John Gotti

:Alternate use: John Gotti Agnello of Growing Up Gotti

Career

John Gotti was born John Joseph Gotti, Jr. by John Sr. & Fannie Gotti. He had four brothers that also went into the Mafia life: Peter, Gene, Richard and to a lesser degree, Vincent. Peter, Gene and Richard were all made members of the Gambino family as John was.

Related Topics:
Peter - Gene - Richard - Vincent

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Gotti started as a mob assassin and worked his way up to becoming captain of one of the most powerful groups in the Gambino family. His group, however, was caught selling drugs, against the rules of the family, and was about to be disbanded. To prevent this, Gotti and others organized the shooting of the Gambino family boss, Paul Castellano, on December 16, 1985. Castellano was shot six times outside Sparks Steakhouse in Manhattan and Gotti took control of the family.

Related Topics:
Assassin - Drugs - Paul Castellano - December 16 - 1985

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Following his ascension to the position of Gambino family godfather, Gotti became known as "The Dapper Don", appearing in public in expensive $2000 hand-tailored Brioni suits and reveling in media attention. Gotti was extremely popular in his Queens neighborhood, where he organized free lavish street parties and festivals, and had a reputation for keeping street crime out. The annual Fourth of July party he hosted in Ozone Park, a neighborhood in Queens, which featured an elaborate fireworks display, was a major media event.

Related Topics:
Brioni - Fourth of July - Ozone Park

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Gotti was arrested several times throughout his career, and although he served time in both state and federal prison (including a manslaughter conviction in connection with the shooting death of a low-level Irish-American gangster in a tavern on Staten Island in 1973), in the 1980s he was referred to by the media as the "Teflon Don" as he avoided conviction on racketeering and assault charges. Gotti bribed or threatened jurors in several trials. He also made use of police informants to keep a step ahead of investigators.

Related Topics:
Manslaughter - Irish-American - Staten Island - 1973 - 1980s - Racketeering - Jurors - Informant

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Gotti became something of a celebrity, and would frequently shake hands and pose for pictures with tourists outside the Ravenite Social Club in Manhattan where he conducted business.

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Gotti was long under intense electronic surveillance by the FBI. His club, phones, and other places of business were all bugged. To get around this, he held meetings while walking down the street and played loud tapes of white noise. Eventually the FBI caught him on tape in an apartment above the club discussing a number of murders and other criminal activities. The FBI also caught Gotti denigrating his underboss Salvatore "Sammy The Bull" Gravano. Angered and feeling he would be made a scapegoat, Gravano agreed to testify against Gotti. Despite having confessed to participating in 19 murders, Gravano was given only a five year sentence and then entered the Witness Protection Program.

Related Topics:
Electronic surveillance - FBI - Bugged - Salvatore "Sammy The Bull" Gravano - Scapegoat - Witness Protection Program

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