James Episcopia was a Bonanno family soldier who was heavily involved in securities theft and drug dealing. Convicted as a holdup man, he went missing for an extended period in 1969. Around this time he had served as a bodyguard for "temporary mob boss" Frank Mari. Episcopia's nickname derived from his "fat-bodied torso and skinny legs". Episcopia's partner in securities theft was most often Robert W. "Bobby Bad Heart" Perrette. "Jimmy Legs" 1969 disappearance was a primary topic of a New York Investigative panel the probed organized crime in the Empire state.