John Joseph Gotti Jr. (October 27, 1940 – June 10, 2002) was a notorious American mobster who became the boss of the Gambino crime family in New York City. He orchestrated the murder of Gambino boss Paul Castellano in December 1985, subsequently taking control of what was described as America's most powerful crime syndicate.
Gotti and his brothers were raised in poverty and turned to crime early in life. Gotti quickly rose through the ranks of the Gambino family, becoming one of its top earners and a protégé of the underboss, Aniello Dellacroce, operating out of Ozone Park, Queens. When the FBI indicted members of Gotti's crew for drug trafficking, Gotti feared that he and his brother Gene would be executed by Castellano for dealing drugs. This fear, coupled with growing dissatisfaction with Castellano's leadership, led Gotti to arrange Castellano's murder.
At his height, Gotti was one of the most powerful and feared crime bosses in the United States. Unlike his peers who shunned media attention, Gotti was dubbed "The Dapper Don" for his expensive suits and charismatic presence in front of news cameras. He later earned the nickname "The Teflon Don" after three high-profile trials in the 1980s ended in acquittals, though it was later discovered that these trials were compromised by jury tampering, juror misconduct, and witness intimidation. Despite this, law enforcement continued to build a case against Gotti, who was reported to earn between $5 million and $20 million annually as the Gambino boss.
Gotti's downfall came when his underboss, Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano, turned state's evidence and testified against him in 1991 after hearing Gotti make disparaging remarks about him on a wiretap that implicated them both in multiple murders. In 1992, Gotti was convicted of five murders, conspiracy to commit murder, racketeering, obstruction of justice, tax evasion, illegal gambling, extortion, and loansharking. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole and was incarcerated at the United States Penitentiary, Marion.
Gotti died of throat cancer on June 10, 2002, at the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri. According to Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso, the former underboss of the Lucchese crime family, "what John Gotti did was the beginning of the end of Cosa Nostra."
Early Life
John Gotti was born on October 27, 1940, in the Bronx, New York City. He was the fifth of thirteen children (two of whom died at birth) born to John Joseph Gotti Sr. and Philomena "Fannie" DeCarlo. Although Gotti's parents were born in New York City, it is believed that his grandparents were from San Giuseppe Vesuviano in Naples, Italy, where his parents had lived for a time. Gotti had four brothers who also became "made men" in the Gambino crime family: Eugene "Gene" Gotti, Peter Gotti, Richard V. Gotti, and Vincent Gotti. Eugene was initiated before John due to John's incarceration, Peter was initiated under John's leadership in 1988, Richard was a caporegime by 2002, and Vincent was initiated in 2002.
By the age of 12, Gotti's family had settled in East New York, Brooklyn, where he and his brothers grew up in poverty. His father worked irregularly as a day laborer, a fact that Gotti came to resent as he grew older. In school, Gotti was frequently truant and known for bullying other students, eventually dropping out of Franklin K. Lane High School at the age of 16.
Gotti became involved with street gangs associated with New York City mafiosi from the age of 12. At 14, he attempted to steal a cement mixer from a construction site, resulting in a severe injury that left him with a permanent limp. After leaving school, he joined the Mafia-associated Fulton-Rockaway Boys gang, where he met and befriended future Gambino mobsters Angelo Ruggiero and Wilfred "Willie Boy" Johnson.
In 1958, Gotti met his future wife, Victoria DiGiorgio, who was of half-Italian and half-Russian descent, at a bar. They married on March 6, 1962, and had five children: Angela, Victoria, John Jr., Frank (who died in 1980), and Peter. Gotti attempted to work legitimately in 1962 as a presser in a coat factory and as an assistant truck driver but returned to crime and was jailed twice by 1966.
Gambino Crime Family
Associate
In his teens, Gotti began running errands for Carmine Fatico, a capo in the Gambino family, then known as the Anastasia family under boss Albert Anastasia. Gotti carried out truck hijackings at Idlewild Airport (now John F. Kennedy International Airport) with his brother Gene and friend Ruggiero. During this time, he befriended fellow mob hijacker and future Bonanno family boss Joseph Massino, earning the nicknames "Black John" and "Crazy Horse." Around this time, Gotti met his mentor, Gambino underboss Aniello "Neil" Dellacroce.
In February 1968, United Airlines employees identified Gotti as the man who had signed for stolen merchandise, leading to his arrest. He was arrested again two months later for hijacking a load of cigarettes worth $50,000. Later that year, Gotti pleaded guilty to a Northwest Airlines hijacking and was sentenced to three years at Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary.
Paroled in 1972, Gotti returned to the Bergin Hunt and Fish Club, continuing his work under Fatico and managing the crew's illegal gambling operation. When Fatico was indicted on loansharking charges, Gotti was named acting capo of the Bergin crew. In this role, Gotti frequently briefed Dellacroce on the crew's activities, strengthening their bond.
In 1973, after the murder of Emanuel Gambino, Gotti was assigned to a hit team to search for the main suspect, gangster James McBratney. The team botched an abduction attempt, resulting in McBratney's death. Gotti was identified by eyewitnesses and arrested for the killing in June 1974. He struck a plea bargain, receiving a four-year sentence for attempted manslaughter. Following Gotti's death, Joseph Massino identified him as the killer of Vito Borelli, a Gambino associate murdered in 1975.
Captain
Carlo Gambino died of natural causes on October 15, 1976. Against expectations, he appointed Paul Castellano as his successor over Dellacroce, causing a rift in the Gambino family. Gotti was released in July 1977, initiated into the crime family, and promoted to replace Fatico as capo of the Bergin crew. Under Gotti's leadership, the crew became Dellacroce's biggest earners. Gotti also ran his own loansharking operation and held a no-show job as a plumbing supply salesman, with unconfirmed allegations of financing drug deals.
In December 1978, Gotti assisted in the infamous Lufthansa Heist at Kennedy Airport. Despite meticulous planning, the getaway driver, Parnell "Stacks" Edwards, failed to dispose of the getaway van, leading to increased scrutiny.
Gotti tried to distance his family from his criminal life, except for his son John Jr., a mob associate by 1982. However, tragedy struck on March 18, 1980, when Gotti's youngest son, Frank, was killed in an accident. The driver, John Favara, was later abducted and presumed murdered, an act widely believed to have been ordered by Gotti.
In his last two years as Bergin capo, Gotti faced two indictments. In September 1984, he was charged with assault and robbery after an altercation with a refrigerator mechanic. In 1985, he was indicted alongside Dellacroce and several crew members in a racketeering case, which revealed that his friend Wilfred "Willie Boy" Johnson was an FBI informant.
Seizing Control of the Gambino Family
John Gotti quickly grew discontented with Paul Castellano's leadership, viewing him as too detached and greedy. Many in the family, including Gotti, personally disliked Castellano due to his lack of street credibility, which led to a lack of respect from those who had proven themselves in street-level operations. Gotti also had financial grievances, particularly over disputes with Castellano regarding the division of proceeds from hijackings at Kennedy Airport. Additionally, Gotti was rumored to be moving into the lucrative drug trade, which Castellano had explicitly banned.
In August 1983, Gotti's associates Angelo Ruggiero and Gene Gotti were arrested for heroin trafficking, largely based on recordings from a bug in Ruggiero's home. Castellano, who had banned his family members from dealing drugs under threat of death, demanded the transcripts of these tapes. When Ruggiero refused, Castellano threatened to demote Gotti.
In 1984, Castellano was indicted under RICO charges for crimes involving Roy DeMeo's crew and received a second indictment the following year for his involvement in the Mafia Commission. Facing potential life imprisonment, Castellano appointed Gotti, Thomas Bilotti, and Thomas Gambino to serve as acting bosses during his absence. Gotti, however, began plotting with other dissatisfied capos, including Frank DeCicco and Joseph "Joe Piney" Armone, as well as soldiers Sammy "the Bull" Gravano and Robert "DiB" DiBernardo, collectively known as "The Fist," to overthrow Castellano. Gotti was convinced that Castellano would eventually target him for elimination.
Traditionally, a Mafia boss could only be killed with the approval of the Commission, but Gotti feared that approaching the other bosses, who had strong ties to Castellano, would tip them off. Instead, he secured support from key figures within the Lucchese, Colombo, and Bonanno families. He did not approach the Genovese family due to Castellano's close relationship with their boss, Vincent "the Chin" Gigante. Gotti also counted on the complicity of Gambino consigliere Joseph N. Gallo.
When Dellacroce died of cancer on December 2, 1985, Castellano revised his succession plan, appointing Bilotti as underboss to Thomas Gambino and planning to dismantle Gotti's crew. Angered by this and Castellano's failure to attend Dellacroce's wake, Gotti decided to eliminate Castellano. DeCicco informed Gotti of a meeting with Castellano at Sparks Steak House on December 16, which Gotti saw as his opportunity. Castellano and Bilotti were ambushed and killed by Gotti's men upon arriving at the meeting. Gotti observed the hit from his car alongside Gravano.
Days later, Gotti was part of a three-man committee, along with Gallo and DeCicco, temporarily running the Gambino family. It was widely understood that Gotti was the de facto boss, and on January 15, 1986, he was formally recognized as the new head of the family, with DeCicco as underboss and Gallo as consigliere.
Becoming Crime Boss
Gotti's rise to power marked the Gambino family's ascension as the most powerful American Mafia family, with an annual income of $500 million. Gotti himself reportedly earned between $5 million and $12 million annually during his tenure. To protect himself legally, Gotti prohibited family members from accepting plea bargains that acknowledged the existence of the organization.
Gotti gained notoriety for his media-savvy persona, often smiling and waving at cameras during his trials. His reputation as the "Teflon Don" was cemented when he was acquitted in a 1987 racketeering trial due to jury tampering orchestrated by Gambino associates.
Reorganization and Challenges
Despite Gotti's personal legal success, his associates were less fortunate. Underboss Armone and consigliere Gallo were convicted on racketeering charges in December 1987, and Ruggiero and Gene Gotti faced heroin trafficking trials, resulting in two mistrials. Gotti replaced Gallo with Gravano as consigliere and designated Frank Locascio as acting underboss in anticipation of Armone's imprisonment.
Gotti's insistence on weekly meetings at the Ravenite Social Club, despite warnings from Gravano and his brother Gene, provided the FBI with extensive surveillance opportunities. This move allowed the FBI to gather substantial evidence of the Gambino family's operations.
In 1988, Gotti, along with bosses from the Lucchese and Genovese families, attended a Commission meeting to resolve internal conflicts and reaffirm alliances. Gotti also extended his influence to the DeCavalcante family in New Jersey, effectively bringing them under Gambino control.
That same year, Gotti's son, John Jr., was initiated into the Gambino family, with Gravano overseeing the ceremony to prevent accusations of nepotism. John Jr. was soon promoted to capo, solidifying the Gotti family's power within the organization.
Assault Acquittal
On January 23, 1989, Gotti was arrested outside the Ravenite Social Club and charged with ordering the 1986 assault of labor union official John O'Connor. In the back of the police car, he confidently remarked, "Three to one I beat this charge." O'Connor, a leader in the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC) Local 608, who was later convicted of racketeering himself, was believed to have ordered an attack on a Gambino-associated restaurant that had snubbed the union. Subsequently, O'Connor was shot and wounded by the Westies. Gotti was released on $100,000 bail the next day, listing his occupation as a salesman for a plumbing contracting company.
By this time, the FBI had cultivated new informants and discovered that Gotti held sensitive conversations either in a rear hallway or in an apartment above the club where a friendly widow of a Gambino soldier lived. By November 1989, both locations were bugged. The apartment bug was particularly fruitful, capturing Gotti discussing his role as boss and acknowledging ordering the murders of DiBernardo and Milito. He also expressed his intent to kill soldier Louis DiBono, who had ignored a summons to meet with him. The FBI, however, misheard the name and failed to warn DiBono, who was killed on October 4, 1990. In another taped meeting on January 4, 1990, Gotti promoted Gravano to underboss, preferring him to lead the family if Gotti was convicted in the assault case.
State prosecutors linked Gotti to the case with a recording of him discussing O'Connor and announcing his intention to "bust him up," alongside the testimony of Westies gangster James McElroy. However, Gotti was acquitted of all six assault and conspiracy charges at trial on February 9, 1990. After the trial, locals celebrated with fireworks. Jules J. Bonavolonta, director of the FBI's organized crime division in New York, stated, "With all this media coverage he's beginning to look like a folk hero... What the public should realize is that he is the boss of the largest Cosa Nostra family, that he surrounds himself with ruthless killers, and that he is flat out a criminal."
It later emerged that FBI bugs had apparently caught Gotti discussing plans to fix the jury as he had in the 1986–87 racketeering case. To the outrage of Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau and state organized crime taskforce chief Ronald Goldstock, the FBI and federal prosecutors chose not to reveal this information to them. Morgenthau later said that had he known about these bugged conversations, he would have asked for a mistrial.
1992 Conviction
Gotti, Gravano, and Locascio were frequently recorded by bugs placed throughout the Ravenite Social Club discussing incriminating events. On December 11, 1990, FBI agents and NYPD detectives raided the Ravenite, arresting Gotti, Gravano, and Locascio. Federal prosecutors charged Gotti in a new racketeering case with five murders (Castellano, Bilotti, DiBernardo, Milito, and DiBono), conspiracy to murder Gaetano "Corky" Vastola, 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. Attorneys Bruce Cutler and Gerald Shargel were disqualified from defending Gotti and Gravano after prosecutors successfully argued they were part of the evidence and thus liable to be called as witnesses. Gotti subsequently hired Albert Krieger, a Miami attorney who had worked with Joseph Bonanno, to replace Cutler.
The tapes also created a rift between Gotti and Gravano, where Gotti described his newly appointed underboss as too greedy and attempted 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 of his chances of winning his case without Shargel, his former attorney. Gravano ultimately opted to turn state's evidence, formally agreeing to testify on November 13, 1991. He was the highest-ranking member of a New York crime family to turn informer until Joseph Massino in 2003.
Gotti and Locascio were tried in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York before District Judge I. Leo Glasser. Jury selection began in January 1992 with an anonymous jury, fully sequestered during the trial due to Gotti's reputation for jury tampering. The trial commenced with the prosecution's opening statements on February 12. Prosecutors Andrew Maloney and John Gleeson 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 Castellano hit who identified Carneglia 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, giving a full description of the hit and its aftermath. Gravano confessed to nineteen murders, implicating Gotti in four of them. Krieger and Locascio'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 his past steroid use, and equated the dismissal of a juror to the fixing of the 1919 World Series.
On April 2, 1992, after only fourteen hours of deliberation, the jury found Gotti guilty on all charges of the indictment (Locascio was found guilty on all but one). James Fox, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's New York Field Office, announced at a press conference, "The Teflon is gone. The don is covered with Velcro, and all the charges stuck." On June 23, 1992, Glasser sentenced both defendants to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole and a $250,000 fine.
Post-conviction
Incarceration
John Gotti was incarcerated at the United States Penitentiary in Marion, Illinois, spending the majority of his sentence in effective solitary confinement, with only one hour out of his cell each day. His final appeal was rejected by the United States Supreme Court in 1994.
On July 18, 1996, fellow inmate Walter Johnson punched Gotti in the prison recreation room, leaving him bruised and bleeding. According to New York's Daily News, the altercation occurred because Gotti had disrespected Johnson with a racial slur. Seeking revenge, Gotti offered Aryan Brotherhood leaders David Sahakian and Michael McElhiney between $40,000 and $400,000 to have Johnson killed. In August, McElhiney instructed two Brotherhood underlings to kill Johnson "if given the opportunity," as per a federal indictment charging him and thirty-nine other gang members with murder, attempted murder, and racketeering. However, Johnson was transferred to the supermax prison in Florence, Colorado.
Despite his imprisonment and pressure from the Commission to step down, Gotti insisted on retaining his title as boss until his death or retirement. His brother Peter and his son John Jr. relayed orders on his behalf. By 1998, John Jr. was believed to be the acting boss of the family. Against his father's wishes, he pleaded guilty to racketeering charges and was sentenced to six years and five months in prison in 1999. He maintains that he has since left the Gambino family. Peter subsequently became the acting boss and is believed to have formally succeeded his brother shortly before Gotti's death.
John Jr.'s indictment added strain to Gotti's marriage. Victoria Gotti, who had been unaware of her son's involvement in the Mafia, blamed her husband for ruining their son's life and threatened to leave him unless he allowed John Jr. to leave the mob.
Death and Legacy
In 1998, Gotti was diagnosed with throat cancer and underwent surgery at the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri. Though the tumor was removed, the cancer returned two years later. Gotti was transferred back to Springfield, where he spent the remainder of his life.
Gotti's condition rapidly declined, and he died on June 10, 2002, at the age of 61. The Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn announced that Gotti's family would not be permitted to have a Requiem Mass but allowed a memorial Mass after the burial.
Gotti's funeral was held in a non-church facility. After the funeral, an estimated 300 onlookers followed the procession, which passed Gotti's Bergin Hunt and Fish Club, to the gravesite. Gotti's body was interred in a crypt next to his son Frank. Gotti's brother Peter was unable to attend due to his incarceration.
In a clear repudiation of Gotti's leadership and legacy, the other New York City families sent no representatives to the funeral. Numerous prosecutions triggered by Gotti's tactics left the Gambino family in shambles; by the turn of the century, half of the family's made men were in prison.
In Popular Culture
Since his conviction, John Gotti has been portrayed in six television films, three documentary series, and three theatrical films, and he has been a subject of lyrics in music.
Film and TV
1. Getting Gotti (1994) – CBS TV movie, portrayed by Anthony John Denison
2. Gotti (1996) – HBO TV movie, portrayed by Armand Assante
3. Witness to the Mob (1998) – NBC miniseries, portrayed by Tom Sizemore
4. A 1999 episode of The FBI Files documented the investigation and conviction of Gotti.
5. The Big Heist (2001) – Canadian-American TV movie on A&E, portrayed by Steven Randazzo
6. Boss of Bosses (2001) – TNT TV movie, portrayed by Sonny Marinelli
7. Sinatra Club (2010) – Theatrical film, portrayed by Danny Nucci
8. The Wannabe (2015) – Film, portrayed by Joseph Siravo
9. Mugshots: John Gotti: End of the Sicilians (2017) – Documentary series episode featuring court wiretaps and undercover footage.
10. Gotti (2018) – Theatrical film, portrayed by John Travolta
11. Victoria Gotti: My Father's Daughter (2019) – TV movie based on Victoria Gotti's book, with John Gotti played by Maurice Benard.
12. Get Gotti (2023) – Netflix documentary series.
13. The Sopranos (1999-2007) – Vincent Curatola's character Johnny 'Sack' Sacramoni is rumored to be inspired by John Gotti.
Music
1. "King of New York" by Fun Lovin' Criminals (1996) – Reached number 28 in the UK singles chart.
2. "D'Evils" by Jay-Z (1996) – Mentions Gotti to discuss criminal aspirations.
3. "Everybody Get Up" by Five (1998) – Mentions Gotti.
4. "Who Da Neighbors" by Juicy J and Lex Luger (2011) – Compares Juicy J's rise to that of Gotti.
5. "Versace (Remix)" by Migos and Drake (2013) – References Gotti as a notorious drug dealer.
6. "Road to the Riches" by Kool G Rap & DJ Polo (1988) – Direct reference to Gotti.
7. "Teflon Don" by Rx Papi (2021) – References Gotti throughout the song.
8. "Gotti" by The Smithereens (1994) – Song on the album "A Date with The Smithereens."
9. "Hiss" by Megan Thee Stallion (2024) – Refers to herself as the "Teflon Don."
10. "Married To The Game" by Future and DJ Esco (2016) – Refers to Gotti, "I beat a couple cases, I feel like John Gotti."
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