Vincenzo (Vinny) Aloi: Businessman Mafioso

Vincenzo (Vinny) Aloi served as a top capo and Colombo Family “acting boss” after boss Joe Colombo was shot in 1971

Vincenzo (Vinny) Aloi was born in 1933 in Brooklyn, NY. He was raised at 117th Avenue in the Ozone Park section of Queens. After getting married, he relocated and has resided for years, since approximately 1964, at 6 Maurice Lane in Ramapo in Suffern, NY. He also has a winter home in Delray Beach, Florida, where he is currently said to spend most of his time.

Vincenzo (Vinny) Aloi

Vinny is the son of old-time Profaci “capo di decina” Sebastiano (Buster) Aloi. He also has several younger brothers who followed him and his dad into “the life," including Benedetto (Benny) and Sebastian Jr., both listed as (inducted) members of the Colombo Family (formerly Profaci).

FBI #5034958, NYPD #B-487654

By the late 1950s, Vinny Aloi had been identified as a “soldier” in the Family serving under his father. His activities included garment racketeering, shylocking, stock fraud, extortion, and gambling.

By the early to mid-1960s, the FBI and several confidential informants had named him a newly selected “captain” and very close associate of newly named Family Boss Joseph Colombo.

Aloi would go on to serve the borgata as a top capo and its “acting boss” after the shooting of Colombo in 1971, in tandem with Tommy Di Bella, before Persico took over in the late 1970s, and again during the turmoil of the third Colombo-Orena War of the early 1990s.

For the next 40 years, Aloi would serve “on and off” many times in various “administration” positions during the near-constant turmoil of this Family.

Although reluctant because of his preference for the “shadows,” he nonetheless became a de facto “consigliere,” providing advice as the Family needed it over the years!

Side Note: It’s widely known in the mob that Aloi is arguably the savviest member in the Family, and one of the most knowledgeable mafiosi as far as “the rules go”.

He knows proper Mafia decorum probably better than any other member (with the possible exception of Sonny)......Bustiano taught him very well!

Aloi is business-conscious and legitimate businesses have always been a priority for him.

He had invested over the years in:

Pixie Girls Coat Co., of 1333 Broadway, Manhattan - listed as a salesman in 1957 (started by his dad.)

Cameo Flower Shop, Inc., 149-03 Jamaica Avenue, Queens - manager and vice president earning $12,000 a year as of 1964.

Capitalizing on his father’s original financial interests in the garment district, Vinny bought, developed, and over the years expanded, several garment trucking firms originally based in NYC, until later expanding into New Jersey where he bought a complex of buildings and land from which he today bases a huge garment trucking and storage warehousing complex.

His kids (Robert, Vincent, Sebastian, and their sister) are now in business with their dad. It has become a valuable multi-million dollar concern.

Utilizing his power as a “caporegime” and highly-respected mafioso, he leveraged his influence to manipulate the ILGWU (International Ladies Garment Workers Union) and other rag-trade industry-related unions to ensure a steady series of dress factory accounts to keep his trucks rolling and his warehouse full.

His influence also helped to keep his companies “non-union” or with “sweetheart” contracts, thereby giving the Aloi’s the “edge” in business!

In 1968, Vinny was one of six top Mafia leaders arrested during a crime “confab” (a suspected mini-Commission meeting) in midtown Manhattan at the “House of Chan” Chinese Restaurant.

They were all charged with loitering as part of a harassment campaign against the mob!

Also picked up by detectives were Carlo Gambino, Joseph Colombo, and Angelo Bruno (three Family bosses) and three top capos in Aloi, Thomas Masotto, and John Simone.

The charges were later dismissed!

In 1970, Aloi was one of 16 top mafiosi indicted in a complex 72-count charge for an initial $300,000 securities fraud manipulation of the stock in a New Jersey car rental business (“At Your Service Leasing”).

Fraudster and conman, Michael Hellerman, had been the point-man in the scheme, later turning informant, testifying against the likes of John (Johnny Dio) Dioguardi, Carmine Tramunti, John Savino, Sebastiano (Buster) Aloi, Pasquale (Checko Brown) Fusco, Ralph Lombardo, and Vinny (The Sicilian) Gugliaro, in addition to Aloi and several others.

This was a multi-pronged fraud which also included the strong-arm takeover of a Miami stock investments firm used to defraud the public of several million dollars by selling other additional worthless stocks among the conspirators to pump up the value, that was then dumped on the public for massive profits.

In 1973, on a split verdict, five were acquitted. The rest were convicted after a jury trial.

Aloi received a stiff sentence of 9 years in federal prison. Dioguardi, Lombardo, and Savino were jailed for 10, 5 and 2.5 years respectively.

In 1973, Aloi, as “acting head” of the Family at the time, was convicted of perjury after a jury trial. He had been accused of lying about being present at a Nyack apartment to plan the killing of Joey Gallo.

He received a 7-year jail term to run consecutively to the 9-year term he got for the stock fraud -- a total of 16 years! He was paroled in 1985.

During hearings in 1991, the New Jersey Commission of Investigations named Aloi a top garment industry racketeer. He was said to hold ownership in or had control of the following entities:

TSI-City Carriers Corp. (trucking firm)

Via Motor Service (VMS) (trucking firm)

Industry associations (trucking firm)

Master Truckmen of America (MTA) (industry association)

Greater Blouse, Skirt and Undergarment Assn. (industry association)

Local #102 - ILGWU (key industry union)

Through these entities, he had ironclad control of a good segment of the garment industry.

Today, Vinny Aloi is semi-retired at 86 years old and a very wealthy man!

His garment industry-related maze of companies boasts a multi-million-dollar revenue. Among his holdings are a huge apparel trucking company and related warehousing, dress factories, and supply houses.

He owns numerous properties and buildings in New York, New Jersey, and Florida.

His family has holdings and hidden interests in several additional businesses...... after several active generations in “the life”, he has made sure to provide a legitimate life for his children and his children’s children!

As an original mafioso who was at the very foundation and formation of the American Cosa Nostra, his dad Bustiano Aloi had laid the groundwork for his sons to thrive in the Mafia. It’s all Buster ever knew! And thrive they have!

But Vinny made sure to capitalize on his “button” and vast underworld acumen to elevate his children to another level of success! That of legitimate businessmen!

Today, although very much revered and respected in Cosa Nostra, and with still a ton of “juice”, so to speak, he sits back and enjoys watching his sons and grandchildren at the helm of the Aloi family business empire! He is a very proud man!

Until next time..."The Other Guy"

Vincenzo (Vinny) Aloi: Businessman Mafioso

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Vincenzo (Vinny) Aloi: Businessman Mafioso

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