Paul Castellano
Castellano c. 1975
Born
Constantino Paul Castellano

(1915-06-26)June 26, 1915
New York City, New York, U.S.
DiedDecember 16, 1985(1985-12-16) (aged 70)
New York City, New York, 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

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 of New York City. Castellano ran the organization from 1976 until his unsanctioned assassination on December 16, 1985.

Early life

Paul Castellano was born in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York, on June 26, 1915. His parents, Giuseppe and Concetta Castellano (née Cassata), were both Italian immigrants; his father was a butcher and an early member of the Mangano crime family, the forerunner of the Gambino crime 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, 19-year-old Castellano was arrested for the first time in Hartford, Connecticut, for robbing a haberdasher.[3] He refused to identify his two accomplices to the police and served a three-month prison sentence. By refusing to break the oath of omertà and 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 and a daughter.[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

Castellano joined the Mangano family in the 1940s and eventually became a caporegime (capo, or captain) under Albert Anastasia, the successor to original boss Vincent Mangano. In 1957, after Anastasia's murder and Gambino's elevation to boss, Castellano attended the abortive Apalachin meeting in Apalachin, New York. When the 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 on appeal.[11]

Castellano identified more as a businessman than a criminal, taking over non-legitimate businesses and converting them to legitimate enterprises. However, his businesses, and those of his sons, still benefitted 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. Castellano used intimidation tactics to force his customers, which included supermarket chains Key Food and Waldbaum's, to buy Dial's products.[1]

As Castellano became more powerful in the Gambino family, he started to make large amounts of money from concrete in the construction industry. His son Philip was the president of Scara-Mix Concrete Corporation, which exercised a near monopoly on the concrete supply in Staten Island.[12] Castellano handled Gambino interests in the "Concrete Club," a club of contractors selected by The Commission, the mob's ruling body, 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, his daughter's boyfriend, 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 boss of the Bonanno crime family, admitted to murdering Borelli as a favor to Castellano.[16]

Succession

On October 15, 1976, Gambino died at his home of natural causes.[17] Against expectations, he 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 mob 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–Dellacroce's faction in Brooklyn, and Castellano's faction in Manhattan.[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 DeCiccio's brother Frank to first notify Gravano of the impending hit. When advised of Scibetta's fate, a furious Gravano initially threatened to kill Castellano first. However, he eventually calmed down and accepted Scibetta's death as a punishment earned by his behavior.[21]

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

In February 1978, Castellano made an agreement between the Gambino family and the Westies, an Irish-American gang from Hell's Kitchen. Castellano wanted hitmen that law enforcement could not tie directly to the family. The Westies wanted Gambino protection from the other mob families. The Gambino–Westie alliance was set in a meeting between Castellano and Westies leader James Coonan. 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 forged 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, for physically abusing his wife, Castellano's daughter Connie, when they were married.[24][25] According to FBI documents, DeMeo murdered Amato, cut up his body and disposed of the remains at sea. The following year, Perdue, the alleged cause of the 1975 Borelli murder, approached Castellano for help in thwarting a unionization drive at a Perdue facility in Virginia. However, according to Perdue, the two men never made a final agreement.[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., the mansion featured Carrara marble, an Olympic-size swimming pool and an English garden.[25] Castellano engaged in an affair with his live-in Colombian maid, Gloria Olarte.[27] Castellano became a recluse and rarely ventured outside the mansion, requiring his capos to visit the residence to give information and receive orders. When not entertaining guests, Castellano wore satin and silk dressing gowns and velvet slippers around the house.[28]

John Gotti, a former protégé of Dellacroce, became deeply dissatisfied with Castellano's leadership, regarding the boss as being too isolated and greedy.[29][30] Like other members of the family he disliked Castellano on a personal level, feeling he lacked street credibility. Gotti also had an economic interest: he had a long-running dispute with Castellano on the split Gotti took from hijackings at John F. Kennedy International Airport.[31] Furthermore, Gotti was rumored to be expanding into drug dealing, a lucrative trade Castellano had banned under threat of death.

In January 1983, Castellano allegedly ordered the murder of DeMeo, who was found shot to death in the trunk of his Cadillac.[28] Two months later, the FBI obtained a warrant to install secret listening devices in Castellano's mansion. Waiting until he went on vacation to Florida, agents drugged his watchdogs, 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, Gambino members Angelo Ruggiero and Gene Gotti were arrested for dealing heroin, based primarily on recordings from a device in Ruggiero's house.[33][34] Castellano demanded transcripts of the tapes,[33][35] and when Ruggiero refused he threatened to demote Gotti.[36]

Castellano in a 1984 mugshot

On March 30, 1984, Castellano was indicted on federal racketeering charges, as well as extortion, drug trafficking, theft, prostitution and the murders of Eppolito and DeMeo. He was released on $2 million bail.[37]

Castellano's legal challenges mounted in 1985. On February 25 he was one of many mob 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 he was indicted on loansharking charges and with tax evasion for not reporting the profits from an illegal racket,[40] and pleaded not guilty.[41] On November 4, 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] Castellano's failure to attend Dellacroce's wake was taken as an insult by members of the Manhattan faction.[45] Then, Castellano named Thomas Bilotti, a loyalist with little diplomatic skill, as the new underboss. Castellano also hinted that he planned to break up John 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 mobsters at Manhattan's 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.[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 Ruggiero, Dominick Pizzonia and Tony Rampino.[50] Gotti and Gravano 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, Carneglia delivered the fatal shot to Castellano's 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 him a Catholic funeral, citing his notorious life and death.[57][58][59]

Two weeks after the murder, Gotti was elected as the new boss of the Gambino family.[51] Vincent Gigante, the boss of the Genovese family, was outraged that Gotti had killed Castellano without following Mafia protocol and solicited the help of Lucchese family boss Anthony Corallo in carrying out a hit. 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. 1 2 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. 1 2 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. Archived from the original on February 25, 2014. Retrieved June 7, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Nina Castellano, Mob Widow, Dies". Daily News. New York. February 27, 1999. Archived 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. Archived 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. Archived 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. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  13. 1 2 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.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. ↑ "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
  15. ↑ 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.
  16. ↑ 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.
  17. ↑ 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.
  18. ↑ O'Brien, Kurins, pp. 104–105
  19. ↑ Davis, p. 176
  20. 1 2 O'Brien, Kurins, pp. 106–108
  21. ↑ May, Allan. "Living by the Rules". 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. Archived from the original on April 2, 2016. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
  24. ↑ Raab, p. 251
  25. 1 2 Raab, p. 252
  26. ↑ 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.
  27. ↑ 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.
  28. 1 2 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. 1 2 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. Archived 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. Archived 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. Archived 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. Archived 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. Archived 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. Archived 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. Archived 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. Archived 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. Archived from the original on December 13, 2014. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
  51. 1 2 3 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.
  52. ↑ "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.
  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. Archived from the original on August 11, 2019. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  56. ↑ "Mourners of godfather Paul 'Big Paul' Castellano slipped off..." UPI. Archived 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. Archived 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. Archived 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. Archived 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. Archived 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. Archived 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. Archived 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. Archived 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. Archived 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. Archived 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. Archived 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. Archived from the original on February 20, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2020.

References

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