| Rico Castelli | |
| Biographical Information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Born | 1902 Havana, Cuba |
| Died | 1947 New York City |
| Affiliation | Castelli crime family |
| Title(s) | Don |
Rico Castelli was a Cuban-Italian mobster who was known for being the racket boss of the Copacabana, a famous nightclub. In 1947, he was shot to death by his girlfriend, who wanted to save another dancer from being shot.
Biography[]
Castelli was born in Havana, Cuba, in 1902. His parents, Giacomo Castelliano and Mary Anastasio, were both from Sicily, although Castelli was rumored to be a brothel boy, as Castelliano was known to frequent brothels around town. Rico moved to America in 1929, and operated speakeasy clubs in Manhattan. He soon became the head of a powerful crime family, and became the racket boss of the Copacabana nightclub, after purchasing it as a front. Disappearances of Copa Girls were blamed on him, and he was arrested for a few months in 1939. However, he returned to his family in 1940 and continued operating the club. In 1947, he fell in love with two Copa Girls, and when he kidnapped one, people from the Copacabana brought her back. When the damsel-in-distress met with her boyfriend, Castelli tried to shoot them, but his girlfriend shot him in the back before he could do so.