Rosario DeSimone
Encyclopedia
Rosario "the Chief" DeSimone (December 11, 1873 - July 15, 1946), was the head of an Italian crime family that was the predecessor to the Los Angeles crime family
of the American Mafia
from 1922 to 1925. Rosario was the father of the future California
mob boss, Frank DeSimone
.
, Sicily
in Italy on December 11, 1873. He initially settled in New Orleans before moving to Pueblo, Colorado
. In Pueblo he was part of that city's Mafia organization, and was evidently well-respected. He joined Vito Di Giorgio
in Los Angeles and became his underboss. Upon Di Giorgio's death in Chicago in 1922, he became the boss.
His empire spanned over Los Angeles County. He later became a legitimate businessman who settled in Downey, California
. Rosario died of natural causes in 1946. His rule in the Los Angeles family was brief, and he stepped down around 1925. He was succeeded by Joseph Ardizzone
.
and became a successful Los Angeles surgeon. DeSimone fathered two sons by his second wife Rosalia Cordo. Frank DeSimone
, his second son, became a criminal attorney and later don of the crime family, reigning from 1956 to 1967. His third son, Joseph, became a dentist. His first and third sons had no interest in leading a life of crime. DeSimone also had two daughters, Josephine and Towina.
Several of Rosario's other descendants also became involved in the Mafia. They include his grandsons Thomas DeSimone
, Robert DeSimone
, Anthony DeSimone, and Joseph DeSimone. Others include his granddaughter Dolores DeSimone and relatives Franky DeSimone, Ralph DeSimone, Phil DeSimone, and James DeSimone
.
Los Angeles crime family
The Los Angeles crime family is an Italian American criminal organization based in Los Angeles, as part of the American Mafia . Since its inception in the early 1900s, it has spread throughout Southern California. Like most Mafia families in the United States, the L.A. family gained power...
of the American Mafia
American Mafia
The American Mafia , is an Italian-American criminal society. Much like the Sicilian Mafia, the American Mafia has no formal name and is a secret criminal society. Its members usually refer to it as Cosa Nostra or by its English translation "our thing"...
from 1922 to 1925. Rosario was the father of the future California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
mob boss, Frank DeSimone
Frank DeSimone
Frank A. DeSimone was the Boss of the Los Angeles crime family from 1956 to 1967. DeSimone was the son of former don Rosario DeSimone. He was sometime referred to as "One Eye" because one of his eyes drooped, in the same way as Charles "Lucky" Luciano...
.
Biography
DeSimone was born in SalaparutaSalaparuta
Salaparuta is a town and comune in South-Western Sicily, Italy, in the valley of the Belice river, administratively part of the province of Trapani. It had 1,781 inhabitants as of 2007....
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
in Italy on December 11, 1873. He initially settled in New Orleans before moving to Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. The population was 106,595 in 2010 census, making it the 246th most populous city in the United States....
. In Pueblo he was part of that city's Mafia organization, and was evidently well-respected. He joined Vito Di Giorgio
Vito Di Giorgio
Vito Di Giorgio was an early crime boss of the Los Angeles crime family. Originally from Palermo, Sicily, Di Giorgio lived most of his life as a grocer in New Orleans. While he lived in Los Angeles he was known as a wealthy food importer. During his New Orleans years he was an active Black Hander...
in Los Angeles and became his underboss. Upon Di Giorgio's death in Chicago in 1922, he became the boss.
His empire spanned over Los Angeles County. He later became a legitimate businessman who settled in Downey, California
Downey, California
Downey is a city located in southeast Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city is best known as the birthplace of the Apollo space program, and is the city where folk singer Karen Carpenter lived and died...
. Rosario died of natural causes in 1946. His rule in the Los Angeles family was brief, and he stepped down around 1925. He was succeeded by Joseph Ardizzone
Joseph Ardizzone
Joseph "Iron Man" Ardizzone was an early Los Angeles mobster, who became the first Boss of the Los Angeles crime family. He was involved in a long-standing feud with the Matranga family, and became the only Los Angeles boss to be murdered by his own men...
.
Family
DeSimone married and fathered several children. His son by his first wife, Leon DeSimone, graduated from Stanford UniversityStanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
and became a successful Los Angeles surgeon. DeSimone fathered two sons by his second wife Rosalia Cordo. Frank DeSimone
Frank DeSimone
Frank A. DeSimone was the Boss of the Los Angeles crime family from 1956 to 1967. DeSimone was the son of former don Rosario DeSimone. He was sometime referred to as "One Eye" because one of his eyes drooped, in the same way as Charles "Lucky" Luciano...
, his second son, became a criminal attorney and later don of the crime family, reigning from 1956 to 1967. His third son, Joseph, became a dentist. His first and third sons had no interest in leading a life of crime. DeSimone also had two daughters, Josephine and Towina.
Several of Rosario's other descendants also became involved in the Mafia. They include his grandsons Thomas DeSimone
Thomas DeSimone
Thomas "Two-Gun Tommy" Anthony DeSimone was an Italian-American gangster and associate of the Lucchese crime family in New York. Also known as "Tommy D" or "Tommy Two-Guns", he was a grandson and nephew of Los Angeles mob bosses Rosario DeSimone and Frank DeSimone...
, Robert DeSimone
Robert Desimone
Robert Desimone is the director of the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT. Prior to joining the McGovern Institute in 2004, he was the director of intramural research at the National Institute of Mental Health...
, Anthony DeSimone, and Joseph DeSimone. Others include his granddaughter Dolores DeSimone and relatives Franky DeSimone, Ralph DeSimone, Phil DeSimone, and James DeSimone
James DeSimone
During the fourteen years that G.I. Joe had not existed as a 12 inch action figure, James DeSimone had been touring different toy shows all over the United States buying and selling G.I. Joe action figures. In the mid-1980s, DeSimone created the G.I. Joe Collectors Club, which was a...
.