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Paul Castellano

Constantino Paul Castellano (Italian: [kastelˈlaːno]; June 26, 1915 – December 16, 1985), was an American crime boss who succeeded Carlo Gambino as head of the Gambino crime family. Castellano was killed in an unsanctioned hit on December 16, 1985.

Paul Castellano
Castellano c. 1985.
Born
Constantino Paul Castellano

(1915-06-26)June 26, 1915
DiedDecember 16, 1985(1985-12-16) (aged 70)
New York City, U.S.
Cause of deathMultiple gunshot wounds
Resting placeMoravian Cemetery
New Dorp, Staten Island
Other names"Big Paulie", "PC", "The Pope", "The Chicken Man", " The Beak".
OccupationCrime boss
PredecessorCarlo Gambino
SuccessorJohn Gotti
Spouse
Nina Manno Castellano
(m. 1937)
Children4
RelativesCarlo Gambino (cousin and brother-in-law)
AllegianceGambino crime family

Early life

Castellano was born in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn in 1915, to Italian immigrants Giuseppe and Concetta Castellano (née Cassata). Giuseppe was a butcher and an early member of the Mangano crime family, the forerunner of the Gambino family.[1] Castellano dropped out of school in the eighth grade to learn butchering and collecting numbers game receipts, both from his father.[2] In July 1934, Castellano was arrested for the first time in Hartford, Connecticut for robbing a haberdasher.[3] The 19-year-old Castellano refused to identify his two accomplices to the police and served a three-month prison sentence. By refusing to cooperate with authorities, Castellano enhanced his reputation for mob loyalty.[2]

Castellano's sister Catherine had married one of their cousins, future Mafia boss Carlo Gambino, in 1932. In 1937, Castellano married his childhood sweetheart Nina Manno; the couple had three sons (Paul, Philip, and Joseph Castellano) and a daughter, Constance Castellano;[4] Manno died in 1999.[5] He was of no relation to actor Richard S. Castellano from The Godfather, despite claims made by Richard's wife after his death.[6][7]

Castellano often signed his name as "C. Paul Castellano" because he hated his first name, Constantino. His first name at birth has been cited as both Constantino and Costantino.[8][9]

Mob life

In the 1940s, Castellano became a member of the Mangano family. He became a capo under boss Vince Mangano's successor, Albert Anastasia.

In 1957, after Anastasia's homicide and Carlo Gambino's elevation to boss, Castellano attended the abortive Apalachin meeting in Apalachin, New York. When New York State Police raided the meeting, Castellano was one of 61 high-ranking mobsters arrested. Refusing to answer grand jury questions about the meeting, Castellano spent a year in prison on contempt charges. On January 13, 1960, Castellano was sentenced to five years in prison for conspiracy to withhold information.[10] However, in November 1960, Castellano's conviction was reversed by an Appeals Court.[11]

Castellano identified more as a businessman than a hoodlum; he took over non-legitimate businesses and converted them to legitimate enterprises. But Castellano's businesses, and those of his sons, thrived from their mob ties.

In his early years, Castellano used his butcher's training to launch Dial Poultry, a poultry distribution business that once supplied 300 butchers in New York City. Dial's customers also included supermarket chains Key Food and Waldbaum's. Castellano used intimidation tactics to force his customers to buy Dial's products.[1]

As Castellano became more powerful in the Gambino family, he started to make large amounts of money from construction concrete. Castellano's son Philip was the president of Scara-Mix Concrete Corporation, which exercised a near monopoly on Staten Island on construction concrete.[12] Castellano also handled the Gambino interests in the "Concrete Club," a club of contractors selected by The Commission to handle contracts between $2 million and $15 million.[13] In return, the contractors gave a two-percent kickback of the contract value to The Commission.[13][14] Castellano also supervised Gambino control of Teamsters Union Local Chapter 282, which provided workers to pour concrete at all major building projects in New York and Long Island.[15]

In 1975, Castellano allegedly had Vito Borelli, the boyfriend of his daughter Constance, murdered because he heard Borelli had compared him to Frank Perdue, the owner and commercial spokesman for Perdue Farms. In 2004, court documents revealed that Joseph Massino, a government witness and former Bonanno crime family boss, admitted murdering Borelli as a favor to Castellano.[16]

Succession

On October 15, 1976, Carlo Gambino died at home of natural causes.[17] Against expectations, he had appointed Castellano to succeed him over his underboss Aniello "Neil" Dellacroce. Gambino appeared to believe that his crime family would benefit from Castellano's focus on white collar businesses.[18] Dellacroce, at the time, was imprisoned for tax evasion and was unable to contest Castellano's succession.[19]

Castellano's succession was confirmed at a meeting on November 24, with Dellacroce present. Castellano arranged for Dellacroce to remain as underboss while directly running traditional Cosa Nostra activities such as extortion, robbery, and loansharking.[20] While Dellacroce accepted Castellano's succession, the deal effectively split the Gambino family into two rival factions.[20]

In 1978, Castellano allegedly ordered the murder of Gambino associate Nicholas Scibetta. A cocaine and alcohol user, Scibetta participated in several public fights and insulted the daughter of George DeCicco. Since Scibetta was Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano's brother-in-law, Castellano asked Frank DeCicco to first notify Gravano of the impending hit. When advised of Scibetta's fate, a furious Gravano said he would kill Castellano first. However, Gravano was eventually calmed by DeCicco and accepted Scibetta's death as the punishment earned by his behavior.[21]

In 1978, Castellano allegedly ordered the murders of Gambino capo James Eppolito and his son, mobster James Eppolito Jr. Eppolito Sr. had complained to Castellano that Anthony Gaggi was infringing on his territory and asked permission to kill him. Castellano gave Eppolitto a noncommittal answer, but later warned Gaggi about Eppolito's intentions. In response, Gaggi and soldier Roy DeMeo murdered Eppolito senior and junior.[22]

In February 1978, Castellano made an agreement between the Gambino family and the Westies, an Irish-American gang from Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan. Castellano wanted hitmen that law enforcement could not tie directly to the Gambino family. The Westies wanted Gambino protection from the other Cosa Nostra families. The Gambino–Westie alliance was set in a meeting between Westies leader James Coonan and Castellano. According to Westies gangster Mickey Featherstone, Castellano gave them the following directive:

You guys got to stop acting like cowboys – acting wild. You're going to be with us now. If anyone is going to get killed, you have to clear it with us.[23]

Castellano also created an alliance with the Cherry Hill Gambinos, a group of Sicilian heroin importers and distributors in New Jersey, also for use as gunmen. With the Westies and the Cherry Hill Gambinos, Castellano commanded a small army of capable killers.

In September 1980, Castellano allegedly ordered the murder of his former son-in-law Frank Amato. A hijacker and minor criminal, Amato had physically abused his wife Connie Castellano (Paul's daughter) when they were married.[24][25] According to FBI documents, Gambino soldier Roy DeMeo murdered Amato, cut up his body, and disposed of the remains at sea.

In 1981, Castellano met twice with businessman Frank Perdue, the alleged cause of the 1975 Borelli murder. Perdue wanted Castellano's help in thwarting a unionization drive at a Perdue facility in Virginia. However, according to Perdue, the two men talked, but never agreed to anything.[26]

At the height of his power, Castellano built a lavish 17-room mansion on a ridgeline in Todt Hill on Staten Island. Designed to resemble the White House in Washington, D.C., Castellano's house featured Carrara marble, an Olympic-size swimming pool, and an English garden.[25] He started a love affair with his live-in Colombian maid, Gloria Olarte.[27] Castellano became a recluse, rarely venturing outside the mansion. Capos such as Daniel Marino, Thomas Gambino, and James Failla visited Castellano at Todt Hill to provide information and receive orders. When not entertaining guests, Castellano wore satin and silk dressing gowns and velvet slippers around the house.[28]

John Gotti, Dellacroce's former protégé, rapidly became dissatisfied with Castellano's leadership, regarding the new boss as being too isolated and greedy.[29][30] Like other members of the family, Gotti also personally disliked Castellano. The boss lacked street credibility, and those who had paid their dues running street level jobs did not respect him. Gotti also had an economic interest: he had a running argument with Castellano on the split Gotti took from hijackings at Kennedy Airport.[31] Gotti was also rumored to be expanding into drug dealing, a lucrative trade Castellano had banned.

Legal problems

In January 1983, Castellano allegedly ordered the murder of Roy DeMeo, who was found shot to death in the trunk of his Cadillac automobile.[28] In March 1983, the FBI obtained a warrant to install secret listening devices in Castellano's house. Waiting until Castellano went on vacation to Florida, agents drugged his watch dogs, disabled his security system, and planted devices in the dining and living rooms. These devices provided law enforcement with a wealth of incriminating information on Castellano.[32]

In August 1983, Angelo Ruggiero and Gene Gotti were arrested for dealing heroin, based primarily on recordings from a bug in Ruggiero's house.[33][34] Castellano, who had banned made men from his family from dealing drugs under threat of death, demanded transcripts of the tapes,[33][35] and, when Ruggiero refused, threatened to demote Gotti.[36]

 
Castellano in a 1984 mugshot

On March 30, 1984, Castellano was indicted on federal racketeering charges in the Gambino case, including the Eppolitto and DeMeo murders. Other charges were extortion, narcotics trafficking, theft, and prostitution. Castellano was released on $2 million bail.[37]

On February 25, 1985, Castellano was one of many Mafia bosses arrested on charges of racketeering, which was to result in the Mafia Commission Trial;[38] he was released on $3 million bail.[39]

On July 1, 1985, Castellano was indicted on loansharking charges and with tax evasion for not reporting the profits from his illegal racket,[40] and pleaded not guilty.[41]

On November 4, 1985, in a testimony from car thief Vito Arena, Castellano was named the head of the stolen-car ring that employed him, as well as having been connected to five murders.[42]

Conspiracy

Dellacroce died of cancer on December 2, 1985,[43] starting a chain of events that led to Castellano's murder two weeks later.[44] Several factors contributed to the conspiracy to kill Castellano; his failure to attend Dellacroce's wake was an insult to the Dellacroce family and his followers.[45] Secondly, Castellano named his bodyguard Thomas Bilotti as the new underboss. A Castellano loyalist, Bilotti was a brutish loanshark with little of the diplomatic skill required as underboss. Castellano also hinted that he was breaking up Gotti's crew.[46]

Gravano suggested killing both Castellano and Bilotti while they were eating breakfast at a diner.[47] However, when DeCicco tipped Gotti off that he would be having a meeting with Castellano and several other Gambino mobsters at Sparks Steak House on December 16, Gotti and the other conspirators decided to kill him then.[48]

 
Sparks Steak House entrance at 210 East 46th Street, the scene of Castellano's murder

Murder

On Monday, December 16, 1985, Bilotti drove Castellano to the prearranged early evening meeting at Sparks Steak House in Midtown Manhattan, on East 46th Street near Third Avenue.[49] A hit team (consisting of Salvatore Scala, Edward Lino and John Carneglia) waited near the restaurant entrance; positioned down the street were backup shooters Dominick Pizzonia, Angelo Ruggiero, and Tony Rampino.[50] Gotti observed the scene from a car across the street.[51]

As Castellano was exiting the car at the front of the restaurant at around 5:26 pm, the gunmen ran up and shot him several times.[52][53][54] Allegedly, John Carneglia was the gunman who shot Castellano in the head.[55] Bilotti was shot as he exited from the driver's door. Before leaving the murder scene, Gotti drove over to view the bodies.[51]

Aftermath

Castellano was buried in the Moravian Cemetery in the New Dorp section of Staten Island.[56] The Archdiocese of New York refused to grant Castellano a Catholic funeral, citing his notorious life and death.[57][58][59]

Two weeks after Castellano's murder, a meeting of capos in a Manhattan basement elected Gotti, age 45, as the new Gambino boss.[51] The Castellano murder enraged Vincent Gigante, boss of the Genovese crime family, because Gotti never received permission for the act from the Commission. Gigante solicited the help of Lucchese crime family boss Anthony Corallo to kill Gotti. On April 13, 1986, a car bomb meant for Gotti exploded outside a Bensonhurst social club, but the only casualty was Frank DeCicco.[60][61]

Gotti was arrested by the FBI in late 1990 on racketeering charges[62][63] and denied bail 10 days later.[64][65] On April 2, 1992, with the help of Gravano becoming a government witness, Gotti was convicted of numerous racketeering charges, including the 1985 Castellano murder.[66][67][68][69][70] On June 23, Gotti was sentenced to life in federal prison,[71][72][73] where he died of throat cancer in 2002.[74][75] No one else was ever charged in the Castellano murder.

Media portrayals

Notes

  1. ^ a b Maas, Peter. Underboss: Sammy the Bull Gravano's Story of Life in the Mafia. New York City: HarperCollins, 1996. ISBN 978-0-06-093096-7.
  2. ^ a b Raab, p. 248
  3. ^ Feinberg, Alexander (December 15, 1957). "Miranda Balks at Gang Inquiry" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
  4. ^ "Nina Castellano, Mob Widow, Dies". Daily News. New York. February 27, 1999. from the original on February 25, 2014. Retrieved June 7, 2013.
  5. ^ "Nina Castellano, Mob Widow, Dies". Daily News. New York. February 27, 1999. from the original on September 8, 2018. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  6. ^ Lou Lumenick (March 15, 2012). "Leave the gun-Take my career". New York Post. from the original on January 6, 2017. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
  7. ^ Seal, Mark (October 19, 2021). Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli: The Epic Story of the Making of the Godfather. ISBN 9781982158613.
  8. ^ Raab, Selwyn (May 13, 2014). Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires. ISBN 9781429907989.
  9. ^ Robb, Brian (November 20, 2014). A Brief History of Gangsters. ISBN 9781472110688.
  10. ^ Perlmutter, Emanuel (January 14, 1960). "Apalachin Men Sentenced; 15 Get Maximum 5 Years". The New York Times.
  11. ^ "Texts of Opinions Reversing Conspiracy Conviction of 20 at Apalachin Meeting". The New York Times. November 29, 1060. from the original on May 2, 2018. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  12. ^ Raab, Selwyn (September 14, 1986). "SUPPLIER OF CONCRETE TO CITY HAD LINK TO A CRIME FIGURE". The New York Times. from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  13. ^ a b director, from the New York State Organized Crime Task Force ; Ronald Goldstock (1990). Corruption and racketeering in the New York City construction industry : final report to Governor Mario M. Cuomo. New York: New York University Press. p. 79. ISBN 0-8147-3034-5. from the original on January 4, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  14. ^ "U.S. JURY CONVICTS EIGHT AS MEMBERS OF MOB COMMISSION" March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine By ARNOLD H. LUBASCH New York Times November 20, 1986
  15. ^ McFadden, Robert D. (December 22, 1991). "2 IN UNION CHARGED WITH TIES TO MOB". The New York Times. from the original on May 25, 2015. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  16. ^ Marzulli, John (May 12, 2004). "Bonanno Boss Linked To Old Gangland Slays". Daily News. New York. from the original on May 14, 2012. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
  17. ^ Gage, Nicholas (October 16, 1976). "Carlo Gambino, a Mafia Leader, Dies in His Long Island Home at 74". The New York Times. from the original on July 22, 2018. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
  18. ^ O'Brien, Kurins, pp. 104–105
  19. ^ Davis, p. 176
  20. ^ a b O'Brien, Kurins, pp. 106–108
  21. ^ May, Allan. . Sammy "The Bull" Gravano. Crime Library. Archived from the original on April 24, 2013. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  22. ^ Eppolitto, Lou (August 15, 2005). Mafia Cop. Simon & Schuster. p. 203. ISBN 978-1-4165-2399-4.
  23. ^ Lubasch, Arnold H. (November 6, 1987). "Westies Informer Tells of Links to Gambino Mob". The New York Times. from the original on April 2, 2016. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
  24. ^ Raab, p. 251
  25. ^ a b Raab, p. 252
  26. ^ Noble, Kenneth B. (March 8, 1986). "KIRKLAND FAULTS JUSTICE DEPT. ON UNION CRIME". The New York Times. from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
  27. ^ Reyes, Gerardo (August 31, 1991). "THE MOBSTER'S MISTRESS". from the original on December 15, 2019. Retrieved December 13, 2019 – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  28. ^ a b Raab, p. 271
  29. ^ Davis, p. 187
  30. ^ Capeci, Mustain (1996), p. 61
  31. ^ Raab, Selwyn (August 3, 1994). "Kennedy Airport: Mob's Candy Store". The New York Times.
  32. ^ Blum p. 99
  33. ^ a b Davis, p. 216
  34. ^ Capeci, Mustain (1996), p. 77
  35. ^ Capeci, Mustain (1996), pp. 79–80
  36. ^ Davis, p 238
  37. ^ Lubasch, Arnold H. (March 31, 1984). "REPUTED LEADER OF A CRIME FAMILY IS INDICTED BY U.S." The New York Times. from the original on May 22, 2013. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
  38. ^ Lubasch, Arnold H. (February 27, 1985). "U.s. Indictment Says 9 Governed New York Mafia". The New York Times. from the original on December 19, 2019. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
  39. ^ Paul Castellano's life of crime (February 26, 1985). "Paul Castellano's life of crime: Daily News". Daily News. New York. from the original on May 13, 2016. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  40. ^ Seigel, Max H. (July 2, 1975). "Gambino Brother in Law Cited on Usuary and Evasion of Taxes" (PDF). The New York Times. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
  41. ^ "11 Plead Not Guilty to Ruling Organized Crime in New York". The New York Times. July 2, 1985. from the original on March 30, 2014. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  42. ^ Smothers, Ronald (November 5, 1985). "Castellano Named at Car-Theft Trial". The New York Times. from the original on December 14, 2019. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  43. ^ "'Top level hoodlum' dies of cancer". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 4, 1985. p. 12A. from the original on February 20, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  44. ^ Blumenthal, Ralph (December 4, 1985). "ANIELLO DELLACROCE DIES AG 71; REPUTED CRIME-GROUP FIGURE". The New York Times. from the original on October 22, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
  45. ^ Blum, p. 107
  46. ^ Blum p. 112
  47. ^ Blum p. 115
  48. ^ Blum p. 128
  49. ^ "FBI fears murder of Castellano may ignite war for mob control". The Day. (New London, Connecticut). Associated Press. December 17, 1985. p. A1. from the original on January 4, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  50. ^ Capeci, Jerry (October 2, 2008). "Answers About the New York Mafia, Part 2". The New York Times. from the original on December 13, 2014. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
  51. ^ a b c Lubasch, Arnold H. (March 4, 1992). "Shot by Shot, an Ex-Aide to Gotti Describes the Killing of Castellano". The New York Times. from the original on May 22, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
  52. ^ "Reputed Mafia boss murdered". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 17, 1985. p. 3A. from the original on February 20, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  53. ^ "Crime boss, bodyguard murdered in Manhattan". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). (New York Daily News). December 17, 1985. p. A1.
  54. ^ "Mob boss murder leads to bulletin for Lincoln car". The Bulletin. (Bend, Oregon). United Press International. December 17, 1985. p. D4.
  55. ^ "Archives | The Philadelphia Inquirer". inquirer.com. from the original on August 11, 2019. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  56. ^ "Mourners of godfather Paul 'Big Paul' Castellano slipped off..." UPI. from the original on October 14, 2018. Retrieved October 13, 2018.
  57. ^ "Mobster denied public burial mass". Pittsburgh Press. Associated Press. December 20, 1985. p. A19.
  58. ^ Pessin, Esther (December 20, 1985). "Mourners of godfather Paul 'Big Paul' Castellano slipped off..." United Press International. from the original on October 14, 2018. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  59. ^ Feuer, Alan (July 22, 2001). "Middle Village Journal; Sleeping With the Giants of the Mob". The New York Times. from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
  60. ^ Raab, Selwyn (January 24, 1995). "Defector Says Bomb That Killed Underboss Was Meant for Gotti". The New York Times. from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  61. ^ Andrew, Dan (April 17, 1986). "Scores of tearful friends and reputed mobsters mourned the death of Frank DeCicco". United Press International. from the original on January 19, 2019. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
  62. ^ "Gotti arrested again on rackets charges". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). (New York Times). December 12, 1990. p. 7A. from the original on February 20, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  63. ^ "Mob boss Gotti nabbed by FBI". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. wire dispatches. December 12, 1990. p. 2. from the original on February 20, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  64. ^ "Gotti to spend holidays in jail". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). wire reports. December 22, 1990. p. A4.
  65. ^ "Judge refuses to grant bail for reputed mob boss Gotti". Pittsburgh Press. Associated Press. December 22, 1990. p. A8. from the original on February 20, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  66. ^ "Gotti guilty of murder, racketeering". Spokane Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. April 2, 1992. p. A1.
  67. ^ Lubasch, Arnold H. (April 3, 1992). "Mob takes a hit: Gotti convicted". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). (New York Times). p. A1.
  68. ^ "John Gotti, Guilty at Last". The New York Times. April 3, 1992. from the original on March 1, 2014. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  69. ^ "Teflon no more". Milwaukee Sentinel. news services. April 3, 1992. p. 3A.
  70. ^ "Gotti verdict opens door to rival mob". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). April 3, 1992. p. 1.
  71. ^ "Gotti gets life prison sentence". Spokane Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. June 23, 1992. p. A1.
  72. ^ "Mob chief Gotti gets life sentence". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). (Washington Post). June 24, 1992. p. A3. from the original on February 20, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  73. ^ Lubasch, Arnold H (June 24, 1992). "Gotti Sentenced to Life in Prison Without the Possibility of Parole". The New York Times. from the original on March 1, 2014. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  74. ^ "Former Mafia boss dies inside prison". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). news services. June 11, 2002. p. 4A.
  75. ^ "Ex-crime boss John Gotti dies". Spokesman-Review. (Spkane, Washington). wire reports. June 11, 2002. p. A1. from the original on February 20, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2020.

References

  • Blum, Howard (1995). Gangland: How the FBI Broke the Mob. New York: Pocket Books. ISBN 0-671-90015-3.
  • Davis, John H. (1993). Mafia Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the Gambino Crime Family (1994 paperback ed.). New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 0061091847.
  • O'Brien, Joseph F.; Kurins, Andris (1991). Boss of Bosses: The FBI and Paul Castellano (1992 ed.). New York: Island Books. ISBN 0-440-21229-4.
  • Raab, Selwyn (2006). Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires (1st St. Martin's Griffin ed.). New York: Thomas Dunne Books. ISBN 0-312-36181-5.

External links

American Mafia
Preceded by Gambino crime family
Co-Underboss with Neil Dellacroce

1974–1976
Succeeded by
Preceded by Gambino crime family
Boss

1976–1985
Succeeded by
Preceded by Capo di tutti capi
Boss of bosses

1976–1985
Succeeded by

paul, castellano, constantino, italian, kastelˈlaːno, june, 1915, december, 1985, american, crime, boss, succeeded, carlo, gambino, head, gambino, crime, family, castellano, killed, unsanctioned, december, 1985, castellano, 1985, bornconstantino, 1915, june, 1. Constantino Paul Castellano Italian kastelˈlaːno June 26 1915 December 16 1985 was an American crime boss who succeeded Carlo Gambino as head of the Gambino crime family Castellano was killed in an unsanctioned hit on December 16 1985 Paul CastellanoCastellano c 1985 BornConstantino Paul Castellano 1915 06 26 June 26 1915New York City U S DiedDecember 16 1985 1985 12 16 aged 70 New York City U S Cause of deathMultiple gunshot woundsResting placeMoravian CemeteryNew Dorp Staten IslandOther names Big Paulie PC The Pope The Chicken Man The Beak OccupationCrime bossPredecessorCarlo GambinoSuccessorJohn GottiSpouseNina Manno Castellano m 1937 wbr Children4RelativesCarlo Gambino cousin and brother in law AllegianceGambino crime family Contents 1 Early life 2 Mob life 3 Succession 4 Legal problems 5 Conspiracy 6 Murder 6 1 Aftermath 7 Media portrayals 8 Notes 9 References 10 External linksEarly life EditCastellano was born in Bensonhurst Brooklyn in 1915 to Italian immigrants Giuseppe and Concetta Castellano nee Cassata Giuseppe was a butcher and an early member of the Mangano crime family the forerunner of the Gambino family 1 Castellano dropped out of school in the eighth grade to learn butchering and collecting numbers game receipts both from his father 2 In July 1934 Castellano was arrested for the first time in Hartford Connecticut for robbing a haberdasher 3 The 19 year old Castellano refused to identify his two accomplices to the police and served a three month prison sentence By refusing to cooperate with authorities Castellano enhanced his reputation for mob loyalty 2 Castellano s sister Catherine had married one of their cousins future Mafia boss Carlo Gambino in 1932 In 1937 Castellano married his childhood sweetheart Nina Manno the couple had three sons Paul Philip and Joseph Castellano and a daughter Constance Castellano 4 Manno died in 1999 5 He was of no relation to actor Richard S Castellano from The Godfather despite claims made by Richard s wife after his death 6 7 Castellano often signed his name as C Paul Castellano because he hated his first name Constantino His first name at birth has been cited as both Constantino and Costantino 8 9 Mob life EditIn the 1940s Castellano became a member of the Mangano family He became a capo under boss Vince Mangano s successor Albert Anastasia In 1957 after Anastasia s homicide and Carlo Gambino s elevation to boss Castellano attended the abortive Apalachin meeting in Apalachin New York When New York State Police raided the meeting Castellano was one of 61 high ranking mobsters arrested Refusing to answer grand jury questions about the meeting Castellano spent a year in prison on contempt charges On January 13 1960 Castellano was sentenced to five years in prison for conspiracy to withhold information 10 However in November 1960 Castellano s conviction was reversed by an Appeals Court 11 Castellano identified more as a businessman than a hoodlum he took over non legitimate businesses and converted them to legitimate enterprises But Castellano s businesses and those of his sons thrived from their mob ties In his early years Castellano used his butcher s training to launch Dial Poultry a poultry distribution business that once supplied 300 butchers in New York City Dial s customers also included supermarket chains Key Food and Waldbaum s Castellano used intimidation tactics to force his customers to buy Dial s products 1 As Castellano became more powerful in the Gambino family he started to make large amounts of money from construction concrete Castellano s son Philip was the president of Scara Mix Concrete Corporation which exercised a near monopoly on Staten Island on construction concrete 12 Castellano also handled the Gambino interests in the Concrete Club a club of contractors selected by The Commission to handle contracts between 2 million and 15 million 13 In return the contractors gave a two percent kickback of the contract value to The Commission 13 14 Castellano also supervised Gambino control of Teamsters Union Local Chapter 282 which provided workers to pour concrete at all major building projects in New York and Long Island 15 In 1975 Castellano allegedly had Vito Borelli the boyfriend of his daughter Constance murdered because he heard Borelli had compared him to Frank Perdue the owner and commercial spokesman for Perdue Farms In 2004 court documents revealed that Joseph Massino a government witness and former Bonanno crime family boss admitted murdering Borelli as a favor to Castellano 16 Succession EditOn October 15 1976 Carlo Gambino died at home of natural causes 17 Against expectations he had appointed Castellano to succeed him over his underboss Aniello Neil Dellacroce Gambino appeared to believe that his crime family would benefit from Castellano s focus on white collar businesses 18 Dellacroce at the time was imprisoned for tax evasion and was unable to contest Castellano s succession 19 Castellano s succession was confirmed at a meeting on November 24 with Dellacroce present Castellano arranged for Dellacroce to remain as underboss while directly running traditional Cosa Nostra activities such as extortion robbery and loansharking 20 While Dellacroce accepted Castellano s succession the deal effectively split the Gambino family into two rival factions 20 In 1978 Castellano allegedly ordered the murder of Gambino associate Nicholas Scibetta A cocaine and alcohol user Scibetta participated in several public fights and insulted the daughter of George DeCicco Since Scibetta was Salvatore Sammy the Bull Gravano s brother in law Castellano asked Frank DeCicco to first notify Gravano of the impending hit When advised of Scibetta s fate a furious Gravano said he would kill Castellano first However Gravano was eventually calmed by DeCicco and accepted Scibetta s death as the punishment earned by his behavior 21 In 1978 Castellano allegedly ordered the murders of Gambino capo James Eppolito and his son mobster James Eppolito Jr Eppolito Sr had complained to Castellano that Anthony Gaggi was infringing on his territory and asked permission to kill him Castellano gave Eppolitto a noncommittal answer but later warned Gaggi about Eppolito s intentions In response Gaggi and soldier Roy DeMeo murdered Eppolito senior and junior 22 In February 1978 Castellano made an agreement between the Gambino family and the Westies an Irish American gang from Hell s Kitchen Manhattan Castellano wanted hitmen that law enforcement could not tie directly to the Gambino family The Westies wanted Gambino protection from the other Cosa Nostra families The Gambino Westie alliance was set in a meeting between Westies leader James Coonan and Castellano According to Westies gangster Mickey Featherstone Castellano gave them the following directive You guys got to stop acting like cowboys acting wild You re going to be with us now If anyone is going to get killed you have to clear it with us 23 Castellano also created an alliance with the Cherry Hill Gambinos a group of Sicilian heroin importers and distributors in New Jersey also for use as gunmen With the Westies and the Cherry Hill Gambinos Castellano commanded a small army of capable killers In September 1980 Castellano allegedly ordered the murder of his former son in law Frank Amato A hijacker and minor criminal Amato had physically abused his wife Connie Castellano Paul s daughter when they were married 24 25 According to FBI documents Gambino soldier Roy DeMeo murdered Amato cut up his body and disposed of the remains at sea In 1981 Castellano met twice with businessman Frank Perdue the alleged cause of the 1975 Borelli murder Perdue wanted Castellano s help in thwarting a unionization drive at a Perdue facility in Virginia However according to Perdue the two men talked but never agreed to anything 26 At the height of his power Castellano built a lavish 17 room mansion on a ridgeline in Todt Hill on Staten Island Designed to resemble the White House in Washington D C Castellano s house featured Carrara marble an Olympic size swimming pool and an English garden 25 He started a love affair with his live in Colombian maid Gloria Olarte 27 Castellano became a recluse rarely venturing outside the mansion Capos such as Daniel Marino Thomas Gambino and James Failla visited Castellano at Todt Hill to provide information and receive orders When not entertaining guests Castellano wore satin and silk dressing gowns and velvet slippers around the house 28 John Gotti Dellacroce s former protege rapidly became dissatisfied with Castellano s leadership regarding the new boss as being too isolated and greedy 29 30 Like other members of the family Gotti also personally disliked Castellano The boss lacked street credibility and those who had paid their dues running street level jobs did not respect him Gotti also had an economic interest he had a running argument with Castellano on the split Gotti took from hijackings at Kennedy Airport 31 Gotti was also rumored to be expanding into drug dealing a lucrative trade Castellano had banned Legal problems EditIn January 1983 Castellano allegedly ordered the murder of Roy DeMeo who was found shot to death in the trunk of his Cadillac automobile 28 In March 1983 the FBI obtained a warrant to install secret listening devices in Castellano s house Waiting until Castellano went on vacation to Florida agents drugged his watch dogs disabled his security system and planted devices in the dining and living rooms These devices provided law enforcement with a wealth of incriminating information on Castellano 32 In August 1983 Angelo Ruggiero and Gene Gotti were arrested for dealing heroin based primarily on recordings from a bug in Ruggiero s house 33 34 Castellano who had banned made men from his family from dealing drugs under threat of death demanded transcripts of the tapes 33 35 and when Ruggiero refused threatened to demote Gotti 36 Castellano in a 1984 mugshot On March 30 1984 Castellano was indicted on federal racketeering charges in the Gambino case including the Eppolitto and DeMeo murders Other charges were extortion narcotics trafficking theft and prostitution Castellano was released on 2 million bail 37 On February 25 1985 Castellano was one of many Mafia bosses arrested on charges of racketeering which was to result in the Mafia Commission Trial 38 he was released on 3 million bail 39 On July 1 1985 Castellano was indicted on loansharking charges and with tax evasion for not reporting the profits from his illegal racket 40 and pleaded not guilty 41 On November 4 1985 in a testimony from car thief Vito Arena Castellano was named the head of the stolen car ring that employed him as well as having been connected to five murders 42 Conspiracy EditDellacroce died of cancer on December 2 1985 43 starting a chain of events that led to Castellano s murder two weeks later 44 Several factors contributed to the conspiracy to kill Castellano his failure to attend Dellacroce s wake was an insult to the Dellacroce family and his followers 45 Secondly Castellano named his bodyguard Thomas Bilotti as the new underboss A Castellano loyalist Bilotti was a brutish loanshark with little of the diplomatic skill required as underboss Castellano also hinted that he was breaking up Gotti s crew 46 Gravano suggested killing both Castellano and Bilotti while they were eating breakfast at a diner 47 However when DeCicco tipped Gotti off that he would be having a meeting with Castellano and several other Gambino mobsters at Sparks Steak House on December 16 Gotti and the other conspirators decided to kill him then 48 Sparks Steak House entrance at 210 East 46th Street the scene of Castellano s murderMurder EditOn Monday December 16 1985 Bilotti drove Castellano to the prearranged early evening meeting at Sparks Steak House in Midtown Manhattan on East 46th Street near Third Avenue 49 A hit team consisting of Salvatore Scala Edward Lino and John Carneglia waited near the restaurant entrance positioned down the street were backup shooters Dominick Pizzonia Angelo Ruggiero and Tony Rampino 50 Gotti observed the scene from a car across the street 51 As Castellano was exiting the car at the front of the restaurant at around 5 26 pm the gunmen ran up and shot him several times 52 53 54 Allegedly John Carneglia was the gunman who shot Castellano in the head 55 Bilotti was shot as he exited from the driver s door Before leaving the murder scene Gotti drove over to view the bodies 51 Aftermath Edit Castellano was buried in the Moravian Cemetery in the New Dorp section of Staten Island 56 The Archdiocese of New York refused to grant Castellano a Catholic funeral citing his notorious life and death 57 58 59 Two weeks after Castellano s murder a meeting of capos in a Manhattan basement elected Gotti age 45 as the new Gambino boss 51 The Castellano murder enraged Vincent Gigante boss of the Genovese crime family because Gotti never received permission for the act from the Commission Gigante solicited the help of Lucchese crime family boss Anthony Corallo to kill Gotti On April 13 1986 a car bomb meant for Gotti exploded outside a Bensonhurst social club but the only casualty was Frank DeCicco 60 61 Gotti was arrested by the FBI in late 1990 on racketeering charges 62 63 and denied bail 10 days later 64 65 On April 2 1992 with the help of Gravano becoming a government witness Gotti was convicted of numerous racketeering charges including the 1985 Castellano murder 66 67 68 69 70 On June 23 Gotti was sentenced to life in federal prison 71 72 73 where he died of throat cancer in 2002 74 75 No one else was ever charged in the Castellano murder Media portrayals EditJazz pianist Gene DiNovi portrays Castellano in the 1994 TV film Getting Gotti Richard C Sarafian portrays Castellano in the 1996 HBO network original film Gotti Abe Vigoda portrays Castellano in the NBC network TV movie Witness to the Mob 1998 Sam Coppola portrays Castellano in the 2001 Canadian American TV movie The Big Heist Chazz Palminteri portrays Castellano in Boss of Bosses a 2001 film on the TNT network Donald John Volpenhein portrays Castellano in the biopic 2018 Gotti based on John Gotti Jr s 2015 book Gotti In The Shadow Of My Father Subject of the Fear City New York vs The Mafia 2020 Netflix documentaryNotes Edit a b Maas Peter Underboss Sammy the Bull Gravano s Story of Life in the Mafia New York City HarperCollins 1996 ISBN 978 0 06 093096 7 a b Raab p 248 Feinberg Alexander December 15 1957 Miranda Balks at Gang Inquiry PDF The New York Times Retrieved January 4 2012 Nina Castellano Mob Widow Dies Daily News New York February 27 1999 Archived from the original on February 25 2014 Retrieved June 7 2013 Nina Castellano Mob Widow Dies Daily News New York February 27 1999 Archived from the original on September 8 2018 Retrieved January 17 2019 Lou Lumenick March 15 2012 Leave the gun Take my career New York Post Archived from the original on January 6 2017 Retrieved December 13 2017 Seal Mark October 19 2021 Leave the Gun Take the Cannoli The Epic Story of the Making of the Godfather ISBN 9781982158613 Raab Selwyn May 13 2014 Five Families The Rise Decline and Resurgence of America s Most Powerful Mafia Empires ISBN 9781429907989 Robb Brian November 20 2014 A Brief History of Gangsters ISBN 9781472110688 Perlmutter Emanuel January 14 1960 Apalachin Men Sentenced 15 Get Maximum 5 Years The New York Times Texts of Opinions Reversing Conspiracy Conviction of 20 at Apalachin Meeting The New York Times November 29 1060 Archived from the original on May 2 2018 Retrieved January 9 2012 Raab Selwyn September 14 1986 SUPPLIER OF CONCRETE TO CITY HAD LINK TO A CRIME FIGURE The New York Times Archived from the original on March 4 2016 Retrieved January 10 2012 a b director from the New York State Organized Crime Task Force Ronald Goldstock 1990 Corruption and racketeering in the New York City construction industry final report to Governor Mario M Cuomo New York New York University Press p 79 ISBN 0 8147 3034 5 Archived from the original on January 4 2021 Retrieved October 27 2020 U S JURY CONVICTS EIGHT AS MEMBERS OF MOB COMMISSION Archived March 4 2016 at the Wayback Machine By ARNOLD H LUBASCH New York Times November 20 1986 McFadden Robert D December 22 1991 2 IN UNION CHARGED WITH TIES TO MOB The New York Times Archived from the original on May 25 2015 Retrieved January 10 2012 Marzulli John May 12 2004 Bonanno Boss Linked To Old Gangland Slays Daily News New York Archived from the original on May 14 2012 Retrieved January 11 2012 Gage Nicholas October 16 1976 Carlo Gambino a Mafia Leader Dies in His Long Island Home at 74 The New York Times Archived from the original on July 22 2018 Retrieved January 7 2012 O Brien Kurins pp 104 105 Davis p 176 a b O Brien Kurins pp 106 108 May Allan Living by the Rules Sammy The Bull Gravano Crime Library Archived from the original on April 24 2013 Retrieved January 9 2012 Eppolitto Lou August 15 2005 Mafia Cop Simon amp Schuster p 203 ISBN 978 1 4165 2399 4 Lubasch Arnold H November 6 1987 Westies Informer Tells of Links to Gambino Mob The New York Times Archived from the original on April 2 2016 Retrieved January 4 2012 Raab p 251 a b Raab p 252 Noble Kenneth B March 8 1986 KIRKLAND FAULTS JUSTICE DEPT ON UNION CRIME The New York Times Archived from the original on March 6 2016 Retrieved January 7 2012 Reyes Gerardo August 31 1991 THE MOBSTER S MISTRESS Archived from the original on December 15 2019 Retrieved December 13 2019 via www washingtonpost com a b Raab p 271 Davis p 187 Capeci Mustain 1996 p 61 Raab Selwyn August 3 1994 Kennedy Airport Mob s Candy Store The New York Times Blum p 99 a b Davis p 216 Capeci Mustain 1996 p 77 Capeci Mustain 1996 pp 79 80 Davis p 238 Lubasch Arnold H March 31 1984 REPUTED LEADER OF A CRIME FAMILY IS INDICTED BY U S The New York Times Archived from the original on May 22 2013 Retrieved January 4 2012 Lubasch Arnold H February 27 1985 U s Indictment Says 9 Governed New York Mafia The New York Times Archived from the original on December 19 2019 Retrieved December 20 2019 Paul Castellano s life of crime February 26 1985 Paul Castellano s life of crime Daily News Daily News New York Archived from the original on May 13 2016 Retrieved April 21 2016 Seigel Max H July 2 1975 Gambino Brother in Law Cited on Usuary and Evasion of Taxes PDF The New York Times Retrieved January 4 2012 11 Plead Not Guilty to Ruling Organized Crime in New York The New York Times July 2 1985 Archived from the original on March 30 2014 Retrieved October 19 2011 Smothers Ronald November 5 1985 Castellano Named at Car Theft Trial The New York Times Archived from the original on December 14 2019 Retrieved December 13 2019 Top level hoodlum dies of cancer Eugene Register Guard Oregon Associated Press December 4 1985 p 12A Archived from the original on February 20 2021 Retrieved October 27 2020 Blumenthal Ralph December 4 1985 ANIELLO DELLACROCE DIES AG 71 REPUTED CRIME GROUP FIGURE The New York Times Archived from the original on October 22 2014 Retrieved January 4 2012 Blum p 107 Blum p 112 Blum p 115 Blum p 128 FBI fears murder of Castellano may ignite war for mob control The Day New London Connecticut Associated Press December 17 1985 p A1 Archived from the original on January 4 2021 Retrieved October 27 2020 Capeci Jerry October 2 2008 Answers About the New York Mafia Part 2 The New York Times Archived from the original on December 13 2014 Retrieved January 11 2012 a b c Lubasch Arnold H March 4 1992 Shot by Shot an Ex Aide to Gotti Describes the Killing of Castellano The New York Times Archived from the original on May 22 2013 Retrieved January 7 2012 Reputed Mafia boss murdered Eugene Register Guard Oregon Associated Press December 17 1985 p 3A Archived from the original on February 20 2021 Retrieved October 27 2020 Crime boss bodyguard murdered in Manhattan Spokesman Review Spokane Washington New York Daily News December 17 1985 p A1 Mob boss murder leads to bulletin for Lincoln car The Bulletin Bend Oregon United Press International December 17 1985 p D4 Archives The Philadelphia Inquirer inquirer com Archived from the original on August 11 2019 Retrieved December 13 2019 Mourners of godfather Paul Big Paul Castellano slipped off UPI Archived from the original on October 14 2018 Retrieved October 13 2018 Mobster denied public burial mass Pittsburgh Press Associated Press December 20 1985 p A19 Pessin Esther December 20 1985 Mourners of godfather Paul Big Paul Castellano slipped off United Press International Archived from the original on October 14 2018 Retrieved January 16 2019 Feuer Alan July 22 2001 Middle Village Journal Sleeping With the Giants of the Mob The New York Times Archived from the original on March 4 2016 Retrieved January 4 2012 Raab Selwyn January 24 1995 Defector Says Bomb That Killed Underboss Was Meant for Gotti The New York Times Archived from the original on September 21 2013 Retrieved January 9 2012 Andrew Dan April 17 1986 Scores of tearful friends and reputed mobsters mourned the death of Frank DeCicco United Press International Archived from the original on January 19 2019 Retrieved January 17 2019 Gotti arrested again on rackets charges Eugene Register Guard Oregon New York Times December 12 1990 p 7A Archived from the original on February 20 2021 Retrieved October 27 2020 Mob boss Gotti nabbed by FBI Pittsburgh Post Gazette wire dispatches December 12 1990 p 2 Archived from the original on February 20 2021 Retrieved October 27 2020 Gotti to spend holidays in jail Spokesman Review Spokane Washington wire reports December 22 1990 p A4 Judge refuses to grant bail for reputed mob boss Gotti Pittsburgh Press Associated Press December 22 1990 p A8 Archived from the original on February 20 2021 Retrieved October 27 2020 Gotti guilty of murder racketeering Spokane Chronicle Washington Associated Press April 2 1992 p A1 Lubasch Arnold H April 3 1992 Mob takes a hit Gotti convicted Spokesman Review Spokane Washington New York Times p A1 John Gotti Guilty at Last The New York Times April 3 1992 Archived from the original on March 1 2014 Retrieved January 9 2012 Teflon no more Milwaukee Sentinel news services April 3 1992 p 3A Gotti verdict opens door to rival mob Toledo Blade Ohio April 3 1992 p 1 Gotti gets life prison sentence Spokane Chronicle Washington Associated Press June 23 1992 p A1 Mob chief Gotti gets life sentence Spokesman Review Spokane Washington Washington Post June 24 1992 p A3 Archived from the original on February 20 2021 Retrieved October 27 2020 Lubasch Arnold H June 24 1992 Gotti Sentenced to Life in Prison Without the Possibility of Parole The New York Times Archived from the original on March 1 2014 Retrieved January 9 2012 Former Mafia boss dies inside prison Eugene Register Guard Oregon news services June 11 2002 p 4A Ex crime boss John Gotti dies Spokesman Review Spkane Washington wire reports June 11 2002 p A1 Archived from the original on February 20 2021 Retrieved October 27 2020 References EditBlum Howard 1995 Gangland How the FBI Broke the Mob New York Pocket Books ISBN 0 671 90015 3 Davis John H 1993 Mafia Dynasty The Rise and Fall of the Gambino Crime Family 1994 paperback ed New York Harper Collins ISBN 0061091847 O Brien Joseph F Kurins Andris 1991 Boss of Bosses The FBI and Paul Castellano 1992 ed New York Island Books ISBN 0 440 21229 4 Raab Selwyn 2006 Five Families The Rise Decline and Resurgence of America s Most Powerful Mafia Empires 1st St Martin s Griffin ed New York Thomas Dunne Books ISBN 0 312 36181 5 External links Edit Biography portalPaul Castellano s Death Certificate Paul Castellano Biography com Paul Castellano at Find a GraveAmerican MafiaPreceded byNeil Dellacroce Gambino crime familyCo Underboss with Neil Dellacroce1974 1976 Succeeded byNeil DellacrocePreceded byCarlo Gambino Gambino crime familyBoss1976 1985 Succeeded byJohn GottiPreceded byCarlo Gambino Capo di tutti capiBoss of bosses1976 1985 Succeeded byJohn Gotti Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Paul Castellano amp oldid 1128592221, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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