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| John Gambino (1990) |
Made Member
- Gravano believed, but wasn't certain, that John Gambino was made as part of Gambino Family's first wave of inductions after the books re-opened. (Note: If correct this would have been circa early February 1976. Those confirmed in other sources as part of this initial group of ten included Frank DeCicco.)
- In addition to construction interests, through late 1970s and early 1980s Gambino described as 'the backbone' of 18 Ave's annual Feast of Santa Rosalia.
Inzerillo Murder
- By 1980 Gambino Family's Sicilian crew headed by Antonino 'Nino' Inzerillo.
- In October 1981 Inzerillo disappeared. Gravano not involved in murder but briefly discussed circumstances with Boss Paul Castellano: "[Castellano mentioned] the fact that Nino Inzerillo was a capodecina over here with us and obviously doing business in Italy, not only in a high position but in a war trying to take over a Family, and that Italy had reached him from a lot of different sources."
- Later received more detailed information from Soldier Frank DeCicco: "[DeCicco] told me that Nino Inzerillo was involved in the Italian mob, he was involved in a war that was going on in Italy, the Italian Families reached Castellano and asked him if he had the support of the Gambino Family [in] what he was doing in Italy. I believe Castellano got this from three or four different sources [including John Gambino]. He ordered the hit on Nino Inzerillo. Frank DeCicco was the shooter along with others [and Gambino] was involved in setting up Nino Inzerillo." Gravano not aware of whether or not John Gambino himself present during murder and also not informed of other participants' identities. "An incident happened between one of the made members who were there and Frank DeCicco. One of the made members there kicked Nino Inzerillo in the face after he was killed, and Frankie was disturbed by it and came very very close to killing the person who kicked him..We killed a man for something he had done and it had nothing to do with any kind of disrespect and [DeCicco] felt that the man when he kicked [Inzerillo] disrespected him. It was against our life, our principles, our rules. Even though he was dead, it disturbed Frankie and Frankie didn't want him disrespected even after he was dead. It may sound a little weird to different people but that's the way our life conducts business." (Note: Other defectors have identified participants in murder as including DeCicco and Gambino Associate Joseph Watts among others.)
- Following Inzerillo murder John Gambino transferred to crew headed by James 'Jimmy Brown' Failla. Remainder of Inzerillo crew essentially shelved: "The rest of their crew Paul didn't want to recognize them, he didn't know who else was involved with Nino in this war in Italy, but he didn't want them being represented by a captain, he left them in limbo without a capodecina but still with our Family."
- Not long after murder Thomas Bilotti promoted to Capodecina. John Gambino transferred from Failla to Bilotti and remained in this crew until Bilotti's December 1985 murder.
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| John Gambino's crew leaders James Failla (L) and Thomas Bilotti (M) with Boss Paul Castellano (1980s) |
Prior to 1986 Gravano and John Gambino not closely associated: "I met John Gambino at weddings, at funerals. I was dealing in the construction business, he was in the construction business. I tried to help him from time to time with unions or get jobs. He did the same with me. He occasionally helped me to get work. Other than that [we] didn't do too much together..His company [G & G Concrete] was a major company, it was part of the [concrete] club, it was one of the companies that represented our Family in this club."
Promotion
After Paul Castellano's murder and John Gotti's election to Boss, committee formed consisting of Gravano, Captain Joseph Corrao and Captain Frank LoCascio. Group to meet with Family captains for purposes of clarifying new administration, laying out policy and allowing new leadership to become familiar with each regime's activities. Group also tasked with delivering news of Gotti's decision to promote John Gambino to Capodecina.
Meeting held at Cotillion Terrace located on 18th Ave in Bensonhurst. Those present in addition to committee members were John Gambino, approximately six to eight made members of the Sicilian crew and unspecified number of associates including Lorenzo Mannino and John's brother Joe Gambino. Majority of those present unknown to Gravano: "The only [made members] I recall was Joe Gambino's father-in-law. I don't recall who the other ones are."
Gambino called into separate room by committee: "We spoke to John Gambino first on the side. We promoted him to the position of capo decine..We told him that this was official from our representante, that he was now capo decine, and he was going to take over this decine that was left abandoned by Paul Castellano..We went inside a bigger room [and] excused everybody who wasn't a friend of ours. I believe John told some of the people, his brother and them, to be excused, they left."
"John Gambino introduced us first as committee to John Gotti, that John Gotti was our new Boss, he introduced us and our positions. We turned around, we introduced them to John as their new capo decine, and whatever they had in life, any problems that they were to see John Gambino first. [Then] we went by some of the same basic rules as when you become a friend of ours, that narcotics wouldn't be allowed. Basically we didn't go through all the rules and regulations. They already knew it. They were friends of ours already, been friends of ours for years, but we told them that John [Gotti] goes along with that same belief that drugs are not allowed, none of the basic rules have changed. Whatever questions they had stay in touch and very close to their new capo decine, Johnny Gambino. He will explain everything that they needed explained..They got up and congratulated him, they got up and kissed him and congratulated him..[Non-made members called back in and] we had a dinner. We ate. We had some wine, we congratulated John in that respect by eating and drinking a little wine. Shortly after we left."
(Note: The rule against narcotics slightly altered by Gotti: "At that point [with] our administration, our position was not to threaten [Family members] with killing them if they were caught dealing narcotics. We told them that our position was not to deal in narcotics, but we never said we would kill them. [We] felt it put too much pressure on people, if they were arrested for narcotics not only did they have to worry about going to jail, but they also had to worry about being killed by their own administration. So we dropped those remarks when we took over, John Gotti and myself, as far as killing them. [Not] that it no longer applied. We just dropped the language that we would kill them."]
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| Gambino meeting with Gravano crew on Stillwell Ave (Sept. 1989) |
Money kicked up by Gambino crew included proceeds from annual Feast of Santa Rosalia as well as twice yearly $3,000 'gifts' to Gotti for birthday and Christmas. Later said to consist mostly of old-timers, the Gambino crew remained obscure even to Family administration; known made members included Pietro Inzerillo and Filippo LNU.
In 1988 Francesco Oliveri murdered as retaliation for death of Giuseppe Gambino, according to Gravano another made member under John Gambino. Synopsis of events surrounding this murder will be covered in a future post.