Joseph Canepi Jr. was the son of one of the earliest Italians to settle in Yonkers, New York. Joseph Canepi Sr. was a contractor and wealthy citizen whose business he passed on to his son. Joseph Jr. became involved involved in many shady dealings during his business career. Among these was a 1932 incident when he accompanied a couple of men to Ossining on a partying trip. Going from speakeasy to speakeasy the trio were arrested after one of them impersonated a federal Prohibition agent. In 1903 Canepi Jr. was caught up in a poolroom racket in Yonkers that involved many other business men.