11
July
2024
The History of Mobsters At the Jersey Shore
Notorious Mobsters of the Jersey Shore
The Jersey Shore, known for its scenic beaches and vibrant nightlife, also holds a darker history of notorious mobsters who once controlled the underworld in the region. These crime figures were involved in various illegal activities, from bootlegging to racketeering, leaving an indelible mark on the shore’s history.
Abner "Longie" Zwillman:
Abner "Longie" Zwillman, often dubbed the "Al Capone of New Jersey," was a prominent figure in the state’s criminal landscape. He rose to power during Prohibition, primarily through bootlegging and later expanded his empire to include gambling, loansharking, and labor racketeering. Zwillman was known for his strategic alliances and his ability to evade law enforcement. Despite multiple arrests, he never faced long-term imprisonment. In 1959, he was found dead in his home, hanged under mysterious circumstances that many speculate were orchestrated by his own associates fearing his testimony before a grand jury.
Anthony "Tony Pro" Provenzano:
Anthony Provenzano, widely known as "Tony Pro," was a high-ranking member of the Genovese crime family and a powerful labor union leader. Operating out of North Jersey, his influence extended to the Jersey Shore. Provenzano was notorious for using his position in the Teamsters Union to engage in extortion, labor racketeering, and loan sharking. He is infamously linked to the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa, the former Teamsters president, in 1975. Provenzano was convicted on multiple charges throughout his career and spent the latter part of his life in prison, where he died in 1988.
Angelo "Gyp" DeCarlo:
Angelo "Gyp" DeCarlo was a feared capo in the Genovese crime family, operating mainly in Newark but with significant activities along the Jersey Shore. Known for his ruthless enforcement tactics, DeCarlo was heavily involved in extortion, loansharking, and murder. His reputation was such that even among mobsters, he was seen as particularly brutal. In the 1960s, he was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and sentenced to 12 years in prison. DeCarlo died of natural causes shortly after his release in the early 1970s.
Richard "The Iceman" Kuklinski:
Richard Kuklinski, known as "The Iceman," was a contract killer who claimed to have murdered over 200 people, many of them along the Jersey Shore. Kuklinski worked for various Mafia families, including the DeCavalcantes and the Gambinos. His moniker came from his method of freezing victims to obscure their time of death. He was particularly notorious for his lack of remorse and his inventive killing methods. Kuklinski was arrested in 1986 and convicted of multiple murders. He spent the remainder of his life in prison, dying in 2006.
Where is it rumored these Mobsters disposed of their victims??
The Pine Barrens, a vast expanse of forest in southern New Jersey, has long been rumored to be a dumping ground for mob victims. The dense woods and remote location provided an ideal setting for disposing of bodies without attracting attention. While many such tales are considered folklore, law enforcement has discovered bodies and evidence suggesting that the Barrens were indeed used by mobsters to conceal their crimes.
The legacy of mobsters at the Jersey Shore is a testament to the region’s entangled history with organized crime. Figures like Zwillman, Provenzano, DeCarlo, and Kuklinski left behind stories of ruthless power and violence. While many of these mobsters met their end either through imprisonment or death, their impact on the criminal underworld of the Jersey Shore remains a dark chapter in its history. The Pine Barrens, with its eerie reputation, serves as a grim reminder of the lengths to which these criminals would go to cover their tracks.
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