Born in Chicago, Illinois, on April 28, 1918, LoPiccolo was the son of Felipo and Margherita LoPiccolo. He had two brothers, Anthony and Frank, and two sisters, Loretta and Carmella.
Drug trade
LoPiccolo moved to New York City and joined the Gambino family. As a made man, he was involved in narcotics, illegal gambling, loansharking, and the vending machine business. During the 1940s and 1950s, LoPiccolo established a narcotics distribution system throughout Florida, becoming one of the largest drug traffickers during the post-World War II period.