Francesco Oliveri Murder (Gambino)

F. Oliveri

Francesco Oliveri was murdered by members and associates of the Gambino Family in May 1988.

Born March 17, 1932 in Torretta comune of Palermo, Sicily to Rosario and Francesca Gambino.

By 1988 immigrated to the US and lived with his family, including two sons, in ground-floor apartment at 41-15 35th Ave in Astoria, Queens.

Francesco worked at Ronzoni macaroni factory located down the block from his residence.

One of his sons was partners with an FNU DiMaria in a local barbershop.

Neighbors of the Oliveris included relative Giuseppe Gambino, a made member in the Gambino Family's Sicilian crew then headed by John Gambino (1940-2017).

G. Gambino Murder

In the early morning hours of February 22, 1988 Giuseppe Gambino was found severely beaten outside the 35th Ave apartment building. $1,600 cash and jewelry still on person. Taken to Elmhurst Hospital where pronounced dead.

At the hospital Gambino's wife, in the company of several relatives including Gambino's cousin Filippo Badalamenti, interviewed by NYPD. She claimed that the large amount of cash found in her husband's possession was intended to pay their mortgage

Questioned about a possible motive, the wife reported that the victim had recently been accused of slashing the tires of an Alfa Romeo belonging to one of Francesco Oliveri's sons. (The auto with its flat tires can actually be seen in photos taken at the scene of Gambino's beating.)

The NYPD officer who interviewed her later testified that she also talked of 'marital problems' leading up to the murder: "[Wife] said [sister] married one of the members of the Oliveri family in Italy and that they are having troubles there, which led to bad feeling here on both sides'."

Two days later Giuseppe's brother John Gambino (not to be confused with the Gambino Captain) was interviewed. He also claimed the murder resulted from the tire slashing and stated there were three participants in the fatal beating, namely Francesco Oliveri and his two sons.

Canvassing of the neighborhood also revealed that the year prior to Gambino's murder, the Oliveris had caught another individual flattening tires and assaulted him, resulting in one of the Oliveri son's being arrested.

G. Gambino Wake + Permission to Retaliate

J. Gotti (1989)

By February 1988 John Gotti was Boss of the Gambino Family. Frank 'Frankie Loc' LoCascio and Salvatore 'Sammy Bull' Gravano served as Acting Underboss and official Consigliere respectively.

Gotti's headquarters at the time was the Ravenite Social Club located on Mulberry St in Manhattan's Little Italy.

J. Gambino

John Gambino, appointed Captain a few months after Gotti took over the Family, typically reported to the Boss at the Ravenite a few times a month.

It was at the club that Gambino brought Giuseppe Gambino's murder to the Family's attention.

S. Gravano

Salvatore Gravano, who became a cooperating witness in 1991, later testified: "We were down at the Ravenite Social Club, Johnny Gambino who is a Captain in our family, came down and told us that his cousin, Giuseppe Gambino [who] was a made member in his crew, was killed and that he was going to go to the [wake] and would we attend the [wake]."

Wake held February 26 at Quinn Funeral Home located at 350-20 Broadway in Astoria. Attendees included Gambino Boss John Gotti, Acting Underboss Frank LoCascio, Consigliere Salvatore Gravano, Captains Joseph 'Joe Butch' Corrao, Jack D'Amico, James 'Jimmy Brown' Failla, John Gambino and Louis 'Big Lou' Vallario as well as Gambino Soldier Peter Gotti.

At the wake John Gambino approached Gotti, Gravano and others. Gravano: "He told us that Giuseppe Gambino was savagely beaten to death. He asked permission to investigate the death, and to retaliate. [Gotti said to] investigate it. Retaliate. Get back to us."

On March 2 Gambino reported at the Ravenite. Gravano: "Johnny Gambino and them found out who did the murder. It was Oliveri and his sons. John [Gotti] gave them permission to retaliate and take them out, kill them...[This] Oliveri and his two sons -- there was an argument or a fight, he said that the entire neighborhood knew what had happened and that they did it and that he was going to retaliate."

On April 14 Gambino returned and asked for assistance with the hit. Gravano: "Some time went by, a couple of weeks, four, five weeks went by, and [John Gambino] came back in to John Gotti and he told John Gotti that he was obviously handicapped [from a stroke], he had his brother and Lorenzo and he asked the boss for help from the family."

Hit Team

Gravano was tasked with supervising the murder and also served as a backup shooter.

Gravano:
"

...[John Gotti] called me on the side, spoke with me, told me the situation, and I had answered John Gotti. He [Gambino] had the manpower. He had the people. Let him do it. John Gotti said he had his reasons that he wanted to get involved. He told me to go on the hit, take it over, supervise it, make sure it gets done. He wanted me to use Bobby Cabert as the shooter. He specifically said he wanted him to be the shooter. He said [Cabert] was a ballsy guy, for me to report back his actions.

[Gotti] told me that Joe Gambino and Lorenzo were already on it, had a wealth of information about it, at this time there was a guy named Ossie [Stantini] who was an associate of our family. He was a proposed person to become a made member, he was close with Frankie DeCicco, who was very close with me.

After Frankie died, I knew Frankie's wishes were for [Stantini] to become a made member in the family. I thought this would be a good opportunity to use him as far as going on the work as well. I told John, if I needed Ossie, could I take Ossie with me. He thought the idea was a good idea and he said take control of it and do exactly what you have to do to get it done.

[Later on a different day] I met with everyone. I met with Joe Gambino and Lorenzo. I met with Bobby Cabert. I sent for Ossie when I was back in Brooklyn...I was with [Bisaccia] down in the Ravenite Club. I believe John already spoke with him. I told him that he was going to go on a piece of work, which he was aware of. I told him not to tell his captain. It was to be held just between us. That [it] was on record with [Gotti]. I told Ossie the same thing, that he was about to go on a piece of work with the family, not to tell Georgie DeCicco.

...[Joe Gambino and Lorenzo] had put together that Oliveri lived in an apartment house in Astoria, Queens. He worked in a macaroni factory. He parked his car in front of the building, and came out early in the morning and moved it. He walked from the macaroni factory after work. They told me that his sons owned a haircutting shop in that area, and they just seemed to have all information on the father and the two sons...I suggested that we go out there and look at everything and take a dry run.

"

R. Bisaccia

Designated shooter Robert 'Bobby Cabert' Bisaccia (1935-2008) was Acting Captain of Michael Mandaglio's crew in New Jersey.

Joe Gambino (L) and L. Mannino

John Gambino's brother Giuseppe aka 'Joe' Gambino (1946-) and Lorenzo Mannino (1958-), Associates in John's crew, were to serve as drivers and, in Mannino's case, spotter.

O. Stantini
Gang Land News

Gambino Associate Orazio 'Ozzie' Stantini (1945-2017) was to be a backup shooter.

April 19 - Dry Run

The dry run for the murder was carried out Tuesday, April 19.

FGA Foods Inc.

Govt Photo

At 6:00 that morning Lorenzo Mannino placed a call to FGA Foods, Inc. owned by Filippo Badalamenti and his brother Giovan Battista.

A residence linked to the Badalamentis located on 43rd St a couple of blocks from Oliveri's building would be used to switch cars before and after the murder.

Oliveri Apt Building
Victim was shot on May 3 after exiting black door

Around 9 or 10 a.m. the five members of the hit team, unarmed, arrived at the scene in a single vehicle.

Gravano: "We went out to the area. We got there about nine, ten o'clock. We saw the building where he lived. Approximately where he parked his car. It was not there. It was already moved. We looked at the entire neighborhood. If we did it there, how to getaway, what blocks to take, where there were lights, which streets to take, where to park, where to set up."

Barbershop (Arrow) and Florist
Govt Photo

"

From there we walked to the haircutting place. We parked the car. We walked in the neighborhood. We walked down the block of the haircutting place. It was just opening. There was a florist...I told the team to continue walking. I walked into the haircutting place. There was two young Italian guys in there. I believe [Oliveri's] sons. I asked them where the [florist] was. They told me there was one down the block. I walked out. I caught up to them down the block. I told them that [I] would have been able to kill the two on them right in the shop, right then and there.

At that time Lorenzo and Joe Gambino told us they weren't 100 percent sure about the kids on the murder of [Giuseppe Gambino] but they were 100 percent sure of the father. We turned our attentions to the father, back to the father, and the [apartment] building. We went there. We set up on it, and when we had the man down pat. We left to come back the following week to do it.

"

At 12:31 PM Lorenzo Mannino placed a call to Captain John Gambino's company G & G Concrete.

April 21

Mannino placed multiple calls to G & G Concrete.

Several calls also made from G & G Concrete's mobile number, used by John's brother Joe Gambino, to Safe Auto Sales operated by FNU Manfredi. Manfredi later testified that he often provided cars off the books to the Gambino brothers.

Additional calls placed that evening to John Gambino's residence.

April 22

John Gambino, his brother Joe and Lorenzo Mannino surveilled meeting with Boss John Gotti at the latter's Bergen Hunt and Fish Club in Ozone Park, Queens.

April 26 - First Attempt

The night before (Apr. 25) the group convened at the Ravenite Social Club and was recorded by FBI video surveillance going on a twenty-five minute walk and talk outside the club. Gravano later testified: "We went through it again briefly. We left off that Bobby and Ossie would pick me up from the house in the morning. We would go in to Brooklyn. Meet Lorenzo and Joe, which we did. They had the guns, the walkie-talkies, the stolen cars. We went to Astoria, Queens." (Govt noted this was the only time these particular individuals were surveilled meeting together as a group.)

Guns, cars and possibly walkie-talkies provided by Joe Gambino and Lorenzo. Gravano: "Joe Gambino and Lorenzo, it was their hit. We were just assisting in it."

The group arrived at the scene earlier than their dry run the previous week but still 'left slightly late' and failed to catch Oliveri outside the building. It was decided to try again the next week.

Same night Gravano touched base on the hit with John Gotti at the Ravenite.

April 28

Lorenzo Mannino called FGA Deli, then a couple of hours later placed a call to John Gambino. (This was the second of only two calls Mannino made to the deli during this period.)

May 2

At approximately 12:30 p.m. Joe Gambino called Safe Auto Sales. Two minutes later he placed a call to Caffe Giardino, a Sicilian crew hangout on 18th Ave in Bensonhurst.

From 1:12 to 1:50 p.m. Joe Gambino and Lorenzo Mannino met at the cafe. Bug inside establishment recorded pair having conversation in Italian. Topics included the need to obtain a car from Safe Auto's FNU Manfredi.

Translated excerpt:
"

Mannino: We have to go to Manfredi with Dino. We have to pick up the car.

...

Mannino: Yeah, yeah, I know, but Joe, we got to bring the car there tonight.

...

Mannino: Anyway, Joe, it's simple. Tonight, when I see them, I'll say, go get the car. All right...We'll meet tomorrow. That's all. The good one, I'll look for someone and he'll bring it tonight. It's just that I didn't want to see who it is.

"

From approximately 6 to 7 p.m. some members of the hit team present at the Ravenite. Gravano: "[Joe Gambino] came down to the Ravenite. Bobby was there. We really didn't have a meeting, but it was -- we took a walk-talk with John Gotti, with Joe Gambino and myself, he gave some messages from his brother with the company, with G & G [Concrete]. We [just] touched very, very briefly, John [Gotti], that we were going again."

May 3 - Oliveri Murder

Around 1:20 AM Joe Gambino and Lorenzo Mannino in contact by phone.

Around 4:52 AM Mannino called residence of one Gaetano Gallo located on E 7th St in Brooklyn. (This was the only logged call Mannino made to this address.)

Around this time one of the cars used in Oliveri's murder was stolen off the same street.

Later that morning Salvatore Gravano picked up at his Staten Island residence by Bisaccia and Stantini. According to Gravano, Stantini directed Bisaccia who 'didn't know the Staten Island area that well'.

Trio drove to apartment / stashhouse maintained by Sicilian crew located around 21st Ave in Bensonhurst.

Gravano:
"

Ossie and Bobby picked me up at my house, went in to Brooklyn. We met Joe Gambino, Lorenzo. Me, Bobby, and Lorenzo got into a legitimate car, drove -- Joe Gambino drove one of the stolen cars and Ossie drove the other stolen car, it was really -- it was dark. We drove to Astoria, Queens.

...[Near Badalamenti address on 43rd St in Astoria] me and Lorenzo got into one of the stolen cars. And the other three, Ossie, Bobby and Joe Gambino got in the other stolen car. Joe was the driver. Bobby was sitting up front and Ossie was sitting in the back.

"

Oliveri Apt Building
Bisaccia auto was parked where white car present (No. 1)
Oliveri shot and fell against tree (2)
Gravano and Mannino parked in vicinity 41st and 35th (3)
Gravano: "[If] in any way he would have saw this or been able to get away or run down here, he runs right into me."

"

...We came to the spot, the car was still there, it was not moved yet. We got into position. We had the walkie-talkies. They had one, I had one. We were all armed. We all knew what had to be done. Some time passed, it became lighter. People were going to work. I remember a police car had passed. Shortly after that Lorenzo told me that Oliveri had just came out of the building. He had on tan clothing. He had on a pea cap. He was walking toward the car.

I got on the walkie-talkie and told them to move. I watched the area. I watched Oliveri walking toward the car. I put the walkie-talkie down. I took my gun out to get ready. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Bobby Cabert running over to him, he shot him once.

Oliveri saw what was going on. Bobby slipped, shot him a few more times. He went back into the car. The car came shooting around the corner. [We] came right up bumper to bumper on it. They made a quick left where we were supposed to go. We went down a few blocks, we pulled over, we got out of the stolen cars. We got into a legitimate car, and we left and headed back to Brooklyn.

We got back to Brooklyn, we went to [21st Ave apartment]. Bobby washed up. We dropped the weapons off, the walkie-talkies off and everything else off. I told them to get rid of the weapons and to tell Johnny Gambino what happened and not to come down to Ravenite. I told Bobby not to come down Ravenite, and not to tell Mike Mandaglio. I told Ossie not to come down to the Ravenite and not to tell [George] DeCicco. We will [get back with] them.

And I was dropped off at my office. I took a shower in my office and changed my clothes, and I stayed in my office the balance of the day.

"

Also testified re shooting: "He got hit when he got his first shot. He fell down and landed and hung right on to the bottom branches of this tree." (See above)

Escape route used by hit team
Group took a left on 43rd St and drove a couple blocks north to vicinity of Badalamenti address where abandoned stolen cars and entered switch car

Around 10:25 a.m. one of the stolen cars used in the murder was recovered where the team left it. (As defense attorneys would later point out, only one of the two cars claimed to have been used in the murder was recovered.)

From 10:10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. multiple calls placed by Joe Gambino and Lorenzo Mannino to John Gambino's residence and business, as well as to NYU Medical Center where John was undergoing physical therapy.

A couple of hours later Joe Gambino called Safe Auto Sales, then placed another call to his brother John.

That night Gravano met with Gotti at the Ravenite:
"

I talked to him in the Ravenite slightly. I had an eye contact with him, I told him that -- I believe I said that the problem was solved. He says I think we should watch the news. It was on television, on the news.

Before or after, I'm not a hundred percent sure, I took a very, very short walk-talk with John Gotti. I reported to him that everybody did exactly what they were told, what they were supposed to do. They were all good men, acted that way, Bobby was very, very efficient in what he did. Lorenzo, who sat next to me, was calm and cool. I was reporting how they conducted themselves according to our lifestyle, how we would be interested. They all conducted themselves well.

We talked very, very limited about it. We went on to further conversations before we even got back. We got back and there was basically no conversation about it other than the fact that I had told John Gotti they weren't a hundred percent sure that the kids were involved, I didn't want to participate with the murder with the kids. We -- he was going to tell Johnny Gambino that we felt it was up to him if we were even, if he wanted to continue and take the kids out he would have to do that with his crew alone without me and without further help. It was open to his decision. I don't believe the kids were ever taken out, and it ended that way.

"

Gravano told Gotti that Bisaccia acted like a 'man's man' and Stantini 'performed well'.

Aftermath - Inductions + Promotions

Both Stantini and Joe Gambino were made into the Gambino Family within a few months. Gravano was present but couldn't remember when exactly the inductions took place. He also didn't clarify whether the two were made together or in separate ceremonies, only that others not named were made with Gambino.

J. Corrao

Following induction Stantini was transferred from George DeCicco to Gambino Captain Joseph Corrao's crew. Gravano: "When [Stantini] was proposed John Gotti didn't want to beef up Georgie DeCicco's crew, he had a dislike for Georgie DeCicco. We talked about it, I says, this should not hold back Orazio. We came to a plan. I had told John Gotti, I said, use the excuse that you want to beef up Joe Butch's crew, take him out of Georgie's crew. That was a good plan as far as John was concerned. That is what we did." (Stantini began showing up at the Ravenite with Corrao instead of DeCicco around August 1988.)

Bisaccia remained Michael Mandaglio's Acting Captain and took over the NJ crew officially after the latter's death in 1990.

Re Lorenzo Mannino Gravano testified:
"

[John Gambino] proposed the two of them [Mannino and Joe Gambino] at the same time. When we made a list to make people we told him that we were going to give his decine just one slot at that particular time, and we were going to make fellows in different decines, and at that point he recommended his brother to be first, and at a further date Lorenzo would be made.

...[Lorenzo] was on the list to be made. He wasn't made because he got arrested and he never got the opportunity, but he was proposed to become a made member in our family. Just didn't happen.

"

(Mannino was inducted after his release from Federal prison in 2004.)

Trials

In November 1991 Salvatore Gravano, now the Family's official Underboss, became a cooperating witness.

His testimony helped secure the life sentences given to Boss John Gotti and Acting Consigliere Frank LoCascio in June 1992.

In April 1993 he provided testimony against the Gambino brothers and Lorenzo Mannino.

The defense noted that during prior testimony about the Oliveri murder, Gravano had omitted Stantini's involvement, and continued to do so until a few months after John Gotti's conviction in 1992.

Gravano: "It was sometime while I was in prison, an FBI agent [called] me in prison and asked me if Ozzi knew [anything] about the homicide...I told him I would think about it. I hung up. I immediately remembered that I forgot that this guy was involved. I got in touch with the [prosecutor and] told him at that time that Ozzi was on the hit...It was something I remembered [when I] was asked a question if he knew about the homicide. He jogged my memory, I remembered it, I called up the U.S. Attorney and told him I forgot. The guy is a low-key guy. I don't know how I did it but I did, I completely forgot it."

The case ended in a hung jury on most counts including those related to the Oliveri murder. Early the following year all three pleaded guilty to the charges.

In November 1993 Gravano testified against Bisaccia and Stantini. Both convicted and given heavy sentences; Bisaccia died behind bars in 2008 and Stantini a few months after being released in 2017.

John Gambino remained an influential Captain and around early 2008 was named as part of a Family ruling panel. He also died in 2017.

Joe Gambino was released from Federal prison in October 2005 and in recent years was identified by Lucchese Soldier turned Cooperating Witness John Pennisi as a Family Captain.

Lorenzo Mannino was inducted after his release in November 2004 and has more recently been reported as part of the Family's administration.

More Gambino Family posts can be found in the Index.