Joe Gallo, also known as "Crazy Joe," was a notorious figure in the New York Mafia during the mid20th century. Among the many wild stories surrounding his life, one of the most peculiar was the rumour that he kept a pet monkey in his basement.
The story goes that Crazy Joe, always one for the eccentric and the dramatic, had a deep fascination with exotic animals. But it wasn't just any animal that caught his attention—Gallo allegedly kept a pet monkey, a capuchin named "Don Carlo," in the basement of his Brooklyn brownstone. The monkey, said to be a gift from a fellow mobster with a taste for the unusual, quickly became a fixture in Gallo's life.
The monkey was said to be as wild and erratic as its owner, notorious for throwing fits, breaking objects, and even stealing Gallo's cigars.
The basement where Don Carlo lived was reportedly a bizarre setup. Gallo had it outfitted like a miniature jungle, complete with hanging vines, branches, and makeshift trees.
Gallo's associates and visitors often recounted the strange sight of the mobster playing with his monkey in the basement, a stark contrast to the brutal enforcer they knew in the streets.