Joseph Zerilli

"Black Bill" Tocco & "Joe" Zerilli (1931)

Joseph "Joe the old Man" Zerilli (born Giuseppe Zerilli ), also known as " Joe Uno " or " Joe Z. " (born December 10, 1897 in Terrasini ( Sicily ); † October 30, 1977 in Wayne County (Michigan ) ), was an Italian-American mobster of the American Cosa Nostra and for about four decades the official head of the Zerilli family (Detroit Crime Family) , also known as the Detroit Partnership or Detroit Combination .

Life

Joseph Zerilli was born under the name Giuseppe Zerilli in Terrasini ( Sicily ) as the son of Anthony and Rosalie Zerilli and emigrated to the United States at the age of 17 .

At the beginning of Prohibition , during his time as a day laborer at the Detroit Gas Company , Zerilli worked in the early 1920s with the Purple Gang , an association of mostly young Jewish emigrants who criminalized themselves and appeared as thieves and armed robbers. Zerilli worked with bullies like Gaspar Milazzo in illegal business areas such as credit usury, extortion, drug trafficking, union corruption and bookmaking. At that time, the Mafioso Angelo Meli was appointed by the head of the family, Salvatore Catalanotte, to lead a faction called the Eastside Mob , to which "Bill" Tocco and "Joe" Zerilli would serve as right-hands.

In 1931, Tocco came to the head of the organization and Zerilli was made the official underboss , and Angelo Meli served as consigliere . Tocco's reign lasted for about 5 years until he was charged with tax evasion in March 1936. He resigned due to legal problems and Joe Zerilli became his direct successor. Despite Tocco being sentenced to eight years in prison, he remained Zerillis number two as an underboss until his official retirement in 1963.

Joseph "Joe Z." Zerilli led the family for the next 4 decades, until his death in 1977; In the history of the American Cosa Nostra, only a few other bosses had achieved such a long tenure as official boss. B. Stefano Magaddino from Buffalo , James Lanza from San Francisco and Carmine Persico, Jr. of the Colombo family from New York City . Zerilli became one of the most influential and respected Mafia bosses in America and also held a seat on the American Mafia Commission from the early 1960s . Joe Z. went into semi-retirement in 1964 and appointed his son Anthony Joseph Zerilli , also known as "Tony Z.", as acting boss; However, this was imprisoned 1974-1979 together with his consigliere Giovanni Priziola and his father took over the full management again during this time, until his death.

Although associated with numerous underworld murders, Zerilli has only been found guilty of two criminal charges in his life; Speeding and illegal gun possession.

Joseph Zerilli died of natural causes on October 30, 1977 and was laid to rest in the Mount Olivet Cemetery in Detroit.

Individual evidence

1. ^ Find a Grave - Joe Zerilli (1897–1977) at findagrave.com
2. ↑ Viral Nova - 7 Mafia Families That Are not From New York Or Chicago
3. ↑ The American Mafia - Detroit Crime Bosses
4. ^ Geocities - Michael Santo Polizzi