit down and negotiate an amicable settlement for all.

In a sign of good faith, the Gallos released all their “prisoners”. Profaci had given them his word, so they felt that they had the upper hand and things would get better from this point forward.

Big mistake!

With the release of his brother Frank, brother-in-law Magliocco, in-law Mussachio, and his other men, Profaci declared unmitigated war against all the rebels.

He gave the order for them to be wiped out!

A Change of Guard

During the Profaci regime, and subsequently the Magliocco regime after Profaci’s death, Mussachio served in varying capacities as caporegime, underboss, and acting consigliere.

With Magliocco’s expulsion and Colombo’s ascension to Family Boss, Sally the Sheik Mussachio was demoted to Family soldier.

Other old-timers were demoted as well, including Salvatore Badalamente, Simone Andolino , John Oddo, and others, making way for younger men to accede to positions of prominence in the Family.

With this restructuring of the Family and Mussachio's aging, he slowly faded into the background.

He is believed to have died by the early to mid-1970s.

Sally the Sheik on Mob Fireside Chat

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Salvatore (Sally the Sheik) Mussachio – The Colombo Family’s Sheik

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Salvatore (Sally the Sheik) Mussachio – The Colombo Family’s Sheik

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