Gaspare Messina (Italian pronunciation: [ˈɡaspare mesˈsiːna]; August 7, 1879 – June 15, 1957) founded the New England Mafia that would later be known as the Patriarca crime family.

Within the same month the couple immigrated to United States, arriving in New York Harbor on November 25, 1905, for an extended honeymoon.

Over fifty people were arrested for being involved in the scheme to distribute a half-million dollars worth of counterfeit $10 Federal Reserve Bank of Boston notes.

One of his partners in the business, Frank Cucchiara, was arrested on March 26, 1925 for possession of guns, six sticks of dynamite and 96 ounces of morphine.

[2] According to an FBI listening device placed in Raymond Patriarca's office, Messina stepped down as boss in 1932 and was replaced by Phil Buccola.