Joe was known by those close to him as JS and he held court every day at the Formosa Café. JS and his brothers
worked early on with the Chicago Outfit to control the racing wire. JS was even arrested with Mickey Cohen for
busting up James Regan's office in Los Angeles. JS had a higher bail that Mickey Cohen. JS worked with Jack
Dragna because Los Angeles was Dragna's turf and JS was never a made guy. JS was very close to the Generals
back East and he had life long ties with guy's like Blinky Palermo and Frankie Carbo. JS and his brothers had a
drug and gambling empire that stretched from San Diego to San Jose. They were huge importers of heroin and
they even sent their man Pat the Priest to silence a witness against them.
They also had many bookies that they controlled including those in the black area's of Los Angeles. JS also worked
with the gambling wizard Chris Petti for years. HS distanced himself from Mickey Cohen when he fell out of favor with
the LA Family. HS was very well respected by all of the LA Family members, he gave many of them their start.
Jimmy Frattiano, Mike Rizzi, Tony the Animal Fiato and even the current boss of the New England Family Carmine
D'nunzio.
JS kept up his racket activities until his death in the late eighties.