Roy DeMeo: The Life and Crimes of a Notorious Mobster
Early Life and Entry into Crime
Roy Albert DeMeo was born on September 7, 1942, in Bath Beach, Brooklyn, to Italian-American parents. He started his criminal career in his teen years, involving himself in petty theft and loansharking. The quick profits from these illegal activities lured DeMeo deeper into the world of organized crime. By the early 1960s, he had established a significant presence in the loansharking business, using his earnings to invest in car dealerships, which later served as fronts for his illicit activities.
Rise in the Gambino Family
DeMeo's ruthless nature and ability to earn significantly caught the attention of the Gambino family, one of the Five Families that dominated organized crime activities in New York City. By the 1970s, DeMeo had become an associate of Nino Gaggi, a captain in the Gambino family. Under Gaggi’s tutelage, DeMeo formed a crew known notoriously as the DeMeo crew, which was involved in a multitude of criminal activities, including car theft, narcotics trafficking, and extortion.
The DeMeo Crew and the Murder Machine
The DeMeo crew soon became infamous for its brutal enforcement operations and is believed to be responsible for between 75 to 200 murders during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The group operated…
