Crime Family

Gambino Family

The Gambino crime family is one of the five mafia families of new york. The Gambino family has ties that stretch all the way to the east coast of the country along with other area’s. The family began as a criminal gang in the early 1900’s led by Pellegrino “Don Grino” Monrano. The Castellammarese War between New York Mafia boss’s Masseria and Maranzano would cost the gambino family its ealry leadership. When the war ended and Charlie “Lucky” Luciano decided to organize the new york mafia into five families and form the Mafia Commission , decided to make the Gambino family one of the five. Luciano would name Vincenzo “Vincent” Mangano as the official boss of the newly reorganized Gambino Crime Family.

Mangano had with members of the International Longshoremen Association giving the Gambino family an edge to control the New York and Brooklyn waterfronts with various activities including union racketeering , gambling , and extortion. Mangano also went on to form the City Democratic Club which was the front for the bloody mostly jewish crew of hitmen who did mob hits known as Murder Inc. Albert Anastasia was a member of this Murder Inc. crew. Anastasia and boss Mangano never got along mostly because Mangano didnt like the way Anastasia mingled with other various mob boss’s. This would not end well for Mangano , on 1951 Mangano was found murdered and his brother disappeared. Anastasia was suspected of the killings but it was never proven. Anastasia was called infront of the commission but denied having anything to do with the killing and the commission was inclined to appoint him as Gambino Family boss to prevent a leadership void. A member on the rise in Carlo Gambino would be picked as underboss by Anastasia.

The Gambino family under Anastasia formed close ties with mafia boss Frank Costello who was boss of the now Genovese Crime Family. This link between Anastasia and Costello made for a very strong alliance between the two families and on the commission. But a very power hungry underboss of the Genovese family would look to take over and move out Costello. Vito Genovese needed more influence and recieved it from then Gambino underboss Carlo Gambino who also had dreams of moving up in his own family. For backing Genovese in his efforts Carlo Gambino first wanted help in removing Albert Anastasia as Gambino boss which would come to pass on October 26, 1957. Anastasia was shot to death while sitting in a barbers chair at the Park Sheraton Hotel on West 56th St. The hit was planned by Joseph ” Joe the Blonde” Biondo or order from Carlo Gambino. Carlo Gambino would then go on to take control of the Gambino Family.

Under Carlo Gambino the Gambino family would become the most powerful of the five new york crime families. Carlo Gambino had very close ties to Meyer Lansky and had interest in Lansky’s offshore gambling industry in cuba and the bahamas which brought in load of cash for the gambino family. When Joe Bonanno head of the Bonanno family one of the Gambino families main rivals in NY plans to kill Calro Gambino and heads of the other families failed , Carlo Gambino would become the most powerful mafia boss in NY.

Carlo Gambino’s power over organized crime in NY would continue to grow so much as many think he organized the murder of Colombo Family boss Joe Colombo for the exposure Colombo was bringing to the other families with his Italian rights activities. It was said that Gambino’s power led to him have influence over the Lucchese and Genovese crime families behind the scene’s. Gambino would remain in power of the Gambino family unchallenged until his death on October 15, 1976 of a heart attack. Gambino on his death bed would name Paul “Big Paul” Castellano as the new Gambino family boss passing over his then underboss Aniello “Mr. Neil” Dellacroce, many think because Castellano was married to Gambino’s sister. This caused a major shake up in the family as many supported Dellacroce and wanted him in as boss , but Dellacroce would keep his followers inline and himself in true Cosa Nostra form wanted to follow Gambino’s wishes.

Castellano now im place as boss would be challenged by the Dellacroce faction on a constant basis but had the backing of powerful crews within the family led by capo’s Anthony “Nino” Gaggi and Roy DeMeo. This power base would allow Castellano to hold off the Dellacroce loyalist along with help from Dellacroce to keep the family in order. The Fed’s at the same time had there own idea’s and plans for the Gambino family tergeting them in major undercover stings. The fed’s would find the Gambino family one of the easier of the five families to infiltrate and would plant bugs into lamps in the home of Castellano himself. These bugs would provide conversations of Castellano and other members talking about many illegal actions and family business. With the fed’s were hot on the Castellano’s train and by the early 1980’s he was charged with an array of criminal activities. Castellano then let it be know to the Gambino family that he wanted Thomas Gambino to take over as boss with Castellano’s then bodyguard and chauffeur Thomas Bilotti serving as underboss. This would inrage the Dellacroce faction of the family especially a young capo very loyal to Dellacroce named John Gotti.

Federal Indictments would be charged to many members of the Gambino family in 1983 including John Gotti’s brother Gene Gotti and family friend Angelo “Quack Quack” Ruggiero. Ruggiero was caught by wiretaps placed on phones in his home discussing drug deals and other Gambino family business along with rants and raves about the bodd Castellano. Castellano has left in place Carlo Gambino’s long standing no drug dealing policy and if it was proven that Gene and Angelo were dealing drugs the penalty would be death. Castellano demanded access to the federal wire tap transcripts to hear for himself , but both Dellacroce and Gotti knew of Castellano recieved the transcripts the evidence would be clear again there crew members. Dellacroce would help Gotti to hold off Castellano’s request for the information. Dellacroce then suffering from cancer would pass away on December 2, 1985 and John Gotti knew to protect his brother and friend that he had to act fast.

On December 16, 1985 Thomas Bilotti and Paul Castellano were on there way to a meeting with then family capo Frank DeCicco at Sparks Steak House on 46th street in New York. When the car pulled up in front to let Castellano down in front of the restaurant they were both gunned down by unidentified men. The men were later identified as Vincent Artuso , Angelo Ruggiero, Salvatore Scala, John Carneglia , Tony “Roach” Rampino , and Joe “The German” Watts working on the orders of John Gotti. John Gotti would then take over control of the Gambino Crime Family.

John Gotti was known was the “Dapper Don” for his love of tailored suits and silk ties and other fabulous attire. Gotti’s one major flaw may have been his love of attention as he was always known for tossing out sound bites to the media in a way not seen by any previous mob boss. Gotti would appoint Frank DeCicco as family underboss and friend Angelo Ruggiero as caporegime along with Salvatore “Sammy the Bull” Gravano as Consigliere. Many of the other mob bosses did not appove of Gotti’s unsanctioned hit on Castellano and his media exposed life style. One in particular disproved of Gotti’s ways was Genovese family boss Vincent ” The Chin” Gigante. Gigante would conspire with Lucchese Family leadership Vincent Amuso and Anthony Casso to put out a hit on Gotti using a car bomb that would end up killing Gambino Family underboss DeCicco. With the attempt on Gotti being missed the commission would call things even not wanting an all out war to begin.

But it wouldnt take long for Gotti to draw major attention from law enforcement. He would be indicted in three different cases on federal charges and somehow gained an acquttal in all three cases , earning him the new nickname of “The Teflon Don”. But Gotti’s run would soon be coming to an end as the fed’s had gotten a lucky break and was able to place a bug in an apartment above the Ravenite Social Club which Gotti operated out of on a daily basis. This apartment was owned by the widow of a Dellacroce crew soldier and was used by Gotti and Gambino Family members as a place to discuss family business. Conversations were recorded with Gotti discussing many Gambino Family rachets and also complaining about members of his own family including Sammy Gravano referring to him as a “mad dog killer”. The Fed’s would then arrest Gotti , Gravano , and Frank LoCascio. Using the tapes of Gotti conversation the Fed’s would persue Sammy Gravano to turn states evidence and testify again John Gotti and the rest of the Gambino Family. On April 2, 1992 with the large stock pile of evidence and the testimony of Gravano both John Gotti and Frank LoCascio would be convicted and recieve life sentences without chance of parole.

John Gotti would continue to run the Gambino family from prison with the day to day street operations being run by capo John “Jackie Nose” D’Amico and Nicholas ” Little Nick” Corozzo. Corozzo was tabed to take over as Gambino Family boss but was imprisoned before having the chance. Its then believed that John “Junior” Gotti the son of the Dapper Don took over control of the Gambino family until he himself was convicted in 1998 on racketeering charges getting a 77 month sentence. With the death of John Gotti in 2002 , his brother Peter Gotti would take control of the Gambino family but his reign would be short lived as Gambino Family soldier Michael ” Mikey Scars” DiLeonardo would be convicted and turn states evidence and testify against Peter Gotti and Anthony “Sonny” Ciccone from 2003-2005 and went into the witness protection program. With the conviction of Peter Gotti the family would be taken over by recently released Nicholas Corozzo and longtime friend Leonard ” Lenny” DiMaria. Corozzo would appoint his brother Joseph Corozzo as Gambino Family Consigliere, and Arnold “Zeke” Squitieri as family underboss.

But once again the Gambino’s would suffer a major hit from the fed’s when much of the Gambino leadership would be indicted in the “Operation Old Bridge” case. Arrested in this sweep was family leaders John “Jackie Nose” D’Amico , Joseph “Jo-Jo- Corozzo, Domenico “Italian Dom” Cefalu, Leonard “Lenny” DiMaria, Francesco “Frank” Cali Thomas “Tommy Sneakers” Cacciopoli , and Nicholas “Little Nick” Corozzo. This large sweeping set of indictments would break up a alliance between the Gambino family and the Sicilian Mafia to get the Gambino family a hand up in the international drug trade. Even with the recent hits to the family by the Federal Government the family continues to operate although seemingly in a much weakened state.

Leadership History of Gambino Family

Boss - (ruling Panel)-  Daniel “Danny” Marino , Giovanni “Johnny” Gambino, and Robert “Bobby” Vernace

Underboss - Arnold “Zeke” Squitieri (jailed)

Consigliere - Joseph Corozzo (jailed)

Estimated Membership - Approx 260 Made Members