Our New York agents and their colleagues in the New York Police Department, though, refused to give up. With his expensive suits, lavish parties, and illegal dealings, he quickly became something of a media celebrity, and the press dubbed him “The Dapper Don.” Following a string of highly-publicized acquittals-helped in large part by witness intimidation and jury tampering-Gotti also earned the “Teflon Don” nickname. Having eliminated the competition, Gotti took over as head of the Gambino family. The scene of the crime? Sparks’ Steak House, a popular hangout for major criminals. Gambling, loansharking, and narcotics trafficking were his stocks in trade.īy the early 80s, using Title III wiretaps, mob informants, and undercover agents, we were beginning to get clear insights into the Gambino family’s hierarchy and activities (and into the other families as well) and were building strong cases against them as criminal enterprises.Ī break against Gotti came in late 1985, when mob violence spilled out on to the streets of Manhattan. Soon after, he became a “made man” for the Gambino family, one of the five most powerful syndicates in the Big Apple. Same story: he went to prison and was out in a few years. Within two years, we’d arrested him again for murder. Gotti was sent to prison, but was released in 1972.Īnd quickly made more trouble. In 1968, for example, we arrested him for his role in a plot to steal thousands of dollars worth of merchandise. Despite the future nickname, John Gotti-a violent, ruthless mobster who’d grown up on the streets of New York-had been in and out of prison several times in his early career.
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