Cacace is close friends with Colombo capo Luca DeMatteo and former acting boss Vittorio Orena. Cacace was involved in extortion, illegal gambling, and the hijacking and selling of truckloads of cigarettes. Cacace married Diane Marie Cacace and they had one child, Joel Cacace Junior. Joel Jr. is reportedly a member of the Colombo crime family and is involved in labor racketeering.