Rocco Zito was a founding member of the Camera di Controllo in Canada in 1962.
15 Facts About Rocco Zito
1.
2.
On 29 January 2016, Zito was shot to death by his son-in-law Domenico Scopelliti in a domestic dispute.
3.
Rocco Zito was born into a 'Ndrangheta crime family in Fiumara, Calabria, on 19 August 1928, one of six sons to Domenico and Angela.
4.
Rocco Zito tried to immigrate to North America illegally twice, once as a stowaway on a ship headed to New York City in 1947, and two years later trying to enter Texas at Galveston through Mexico; both times he was caught and deported.
5.
Rocco Zito was first a police target in Canada in 1960 in a fraud investigation and by 1962, he was seen meeting with powerful mob figures, including Giacomo Luppino boss of the Luppino crime family and Michele Racco of the Siderno Group.
6.
Rocco Zito received his Canadian citizenship in 1961 and was believed to be a founding member of the Camera di Controllo since 1962.
7.
Police spotted Rocco Zito meeting with convicted heroin trafficker New York mobster Paolo Gambino of the Gambino crime family, who was setting up a heroin pipeline to Toronto, at a Toronto hotel on 4 May 1970.
8.
Police spotted Rocco Zito often rambling through Toronto's Little Italy in the 1980s, meeting with other mob bosses like Montreal's Frank Cotroni.
9.
Rocco Zito was aware of listening devices and used a soft voice and hand motions to communicate.
10.
In 1986, Rocco Zito was convicted of manslaughter for the killing of photo studio owner Rosario Sciarrino on 13 January 1986, for not being able to pay back a $20,000 loan plus interest for the loan sharking.
11.
Rocco Zito initially vanished after the shooting, but surrendered four days later to Peel homicide detectives.
12.
In 1987, Rocco Zito was sentenced to two and a half years in jail for possessing stolen goods and proceeds of crime.
13.
Rocco Zito was shot to death in his North York home on 29 January 2016, by his son-in-law Domenico Scopelliti in a domestic dispute at the age of 87.
14.
Rocco Zito dressed very plainly, lived quietly as he could.
15.
Rocco Zito officially listed his occupation as a ceramic tile salesman as a business front.