Paul Vario was one of the most frightening men I have ever been around. He had an aura of menace about him that was quite remarkable. But the Paul Vario characterization didn’t pick it up at all in Goodfellas. Paul Vario was played by Paul Sorvino in the film, and the real Vario was a much more sinister presence than what was depicted on screen.
Vario rose through the ranks of organized crime to become a caporegime, commanding a powerful crew of mobsters operating out of Brooklyn. His influence extended far beyond his immediate circle. His life was steeped in crime and violence from the very beginning, and his criminal enterprises included loan sharking, bookmaking, hijackings, and fencing stolen property. His junkyard became the hub of these illicit operations.
Vario’s personal life was as tumultuous as his criminal career. He and his first wife Vita had a violent relationship, and he was known to have a fiery temper. On one occasion, he spilled wine on a woman’s dress and attempted to clean it with a dirty rag. Furious, Vario struck the man and later ordered a brutal attack on the restaurant staff after hours.
Vario’s notoriety extended to popular culture when Paul Sorvino portrayed him as Paul Cicero in Martin Scorsese’s acclaimed film Goodfellas. Despite his criminal success, Vario’s life ended in tragedy. He died of respiratory failure in prison on May 3, 1988, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most feared and complex figures in the history of organized crime. On July 20, 1973, Leonard Vario, the son of the notorious mobster, tragically passed away from severe burns at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn.
The exact circumstances surrounding Leonard’s fatal injuries remained a mystery. Emotions ran high at his funeral, leading to violent clashes where mourners assaulted two television cameramen and a police detective. This incident was a chilling glimpse into the volatile world that surrounded Paul Vario and his associates. Decades earlier, in 1937, Vario’s criminal activities had already begun to surface.
A 16-year-old girl from Howard Beach identified him and Anthony Romano as the men who assaulted her. Their convictions for rape led to 10-year prison sentences. Vario’s time behind bars was tumultuous. Despite being paroled twice, he was returned to prison for violating the terms, including arrests for burglary and dealing in stolen goods.
Vario orchestrated a range of criminal enterprises, from hijackings and loan sharking to bookmaking and fencing stolen property. His junkyard became the hub of these illicit operations. Vario quickly rose through the ranks to become a caporegime, leading a powerful crew within the Lucchese family. His influence extended to criminal activities at John F.
Kennedy Airport, where his associates extorted money from shippers and airlines to ensure labor peace. Among his most infamous crew members were Thomas DeSimone and Henry Hill, figures who would later become synonymous with the inner workings of organized crime. Over the next several years, Paul Vario steadily expanded his criminal empire, solidifying his position as a key figure in organized crime. Following the death of mobster Jake Columbo in 1965, Vario swiftly assumed control over Columbo’s lucrative illegal gambling operations in the Cedarhurst and Inwood neighborhoods of Long Island.
Later that same year, Vario and eight associates were arrested by Long Island authorities and charged with running a gambling ring. By February 1966, federal charges followed, accusing Vario of failing to obtain a federal gambling stamp. Undeterred, Vario continued his operations, which included a flower shop, a bar, a restaurant, and a taxi stand. However, one of his most infamous ventures was Vario’s Bargain Auto Parts Inc.
, located at 572 Avenue D, which served as a front for many of his illicit dealings. At the height of his operations, Vario reportedly amassed a staggering $25,000 daily from his illegal enterprises. According to Henry Hill, one of his close associates, Vario once revealed that he had hidden $1 million in a single vault for safekeeping. In 1970, he was cited for contempt of court and served a seven-month sentence at Nassau County Correctional Facility.
A year later, in 1971, Vario orchestrated the purchase of a bar and property through his associate Peter Abinanti, securing the deal for $40,000 and further expanding his network of legitimate and illicit operations. On April 7, 1972, law enforcement intensified their investigation into Paul Vario by planting a hidden electronic listening device inside his hangout. An undercover detective frequented the location, posing as a corrupt officer. Vario, believing the detective to be compromised, began offering him bribes, unaware that his actions were being documented.
The surveillance, which lasted six months, culminated in October 1972 when Vario fled to Florida to avoid testifying before a Nassau County grand jury. Vario’s arrest was dramatic; police pursued him for 20 minutes through the streets of Brooklyn before he surrendered. By November 21, 1972, Vario was again indicted, this time for attempting to bribe an undercover officer. That same month, he pleaded guilty to a separate charge of drunk driving and was placed on probation.
However, by early 1973, he had violated the terms of his probation and was incarcerated. By February, his legal troubles continued to mount, and on February 9, 1973, Vario was convicted of tax evasion. Less than two months later, on April 6, 1973, he received a six-year federal prison sentence for the tax evasion conviction, marking a significant blow to his criminal empire. Paul Vario was sent to the federal prison in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, where he became part of the notorious “Mafia Row,” a section infamous for housing high-ranking mobsters.
After serving his time, he was released to a residence near Miami, Florida, marking a new chapter in his life. In 1978, while on parole, Vario played a pivotal role in orchestrating one of the most infamous heists in American history: the Lufthansa heist at John F. Kennedy Airport. The plan, which involved stealing millions in cash and jewelry, was pitched to him over the phone while he was in Florida.
Despite being geographically removed, Vario swiftly approved the scheme, stipulating that Jimmy Burke, who was incarcerated at the time, oversee the operation. The heist, executed in December 1978, became legendary after the crew successfully made off with an estimated $5 million in cash and $875,000 in jewelry, values equivalent to approximately $27. 4 million in today’s currency. Vario’s legal troubles continued to mount.
He was convicted of fraud and sentenced to four years in prison. A year later, he faced another conviction for extortion, resulting in an additional 10-year prison sentence. Authorities charged Vario and his co-conspirators with a scheme to extort more than $350,000 from air cargo companies operating out of JFK Airport. These businesses were reportedly threatened with labor disputes and disruptions if they refused to pay.
The case relied heavily on the testimony of Henry Hill, a former associate turned government witness. Vario was convicted once again and received an additional 10-year prison sentence for the extortion charges. His life behind bars came to an end on May 3, 1988, when he passed away at the age of 73, cementing his legacy as a notorious figure in organized crime. Vario mentored individuals who would later become prominent figures in organized crime, such as Henry Hill, whose life was chronicled in the book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi and later adapted into the film Goodfellas.
Hill’s account highlighted Vario’s influence and his pivotal role in the criminal activities that defined the era. Despite his success, Vario’s legacy was tarnished by betrayal and legal troubles. His association with Henry Hill ultimately led to his downfall, as Hill became an informant and testified against him. Vario’s story remains a testament to the power and vulnerability of organized crime, illustrating both its allure and its inherent instability.
His life continues to captivate the public, offering a glimpse into a world of crime and violence that defined an era of American history.