634: Joe Barone | Living in Dread Between the Mob and the Feds Part One

Early Life

Joe Barone's early life was deeply entrenched in the mafia, with connections on both sides of his family. He recounts a chilling story of his grandmother's sister's husband, who was involved with Al Capone and eventually killed for his bootlegging activities. Joe's uncle retaliated by killing his extortionists, leading the family to relocate multiple times to escape retribution.

They came to him and they said they want the money. So he didn't really know anything about it. He wasn't involved with that. He goes, "I don't know anything about it." And they said, "Well, look, we're going to come here tomorrow and you better have the money so we wouldn't kill you." So the next day they all got everything together to ready to move. They went to the barbershop and my uncle, I guess, I call him my uncle. He killed them. He shot them.

--- Joe Barone

This violent legacy set the stage for Joe's own involvement in the mafia from a young age. 1 2

   

Daily Life

Living in the mafia meant constant vigilance and a perpetual state of fear for Joe. He describes the psychological toll of always being on guard, even during seemingly mundane activities. Joe shares an incident where he was taken to a strip bar by fellow mobsters who pretended they were going to kill him, a cruel test of loyalty.

So they said, "Hey Joe, what's the matter? You thought you're going to get whacked. We're going to go to this place." They took me to a strip bar.

--- Joe Barone

These experiences highlight the brutal and unpredictable nature of mafia life. 3 4

   

Money

The mafia's primary focus was on generating money through any means necessary, legal or illegal. Joe explains that as long as he brought in an envelope of cash, the higher-ups didn't care about the methods used. He also discusses the economic dynamics within the mafia, where even lucrative operations like Michael Franzese's gas scheme required constant intimidation to maintain control.

That's not true. As long as I bring in an envelope, they don't care what I'm doing. They don't ask no questions.

--- Joe Barone

This relentless pursuit of profit often left many mobsters broke despite their criminal enterprises. 5 6

   

Hits

Mob hits were a grim reality, often poorly executed but always carrying severe consequences. Joe recounts various hits, including one where his uncle was shot in the finger after being found 20 years later. He also shares a nerve-wracking experience of being summoned to a meeting, unsure if it was his last.

I went to the house and of course, his cousin said, "What's going on? My cousin called me. He told me you got to meet him here. Are you all right? And he knew who he was. He's a killer. I said, "Yeah, I guess so." So he had met his father come in and they're kind of cold to me a little bit. I said, "Hello." And then we left. So now I'm getting into the car with them.

--- Joe Barone

These stories underscore the constant threat of violence that permeated Joe's life. 7 8