The eight Volpe brothers were racketeers in the Turtle creek Valley who claimed royal Italian blood and virtually owned police and politicians in the Areas in which they operated. They made no attempt to hide their status and according to one newspaper were known for their "gaudy display of showmanship". They used the Roman Coffee shop, owned by John Bazzano as their headquarters. Bazzano had agreed to take on the Volpe's as his business partners. But when the brothers expanded their territory into East Liberty and the North Side, Bazzano ordered them killed.