John Joseph Gotti, Jr (October 27, 1940 – June 10, 2002) was an American mobster who became the
BossA crime boss or boss is a person in charge of a criminal organization. A boss typically has absolute or near-absolute control over his subordinates, is greatly feared by his subordinates for his ruthlessness and willingness to take lives in order to exert his influence, and profits come from the...
of the
Gambino crime familyThe Gambino crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The group is named after Carlo Gambino, boss of the family at the time of the McClellan hearings in 1963...
in
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Gotti grew up in poverty. He and his brothers turned to a life of crime at an early age. Operating out of the
Ozone Park neighborhoodOzone Park is a working class neighborhood located in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Queens bordering Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park, Howard Beach, and City Line, Brooklyn....
of
QueensQueens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, Gotti quickly rose in prominence, becoming one of the crime family's biggest earners and a protege of Gambino family underboss
Aniello DellacroceAniello John "Mr. Neil" Dellacroce , also known as "Father O'Neil" and "The Tall Guy", was an Italian-American gangster and underboss of the Gambino crime family. A capo of his own crew for many years he rose to the position of underboss when Carlo Gambino moved Joseph Biondo aside.-Early...
.
After the FBI indicted members of Gotti's crew for selling narcotics, Gotti took advantage of growing dissent over the leadership of the crime family. Fearing that his men and himself would be killed by Gambino crime family Boss
Paul CastellanoConstantino Paul "Big Paul" Castellano , also known as "The Howard Hughes of the Mob" and "Big Paulie" , was an American Mafia boss in New York City. He succeeded Carlo Gambino as head of the Gambino crime family, at the time, the nation's largest Mafia family...
for selling drugs, Gotti organized the murder of Castellano in December 1985 and took over the family shortly thereafter. This left Gotti as the boss of the most powerful crime family in America, which made hundreds of millions of dollars a year from construction, hijacking, loan sharking, gambling, extortion and other criminal activities. Gotti was the most powerful crime boss during his era and became widely known for his outspoken personality and flamboyant style, which eventually helped lead to his downfall. While his peers would go out of their way to shun attention, especially from the media, Gotti was known as the "The Dapper Don" for his expensive clothes and personality in front of news cameras. He was later given the nickname "The Teflon Don" because several attempts to convict him of crimes in the 1980s resulted in either a
hung juryA hung jury or deadlocked jury is a jury that cannot, by the required voting threshold, agree upon a verdict after an extended period of deliberation and is unable to change its votes due to severe differences of opinion.- England and Wales :...
or an acquittal (i.e. the charges wouldn't "stick").
Gotti's
underbossUnderboss is a position within the leadership structure of Sicilian and American Mafia crime families. The underboss is second in command to the boss...
Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" GravanoSalvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano is a former underboss of the Gambino crime family. He is known as the man who helped bring down John Gotti, the family's boss, by agreeing to become a Federal Bureau of Investigation informant and turn state's evidence.Originally a mobster for the Colombo crime...
is credited with the FBI's success in finally convicting Gotti. In 1991, Gravano agreed to
turn state's evidenceTo turn state's evidence is when an accused or convicted criminal testifies as a witness for the state against his associates or accomplices. Turning state's evidence is occasionally a result of a change of heart or feelings of guilt, but more often is done in response to a generous offer from the...
and testify for the prosecution against Gotti after hearing Gotti on wiretap make several disparaging remarks about Gravano and questioning his loyalty. In 1992, Gotti was convicted of five murders, conspiracy to commit murder,
racketeeringThe Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, commonly referred to as the RICO Act or simply RICO, is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization...
,
obstruction of justiceThe crime of obstruction of justice, in United States jurisdictions, refers to the crime of interfering with the work of police, investigators, regulatory agencies, prosecutors, or other officials...
, illegal gambling,
extortionExtortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
,
tax evasionTax evasion is the general term for efforts by individuals, corporations, trusts and other entities to evade taxes by illegal means. Tax evasion usually entails taxpayers deliberately misrepresenting or concealing the true state of their affairs to the tax authorities to reduce their tax liability,...
, and loansharking. He was sentenced to
life in prisonLife imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
without parole and was transferred to
United States Penitentiary, MarionThe United States Penitentiary is a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility located in Southern Precinct, unincorporated Williamson County, Illinois. The facility is located south of Marion, from St. Louis, and from Chicago. It was built in 1963 to replace the Alcatraz prison in San Francisco, which...
. Gotti died of throat cancer on June 10, 2002 at the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in
Springfield, MissouriSpringfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
.
Early life
John Gotti was born in an Italian-American enclave in the Bronx on October 27, 1940. He was the fifth of the thirteen children of John Joseph Gotti Sr. and his wife Philomena (referred to as Fannie). John was one of five brothers who would become made men in the Gambino Family;
Eugene GottiEugene Gotti is a New York mobster with the Gambino crime family who was a major drug trafficker.-Background:Born to John and Fannie Gotti, Gene has four brothers: deceased Gambino boss John Gotti, Peter Gotti, capo Richard V. Gotti, and soldier Vincent Gotti...
was initiated before John due to the latter's incarceration.
Peter GottiPeter Gotti, also known as "One Eyed Pete", "Petey Boy", "One Eye" , is a New York mobster who is the former boss of the Gambino crime family and the older brother of deceased Gambino boss John Gotti.-Background:...
was identified as a Capo by 1989, and
Richard V. GottiRichard V. Gotti is a capo in the Gambino crime family.Richard was born in 1942 to John Gotti, Sr. and his wife Fannie. Richard's brothers included deceased Gambino boss John Gotti, capo Gene Gotti, current boss Peter, and Vincent Gotti. Richard has a son, Richard G. Gotti, who also belongs to...
by 2002. The fifth, Vincent, was not initiated until 2002.
Gotti grew up in poverty. His father worked irregularly as a day laborer and indulged in gambling, and as an adult Gotti came to resent him for being unable to provide for his family. In school Gotti had a history of
truancyTruancy is any intentional unauthorized absence from compulsory schooling. The term typically describes absences caused by students of their own free will, and usually does not refer to legitimate "excused" absences, such as ones related to medical conditions...
and bullying other students and ultimately dropped out, while attending
Franklin K. Lane High SchoolFranklin K. Lane High School is a public high school in New York City, United States. The school is administered by the New York City Department of Education as H.S. 420.-Location:...
, at the age of 16.
Gotti was involved in street gangs associated with New York mafiosi from the age of 12. When he was 14, he was attempting to steal a cement mixer from a construction site when it fell, crushing his toes; this injury left him with a permanent limp. After leaving school he devoted himself to working with the Fulton-Rockaway Boys, where he met and befriended fellow future Gambino mobsters
Angelo RuggieroAngelo Salvatore Ruggiero Sr. pronounced was a caporegime of the Gambino crime family and close friend of John Gotti.-Mob family roots:...
and
Wilfred "Willie Boy" JohnsonWilfred "Willie Boy" Johnson was a United States Federal Bureau of Investigation informant from 1969 to 1985. He provided the FBI with information relating to John Gotti and other members of the Gambino family...
.
Gotti married Victoria DiGiorgio on March 6, 1962. The marriage produced five children—two daughters (Angel and Victoria) as well as three sons (John, Frank and Peter). Gotti attempted to work legitimately in 1962 as a presser in a coat factory and as an assistant truck driver. However, he could not stay crime free and by 1966 had been jailed twice.
Associate
Gotti's criminal career began when he joined
Carmine FaticoCarmine "Charley Wagons" Fatico was a Caporegime in the New York Gambino crime family. Fatico is best known as an early mentor to Gambino boss John Gotti.-Biography:...
's crew, which was part of what became known as the Gambino family after the murder of
Albert AnastasiaAlbert Anastasia was boss of what is now called the Gambino crime family, one of New York City's Five Families, from 1951-1957. He also ran a gang of contract killers called Murder Inc. which enforced the decisions of the Commission, the ruling council of the American Mafia...
. Together with his brother Gene and Ruggiero, Gotti carried out truck hijackings at Idlewild Airport (subsequently renamed
John F. Kennedy International AirportJohn F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
). During this time, Gotti befriended fellow mob hijacker and future
Bonanno familyThe Bonanno crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia ....
boss Joseph Massino and was given the nicknames "Black John" and "Crazy Horse."
In February 1968,
United AirlinesUnited Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
employees identified Gotti as the man who had signed for stolen merchandise; the FBI arrested him for the United hijacking soon after. Two months later, while out on bail, Gotti was arrested a third time for hijacking—this time for stealing a load of cigarettes worth $50,000, on the
New Jersey TurnpikeThe New Jersey Turnpike is a toll road in New Jersey, maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. According to the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association, the Turnpike is the nation's sixth-busiest toll road and is among one of the most heavily traveled highways in the United...
. Later that year, Gotti pleaded guilty to the
Northwest AirlinesNorthwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
hijacking and was sentenced to three years at
Lewisburg Federal PenitentiaryThe United States Penitentiary in Lewisburg is a male inmate high security federal penitentiary and satellite minimum security prison camp housing some 1,000 and 500 respectively, just outside Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. The Lewisburg Penitentiary was opened in 1932...
. Prosecutors dropped the charges for the cigarette hijacking. Gotti also pleaded guilty to the United hijacking and spent less than three years at Lewisburg.
After he was released from prison, Gotti was placed on probation and ordered to acquire legitimate employment. Meanwhile, he returned to his old crew at the
Bergin Hunt and Fish ClubThe Bergin Hunt and Fish Club is a former Gambino crime family mob hangout and headquarters that was located at 98-04 101st Avenue in Ozone Park .-Today:...
, still working under
caporegimeA caporegime or capodecina, usually shortened to just a capo, is a term used in the Mafia for a high ranking made member of a crime family who heads a "crew" of soldiers and has major social status and influence in the organization...
Carmine Fatico. Gotti was transferred to management of the Bergin crew's illegal gambling, where he proved himself to be an effective enforcer. Fatico was indicted on loansharking charges in 1972 and made Gotti, still not yet a
made manA made man, also known as a Mafioso , made guy, man of honor, or uomo d'onore , is someone who has been officially inducted into the Sicilian or American Mafia . They may also be referred to by some as a goodfella or wiseguy...
in the Mafia, the acting capo of the Bergin Crew, reporting to
Carlo Gambino"Don" Carlo Gambino, was a Sicilian mafioso who became Boss of the Gambino crime family, that still bears his name today. After the 1957 Apalachin Convention he unexpectedly seized control of the Commission of the American Mafia. Gambino was known for being low-key and secretive...
and his underboss,
Aniello DellacroceAniello John "Mr. Neil" Dellacroce , also known as "Father O'Neil" and "The Tall Guy", was an Italian-American gangster and underboss of the Gambino crime family. A capo of his own crew for many years he rose to the position of underboss when Carlo Gambino moved Joseph Biondo aside.-Early...
.
After Carlo Gambino's nephew
Emanuel GambinoEmanuel 'Manny' Gambino was the nephew of infamous Mafia leader Carlo Gambino and an organized crime figure in New York. He was kidnapped from outside his home in Queens, New York, by a group of gangsters...
was kidnapped and murdered, John Gotti was assigned to the
hitContract killing is a form of murder, in which one party hires another party to kill a target individual or group of people. It involves an illegal agreement between two parties in which one party agrees to kill the target in exchange for consideration, monetary, or otherwise. The hiring party may...
team alongside Ralph Galione and
Angelo RuggieroAngelo Salvatore Ruggiero Sr. pronounced was a caporegime of the Gambino crime family and close friend of John Gotti.-Mob family roots:...
for the main suspect, Irish-American gangster
James McBratneyJames McBratney was an Irish American who is believed to have been involved in the kidnapping of Emanuel "Manny" Gambino in October 1972 and Lucchese crime family caporegime Francesco Manzo and Gambino crime family mafioso Vincent D'Amore.-Biography:James McBratney a.k.a...
. The team botched their attempt to abduct McBratney at a Staten Island bar, and Galione shot McBratney dead when his accomplices managed to restrain him. Identified by eyewitnesses and a police Bergin insider, Gotti was arrested for the killing in June 1974. With the help of attorney
Roy CohnRoy Marcus Cohn was an American attorney who became famous during Senator Joseph McCarthy's investigations into Communist activity in the United States during the Second Red Scare. Cohn gained special prominence during the Army–McCarthy hearings. He was also an important member of the U.S...
, however, he was able to strike a
plea bargainA plea bargain is an agreement in a criminal case whereby the prosecutor offers the defendant the opportunity to plead guilty, usually to a lesser charge or to the original criminal charge with a recommendation of a lighter than the maximum sentence.A plea bargain allows criminal defendants to...
and received a four-year sentence for attempted manslaughter for his part in the hit.
After his death Gotti was also identified by Joseph Massino as the killer of Vito Borelli, a Gambino associate killed in 1975 for insulting
Paul CastellanoConstantino Paul "Big Paul" Castellano , also known as "The Howard Hughes of the Mob" and "Big Paulie" , was an American Mafia boss in New York City. He succeeded Carlo Gambino as head of the Gambino crime family, at the time, the nation's largest Mafia family...
.
Captain
Gotti was released in July 1977 after two years imprisonment. He was subsequently initiated into the Gambino family, now under the command of
Paul CastellanoConstantino Paul "Big Paul" Castellano , also known as "The Howard Hughes of the Mob" and "Big Paulie" , was an American Mafia boss in New York City. He succeeded Carlo Gambino as head of the Gambino crime family, at the time, the nation's largest Mafia family...
, and immediately promoted to replace Fatico as
CapoA caporegime or capodecina, usually shortened to just a capo, is a term used in the Mafia for a high ranking made member of a crime family who heads a "crew" of soldiers and has major social status and influence in the organization...
of the Bergin crew. He and his crew reported directly to Dellacroce as part of the concessions given by Castellano to keep Dellacroce as underboss, and Gotti was regarded as Dellacroce's protege.
Under Gotti, the Bergin crew were the biggest earners of Dellacroce's crews. Besides his cut of his subordinates' earnings, Gotti ran his own
loan sharkA loan shark is a person or body that offers unsecured loans at illegally high interest rates to individuals, often enforcing repayment by blackmail or threats of violence....
ing operation and held a
no-show jobA no-show job is a paid position that ostensibly requires the holder to perform duties, but for which no work, or even attendance, is actually expected....
as a
plumbingPlumbing is the system of pipes and drains installed in a building for the distribution of potable drinking water and the removal of waterborne wastes, and the skilled trade of working with pipes, tubing and plumbing fixtures in such systems. A plumber is someone who installs or repairs piping...
supply salesman. Unconfirmed allegations by FBI informants in the Bergin Hunt and Fish Club claimed Gotti also financed drug deals.
On March 18, 1980, Gotti's youngest son, 12-year-old Frank Gotti, was run over and killed on a family friend's minibike by
John FavaraJohn Favara was the backyard neighbor of Gambino crime family godfather John Gotti, in Howard Beach, New York....
, a neighbor. While Frank's death was ruled an accident, Favara subsequently received death threats and, when he visited the Gottis to apologize, was attacked by Victoria Gotti with a baseball bat. On July 28, 1980, he was abducted and disappeared, presumed murdered. While the Gottis were on vacation in Florida at the time, John Gotti is still presumed to have ordered the killing, an allegation considered probable by his son John Jr. while denied by his daughter
Victoria Victoria Gotti is a writer, reality television participant and daughter of the Gambino crime family Mafia boss, John Gotti.-Early life:...
.
In his last two years as the Bergin Capo Gotti was indicted on two occasions, with both cases coming to trial after his ascension to Gambino Boss. In September 1984 Gotti was in an altercation with refrigerator mechanic Romual Piecyk, and was subsequently charged with assault and robbery. In 1985 he was indicted alongside Dellacroce and several Bergin crew members in a racketeering case by Assistant
US AttorneyUnited States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
Diane Giacalone. The indictment also revealed that Gotti's friend "Willie Boy" Johnson, one of his co-defendants, had been an FBI informant.
Taking over the Gambino family
Gotti rapidly became dissatisfied with Paul Castellano's leadership, considering the new boss too isolated and greedy.
In August 1983 Ruggiero and
Gene GottiEugene Gotti is a New York mobster with the Gambino crime family who was a major drug trafficker.-Background:Born to John and Fannie Gotti, Gene has four brothers: deceased Gambino boss John Gotti, Peter Gotti, capo Richard V. Gotti, and soldier Vincent Gotti...
were arrested for dealing
heroin, based primarily on recordings from a
bugA covert listening device, more commonly known as a bug or a wire, is usually a combination of a miniature radio transmitter with a microphone. The use of bugs, called bugging, is a common technique in surveillance, espionage and in police investigations.A bug does not have to be a device...
in Ruggiero's house. Castellano, who had banned made men from his family from dealing drugs under threat of death, demanded transcripts of the tapes, and when Ruggiero refused he threatened to demote Gotti.
In 1984 Castellano was arrested and indicted in a
RICOThe Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, commonly referred to as the RICO Act or simply RICO, is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization...
case for the crimes of Gambino hitman
Roy DeMeoRoy Albert DeMeo was a soldier in the Gambino crime family. He is infamous for heading the DeMeo crew, a gang suspected by the FBI of murdering at least 70 people between 1973 and 1983. The vast majority were disposed of so thoroughly that they were never found...
's crew. The following year he received a
second indictmentThe Mafia Commission Trial was a criminal trial in New York City, USA. Using evidence obtained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, eleven organized crime figures, including the heads of New York's so-called "Five Families," were indicted by United States Attorney Rudolph Giuliani under the...
for his role in the American Mafia's
CommissionThe Commission is the governing body of the American Mafia. Formed in 1931, the Commission replaced the "Boss of all Bosses" title, with a ruling committee, consisting of the New York Five Families bosses and the boss of the Chicago Outfit...
. Facing life imprisonment for either case, Castellano arranged for John Gotti to serve as an acting boss alongside
Thomas BilottiThomas Bilotti was a New York mobster and then Underboss for the reputed Boss of the Gambino crime family, Paul Castellano.-Early years:...
, Castellano's favorite capo, and
Thomas GambinoThomas "Tommy" Gambino is a New York mobster and a longtime Caporegime of the Gambino crime family who successfully controlled lucrative trucking rackets in the New York City Garment District.-Early life:...
in his absence. Gotti, meanwhile, began conspiring with fellow disgruntled Gambino family members
Sammy GravanoSalvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano is a former underboss of the Gambino crime family. He is known as the man who helped bring down John Gotti, the family's boss, by agreeing to become a Federal Bureau of Investigation informant and turn state's evidence.Originally a mobster for the Colombo crime...
,
Frank DeCiccoFrank DeCicco also known as Frankie D and Frankie Cheech was a New York mobster and labor racketeer for the Gambino crime family...
,
Robert DiBernardoRobert DiBernardo, also known as "DB", was a caporegime in the Gambino crime family...
and
Joseph ArmoneJoseph "Piney" Armone was a gangster in the Gambino crime family from 1986 to 1990.-Biography:Born on the Upper East Side, Manhattan, Armone earned his nickname "Piney" in the 1930s by extorting money from Christmas tree vendors. He was the younger brother of mobster Stephen Armone, a Gambino...
to overthrow Castellano, insisting despite the boss' inaction that Castellano would eventually try to kill him.
After Dellacroce died of cancer on December 2, 1985, Castellano revised his succession plan: appointing Bilotti as underboss to Thomas Gambino as the sole acting boss, while making plans to break up Gotti's crew. Infuriated by this, and Castellano's refusal to attend Dellacroce's wake, Gotti resolved to kill his boss.
Gotti agreed to a meeting with Castellano and Bilotti at
Sparks Steak HouseThe Sparks Steak House is a restaurant located at 210 East 46th Street between Second & Third Avenues in Midtown Manhattan.-History:The restaurant was founded by brothers Pat and Mike Cetta in 1966...
on December 16, 1985. When the boss and underboss arrived, they were ambushed and shot dead by assassins under Gotti's command. Gotti watched the hit from his car with Gravano.
Gotti was proclaimed the new boss of the Gambino family at the meeting of the family's capos on December 30, 1985. He appointed his co-conspirator DeCicco as the new underboss while retaining Castellano's
consigliereConsigliere is a position within the leadership structure of Sicilian and American Mafia crime families. The word was popularized by Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather , and its film adaptation...
Joseph N. GalloGiuseppe “Uno-Punzone” Nicholas Gallo, Jr. also known as Joseph Nicholas Gallo was a New York mobster, who allegedly became consigliere of the Gambino crime family.-Biography:He was born on January 8, 1912...
.
Gambino boss
Identified as both Paul Castellano's likely murderer and his successor, John Gotti rose to fame throughout 1986.
In the book
Underboss, Gravano estimates that Gotti had an annual income of not less than $5 million during his years as boss, and more likely between 10 and 12 million.
"The Teflon Don"
Gotti's newfound fame had at least one positive effect; upon the revelation of his attacker's occupation, and amid reports of intimidation by the Gambinos, Romual Piecyk decided not to testify against Gotti, and when the trial commenced in March 1986 he testified he was unable to remember who attacked him. The case was promptly dismissed, with the
New York Daily News summarizing the proceedings with the headline "I Forgotti!"
On April 13, 1986, underboss DeCicco was killed when his car was bombed following a visit to Castellano loyalist
James FaillaJames "Jimmy Brown" Failla was a senior caporegime with the Gambino crime family who was a major power in the garbage hauling industry in New York City...
. The bombing was carried out by
LuccheseThe Lucchese crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The family originated in the early 1920s with Gaetano "Tommy" Reina serving as boss up until his murder...
capos
Victor AmusoVittorio "Little Vic" Amuso is a New York mobster and, as of 2011, the reputed Boss of the Lucchese crime family. Amuso is currently serving life at the Federal Correctional Complex in Beaumont, Texas on murder and racketeering charges....
and
Anthony CassoAnthony "Gaspipe" Casso is a former New York City mobster who served as underboss and acting boss of the Lucchese crime family until he was arrested in 1993, becoming a cooperating witness for the Federal Government...
, under orders of bosses
Anthony CoralloAnthony "Tony Ducks" Corallo was a New York City mobster and boss of the Lucchese crime family.-Early life:...
and
Vincent GiganteVincent Gigante was a short lived professional light heavyweight boxer who was known as "The Chin" Gigante. He fought 25 matches and lost four, boxing 121 rounds. On February 19, 1945, he fought Pete Petrello in Madison Square Garden and won by a knock out in the second round. During his successful...
, to avenge Castellano and Bilotti by killing their successors; Gotti also planned to visit Failla that day but canceled, and the bomb was detonated after a soldier who rode with DeCicco was mistaken for the boss. The use of bombs, banned by the American Mafia, cleared Gigante of suspicion from Gotti.
Following the bombing Judge
Eugene NickersonEugene Hoffman Nickerson was the Democratic county executive of Nassau County, New York from 1962 until 1970. Nickerson was the only Democrat to be elected county executive in Nassau County until 2001...
, presiding over Gotti's racketeering trial, rescheduled to avoid a jury tainted by the resulting publicity while Giacalone had Gotti's bail revoked due to evidence of intimidation in the Piecyk case. From jail, Gotti ordered the murder of Robert DiBernardo by Sammy Gravano, having been told by Ruggiero that DiBernardo had challenged his leadership. He also had Joseph Armone promoted to replace DeCicco.
Jury selection for the racketeering case began again in August 1986, with John Gotti standing trial alongside Gene Gotti, "Willie Boy" Johnson (who, despite being exposed as an informant, refused to turn state's evidence),
Leonard DiMariaLeonard "Lenny" DiMaria , also known as "Fatso" and "the Conductor", is a New York mobster and Caporegime in the Gambino crime family...
,
Tony RampinoAnthony J. Rampino , also known as "Tony Roach", was a Gambino crime family mobster who was involved in truck hijacking and drug trafficking.-Biography:...
,
Nicholas CorozzoNicholas "Little Nick" Corozzo is a New York mobster who is the reputed acting boss of the Gambino crime family.-Biography:...
and
John CarnegliaJohn 'Johnny Carnegs' Carneglia is a New York criminal with the Gambino crime family who was convicted of running a heroin distribution ring...
. At this point, the Gambinos were able to compromise the case when George Pape, a friend of
WestiesThe Westies are a predominantly Irish American organized crime association operating from the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan's West Side in New York City. According to crime author T. J...
boss
Bosko RadonjichBosko "The Yugo" Radonjich was a Serbian nationalist and later leader of the Westies, a predominantly Irish-American gang based in New York's Hell's Kitchen.-Early life:...
, was empaneled; through Radonjich Pape contacted Gravano and agreed to sell his vote on the jury for $60,000.
In the trial's opening statements on September 25, Gotti's defense attorney
Bruce CutlerBruce Cutler is an American criminal defense lawyer known for defending organized-crime defendants, and for media appearances as an actor, a legal commentator, and a reality-show attorney....
denied the existence of the Gambino Crime Family and framed the government's entire effort as a personal vendetta. His main defense strategy during the prosecution was to attack the credibility of Giacalone's witnesses by discussing their crimes committed before their turning states'. In Gotti's defense Cutler called bank robber Matthew Traynor, a would-be prosecution witness dropped for unreliability, who testified that Giacalone offered him drugs and her panties as a masturbation aid in exchange for his testimony; Traynor's allegations would be dismissed by Judge Nickerson as "wholly unbelievable" after the trial, and he was subsequently convicted of
perjuryPerjury, also known as forswearing, is the willful act of swearing a false oath or affirmation to tell the truth, whether spoken or in writing, concerning matters material to a judicial proceeding. That is, the witness falsely promises to tell the truth about matters which affect the outcome of the...
.
Despite Cutler's defense, according to mob writers Jerry Capeci and Gene Mustain, when the jury's deliberations began a majority were in favor of convicting Gotti. Pape, however, held out in Gotti's favor until the rest of the jury began to fear their own safety was compromised, and on March 13, 1987, they acquitted Gotti and his codefendents of all charges. Five years later Pape was convicted of obstruction of justice for his part in the fix.
In the face of previous Mafia convictions, particularly the success of the Commission trial, Gotti's acquittal was a major upset that further added to his reputation. The American media dubbed Gotti "The Teflon Don" in reference to the failure of any charges to "stick."
Reorganization
While Gotti himself had escaped conviction, his associates were not so lucky. The other two men in the Gambino administration, underboss Armone and consigliere Gallo, had been indicted on racketeering charges in 1986 and were both convicted in December 1987. The heroin trial of Gotti's former fellow Bergin crewmembers Ruggiero and Gene Gotti also commenced in June of that year.
Prior to their convictions, Gotti allowed Gallo to retire and promoted Sammy Gravano in his place while slating
Frank LocascioFrank "Frankie Loc" LoCascio is a New York mobster who became the Consigliere to the Gambino crime family, under Boss John Gotti. LoCascio is the father of Salvatore LoCascio, a caporegime in the Gambino family....
to serve as acting underboss in the event of Armone's imprisionment.
1992 conviction
On December 11, 1990, FBI agents and New York City detectives raided the
Ravenite Social ClubThe Ravenite Social Club was a club in New York City that was frequented and at some point used as headquarters of the Gambino crime family. It was located at 247 Mulberry St. in the Little Italy section of Manhattan. It is now a shoe store. The Ravenite was frequented by John Gotti and the rest of...
, arresting Gotti, Gravano and
Frank LocascioFrank "Frankie Loc" LoCascio is a New York mobster who became the Consigliere to the Gambino crime family, under Boss John Gotti. LoCascio is the father of Salvatore LoCascio, a caporegime in the Gambino family....
. Gotti was charged, in this new racketeering case, with five murders (Castellano and Bilotti, Robert DiBernardo, Liborio Milito and Louis Dibono,) conspiracy to murder
Gaetano "Corky" VastolaGaetano "Corky" Vastola is a New Jersey mobster who became an underboss for the DeCavalcante crime family in New Jersey.-Record mogul:In 1946, Vastola was arrested for burglary in New York City...
, loansharking, illegal gambling, obstruction of justice, bribery and tax evasion. Based on tapes from FBI bugs played at pretrial hearings the Gambino administration was denied bail and attorneys
Bruce CutlerBruce Cutler is an American criminal defense lawyer known for defending organized-crime defendants, and for media appearances as an actor, a legal commentator, and a reality-show attorney....
and
Gerald ShargelGerald Shargel is a high-profile defense attorney based in New York City who has been a member of the New York Bar since 1969. He has garnered attention as both a trial and appellate lawyer, representing white-collar clients and ordinary criminal defendants, but is most famous for, along with...
were both disqualified from defending Gotti after determining they had worked as "
in-house counselA general counsel is the chief lawyer of a legal department, usually in a corporation or government department. The term is most used in the United States...
" for the Gambino organization. Gotti subsequently hired
Albert KriegerAlbert Krieger is an American defense lawyer. He was mafioso John Gotti's lawyer. He is a nationally recognized expert on cross-examination. He was the recipient of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers's 1995 Robert C. Heeney Memorial Award as well as their Lifetime Achievement...
, a Miami attorney who had worked with
Joseph BonannoJoseph Charles Bonanno, Sr. was a Sicilian-born American mafioso who became the boss of the Bonanno crime family. He was nicknamed "Joe Bananas," a name he despised.-Early life:...
, to replace Cutler.
The tapes also created a rift between Gotti and Gravano, showing the Gambino boss describing his newly-appointed underboss as too greedy and attempting to frame Gravano as the main force behind the murders of DiBernardo, Milito and Dibono. Gotti's attempt at reconciliation failed, leaving Gravano disillusioned with the mob and doubtful on his chances of winning the newest case without Shargel, his former attorney. Gravano ultimately opted to
turn state's evidenceTo turn state's evidence is when an accused or convicted criminal testifies as a witness for the state against his associates or accomplices. Turning state's evidence is occasionally a result of a change of heart or feelings of guilt, but more often is done in response to a generous offer from the...
, formally agreeing to testify on November 13, 1991.
Gotti and Locascio were tried in the
United States District Court for the Eastern District of New YorkThe United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York is the federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the entirety of Long Island and Staten Island...
before United States District Judge
I. Leo GlasserIsrael Leo Glasser, also known as I. Leo Glasser or Leo Glasser, is a United States District Judge for the Eastern District of New York.-Biography:...
. Jury selection began in January 1992, with the empaneled jury being kept anonymous and, for the first time in a Brooklyn Federal case, fully sequestered during the trial due to Gotti's reputation for jury tampering. The trial commenced with the prosecution's
opening statementAn opening statement is generally the first occasion that the trier of fact has to hear from a lawyer in a trial, aside possibly from questioning during voir dire. The opening statement is generally constructed to serve as a "road map" for the fact-finder...
s on February 12; prosecutors Andrew Maloney and
John GleesonJohn Gleeson is a United States federal judge.Gleeson was born in Bronx, New York. He received a B.A. from Georgetown University in 1975, and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1980. He was a law clerk for Boyce Martin on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth...
began their case by playing tapes showing Gotti discussing Gambino family business, including murders he approved, and confirming the animosity between Gotti and Castellano to establish the former's motive to kill his boss. After calling an eyewitness of the Sparks hit who identified Gotti associate
John CarnegliaJohn 'Johnny Carnegs' Carneglia is a New York criminal with the Gambino crime family who was convicted of running a heroin distribution ring...
as one of the men who shot Bilotti they then brought Gravano to testify on March 2.
On the stand Gravano confirmed Gotti's place in the structure of the Gambino family and described in detail the conspiracy to assassinate Castellano and gave a full description of the hit and its aftermath. Krieger, and Locasio's attorney Anthony Cardinale, proved unable to shake Gravano during cross-examination. After additional testimony and tapes the government rested its case on March 24.
Five of Krieger and Cardinale's intended six witnesses were ruled irrelevant or extraneous, leaving only Gotti's tax attorney Murray Appleman to testify on his behalf. The defense also attempted unsuccessfully to have a mistrial declared based on Maloney's closing remarks. Gotti himself became increasingly hostile during the trial, and at one point Glasser threatened to remove him from the courtroom. Among other outbursts, Gotti called Gravano a junkie while his attorneys sought to discuss Gravano's past steroid use, and he equated the dismissal of a juror to the fixing of the
1919 World SeriesThe 1919 World Series matched the American League champion Chicago White Sox against the National League champion Cincinnati Reds. Although most World Series have been of the best-of-seven format, the 1919 World Series was a best-of-nine series...
.
On April 2, 1992, after only 14 hours of deliberation, the jury found Gotti guilty on all charges of the indictment (Locasio was found guilty on all but one.) On June 23, 1992, Glasser sentenced both defendants to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole and a $250,000 fine.
Incarceration and death
Gotti was incarcerated at the
United States Penitentiary at Marion, IllinoisThe United States Penitentiary is a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility located in Southern Precinct, unincorporated Williamson County, Illinois. The facility is located south of Marion, from St. Louis, and from Chicago. It was built in 1963 to replace the Alcatraz prison in San Francisco, which...
. He spent the majority of his sentence in effective solitary confinement, only allowed out of his cell for one hour a day.
While in prison, Gotti offered $100,000 to the
Aryan BrotherhoodThe Aryan Brotherhood, also known as The Brand, the AB, or the One-Two, is a white supremacist prison gang and organized crime syndicate in the United States with about 20,000 members in and out of prison...
to kill Walter Johnson, a black inmate who had assaulted him. The Aryan Brotherhood accepted Gotti's offer. The prison guards surmised that Johnson was in danger and moved him to a different cell block, ultimately transferring him to another prison. Gotti, during a prison visit with his family, was recorded saying: "Being a nigger is an embarrassment, being John Gotti's grandson is an honor."
Despite his imprisonment, and pressure from the Commission to stand down, Gotti is believed to have held on to his position as Gambino boss with his brother
PeterPeter Gotti, also known as "One Eyed Pete", "Petey Boy", "One Eye" , is a New York mobster who is the former boss of the Gambino crime family and the older brother of deceased Gambino boss John Gotti.-Background:...
and his son John A. Gotti Jr. relaying orders on his behalf. By 1998, when he was indicted on racketeering, John Gotti Jr. was believed to be the acting boss of the family. Against his father's wishes, John Jr. pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six years and five months imprisonment in 1999. He maintains he has since left the Gambino family.
John Jr.'s indictment brought further stress to John Gotti's marriage. Victoria DiGiorgio Gotti, up to that point unaware of her son's involvement in the mob, blamed her husband for ruining her son's life and threatened to leave him unless he allowed John Jr. to leave the mob.
In 1998 Gotti was diagnosed with
throat cancerHead and neck cancer refers to a group of biologically similar cancers that start in the upper aerodigestive tract, including the lip, oral cavity , nasal cavity , paranasal sinuses, pharynx, and larynx. 90% of head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas , originating from the mucosal lining...
and sent to the
United States Medical Center for Federal PrisonersThe United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners is a hospital for male federal prison inmates in southwestern Springfield, Missouri at the corner of West Sunshine Street and Kansas Expressway...
in Springfield, Missouri for surgery. While the tumor was removed, the cancer was discovered to have returned two years later and Gotti was transferred back to Springfield, where he would spend the remainder of his life.
Gotti's condition rapidly declined, and he died on June 10, 2002 at the age of 61. The
Roman Catholic Diocese of BrooklynThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, which includes territory that was previously part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, was established as a separate diocese in 1853 when the City of Brooklyn was separate from New York City....
announced that Gotti's family would not be permitted to have a
Mass of Christian BurialA Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead or Mass of the dead , is a Mass celebrated for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, using a particular form of the Roman Missal...
but allowed it after the burial.
Gotti's funeral was held in a nonchurch facility. After the funeral, an estimated 300 onlookers followed the procession, which passed Gotti's
Bergin Hunt and Fish ClubThe Bergin Hunt and Fish Club is a former Gambino crime family mob hangout and headquarters that was located at 98-04 101st Avenue in Ozone Park .-Today:...
, to the gravesite. Gotti was buried next to his son Frank Gotti. Gotti's brother
Peter GottiPeter Gotti, also known as "One Eyed Pete", "Petey Boy", "One Eye" , is a New York mobster who is the former boss of the Gambino crime family and the older brother of deceased Gambino boss John Gotti.-Background:...
was unable to attend owing to his incarceration. In an apparent repudiation of Gotti's leadership and legacy, the other New York families sent no representatives to the funeral.
Peter Gotti is believed to have formally succeeded his brother as Gambino boss.
External links
- John Gotti -The Last Mafia Icon - truTV Crime Library
The Crime Library is a website documenting major crimes, criminals, and trials, forensics, and criminal profiling from books, police reports, crime television shows, and writers...
- John Gotti - Biography.com
The Biography Channel is an American digital cable television channel owned by A&E and based on the television series of the same name. A version of the channel also airs on ONO and Telefónica in Spain and on Sky Digital and cable television in the United Kingdom, a version of the channel also...
- John Gotti: How We Made the Charges Stick - Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...