Angela Raiola or Big Ang, as you may remember, is the famous VH1 reality TV star of the Mob Wives series. The show followed the lives of women who shared ties to the mob. Big Ang was very popular among fans for her style, but her life came to an abrupt end when she passed away in February 2016.
Angela lived a glorious life full of fame before passing away after suffering from cancer. Her life was full of ups and downs, but they took it too soon before her time. Let us now know a little more about the late Raiola.
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Angela Raiola: Early Life
Angela Joyce Raiola was born on June 30, 1960, in Brooklyn, New York. She was the niece of drug-dealing Genovese crime family and capo Salvatore Lombardi (Sally Dogs). Angela grew up in a family with drug dealers and members of the cartel. She soon became a part of her lifestyle and began operating in notorious mob hangouts.
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As Raiola was born in the United States of America, her nationality is American, while she is ethnically white.
Angela Raiola: Career
Big Ang started out as the owner of a Staten Island bar called “The Drunken Monkey.” The bar was in operation from 2007 to 2015 and had to close due to Raiola’s run-ins with the law. In most of it, the bars of it were used as centers for drug trafficking. In 2001, she was arrested when police found her with several cocaine wrappers in her bag.
The court charged Raiola with 6 felonies, but she was released on $100,000 bail after pleading guilty. However, in 2003, she was sentenced to three years of probation and she had to be confined at home for 4 months.
Angela Raiola: Television
After being on the wrong side of the law for many years, Big Ang gave reality TV a try. She was then cast as one of the cast members on the second season of VH1’s Mob Wives. Angela is a woman with a great personality and this helped her gather a huge fan base. In just a short time, she became the breakout star of the show. Raiola then came up with her own spin-off show called Big Ang. After starring in more than one season (10 episodes), Big Ang was adapted into a new spin-off “Miami Monkey”.
After unconventional fame, Angela started appearing in different movies like Scary Movie 5 and made small appearances on Staten Island Summer, The Wendy Williams Show, The Dr. Oz Show, etc.
Angela Raiola: Personal Life
Angela Raiola was married to Neil Murphy. The two married in 2009 and were together until her death. They had a brief spell when they were separated from each other, but Neil stayed by his wife’s side when he needed it most.
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Angela also has two beautiful children, Raquel Donofrio and Anthony Donofrio. Angela raised her unmarried children for the most part herself, but let her daughter maintain ties with her father Robert from her. Unlike her mother, Raquel did not follow the mafia life. She has not one but two master’s degrees. She is also a married woman with two children. Similarly, her brother and Angela’s son, Anthony, is also a married man who married Gabriella Celestino on August 28, 2015.
Angela Raiola: before surgery and death
In March 2015, Angela felt extremely uncomfortable in her throat and sought medical attention. Doctors diagnosed him with strep throat and prescribed antibiotics. However, these medications did little to ease her pain.
