Biography
Joseph N. Gallo was born on January 8, 1912 in Alabama, but grew up in the Little Italy section of Manhattan. Gallo was married and was the father of Gambino associate Joseph C. Gallo. Joseph N. Gallo and his family lived in Long Island City, Queens. .
In the 1930s, Gallo was convicted in New York of illegal gambling.
Over the years, Gallo built his power base in the New York garment industry. He owned a dress manufacturing company in Brooklyn and eventually controlled the Greater Blouse, Shirt, and Undergarment Association, a trade group.
Gallo also had strong ties with the Trafficante crime family of Tampa, Florida and the New Orleans crime family under boss Carlos Marcello. Gallo frequently represented their leaders at Cosa Nostra meetings in New York.
In the early 1970s, Gallo replaced Joseph Riccobono as consigliere under boss Carlo Gambino. Gallo was considered as a possible candidate to succeed the ailing Gambino. However, on February 21, 1974, Gallo suffered a severe heart attack. Gallo recovered from this illness, but decided that he did not have the will or stamina to be Gambino's successor. After Gambino's death in 1976, Gallo continued as consigliere for boss Paul Castellano. In 1986, after Castellano's assassination, new boss John Gotti also kept Gallo as consigliere
On December 22, 1987, Gallo was convicted of RICO charges that included two counts of bribery and one count of illegal interstate travel to commit bribery. In February 1988, Gallo was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison and ordered to pay fines totaling $380,000. He became the oldest inmate in federal custody. In 1987, after Gallo's conviction, Gotti replaced him with capo Sammy Gravano at consigliere.
In 1995, Gallo was released from prison.On September 1, 1995, Gallo died of natural causes in Astoria, Queens. He is buried in St. Michaels Cemetery in East Elmhurst, Queens.
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