The Shooting of Wendy Savino: Unmasking Richard Naclerio and His Alleged Ties to New York’s Underworld
*To listen to this blog, please press play on the upper right hand side
On 9-Apr-76, Wendy Savino was shot multiple times outside of Nina’s restaurant, a well known hang out for the five families, state politicians, and all five boroughs district attorneys.
As written in Daniel Ilich’s The Briefcase Man, Volume II, Joseph A. Savino Jr. was a prior NYPD officer who was well known to be associated with the mob. Daniel Ilich knew this information because he had security clearance and purchased a restaurant from Savino when he got in trouble legally.
The legal problems stemmed from having possession of stolen property, an electronic calculator. Savino committed first degree perjury and was subsequently fined $500. It is unknown if his employment was terminated with the NYPD due to the charges, but it is highly likely due to the severity. Electronic calculators were new to the market at the time, were very expensive, and by today’s standards the calculator that was stolen would be
worth approximately $45,000, a previously reported by the author of this blog.
Following his wife’s shooting, Joseph A. Savino was questioned by law enforcement. Prior to Wendy Savino’s shooting, he had called two people from the bar at the restaurant: his paramour, Rosalind; and Richie Naclerio. When questioned about the content of the conversation, Savino stated he could not remember what they were discussing. Savino also phoned Naclerio when he arrived home and advised the NYPD that they discussed Naclerio’s golfing appointment with Savino’s business partner, Frank Banks, which was to occur the next day.
Banks and Savino were partners at the Wakefield Detective Bureau, a private investigative firm who was also implicated in the . One employee of the Wakefield Detective Bureau was found to have been working also for the Bonnano crime family, Dennis Mulligan.
It does not appear from an FOIA release on Wendy Savino that Richard “Richie” Naclerio was ever questioned by the NYPD, unless the department has failed to provide all the reports, much like they have failed to provide the second, later sketch of David Berkowitz that was presented to him during his interrogation at Shawangunk Correctional Facility on 29-May-2024. David Berkowitz relayed the second sketch to numerous friends, researchers, podcasters, and a book author in written and face-to-face discussions (edited on 13-April-2025 at 12:01 pm).
It is cause for concern if the NYPD did not follow up with Naclerio for an interview following Wendy Savino’s shooting, especially because the FOIA report on Savino clearly states more than one NYPD employee suspected that Joseph A. Savino was involved in narcotics trafficking and it was well known in the Bronx that Savino was associated with organized crime per numerous, unnamed sources.
Who Is Richard Naclerio?
Three separate Richard Naclerio’s have been researched and located that could be connected to Joseph A. Savino Jr.; these men will be discussed in this blog.
Richard J. Naclerio — Pelham Manor, DOD 16-May-2021
Richard J. Naclerio was a businessman, investor, and entrepreneur according to his published through Coxe & Graziano Funeral Home in New York. He was previously a CEO of Naclerio Contracting Corporation, later started a mortgage brokerage firm named RAN Consulting Corporation, and owned a well-known catering establishment in the Bronx called The Eastwood Manor and Maestros Caterers. He also served with many charities and organization within the field of health care.
It also reported in The Journal News on 26-Oct-2007 that he was served a legal notice for a company named MGC Real Property Management registered to his address at 955 Esplanade in Pelham Manor, registered with the Secretary of State on 14-Sept-2007; he was also sent a legal notice for Light Street Associates LLC on 1-Apr-1999. So it is reasonable to conclude all of his prior business ventures over the years are not listed in his obituary.
As reported in Newsday on 16-Jul-1990, Naclerio Contracting was a large, family-owned business and was barred from obtaining city contracts due to submitting fraudulent bills. Naclerio was was represented by Gennaro “Jerry Crispino,” an ex-chairman of council’s health and public safety commission who also sponsored legislation to require the city of New York to provide early notices of firehouse and precinct closings. Crispino had Richard Naclerio as a law client through, a business partner, a campaign contributor. The two men were also close friends.
In addition to Naclerio, Crispino was legal counsel for members of the Genovese crime family such as Nicholas Auletta. . .
Naclerio’s company branched out in 1978, purchasing a lot in 1978 with the wife of an alleged mob enforcer named Al Ackalitis. In another business transaction, Naclerio’s wife Barbara joined financial forces with Crispino’s wife Marguerite; the company was registered under the name Barmar Realty. Crispino subsequently invested in 30 acres of vacant lots of land in upstate New York with other family members of Naclerio.
Richie Naclerio — Sunshine Contracting
In Thomas O’Brien’s book, The Boss of Bosses, The FBI and Paul Castellano, the author discusses how the FBI wiretapped Paul Castellano and obtained intelligence on the following men: Richie Naclerio, Tommy Bilotti, Robert Di Bernardo A.K.A. D.B., and John Cody (a crooked Teamster official).
In O’Brien’s book, he writes how the Gambino crime family was handling a specific construction bid: Richie Naclerio’s company would be involved in the black-market transaction. The Gambino’s decided they needed to keep Richie happy, tossing him a piece of the pie, translating as a financial incentive.
Because of the construction overlap and the area, it is possible that the Richie Naclerio who owned Sunshine Contracting is also the same Richie who owned Naclerio Contracting Corporation. It is also possible the true name of the business was not mentioned when the men were discussing the transaction but instead used a fake name in case of a wiretap.
Sunshine Contracting is not listed in Richard J. Naclerio’s obituary, the author has been unable to connect a Sunshine Contracting online to his name to date, and further validation of his business association would need to be established.
Richard Naclerio — Skyline Radio Group and Radio Car Co.
In an article written by Larry Miller in August of 1982 through New York Magazine titled, “Taxis of the Future?,” Richard Naclerio is interviewed and is documented to be the president of Skyline radio group. The company owned 250 radio cabs in the New York area. He was also the owner of Bell Radio Car Co. as published in Tarrytown Daily News on 05-June-1989.
Conclusion
While it is possible that the Naclerio that Savino contacted prior to his wife’s brutal shooting is the person who owned the taxi company, it is highly likely that the person who Savino was in contact with was Richard J. Naclerio from Naclerio Contracting. Savino and Naclerio also lived near one another. This Naclerio, Richard J., is well documented to have ties to organized crime in the state of New York.
But, the taxi cab company also can’t be ruled out because Savino also owned an insurance company.
In the late 70s, shortly after Wendy Savino was shot, Joseph A. Savino Jr. and his parents filed a for fraud and failure of fiduciary duty. Over $300k. It appears based on this document alone that Joseph A. Savino was experiencing financial difficulties. There is also a , well over $500k, in the name of Joseph A. Savino Jr. insured taxi cabs in the state of New York.
Because of being audited by the IRS for misappropriation of reinsurance premiums, pocketing the amount, even if illegal, would constitute taxable income.
Savino threatened to go to war with the IRS as published in newspaper articles. Savino was eventually arrested and incarcerated for illegal gun charges, tax evasion, and was sentenced to prison for several years.
Joseph A. Savino Jr. obviously had a violent streak when he was financially threatened and the NYPD should have taken this into consideration when investigating the shooting of Wendy Savino from 9-April-1976 until 29-May-2024.
It is also possible that both Naclerio’s are one in the same person, but the author has not located Secretary of State files to date that tie the taxi and contracting businesses together.
For further reading
Appeals, N. Y. (1984, July 5). New York Court of Appeals. Records and Briefs.69 NY2D 794 Record Part 1, Naclerio Contracting Co V City of New York . Retrieved from google.com/books :
Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, F. D. (1993). American Transit Insurance Company v. Savino. Manhattan: Casetext.com. Retrieved from
Argus, M. V. (1969, October 29). Scout Mothers Host 24 Girls In Trail Game . Retrieved from newspapers.com :
Argus, M. V. (1992, November 24). Check puts garage deal in gear . Retrieved from newspapers.com :
Argus, M. V. (1997, November 08). Hospital honors 3 at Century Club Dinner Dance . Retrieved from Mount Vernon Argus :
Cornell at Saratoga: A Symposium for Horse Professionals . (2001, August 15). Retrieved from google.com/books :
Coveney, N. (1990, May 15). Pelham Manor Winss a Day in Court Against Esplanade . Retrieved from newspapers.com :
Dispatch, T. R. (1979, August 23). Westchester Citizens Against Government Takeover . Retrieved from newspapers.com :
Gendar, A. (1992, November 24). Check puts garage deal in gear . Retrieved from newspapers.com :
Grand, D. (2006, November 08). Hospital seeks donations for ER. Retrieved from newspapers.com :
Home, C. &. (2021, May 16). Richard J. Naclerio . Retrieved from coeandgraziano.com:
Fino, P. A. (1986). My Life in Politics and Public Service . Madison : Todd & Honeywell.
Ilich, D. F. (2023). The Briefcase Man Volume 2. Unknown: Xibris US.
Jacobs, F. A. (1996). The Pursuit of Absolute Integrity: How Corruption Control Makes Government Ineffective. Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press.
Kurins, J. F. (1991). Boss of Bosses: The Fall of the Godfather The FBI and Paul Castellano . Retrieved from archive.org :
Kurtz, H. (1989, June 05). Hired cars a way of life . Retrieved from newspapers.com :
Miller, L. (1982, August 2). New York Magaxine . Retrieved from books.google.com:
News, T. D. (1983, April 13). Ball benefits Boys’ Towns . Retrieved from newspapers.com :
News, T. J. (1999, May 31). Legal Notices . Retrieved from newspapers.com :
News, T. J. (2004, October 26). Obituaries . Retrieved from newspapers.com :
News, T. J. (2007, October 26). Legal Notices . Retrieved from newspapers.com :
News, T. J. (2021, May 17). Obituaries . Retrieved from newspapers.com :
Newsday. (1982, July 30). Videotape Shown in Shah Heist Case . Retrieved from Newspapers.com:
Newsday. (1990, July 16). The Bronx Also Rises — And Controversially, Too. Retrieved from newspapers.com :
Sentinel, D. (1973, January 05). Legal Notices . Retrieved from newspapers.com :
Standard-Star, T. (1964, January 21). Naclerio Firm To Bid On Second Drain Job . Retrieved from newspapers.com :
Standard-Star, T. (1970, February 28). Obituary News . Retrieved from newspapers.com :
Standard-Star, T. (1980, March 26). Carnival in Rio ball slated . Retrieved from newspapers.com :
Standard-Star, T. (1993, August 02). Golf and tennis . Retrieved from newspapers.com :
Standard-Star, T. (1994, February 16). Local News . Retrieved from newspapers.com :
Standard-Star, T. (1998, July 30). Benefit golf outting . Retrieved from newspapers.com :
Star, T. S. (1967, September 22). Prospect Hill PTA Tea Is Scheduled . Retrieved from newspapers.com :
Star, T. S. (1984, May 18). Bye Bye Birdie . Retrieved from newspapers.com :
Statesman, T. H. (1988, July 12). Almanac . Retrieved from newspapers.com :
The New York Times . (1985, October 10). They City; Ex-Councilman Loses Arms Case. Retrieved from nytimes.com:
Ulwick, M.-A. (1981, June 15). Apartment Owners Facing Court Action . Retrieved from newspapers.com :
Valentil, K. (1987, November 09). Esplanade project continues to draw fire . Retrieved from newspapers.com :
Zeke Faux, L. N. (2014, September 04). New York City’s Biggest Taxi Insurer Is Insolvent, Risking Transit Meltdown . Retrieved from insurancejournal.com:
