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Anthony 'Tony' Joseph Zerilli (October 24, 1927 - March 31, 2015) was an Italian-American mobster from Sterling Heights, Michigan. From 1949 he was one of the majority owners of the highly profitable Hazel Park Raceway. In 1970 he succeeded his father Joseph Zerilli as head of the Detroit Partnership ("The Partnership") criminal organization.

Key Information

After Zerilli was convicted and imprisoned in 1974, his father came out of retirement to lead the organization until his death in 1977, when Jack Tocco became head of the Partnership. Anthony Zerilli was later his deputy. The Detroit Partnership is believed to be part of the American Cosa Nostra.[1]

Early life and education

[edit]

Anthony (Tony) Joseph Zerilli was born in Detroit, Michigan on October 24, 1927, to Josephine (Finazzo) and Joseph Zerilli. At the time of Tony's birth, his father was an up-and-coming member of the Eastside Mob under the direction of Angelo Meli and his cousin and brother-in-law Vito William Tocco.

As a teenager, Tony worked at the Detroit Italian-American Bakery in Roseville, Michigan. In 1947, Tony reportedly became a made man in the Partnership by murdering Gust Andromalus in a Detroit basement as ordered by the Partnership.[citation needed] Like his cousin Jack Tocco, Zerilli graduated from the University of Detroit in 1949.

Hazel Park Raceway and the Spaghetti Palace

[edit]

In 1949, Zerilli became president of the Hazel Park Racing Association and Track in Hazel Park, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. Originally planned as an auto track, Hazel Park Raceway was the first modern 5/8-mile horse racing track in Michigan. With family help, Zerilli had purchased a controlling interest in the operation for US$50,000.

Over the next twenty-three years, Hazel Park produced an estimated $15,000,000 a year in revenue, netting an annual profit for its investors of $1,200,000. During this period state law limited pari-mutuel betting to the races run at the track. Although listed as the number one man in the Hazel Park operation, Zerilli is thought to have deferred to his cousin Jack Tocco in business dealings.

Hazel Park was such a financial success that in August 1970 Zerilli, Tocco, and Dominic "Fats" Corrado decided to develop another race track. The three men invested $2,500,000 in 280 acres (1.1 km2) of land in Hollywood, Florida, to construct a second horse racing complex. But the second project, to be called Hazel Park South, was cancelled after Zerilli ran into legal problems in Las Vegas.(See below) Because of his legal difficulties, Zerilli cancelled the Hazel Park South project; in 1972, he and his partners sold the Hazel Park Raceway in Michigan. Zerilli made $780,000 from his 92,634 shares.

With this revenue, Zerilli invested in several other businesses, including the Spaghetti Palace restaurant, established in 1968 near the Macomb Mall in Roseville, Michigan. Zerilli used this restaurant as his headquarters. It continued as a popular venue in Roseville under the direction of Joseph Zerilli, Rosalie Zerilli and Jack Giannosa before closing in the early 1990s.

Trouble in Las Vegas

[edit]

During the early 1960s, Zerilli began spending a good portion of his time in Las Vegas, where various Mob families from the East had invested. He was watching over the Partnership's investments while seeking new chances to expand his family's influence in that city. Zerilli and Michael Polizzi approached mob "connection man" "Handsome Johnny" Roselli about buying a casino. Roselli introduced the pair to Maurice Friedman, a developer and casino owner with a string of arrests dating back to the 1950s.

Friedman was in the process of developing the New Frontier Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. In 1964, when the Nevada Gaming Commission denied gaming licenses to Zerilli and Polizzi, Friedman agreed to act as a front boss for the two men. But, Friedman was also rejected for a license by the Commission. Zerilli and Polizzi eventually gained access to the casino when the Commission approved former municipal judge Arthur Rooks, from Hamtramck, Michigan; and Irving Shapiro, owner of the Toledo Hotel, as key operators in the Frontier. Friedman later testified that he was set up in the Frontier to oversee the development and financing on orders from Zerilli and other unseen Partnership members from Detroit.

Zerilli was soon forced out of Las Vegas. Friedman had been tried and convicted of cheating the Friars Club of Beverly Hills, California, and was facing a long prison sentence. In a plea deal for reduced prison time, Friedman agreed to testify against his Detroit bosses. As a result, Zerilli, Polizzi, Jack Shapiro and lawyer Peter J. Bellanca were convicted of skimming approximately $250,000 a month from the Frontier for more than two years. In 1967, Johnny Roselli arranged the sale of the Frontier to billionaire industrialist Howard Hughes for $25 million.

In 1970, Zerilli was chosen to succeed his father, who had retired, as boss of the Detroit Partnership. His reign lasted until 1974, when he was convicted and sent to prison on charges related to the Frontier Hotel and Casino case. After his son was imprisoned, Joseph Zerilli emerged from retirement to lead the Partnership until his death in October 1977. His nephew Jack Tocco was chosen to succeed Zerilli's father as the new boss. Tony Zerilli was imprisoned until 1979. After returning to Detroit, he took his place as the underboss of the Detroit Partnership alongside his cousin.

The Tocco/Zerilli regime led the Detroit Mafia while keeping out of the news and maintaining distance from law enforcement. But on March 15, 1996, Zerilli, Jack Tocco, and 15 other alleged Partnership members and associates were indicted on a 25-count federal charge of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). They were charged with conspiracy to control illegal gambling within the Detroit area for the previous 30 years, involvement with hidden casino interests in Las Vegas, and alleged involvement with the criminal organization known as the "American Mafia" or "La Cosa Nostra," known to run organized crime in the United States. Zerilli and the rest of the alleged crime family leaders were freed on bail to await trial.

Zerilli's lawyers gained postponement of the trial indefinitely due to his ill health. The trial eventually began in February 1998; on April 29, 1998, the jury returned its verdicts. Anthony Joseph "Jack" Tocco was found guilty on 12 counts, including two counts of racketeering, eight counts of extortion, and two counts of attempted extortion. Zerilli was convicted on several counts, but his lawyers arranged bail and he was free while the case was being appealed. The appeal was heard August 19, 2002, and the court upheld his convictions. Zerilli faced U.S. District Court judge, Lawrence Zatkoff on November 7, 2002, for sentencing.

Zerilli was remanded to prison in late 2002. In November 2007 he was serving the final months of his sentence in a halfway house in the Detroit area, with projected release date April 6, 2008. He was expected to resume leadership of the remains of the Detroit Mafia, one of the original 24 American Mafia crime families that is documented as having controlled organized crime in the United States from the 1930s to the 1990s. Although not as powerful as it was at one time, the Detroit Mafia is believed by state and federal investigators to be one of roughly 10 Mafia crime families in the United States that are highly influential in the American underworld.[citation needed]

One-time boss

[edit]

By 1964, Zerilli was recognized as the leader of his own unit or "crew" within the Detroit Mafia. The young Zerilli had a heightened status as a mid-level mobster not only within the Detroit underworld, but within the national underworld. The Zerilli family was trying to increase its power over the Detroit underworld, mainly in the areas of gambling and labor racketeering.

Zerilli and various influential underlings were recorded by law enforcement bugs discussing various criminal plots, including gambling operations, kidnapping International Brotherhood of Teamsters chief Jimmy Hoffa, police payoff policies, and the easing of internal disputes.[2] The tapes recorded in the offices of Anthony Giacalone, between 1961 and 1964, demonstrated Zerilli's position in the Partnership. He was not included on the crime families' charts during the Valachi Hearings. At one point Giacalone complained bitterly about Pete Licavoli's dominance of area gambling operations, although Licavoli had not lived in the Detroit area for many years. Zerilli tried to placate Giacalone, and promised to have the matter heard before his father Joseph Z. Zerilli, then head of the Partnership, and Papa John Priziola, the only two remaining senior members of the chair who could sit in judgement of Licavoli.

Shortly after these tapes were recorded, Zerilli succeeded his father, who retired. After the younger Zerilli was convicted and imprisoned, his father came out of retirement until his own death in 1977. The younger Zerilli was demoted while in prison; his cousin, Jack Tocco, son of Detroit Partnership patriarch, Giacomo "Jack" Tocco, was named as the head of the family. Zerilli was later named as underboss and allegedly remained in this highly powerful position within the organization.

On April 4, 2008, Zerilli was released from federal prison; he was "put on the shelf" or demoted in 2008.

Claims as to the location of the remains of Jimmy Hoffa

[edit]

Labor leader Jimmy Hoffa disappeared in July 1975 and was believed to have been killed. His body was never found. There was speculation that it was a mob hit. On January 13, 2013, NBC New York's Marc Santia reported that Zerilli claimed to know the location of Hoffa's remains.[3] Santia had formerly reported for NBC in Detroit and said that he was approached by Zerilli for an interview. In the broadcast, Zerilli said that Hoffa was buried in a "shallow grave" in a field in Oakland County, 20 miles north of the now-closed Bloomfield Township restaurant Machus Red Fox, where Hoffa was last seen alive.

The Detroit Free Press reported that this alleged burial site was near the intersection of Buell and Adams roads, on a property reportedly previously owned by reputed Detroit crime boss Jack Tocco.[4] Zerilli said in the Santia NBC report that "they" intended to move the body to a permanent grave in the upstate Rogers City area, but that Hoffa's remains were never reinterred. [citation needed]

At the time of Hoffa's disappearance, Zerilli had been in prison after being convicted on charges related to Las Vegas casino skimming. In his interview with Santia, he denied any involvement in the Hoffa affair, claiming to be his "friend", and saying that he thought of Hoffa as a "gentleman." While suggesting that he was privy to unspecified knowledge of Detroit Partnership activities, Zerilli added, "I would've...if I wasn't away (in prison) I don't think it (the Hoffa disappearance) would've even happened."[citation needed]

On June 17, 2013, Detroit media outlets reported that the FBI was in the process of excavating a large tract of the Buell Road parcel in Oakland County.[5][6][7] No remains were found.

Going public

[edit]

In his interview with Santia, Zerilli said he was "dead broke." He reportedly hired a publicist, launched a website, and discussed plans for an exposé, all unprecedented for such a crime figure.[8]

Family feud

[edit]

On January 16, 2013, The Macomb Daily reported that Zerilli had spoken about Hoffa not only to create interest in his actions but as a result of a growing rift between Jack Tocco, the head of the family, and him. This may have dated to the early 1970s, when the former partners were involved in business dealings in Detroit and Las Vegas.

Quoted in the Daily's report, former U.S. Attorney Keith Corbett said, “There is a good deal of acrimony between Tony and his cousin, Jack...and the resentment goes both ways."[9]

References

[edit]
[edit]
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Anthony Joseph Zerilli

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Anthony Joseph Zerilli (October 24, 1927 – March 31, 2015) was an Italian-American figure who led the , the city's principal syndicate, as its boss during periods including the 1970s prior to his imprisonment. Born in to , the longtime head of the same criminal organization, and Josephine Zerilli, he entered the family business amid his father's established influence over local , labor unions, and rackets. Zerilli's criminal career involved overseeing operations in bookmaking, usury, and infiltration of legitimate businesses such as and , activities that drew federal scrutiny under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. In 1974, he was convicted on federal charges related to illegal and sentenced to prison, temporarily yielding control back to his father until the elder Zerilli's death in 1977. Following his release, Zerilli resumed leadership but faced renewed indictments in 1996 alongside associates for , , and , culminating in a 2002 conviction that resulted in a seven-year sentence. These prosecutions highlighted the syndicate's enduring structure despite pressures, with Zerilli's appeals ultimately denied in 2006. After his final release in 2008, Zerilli resided in , where he died of natural causes at age 87, marking the end of a direct generational link to the underworld's mid-20th-century dominance. His tenure reflected the transition of families from overt violence to more insulated economic crimes, though persistent convictions underscored vulnerabilities to federal infiltration and testimony.

Early Life and Background

Birth and Family Origins

Anthony Joseph Zerilli was born on October 24, 1927, in , Michigan, to Giuseppe "Joseph" Zerilli and Josephine (née Finazzo) Zerilli. His father, born December 10, 1897, in , Sicily, immigrated to the in 1914 at age 17, initially working as a laborer in before entering during the era. Josephine Zerilli, also of Sicilian origin, was born in 1905 in and similarly immigrated to , where the couple established a family deeply embedded in the local Italian-American enclave. Joseph Zerilli rose to lead the , the city's primary syndicate, consolidating power from onward after surviving early gang conflicts tied to bootlegging and territorial disputes. The family's household in 's east side, later extending to affluent Grosse Pointe Park, reflected wealth derived from these illicit operations, including alcohol smuggling and early rackets that positioned the Zerillis at the core of the Sicilian-dominated faction controlling the underworld. Zerilli's paternal ties included alliances with relatives like brother-in-law William "Black Bill" Tocco, reinforcing the clan's influence within the Detroit Mafia's founding networks. Zerilli's early years unfolded amid Detroit's tight-knit Italian-American , where familial bonds facilitated immersion in circles from infancy, shaped by his father's status as a founding boss and the syndicate's emphasis on endogamous marriages to maintain and control. This environment, centered in neighborhoods like the east side's Sicilian clique, provided direct exposure to the Partnership's operations without formal initiation, embedding Zerilli in a legacy of dominance over local vice and labor rackets established during his father's tenure.

Education and Initial Influences

Anthony Joseph Zerilli attended Catholic schools in during his formative years, a common choice for children from prominent Italian-American families in the city. This education occurred amid the economic disruptions of the and , periods when 's industrial base expanded but underground economies also thrived under figures like his father, . Zerilli pursued higher education at the University of , graduating with a degree in 1949 alongside his cousin , who followed a parallel path in the family network. This academic achievement provided foundational knowledge in commerce and management, yet it aligned with the practical needs of familial interests rather than steering him toward unrelated professional fields. The post-war in late-1940s , marked by booming demand for entertainment and wagering, reinforced informal influences from his upbringing, emphasizing mentorship within extended Sicilian-American circles over detached academic pursuits. His privileged position as the son of a key Detroit Partnership figure shaped early development, fostering a trajectory that integrated with inherited networks in vice-oriented sectors, distinct from peers entering conventional industries. This blend of formal schooling and familial grooming exemplified patterns among second-generation heirs in families, where education served as a tool for legitimacy amid preferential access to non-traditional opportunities.

Business Enterprises

Hazel Park Raceway Development

In 1949, Anthony Zerilli, then 21 years old, acquired an interest in the Hazel Park Raceway through a $50,000 stock purchase, securing a position on the of the Hazel Park Racing Association in the suburb of . He soon assumed the role of president, partnering with figures including Giacomo W. Tocco, and the track emerged as a major venue that generated substantial revenue from betting operations. Under Zerilli's leadership, the raceway expanded its facilities and operations, contributing to local employment and economic activity in while drawing crowds for nightly races. Federal investigations, including those by the McClellan Committee, identified Zerilli as a high-ranking member of the Detroit syndicate and highlighted the raceway's ties to underworld influence, with allegations of skimming from proceeds and control over concessions. In March 1970, congressional records noted the board's composition, including Zerilli as president, as evidence of infiltration into legitimate enterprises. By 1972, scrutiny intensified when a House aide testified that concessionaire Emprise Corporation had channeled approximately $750,000 for raceway stock purchases through Zerilli, whom Michigan authorities described as a reputed , prompting probes into potential and links. Zerilli maintained that his involvement represented entrepreneurial achievement rather than criminal enterprise, emphasizing the track's profitability and legal operations amid the accusations. Despite generating legitimate income estimated in the millions annually from pari-mutuel betting, the raceway faced persistent claims of mob-dominated control, including influence peddling for bookmakers and vendors, as documented in later federal reviews of activities. These developments underscored the raceway's dual role as both a economic driver and a focal point for allegations, though no convictions directly tied Zerilli to race-fixing or on-track at the venue.

The Spaghetti Palace and Other Ventures

Zerilli extended his business activities into the hospitality sector by partnering in the establishment of Silvio's Spaghetti Palace, a opened in at 31653 Gratiot Avenue in Roseville, . Positioned near the Macomb Mall, the venue capitalized on profits from Zerilli's earlier investments, serving as a prominent dining spot in the and functioning as his operational base for meetings and oversight of affairs. Beyond the Spaghetti Palace, Zerilli directed funds into various additional enterprises, drawing on revenue streams exceeding $780,000 from share sales in associated holdings to support expansion. These pursuits maintained a profile aligned with legitimate in and sectors, though public documentation on their scale and specifics remains sparse, reflecting a of controlled visibility amid familial networks.

Las Vegas Hidden Ownership Scheme

In the mid-1960s, Anthony Zerilli and associate Michael Polizzi acquired concealed interests in Vegas Frontier, Inc. (VFI), a Nevada corporation that leased and operated the Frontier Hotel and Casino in , aiming to circumvent regulations requiring disclosure of ownership stakes exceeding certain thresholds. This scheme involved nominee shareholders to mask control, with Zerilli, as president of Michigan's Hazel Park Racing Association, leveraging ties to Emprise Corporation—a Buffalo-based concessions firm—for operational cover in the casino's management and concessions. Associates like mob figure also held hidden equity, forming a cross-regional network that federal prosecutors later described as a deliberate to defraud gaming authorities. Federal scrutiny intensified amid Nevada's post-1960s crackdown on infiltration into legalized gambling, leading to a February 1971 of Zerilli, Polizzi, Giordano, Emprise, and three others on charges of and to violate federal and state gaming laws through false filings and sworn statements denying . evidence, including corporate records and witness testimony, established that Zerilli and Polizzi directed VFI's formation in 1966 to secure a hidden 50% stake in the Frontier's lease, valued at millions, while publicly portraying it as a legitimate vehicle. Zerilli's defense argued the arrangements protected legitimate business privacy from competitors, but U.S. District Judge Roger Foley rejected this, convicting the defendants in April 1972 after a found the —such as Zerilli's false testimony before gaming regulators—integral to sustaining the covert control. Sentencing in July 1972 imposed four-year terms on Zerilli and Polizzi, with fines totaling $30,000 each, alongside suspended or lighter penalties for co-defendants; Emprise received five years' and a $100,000 fine, underscoring the scheme's exposure as a flashpoint in Nevada's efforts to purge Eastern mob elements from operations. The convictions disrupted Zerilli's interstate ventures, forcing temporary divestitures and drawing IRS audits that compounded financial strain on Detroit-linked enterprises, though appeals—upheld by the Ninth Circuit—affirmed the fraudulent nature of the ownership filings based on documented control patterns rather than mere association claims. This episode exemplified broader federal-state coordination against hidden syndicates, with court records verifying the conspiracy's mechanics over two years of undetected operation from 1966 to 1968.

Racketeering and Extortion Convictions

In 2002, following a federal in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of , Anthony Zerilli was convicted on two counts of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy, along with and charges stemming from a scheme to threaten and coerce victims, including operators in construction-related enterprises under mob-influenced labor unions. The prosecution presented wiretap evidence from surveillance capturing Zerilli and associates discussing enforcement tactics to extract payments and ensure compliance in protected rackets, confirming the persistent operational patterns of the despite earlier dormancy periods. On November 7, 2002, U.S. District Judge Lawrence Zatkoff sentenced Zerilli to 71 months in , a term upheld on in 2006 despite arguments over sentencing guidelines and evidentiary scope. He reported to prison in early 2003 and served until 2008, much of it in Bureau of Prisons medical facilities due to chronic heart conditions and other age-related ailments that exacerbated the personal costs of RICO enforcement against aging leaders. Federal prosecutors framed the convictions as a decisive blow to the mob's remnants, leveraging RICO to target supervisory roles in networks that had evaded earlier scrutiny. Zerilli's defense maintained the case represented prosecutorial overreach, emphasizing his diminished capacity and questioning the interpretation of intercepted communications as direct threats, though courts affirmed the jury's findings based on the cumulative predicate acts establishing enterprise continuity.

Leadership in the Detroit Partnership

Succession Following Joseph Zerilli

Following the death of Joseph Zerilli on October 30, 1977, from natural causes after a prolonged illness, his nephew assumed the role of boss of the , marking a smooth transition in leadership. Tocco, a longtime family member and Zerilli's trusted associate, consolidated control during this period, prioritizing internal stability amid federal scrutiny. Anthony Zerilli, Joseph Zerilli's son and the designated , was incarcerated on federal charges at the time of his father's passing but, upon his release in 1979, assumed the position under Tocco. This arrangement established what became known as the Tocco-Zerilli regime, which governed the Detroit family through the 1980s with an emphasis on low-visibility operations and avoidance of the overt violence characteristic of rival New York families. The leadership duo maintained power through familial ties, selective alliances with other crime groups, and adherence to territorial protocols, fostering continuity in core activities like and loansharking without provoking internecine conflicts. Federal investigations, including surveillance efforts in the early 1980s, documented the regime's operational persistence, with Tocco and Zerilli directing subordinates in discreet meetings and racket oversight, though major disruptions did not occur until later prosecutions in the 1990s. This succession preserved the Partnership's structure, leveraging Zerilli's established hierarchy to minimize power vacuums and external challenges.

Underboss Role and Power Dynamics

Upon his release from in 1979 following a related to hidden ownership of a Las Vegas , Anthony Zerilli resumed his position as of the under boss , his cousin. In this capacity, Zerilli contributed to the organization's operational continuity, focusing on core rackets such as gambling, loan-sharking, and labor racketeering, which provided leverage over Detroit-area unions and businesses. The Tocco-Zerilli regime emphasized a low-profile strategy to navigate escalating federal pressures, including the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act prosecutions that dismantled other families in the . Unlike more aggressive outfits, the under their leadership avoided high-visibility conflicts and informant defections during this period, sustaining influence through union infiltration and discreet enforcement rather than overt violence. This approach delayed major convictions until the late and early , when Zerilli himself faced charges for directing activities, resulting in a six-year sentence in 2002 for his supervisory role in the syndicate's enterprises. Critics, including federal investigators, attributed the organization's resilience to Zerilli's oversight of labor ties that shielded operations from immediate decline, though this insulation ultimately contributed to prolonged scrutiny under RICO frameworks. Zerilli's authority extended to arbitrating internal disputes and enforcing compliance, as reflected in court records from later trials highlighting his veto influence over key decisions in expansions and enforcement actions. Despite these adaptations, the era marked a gradual erosion of the Partnership's dominance amid intensified FBI operations targeting union corruption and hidden ownership schemes.

Assertions on Jimmy Hoffa's Fate

Zerilli's Specific Claims

In a January 2013 interview with New York reporter Marc Santia, Anthony Zerilli claimed that was abducted on July 30, 1975, from the parking lot of the Machus Red Fox restaurant in Bloomfield Township, Michigan, and transported approximately 20 miles north to a field in Oakland Township. Zerilli asserted that Hoffa was killed at a house on the property—specifically struck with a and buried alive in a shallow grave beneath a foundation of a barn—and that the site was later developed into a commercial lot near Buell Road east of Adams Road. Zerilli denied any personal role in the events or current affiliation with , attributing his knowledge to information relayed years earlier by trusted associates within the , whom he described as direct participants unwilling to speak publicly. He emphasized his certainty, stating, "I'm as certain as I could possibly be," and expressed willingness to wager a large sum on the claim's accuracy, framing his disclosure as an effort to correct decades of sensationalized misinformation in books and media rather than personal gain. Zerilli positioned his account as a definitive resolution to the 38-year mystery at the time, drawing on his purported insider status from prior decades in Detroit's to lend credibility. However, contemporaries and analysts questioned the timing and motives, citing Zerilli's recent release from in 2008 after serving nearly 20 years for , his self-reported financial desperation—"I'm dead broke. I got no money"—and the potential for self-promotion through a manuscript he authored and sold detailing the claims.

Investigations, Searches, and Credibility Assessments

In June 2013, the FBI conducted an excavation at a field in , approximately 25 miles north of , based on coordinates provided by Zerilli indicating a shallow grave beneath a former barn's on property then owned by . Agents employed and heavy excavation equipment over three days, retrieving a suspicious for , but uncovered no remains, tools, or other evidentiary items linked to Hoffa. The search concluded without findings on June 19, 2013, marking another null result in the FBI's ongoing Hoffa investigation. The FBI's pursuit of Zerilli's tip reflected initial assessments of its potential merit, as agents vetted the claims for months prior to obtaining a warrant, citing the specificity of the location—which contrasted with prior vague or unsubstantiated theories—as a factor warranting empirical testing. Former FBI officials, including Detroit field office head Andrew Arena, deemed Zerilli's insider status as a reputed sufficient for serious consideration, aligning with patterns of rapid, concealed mob burials to avoid detection. However, skepticism persisted due to Zerilli's incarceration for during Hoffa's 1975 disappearance, rendering his account secondhand, and his public history of denying involvement despite federal convictions, which eroded perceptions of reliability among prosecutors. No corroboration emerged from key associates like Tocco, who never substantiated the site despite his ownership and leadership role, and subsequent analyses yielded no forensic matches to Hoffa. As of 2025, retrospective discussions of Zerilli's coordinates in media and expert commentary have reaffirmed the site's theoretical fit with mob disposal methods but prompted no new verified tips or excavations, leaving the claims empirically unconfirmed amid persistent non-findings.

Personal Conflicts and Later Years

Family Feuds and Internal Disputes

Following the death of in 1977, his son Anthony Zerilli assumed the role of under first cousin "Jack" Tocco, who became boss of the [Detroit Partnership](/page/Detroit Partnership), but familial ties strained amid power struggles over influence and rackets in the 1980s and 1990s. These disputes were intensified by successive incarcerations—Zerilli's release from federal prison in 1979 after serving time for , followed by intensified FBI scrutiny via operations like Gametax—and competition for control shares within the family's tightly knit structure, which emphasized endogamous marriages to consolidate authority. Informant testimonies and federal investigations revealed factional tensions between Zerilli's faction and Tocco loyalists, prompting sit-downs to mediate allocations of and proceeds, though no emerged of violent escalation. Zerilli reportedly urged restraint during these conflicts, prioritizing organizational survival over confrontation, as corroborated by cooperating witnesses who described his role in averting open warfare despite personal grievances. The feuds underscored the fragility of nepotistic bonds in Mafia hierarchies, where blood relations facilitated crime perpetuation but also bred resentment when leadership transitions diluted individual authority, leading to persistent acrimony documented in files. Sources proximate to the Detroit underworld attributed Zerilli's public disclosures on historical matters—targeting properties linked to Tocco—as retaliatory moves in this long-simmering rift, highlighting how internal disputes eroded the clan's cohesion without fracturing it into rival outfits.

Post-Incarceration Life and Public Denials

Following his release from on April 4, 2008, after serving a sentence for and , Zerilli relocated to , where he adopted a largely reclusive lifestyle amid ongoing health challenges associated with advanced age. Despite prior convictions establishing his role in activities, Zerilli publicly maintained in subsequent interviews that he had never been a member of the , framing his post-prison years as those of a unconnected to criminal enterprises. In 2013, Zerilli emerged from relative obscurity to provide media interviews claiming knowledge of Jimmy Hoffa's burial site in a shallow at a vacant lot in Oakland Township, Michigan, approximately 30 miles north of ; however, he simultaneously denied any personal involvement in the 1975 disappearance or any affiliation, assertions contradicted by federal court records documenting his leadership positions in the . These statements prompted an FBI search of the site in June 2013, which yielded no evidence, while critics dismissed Zerilli's denials as untenable given his documented history of convictions spanning decades. Zerilli's health deteriorated in his final years, culminating in his death from natural causes on March 31, 2015, at age 87 in the Fort Lauderdale area of . Supporters portrayed his late-life commentary as evidence of personal redemption and willingness to assist authorities, whereas skeptics regarded the persistent disavowals of criminal ties as self-serving fabrications inconsistent with judicial findings and testimonies from his era.

Death and Enduring Impact

Circumstances of Death

Anthony Joseph Zerilli died on March 31, , at the age of 87, while residing in his home in . His death was attributed to natural causes, with no reports of suspicious circumstances or external involvement. Family-provided obituaries described the passing as a quiet, age-related event, underscoring a low-profile conclusion to his life in semiretirement. This occurred approximately eight years after Zerilli had been removed from active leadership in the organized crime family amid internal disputes, marking the end of his direct influence without fanfare or media scrutiny in his former base.

Legacy in Organized Crime History

Zerilli's tenure as and acting boss of the exemplified a of operational , distinguishing the family from the more overt violence and internal conflicts plaguing New York syndicates during the same period. This approach enabled sustained involvement in core rackets, including and labor , even as federal prosecutions mounted in the 1970s and 1980s. By prioritizing low-profile management over expansionist gambits, Zerilli helped maintain the organization's viability amid RICO-era disruptions, though this adaptability masked underlying vulnerabilities to informant defections and wiretap evidence. Critics of Zerilli's legacy highlight his facilitation of entrenched union corruption, particularly through ties to figures like , which entrenched systemic extortion in Detroit's industrial sectors without yielding proportional long-term gains for the family. Verifiable federal convictions during his leadership, including charges against key associates, underscore failed attempts at diversification, such as casino skimming ventures that invited heightened scrutiny rather than sustainable revenue. These outcomes refute portrayals of bosses as infallible entrepreneurs, revealing instead a pattern of risk miscalculation that eroded membership and territorial control—evident in the Partnership's reduced criminal reach by the compared to its mid-century dominance. Empirical metrics of decline under Zerilli's influence include the Partnership's contraction from a robust network controlling regional vice in the – to a fragmented entity with limited manpower by , as dismantled traditional hierarchies through targeted operations. While his avoided the catastrophic wars that decimated rivals, it perpetuated in enforcement of rackets, contributing to a legacy of causal harm via coerced labor and predatory without offsetting innovations that could have forestalled . This balance of tactical preservation and strategic shortfall positions Zerilli as a transitional figure in Mafia , bridging Prohibition-era foundations to modern irrelevance driven by and digital policing.

References

  1. https://www.tmralph.com/obituaries/3030206
  2. https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/ca6/05-2373/06a0464n-06-2011-02-25.html
  3. https://www.fbi.gov/history/field-office-histories/detroit
  4. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54605206/giovanna-zerilli
  5. https://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/01/archives/joseph-zerilli-79-detroit-mafia-boss-last-of-gang-war-veterans-from.html
  6. https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/organized-crime-in-detroit-forgotten-but-not-gone/
  7. https://deadlinedetroit.com/articles/3364/who_is_mobster_tony_zerilli_and_what_does_he_really_know_about_hoffa
  8. https://www.nytimes.com/1972/05/10/archives/concessionaire-linked-to-mob-at-detroit-track-by-house-aide.html
  9. https://www.congress.gov/91/crecb/1970/03/04/GPO-CRECB-1970-pt5-2-1.pdf
  10. https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/Digitization/11203NCJRS.pdf
  11. https://www.archives.gov/files/research/jfk/releases/docid-32306111.pdf
  12. https://law.resource.org/pub/us/case/reporter/F2/500/500.F2d.856.72-2989.72-2983.html
  13. https://www.nytimes.com/1971/02/27/archives/six-excasino-aides-indicted-in-nevada.html
  14. https://www.nytimes.com/1972/04/27/archives/company-and-6-men-convicted-of-plot.html
  15. https://www.nytimes.com/1972/07/11/archives/6-sentenced-in-plot-to-hide-nevada-hotel-ownership.html
  16. https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/500/856/112215/
  17. http://www.gangsterbb.net/threads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=printthread&Board=8&main=34644&type=thread
  18. https://www.chicagotribune.com/2003/03/02/in-detroit-mob-is-down-but-is-it-out/
  19. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6547909/joe-zerilli
  20. https://deadlinedetroit.com/articles/11945/ex-detroit_mob_boss_tony_zerilli_who_triggered_fbi_dig_for_hoffa_is_dead_at_87
  21. https://www.americanmafia.com/cities/detroit.html
  22. https://www.toledoblade.com/local/2003/01/08/Mob-figure-linked-to-Toledo-gets-jail/stories/200301080003
  23. https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/Digitization/94480NCJRS.pdf
  24. https://www.cnn.com/2013/01/14/us/hoffa-burial-claim
  25. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2013/06/17/jimmy-hoffas-remains-search-update/2432729/
  26. https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/2013/01/18/zerillis-hoffa-burial-location-gains-some-credibility-with-old-map/
  27. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jimmy-hoffa-buried-in-shallow-grave-alleged-mob-underboss-anthony-zarelli-claims-in-interview/
  28. https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/2013/02/25/alleged-mafia-boss-talks-about-where-jimmy-hoffas-buried/
  29. https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/jimmy-hoffa-buried-where-body-grave-tony-zerilli/2078488/
  30. https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/nothing-found-hoffa-dig-ends-in-disappointment/
  31. https://edition.cnn.com/2013/06/19/us/michigan-hoffa-search
  32. https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/searching-for-hoffa-investigators-remove-concrete-slab-from-field/
  33. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/06/19/jimmy-hoffa-remains-search-day-3/2437417/
  34. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/jimmy-hoffa-search-near-detroit-called-off-by-fbi-1.1390601
  35. https://www.cnn.com/2013/06/17/us/michigan-hoffa-search
  36. https://www.politico.com/story/2013/01/report-hoffa-buried-in-suburban-detroit-086192
  37. https://www.deadlinedetroit.com/articles/5304/ex-mob_prosecutor_on_hoffa_dig_i_think_that_s_the_lat_one_we_ll_ever_see
  38. https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2024/05/27/jimmy-hoffa-searches-michigan/73868207007/
  39. https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/macomb-county/2025/07/06/former-mobster-ex-prosecutor-journalist-claim-know-where-jimmy-hoffa-is-buried/84415551007/
  40. https://www.hourdetroit.com/community/the-search-for-jimmy-hoffa/
  41. https://businessdirectory.pressandguide.com/news/state-hoffa-revelations-made-because-of-family-feud/article_38b913a0-6bea-5b59-8f3a-81f03bfec745.html
  42. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/01/15/jimmy-hoffa-claims-burial-site/1566382/
  43. https://aboutthemafia.com/tony-zerilli-former-detroit-mafia-acting-boss-has-died/
  44. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/legacyremembers/anthony-zerilli-obituary?id=17909557
  45. https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/jimmy-hoffa-digging-buried-grave-michigan-detroit-tony-zerilli/1998196/
  46. https://abcnews.go.com/US/jimmy-hoffa-buried-vacant-lot-mafia-underboss-tony/story?id=18214434
  47. https://deadlinedetroit.com/articles/3377/did_mobster_tony_zerilli_want_to_whack_jimmy_hoffa_in_the_1960s
  48. https://gangsterreport.com/ex-detroit-mob-chief-tony-z-dies-in-forced-retirement-in-fla/
  49. https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/reputed-mobster-ive-talked-to-feds-about-hoffa/
  50. https://michiganchronicle.com/man-convicted-in-mob-crimes-says-he-s-certain-where-jimmy-hoffa-is-buried/
  51. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/204095142/antonino_giuseppejoseph-zerilli
  52. https://longshotsblues.wordpress.com/2015/04/14/anthony-tony-z-zerilli-dies-at-87-detroit-media-silent/
  53. https://www.downtownpublications.com/single-post/2018/04/24/organized-crime-then-and-now-in-metro-area
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