An Unholy Alliance: The Reign of Vic Amuso & Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso

As the boss of the Lucchese Crime Family, Vic Amuso oversaw one of the most brutal and lucrative periods in the family's history. His rise to power, alongside his infamous underboss Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso, marked a significant chapter in the saga of the American Mafia.

Vittorio "Vic" Amuso was born on November 4, 1934, in Canarsie, Brooklyn, New York, into an Italian-American family. The neighborhood where Amuso grew up was a breeding ground for future mobsters, and from a young age, he was exposed to the world of organized crime. Canarsie, like many other working-class neighborhoods in Brooklyn, was heavily influenced by the presence of the Mafia, and young men were often drawn into the criminal lifestyle as a means of survival and prosperity.

Not too much is known about Amuso's early life in detail, but his entry into organized crime followed a familiar trajectory for many young men in his position. He started as a street-level thug, engaging in petty crimes such as theft, extortion, and loan sharking. Somewhere in the late 40’s, Amuso was introduced to Anthony “Tony Ducks” Corallo, then a capo in the Gagliano Crime Family, which would later become the Lucchese Crime Family.

Amuso’s introduction to the family, one of the Five Families that dominated organized crime in New York, came through his involvement in these criminal activities. The Lucchese family, known for its control over labor unions and its involvement in various illicit enterprises, was a natural fit for the ambitious and violent Amuso. His reputation for reliability and brutality quickly earned him the attention of the family's leadership, setting the stage for his rise through the ranks.

He would later become an enforcer for Brooklyn mobster Joseph "Crazy Joe" Gallo, who was part of the Profaci crime family. In the early 1960s, the Gallo brothers started a conflict with their longtime boss, Giuseppe "Joe" Profaci, because Profaci was taking a cut of Gallo's profits. During this conflict, Amuso allegedly killed several members of the Profaci faction but ended up in prison in the early 1960s, along with Joey Gallo and others, for extortion.

After Joe Gallo was released from prison in early 1971, he resumed his fight against the family, and on June 28, 1971, their boss, Joseph Colombo, was shot. A few months later, on April 7, 1972, Joe Gallo was killed while celebrating his 43rd birthday at Umberto’s in Little Italy, Manhattan. Following Gallo's death, many members of the Colombo crime family, especially those who were once part of Gallo's crew, joined other crime families. Amuso joined the Lucchese family later that year as an associate in the "19th Hole Crew," led by capo Christopher "Christie Tick" Furnari.

During this period, Amuso formed a close alliance with another rising star in the Lucchese family, Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso. Casso, like Amuso, was a ruthless enforcer with a knack for making money through illicit activities. The two men shared a similar outlook on the use of violence as a tool for maintaining power and control, and their partnership would become one of the most feared duos in the history of the Mafia.

As Amuso and Casso continued to prove themselves invaluable to Corallo, they were entrusted with more significant responsibilities within the family. In 1977, Amuso became a made man in the Lucchese family. Under Furnari, he was eventually promoted to the rank of capo, or captain, overseeing his own crew of soldiers. This position gave him direct control over various criminal enterprises, including extortion rackets, loan sharking operations, and labor union corruption. It also brought him closer to the inner circle of the Lucchese family’s leadership, setting the stage for his eventual rise to the top.

The partnership between Vic Amuso and Anthony Casso was one of the most significant and deadly alliances in the history of the American Mafia. Both men were known for their willingness to use extreme violence to achieve their goals, and together, they orchestrated some of the most notorious crimes associated with the Lucchese family.

Casso, who had a reputation for being particularly brutal, complemented Amuso’s more calculating nature. While Amuso was seen as a methodical and strategic thinker, Casso was the enforcer who carried out the dirty work, often personally. The two men worked in tandem, with Amuso providing the leadership and Casso executing the operations that would consolidate their power within the Lucchese family.

Their partnership was solidified during a period of internal strife within the Lucchese family. As the family navigated the challenges of maintaining its criminal empire in the face of increased law enforcement scrutiny, Amuso and Casso emerged as key figures in the power struggle that ensued. Their ability to eliminate rivals and neutralize threats within the family hierarchy made them indispensable to Corallo, who began to rely on them more heavily as his own legal troubles mounted.

The Amuso-Casso duo was also instrumental in expanding the family’s criminal enterprises, particularly in the area of labor racketeering. They exerted control over various labor unions, using their influence to extort money from businesses and ensure lucrative contracts for companies under their control. This not only brought in significant revenue for the family but also strengthened their grip on key industries in New York, including construction and waste management.

However, it was their involvement in the notorious "Windows Case" that truly cemented their reputation as one of the most powerful teams in organized crime. The transition of power within the Lucchese family was marked by intrigue, betrayal, and violence. In the mid-1980s, Anthony Corallo faced increasing legal pressure as federal prosecutors targeted organized crime figures using the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Corallo, who was eventually convicted in the infamous "Commission Case," was sentenced to 100 years in prison in 1987. With Corallo out of the picture, the question of succession became critical for the future of the Lucchese family.

Vic Amuso and Anthony Casso were well-positioned to take control of the family, thanks to their close alliance and proven track record. However, the transition was far from smooth. The Lucchese family, like many other Mafia organizations, was rife with internal rivalries and power struggles. As Corallo’s health deteriorated, various factions within the family jockeyed for position, each seeking to install their preferred candidate as the new boss.

Amuso and Casso, recognizing the threat posed by these rival factions, took preemptive action to secure their hold on power. They orchestrated a series of murders targeting potential rivals and those they perceived as disloyal. These hits were carried out with ruthless efficiency, often by Casso himself or trusted hitmen within their crew. The most notorious of these killings was the murder of Anthony "Buddy" Luongo, a rival capo who was seen as a potential challenger to Amuso’s claim to the leadership. Luongo’s death sent a clear message to the rest of the family: Amuso and Casso were in charge, and any opposition would be dealt with swiftly and violently.

With the elimination of their rivals, Amuso was able to assume the role of boss of the Lucchese family on January 13, 1987, with Casso serving as his underboss. This marked the beginning of one of the most violent and profitable periods in the family’s history, as Amuso and Casso consolidated their power and expanded their criminal empire.

Under Vic Amuso’s leadership, the Lucchese crime family became one of the most feared and powerful Mafia organizations in New York. Amuso and Casso were involved in a wide range of criminal activities, many of which were marked by their ruthlessness and willingness to use violence to achieve their goals.

One of the most significant criminal enterprises overseen by Amuso was the "Windows Case." This scheme involved the extortion of window replacement companies in New York City, which were required to pay kickbacks to the Lucchese family in exchange for contracts with the New York City Housing Authority. The scheme was highly profitable, generating millions of dollars in illicit revenue for the family. However, it also drew the attention of law enforcement, leading to a major federal investigation and subsequent indictments.

In May 1990, Amuso and Casso were indicted during the Windows Case investigation. Knowing what was coming, they went into hiding, leaving Alphonse "Little Al" D'Arco in charge. However, the violence continued. In 1991, Lucchese family caporegime Peter "Fat Pete" Chiodo was indicted under the RICO Act.

Amuso suspected Chiodo of becoming an informant and ordered his murder. On May 8, 1991, three gunmen shot Chiodo 12 times, but he survived. A few weeks later, Amuso threatened Chiodo's wife, violating a long-standing Mafia rule against harming women. A hit team also nearly killed Chiodo's sister. These actions pushed Chiodo to cooperate with the government, where he revealed crucial information about the Windows Case and other crimes, dealing a severe blow to the Mafia.

Amuso's actions became increasingly erratic, including ordering hits on 49 people, half of whom were members of his own family. He even plotted to blow up Gambino boss John Gotti. When Amuso blamed D'Arco for Chiodo's survival, he effectively demoted him by creating a four-man panel to run the family.

On July 29, 1991, Amuso was captured by the FBI, likely due to a tip-off about his secret communication methods. Soon after, D'Arco narrowly escaped an assassination attempt at a meeting in Manhattan and decided to become a government witness, further weakening Amuso's position. On June 15, 1991, Amuso was convicted on 54 charges, including nine murders, and was sentenced to life in prison on October 9, 1992.

Casso remained free until 1993 but was eventually captured. By that time, Amuso believed Casso had betrayed him, so he removed him as underboss and banished him from the family. Casso then turned informant as well. After their arrests, it was revealed that Amuso and Casso had ordered over 10-12 murders, using corrupt NYPD officers Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa as their hitmen.

As of July 2014, Amuso remains the official boss of the Lucchese crime family. Amuso is serving his life sentence at Federal Correctional Institution, Cumberland, a federal correctional facility in Maryland on murder and racketeering charges. His Register Number is 38740–079. According to another Mafia historian, Selwyn Raab, Amuso's bloodthirsty tactics resulted in the loss of more than half the family's made members — either as a result of being killed, imprisoned or turning informant.

Vic Amuso’s unprofessional and psychopathic leadership was characterized by his paranoid and authoritarian style of rule. As law enforcement pressure increased, he became increasingly distrustful of those around him, often ordering the murders of individuals he believed were plotting against him or cooperating with authorities. This climate of fear and suspicion ultimately contributed to the downfall of both Amuso and Casso, as it created divisions within the family and alienated key allies.

Vittorio "Vic" Amuso’s life and career as a Mafia boss offer a stark illustration of the violence, treachery, and greed that characterized organized crime in America during the late 20th century. From his early days as a street thug in Brooklyn to his rise to the top of the Lucchese crime family, Amuso’s story is one of ambition and brutality. His partnership with Anthony Casso, marked by a shared ruthlessness and strategic acumen, allowed them to dominate the Lucchese family during one of its most lucrative periods. However, their reign was also defined by paranoia, betrayal, and an escalating cycle of violence that ultimately led to their downfall. Today, Vic Amuso remains a symbol of the destructive power of organized crime and a reminder of the human cost of the Mafia’s reign of terror.