Speaking about the smaller families, many of these smaller crews didn't have a lot of mob "stars" in their ranks so to speak. But a definite exception was the DeCavalcante Family's Gaetano Vastola, better known as Corky.

He was a top mafioso for many decades since the 1950s, and earned millions. He was also a tough "piece of work" as the saying goes....here is his story


https://thenewyorkmafia.com/gaetano-vastola/

Seems to been well liked around the other family's. Maybe he slighted gotti when he was young and gotti held on to it. there Brooklyn guys and corky was only 12 yrs older. Argued on here was corky made in 58 maybe special guybin 62. Because it sounds like he was a made guy during the decav wire tap in 1962

Also read his brother was made guy. Also explains the closeness he had with genovese guys hes uncle being with that family. They shared that music racket.

Corky was around a long time and knew everybody. WAY before Gotti was even involved in the life. He was well liked, and respected too.

He earned well, and was no jerk off, he'd bust your head in a flash.

To my knowledge Corky had no brother. He had a brother in law Danny who was also a made guy in their crew. His uncle was a Genovese soldier named Swats Mulligan. Another well respected mob veteran.

Swats mulligan was a heavy.from what I understand he would murder people w ice picks in the 50s and 60s..Genovese soldier in jersey and Florida...believe he was close to Paulie Visterio one of the first leaders of the purple gang in the Bronx and Harlem and Don Arnow the founder of Cigarette Boats

I'm not all that familiar with his backstory although he ran an electricians union local years back and was into labor rackets, etc.

Do you mean Frank Viserto from E. Harlem? He was one of the founders of The Purple Gang up there in the mid-1970s.

yeah was thinking of Paulie Ciano and Frankie Vistero...I know Tony Pro was also very close to Frankie Vistero

Another brooklyn guy who gotti hated was carmine persico. He big times him in federal prison in the early 70tys when gotti wasnt made. Think he told him he couldn't sit at the made guy table. Could be fact could be fiction. But gotti hated him basically tried to install vic orena and started the bad blood in the colombo family

Good article. Could have when into a lot more depth about his doings in the 60s with the 4 seasons and him and Robert DB DiBernardo being with Big Frank Cocchiaro and all. He and DB were close back then and up until the time of DB's murder. I've read that's why Gotti disliked Corky. Because Corky made it know he disapproved of DB getting whacked. Remember, DB got whacked while Gotti was locked up on that trial. DB was a huge earner, respectful, and in no way was he "being subversive" as Angela or Gravano(whichever story you wanna believe) claimed.
https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=112979&relPageId=37&search=Vastola

Whats amazing is how many Decalvacante guys were in new york, brooklyn amd even queens. How did that happen? Its strange,

Got you covered! lol

https://thenewyorkmafia.com/robert-dibernardo/

Not sure the circumstances but I know the DeCavs had 2 social clubs in NY. One in Brooklyn and the other one was in Manhattan. Let me know if anyone wants the addresses.

Nice overview. Why didn't you include Mickey Zaffarano in the article? He was one of the 3 main targets in the MiPorn case and his story was probably the most interesting.

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I agree that Zaffarano is an interesting subject, but you have to draw the line somewhere in these articles otherwise they run on forever. Most of these bios are vignettes of their lives. I did not mean for them to be full stories from cradle to grave. There were many other guys who got pinched in the Miporn case as well. He had a few other top mafiosi friends as well that could be mentioned. But I can't include all of them right?

But I think Zaffarano is worthy of a stand alone bio. Maybe one of these days I'll get around to him as well. I've got about 15 guys I'm working on as we speak. It can get a bit daunting at some point. Lol

That could be rite about Db and corky. Something really stuck in gottis claw. He was still trying to have corky killed after he gets locked up for a few years in the late 80tys he got let out for a few months on appeal I'm thinking 89 90. Gotti was teting to have riggi get him but he was elusive think guys were tipping him off. Like I said seems to be well liked among the other family's. Gotti was rambling on one of the ravenite tapes about corky to I think john d'amato. Who probaly wasnt really going after corky. He went to jail again I think in 90 91 till 99. So he did a good 10+

There isn't enough standalone info out there to make Zaffarano an article at the most. Let's start at Mickey z. Who was his sponsor when he got made? Which regime was he initially put with? Which regime was he made Capo of and what area? And finally upon his indictment and subsequent heart attack,who took over his crew. 4 questions. Anyone has the answers let me know. Let NY Mafia answer first.

I don't know enough about Zaffarano to answer those questions of yours. I would have to first research him.

I can tell you he was a thief and around hustler until he locked into the porno. Then he made a ton. Ran the PussyCat theatre off 8th ave and 42st (I've been there a few times as a young guy lol), and was related to the Asaro's. Good guy, died of a massive heart attack as cops were raiding his porn offices. I do know he went back years with Joe Bonanno himself. that era.

But I do think a bio could probably be done on him. But how long it would be is another thing.we'll see. Maybe I'll take him on one of these days

Maybe the guys from different states were related. They say "blood is thicker than water".

I believe a few were related years back. But the Decaf always had a NYC presence. South Brooklyn, and the Astoria, Long Island City, and Jackson Heights sections of Queens were where most of the NY contingent came from. There were others who originated from Lower Manhattan as well.

From day 1..... it's always been that way. As far back as I can remember anyway.

Those Ribera guys are all over NYC.

Yes they were. a lot of Giacobbe's in Astoria, Cocchiaro's too. Joe Lolordo. Pete and Joe Galletta too until Pete moved out to LI. Etc etc.