Vincenzo John Rao was born on June 21, 1898 in Palermo, Sicily. Vincent Rao was a short, heavy-set man with an aggressive temperament. In later years, he dressed in expensive silk and woolen garments. His father was Antonio Rao and his mother Liboria Gagliano. On his mothers side, Rao was a distant relative to Lucchese crime family founder Gaetano Gagliano. Vincent Rao had a brother, Calogero "Charles" Rao and a sister, Mary Speciale. His cousin, gangster Joseph Rao. Vincenzo Rao was married to Carmelina Alberti and they had two daughters, Nina Vento and Liboria Pancaldo.