Paul Vario was born on September 7, 1914 in New York. He was raised in a tough neighborhood where he was exposed to the world of organized crime from a young age. At just eleven years old, he was arrested for truancy, marking the beginning of his run-ins with the law.
As he grew older, Vario quickly made a name for himself in the New York Mafia scene. He became a member of The Vario Crew, a sub-group of the notorious Lucchese crime family. His criminal activities ranged from extortion to loan sharking, making him a feared figure in the underworld.
Vario's close ties to Jimmy Burke and Henry Hill were well-known in the criminal world. Together, they carried out numerous illegal activities, including the infamous Lufthansa heist at JFK Airport. Their partnership was both lucrative and dangerous, cementing Vario's reputation as a ruthless mobster.
Despite his criminal activities, Vario also operated legitimate businesses in New York City. Alongside his brothers, he owned a florist, cab company, and restaurant. These businesses served as a front for their Mafia operations, allowing them to fly under the radar of law enforcement.
Vario's criminal empire eventually caught up with him. In 1980, he was indicted on federal racketeering charges and sentenced to prison. This marked the end of his reign as a powerful mobster, signaling a shift in the New York Mafia landscape.
Despite his criminal past, Paul Vario's life was immortalized on the big screen. Director Martin Scorsese's film, Goodfellas, depicted his rise and fall in the mob world, solidifying his place in pop culture as a legendary figure of organized crime.
Paul Vario's story serves as a cautionary tale of the perils of a life of crime. His legacy lives on in the annals of Mafia history, forever remembered as a notorious figure in the New York underworld.
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