Photo: Maffian · Public domain

Born in United States · Nationality American — Organised crime / Lucchese family / taxation / union racketeering / JFK

Paul Vario

Documented profile covering 4 controversies, including “1986: pleads guilty in JFK extortion racket and receives six years in prison” and “1984: convicted of having false information submitted to prison and parole authorities”.

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Profile No. 2014 · Updated on 12 October 2026

4Documented controversies

5Sources

3 followed by a conviction

§ Legal statuses reflect the documented sources as of the date shown; they replace neither court decisions nor the presumption of innocence. Counts are not a rating. Methodology

I. Documented controversies

September–10 December 1986

1986: pleads guilty in JFK extortion racket and receives six years in prison

Conviction

Vario pleaded guilty to a federal racketeering charge involving extortion of freight and transport companies at JFK airport to secure payments in exchange for labour peace.

State of the evidence: Established by a court
Attribution: Accused

Sources · 2

[1]
UPIAiling mob don sentenced to jailPressHigh reliability
[2]
UPIEx-union boss guilty in airport shakedownPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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2 February–2 April 1984

1984: convicted of having false information submitted to prison and parole authorities

Conviction

Vario was convicted of having false information submitted to federal authorities portraying Henry Hill as the manager of a club, as part of a scheme concerning prison and parole conditions.

State of the evidence: Established by a court
Attribution: Accused

Sources · 1

[1]
U.S. Department of Justice / OJPOrganized Crime Prosecution Program report — United States v. Paul VarioOfficial documentVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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1978–1981

1978–1981: suspicions of receiving proceeds from Lufthansa heist without prosecution for that theft

Allegations

In the Lufthansa investigation, federal officials suspected that Vario, whose criminal sphere of influence included the airport, had received a share of the proceeds.

State of the evidence: Reported by the press

Sources · 1

[1]
The Washington PostLufthansa Case Holds Clues for Point-Shaving InvestigatorsPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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1973–January 1974

1973–1974: convicted of tax conspiracy and filing false tax returns

Conviction

Vario was found guilty of conspiracy to obstruct tax collection and of filing false tax returns for 1965 and 1966.

State of the evidence: Established by a court
Attribution: Accused

Sources · 1

[1]
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit via JustiaUnited States v. Paul Vario, 484 F.2d 1052Court decisionVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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II. Constellation of documented links

Linked profile (portrait or initials) — click to open it
Line width: number of documented references
Hover over or tap a line: controversies and sources

Two profiles are linked when a documented controversy of one names the other. The link points to that controversy and its sources; it does not indicate a personal relationship.

List of documented links (1)

Henry Hill1 documented reference
- 1984: convicted of having false information submitted to prison and parole authorities Source ↗

III. Has something changed?

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