Anthony Gizzo
Encyclopedia
Anthony Robert Gizzo was born in New York City
and was known as "Tony". He was a Kansas City, Missouri
mobster with the Cosa Nostra and a boss of the Kansas City crime family
.
In the early 1920s, after being arrested on a narcotics charge, Gizzo attempted to bribe a federal officer with $10,000 ($ today). Gizzo was convicted and in 1924 served one year and a day at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas
.
Gizzo was a close friend of mobster Charles Binaggio
. In 1930, Gizzo and Binaggio were arrested in Denver, Colorado
, on a minor charge. During this time, both men were lieutenants to Kansas City North End political boss John Lazia
in his illegal gambling operations. Gizzo soon became known as one of the five "Iron Men" due to his underworld clout.
In 1950, with Binaggio's murder, it is believed that Gizzo assumed leadership of the Kansas City family.
During this time period, Gizzo testified in Kansas City before the U.S. Senate Kefauver Committee in its investigations of organized crime. At one point, a senator asked Gizzo if he belonged to the Mafia
. Gizzo replied,
Later on, Gizzo had the following exchange with the Committee when asked if he knew Balestrere:
On April 1, 1953 Gizzo died of a heart attack in Dallas, Texas
.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and was known as "Tony". He was a Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
mobster with the Cosa Nostra and a boss of the Kansas City crime family
Kansas City crime family
The Kansas City crime family, also known as the Civella crime family, is a Mafia family based in Kansas City, Missouri.-Early history:...
.
In the early 1920s, after being arrested on a narcotics charge, Gizzo attempted to bribe a federal officer with $10,000 ($ today). Gizzo was convicted and in 1924 served one year and a day at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas
Leavenworth, Kansas
Leavenworth is the largest city and county seat of Leavenworth County, in the U.S. state of Kansas and within the Kansas City, Missouri Metropolitan Area. Located in the northeast portion of the state, it is on the west bank of the Missouri River. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
.
Gizzo was a close friend of mobster Charles Binaggio
Charles Binaggio
Charles Binaggio was a Missouri gangster who became the boss of the Kansas City crime family and concocted a bold plan to control the police forces in Kansas City, Missouri and St...
. In 1930, Gizzo and Binaggio were arrested in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, on a minor charge. During this time, both men were lieutenants to Kansas City North End political boss John Lazia
John Lazia
John Lazia, also known as "Brother John" , was an American organized crime figure in Kansas City, Missouri, during the prohibition period in the United States.-Early years:...
in his illegal gambling operations. Gizzo soon became known as one of the five "Iron Men" due to his underworld clout.
In 1950, with Binaggio's murder, it is believed that Gizzo assumed leadership of the Kansas City family.
During this time period, Gizzo testified in Kansas City before the U.S. Senate Kefauver Committee in its investigations of organized crime. At one point, a senator asked Gizzo if he belonged to the Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
. Gizzo replied,
- "What is the Mafia? I don’t even know what the Mafia is."
Later on, Gizzo had the following exchange with the Committee when asked if he knew Balestrere:
- "Yes, sir", Gizzo replied.
- '"He is rather widely known as a prominent man in the Mafia, isn’t he?" asked the committee.
- "That’s what you hear," said Gizzo.
- "What did you hear?" questioned the committee.
- "The same thing that you just said there", answered Gizzo
On April 1, 1953 Gizzo died of a heart attack in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
.