Joe Zaluchi

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Fictional gangster Guissepe 'Joe' Zaluchi ("Joe Z") is the Don of the Detroit syndicate. He has a prominent role in the novels, The Godfather, The Godfather Returns, and The Godfathers Revenge.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Growing up poor in Sicily, he and his family went to America to have a better life. They moved to Detroit in the early 1900s. It was there that Zaluchi made his fortune. He settled there and started a family. He owned a business, and started paying protection to the feared Purple Gang. After he saw that the purple gang was causing chaos in Detroit, he took matters into his own hands. He went to New York to negotiate with a rising Vito Corleone. Vito himself pulled some strings to get some people in Detroit to help Zaluchi.

In 1930, after having more political influence, men, and allies, Zaluchi wiped out the Purple gang. After a year of fighting, in 1931, Zaluchi became the don of Detroit. Corleone sent him alcohol from Canada, and Zaluchi made a big profit. After that, he started extending his power in Detroit. They owned one of the horse-racing tracks in Detroit. He also owned a good part of the gambling in Detroit. Under him, there were rarely any murders in Detroit.

During the Five Families war of the 1940s, he was an ally of the Corleone family. He served as sort of a mediator in the meeting of the Five Families. In 1955, a satchel was sent to him and he used it to sabotage the flight of Tony Molinari, Frank Falcone, and Nick Geraci. However he was never connected to any of these. He remains one of the Corleone families greatest allies.

Spoilers end here.


Films	• The Godfather • The Godfather Part II • The Godfather Part III • The Godfather Saga •
Novels	• The Godfather (novel) • The Sicilian • The Godfather Returns • The Godfather's Revenge •
Corleone family	• Vito Corleone • Carmella Corleone • Tom Hagen • Sonny Corleone • Fredo Corleone • Michael Corleone • Connie Corleone-Rizzi • Apollonia Vitelli-Corleone • Kay Adams • Anthony Corleone • Mary Corleone • Vinnie Mancini-Corleone •
Other families	• Emilio Barzini • Ottilio Cuneo • Anthony Stracci • Bruno Tattaglia • Philip Tattaglia • Carlo Tramonti • Vincent Forlenza • Louie Russo • Joe Zaluchi • Frankie Falcone • Tony Molinari • Sam Drago • Paulie Fortunato • Ozzie Altobello • Rico Tattaglia
Other characters	• Luca Brasi • Don Ciccio • Pete Clemenza • Don Fanucci • Johnny Fontane • Senator Pat Geary • Archbishop Gilday • Moe Greene • Frederick Keinszig • Cardinal Lamberto • Rocco Lampone • Lucy Mancini • Al Neri • Johnny Ola • Frank Pentangeli • Hyman Roth • Carlo Rizzi • Virgil Sollozzo • Sal Tessio • Don Tommasino • Jack Woltz • Joey Zasa • Willie Cicci • Paulie Gatto • Nick Geraci • Eddie Paradise • Tommy Neri • James Shea • Ritchie Nobilio • Joe Lucadello • Momo Barone • Sal Narducci • Carmine Marino • Danny Shea • Billy Van Arsdale • Mickey Shea
Related	• Mario Puzo • Francis Ford Coppola • Albert Ruddy • Nino Rota • Crime film • Organized crime • Mafia • La Cosa Nostra • Five Families • Sicily • Corleone • The Godfather (soundtrack) • The Godfather Part II (soundtrack) • The Godfather Part III (soundtrack) • The Godfather: The Game • Mark Winegardner