It’s enough to make John Gotti turn in his grave – the feds are administering the last rites to his once-powerful Gambino crime family.
Only five days after the godfather’s funeral, FBI agents yesterday pounced on 14 alleged family members and associates wanted for murder and racketeering crimes stretching back to the late ’80s – a time when the Gambinos ruled New York’s gangland with iron fists.
“It’s a whole different world than it was,” U.S. Attorney Jim Comey said, pointing proudly to a pyramid chart of rubbed-out Gambino mobsters with black crosses stamped on their faces.
” ‘This thing of ours’ – La Cosa Nostra – is very, very different today.”
The freshest black cross was on the head of one of the late Dapper Don’s longest serving capos, Louis “Big Louie” Vallario, who was one of four men indicted for the 1989 execution of Staten Island businessman Fred Weiss.
One of the Gambinos’ rising stars, Michael “Mikey Scars” DiLeonardo, was also arrested for the execution-style slaying. It was allegedly carried out as a favor to Gotti, who feared Weiss was cooperating with the feds.
Comey said the three indictments unsealed yesterday represented a “further dismantling of the Gambino family’s leadership” and sent a signal that the feds will prevent the family from re-establishing its “violent, extortionate grip” over New York.
New York FBI assistant director Kevin Donovan described the busts as the “latest chapter in the decade-long saga of the decline of the Gambinos.”
“Making money the mob way has always meant instilling fear through intimidation and violence, and it is not true that the victims of mob violence are just other mobsters,” Donovan said.
Since Gotti was put away for the last time in June 1992, the Gambino’s grip over legitimate industries, such as garbage carting and the waterfront, has been pried loose.
And the family’s ability to rebuild was dealt a further blow this month, when Peter Gotti, who took over from his ailing brother this year, was arrested along with 16 other soldiers and associates.
As part of the indictments unsealed yesterday, the feds claim to have busted a large-scale theft racket centered on a vegetable store in The Bronx, called Top Tomato. It was owned by Salvatore Sciandra, brother of Gambino member Carmine Sciandra, the indictment says.
Sciandra’s wife, Margaret, and her mother, Mildred Scarpati, are also facing up to five years in prison after being charged with conspiracy to defraud Allstate Insurance by filing a bogus car-loss claim.
Three Gambino associates were also charged with extorting two Manhattan garment businesses.
Additional reporting by Kati Cornell Smith
GAMBINO FAMILY TREE
Dead:John Gotti Boss (1985-02)
Jailed: Salvatore Gravano “Sammy Bull” Underboss (1990-91) Consigliere (1988-90)
Jailed: Joseph Armone “Joe Piney” Consigliere (1990-91) Underboss (1986-90)
Dead: Frank Locascio “Frankie Lo” Acting consigliere (1990-91) Acting underboss (1988-90)
CAPOS
The men below were the capos, or captains, of the crews in the Gambino crime family.
Giuseppe Arcuri “Joe”
Robert Bisaccia “Cabert” – Jailed
Tony Carminati “Tony C” – Dead
Anthony Ciccone “Sonny” – Jailed
Pasquale Conte “Patsy” – Jailed
Joseph Corrao “Joe Butch” – Dead
John Damico “Jackie Nose”
Frank Dapolito “Frankie Dap” – Dead
George Decicco “Georgie”
James Failla “Jimmy Brown” – Dead
John Gambino – Jailed
Thomas Gambino
John Giordano “Jack the Actor”
John Gotti Jr. “Junior” – Jailed
Peter Gotti – Jailed
Daniel Marino
Ralph Mosca “Ralphie Bones” – Dead
Louis Ricco “Bracciole” – Jailed
Natale Richichi “Big Chris” – Dead
Mario Traina – Dead
Lou Vallano “Big Lou” – Indicted
Source: FBI, issued 1991, updated yesterday