Born Rocco James, in Rochester (?), in August 1933, to Pasquale Zangari and Fortunata Morena. Families from Sant’Agata del Bianco and Santo Stefano in Aspromonte respectively, both comuni in Reggio Calabria.
Rocco may have actually been born in the San Fernando Valley, like an older brother Anthony Joseph (1930-1998). This would make him the second Los Angeles member to be born in California (Louis T. Dragna).
Brothers Dominick (1923-2007) and Joseph “Jerry” (1941-2013) may have been associates of the family in Palm Springs.
Restaurateur Dominick (of Dominick’s in Rancho Mirage) also had connections to the Philadelphia group.
“Bigfoot” nickname has no clear origin.
Arrested in 1945 for failing to pay for a Federal Wagering Stamp.
It is unknown how Zangari became connected to the Los Angeles family.
Former associate Kenny Gallo identified him as a “drunk” Palm Springs bookmaker paying tribute to Michael Rizzitello and associate Craig Fiato (CW) in the mid-1970s.
Also present in the area around that time was Milano crew member and possible Los Angeles soldier Frank Stellino, who Zangari may have been formally associated with.
By late 1979, Zangari associated with the “Buffalo faction” of the family.
Unlike the Cacis and Stephen Cino, Zangari had no discernible links to the families in upstate New York. While erroneous, Charles and Vincent Caci as well as Cino were all identified as Buffalo members at various points.
In November 1980, hired by Cabazon Tribe representative John Nichols to operate a cardroom for the Cabazon Indian Casino along with former Aladena Fratianno associate Irving “Slick” Shapiro.
Fired that following year in November, due to Dominick Zangari’s affiliation with the Philadelphia family as well as allegations of skimming and theft.
Ranking associate Jimmy Caci and others were able to cash fraudulent cheques and received other privileges during Zangari’s tenure as cardroom manager. Long-time mob affiliate Thomas Marson also frequented the casino.
Notably, Rizzitello associates Rocco Passanante and John DiMattia were also involved in scams connected to gambling in Indian Reservations. This may confirm previous formal ties to that crew.
Following his dismissal, Zangari accused John Nichols of “obtaining fictitious salaries” by being involved in the casino skim.
It is unclear in what context this occurred. Given his subsequent LCN membership and association with the virulently “anti-rat” Caci brothers, it is unlikely to have emerged during meetings with law enforcement.
Nichols was later sentenced to 4 years in 1985 for attempting to hire an undercover policeman as a contract killer.
Around this time, threatened Palm Springs businessman Mel Haber at the Melvyn’s restaurant. Haber contacted Irving Shapiro and two days later, Zangari returned and apologised for his conduct.
In August 1983, Jimmy Caci and Luigi Gelfuso Jnr were first identified as members of the Los Angeles family.
Inducted in a Palm Springs hotel after a golf game by acting boss Peter Milano and underboss Carmen Milano, details of Caci’s ceremony are also sometimes consistent with those of his brother, Steve Cino and Zangari.
They are all noted by Gallo to have been made in Palm Springs, in a hotel – Zangari and Charles Caci at the same time (following a golf game), likely indicating that the entire crew was inducted simultaneously.
CW Craig Fiato knew Zangari, Cino and the Cacis to be members by early 1984.
Of further note is that Zangari was the only mainlander member of the crew. The brothers hailed from the comune of Porto Empedocle in Agrigento, while later acting captain Cino’s family were also Agrigentines.
Surveilled unloading cartons of cigarettes at Piggy’s Vending in July 1986. This business was owned by Keely Smith, romantic partner of Charles “Bobby Milano” Caci. Steve Cino acted as the company’s general manager.
Following the Fiato bust in 1987, Los Angeles family defendants were presented with a global plea deal around a year later. Zangari wanted to take his case to trial but during a meeting with Russell Masetta, he received instructions from Pete Milano to plead out.
Sentenced to 5 years of federal probation.
CI Kenji Gallo was first introduced to Zangari sometime in the early 1990s, in the San Fernando Valley. He knew him to still be under Vincent Caci.
Extorted 10,000 dollars from an unnamed associate (possibly Gallo?) around that same time, along with John DiMattia – by then revealed as a former bogus CI for the LAPD. Ostensibly to be used as seed money for a bookmaking operation, Zangari and DiMattia apparently drank and gambled the money away.
By that point, he was residing in Downey, Southeast Los Angeles.
In late July or early August 1996, Zangari attempted to misrepresent himself as a captain at a sitdown in Culver City.
The meeting had been called over Zangari’s extortion of Jimmy Caci associates Abe Silfani, “Eddie” TNU and possibly Vern Stephens. They were operating a traveller’s cheque racket in Las Vegas.
Incarcerated as a result of Orlando Spado’s cooperation, Caci was represented by associates Kenny Gallo, Vincent “Vince Lupo” Arcuri and probably brother Charles. Word was eventually passed through Caci’s lawyer that Zangari was to be given Silfani and the cheques scam.
As a result, he became a key target during FBI operations Thin Crust and Button-Down.
Zangari, captain Louis Caruso and several others did business with UC Charles Maurer (aka Charlie Marone) in connection to the fraudulent money. Subsequently indicted on February 2nd 1998 on various charges.
He may have sought to turn CW but no further details are available and it does not appear any formal cooperation occurred.
Convicted of racketeering and sentenced to 20 months on August 17th 2000. Released March 21st 2002.
Following his release, Zangari split time between Las Vegas, Clark County and upstate New York before permanently moving to Rochester in late 2007.
Died April 6th 2016 and buried in Monroe County. He was effectively the last Caci crew member that had not cooperated.
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