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John GottiMafioso, boss of the Gambino family from 1986 to 1992, nicknamed "Teflon Don"
Date of Birth: 27.10.1940
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Biography of John Gotti
- The Rise to Power
- The Mafia Life
- Revenge and Loyalty
- The Teflon Don
- The Fall of Castellano
Biography of John Gotti
The Early YearsJohn Gotti, also known as the "Teflon Don," was the boss of the Gambino crime family from 1986 to 1992. He was born on October 27, 1940, as the fifth child in a thirteen-child family. His father was an immigrant from Naples and worked as a laborer, earning $1.25 a day. Gotti grew up in the Bronx, one of the most tumultuous neighborhoods in New York City. He developed a strong dislike for the Bronx and later refused to include it in his criminal activities. When Gotti was twelve, his family moved to Brownsville, an Italian-dominated neighborhood in Brooklyn, known for its ethnic tensions and street gangs.
The Rise to Power
As a teenager, Gotti earned a reputation for his physical strength and became the leader of a gang feared by many. Despite his tough exterior, Gotti also excelled academically and had an IQ of 140. However, in his neighborhood, physical abilities were valued more than intellectual ones. Gotti's hot-tempered and proud nature became evident when he almost killed a man who owed him money. His friends had to intervene to stop him.
Gotti idolized Albert Anastasia, the unofficial king of Brooklyn and a top hitman for the Mafia organization called "Murder Inc." At the age of sixteen, Gotti dropped out of school and formed a gang called the "Fulton-Rockaway Boys." They engaged in truck hijackings but Gotti desired more significant criminal endeavors. He made a deal with a member of the Gambino family to have his gang work as hired hands for them. Gotti's career began to prosper as he collected gambling debts and protection money for loan sharks.
The Mafia Life
Gotti's only registered income at the time was $25,000 a year working as a plumbing supply salesman. However, he managed to spend $30,000 on horse racing in a single weekend. After some time, Gotti started working for Angelo Bruno, a soldier in the Gambino family. Later, Bruno introduced him to his capo, Carmine Fatico, and Gotti took on his new role. He and his crew began hijacking trucks from Idlewild Airport.
In 1957, Gotti was arrested for the first time but the case was dropped due to lack of evidence. At the age of twenty-one, he got married to Victoria Di Giorgio, a high school dropout, and they had five children together. While Gotti officially worked as a driver's assistant at Garnes Express, his criminal activities continued.
In 1963, Gotti was arrested for truck hijacking and served twenty days in city jail. Over the next few years, he had several more arrests and spent a total of six years behind bars. Gotti's criminal career intensified, and he gained more influence within the Gambino family.
Revenge and Loyalty
In 1973, Gotti carried out his first murder under the orders of Carmine Fatico. He killed two African Americans who had embezzled money from the Gambino family. The bodies were found with bullets in the back of their heads.
Gotti's loyalty to the family was tested when he was chosen to exact revenge for the kidnapping of Carlo Gambino's nephew. However, the assassination attempt was botched, and Gotti's quick temper led to the death of the wrong person. This act violated the rules of "Cosa Nostra," where members were not allowed to kill each other without permission from the boss. Gotti should have asked Paul Castellano, the deputy boss, before committing the murder. However, he received protection from Aniello Dellacroce, the underboss of the Gambino family, who considered Gotti his own son.
Gotti confessed to the killing of the wrong person and was sentenced to four years in prison for involuntary manslaughter, rather than the usual twenty years for premeditated murder.
The Teflon Don
While Gotti was serving his sentence, Carlo Gambino died in October 1976, and Paul Castellano became the new boss. Gotti was released from prison on July 29, 1977, and soon after, he was inducted into the Gambino family.
Gotti rapidly climbed the ranks, becoming a captain just two years after joining the family. This was a remarkable achievement, as it often took decades for members to be promoted. In March 1980, tragedy struck Gotti's personal life when his twelve-year-old son, Frank, was killed in a bicycle accident. Gotti was devastated by this loss and visited his son's grave every month.
The Fall of Castellano
Gotti had a deep dislike for Paul Castellano, the boss of the Gambino family. He believed that Dellacroce, not Castellano, should have succeeded Carlo Gambino. Castellano's actions further alienated him from his subordinates and the wider criminal community. When Dellacroce died of cancer on December 2, 1985, Castellano made a final mistake by not attending his funeral, losing the last shreds of respect from his underlings.
A few days after Dellacroce's death, Gotti and his supporters went into hiding. Five groups, including Gotti's Bergin crew, formed an alliance called "The Fist." They planned to eliminate Castellano and take control of the family. On December 16, 1985, Gotti's men ambushed and killed Castellano and his driver, Tommy Bilotti, outside Sparks Steak House in Manhattan.
Gotti's rise to power marked the beginning of his reign as the "Teflon Don." Despite being indicted multiple times, he managed to avoid conviction until 1992 when he was finally found guilty of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, racketeering, and other charges. Gotti spent the rest of his life in prison and died on June 10, 2002.
