The Life and Death of John Gotti is a biopic about the life of infamous New York mafia boss who controlled the Gambino crime family.

John Travolta is set to play the role of “the Dapper Don” in the upcoming film with Kelly Preston (Travolta’s real-life wife) is set to play the role of Gotti’s wife. The movie is going to be directed by Kevin Connolly known for his role in the hit series Entourage. According to recent reports pre-production is already underway and the new mafia movie is going to be filmed in Cincinnati starting on July 25th. It is set to premiere sometime in 2017 and is being distributed by Lionsgate.

The film is being produced by Emmett/Furla Oasis Films in association with Fiore Films. According to a press release anyone interested in being an extra in the new John Gotti movie should send contact information and head shots to (gottiextras@gmail.com). Producers are also looking for automobiles for the movie especially Cadillacs, Buicks, and Lincolns from the 1970s-90s. If interested and have a vehicle that matches the description can contact producers at (gotticars@gmail.com).

Joseph Isgro a reputed Gambino crime family mobster was given an offer from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office that he couldn’t refuse.

The sweet plea deal allowed Isgro to plead guilty to misdemeanor gambling charges and received a conditional discharge on charges of money laundering but was sentenced to pay a $1000 fine. He was charged back in 2014 with money laundering, gambling, and conspiracy before being released on a $250,000 bond. Isgro is believed to head the powerful NY Mafia families west coast rackets from Los Angeles.

According to the previously unsealed indictment Isgro and now deceased Gambino family capo Joseph Giordano conspired to open an illegal gambling operation. They used offshore wire rooms located in Costa Rica using online sports betting software credited with taking the Gambino family into the cyberspace era of bookmaking. They took bets from customers in the United States along with help from their various co-defendants. According to the feds, he also laundered approx $5 million dollars from 2005-2013 that he obtained from the New York mafia family and other mafia connected bookmakers.

Isgro has always denied any connections to the Cosa Nostra and organized crime in general. He became a big name in the music business back in the late 80s starting a successful record promotion company that handled clients like RCA and Columbia and produced music by artists such as James Brown and Rick James. He also made a name for himself in the movie business producing the hit movie “Hoffa” which starred Jack Nicholson and is involved in some more recent projects . But along the way, he also had his share of legal problems and was indicted back in 1987 on charges of furnishing cash and drugs to program directors for airplay but the charges were eventually dismissed.

He wasn’t so lucky in 2000 when he was charged with lending money at extensive interest rates and sending thugs to beat down  deadbeat borrowers. He plead guilty to the extortion charges and was sentenced to 50 months behind bars.

The latest target of federal indictments against the mafia is an alleged mob network being called the “East Coast LCN Enterprise” by the feds.

According to the feds, the Cosa Nostra network controlled a multitude of criminal activities spanning from Florida to New York. Prosecutors claim it included members of the major New York mafia families Genovese, Gambino, Bonanno, and Lucchese along with an offshoot of Philadelphia mafia including alleged boss Joseph “Skinny Joey” Merlino. Merlino along with Genovese family captains Pasquale “Patsy” Parrello and Eugene “Rooster” O’Nofrio were leaders of the mob network according to the indictment.

“Joey Merlino”

But is the idea of this kind of Cosa Nostra enterprise at odds with American mafia protocol and mafia history? According to the court filing, John Meringolo a lawyer for alleged mobster John “The Tugboat” Tognino the idea of five east coast mafia families working together in this capacity is farfetched. Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara’s office said the enterprise worked together on a multitude of criminal activities including racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to commit assault in aid of racketeering, illegal gambling, dealing untaxed cigarettes, and even healthcare fraud.

But according to Meringolo the feds manufactured the whole enterprise saying “Despite the various dealings between families, it has been well established that each is its own distinct entity.” In his court filing, he pointed to testimony from Colombo family mobster Alphonse “Allie Boy” Persico that outlined stringent mafia family protocols that showed how families kept their distance from one another. He documented in his court documents that “Members and associates of a family were not allowed to speak to members of other crime families or to higher-ranking members of their own family without a formal introduction.”

According to Meringolo, the five families of the New York mafia have historically been treated as separate enterprises for racketeering and racketeering conspiracy indictments in federal court cases. But the charges in this new indictment doesn’t definitely prove the existence of an enterprise or allege an enterprise in terms of any specific organized crime family. He called the alleged East Coast La Cosa Nostra Enterprise an over-encompassing term that is not distinct at all and can not itself constitute a racketeering enterprise. The indictment instead attempts to “melds various organized crime groups — with their own sets of distinct rules and hierarchies — into one overly broad entity, concocted for the sole purpose of connecting these otherwise separate and independent units together.”

This indictment shows a complete failure by prosecutors to understand how mafia politics work says Meringolo. Tognino is facing one count of racketeering conspiracy related to his work as a bookie but is not being tied to any one crime family in the indictment which his lawyers says means he is being hit with overly general charges which should be dismissed. Could the various crime families today cooperate enough to maintain this type of criminal conspiracy? The 46 alleged mobsters and associates charged in the indictment will be hoping the feds can’t prove it!

The 23-year-old grandson of notorious New York mafia boss John Gotti has agreed to a plea deal which calls for him to serve an 8-year prison sentence on drug charges.

The Dapper Don’s namesake will also have to serve five years of supervised release and forfeit over $250,000 of money from his illegal activities. The young Gotti was busted on two separate occasions last year starting with a traffic stop which resulted in possession of methadone, oxycodone, and other drug charges according to the NY Daily News report. He was later busted in an NYPD drug sting called “Operation Beach Party” for selling oxycodone in both Howard Beach and Queen’s Ozone Park.

“John Gotti”

According to the report, cops raided the Howard Beach home where the former Gambino crime family boss once lived finding 500 oxycodone tabs and approx $40,000 in cash. Prosecutor’s claimed that Gotti and other members of the drug crew were selling Oxycodone pills for anywhere from $21 to $50 a piece. As part of the plea deal, Gotti agreed to plead guilty to criminal possession and the sale of a controlled substance and conspiracy. Both Gotti’s were taken down by authorities with the aid of a hidden listening device the elder Dapper Don’s placed in the Ravenite Social Club and the younger Gotti’s in his Infiniti sedan.

Gotti’s grandson admitted his involvement with dealing drugs and according to his defense attorney was planning on confronting his addiction and was pleased with the plea agreement. His attorney Gerard Marrone said “We are happy,” said Marrone. “It’s a fair disposition. Look, he took responsibility for his actions.” The young Gotti joins a family tradition it seems of imprisoned family members including Gambino family boss John Gotti, his brothers Gene and Peter, and his son John (Junior) Gotti. There have been no indications of the younger Gotti having any links to Cosa Nostra.

As we make our way through 2017 we take a look at the ever-changing landscape of the Five Families of the New York Mafia.

By many accounts, the NY Mafia has had somewhat of a resurgence in the last few years as the feds have turned the majority of their attention and resources over to the fight against terrorism. The Five Families were severely crippled by years of RICO indictments and were clearly on the ropes when the 9/11 attacks changed the playing field. The mafia families in New York may never again reach the heights of power of its heyday but they have proven over the years to have an uncanny ability to adapt and survive. Many of New York’s Cosa Nostra families now have new and stable leadership in place although some families have benefited from this new era more than others.

“Gambino Family Leader: Frank Cali”

For years the Genovese crime family often referred to as the “Ivy League” of organized crime has been the most powerful of the Five Families. But as this latest mafia resurgence takes root and stability sets in could we see a new family name sitting atop the power structure in New York? The Genovese family is the oldest and still considered to be the largest of the NY families with influence over vast criminal activities both in NY and elsewhere across the country. According to multiple sources, veteran mobster Liborio “Barney” Bellomo has taken the reigns as the families new boss or acting boss. Bellomo is well respected and considered by many to be one of the more powerful mafioso on the streets of New York today. But even with a strong leader once again atop the mountain and the families continued devotion to the code of Omerta it may not be enjoying the same success currently as one of its rivals.

The Gambino crime family has historically been one of the more powerful of the New York mafia families in both size rivaling the mighty Genovese family and influence. The Gambino family is once again on the rise and may be the family that has benefited most from this ongoing mafia revival. Esteemed author and mafia expert Selwyn Raab believe one aspect of this new mafia resurgence is the increase in influence and power by “Zips” (nickname given to Sicilian newcomers) and Zip factions within the American mafia families in New York. The new Gambino family leadership which includes Francesco “Frank” Cali, Domenico “Italian Dom” Cefalù, and John Gambino among others have strong Sicilian ties and the family currently, maintains one of strongest zip factions in NY. Many believe these old school ties and a newly renewed old school approach have made the Gambino’s the most powerful family in NY overtaking the Genovese’s.

It is clear that the Gambino family currently has its most powerful and influential leadership groups in decades at the helm. Frank Cali has long been a rising star in New York mafia circles benefiting from his upbringing by mob elders including Cefalù and his uncle John Gambino along with his strong family ties to the old country. The strong Sicilian ties have undoubtedly given the Gambino family a solid foundation in the lucrative drug trade at least for now which is a major source of income for the NY families. According to recent reports, the Gambino family continues to operate outside of New York including having a heavy influence over what remains of the New Jersey mafia family. The other mob families in New York which include the Bonanno family, Lucchese family and Colombo family also seem to be rebounding just at a slower pace than these two mob powerhouses.

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A judge has approved a request from reputed Philadelphia mafia boss Joseph (Skinny Joey) Merlino to attend the Michael Caudo wedding in Florida although not at the same time as co-defendant Anthony Cirillo.

To make sure the two remain separated the judge ordered the alleged mobsters split the wedding in half. Cirillo a reputed Gambino crime family associate was ordered to skip the wedding and appear only at the subsequent reception. Merlino is serving as Caudo’s best man and will be allowed to attend the rehearsal dinner and the wedding ceremony leaving immediately upon its completion. At no time are the alleged mobsters allowed to communicate with each other in any way according to the court order.

“Joseph Merlino”

Merlino is out on $5 million dollar bond after being arrested last August in the massive mafia crackdown on what the feds have called the East Coast LCN Enterprise. According to the feds, Merlino along with reputed Genovese family capo’s Pasquale Parrello and Eugene O’Nofrio were leaders of the vast organized crime enterprise that including members of four of the five New York mafia families and Philly mafia. As part of his release conditions the alleged Cosa Nostra boss is typically confined to his home between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. and is not allowed to make any contact with his racketeering co-defendant.

The feds case has since fallen on hard times as previously reported here due to potential misdeeds by federal agents. Prosecutors agreed to drop the top charge of racketeering allowing all 46 defendants in the case including Merlino to plead only to the lesser charges. Skinny Joey is charged with health care fraud and illegal gambling and has reportedly been offered a plea deal with sentencing guidelines calling for approx two years behind bars. But sources say Merlino who has never been to keen on the idea of having to plead guilty has turned down the offer and has decided to go to trial.

One of the reported stumbling blocks for 55-year-old Merlino and other defendants who have balked at the plea offers is a large amount of cash the feds want them to forfeit which in Merlino’s case is believed to be over $100,000. Sources have also reported that 72-year-old Parrello is also struggling with his plea offer which calls for him to spend about eight years behind bars and make a large cash forfeiture. A large majority of the other defendants in the mafia case many of which are charged with lower-level crimes have reportedly agreed to plea offers with sentencing guidelines of approx four to ten months while others charged with multiple extortions are being allowed to plead guilty to a single charge.

Plea deal negotiations are believed to still be ongoing and perhaps Joey Merlino is attempting to use his new found leverage to try and negotiate a better plea deal than what was originally offered. Although as the feds case has all but crumbled perhaps Merlino and others now believe the odd are in their favor making it worth the risk of going to trial.

Reputed Gambino crime family soldier John “Johnny G” Gammarano has passed away according to a recent report.

According to the feds, he became a made member of the mafia back in the 1980s and held the rank of acting capo in the Gambino family at various times during his long career in organized crime. Gammarano was reportedly one of the three men inside Sparks Steak House back in 1985 when former Gambino family boss Paul Castellano was assassinated. In early 1990’s he was indicted along with 16 other alleged mobsters including reputed Gambino family capo Joseph (JoJo) Corozzo and former New Orleans mafia boss Anthony S. Carollo in a video poker based racketeering scheme.

“John Gammarano”

His name surfaced again in the testimony of former Gambino capo Michael “Mikey Scars” DiLeonardo during the John A. “Junior” Gotti racketeering trial. According to DiLeonardo, Gotti planned to whack Gammarano, capo Daniel Marino, and associate Joseph Watts over a beef in the Cosa Nostra families lucrative construction rackets. DiLeonardo testified that Gotti believed the mob trio has been skimming cash from the rackets since the 1990s and had set a meeting to discuss the matter with plans on killing them if he wasn’t satisfied with their explanation. He said he stocked a Bensonhurst apartment with body bags and instructed a pair of gunmen to hide in a bedroom and make a move if Gotti gave the signal but the hit never went down.

The men arrived in a limo accompanied by a civilian according to DiLeonardo so there was no way the hit could have gone down. During the meeting, Watts explained that he was given carte blanche when it came to construction and had permission to do it from the “Dapper Don” John Gotti. DiLeonardo said Junior took Watts word for it and he was satisfied at that point. Although maybe Gotti never completely forgave the three mobsters because he reportedly detailed crimes that they committed during a secret proffer session with the feds in 2005 when he was making a failed bid to get out from under racketeering charges.

The death of Gammarano leaves one less link back to a historic era of the Gambino family and the NY mafia.

The body of Carmine Carini Jr. was recently found in an inlet near Mills Basin in Brooklyn the victim of a mafia style hit.

According to reports, he was stabbed and his skull was bashed in before his beaten and bloody body was wrapped in a tarp and attached to a five-pound bag of drywall compound. The 35-year-old is the son of Carmine Carini Sr. a known associate of the Gambino crime family according to authorities. The details remain a bit sketchy as the younger Carini’s ties to organized crime although he has been noted by some as a Lucchese crime family associate. The investigation is still ongoing and law enforcement hasn’t publicly linked the murder to the New York mafia although being fitted with “cement shoes” and “sleeping with the fishes” mob style certainly opens up that possibility.

“Carmine Carini Jr”

Carmine Sr. was convicted of a mafia linked shooting Brooklyn record store owner before dumping him out of a car back in 1983. His conviction was later vacated after two mob informants told prosecutors that he did not have a direct role in the murder. They informed authorities that Carmine’s cousins Vincent and Eddie Carini had actually carried out the hit. He was allowed to plead guilty to manslaughter and was released from prison with time served. But in 2008 he was once again on the wrong side of the law getting charged with pistol-whipping the father of an aspiring teen rapper during a robbery in Staten Island for which he served a couple more months behind bars.

Following is his father’s criminal footsteps the younger Carini also had been arrested on multiple occasions according to police. His rap sheet included convictions for drugs, first-degree robbery, and various parole violations. He was sent to prison in 2003 after he and an accomplice robbed five different victims reportedly holding a machete to their necks before taking the cash. He was released from prison in 2009 but was sent back in 2011 and then again in 2014 for parole violations. He was released once again released from state prison in 2015 after maxing out his sentence.

The Carini family certainly has a history in Cosa Nostra and Carmine Jr. wouldn’t be the first to be the victim of mob violence. Both Vincent and Eddie Carini were murdered after botching a mob hit ordered by former Colombo family capo Joseph (Joe Waverly) Cacace. The duo was supposed to kill the son of an Administrative Law Judge named George Asronwald but ended up killing the old man by mistake. They were both found shot to death in stolen cars just a few months after the mishap. The American mafia has become less and less violent over the years in an effort to avoid unwanted attention from law enforcement although the modern day mafia is still extremely capable of murder when it suits their needs.

Former New York mafia underboss and turncoat Sammy (The Bull) Gravano has been released from prison on Monday according to reports.

Gravano was convicted back in 2002 for dealing ecstasy and was sentenced to 20 years behind bars. The 72-year-old mobster was originally due to be released in 2019 but got his sentence shaved down some for good behavior according to his lawyer Thomas Farinella. Sammy the bull was also sentenced to spend the rest of his life on supervised release after his release from the Arizona prison. Farinella stated he had to withhold specifics about Gravano’s future plans and whereabouts but said: “Right now, his plan is to soak up the experience he’s in right now, he’s focused re-acclimating into society and enjoying his freedom.”

“Sammy Gravano”

The former Gambino crime family underboss made headlines when he decided to become an FBI snitch and rat out his mafia pals. Gravano made a deal that got him off the hook for 19 murder charges in exchange for helping to take down dozens of mobsters including former boss John Gotti. Sammy originally tried to have about three years taken off of his sentence due to amendments in federal sentencing guidelines but was unsuccessful. His bid was denied by Brooklyn Federal Judge Allyne Ross because of the staggering severity of Gravano’s history in organized crime and beyond. She said he had already had an extremely lenient five-year sentence from his plea deal considering his crimes included multiple murders and murder conspiracies along with jury tampering.

Gravano was living in Phoenix in the witness protection program when he caught running a large-scale Ecstasy distribution business. It’s clear why he didn’t deserve to have years removed from his sentence and prosecutor wanted the full sentence to be enforced. There have been plenty of Cosa Nostra rats over the years but few have been as highly publicized as Gravano.

John Travolta takes on the role of infamous Gambino crime family boss John Gotti in the upcoming mafia movie about the life and death of the Dapper Don.

We get the first-hand look at Travolta playing the role in this newly released Gotti movie trailer. The crime biopic was directed by Kevin Connolly and also stars William DeMeo as Sammy Gravano, Kelly Preston as Victoria Gotti, and Leo Rossi as mobster Bobby Boriello. This new John Gotti movie project took some time to put together and hopes are that the finished project will meet viewers expectations. Those behind the movie including John (Junior) Gotti have said this movie tells the true story of the infamous New York Mafia boss.

Here is part of the description from the official storyline “The film will reveal the relationship of a father who lived and died by the mob code and a son who, while brought up to lead a life of crime, chose to leave that world behind and redeem himself and the Gotti name”. There is still no official release date for the film but now that a trailer has been released there should be more information to follow shortly. There certainly seems to still be plenty of interest in the Gotti name and The Life and Death of John Gotti story will definitely get its share of attention once released. We are looking forward to seeing it and also the reviews it will generate and if this is indeed one of the better 2017 mafia movies.

Former Gambino crime family consigliere and underboss Frank (Frankie Loc) Locascio has failed to have his 1992 conviction overturned.

The 85-year-old mobster was arrested back in 1990 along with former Gambino family boss John Gotti and Salvatore (Sammy the Bull) Gravano and charged with racketeering. Gravano turned on his New York Mafia pals and became one of the most notorious rats in Cosa Nostra history. Both Gotti and Locascio were convicted of racketeering and conspiracy charges with the help of Gravano’s testimony and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Frankie Loc claimed he was innocent and has been searching for reasons to appeal ever since in an effort to regain his freedom.

“Frank Locascio”

In this latest appeal, Locascio’s lawyer Harlan Protass argued that Brooklyn Federal judge Leo Glasser who presided over the trial back in 1992 should have recused himself. He claims that Glasser should have revealed that his son was an assistant U.S. Attorney in Connecticut at the time of the trial because one of the racketeering charges Locascio was convicted on partially had to do with a Connecticut gambling operation according to NY Daily News report. Protass also noted that Glasser disqualified four defense lawyers from the case due to conflicts of interest. But court papers indicated that the defense had no specific evidence that Glasser’s son knew about the probes into the organized crime family or that he shared any information with his father in regards to the case.

Brooklyn federal prosecutors denounced the claims made by Locascio calling them a low blow. The Manhattan 2nd Circuit court agreed and said the argument for Glaser’s recusal would in no way establish Locasio’s innocence. Protass said they were once again disappointed in the result and that they were evaluating their appeal options.

A coordinated Canadian-US investigation into drug trafficking including the fentanyl trade has led to the arrest of alleged members and associates of organized crime on both sides of the border.

The RCMP conducted early morning raids across Ontario arresting nine people and issued Canada-wide warrants for five others with ties to the Calabrian mafia also known as the Ndrangheta as part of a multi-year investigation. Authorities seized multiple kilograms of fentanyl, carfentanil, cocaine, and heroin along with other controlled substances and millions of illegal cigarettes. The FBI conducted a parallel but separate investigation targeting both the Gambino crime family and the Bonanno crime family of the New York mafia. The feds arrested four men they claim are associated with the Cosa Nostra families charging them with narcotics trafficking, loansharking and firearms charges.

“Domenico Paolo Violi and Giuseppe (Joe) Violi”

Among those arrested by the RCMP in Canada was Domenico Violi the son of Paolo Violi the former Calabrian boss of the Montreal mafia. Violi was the head of the Montreal crime family until he was murdered in 1978 by members of the Rizzuto crime family as they moved to take control of the Montreal underworld. An arrest warrant was also issued for Giuseppe Violi another one of Paolo’s sons. Two other alleged GTA mobsters being accused are grandsons of Giacomo Luppino of Hamilton. According to police Luppino was a founding member of a governing body of criminals in the Ndragheta called the Crimine. Canadian authorities said the operation began with a mobster that turned on his associates giving them an opportunity to infiltrate some higher level traditional organized crime members. They also added that they had a source that was respected by organized crime groups in both the U.S. and Canada.

Among those arrested by the Feds in New York were Bonanno family capo Damiano Zummo, Gambino family member Paul Semplice, and associates Salvatore Russo and Paul Ragusa. According to the feds during the investigation agents were able to obtain surveillance recordings of a 2015 induction ceremony in Canada in which Bonanno capo Zummo inducted a confidential informant into the crime family. Acting U.S. attorney in Brooklyn called the recordings “an extraordinary achievement for law enforcement and deals a significant blow to La Cosa Nostra.” If convicted Zummo, Ragusa and Russo could face life in prison while Semplice could be looking at up to 20 years behind bars.

Canadian authorities alleged the Violi brothers are well-established with “an international reach.” There have been alleged links esp when it comes to drug trafficking between the Ndrangheta in Canada and the NY mafia for years now. Many believe it was the Ndrangheta that backed a rebellion against the Rizzuto crime family led by Raynald Desjardins for control of the lucrative drug trade in Montreal and New York. According to the FBI, the Calabrian mafia was partnering with these members and associates of the Bonanno and Gambino families which were obvious choices considering their long-standing involvement in the international drug trade and their past links to the mafia in Canada. Michael McGarrity, special agent in charge of Criminal Division for the FBI’s New York Field Office said: ” these investigations revealed renewed Mafia links from New York to Buffalo and Toronto to Montreal and led to arrests of significant La Cosa Nostra figures”.

A new look into the inner workings of the Mafia is part of newly unsealed court documents associated with a recent international drug bust.

Investigations by the FBI in New York targeted alleged members and associates of the Bonanno crime family and Gambino crime family of the New York Mafia while a parallel RCMP investigation targeted members of the Ndrangheta in Canada exposing links between the criminal organizations. According to these court documents, the FBI was able to covertly record audio and video of an unnamed man believed to be a confidential informant being inducted into the Bonanno family during a 2015 ceremony in Canada. Acting Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Bridget Rohde said ““The recording of a secret induction ceremony is an extraordinary achievement for law enforcement, and deals a significant blow to La Cosa Nostra.”

One of the men present at the ceremony can be heard saying “The reason why we’re here is from this day forward, you’re gonna be an official member of the Bonanno family,” according to court documents. Reputed Bonanno family captain Damiano Zummo was cited as saying “From this guy, this guy, this guy, everybody approved it, so from this day forward, you’re a member of the Bonanno family. Congratulations.” The 44-year-old Cosa Nosa capo went on to say “You only answer to the Bonanno family.” He also introduced the man who was actually making the recording to a “friend of ours with the Bonanno s .”

Zummo has been charged with drug dealing, weapons possession, and loansharking and has been held without bail. He and one of his co-defendants suspected mob associate Paul Ragusa allegedly sold approx $40,000 of cocaine out of a Gelato shop in Manhattan. Ragusa was also captured on a separate recording offering to whack someone with an ice pick although has yet to be charged with anything relating to that statement. He is also being held without bail. These joint investigations into organized crime have shed more light on the ongoing connections between the mafia in Canada and New York. To get a mafia induction ceremony on video is certainly a new high for law enforcement and a new low for the mob!

Giovanni “John” Gambino a senior leader in the Gambino crime family of the New York Mafia has passed away.

He suffered from various health conditions and the exact cause of death is still uncertain. The 77-year-old mobster was born in Palermo, Sicily and became a made member of the Gambino family back in 1975. He would rise through the ranks of the mafia becoming a captain and the head of the Cosa Nostra families Sicilian faction known as the Cherry Hill Gambinos. His family was Sicilian Mafiosi who came to New York back in 1964 and were related to former boss Carlo Gambino. John along with his brothers Joseph Gambino and Rosario Gambino used their ties in Sicily to become prolific narcotics traffickers according to authorities.

“John Gambino”

The Gambinos formed a transatlantic drug operation with a consortium of heroin traffickers from the Sicilian Mafia including the Inzerillo clan despite the mob families ban on drug dealing. Former Italian magistrate Giovanni Falcone was assigned back in 1980 to investigate heroin trafficking and he estimated the Inzerillo-Gambino-Spatola network was smuggling more than $600 million worth of heroin into the United States per year by the late 1970s. By the 1980s the heroin network had become a target for authorities both in Italy and the United States. The arrest of an Italian banker who handled the lucrative proceeds from the drug operation for the mafia lead to an indictment of the Inzerillo-Spatola-Gambino network.

John was convicted of heroin trafficking in Palermo and sentenced to six and a half years behind bars in 1980. But he would remain a free man after the United States refused to agree with the Italians request for extradition. Charges were filed against the Gambino brothers in relation to a New Jersey drug case in 1984 which resulted in Rosario being convicted and sentenced to 45 years in prison but John and Joe were acquitted. But the Italian and US law enforcement continued their crackdown on the Gambino-Inzerillo network with Operation Iron Tower in 1988. Prosecutors charged over 200 defendants from the U.S. and Italy with drug trafficking charges including Joe Gambino. John was able to escape charges but was noted in a court affidavit as the current leader of the Brooklyn based Sicilian faction of the Gambino family.

In the next few years, the Joe and John faced various indictments in the U.S. because of their ties to organized crime and drug trafficking. The feds with the help of mafia turncoats Sammy Gravano from the NY mafia and Francesco Marino Mannoia from the Italian mafia charged the brothers with narcotics and racketeering violations. After a failed attempt to flee the country while out on bail both Joe and John agreed to plead guilty to racketeering charges stemming from activity which had taken place between 1975 and 1992 and were both sent to prison. John was released from prison in 2005 after surviving a stroke, heart attacks, and open-heart surgery. He would become a member of a Gambino family ruling panel in 2008 along with fellow wiseguys Daniel Marino and Bartolomeo Vernace after the feds decapitated the families hierarchy with Operation Old Bridge.

A new leadership group which includes his nephew Francesco “Frank” Calì has taken control but he continued to be a highly respected senior member of the family although it was unclear how involved he actually was of late due to his health problems.

The recent investigations by both U.S. and Canadian law enforcement that led to the arrest of multiple alleged members and associates of organized crime have once again sparked a debate over the current status of the Buffalo Mafia.

These investigations into the drug trade targeted members of the Bonanno crime family and Gambino crime family of the New York Mafia and the Ndrangheta in Canada. The mafia families in New York and Canada have been partners in the drug trade for several years according to various reports. During the joint U.S. Canada operation, law enforcement was able to get both audio and video of a mafia induction ceremony carried out by members of the Bonanno crime family in Canada which investigators have called an extraordinary achievement. Investigators also believe they discovered that the traditional cross-border rectangle of Mafia organizations from 60 years ago remains intact: Hamilton-Buffalo-Montreal-New York.

An FBI press release in regards to the investigation noted that “Canadian law enforcement authorities today arrested nine organized crime members and associates in Canada, including members of the Todaro organized crime family” which many believed to be nearly extinct. The Todaro crime family is the latest designation for the mafia in Buffalo which was formerly known as the Magaddino crime family. The once powerful Cosa Nostra family has operated throughout Western New York, Pennsylvania, Canada and elsewhere over the years. Joseph Todaro Sr. took control of the family in the mid-1980s and began to pull the somewhat weakened family together including strengthening its Canadian ties to longtime crime family crew in Hamiton, Ontario also known as the Papalia crime family. The families operations in the U.S. and Canada remained stable until the mid-90s when the aging organization’s power seemingly began to diminish.

The deaths of multiple long-standing members and the semi-retirement of Todaro Sr. who passed along control of the families day to day operations to Joseph Todaro, Jr. left many wondering if the Buffalo mafia was on the way out during the 1990s. The family had lost its long-held grip on the Unions in Western New York a major part of its income and its Canadian based operations were being chipped away at by Toronto based Calabrian clans, Montreal’s Sicilian mafia, and emerging Outlaw biker gangs seemingly without resistance. Then in 1997 Johnny “Pops” Papalia the Buffalo families Ontario based capo along with his top lieutenant were assassinated by the rival Hamilton based Musitano crime family in an effort to take control of the local Buffalo family operations in Ontario and Niagra Falls. The Musitano’s move against the Buffalo mobsters was apparently backed by high ranking members of the powerful Rizzuto crime family in Montreal. Their plans to take over would be cut short as the brothers who led the Musitano family were both sent to prison.

It was believed by some that what remained of the Todaro crime family continued to hold a small but active presence in Hamilton which this new FBI report could possibly corroborate. But the Buffalo mob had lost a majority of its illegal revenue sources during the 1990s in both the U.S. and Canada coupled with the growth of the Todaro families legitimate Pizzeria business lead many to theorize that the mafia in Western New York was all but dead. Law enforcement sources believe that Tordado Jr. retired from organized crime sometime around 2006 ending most of the families involvement in mob activities followed by the death or Todaro Sr. in 2012. Which brings forth the question that if the Buffalo mafia was still active and operational in the U.S. and or Canada then who had taken the reigns?

Many speculated that if most of the Todaro’s had stepped away from organized crime but the Buffalo mob was still operational then it was likely that former consigliere Leonard Falzone had taken over as boss. When Falzone passed away in 2016 several names surfaced as possible replacements including Robert “Bobby” Panaro, Anthony Lupiania Todaro, Russ Carcone, Victor Sansanese, and Frank BiFulco although whether or not there was anything left worth being the boss of was a fair question. By this time there were basically no indications from law enforcement or sources on the streets that the mafia in Buffalo was anything more than a fading memory. But if the family was still somewhat intact even on a small scale it seemed like either Panaro or Anthony Todaro were the most likely candidates to step up and become the new boss. But after these recent reports from the joint investigation new theories as to the current status of the Buffalo mob and who is in control have surfaced.

According to some unsubstantiated reports, former capo Frank “Butchie” BiFulco has taken over as boss of the family with Giuseppe “Joe” Violi of Hamilton serving as Underboss and leader of the families Canadian faction. Joe along with his brother Domenico Violi are the sons of former Montreal mafia leader Paolo Violi. Paolo was the boss of the Calabrian based Cotroni crime family before he was murdered in 1978 by the emerging Rizzuto crime family. Both families had strong ties to New York’s Bonanno family but a war between the two would end with the Sicilian based Rizzutos taking over. His sons still young at the time ended up in Hamilton under the protection of the Luppino crime family of the Ndrangheta due to their close family ties. Both brothers were arrested as part of the RCMP investigation in Canada and Police there noted that they were “well-established with an international reach.” It is unclear if or when either of the brothers could have become made members of the Buffalo family or the Hamilton Mafia for that matter but their close ties certainly leave open the possibility.

Previous reports had Victor Sansanese as the families consigliere which is also the case in regards to the most recent rumors which also speculate that the family may currently have up to seven active capos and more than 40 active made members. Again none of the information included in these new leadership reports has been substantiated by any credible source but it seems to make for an interesting conversation. Could the mob family in Buffalo have remained this active over the last few years avoiding any major indictments by law enforcement or exposure from potential turncoats which in this day and age has become rampant?

Bonanno crime family capo Vincent Asaro could be facing up to 15 years in prison if a judge sides with federal prosecutors.

The 82-year-old mobster plead guilty to arson in June admitting to ordering the torching of a car that belonged to a motorist that had cut him off back in 2012. According to court documents Asaro allegedly tasked a Bonanno family associate with the job and he, in turn, brought in John J. Gotti and another man both who are also believed to be New York mafia associates to help. Gotti is the grandson of the late Gambino crime family boss John Gotti and has already plead guilty to being the getaway driver. The arson charge carries a five to six-year sentence according to federal guidelines but the defense believes Vincent should be sentenced to time served.

“Vincent Asaro”

But prosecutors want the judge to weigh Asaro’s previous conduct and criminal history into his current sentence. He was acquitted of racketeering charges that included his alleged role in the infamous 1978 Lufthansa heist just two years ago. Prosecutors also noted his recent behavior while behind bars awaiting trial which included alleged talk of killing a prosecutor and boasting about getting away with the Lufthansa caper. Court documents filed last week said “Asaro has lived a literal life of crime and, for most of his life, evaded punishment” according to a NYdailynews report. Prosecutors also said, “Asaro has participated in racketeering, murder, robbery, extortion, loansharking, gambling and other illegal conduct, he has served less than eight years in jail.”

Asaro will have approximately two years deducted from whatever sentence Judge Allyne Ross hands down because of his time in jail awaiting trial for the Lufthansa case. An extended sentence anywhere in the neighborhood of 15 years could mean life behind bars for the aging Cosa Nostra mobster.

Members and associates of the Gambino crime family and the Bonanno crime family on Long Island were the targets of the latest New York mafia bust.

A new 13-count indictment was unveiled by federal prosecutors charging six members and associates of the Gambino family and one member of the Bonanno family with various charges including racketeering conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and illegal gambling. According to the feds, this criminal activity took place in both Long Island and Brooklyn between January of 2014 until December of 2017. Among the Cosa Nostra mobsters busted were John (Johnny Boy) Ambrosio an alleged acting Gambino family capo and Frank (Frankie Boy) Salerno an alleged Bonanno family soldier. It is also alleged that Thomas Anzaone, Alessandro (Sandro) Damelio, Joseph Durso, Anthony Rodolico and Anthony Saladino are associates of the Gambino family as reported by the NYdailynews.

“John Ambrosio”

According to prosecutors, Ambrosio was captured on tape telling someone “you can play right here” and “save gas money,” in reference to an illegal casino the Long Island mobsters were running.  They also claim several of the suspected wiseguys were involved in distributing various kind of illegal drugs including cocaine. According to authorities Saladino and Salerno sold wholesale quantities of cocaine to undercover officers. The FBI’s Assistant Director-in-Charge said, “The arrests, in this case, prove organized crime families haven’t gone away, and continue to plague our communities with their general disregard for anything other than their own greed.” The joint organized crime operation is yet another example of the NY mafia families finding ways to work together to earn.

The suspected Long Island mobsters were set to be arraigned in federal court in Central Islip by United States Magistrate Judge Gary Brown.

We start off the new year with our annual look at the current leaders of the active Mafia families from across the country.

The American Mafia also known as Cosa Nostra still generates millions of dollars a year in profits from a combination of new and old school rackets finding ways to adapt and survive. About The Mafia covered many aspects of mafia news last year including indictments, administration changes, deaths natural and otherwise, and much more. We have heard plenty of stories over the years about the demise of the mob but it remains resilient and even though its growth or lack thereof can be debated it’s certainly far from dead.

The mafia today may not have the power and influence it did in its heyday but it remains a viable force when it comes to organized crime. Using various sources we have compiled a list of the current mafia leaders including mafia bosses and other members of the families administrations heading into 2018. Understanding that these list which is pieced together from a wide range of information including street sources and law enforcement are not an exact science we try to be as accurate as possible. Here are the 2018 Mafia Family Leaders and for a more in-depth look into these families check out our mafia family charts section. You can also keep up with all the current news and information by bookmarking our site or following us on social media!

GAMBINO CRIME FAMILY (NEW YORK)

Boss: Francesco “Franky Boy” Cali/Domenico “Italian Dom” Cefalu
Underboss: Francesco “Franky Boy” Cali (?)
Consigliere: Lorenzo Mannino (?)

LUCCHESE CRIME FAMILY (NEW YORK)

Boss: Vittorio “Vic” Amuso
Underboss: Matthew Madonna/Steven Crea
Consigliere: Joseph DiNapoli/Joseph “Joe C.” Caridi (?)

GENOVESE CRIME FAMILY (NEW YORK)

Boss: Liborio “Barney” Bellomo
Underboss/Street Boss: “Unknown”
Consigliere: Peter “Petey Red” DiChiara

COLOMBO CRIME FAMILY (NEW YORK)

Boss: Carmine “Junior/The Snake” Persico
Street Boss: Andrew “Andy Mush” Russo
Underboss: Benjamin “The Little Guy” Castellazo
Acting Underboss: Dominick “Donnie Shacks” Montemarano (?)
Consigliere: “Unknown”
Acting Consigliere: Thomas “Tom Mix/Mr. T” Farese

BONANNO CRIME FAMILY (NEW YORK)

Boss: Michael “The Nose” Mancuso
Acting Boss: Joseph Cammarano Jr.
Consigliere: Anthony “Fat Tony” Rabito

PHILADELPHIA MAFIA FAMILY

Boss: Joseph “Skinny Joey” Merlino
Acting Boss/Street Boss: Steve Mazzone/Joseph “Uncle Joe” Ligambi
Underboss: Steve Mazzone/John “Johnny Chang” Ciancaglini (?)
Consigliere: Joseph “Chickie” Ciangcaglini

DETROIT MAFIA FAMILY

Boss: Jack “Jackie the Kid” Giacalone
Underboss: Anthony (Chicago Tony) La Piana
Consigliere: Anthony (Tony Pal) Palazzolo
Street Boss: Peter (Specs) Tocco

NEW JERSEY MAFIA FAMILY (DeCAVALCANTE FAMILY)

Boss: Charles Majuri (?)
UnderBoss: “Unknown”
Consiglieri: Frank Nigro

NEW ENGLAND MAFIA FAMILY (PATRIARCA FAMILY)

Boss/Acting Boss: Carmen (The Cheeseman) DiNunzio
UnderBoss: Matthew Guglielmetti
Consiglieri: Joseph (Joe the Bishop) Achille

CHICAGO MAFIA FAMILY (CHICAGO OUTFIT)

Acting Boss/Boss: Salvatore “Solly D” DeLaurentis
Underboss: Salvatore “Sammy Cards” Cataudella
Street Boss: Albert Vena
Consigliere: Marco D’Amico

BUFFALO MAFIA FAMILY

Boss: Frank BiFulco (?)
Underboss: Joe Violi (?)
Consigliere: Victor Sansanese (?)

KANSAS CITY MAFIA FAMILY

Boss: John “Johnny Joe” Sciortino
UnderBoss: Peter “Las Vegas Pete” Simone
Consigliere: Frank DeLuna (?)

CLEVELAND MAFIA FAMILY

Boss: Russell “RJ” Papalardo
Underboss: “Unknown”
Consigliere: “Unknown”

As we begin to make our way into the new year we take a look at the status of the New York Mafia families and which of them is currently the strongest.

The American Mafia also known as Cosa Nostra remains a viable criminal enterprise with the five families of New York leading the way. The mob’s overall power and influence has diminished over the years but the reports of its demise have been greatly exaggerated especially in the Big Apple where the most powerful mafia families remain. Even as the traditional values of the mafia fade away like the once sacred code of silence known as Omerta it continues to find a way to adapt and survive. Before we get into more of the mafia news 2018 we take a look at which of the NY Mafia families is currently the strongest heading into the new year.

Over the past few years, the feds have shifted a lot of its focus and resources away from organized crime and into the fight against terrorism. This has seemingly allowed at least some of the five families to begin to restabilize and strengthen their ranks to an extent. These reports have sparked an interesting debate as to which family has benefited the most from these developments and which is currently leading the way in Gotham. With new hierarchies and 2018 mafia leaders in place, it is clear that some of these organizations have more momentum going into 2018 than others. So let’s take a short look at the current status of each family and you can take the poll at the end and decide which of them you think is the strongest today.

Genovese Crime Family: It was reported back in 2016 that Liborio Bellomo was the new boss and he continues to lead the way although the rest of the hierarchy remains a topic of debate. The Genovese family is probably still the largest of the NY Mob families in terms of numbers although its unclear as to whether or not that still makes them the strongest. While they continue to find a way to avoid the turncoat problems some of the other families are dealing with they did have some bumps in the road over the last year. The families Springfield crew was taken down by the feds and a couple of the families captains Pasquale Parrello and Eugene O’Nofrio were snared in the ongoing East Coast LCN Enterprise case. With an established boss in place over the last few years and the lack of any major hits to its hierarchy last year it’s still pretty easy to make a case for them at the top.

Gambino Crime Family: Many believe the Gambino family is now the most powerful family in NY although it remains a topic of debate as to who is in control. Some speculate that rising star Frank Cali has taken the reigns from the aging Dom Cefalu but regardless of who’s actually the current boss the Gambino’s are clearly gaining in power. Behind Cali and Cefalu they have strong Sicilian ties and have one of the more dominate Zip factions in NY. In 2017 the feds exposed links between them and the Ndrangheta in Canada showing that their international ties could be expanding. They continue to take an old-school approach to things which aided them in 2017 as their hierarchy was able to avoid any legal setbacks and the family as a whole took very few hits. It seems clear that a case can now be made for the Gambino family!

Lucchese Crime Family: It seemed like the Lucchese family was once again on the rise behind their veteran filled hierarchy which included Steven Crea, Matthew Madonna, and Joseph DiNapoli. But the family has seemingly taken a big step back after a rough 2017 which included a massive bust by the feds leading to indictments against nineteen mobsters and associates including the current leadership. The families ongoing rat problem played a large role in the current case which includes racketeering and murder charges that could completely decimate the current hierarchy. The progress they have made could be wiped out in 2018 and the organization as a whole could now be heading in different direction.

Bonanno Crime Family: It’s pretty clear that the Bonanno family is not on the rise as they remain one of more dysfunctional of the five families. Acting boss Joseph Cammarano Jr. is in control of the families day to day operations while official boss Michael Mancuso remains a guest of the government. The Bonanno’s probably take the prize for one of the worse blunders of 2017 allowing the feds to secretly record both audio and video of a Mafia induction ceremony. The add salt to the wound the man being inducted into the Bonanno family is believed to have been a confidential informant. So coming off a less than banner year it seems obvious that the family has plenty of work to do as we head in 2018.

Colombo Crime Family: The smallest of the five families had a fairly quiet 2017 but may be one of the more interesting families heading into 2018. Many believe the family may be getting closer and closer to the end of an era as the Persico family continues to slowly lose its grip. Longtime boss Carmine Persico saw another of his sons Michael Persico sent to prison last year decreasing the number on the streets of those still loyal to him. The family has been stuck in the past for far too long and its ability to remain as a viable organization may depend on its ability to finally break free from the Persico regime. There is already plenty of debate as to the families existing structure and whether or not there is enough talent remaining within the family to competently rebuild its ranks.

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A Brooklyn federal judge sentenced John Gotti the 24-year-old namesake grandson of the late Gambino crime family boss to five years in federal prison.

He was sentenced for his role in a 2012 road rage arson attack ordered by Bonanno crime family captain Vincent Asaro. The 82-year-old mobster sent mafia underlings including Gotti to firebomb the car of a motorist who cut him off in traffic. Asaro admitted to giving the order and was himself sentenced to eight years behind bars last December. The mafia scion has been referred to as a mob associate although its unclear as to whether or not he has any official links to any of New York’s Cosa Nostra families.

“John J. Gotti”

Gotti had already been hit with an eight-year prison term last March after he plead guilty to drug charges. He was in the process of heading to prison to start that sentence when he was hit with the arson charges. In the drug case, Gotti was caught on a secret wire just like his grandfather was years ago. He bragged about extensive drug sales that were allegedly totaling up to $100,000 a month and estimated that he had made roughly $1.6 million annually. The Brooklyn judge decided that two and a half years of his arson case sentence can be served at the same time as his previous drug sentence.

The remaining two and a half years of his five-year bid will be added on the end of his eight-year sentence. He will also have to forfeit $27,000 in restitution to pay for the car that was firebombed. He will also be subject to a curfew upon his release. The young Gotti blamed much of his troubles on his struggle with opioid addiction but said in court that he was now in a good place. He apologized to the large gathering of family that attended including his father Peter Gotti and said “I look forward to the years to come. I know when I leave here I can give back to the world.”

As the defense pleaded for leniency the prosecution made not that at the time of the arson and a robbery Gotti was a part of just weeks later he had yet to spiral into addiction. Instead, prosecutors said he had committed the crime not because of an addiction but out of allegiance to a violent member of the New York Mafia.  Just like old times the name John Gotti is part of the mafia news!

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