As a member of the Genovese Family, Tough Joey Rao was considered one of the most feared and respected hoodlums in the entire city of New York.
A true “original,” he dated back to the days of Dutch Schultz, Vincent (Mad Dog) Coll, and Jack (Legs) Diamond.
Rao began his career with liquor bootlegging during the Prohibition era and expanded to many other lucrative rackets afterward.
Read on to learn more about the life of Tough Joey Rao.