Shapiro was born in Odessa (Russian Empire) in 1899. While confined in protectory in Brooklyn, he became friends with Joe Valachi and Jimmy "The Shiv" DeStefano (who got his nickname while confined in the protectory). Jack "Legs" Diamond was also there but kept his distance from the feared threesome. During this period, Shapiro encountered his future partner, Louis Buchalter; both boys were attempting to rob the same pushcart. Instead of fighting over the spoils, Shapiro and Buchalter agreed on a partnership. Buchalter served as the brains and Shapiro provided the muscle in an alliance that lasted for decades. Shapiro and Buchalter soon become acquainted with future mobsters Meyer Lansky and Charles Luciano, both of whom were protégés of mobster Arnold Rothstein.
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