Matteo D'Alessio, played by Al Linea, is a Philadelphia criminal who tries to muscle in on bootlegging through Atlantic City. He is a member of a gang of criminals consisting entirely of his own family. They are known as the D'Alessio brothers.
Biography
Background
Matteo is a Philadelphia based criminal involved in burglary, armed robbery, gambling and loansharking. He is also a barber. He works with his brothers Leo, Ignacious, Sixtus, Lucien and Pius. Ignacious and Leo are the leaders of the group. He has another three brothers and five sisters - thirteen siblings in total. Leo loans start-up money to bootlegger Mickey Doyle and the brothers follow him to Atlantic City when he fails to repay them. Doyle convinces them to help him steal from Atlantic County Treasurer Nucky Thompson (who controls bootlegging through the city) to pay off his debt.
Season 1
Mickey meets with the D'Alessio brothers at their flop house as Matteo cuts Ignacious D'Alessio's hair. Mickey complains that they killed the wrong man; referring to their lynching of Chalky White's driver Kendall. Leo D'Alessio reminds Mickey that he told them that Chalky drove a Packard so they killed the man driving a Packard and says that he believes they sent a message anyway. Mickey complains that Chalky is still operating. Matteo demands repayment of the money they loaned Mickey. Mickey has not been introduced so asks Leo which brother Matteo is. Mickey jokes that they are all named after popes and Matteo closes in and presses his scissors against Mickey’s neck. Leo reminds Mickey of his debt and Mickey agrees to pay. Ignacious asks how Mickey will get the money and Mickey offers to give the brother’s information that will earn them $3000. He suggests that they rob one of Nucky’s ward bosses as they make collections. Leo agrees with the plan but warns that he will hold Mickey responsible if it fails. ("Anastasia")
Ignacious and the youngest brother, Pius, follow George O'Neill while he is making collections. Pius incites O'Neill to chase him and Ignacious knocks him out and steals the money.
Thompson suspects Lucky Luciano of the theft and questions him. Luciano then approaches the D'Alessio brothers and encourages them to rob Thompson's casino operation. Ignacious, Leo and Matteo hold up the casino just before the evening's take is collected. Eli Thompson is responsible for the collection and when he arrives they surprise him. He is shot in the abdomen as he reaches for his gun. Pius is the getaway driver and the brothers escape with the money. However, both Eli and casino boss Lolly Steinman are able to identify the brothers despite their use of masks.
Following the casino robbery, Luciano introduces Ignacious and Leo (along with Doyle) to Arnold Rothstein and Meyer Lansky. Luciano suggests that they could take over the bootlegging trade in Atlantic City and they agree to assassinate Nucky Thompson. Sixtus and Lucien are brought in to kill Nucky but their boardwalk shooting attempt is unsuccessful. Thompson responds by asking Chalky to contact Rothstein's organization through Lansky under the pretence of switching sides. Lansky, Matteo and Lucien meet with Chalky in Atlantic City. Chalky drops the pretense when he realizes the D'Alessio brothers killed his driver and takes all three of his visitors captive. Matteo and Lucien are killed by Thompson's people and the remaining brothers go into hiding. Rothstein and Thompson negotiate a peace deal that includes giving up the D'Alessio brothers.
Relationships
- Ignacious D'Alessio: Brother and partner in crime
- Leo D'Alessio: Brother and partner in crime
- Sixtus D'Alessio: Brother and partner in crime
- Lucien D'Alessio: Brother and partner in crime
- Pius D'Alessio: Brother and partner in crime
- Mickey Doyle: Criminal associate and debtor
- Charlie Luciano: Criminal associate
- Meyer Lansky: Criminal associate
- Arnold Rothstein: Criminal associate
- Nucky Thompson: Bootlegging rival
- Eli Thompson: Atlantic County Sheriff
- Lolly Steinman: Robbery target
- Chalky White: Murderer
Memorable Quotes
Appearances
| Season one appearances | |||
| Boardwalk Empire | The Ivory Tower | Broadway Limited | Anastasia |
| Nights in Ballygran | Family Limitation | Home | Hold Me in Paradise |
| Belle Femme | The Emerald City | Paris Green | A Return to Normalcy |