This crew is best known publicly for their infamous exploits as the robbery gang that pulled off the daring $5.8 million Lufthansa heist at JFK International Airport in Queens, New York in 1978. But they were so much more than that.
The historical introduction and hierarchy chart that follows documents the life and times of the legendary Lucchese Family caporegime Paul Vario. It also identifies his crew of deadly soldiers and associates, including his notorious Irish sidekick, “Jimmy the Gent” Burke.
Born and raised in East New York, and later operating from nearby Canarsie, Brooklyn, by their late teens, Paul Vario and his brothers were quickly becoming a notorious bunch. By the late 1950s, the Varios, led by Paul and Salvatore (Babe), were becoming one of the largest organized crime factions in Kings County. By the time the 1960s rolled around, they were branching out even further into Queens County and onto Long Island.
Born in 1913, the most notorious of the brothers was Paul Vario Sr. During the 1950s, Paulie and his brother Babe were formally inducted into the Brooklyn branch of what was then known as the Gaetano Gagliano Family of East Harlem. By 1953 or so, Family underboss Gaetano (Tommy Brown) Lucchese had succeeded Gagliano to become the new leader.
With a disheveled look and crude disposition, the often-foul-mouthed Vario had an intimidating personality and was a very aggressive hoodlum. A few years after getting his “button,” he was elevated from “soldier” status to a “capo di decina” position within the newly named Lucchese Family.
Although their traditional home base was the East Harlem and Bronx sections of the city, nonetheless, over the years, the Lucchese Family also developed a large Brooklyn-based membership under the auspices of two “regimes” they formed. One regime was headed by capo Christopher (Christy Ticker) Furnari. A second regime was led by the newly appointed Paul Vario who had inherited a large and active crew.
In time, Paulie would add even more men to this crew as “associates,” many of whom he later sponsored for formal membership into the ranks of the Family.
