Frank Piccolo
Encyclopedia
Frank Louis Piccolo was a caporegime
in the Gambino crime family
in Bridgeport, Connecticut
who became involved in a famous extortion
case with singer Wayne Newton
.
Frank was the only son of Francesco and Fannie Lanza. He stood at 6 ft (1.8 m) tall and weighed 200 pounds (90.7 kg) with black hair, brown eyes, and had a husky build. He was married tio Virginia Paglinco and was the father of four children. Newton turned to Piccolo for help with threats he was receiving from other organized crime figures in his effort to purchase the now-demolished Aladdin Hotel and Casino
in Las Vegas
. Piccolo and his cousin Guido Penosi were charged with conspiring to extort money and 'valuable rights' from Newton and entertainer Lola Falana
. When the National Broadcasting Company
broke the story, Newton sued them and lost. Piccolo was central in the libel case
Piccolo was reportedly killed on the orders of Paul Castellano
, then Gambino family boss. Piccolo was killed because he had become embroiled in a power struggle with Connecticut's Genovese crime family
. This feud threatened lucrative constructions rackets the Gambino family held with the Genovese family.
Caporegime
A caporegime or capodecina, usually shortened to just a capo, is a term used in the Mafia for a high ranking made member of a crime family who heads a "crew" of soldiers and has major social status and influence in the organization...
in the Gambino crime family
Gambino crime family
The Gambino crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The group is named after Carlo Gambino, boss of the family at the time of the McClellan hearings in 1963...
in Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
who became involved in a famous extortion
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
case with singer Wayne Newton
Wayne Newton
Wayne Newton is an American singer and entertainer based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He performed over 30,000 solo shows in Las Vegas over a period of over 40 years, earning him the nicknames The Midnight Idol, Mr. Las Vegas and Mr. Entertainment...
.
Frank was the only son of Francesco and Fannie Lanza. He stood at 6 ft (1.8 m) tall and weighed 200 pounds (90.7 kg) with black hair, brown eyes, and had a husky build. He was married tio Virginia Paglinco and was the father of four children. Newton turned to Piccolo for help with threats he was receiving from other organized crime figures in his effort to purchase the now-demolished Aladdin Hotel and Casino
Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino
Planet Hollywood Las Vegas, previously known as The Aladdin, is a casino resort on the Las Vegas Strip, in the unincorporated locale of Paradise, Nevada, United States. Westgate Resorts operates the condo portion of the property, known as PH Towers by Westgate.Planet Hollywood is owned by Caesars...
in Las Vegas
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
. Piccolo and his cousin Guido Penosi were charged with conspiring to extort money and 'valuable rights' from Newton and entertainer Lola Falana
Lola Falana
Lola Falana is an American singer, dancer, and actress of Cuban and African American descent. Falana's father left Cuba to become a welder in the United States, where he met his wife...
. When the National Broadcasting Company
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
broke the story, Newton sued them and lost. Piccolo was central in the libel case
Piccolo was reportedly killed on the orders of Paul Castellano
Paul Castellano
Constantino Paul "Big Paul" Castellano , also known as "The Howard Hughes of the Mob" and "Big Paulie" , was an American Mafia boss in New York City. He succeeded Carlo Gambino as head of the Gambino crime family, at the time, the nation's largest Mafia family...
, then Gambino family boss. Piccolo was killed because he had become embroiled in a power struggle with Connecticut's Genovese crime family
Genovese crime family
The Genovese crime family , is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The Genovese crime family has been nicknamed the "Ivy League" and "Rolls Royce" of organized crime...
. This feud threatened lucrative constructions rackets the Gambino family held with the Genovese family.