Joseph Caridi
Encyclopedia
Joseph "Joe C." Caridi a New York mobster and current Consigliere
of the Lucchese crime family
.
into the Lucchese crime family, then under the leadership of boss Victor Amuso
. When Amuso was sent to prison in the early 1990s, Caridi became the caporegime
of the Long Island
and Queens factions, assisted by Lucchese mobster John Cerrella. They became top members of the Long Island and Queens faction. Caridi was later nicknamed by the media as the "Tony Soprano of Long Island". Caridi resides in Northport, New York
.
In 2001, Caridi took control of the Hudson & McCoy Fish House, a restaurant in Freeport, Long Island, after the owner asked him for help. The owner's partner Lewis Kasman, a Gambino crime family
associate, had been stealing money from the restaurant. Caridi successfully removed Lewis and then started stealing money himself. At one point, Caridi was extorting up to $10,000 per night from the restaurant. Caridi also forced the owner to buy his bread from a mob-affiliated supplier.
was promoted to acting boss, allowing Caridi to be promoted to consigliere. On November 14, 2002, Caridi was indicted on state charges of extorting money from an adult video store, loan sharking, and illegal gambling along with Lucchese family members John "Johnny Sideburns" Cerrella and Vincent "Vinny Casablanca" Mancione. On December 10, 2002, Caridi was indicted federal charges of extorting money from the Hudson & McCoy Fish House, based on testimony from former acting boss Joseph "Little Joe" DeFede
and soldier Vincent Salanardi. The government had over 1,000 hours of taped conversations of Caridi and other Lucchese family members.
On March 23, 2003, Caridi pleaded guilty to extortion and to federal tax evasion
between 1997 and 2002. Caridi also admitted running a sports betting
operation from his house in East Northport, New York
. As part of this federal plea agreement, the State of New York dropped its November 2002 charges. On December 18, 2003, Caridi was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison. In a separate case in 2003 the acting boss Louis Daidone was convicted and received a life sentence, this promoted Caridi to official consigliere.
Caridi served his sentence at the Allenwood Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) in Allenwood, Pennsylvania before being released on November 27, 2009. His ally Cerrella was released from prison the same day.
Consigliere
Consigliere is a position within the leadership structure of Sicilian and American Mafia crime families. The word was popularized by Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather , and its film adaptation...
of the Lucchese crime family
Lucchese crime family
The Lucchese 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 family originated in the early 1920s with Gaetano "Tommy" Reina serving as boss up until his murder...
.
Lucchese family
In the mid 1980s, Caridi was reportedly inductedMade man
A made man, also known as a Mafioso , made guy, man of honor, or uomo d'onore , is someone who has been officially inducted into the Sicilian or American Mafia . They may also be referred to by some as a goodfella or wiseguy...
into the Lucchese crime family, then under the leadership of boss Victor Amuso
Victor Amuso
Vittorio "Little Vic" Amuso is a New York mobster and, as of 2011, the reputed Boss of the Lucchese crime family. Amuso is currently serving life at the Federal Correctional Complex in Beaumont, Texas on murder and racketeering charges....
. When Amuso was sent to prison in the early 1990s, Caridi became the caporegime
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...
of the Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
and Queens factions, assisted by Lucchese mobster John Cerrella. They became top members of the Long Island and Queens faction. Caridi was later nicknamed by the media as the "Tony Soprano of Long Island". Caridi resides in Northport, New York
Northport, New York
Northport is a village in Suffolk County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the village population was 7,606. Students attend the Northport-East Northport Union Free School District....
.
In 2001, Caridi took control of the Hudson & McCoy Fish House, a restaurant in Freeport, Long Island, after the owner asked him for help. The owner's partner Lewis Kasman, a 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...
associate, had been stealing money from the restaurant. Caridi successfully removed Lewis and then started stealing money himself. At one point, Caridi was extorting up to $10,000 per night from the restaurant. Caridi also forced the owner to buy his bread from a mob-affiliated supplier.
Consigliere
The power in the Lucchese family shifted in early 2001, when Louis "Louie Bagels" DaidoneLouis Daidone
Louis "Louie Bagels" Daidone is a New York mobster and former acting boss of the Lucchese crime family.-Sidewalk soldier:...
was promoted to acting boss, allowing Caridi to be promoted to consigliere. On November 14, 2002, Caridi was indicted on state charges of extorting money from an adult video store, loan sharking, and illegal gambling along with Lucchese family members John "Johnny Sideburns" Cerrella and Vincent "Vinny Casablanca" Mancione. On December 10, 2002, Caridi was indicted federal charges of extorting money from the Hudson & McCoy Fish House, based on testimony from former acting boss Joseph "Little Joe" DeFede
Joseph DeFede
Joseph "Little Joe" DeFede is a New York City mobster and former acting boss of the Lucchese crime family who eventually turned informant.-Early years:...
and soldier Vincent Salanardi. The government had over 1,000 hours of taped conversations of Caridi and other Lucchese family members.
On March 23, 2003, Caridi pleaded guilty to extortion and to federal tax evasion
Tax evasion
Tax evasion is the general term for efforts by individuals, corporations, trusts and other entities to evade taxes by illegal means. Tax evasion usually entails taxpayers deliberately misrepresenting or concealing the true state of their affairs to the tax authorities to reduce their tax liability,...
between 1997 and 2002. Caridi also admitted running a sports betting
Sports betting
Sports betting is the activity of predicting sports results and placing a wager on the outcome.-United States of America:Aside from simple wagers such as betting a friend that one's favorite baseball team will win its division or buying a football "square" for the Super Bowl, sports betting is...
operation from his house in East Northport, New York
East Northport, New York
East Northport is a hamlet and census-designated place in the Town of Huntington in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 20,845 at the 2000 census.-Founding:...
. As part of this federal plea agreement, the State of New York dropped its November 2002 charges. On December 18, 2003, Caridi was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison. In a separate case in 2003 the acting boss Louis Daidone was convicted and received a life sentence, this promoted Caridi to official consigliere.
Caridi served his sentence at the Allenwood Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) in Allenwood, Pennsylvania before being released on November 27, 2009. His ally Cerrella was released from prison the same day.