That is from the FBI vault. Gravano was drafted into the United States Army in 1964. Mob boss Toddo Aurello had a visitor waiting for him. Joe Colucci was going to die. on: function(evt, cb) { Stymie was family to us. I didnt hear the first shot. The Mafia had been in Bensonhurst for a long time; several wiseguys hung around a bar that Sammy and his father frequently walked by. That restaurant was the one used in The Irishman (it's where Sheeran meets Bufalino). The feds had Gotti's headquarters bugged and had him on tape discussing hits, his people and his organization. Gravanos first choice to become boss after Castellanos murder was Frank DeCicco, but DeCicco felt John Gottis ego was too big to take a subservient role. On this particular Sunday, we were cruising around Todt Hill, an upscale community on the southern end of Staten Island, filled with homes owned by doctors, lawyers, and "businessmen.". Ever since Carlo Gambino appointed Castellano as new boss instead of the more streetwise Dellacroce the Gambino Family has been divided. Even if I wasnt directly behind him, I felt invisible. He got a second life. Scarpa for maybe one of the few times was regretful, at least outwardly. At school Gravano had enormous trouble with reading and learning the material, it later turned out that he was dyslexic but in those days there was no knowledge about the problem. Ill tell you something else: Im a fuckin pro. Johnson was shot while walking to his car to go to work in front of his house in May 1988. [8] In exchange for a promise to be designated co-leaders of the Gambino family after the assassinations, Failla and Marino provided intelligence and tipped off the plotters to the planned meeting in Bensonhurst. . Whenever a meeting with him was arranged, DiBono never appeared. [2] Castellano had a particular interest in the construction business. In 1970, Sammy The Bull made his first kill for the Colombo family. It's now posted here under its own thread, titled, "Gambino Capo - Toddo Aurello", Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli: The Epic Story of the Making of The Godfather. Not long after this, Gravano became the familys consigliere and his old crew was taken over by Louis Big Lou Vallario. Eventually, one of the reasons for Gottis killing Castellano was to save his brother and Ruggiero. The average age of an Aurello family member is 79. Im too detached maybe. Not suspecting the plot against him, Castellano invited DeCicco to a meeting on December 16, 1985 with fellow capos Thomas Gambino, James Failla, and Danny Marino at Sparks Steak House in Manhattan. He was ready to start an all out war with the Colombos, who at first attempted to stop Sammy from killing the guy. He was frustrated by what he felt was a snub and began branching out on his own, distancing himself from Sammy and crew. As Louie and Nino carried the conversation, Roys attention seemed elsewhere. Castellano knew this but didn't care and chose to ignore it. Currently, Gravano resides in Phoenix and is working on several media projects. [1] After assuring Mormando of his safety, Gravano told him to pick up Joseph Paruta on his way. Somewhere around that time Gambino soldier Alfred Santantonio became an informant but he was NY 3864-C-TE. These people came to my farm in Jersey. [1] Mormandos corpse was then disposed of in a vacant lot, where it was discovered the next day. Aurello's story is written, and almost fully designed. Sammy is despised by everyone on both sides of the law, for the same reason: he double crossed them. I knew my father had served in the army during the Vietnam War because I'd seen his dog tags. It wasn't until I was twelve years old that I knew for certain that my father was a gangster. Sammy told the entire Colombo hierarchy that when he found Stymies killer, he would kill him and whoever was with him on the spot. Against All Odds: Oscar Goodman and the Jimmy Chagra Murder Trial, Drug trafficker Peter Shue on coke vs. heroin, doing 21 years, Suge, Alpo, Keith Sweat, Madonna & Mike Tyson, Inside Italy's biggest Mafia trial in decades. You fucking cocksucker, I thought. The plotters reportedly used a car bomb for the attack in order to divert suspicion. Salvatore (Toddo) Aurello, sometimes spelled Avarello, was an extremely low key guy. After Sammy cooperated, Eddie joined Thomas Carbonaro in plotting his murder, but was unsuccessful due to Sammys arrest in 2000. [7] Castellanos driver, Thomas Bilotti, pulled the car up directly in front of the entrance. In his book Gravano details the hit: "As that Beatles song played, I became a killer. My mother would walk me to school every day. The life story of iconic Gambino Family consigliere Joseph N. Gallo. Get Push Notifications and stay up-to-date with Mafia Scene. I know Toddo was involved in the murder of Rava but that's it. MafiaHitters.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. They have a very dominant position in the New York andNew Jersey underworld. [1] In any event, DiBernardos death proved profitable for Gravano, as he took over the deceased mans control of Teamsters Local 282. And so did Dori LaForte. Their prison terms will be concurrent -- served at the same time -- as whatever sentences they ultimately receive for their crimes in Arizona. Over the years, there was nothing I couldn't ask of him. Carlo Gambino was arguably the most powerful boss of the Five New York Crime Families. Rava was one tough dude, he was so adored by Dellacroce that Neil named his son after him the same way Sammy Bull named his son after Gerard Papa. Obviously, I didn't know that Toddo was Salvatore "Toddo" Aurello, a capo in the Gambino crime family, and my father's boss and mentor in the mob. James "Jimmy the Duke" Basile. Zappi was involved in many mob rackets including labor unions, rib joints, drive-in movie theaters, and more. A long period of stability and prosperity would be enjoyed by this Family for the next 18 years until Gambino's death in 1975. Gravano described the experience thusly: As that Beatles song played, I became a killer. Well be the power behind the throne. His underlings had mixed feelings about their boss, he was smart and ran the Family in a good way but he wasn't a gangster and he didn't show any respect for his soldiers who did the work. Roy was a Gambino Family captain who was a suspect in over 200 murders. Gotti ordered Gravano to go on the lam to avoid arrest so that if Gotti was arrested, Gravano could run the family while on the run himself. Gravano knew if DeMeo was exaggerating it wasnt by much. When I was six, I found a gun in my parents' bedroom in our apartment on Sixty-first Street in Bensonhurst. Around this time, Gravano opened an afterhours club in Bensonhurst. Nicholas Scibetta. } Aurello was the son of the late Salvatore (Toddo) Aurello, a cagy Brooklyn capo who sponsored Gravano and his son to be made men. BothUpper and Lower Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx supported a large group ofPalermo-bred and Palermo-orientedmafiosi. Through deep-dive biographies and snapshots of mobsters to in-depth stories about mafia regimes and crews, youll uncover an underworld you might never have known existed maybe even in your own hometown! By and large only those in the local underworld knew him, or knew of him. /r/Mafia features stories, interviews, documentary and news articles about organized crime around the world. 2013-2023 Mafia Scene All Rights Reserved. And so Sammy The Bull was born. After Gravano removed Simones shoes, Milito shot Simone in the back of the head, killing him. Paul Agresta was a Connecticut-based Gambino soldier who had been a formally inducted member of the "Honored Society" before coming Thomas (Tommy the Enforcer Altamura moved his bookmaking and shylock operations for the Gambino Family to Miami before meeting an Toddo Aurello was a low-key Gambino Family capo involved in a notorious underworld event and a mentor to Sammy Gravano. Sammy and his captain Toddo Aurello arranged for a sit down with Scarpa and his captain. Inmates claimed Gravano bragged about killing many more than 19 people. Ferrara isn't cited a lot on this sub, but by all accounts he was . My teacher overheard me and went directly to my mother. At this point, Nicky had multiple things working against him. Two days after the party, Gravano accepted a $1,000,000 offer from Fiala to buy the establishment, which Gravano had only valued at $200,000. That was the last straw for Sammy. In January 1990 Gotti went to trial for ordering an assault on carpenters union boss John OConnor. Well give [Gotti] a shot. 15. r/Mafia 26 days ago. Gravanos robbery spree impressed Aurello, who proposed him for membership in the Gambino family. Sammy could sense that if he had pressed the issue, Scarpa might have a serious problem even in his own family. ); Life was good for a drugselling rat, but then the bubble burst. After he was read the riot act, Milito returned to Gravanos crew, only to badmouth his old friends choice of Vallario as captain after Gravanos promotion. In March 1980, longtime Philadelphia boss, Angelo Bruno, was assassinated by his consigliere, Antonio Caponigro, without authorization from The Commission. Gravanos construction and other business interests soon earned him a reputation as a good earner within the Gambino organization and made him a multi-millionaire, enabling him to build a large estate for his family in rural Ocean County, New Jersey. He has been on the run for 30 yrs for the murders of Prosecutors Giovani Falcone and Paolo Borsellino. Anthony Carubia was a little-known Gambino member who loved living life on the edge, especially when it came to gambling William (Willy the Creep) Conforte was a New Haven, Connecticut based hoodlum who was one of the State's most prolific Vincent (Jimmy the Blond) Corrao earned big money for the Gambino Family with his narcotics and gambling rackets. [1], The attack was orchestrated by Genovese boss Vincent Gigante, with the backing of Lucchese leaders Vittorio Vic Amuso and Anthony Gaspipe Casso. I pointed the gun at the back of his head. Gravano eventually became embroiled in a dispute with business partner Louie DiBono, who was also a member of another Gambino crew. By and large only those in the local underworld knew him, or knew of him. Sammy knew about many of DeMeos victims including Frank Amato, who was dating Paul Castellanos daughter until he fell out with Big Paul. It was Sunday and Dad had us all packed into the car for an afternoon of house hunting. Ironically, Gravanos downfall was due to informers among his own associates. Gravano and his family lived on 78th street in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn, New York. Profile below posted in 2001 Sammy The Bull Gravano has gone down in Mafia history as the biggest rat ever to walk the streets of New York. 60. It was a joke, what was going on. Castellano had been given the details of what Fiala had done, but he was still livid that Gravano had not come to him for permission to kill Fiala first. [1], The Genoveses made good on their veiled threat in April 1986, when DeCicco was killed by a car bomb outside of Castellanos former social club in Bensonhurst, then operated by Gambino capo James Failla. With DeCicco dead, the Gambinos were left without an underboss. Average Age & Life Expectancy Salvatore Aurello lived 4 years longer than the average Aurello family member when he died at the age of 83. The Colombos relented and Greg had his son Greg Jr. kill the man. If it dont work within a year, me and you, well kill him. He started driving Sammy around after his father was killed in a Brooklyn bar. Im not meeting you in Montana on some fuckin farm. They would pleasantly surprise him by praising him for not attempting the hit under the circumstances. However, by the time he was 13, he had joined the Rampers, a prominent gang in the area. In June, Gravano was approached by Ruggiero and, supposedly at Gottis behest, given orders to murder capo Robert DiBernardo for making negative remarks about Gottis leadership. Too unpredictable and highly volatile. [1] Milito stood over the body and fired a shot into each of Fialas eyes as Fialas entourage and the crowd of people on the street dispersed, screaming. They discussed the incident with Sammy expressing that he didn't appreciate Scarpa damaging his business. Gravano appeared at his drug trial missing hair on his head and eyebrows and appeared to have lost a good amount of weight. 60 Gravano chose the army thinking he wouldn't be drafted. [1] He was a childhood friend of Colombo crime family associate Gerard Pappa.[1]. They told him they would have laughed if Sammy tried because theyd know he was a jerkoff. Shortly after the failed hit, Sammy had a falling out with one of Shorty Speros family members. The interesting thing is finding agent records as things were happening. Gotti was recognized as the Gambino familys boss and a member of The Commission by each of the other Five Families, including the Genovese family, whose approval for the hit on Castellano had been deliberately bypassed by Gotti and his co-conspirators. I'd have to wait to learn this angle of the business. They would come into conflict with an accomplished mafioso from Lower Manhattan named Giuseppe (Joe the Boss) Masseria. I didnt hear the first shot. Just call Louie up and tell him to hang himself. I was going to kill him because he was plotting to kill me. I told John why didnt Pat simplify everything. Scores of other mobsters went to prison because of Gravano's testimony and he was granted a sweet deal. Guys would be playing cards and drinking coffee. forms: { Lived at 185 West Houston Street. I dont. // ]]>, Report an Issue | [1] Gravano arranged a meeting with DiBernardo where Joe Paruta, a member of Gravanos crew, shot DiBernardo twice in the back of the head as the underboss watched. "I shot a second time in the same spot. A group of mobsters who were watching from a cafe when he confronted the thieves remarked how little Sammy fought like a bull while taking on several larger kids at once, earning him the nickname The Bull. An older version of Toddo attended Carlo Gambino's funeral in 1976. Days before the murder, Frankie told Sammy: Sammy, Ill tell you what. Kuklinskis claims have been highly questioned as Gravano himself was an accomplished hitman and would therefore have no reason to hire Kuklinski to kill someone his crew was perfectly capable of killing. I know the mother, the wife. He requested a mercy killing; however, he died of lung cancer before this could happen. He became a made member of the Gambino family in 1994. spiders. Salvatore (Little Toddo) Avarello died in 1998. Salvatore Gravano was born in 1945 to Giorlando (Gerry) and Caterina (Kay) Gravano. Toddo Aurello was a low-key Gambino Family capo involved in a notorious underworld event and a mentor to Sammy Gravano. Castellano was going to have Gene Gotti and Ruggiero killed if it turned out they had dealt heroin. He seems to be holding little, if anything back. Gravano had nothing to do with the murder but a guy he knew had tied him to it and so Gravano was indicted. Also Paul used Sammy to eliminate Johnny Keys Simone in 1980. Gravano hid out in various places on the east coast for two weeks before being ordered to return for a meeting at the Ravenite Social club in Little Italy. With Gottis permission, Gravano set up the murders of Tommy Spero and several other Gambino associates. Michael Franzese and his wife, youngest daughter and son-in-law. "Go say hello to Uncle Toddo," he'd instruct, pushing me in the old man's direction. "Wow," I said. Even then, I knew not to ask any questions. Gravanos specific position within the family varied during 1986 and 1987. [10] Lynda said Gravano gave her $5,000 and cut all ties to her. [2] Castellano was flabbergasted when he learned the crutch-ridden Gravano personally took part in the hit.[2]. Gravano was represented by Gerald Shargel and acquitted at trial. Gotti and Gravano arrived at the restaurant shortly before 5 oclock and, after circling the block, parked their car across the intersection and within view of the entrance. Sammy later said, Louie Milito was a friend of mine, A friend of ours, but there came a time when Louie, who had helped me in a few hits, had to be hit himself. Anthony (Tony . He owned nightclubs and always stayed out late. This was around the time that Sammy and John Gotti killed Paul Castellano. He sat down in Sammys chair, smirking at the two men. It's now posted here under its own thread, titled, "Gambino Capo - Toddo Aurello", Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli: The Epic Story of the Making of The Godfather. Gravano then became a part of the Gambino family in order to avoid conflict with Colombo mobster Ralph Spero. So keep your peepers peeled, ok folks. He was released from prison in 1994 and entered into the Federal Witness Protection Program. He just told me not to talk about it anymore. After Aurellos death, the crew was controlled by Frank DeCicco, and Gravano was made the point-man in the all-powerful Teamsters Local 282 rackets, working closely with successive union bosses John Cody and Robert Sasso (both of whom would be sent to prison for labor racketeering). You going to blow me away now? But the feds had one more case up their sleeve. In 1976, the Mafias membership books were finally reopened and Gravano was one of the first to be sworn in.[2]. Then, as Gotti grew increasingly impatient, Conte explained that the problem now was trying to corner DiBono again. Link to Mikey Scars YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWgheRxK2j4aq_SrGPCZHOg/featuredRJ Roger sits with Michael DiLeonardo, known in The Life as \"Mikey Scars,\" to discuss Jimmy Calandra, Toddo Aurella, Jimmy Brown Failla, Paulie Zac, Jerry D'Aquila, Salvatore \"Toto\" D'Aquila, and more. So keep your peepers peeled, ok folks. Despite his fathers attempts to dissuade him, Sammy, like many of his Ramper colleagues, drifted into the Mafia. Johnson would never be allowed to participate in mob matters again, however. In the aftermath of the Fiala murder, Gravano continued to focus on his construction business, branching out into the lucrative concrete paving industry. Roy responded by telling him how he was fantasizing about how quickly he could kill everyone in the restaurant. A bullet in the head is pretty quick. [1] Gravano attempted to pull DeCicco from the wreckage but realized it was no use when he saw various body parts scattered about. Gravano did not approve of the drug use and demoted Nicky from the crew. I felt the rage inside me. The crew was originally led by Armand Rava. The Rampers was a gang that did burglaries and stole cars. Castellano was against anyone in the Family dealing narcotics. Gravanos murder of Colucci won him the respect and approval of Persico. Salvatore DAquila was the first recognized boss of what is now called the Gambino Family, leading a large Palermitani faction in New York City as they emigrated. Sammy was close to Paul and Im sure their mural interest in construction was a big part of it. They discussed the incident with Sammy expressing that he didnt appreciate Scarpa damaging his business. Richard Warner Book: https://www.amazon.com/Informer-History-American-Enforcement-Alternative-ebook/dp/B07YNT9V4V/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3G5BNUCPLZ5H7&keywords=rich. Milito was called to a meeting to discuss the murder of a Gambino associate. Everything went in slow motion. Gravano was at the club at the time and was blown off his feet by the blast. Stymie was gunned down at Talis, a bar that my father and Stymie owned together. According to Gravano, he was initially livid at the news and threatened to kill Castellano, but DeCicco eventually convinced him opposition would be futile and Gravano acquiesced to the murder. ago. Both of his parents were honest hard working Americans but Gravano was going in a different direction. The mafia had a longstanding presence in the Bensonhurst neighborhood. This meant an automatic death penalty. On February 24, 2003, New Jersey state prosecutors announced they would pursue murder charges against Gravano for allegedly ordering the hit by notorious killer Richard Kuklinski on decorated NYPD detective Peter Calabro on the night of March 14, 1980. At this point, while Gotti was actually out of prison for a few years, Gravano was named official consigliere and Frank Locascio named acting underboss of the family this was around 86 87. He made a phone call to his cousin Eddie The Chink Garofalo that lured him to his death at the hands of Sammys top hitmen Joey DAngelo and Frank Fappiano. If you wanted to be succesful in crime you needed to be with a different group: the Mafia. Roy DeMeo was someone he knew not to get into any kind of conflict with. The next day, I bragged to my friends at school, telling them my father had a gun under the bed because he was in the army. You go like that! If it happens, fuck it. Gravano had told Halpern he was deathly afraid of going to prison. Equal in his toughness, was his loyalty to Gambino. Wow, what a story. DeCicco and Gravano, however, also made a secret pact to kill Gotti and take over the family as boss and underboss, respectively, if they were unhappy with Gottis leadership after one year. He continued to assert his physical presence through violence as he grew up, and his parents were forced to sign him out of school when he was 16 years old. By February 2000, Sammy had re-engaged in criminal activity and he was convicted of possession and distribution of MDMA in October 2002. Sammy also opens up about his dealings with some of the most notorious mobsters ever like Roy DeMeo, Greg Scarpa and Tommy Karate Pitera. Gigante boss of the Genoveses was a friend of Castellano and didn't like the new boss. In conversation with DeCicco, both men voiced concern that Castellano would designate his nephew, Thomas Gambino, acting boss and his driver, Thomas Bilotti, underboss in the event he was convicted and sent to prison. The Family would also prosper under Castellano for another decade until John Gotti shot his way to power with Castellanos infamous gangland hit! My compliments. His Capo Aurello proposed him for membership and around 1975 Gravano became a made guy in the Gambino Crime Family. Ruggiero claimed to have met again with Gotti and told Gravano that the boss wanted DiBernardo killed right away. A long period of stability and prosperity would be enjoyed by this Family for the next 18 years until Gambinos death in 1975. [2] Looking down at Bilottis body from the passenger window, Gravano remarked, Hes gone.[7]. He is known as the man who helped bring down John Gotti, the familys boss, by agreeing to become a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) informant and turn states evidence.