Vito Di Giorgio
| Vito Di Giorgio | |
|---|---|
| Born |
March 19, 1880 Palermo, Sicily |
| Died | May 13, 1922 (aged 42) Chicago, Illinois |
| Cause of death | Murder |
| Residence | Los Angeles |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Known for | Mob Activity |
| Parent(s) | Filippo and Giuseppa Di Giorgio |
Vito Di Giorgio (March 19, 1880 – May 13, 1922) was an early Italian crime boss in Los Angeles. Originally from Palermo, Sicily, Di Giorgio lived most of his life as a grocer in New Orleans. While he lived in Los Angeles he was known as a wealthy food importer. During his New Orleans years he was an active Black Hander. He survived two shootings, only to be killed while visiting Chicago in 1922.
Vito Di Giorgio was an early Mafia boss of Los Angeles. Born to Filippo and Giuseppa Di Giorgio in Palermo, Sicily, in 1880, he came to the United States around 1904. After a brief stay in New York City with his reported cousin, he moved to New Orleans. There, he married Maria Cristoforo April 23, 1909, and joined the community of organized criminals. He was acknowledged as a cousin and a friend to New York City Mafia boss Giuseppe Morello, and with this connection became a leading Black Hander. It is not known when he joined the Honored Society; he may have been a member in Sicily. Using the alias of Joseph Caronia, he was arrested in 1908 for extortion. He was the leader of a Black Hand group that sent an extortion letter demanding money from a leading Italian grocer. He signed the letter "King of the Mafia." He and his associates were freed after a short stay in jail due to lack of evidence. Further investigation showed that Di Giorgio killed a man, Joseph Campisciano, in self-defense about a year earlier. He had used the name Caronia at that time too.
In 1914 he became the owner of a grocery and saloon that was sold to him by the brother of the original proprietor. It had been a successful business and the press did not understand why the owner would sell it. It is likely that the owner, Henry Sciambra, was forced to sell. Sciambra's brother Anthony, the original owner, was murdered in 1912 by an intruder while he was in his home sleeping.
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