Career
Piccolo and his two younger brothers Mike and Joe all became made men in the Philadelphia family. The brothers owned the mob hangout "Piccolo"s 500 Restaurant" in South Philadelphia. Piccolo was a caporegime in the Philadelphia family under boss Angelo Bruno.
After Bruno"s murder, Piccolo was named consigliere of the crime family by new boss Nicodemo "Little Nicky" Scarfo.
Scarfo and underboss Philosophy "Crazy Philosophy" Leonetti, Piccolo"s great nephew, ruled the Philadelphia family and its Atlantic City, New Jersey branch with brutality and violence from 1982 to 1988. During the early 1980s, while Scarfo was briefly in prison, Piccolo was heavily involved in running the crime family.
Like many mobsters, Piccolo was a married man who also kept a mistress 20 years younger than he was. Piccolo met his mistress Helen (also known as Babs) during the 1940s.
The newlyweds honeymooned at the Scarfo compound in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, spending a good amount of time on Scarfo"s boat, The Usual Suspects.
In February, 1989, Nicholas Piccolo died at his Seaside Heights home from emphysema, caused by many years of heavy smoking. His funeral in Seaside Park, New Jersey drew many mafioso and was closely monitored by Federal Bureau of Investigation (Federal Bureau of Investigation) agents. Descendants of the Piccolo family reside in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Sewell, New Jersey.
