Mafia Boss
Reina became boss of his own crime family controlling criminal operations in The Bronx and East Harlem. His crime family held a monopoly over the ice box distribution in The Bronx. Reina's underboss was Tommy Gagliano, a former Morello gang member.
In the late 1920s, Reina formed an alliance with Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria, who had taken over the old Morello crime family. In 1925, Salvatore Maranzano arrived in New York and took over the Castellammare family. The two Mafia bosses began fighting in what became known as the Castellammarese War. Reina switched sides and began supporting Maranzano. Masseria learned of Reina's betrayal and ordered Charles "Lucky" Luciano to arrange Reina's murder.
On February 26, 1930, Reina left the home of his mistress Marie Ennis (other sources claim he was leaving his aunt's apartment in the Bronx after dinner) on Sheridan Avenue when Vito Genovese (but other suspect Joseph Pinzolo) shot Reina in the head with a double barreled shotgun, instantly killing him.
Read more about this topic: Gaetano Reina
Famous quotes containing the word boss:
“When you overpay small people you frighten them. They know that their merits or activities entitle them to no such sums as they are receiving. As a result their boss soars out of economic into magic significance. He becomes a source of blessings rather than wages. Criticism is sacrilege, doubt is heresy.”
—Ben Hecht (1893–1964)