Dominick "Quiet Dom" Cirillo (born July 4, 1929) is a high-ranking member of the Genovese crime family, who served as the former acting boss for the imprisoned Vincent "Chin" Gigante.Early lifeCirillo was born in East Harlem to Colombo crime family capo Alphonse Cirillo who served under Joseph Magliocco. Alphonse was incarcerated for drug trafficking and other criminal offenses in 1959 from the testimony of mob turncoat Joseph Valachi.
Boxing careerDominick started out as a boxer with future Genovese crime family boss Thomas Eboli ("Tommy Ryan") as his manager. Cirillo gradually drifted towards the criminal side of the neighborhood, along with another boxer and associate, Vincent "Chin" Gigante. He was a unsuccessful professional middleweight boxer in 1949. His first professional fight was against Matt Ward on March 9, 1949 in White Plains, New York which he lost. During his short lived boxing career he boxed sixteen rounds and lost three matches, withdrew from one and won just a single match. While he was a boxer Dominick weighed between 152 and 154 pounds. His last professional boxing match against Johnny Kohan on December 19, 1949 in Newark, New Jersey. He suffered two knock outs by Matt Ward on March 9, 1949 which was also his first professional match and once again by Emerson Charles on March 23, 1949. His one disqualified match was against Bobby Holt on April 6, 1949.Genovese crime family
His first conviction came in 1952, when he was imprisoned on narcotics charges.[1] In subsequent years, he grew closer to Gigante, who was seen, in the mid 1980s, as the de facto boss of the Genovese crime family. While Gigante served as boss on the streets, Cirillo served in a 'messenger' between Gigante and the other caporegimes of the Genovese crime family, as Cirillo's low-key style earned him his nickname "Quiet Dom", and helped him avoid the gaze of the authorities for many years.Gigante's acting boss
After Gigante was imprisoned in 1997 for racketeering and conspiracy charges, the leadership of the Genovese crime family passed to a committee/ruling panel, known as the "Administration", ostensibly led by Cirillo. In this capacity, Cirillo represented the Genoveses in their dealings with the other Mafia families of New York City, though Gigante remained in overall charge of the family. In this way, Cirillo served as "acting boss", and was seen by US authorities as the most powerful member of the Genovese family. However, in 1998 Cirillo stepped down as acting boss because of a heart attack, and recovered his position as Caporegime of the Genovese crime family that same year.Nick Cirillo missing
Cirillo's son, Nicholas, who was not believed to be a made man, disappeared on May 9, 2004. Three weeks later his abandoned car was discovered, but Nicholas Cirillo has never been found. Investigators believe the younger Cirillo was killed after he insulted the son of acting Bonanno crime family boss Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano and caporegime Dominick Cicale.[4] It remains unclear whether this would have been allowed to happen without the explicit permission of Dominick Cirillo.[5]Trial and guilty pleaOn October 18, 2005, Cirillo, who again was recognized as acting boss for Gigante, and three Genovese capos, Lawrence Dentico ("Little Larry"), John Barbato ("Johnny Sausage") and Anthony Antico ("Tico"), pleaded guilty on charges of racketeering and racketeering conspiracy.[6] Cirillo was sentenced on March 3, 2006 to 48 months in prison and forced to pay $75,000 restitution.Reputed consigliere
As of December 2007, Dominick "Quiet Dom" Cirillo was still imprisoned prior to his conviction in 2006. However, on August 22, 2008, the 79-year-old Cirillo was released from federal prison after serving more than three years. [1] Due to his former title as acting boss after the death of longtime family godfather Vincent "Chin" Gigante in December of 2005, he may be a candidate as Consigliere of the Genovese
Boxing careerDominick started out as a boxer with future Genovese crime family boss Thomas Eboli ("Tommy Ryan") as his manager. Cirillo gradually drifted towards the criminal side of the neighborhood, along with another boxer and associate, Vincent "Chin" Gigante. He was a unsuccessful professional middleweight boxer in 1949. His first professional fight was against Matt Ward on March 9, 1949 in White Plains, New York which he lost. During his short lived boxing career he boxed sixteen rounds and lost three matches, withdrew from one and won just a single match. While he was a boxer Dominick weighed between 152 and 154 pounds. His last professional boxing match against Johnny Kohan on December 19, 1949 in Newark, New Jersey. He suffered two knock outs by Matt Ward on March 9, 1949 which was also his first professional match and once again by Emerson Charles on March 23, 1949. His one disqualified match was against Bobby Holt on April 6, 1949.Genovese crime family
His first conviction came in 1952, when he was imprisoned on narcotics charges.[1] In subsequent years, he grew closer to Gigante, who was seen, in the mid 1980s, as the de facto boss of the Genovese crime family. While Gigante served as boss on the streets, Cirillo served in a 'messenger' between Gigante and the other caporegimes of the Genovese crime family, as Cirillo's low-key style earned him his nickname "Quiet Dom", and helped him avoid the gaze of the authorities for many years.Gigante's acting boss
After Gigante was imprisoned in 1997 for racketeering and conspiracy charges, the leadership of the Genovese crime family passed to a committee/ruling panel, known as the "Administration", ostensibly led by Cirillo. In this capacity, Cirillo represented the Genoveses in their dealings with the other Mafia families of New York City, though Gigante remained in overall charge of the family. In this way, Cirillo served as "acting boss", and was seen by US authorities as the most powerful member of the Genovese family. However, in 1998 Cirillo stepped down as acting boss because of a heart attack, and recovered his position as Caporegime of the Genovese crime family that same year.Nick Cirillo missing
Cirillo's son, Nicholas, who was not believed to be a made man, disappeared on May 9, 2004. Three weeks later his abandoned car was discovered, but Nicholas Cirillo has never been found. Investigators believe the younger Cirillo was killed after he insulted the son of acting Bonanno crime family boss Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano and caporegime Dominick Cicale.[4] It remains unclear whether this would have been allowed to happen without the explicit permission of Dominick Cirillo.[5]Trial and guilty pleaOn October 18, 2005, Cirillo, who again was recognized as acting boss for Gigante, and three Genovese capos, Lawrence Dentico ("Little Larry"), John Barbato ("Johnny Sausage") and Anthony Antico ("Tico"), pleaded guilty on charges of racketeering and racketeering conspiracy.[6] Cirillo was sentenced on March 3, 2006 to 48 months in prison and forced to pay $75,000 restitution.Reputed consigliere
As of December 2007, Dominick "Quiet Dom" Cirillo was still imprisoned prior to his conviction in 2006. However, on August 22, 2008, the 79-year-old Cirillo was released from federal prison after serving more than three years. [1] Due to his former title as acting boss after the death of longtime family godfather Vincent "Chin" Gigante in December of 2005, he may be a candidate as Consigliere of the Genovese
