Manfredi Mineo

Boss of the Brooklyn Manfredi (later Gambino) crime Family.

Manfredi Mineo

Manfredi Mineo

Manfredi Mineo, born 26 January 1880, arrived in the US on 9 May, 1911, after sailing from Palermo1. He travelled with Vincenzo Briguccia and Antonino Grillo (Mineo’s brother-in-law who was also a cousin of Isidoro Croceverde2 who had been jailed for counterfeiting in March 1903 along with Giuseppe De Primo.3 An event that led to the infamous NYC barrel murder).

Also travelling with Mineo was Matteo Arrigo. He was smuggling printing plates to be used in a counterfeiting operation in New Jersey. However, Mineo and his travel companions were unaware that the US Secret Service had already infiltrated the operation by placing their own agent as a printer within the group and tricked them into importing the plates from Sicily.4

On July 13, 1911, the Secret Service raided the New Jersey counterfeiting plant that was run by Carmelo Cordaro, an associate of the Morello group who had purchased their remaining counterfeit notes after Giuseppe Morello was imprisoned. They later arrested Mineo and Briguccia outside a saloon on East 80th Street belonging to Morello associate Giovanni Rumore. Mineo admitted visiting Cordaro’s home but the Secret Service had no evidence to further connect him with their investigation.5

In 1913, Mineo was spotted in a car in NYC travelling with Briguccia, Thomas Lomonte and one of the Terranova brothers. Later that year the Secret Service learned that Mineo was the head of a group opposed to a Harlem gang run by Salvatore D’Aquila.6

Hotel Wallick: Broadway and 43rd Street
Hotel Wallick: Broadway and 43rd Street (1914)

Although Mineo was based in Brooklyn, his address in 1915 was recorded as the Hotel Wallick, New York City. “The Wallick” was a lively hotel situated next to Times Square. Advertising under the line “Positively the best food, values and service in New York”, it was known for high-class entertainment and cabaret shows. In 1913, the entire first floor was used as the Tammany political campaign headquarters.7 It was later merged with the neighboring Claridge Hotel which Lucky Luciano operated from in 1934.8

Mineo was later gunned down on November 5th,  1930, during the Castellammarese War.

Manfredi Mineo death certificate
Manfredi Mineo death certificate
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  1. Ship: Saxonia. New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957. 1911; Microfilm Serial: T715; Microfilm Roll: T715_1675; Line: 12; Page Number: 76.[↩]
  2. Warner, Santino, Van`t Riet. Early New York Mafia An Alternative Theory. The Informer. May 2014. Thomas Hunt.[↩]
  3. Sing Sing admission register. New York State Archives; Albany, New York; Box: 13; Volume: 35. US vs Joe Deprimo/Romano et al 1903, and appeal case.[↩]
  4. Ship: Saxonia. New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957. 1911; Microfilm Serial: T715; Microfilm Roll: T715_1675; Line: 12; Page Number: 76.
    U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (hereafter referred to as NARA), RG 87, Daily Reports of Agents, (hereafter referred to as DRA). Richard H. Taylor. Volume 5. 1911 (Various pages, including – Printing plates: 1022, 1119, 1208. Informant Clemente reported three men including “Matteo Errico” imported the plates. This is believed to be Matteo Arrigio who arrived with Mineo at the same time Clemente reporting the plates arriving.) [↩]
  5. NARA. RG 87, DRA. William Flynn. Volume 30. 1910. / Richard H. Taylor. Volumes 4 & 5. 1911 / New York Volume 32. 1911.[↩]
  6. NARA, RG 87, DRA. New York. Vols.37-39 (Apr 22, 1913)
    NARA, RG 87, DRA. New York. Vols.40-42 (Nov 10, 1913)  [↩]
  7. Ship: Rochambeau. New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957. Year: 1915; Microfilm Serial: T715; Microfilm Roll: T715_2439; Line: 29; Page Number: 21.
    The New York Press. (Oct 5, 1913) 4 [↩]
  8. NARA. RG 87, DRA. New York Volumes 131-132. 1934. 902[↩]