Vito Cascio Ferro | |
|---|---|
 1902 mug shot of Cascio Ferro | |
| Born | 22 January 1862 |
| Died | 20 September 1943 (aged 81) Procida, Italy |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Other names | Don Vito |
| Occupation(s) | Mafia boss, revenue collector |
| Spouse | Brigida Giaccone |
| Children | 1 |
| Parent(s) | Accursio Cascio Ferro Santa Ippolito |
| Conviction(s) | Murder |
| Criminal penalty | Life imprisonment (1930) |
Vito Cascio Ferro or Vito Cascioferro (Italian pronunciation: [ˈviːto ˈkaʃʃo ˈfɛrro]; 22 January 1862 – 20 September 1943), also known as Don Vito, was an Italian criminal who was a prominent member of the Sicilian Mafia. He also operated for several years in the United States. He is often depicted as the "boss of bosses", although such a position does not exist in the loose structure of Cosa Nostra in Sicily.
Cascio Ferro's life is full of myth and mystery. He became a legend even when he was alive, and that legend is partially responsible for creating the image of the gallant gentleman capomafia (Mafia boss).[1] He is widely considered to have been responsible for the 1909 murder of Joseph Petrosino, head of the New York City police department's Italian Squad. However, he was never convicted of the crime.
With the rise of Fascism in Italy, his untouchable position declined. He was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1930 and would remain in jail until his death. There is some confusion about the exact year of his death, but according to La Stampa, Cascio Ferro died on 20 September 1943, in the prison on the island of Procida.
- ^ Servadio, Mafioso, pp. 57–63