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| L. Mastrangelo |
Breakdown of suspected members of the crew headed by Gambino Family Captain Louis 'Big Louie' Mastrangelo circa 2011.
Born in 1945 to a father believed to have roots in Foggia, Puglia, Mastrangelo was an on-record Associate of Gambino Soldier Anthony 'Fat Andy' Ruggiano by the 1970s.
Ruggiano was then a Soldier in the crew headed by Carmine 'Charlie Wagner' Fatico (1910-1991).
Both men previously reported to Armand 'Tommy' Rava (1911-c. 1958).
Mastrangelo was later inducted into the Family and by the mid-2000s had been promoted to Captain.
On January 17, 2011 he and several other Gambino members were present at an FBI raid of the Cafe Euro located at 69-44 Cooper Ave in Glendale, Queens.
Agents seized cash, gambling records and at least two other items of interest: an official Government document laying out the Gambino Family's Administration and Captains circa 2002, as well as what appears to be a handwritten list of Mastrangelo's crew members. (The Government report, formatted the same as a Bonanno list from 2014, is nearly identical to a 2002 Gambino chart detailed in a separate post.)
The majority of those named go back to the Rava -> Fatico -> Gotti regimes of the 1950s - 1990s.
Suspected Mastrangelo crew members included:
1.) Ignazio 'Iggy' Alogna (1933-2016)
Born in 1945 to a father believed to have roots in Foggia, Puglia, Mastrangelo was an on-record Associate of Gambino Soldier Anthony 'Fat Andy' Ruggiano by the 1970s.
Ruggiano was then a Soldier in the crew headed by Carmine 'Charlie Wagner' Fatico (1910-1991).
Both men previously reported to Armand 'Tommy' Rava (1911-c. 1958).
Mastrangelo was later inducted into the Family and by the mid-2000s had been promoted to Captain.
On January 17, 2011 he and several other Gambino members were present at an FBI raid of the Cafe Euro located at 69-44 Cooper Ave in Glendale, Queens.
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| Suspected crew list (Jan. 2011) |
The majority of those named go back to the Rava -> Fatico -> Gotti regimes of the 1950s - 1990s.
Suspected Mastrangelo crew members included:
1.) Ignazio 'Iggy' Alogna (1933-2016)
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| I. Alogna |
Born March 1933 in Queens to parents from Trapani, Sicily, Alogna is believed to have been among those inducted in a ceremony held after Underboss Frank DeCicco's funeral in April 1986.
The previous December Alogna was on-scene as backup when Boss Paul Castellano was shot to death in Midtown, Manhattan.
Considered a close associate of Castellano's successor John Gotti; the two were frequently surveilled together at both the Gotti crew's Bergen Hunt and Fish Club in Ozone Park and at the Ravenite Social Club in Little Italy, Manhattan.
During the late 1980s Alogna reported to Gotti's younger brother Gene (1946-) then to older brother Peter (1939-2021), who took over the crew after Gene began serving a fifty-year sentence for narcotics.
Suspected participant in double homicide of social club robbers Thomas and Rosemarie Uva, shot to death inside their car on Christmas Eve 1992.
Around 1993 Gambino Associate Peter Zuccaro taken from Soldier Charles Carneglia and placed on-record with Alogna after a 'drug deal that went bad'. Zuccaro, who operated a lucrative marijuana grow house in Brooklyn, later refused an offer of membership and subsequently became a cooperating witness in 2005.
Alogna was promoted to Captain by the mid-to-late 1990s.
Around the mid-2000s he was demoted for an unsanctioned extortion attempt in Stamford, Connecticut.
Died September 2016.
2.) John 'Johnny Boy' Ambrosio
Born January 1943 in Huntington, Long Island to Neapolitan parents, Ambrosio was involved in gambling activity throughout the area by the 1970s and into the late 1990s.
Frequently surveilled at the Bergen.
The previous December Alogna was on-scene as backup when Boss Paul Castellano was shot to death in Midtown, Manhattan.
Considered a close associate of Castellano's successor John Gotti; the two were frequently surveilled together at both the Gotti crew's Bergen Hunt and Fish Club in Ozone Park and at the Ravenite Social Club in Little Italy, Manhattan.
During the late 1980s Alogna reported to Gotti's younger brother Gene (1946-) then to older brother Peter (1939-2021), who took over the crew after Gene began serving a fifty-year sentence for narcotics.
Suspected participant in double homicide of social club robbers Thomas and Rosemarie Uva, shot to death inside their car on Christmas Eve 1992.
Around 1993 Gambino Associate Peter Zuccaro taken from Soldier Charles Carneglia and placed on-record with Alogna after a 'drug deal that went bad'. Zuccaro, who operated a lucrative marijuana grow house in Brooklyn, later refused an offer of membership and subsequently became a cooperating witness in 2005.
Alogna was promoted to Captain by the mid-to-late 1990s.
Around the mid-2000s he was demoted for an unsanctioned extortion attempt in Stamford, Connecticut.
Died September 2016.
2.) John 'Johnny Boy' Ambrosio
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| J. Ambrosio |
Frequently surveilled at the Bergen.
Made member by the mid-to-late 2000s.
Present at the Cafe Euro raid along with crew leader Mastrangelo and fellow crew member Raffaele DeSantis (below).
Identified as an Acting Captain in the late 2010s, when he pleaded guilty to Federal racketeering conspiracy.
3.) Francesco 'Frankie Martin' Barranca (1928-2013)
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| F. Barranca (1995) |
Long-time member born March 1928 in Brooklyn to a father from Palermo, Sicily.
Active on the Brooklyn docks and by the 1960s reporting to former Rava associate Aniello 'Neil' Dellacroce (1914-1985).
By late 1968 Dellacroce was Carlo Gambino's official Underboss and the crew was given to Michael 'Mike Tali' Caiazzo (1912-1994).
By early 2000s reporting to Salvatore 'Fat Sally' Scala (1943-2008). (From May 2000 Govt chart posted on the forum.)
Died June 2013.
Active on the Brooklyn docks and by the 1960s reporting to former Rava associate Aniello 'Neil' Dellacroce (1914-1985).
By late 1968 Dellacroce was Carlo Gambino's official Underboss and the crew was given to Michael 'Mike Tali' Caiazzo (1912-1994).
By early 2000s reporting to Salvatore 'Fat Sally' Scala (1943-2008). (From May 2000 Govt chart posted on the forum.)
Died June 2013.
4.) 'Fred'
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| A. DeCongilio (2002) |
Likely a reference to Gambino Soldier Alfred' Freddy Hot' DeCongilio (1929-2017).
Born May 1929 to a father from Campania (Naples or Salerno), DeCongilio was a long-time Fatico-Gotti crew associate involved in gambling.
Inducted around 2001 - early 2002 at age 72.
Born May 1929 to a father from Campania (Naples or Salerno), DeCongilio was a long-time Fatico-Gotti crew associate involved in gambling.
Inducted around 2001 - early 2002 at age 72.
CW Anthony Ruggiano Jr. later testified: "[Originally DeCongilio told me that Tony Guerrieri] wanted to propose him when John [Gotti] was the Boss and he told him not to because it was too late. He didn't want no part of it. He said he should have got straightened out years ago at an earlier time [with] Nicky [Corozzo] and Lenny [DiMaria]." (Corozzo and DiMaria were inducted in April 1977.)
Acquitted of Federal racketeering charges in May 2007 and died in August 2017.
5.) Raffaele DeSantis (1938-2012)
5.) Raffaele DeSantis (1938-2012)
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| R. DeSantis (2011) |
Born September 1938, DeSantis was a made member by the mid-2000s.
Little information available on his early affiliations and activities.
Present at the Cafe Euro raid along with crew leader Mastrangelo and fellow crew member John Ambrosio.
Little information available on his early affiliations and activities.
Present at the Cafe Euro raid along with crew leader Mastrangelo and fellow crew member John Ambrosio.
Died early the following year.
6.) Michael 'Mike Brooklyn / Mikey Gal' Guerrieri (1926-2014)
Born 1926 to father from Avellino, Campania (per Ancestry).
Grew up in East New York, Brooklyn and by the late 1950s associated with Gambino Family faction headed by Tommy Rava; younger brother Anthony 'Tony Lee' Guerrieri (1929-1993) was already a made member of the crew.
Inducted after the books opened in the late 1970s. Sponsored by either his brother Tony Lee or Soldier Anthony Ruggiano.
Ruggiano and the Guerrieris were also members of the Fatico-Gotti crew through the 1970s and into the 1990s.
Frequently observed at the Bergen and the Cafe Liberty, both in Ozone Park, as well as the Ravenite in Manhattan.
Primarily involved in bookmaking and other gambling activity in Queens and Long Island.
Another crew member who formerly reported to Salvatore Scala in the early 2000s.
Present at a majority of the Gambino-related wakes from the 2000s where surveillance info is available.
Died September 2014.
7.) Joseph 'Joe the Cat' LaForte (1917-2016)
Born March 1917 in Staten Island to father from Palermo.
By the 1960s heavily involved in gambling activity in that borough.
Sponsored for membership by Underboss Aniello Dellacroce around June 1976.
Promoted to Captain not long after completing a Federal tax sentence in 1979.
In addition to gambling involved in buying and selling property in Staten Island and Manhattan's Little Italy.
Demoted to Soldier by the mid-1980s.
By early 2000s reporting to Salvatore Scala. (Re 2000s Govt chart linked above.)
Died August 2016 at ninety-nine years old.
8.) Richie LNU
Probably a reference to Former Gambino Captain Richard Gotti or his son Richard Gotti Jr., the younger brother and nephew respectively of Former Boss John Gotti.
9.) Gaetano 'Tommy Nap' Napoli (1938-2012)
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| M. Guerrieri (1999) |
Grew up in East New York, Brooklyn and by the late 1950s associated with Gambino Family faction headed by Tommy Rava; younger brother Anthony 'Tony Lee' Guerrieri (1929-1993) was already a made member of the crew.
Inducted after the books opened in the late 1970s. Sponsored by either his brother Tony Lee or Soldier Anthony Ruggiano.
Ruggiano and the Guerrieris were also members of the Fatico-Gotti crew through the 1970s and into the 1990s.
Frequently observed at the Bergen and the Cafe Liberty, both in Ozone Park, as well as the Ravenite in Manhattan.
Primarily involved in bookmaking and other gambling activity in Queens and Long Island.
Another crew member who formerly reported to Salvatore Scala in the early 2000s.
Present at a majority of the Gambino-related wakes from the 2000s where surveillance info is available.
Died September 2014.
7.) Joseph 'Joe the Cat' LaForte (1917-2016)
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| J. LaForte Gang Land News |
By the 1960s heavily involved in gambling activity in that borough.
Sponsored for membership by Underboss Aniello Dellacroce around June 1976.
Promoted to Captain not long after completing a Federal tax sentence in 1979.
In addition to gambling involved in buying and selling property in Staten Island and Manhattan's Little Italy.
Demoted to Soldier by the mid-1980s.
By early 2000s reporting to Salvatore Scala. (Re 2000s Govt chart linked above.)
Died August 2016 at ninety-nine years old.
8.) Richie LNU
Probably a reference to Former Gambino Captain Richard Gotti or his son Richard Gotti Jr., the younger brother and nephew respectively of Former Boss John Gotti.
9.) Gaetano 'Tommy Nap' Napoli (1938-2012)
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| G. Napoli |
Born April 1938 in Villabate comune of Palermo, Napoli was a made member under Dominick Pizzonia by the early 2000s.
During the late 2000s represented Sicilian Mafia affiliate Robert Settineri in a dispute with the Colombo Family.
Napoli and Settineri were both indicted on Federal charges in 2010; Napoli pleaded guilty and died while serving his sentence at the Federal Medical Center in Devens, Massachusetts in September 2012.
10.) Dominick 'Skinny Dom' Pizzonia
During the late 2000s represented Sicilian Mafia affiliate Robert Settineri in a dispute with the Colombo Family.
Napoli and Settineri were both indicted on Federal charges in 2010; Napoli pleaded guilty and died while serving his sentence at the Federal Medical Center in Devens, Massachusetts in September 2012.
10.) Dominick 'Skinny Dom' Pizzonia
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| D. Pizzonia |
Former Captain of most or possibly all of Mastrangelo's suspected crew members.
Born November 1941 to a father from Reggio Calabria, Pizzonia was another Fatico-Gotti crew associate.
He and John Gotti were arrested together as teenagers in August 1959.
Two years later served as Best Man in the wedding of Gotti's older brother Peter.
By the 1970s working in a numbers operation controlled by Michael Guerrieri.
Present when Michael's older brother Anthony aka 'Tony Lee' shot and killed an Unsub in Richmond Hill, Queens. CW Anthony Ruggiano Jr., Fat Andy's son, later testified: "[My father] said he gave the guy a score to do and the guy did the score. And he gave the guy his end and the guy kept coming back asking my father to loan him money and kept on hitting my father up for money. And then one night my father was in this bar on [Atlantic Ave] and the guy came in and he wanted another loan. And my father said he had it with him, and he told 'Skinny Dom' to go get a gun. And him and 'Tony Lee' and 'Skinny Dom' drove the guy down [Atlantic Ave and] when they got to 126th Street, my father got out of the car, made out he was [sick] and the guy came out to help my father and 'Tony Lee' shot the guy."
Around 1979 Ruggiano released Pizzonia and a few dozen other associates to the recently inducted Nicholas Corozzo after a dispute over loanshark proceeds. Ruggiano Jr. later testified: "[My father] released everybody that worked for [the Corozzos] and everyone that just did business with them but didn't actually work for them, stood with my father...Over 40 people [went to Corozzo]...[My father] was brokenhearted. Nicky broke his heart. He was never the same after that." (Anthony Ruggiano died in 1999. His son defected in 2006.)
By the 1980s Pizzonia was a mainstay at the Cafe Liberty in Ozone Park.
Identified in cooperator testimony as an on-scene accomplice in the March 1986 murder of Gambino Soldier 'Big Gus' Sclafani. An undisclosed indiscretion committed by Pizzonia led to Gambino Captain Joseph 'Joe Butch' Corrao lodging a complaint with Boss John Gotti; as a result Pizzonia's induction was temporarily held off.
In late June 1988, again according to CW testimony, Pizzonia acted as the shooter in the murder of Anthony Ruggiano's son-in-law, Gambino Associate Frank Boccia. Boccia was lured to the Cafe Liberty by Anthony Guerrieri and shot by Pizzonia while distracted. Others present reportedly included Soldier Michael Guerrieri and Associate Alfred DeCongilio. Body taken out to sea where gutted and dumped overboard. (Both Pizzonia and DeCongilio were later acquitted of charges related to this murder.)
Pizzonia was inducted along with four others on Christmas Eve 1988.
Four years to the day later, he and Ronald 'Ronnie One-Arm' Trucchio are believed to have acted as the shooters in the Uva murders. (See above)
By late 2001 Pizzonia and Trucchio, both having since been promoted to Captain, were named as part of a three-man committee alongside Captain Thomas 'Tommy Sneakers' Cacciopoli. CW Michael DiLeonardo, a former Gambino Captain who flipped in 2002, later testified: "They were on a special committee to go around to talk to the Captains and Soldiers and make sure all the money is coming into the [Family], sort of shake-the-tree type stuff. There was a new administration in place and they wanted to maximize as much money as they could get out of everybody and they thought maybe guys were lagging [so] they try to shake the tree, go around."
Convicted of Federal charges and in February 2004 released from prison on three years supervised release.
The following year named in a Federal racketeering indictment that included counts involving the Boccia and Uva murders.
In May 2007 convicted on one count racketeering conspiracy and acquitted of other charges, including carrying out the Boccia murder. Co-defendant Alfred DeCongilio acquitted on all counts.
Four months later sentenced to fifteen years Federal imprisonment and released in November 2019.
11.) David 'Little Davie' Rava
Born November 1941 to a father from Reggio Calabria, Pizzonia was another Fatico-Gotti crew associate.
He and John Gotti were arrested together as teenagers in August 1959.
Two years later served as Best Man in the wedding of Gotti's older brother Peter.
By the 1970s working in a numbers operation controlled by Michael Guerrieri.
Present when Michael's older brother Anthony aka 'Tony Lee' shot and killed an Unsub in Richmond Hill, Queens. CW Anthony Ruggiano Jr., Fat Andy's son, later testified: "[My father] said he gave the guy a score to do and the guy did the score. And he gave the guy his end and the guy kept coming back asking my father to loan him money and kept on hitting my father up for money. And then one night my father was in this bar on [Atlantic Ave] and the guy came in and he wanted another loan. And my father said he had it with him, and he told 'Skinny Dom' to go get a gun. And him and 'Tony Lee' and 'Skinny Dom' drove the guy down [Atlantic Ave and] when they got to 126th Street, my father got out of the car, made out he was [sick] and the guy came out to help my father and 'Tony Lee' shot the guy."
Around 1979 Ruggiano released Pizzonia and a few dozen other associates to the recently inducted Nicholas Corozzo after a dispute over loanshark proceeds. Ruggiano Jr. later testified: "[My father] released everybody that worked for [the Corozzos] and everyone that just did business with them but didn't actually work for them, stood with my father...Over 40 people [went to Corozzo]...[My father] was brokenhearted. Nicky broke his heart. He was never the same after that." (Anthony Ruggiano died in 1999. His son defected in 2006.)
By the 1980s Pizzonia was a mainstay at the Cafe Liberty in Ozone Park.
Identified in cooperator testimony as an on-scene accomplice in the March 1986 murder of Gambino Soldier 'Big Gus' Sclafani. An undisclosed indiscretion committed by Pizzonia led to Gambino Captain Joseph 'Joe Butch' Corrao lodging a complaint with Boss John Gotti; as a result Pizzonia's induction was temporarily held off.
In late June 1988, again according to CW testimony, Pizzonia acted as the shooter in the murder of Anthony Ruggiano's son-in-law, Gambino Associate Frank Boccia. Boccia was lured to the Cafe Liberty by Anthony Guerrieri and shot by Pizzonia while distracted. Others present reportedly included Soldier Michael Guerrieri and Associate Alfred DeCongilio. Body taken out to sea where gutted and dumped overboard. (Both Pizzonia and DeCongilio were later acquitted of charges related to this murder.)
Pizzonia was inducted along with four others on Christmas Eve 1988.
Four years to the day later, he and Ronald 'Ronnie One-Arm' Trucchio are believed to have acted as the shooters in the Uva murders. (See above)
By late 2001 Pizzonia and Trucchio, both having since been promoted to Captain, were named as part of a three-man committee alongside Captain Thomas 'Tommy Sneakers' Cacciopoli. CW Michael DiLeonardo, a former Gambino Captain who flipped in 2002, later testified: "They were on a special committee to go around to talk to the Captains and Soldiers and make sure all the money is coming into the [Family], sort of shake-the-tree type stuff. There was a new administration in place and they wanted to maximize as much money as they could get out of everybody and they thought maybe guys were lagging [so] they try to shake the tree, go around."
Convicted of Federal charges and in February 2004 released from prison on three years supervised release.
The following year named in a Federal racketeering indictment that included counts involving the Boccia and Uva murders.
In May 2007 convicted on one count racketeering conspiracy and acquitted of other charges, including carrying out the Boccia murder. Co-defendant Alfred DeCongilio acquitted on all counts.
Four months later sentenced to fifteen years Federal imprisonment and released in November 2019.
11.) David 'Little Davie' Rava
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| D. Rava (2007) |
Born July 1933 in Brooklyn.
Father Armand 'Tommy' Rava, from Casalnuovo di Napoli comune of Naples, Campania, was an influential Gambino Captain who disappeared not long after Family Boss Albert Anastasia's murder in the late 1950s.
Tommy Rava's crew included Anthony Ruggiano and Carmine Fatico, both mentioned above.
An FBI member source in the Gambinos clarified that David was not a member as of the late 1960s.
By 2004 he was a made member and serving as Acting Captain for Dominick 'Skinny Dom' Pizzonia.
Father Armand 'Tommy' Rava, from Casalnuovo di Napoli comune of Naples, Campania, was an influential Gambino Captain who disappeared not long after Family Boss Albert Anastasia's murder in the late 1950s.
Tommy Rava's crew included Anthony Ruggiano and Carmine Fatico, both mentioned above.
An FBI member source in the Gambinos clarified that David was not a member as of the late 1960s.
By 2004 he was a made member and serving as Acting Captain for Dominick 'Skinny Dom' Pizzonia.
Within days of the Cafe Euro raid Mastrangelo and many others were indicted on Federal racketeering charges.
He entered a guilty plea in February 2012 and was released in January 2014.
More Gambino Family posts can be found in the Index.