Career
Little is known about Spirito's early life. As a front for his illegal activities he gave people the impression that he was a plumber or a hardware store owner. He came from the Italian community of Chambersburg, New Jersey which is now part of Trenton, New Jersey. At one time, Spirito, who was involved in loansharking and bookmaking, was considered a close associate of both Harry Riccobene and of Riccobene's half-brother, Mario. He worked in the Scarfo crime family during the 1980s, during Nicodemo Scarfo's reign. Pasquale (Pat the Cat) Spirito was an associate of made man Joseph (Joey Chang) Ciangalini who introduced Spirito into the life of organized crime. Pat earned the nickname amongst his fellow associates as 'The Cat' because of con artist charm and demeanour. He was an associate until he was the getaway driver in the murder of John Calabrese, a long-time drug dealer who served under Angelo Bruno and then became a 'made man' under Phil Testa with Francis (Faffy) Iannarella and Andrew Thomas DelGiorno at a secret induction ceremony at the home of mob associate Robert (Toro) Locicero in Vineland, New Jersey. He was married but was a constant womanizer. John Calabrese was murdered on October 6, 1981 in Southwest Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Pat recruited Nicholas Caramandi, Charles Iannece, and Ralph Staino Jr. as his associates, eventually elevating them all to 'proposed members' to Nicholas Scarfo. Nicholas Caramandi said, "He was greedy and ambitious, attributes that (Nicholas) Scarfo could appreciate, but he lacked the killer instinct… Spirito was a moneymaker but he was also a whiner and complainer." He used to hang out at a bar, Paco's in Pennsport, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Nick Caramandi would later say, "If he had problems with his wife (he would send Charles Iannece or Nick Caramandi) to talk to his wife. Then we had to stay with him from eleven o'clock in the morning til one or two the next morning. Then he used to call you on the phone and have you one the phone for two or three hours."'
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