WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:12.039 Mm hmmmmmmmmm. New York City's mafia an organization of brutal 2 00:00:12.160 --> 00:00:18.199 gangs to gain wealth and power. Members strong armed businesses 3 00:00:18.640 --> 00:00:25.679 and kill anyone in their room. John Gotti was one 4 00:00:25.679 --> 00:00:30.079 of organized crime's fiercest members. He wanted to rule New 5 00:00:30.160 --> 00:00:34.479 York City had to stop. 6 00:01:08.079 --> 00:01:11.959 John Gardy was ambitious, powerful and ruthless. He rude with 7 00:01:12.079 --> 00:01:16.400 flash and conspicuous style, playing celebrity with the media and 8 00:01:16.480 --> 00:01:19.760 cat and mouse with the FBI. They called John Guardy 9 00:01:19.799 --> 00:01:26.560 the Teflon Dawn, serious Chargers, just wooden stick. I'm Jim Calstrom, 10 00:01:27.000 --> 00:01:30.560 former director of the FBI's New York office. When John 11 00:01:30.599 --> 00:01:34.359 Gardy came to power in nineteen eighty five, organized crime 12 00:01:34.480 --> 00:01:38.959 still had its tentacles, spread into many legitimate businesses. Like 13 00:01:39.000 --> 00:01:42.200 a game of chess. Crime bosses were well insulated by 14 00:01:42.280 --> 00:01:46.680 layers of pawns. The FBI's job was to penetrate their 15 00:01:46.680 --> 00:01:48.719 defenses and capture the king. 16 00:01:55.920 --> 00:02:00.239 New York is the home of organized crime in America. 17 00:02:01.079 --> 00:02:04.959 Through intimidation, terror and murder, the five families that make 18 00:02:05.079 --> 00:02:09.439 up New York's mafia have corrupted labor unions, won extortion rackets, 19 00:02:09.479 --> 00:02:16.879 and infiltrated almost every major industry in the city. Disputes 20 00:02:16.919 --> 00:02:20.120 among the crime families often irrupt over who controls which 21 00:02:20.240 --> 00:02:27.039 union or what industry. These disputes are inevitably and violently resolved. 22 00:02:28.719 --> 00:02:32.159 By the nineteen seventies, the Gambino Family had emerged as 23 00:02:32.199 --> 00:02:35.120 the most violent and the most powerful crime family in 24 00:02:35.120 --> 00:02:39.039 the nation. As that decade came to an end, the 25 00:02:39.120 --> 00:02:42.439 FBI decided it was time to stop the mafia's reign 26 00:02:42.479 --> 00:02:46.840 of terror. The bureau's New York office set up five 27 00:02:46.879 --> 00:02:50.520 squads assigned to investigate and bring down each criminal family. 28 00:02:51.960 --> 00:02:55.120 Special Agent Bruce Mao was assigned to supervise the squad 29 00:02:55.199 --> 00:02:57.800 responsible for bringing down the Gambino Family. 30 00:03:00.319 --> 00:03:02.759 That we really weren't addressing organized crime here in New York, 31 00:03:03.319 --> 00:03:07.840 and so they formed a squads targeting particular crime family 32 00:03:07.960 --> 00:03:09.879 and try to address the organized crime probably here in 33 00:03:09.960 --> 00:03:12.159 New York. So in nineteen eighty we formed the squad 34 00:03:12.199 --> 00:03:15.439 and our target was to put the Gambino Family in jail. 35 00:03:19.199 --> 00:03:22.000 The main targets of Mao's investigation were the leaders of 36 00:03:22.039 --> 00:03:27.479 the Gambino Family, the boss Paul Castellano and his underboss 37 00:03:27.520 --> 00:03:31.479 Neil de la Prochi. Castellano assumed leadership of the family 38 00:03:31.479 --> 00:03:35.360 in nineteen seventy six, when Carlos Gambino, the namesake of 39 00:03:35.360 --> 00:03:41.560 the family, died of natural callus. The FBI were also 40 00:03:41.599 --> 00:03:45.240 targeting the most powerful captains in the family, like John Gotti. 41 00:03:46.960 --> 00:03:50.280 The captains controlled crews of soldiers who carried out the 42 00:03:50.360 --> 00:03:55.159 day to day criminal activity for the family. Castellano's crews 43 00:03:55.199 --> 00:03:58.759 would commit the actual crimes, but Castellano himself did not. 44 00:04:00.280 --> 00:04:05.039 Catching him seemed impossible, as the FBI soon learned the 45 00:04:05.240 --> 00:04:10.159 entire hierarchy of the Gambino family was well insulated. The 46 00:04:10.240 --> 00:04:13.680 family army consisted of over fifty captains who controlled over 47 00:04:13.759 --> 00:04:20.040 three hundred soldiers. It was a large and impenetrable secret society, 48 00:04:20.680 --> 00:04:24.519 accessible to outsiders only through the lenses of surveillance families, 49 00:04:26.120 --> 00:04:30.040 but federal racketeering legislation was passed that made ordering criminal 50 00:04:30.040 --> 00:04:33.240 acts as much of a crime as committing the crime itself. 51 00:04:34.519 --> 00:04:38.279 In order to successfully prosecute the hierarchy of the Gambino family, 52 00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:42.240 the FBI had to secretly get them on tape discussing 53 00:04:42.279 --> 00:04:50.199 their criminal enterprise. Now and his team would have to patiently, 54 00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:53.319 methodically work their way into the intricate structure of the 55 00:04:53.319 --> 00:04:58.839 Gambino family. It would take years to accomplish that good 56 00:05:02.399 --> 00:05:07.439 but in account especially, agents tried to learn more by 57 00:05:07.480 --> 00:05:10.959 speaking to residents in the neighborhoods where mob activity was prevalent. 58 00:05:16.240 --> 00:05:18.160 To sure, not yeah, but take a look. You might 59 00:05:18.199 --> 00:05:20.879 recognize one of these guys. Take a look, take a 60 00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:25.040 good look. Take your talking. Few people were willing to talk. 61 00:05:26.319 --> 00:05:29.040 Only those on the inside could tell agents who were 62 00:05:29.079 --> 00:05:33.399 the real power bulkers of the family. Cooperating witnesses and 63 00:05:33.480 --> 00:05:39.079 informants had to be developed. Betraying the mafia meant certain death. 64 00:05:39.839 --> 00:05:46.439 Informants would be difficult to come by, but some were 65 00:05:46.480 --> 00:05:50.279 willing to take the risk. Most were low level criminals 66 00:05:50.279 --> 00:05:53.319 cutting deals with the government to avoid prosecution and long 67 00:05:53.399 --> 00:05:59.480 prison sentences. Whatever their motivation, they gave agents something they 68 00:05:59.519 --> 00:06:03.560 did not have before, a backdoor into the Gambino family's 69 00:06:03.639 --> 00:06:10.639 criminal operations. Castellano ran the family like a major corporation. 70 00:06:14.959 --> 00:06:18.319 Nicknamed within the mafia as the Pope. He used unions 71 00:06:18.360 --> 00:06:21.240 to strengthen his grip on various industries in New York. 72 00:06:26.800 --> 00:06:30.040 Lewis Schilllero, head of the FBI's New York office, is 73 00:06:30.120 --> 00:06:31.759 an expert on organized crime. 74 00:06:33.120 --> 00:06:36.759 One of the most influential things that the Gambino family 75 00:06:36.800 --> 00:06:38.879 did was the control of the labor unions in New 76 00:06:38.920 --> 00:06:42.240 York City. They exerted at one time tremendous influence in 77 00:06:42.319 --> 00:06:45.480 terms of the long Shawman's Union, in terms of construction 78 00:06:45.600 --> 00:06:49.360 industry trade unions, in terms of the teamsters and trucking. 79 00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:52.040 By controlling the trade unions in New York City, the 80 00:06:52.079 --> 00:06:56.040 Gambino family was able to control construction and certainly had 81 00:06:56.079 --> 00:06:58.720 a great influence in the garment center, and that generated 82 00:06:58.839 --> 00:07:02.160 tremendous on a financial base to the family. 83 00:07:04.160 --> 00:07:06.920 Castellano knew how to keep his interests under control. 84 00:07:07.680 --> 00:07:11.399 Castellano also realized how important it was to rule by 85 00:07:11.439 --> 00:07:13.680 fear and terror, so he had several enforcement arms of 86 00:07:13.680 --> 00:07:16.680 the family. He had a credo that was famous for 87 00:07:17.680 --> 00:07:21.600 killing people, dis memboring bodies, and even sorts of horrid things. 88 00:07:22.120 --> 00:07:24.439 So even though Castellana was known as the Bitessman's don, 89 00:07:25.160 --> 00:07:26.800 he was a tough guy. He had a hair trigger 90 00:07:26.839 --> 00:07:29.720 and temper, and he killed at the drop of a hat. 91 00:07:30.639 --> 00:07:35.040 Getting to Castellano directly would be very difficult. His home 92 00:07:35.079 --> 00:07:38.800 in Staten Island was a fortress under constant supervision by 93 00:07:38.920 --> 00:07:44.959 armed guards. He had also installed a sophisticated alarm system. 94 00:07:45.160 --> 00:07:48.000 Then he told him that agents had no solid evidence 95 00:07:48.040 --> 00:07:51.319 to suggest that Castellano conducted criminal business in his home. 96 00:07:54.279 --> 00:07:57.600 Without such proof, a court would never authorize an FBI 97 00:07:57.759 --> 00:08:00.600 bug or a phone wire tap in so the home 98 00:08:03.920 --> 00:08:08.120 agents hit the streets. They hoped to find one weak 99 00:08:08.199 --> 00:08:11.480 link to exploit, one person in the family who made 100 00:08:11.519 --> 00:08:17.920 himself vulnerable to electronic surveillance. They learned through informants about 101 00:08:17.920 --> 00:08:21.439 a Gambino family crew headed by John Gotti that operated 102 00:08:21.480 --> 00:08:25.639 in preams headquartered in a private social club called the 103 00:08:25.680 --> 00:08:29.199 Bergen Hunt and Fish Club. A few of the FBI's 104 00:08:29.279 --> 00:08:32.559 well placed informants were close to one of Gotti's lieutenants, 105 00:08:33.039 --> 00:08:41.960 a man named Angelo Eugerio. Though known on the streets, 106 00:08:41.960 --> 00:08:45.480 it's the most vicious gang in the Gambino family. Agents 107 00:08:45.519 --> 00:08:49.039 believed they found their weak link in Gotti's career. 108 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:51.879 And the reason we did was he had lieutenant named 109 00:08:51.879 --> 00:08:55.360 Angel Ujerio who ran the day day operations for God 110 00:08:55.399 --> 00:08:58.720 and his crew. And Angelo is an attractive target because 111 00:08:58.799 --> 00:09:01.720 number one, he's very active, could uh involved a lot 112 00:09:01.759 --> 00:09:04.200 of criminal activity. Number Two, he had a big mouth, 113 00:09:04.879 --> 00:09:06.440 He talked a lot he was a gossip and a 114 00:09:06.480 --> 00:09:07.120 blabber mouth. 115 00:09:13.120 --> 00:09:17.399 Now quickly established surveillance teams to identify, record, and log 116 00:09:17.679 --> 00:09:32.679 every person who entered the Bergen Club. Agents learned that 117 00:09:32.799 --> 00:09:35.279 John Gotti and his crew made money for the family, 118 00:09:35.399 --> 00:09:53.759 primarily through hijacking, car thefts, extortion, and illegal gambling operations. 119 00:09:56.279 --> 00:10:00.240 Informants told agents that Rugerio sometimes discussed family business on 120 00:10:00.240 --> 00:10:04.360 his daughter's phone. He believed the line listed in her 121 00:10:04.440 --> 00:10:15.559 name to be free of FBI buds. Permission to wiretap 122 00:10:15.720 --> 00:10:21.360 private telephone is granted sparingly. Agents must convince a federal 123 00:10:21.480 --> 00:10:24.840 judge that the target is engaged in criminal activities and 124 00:10:24.919 --> 00:10:29.480 that the wiretap is likely to produce more evidence. If 125 00:10:29.519 --> 00:10:33.080 conversations are not of a criminal nature, the wiretap must 126 00:10:33.080 --> 00:10:40.240 be turned off. The informant statements were enough to convince 127 00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:43.759 a federal judge in late nineteen eighty one that Ruggerio's 128 00:10:43.840 --> 00:10:51.120 daughter's phone should be tapped. Mao's squad had found a 129 00:10:51.159 --> 00:11:04.759 way to infiltrate the Gambino founder. The wiretapping of Rugerio's 130 00:11:04.759 --> 00:11:07.639 phone proved to be one of the most successful wiretaps 131 00:11:07.639 --> 00:11:15.519 in FBI history. The conversations overheard by the FBI were damning, 132 00:11:17.120 --> 00:11:19.879 but agents learned that Ruggerio also held meetings in his 133 00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:24.960 home with Gambino members. Maw and his squad had enough 134 00:11:24.960 --> 00:11:33.000 evidence to justify placing a microphone in Ruggerio's home. Agents 135 00:11:33.039 --> 00:11:36.480 slipped in, installed the bugs in his dining room, and 136 00:11:36.639 --> 00:11:50.600 left without a trace. The success of the mafia has 137 00:11:50.639 --> 00:11:53.600 always been its ability to stay one step ahead of 138 00:11:53.679 --> 00:11:57.480 law enforcement. What Maw and his squad did not know 139 00:11:58.120 --> 00:12:00.480 was that a high ranking police officer was on the 140 00:12:00.519 --> 00:12:05.559 Gambino payroll. Though the mole didn't know specific details, he 141 00:12:05.679 --> 00:12:10.320 leaked information to family members about ongoing investigations and electronic 142 00:12:10.399 --> 00:12:19.879 surveillance operations. Angelo Ruggerio became paranoid that his house was bugged. 143 00:12:23.080 --> 00:12:29.360 He searched the house himself but found nothing. Unconvinced, he 144 00:12:29.440 --> 00:12:32.200 called in a professional to conduct a thorough search or 145 00:12:32.279 --> 00:12:48.279 sweep for bugs. Yeah, I need someone to come sweep 146 00:12:48.320 --> 00:12:51.720 my house please. Ruggerio ordered the sweep on the tap telephone. 147 00:12:53.799 --> 00:12:56.600 When the FBI heard the conversation, they knew they had 148 00:12:56.639 --> 00:13:03.159 a crisis. Twenty three by Richmond Street got a probably. 149 00:13:04.600 --> 00:13:07.559 The phone tap inside the home was immediately turned off 150 00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:12.679 to avoid detection. If discovered, it would destroy weeks of 151 00:13:12.720 --> 00:13:16.279 diligent work and send the squad back to square one. 152 00:13:16.759 --> 00:13:22.080 And there were no targets as talking as Lugerio. The 153 00:13:25.200 --> 00:13:29.919 sweeper arrived with the most sophisticated electronic detection equipment available. Yes, 154 00:13:36.360 --> 00:13:39.840 after two days of searching the house top to bottom, 155 00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:45.799 he was ready to report his findings to Ruggerio. Two 156 00:13:45.919 --> 00:13:49.679 days after Ruggerio's house was searched for bugs, agents arrested 157 00:13:49.679 --> 00:13:53.600 the man who conducted the sweep of his house. What 158 00:13:53.720 --> 00:13:59.240 they learned was indeed shocking. He charged Lugerio thousands of 159 00:13:59.279 --> 00:14:02.879 dollars for his services, but none of his detection equipment worked. 160 00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:11.360 He had swindled the mob. Fortunately, he had told Ruggerio 161 00:14:11.440 --> 00:14:14.919 his house was cleaned. It was a lucky break for 162 00:14:14.960 --> 00:14:19.399 the FBI. Not only had their bugs not been discovered, 163 00:14:19.759 --> 00:14:23.200 but now Ruggerio felt confident to speak freely in his house, 164 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:31.639 and he did so with abandon right into the FBI microphones. Slowly, 165 00:14:31.759 --> 00:14:35.600 the FBI was getting closer to the Gambino family hierarchy. 166 00:14:37.000 --> 00:14:43.320 To agents, the conversations were a gold mine. As Ruggerio 167 00:14:43.399 --> 00:14:46.080 met with his Mob partners, the FBI learned of a 168 00:14:46.120 --> 00:14:50.960 major heroin trafficking operation conducted by Ruggerio and John Gotti's 169 00:14:51.039 --> 00:14:56.919 younger brother, Eugene. Over a six month period, Angelo and 170 00:14:56.960 --> 00:15:00.320 Eugene Gotti had distributed over fifty kilos of hair Carolyn 171 00:15:00.399 --> 00:15:06.039 and New York alone. The FBI had every last detail 172 00:15:06.080 --> 00:15:10.240 on tape. There was a mafia rule in effect that 173 00:15:10.399 --> 00:15:15.919 dealing drugs was strictly prohibited. The punishment for getting caught 174 00:15:16.200 --> 00:15:23.240 was execution, no appeal, no trial. Rugerio did not have 175 00:15:23.279 --> 00:15:34.799 the boss's permission to deal drugs, and he knew the consequences. 176 00:15:34.840 --> 00:15:35.519 A year. 177 00:15:37.240 --> 00:15:39.440 They shown no restres unli. 178 00:15:43.519 --> 00:15:46.480 The government felt it had a strong case against Grugerio 179 00:15:46.519 --> 00:15:51.200 and Eugene got in September of nineteen eighty three, they 180 00:15:51.240 --> 00:15:54.759 were charged with running a major heroine distribution network and 181 00:15:54.879 --> 00:15:59.440 obstruction of justice. Though all of those indicted were part 182 00:15:59.480 --> 00:16:02.639 of John Gotti's crew, his name was not mentioned in 183 00:16:02.679 --> 00:16:08.279 the tape conversations, But with the indictment, Castellano would soon 184 00:16:08.399 --> 00:16:12.960 find out that Gotti's men were doing jazz. Learning of 185 00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:16.399 the heroine operation, however, was not the only valuable piece 186 00:16:16.440 --> 00:16:22.519 of information learned by agents. Just prior to his heroin indictment, 187 00:16:22.879 --> 00:16:26.080 Ruggierio would meet with other soldiers and discuss how he 188 00:16:26.120 --> 00:16:29.120 and John Gotti would go to Paul Costellano's house every 189 00:16:29.159 --> 00:16:30.919 Sunday for a family meeting. 190 00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:33.759 And then Agil give him a blow by blow what 191 00:16:33.799 --> 00:16:36.679 happened in Paul's house the pope. The Pope dot that 192 00:16:36.759 --> 00:16:38.559 he's mad at this guy. Everything's on the family, we 193 00:16:38.600 --> 00:16:41.679 found out through Angela's big mouth. And then next day 194 00:16:41.720 --> 00:16:44.000 other soldiers come over, of course Angela to reconstruct what 195 00:16:44.039 --> 00:16:46.360 happened again, so we found everything was happening in the 196 00:16:46.399 --> 00:16:50.519 Gambino family thanks to agrew Rgerio, John Gotti and Paul Castellano. 197 00:16:51.600 --> 00:16:55.440 Based on the Ruggerio wire, agents now had probable cause 198 00:16:55.519 --> 00:17:04.359 to bug the house of Gambino boss Paul Castellano. Getting 199 00:17:04.359 --> 00:17:11.200 into Castellano's house took detailed planning and methodical execution. Agents 200 00:17:11.319 --> 00:17:14.000 managed to get inside the house and place the bugs. 201 00:17:16.440 --> 00:17:20.400 Soon after, they began taping conversations that directly implicated Paul 202 00:17:20.440 --> 00:17:23.839 Castellano as the boss of the Gambino family, the man 203 00:17:23.880 --> 00:17:27.880 who oversaw a multitude of illegal records that cost taxpayers 204 00:17:27.920 --> 00:17:33.519 millions of dollars each year. Castellano would meet with his 205 00:17:33.599 --> 00:17:39.200 most trusted captains to discuss business. The FBI identified one 206 00:17:39.200 --> 00:17:50.319 of those captains as Sammy the Bull Gravana. As his 207 00:17:50.400 --> 00:17:54.680 nickname implied, the Bull was both strong and aggressive. He 208 00:17:54.799 --> 00:18:00.359 was a boxer and a bodybuilding He was also the 209 00:18:00.480 --> 00:18:05.680 family's top and force him. Ravano generated his money for 210 00:18:05.759 --> 00:18:12.079 the family in the construction industry. He was adept at 211 00:18:12.079 --> 00:18:16.079 a number of criminal activities, but his most notorious skill 212 00:18:16.759 --> 00:18:26.880 was murder. As the FBI continued to investigate powerful captains 213 00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:29.359 in the family like John Gotti and Sammy de Bull, 214 00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:36.039 their sights remained focused on the boss. In nineteen eighty five, 215 00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:40.319 two years after Ruggieria was indicted, Paul Castellano was arrested 216 00:18:40.559 --> 00:18:43.720 and charged, along with other New York Family bosses, with 217 00:18:43.920 --> 00:18:49.200 dozens of federal racketeering and conspiracy violations. Out on bail, 218 00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:52.960 Castellano continued to run the family, though his attention seemed 219 00:18:53.000 --> 00:18:55.839 focused on how to beat the government's case against him. 220 00:18:58.200 --> 00:19:02.359 John Gotti was also facing his own legal troubles. An 221 00:19:02.359 --> 00:19:06.400 independent investigation led by the US Attorney's Office ended with 222 00:19:06.519 --> 00:19:11.079 Gotti and his mentor under boss, Neil Delacroci, being charged 223 00:19:11.119 --> 00:19:16.240 with several counts of racketeering. Delacroci and Gotti were released 224 00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:25.759 on bail, allowing them to continue their criminal operations. Months later, 225 00:19:25.799 --> 00:19:30.680 DELACROCEI lay dying of cancer. The FBI had bugged his beggary. 226 00:19:32.240 --> 00:19:37.920 Gotti and Ruggerio visited, and the FBI was listening. They 227 00:19:37.960 --> 00:19:41.440 recorded Gotti talking about his fears that Castellano might kill 228 00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:45.240 him and Ruggierio forgetting caught on tape discussing their drug 229 00:19:45.279 --> 00:19:50.400 dealings and for leading the FBI to Castellano's house. The 230 00:19:50.519 --> 00:19:56.359 Boss wanted to hear the FBI tapes. Delacroci promised Gotti 231 00:19:56.400 --> 00:20:00.480 that he would do anything in his power to protect him. 232 00:20:00.559 --> 00:20:03.240 Delacroce's loyalty to God. He was causing a rift in 233 00:20:03.279 --> 00:20:08.079 the family. He was stalling the boss reluctant to turn 234 00:20:08.079 --> 00:20:13.839 the tapes over to Castellano. The Gambino family was splitting 235 00:20:13.880 --> 00:20:25.400 in two. Then, in early December of nineteen eighty five, 236 00:20:25.960 --> 00:20:30.359 Neil Dellacroce, the Gambino family second in command, died of 237 00:20:30.440 --> 00:20:38.960 cancer in his home. On December sixteenth, two weeks after 238 00:20:39.000 --> 00:20:43.960 Delacroce's death, Castellano and his new underboss, Tommy Bellao, pulled 239 00:20:44.039 --> 00:20:47.400 up to a fashionable steakhouse in Midtown Manhattan to meet 240 00:20:47.480 --> 00:20:51.880 some associates for denning. As they started to exit the car, 241 00:20:52.039 --> 00:21:11.039 several men approached them and began firing the Castellano and 242 00:21:11.079 --> 00:21:15.400 Bellotti never knew what hit, though they were killed instantly. 243 00:21:18.519 --> 00:21:21.519 When the boss of the family is assassinated, the FBI 244 00:21:21.599 --> 00:21:24.880 believes that the person responsible is usually the one who 245 00:21:24.920 --> 00:21:29.440 steps up and as scenes leadership of the family. It 246 00:21:29.519 --> 00:21:32.119 was mafia tradition to pay tribute to a new boss 247 00:21:32.119 --> 00:21:37.440 to show him respect. Two weeks after the murder, agents 248 00:21:37.480 --> 00:21:41.119 watched a parade of high level Gambino Family members enter 249 00:21:41.200 --> 00:21:46.200 the Bergen Hunt and Fish Globe. They were meeting with 250 00:21:46.359 --> 00:21:54.440 John Guide. Agent Mow and his squad would have to 251 00:21:54.480 --> 00:22:00.279 restructure their attack on the Gambino hierarchy John Gotti, the 252 00:22:00.359 --> 00:22:05.240 new boss of the family. Agents pieced together his criminal 253 00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:11.680 history and traced his rise to power. John Gotti became 254 00:22:11.720 --> 00:22:16.920 a Gambino Family associate around nineteen seventy. He impressed the 255 00:22:16.960 --> 00:22:20.240 boss in nineteen seventy three by killing a man who 256 00:22:20.240 --> 00:22:25.960 had kidnapped and murdered a relative of Carlos Gambino. Gotti 257 00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:28.480 served two years for the hit before he was paroled. 258 00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:32.480 Upon his release, and quickly gained respect within the family. 259 00:22:33.799 --> 00:22:35.680 He began to make a great deal of money for 260 00:22:35.720 --> 00:22:45.079 the family through loan shocking and gambling operations in his neighborhood. 261 00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:48.240 He became a hero of sorts, throwing huge Fourth of 262 00:22:48.319 --> 00:22:55.920 July parties every year, complete with firepos. Special Agent George 263 00:22:55.960 --> 00:22:58.960 Gabriel was assigned to Mauth Squad in nineteen eighty five. 264 00:23:00.720 --> 00:23:03.160 He quickly became an expert on John Gotti. 265 00:23:04.279 --> 00:23:05.960 He took care of if there were old ladies that 266 00:23:06.000 --> 00:23:08.160 were in need, If he had money in his pocket, 267 00:23:08.359 --> 00:23:11.440 he'd give it out. He was in some respects a 268 00:23:11.519 --> 00:23:16.079 robin hood in his neighborhood, and that's how he carried himself. 269 00:23:16.880 --> 00:23:17.480 But how did he. 270 00:23:17.480 --> 00:23:18.200 Make that money? 271 00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:23.279 By killing, by robbing, by manipulating, by bribing, by controlling 272 00:23:23.480 --> 00:23:26.799 rackets that he didn't have a right to control. And 273 00:23:26.839 --> 00:23:29.480 that's aside. When he didn't like you, when you fell 274 00:23:29.480 --> 00:23:32.519 on the wrong side of John, you died. I mean 275 00:23:32.559 --> 00:23:33.640 there was no mercy. 276 00:23:33.759 --> 00:23:34.319 You died. 277 00:23:34.759 --> 00:23:36.039 There was no two ways about it. 278 00:23:36.880 --> 00:23:40.279 Got he was now the Kingney. He found himself in 279 00:23:40.319 --> 00:23:43.720 command of a multi million dollar crime network made up 280 00:23:43.759 --> 00:23:47.000 of scams he did not know existed. He had a 281 00:23:47.039 --> 00:23:51.400 lot to learn with their bugs and surveillance. Special Agent 282 00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:54.640 Gabriel and the rest of the FBI squad learned right 283 00:23:54.680 --> 00:23:55.839 along with him. 284 00:23:56.200 --> 00:23:58.960 John Gotti took over that family. He had to learn 285 00:23:58.960 --> 00:24:01.880 what the rackets were, and as he's learning them, we're 286 00:24:01.960 --> 00:24:06.279 learning them. Who's got what industries, who's collecting from what unions. 287 00:24:07.319 --> 00:24:09.839 He's asking captains to give him a list of all 288 00:24:09.880 --> 00:24:12.880 the soldiers in there and their crews, so he could 289 00:24:12.960 --> 00:24:18.240 know who he's got in his family and how many. 290 00:24:17.200 --> 00:24:22.079 Got He was the boss, but he still had legal troubles. 291 00:24:22.119 --> 00:24:24.599 Six months after becoming the head of the family, he 292 00:24:24.720 --> 00:24:27.319 was sent to jail to await trial on loan sharking 293 00:24:27.359 --> 00:24:32.720 and gambling chargers. Jail didn't slow him down, though. From 294 00:24:32.759 --> 00:24:37.240 his sell god, he ordered a murder. It was against 295 00:24:37.319 --> 00:24:40.319 Robert de Bernardo, who had been a close associate of Godi. 296 00:24:44.519 --> 00:24:48.079 De Bernardo's assassination was set up by Angelo Ruggierio, who 297 00:24:48.119 --> 00:24:51.160 was still awaiting trial for his nineteen eighty three drug indit. 298 00:24:53.400 --> 00:24:55.319 Angel's one of the few guys who's got access to 299 00:24:55.400 --> 00:24:58.839 John in jail and tells him that Robert de Bernardo 300 00:24:59.400 --> 00:25:04.000 is talking subversive behind John's back, the Boss's back. He's 301 00:25:04.039 --> 00:25:06.119 saying that John isn't fit as the boss and we 302 00:25:06.119 --> 00:25:10.000 should appoint somebody else's the boss. Angela wants is done 303 00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:12.440 because Angela owns Robert de Bernardo a lot of money 304 00:25:12.480 --> 00:25:15.359 and he doesn't want to pay him back. It was 305 00:25:15.400 --> 00:25:16.079 going over some. 306 00:25:16.039 --> 00:25:21.640 Of these contracts here, this public heality contract on God 307 00:25:21.640 --> 00:25:24.880 his behalf Luggerio asked Sammi the Bull Gravano to set 308 00:25:24.920 --> 00:25:27.480 up the hit. Did you want some coffee? Yeah, it'd 309 00:25:27.480 --> 00:25:32.640 be great. On June fifth, nineteen eighty six, de Bernardo 310 00:25:32.720 --> 00:25:38.039 showed up for a meeting at Gravano's construction office. Everyone 311 00:25:38.119 --> 00:25:42.799 greeted him as usual. De Bernardo must have suspected nothing. 312 00:25:45.119 --> 00:25:52.559 You know, we got all those contracts. He was shot 313 00:25:52.559 --> 00:26:00.240 in the head from behind. His body was never out. 314 00:26:01.880 --> 00:26:06.039 The FBI learned of his death through informants. Agents believed 315 00:26:06.079 --> 00:26:09.960 Gotti's crew was responsible for the murder, but they needed proof. 316 00:26:11.480 --> 00:26:13.839 In August of ninety six, two months after the De 317 00:26:13.920 --> 00:26:16.799 Bernardo hit, Gotti went to trial for the gambling and 318 00:26:16.799 --> 00:26:21.359 loan sharking charges filed two years before, but Gotty had 319 00:26:21.359 --> 00:26:25.240 not been the primary target of that indictment. The case 320 00:26:25.319 --> 00:26:28.799 was originally designed to bring down underboss Neil de la Crocey. 321 00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:33.000 The case against Gotti was never that strong, but an 322 00:26:33.000 --> 00:26:36.839 ambitious US attorney saw an opportunity to get a mob boss. 323 00:26:38.640 --> 00:26:41.640 Though the case did not involve Mao's squad, he sent 324 00:26:41.720 --> 00:26:45.519 George Gabriel to observe the trial. During a break in 325 00:26:45.559 --> 00:26:49.279 the proceedings, Gabriel came face to face with his adversary. 326 00:26:50.599 --> 00:26:53.440 I introduced myself. I told him, George Gabriel with the FBI. 327 00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:56.759 I work on Bruce Mouth squad. He says, you tell him, 328 00:26:57.000 --> 00:26:58.519 I'm going to be home in six weeks. I'm going 329 00:26:58.559 --> 00:27:01.519 to beat this one. I said, right, I'll deliver your message, 330 00:27:01.720 --> 00:27:03.519 I said, And if you do, I'll be there to 331 00:27:03.559 --> 00:27:05.839 congratulate you, because it'll be a good job on your part. 332 00:27:06.160 --> 00:27:07.759 He says, good, I hope to say you. 333 00:27:08.960 --> 00:27:12.400 On March thirteenth, nineteen eighty seven, Gotty was acquitted on 334 00:27:12.480 --> 00:27:23.720 all counts. George Gabriel made good on his promise. After 335 00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:26.279 the verdict, Gabriel went to the Bergen Hunt and Fish 336 00:27:26.319 --> 00:27:31.160 Club in Queens, where Gotty was having an acquittal party. 337 00:27:31.480 --> 00:27:38.960 Congrat worked congrats. He congratulated God to the press, the 338 00:27:39.079 --> 00:27:49.759 public and to prosecutors. John Gotti seemed untouchable. Out of jail, 339 00:27:49.920 --> 00:27:54.240 John Gotti resumed his celebrity status around town. He was 340 00:27:54.279 --> 00:27:58.720 seen at fine restaurants and glitzy nightclubs, always immaculately dressed. 341 00:27:59.799 --> 00:28:03.480 Already he was known as the dapper Don. Now, with 342 00:28:03.640 --> 00:28:06.640 his acquittal, he earned the title of the teflon don. 343 00:28:07.119 --> 00:28:10.640 Charges slid right off him. To the media, he was 344 00:28:10.720 --> 00:28:14.440 glorified as the underdog who took on and beat the government. 345 00:28:18.039 --> 00:28:20.839 But now it was Mao's turn to make a case 346 00:28:20.880 --> 00:28:21.559 against Gotty. 347 00:28:22.599 --> 00:28:24.640 I get upset when the glorified guy like that. To me, 348 00:28:24.720 --> 00:28:27.680 He's just a common thug, a criminal. He's a terrorist. 349 00:28:27.680 --> 00:28:30.200 He doesn't believe in our government. He doesn't believe in voting, 350 00:28:30.240 --> 00:28:32.799 doesn't believe in church, he doesn't leieve in family. He's 351 00:28:32.839 --> 00:28:35.319 a mass murderer. How can you glorify this guy or 352 00:28:35.359 --> 00:28:37.359 make him a role model for your kids. He's very 353 00:28:37.400 --> 00:28:37.960 upsetting to me. 354 00:28:41.160 --> 00:28:43.960 In order to make his case against Gotti, Mao had 355 00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:47.400 to find out where he was conducting his business. The 356 00:28:47.599 --> 00:28:50.519 FBI bugs planted at the Bergen Hunting Fish Club had 357 00:28:50.599 --> 00:28:54.960 dried up since becoming Boss got He wasn't spending as 358 00:28:55.039 --> 00:28:59.480 much time then the squad leaned hard on informants to 359 00:28:59.599 --> 00:29:02.839 find out out where God he held his high level meetings. 360 00:29:04.640 --> 00:29:05.839 Is Ago Down. 361 00:29:05.960 --> 00:29:09.000 It took eight months, but in early nineteen eighty eight 362 00:29:09.279 --> 00:29:14.440 they finally found Gody's new headquarters. Gotty turned the Ravenite 363 00:29:14.519 --> 00:29:20.839 Social Club in Little Italy into his headquarters. It was 364 00:29:20.880 --> 00:29:24.279 a symbolic gesture on Gotty's part. The Ravenite was his 365 00:29:24.440 --> 00:29:31.000 mentor Neil Dellacrocei's old club. Here Gotty would meet with 366 00:29:31.119 --> 00:29:37.000 his captains to conduct family business. Agents rented an apartment 367 00:29:37.079 --> 00:29:41.279 down the street from the Ravenite. The high powered camera 368 00:29:41.440 --> 00:29:43.920 is installed to record all those who came and went 369 00:29:44.000 --> 00:29:48.400 from the club. In February of nineteen eighty eight, the 370 00:29:48.559 --> 00:29:54.799 FBI earned court approval to bubb the Ravenite with thirty 371 00:29:54.880 --> 00:29:58.880 or forty people in the room. Deciphering conversations was difficult. 372 00:30:04.599 --> 00:30:07.839 Cassette tape recordings of white noise were always being played 373 00:30:07.880 --> 00:30:16.319 in the club. Hearing conversations through that was impossible, but 374 00:30:16.480 --> 00:30:19.680 the FBI had to have John Gotti's orders on tape 375 00:30:19.799 --> 00:30:22.400 in order to charge him with running the Gambino family. 376 00:30:29.400 --> 00:30:31.960 So far, the bugs in the Ravenite had not produced 377 00:30:32.039 --> 00:30:40.480 much evidence Gott. He always suspected he was being listened 378 00:30:40.519 --> 00:30:43.319 to you by the FBI, and he found clever ways 379 00:30:43.359 --> 00:30:44.759 to avoid being overheard. 380 00:30:47.279 --> 00:30:50.279 John Gotti was notorious for going on what we described 381 00:30:50.279 --> 00:30:53.000 as a walk talk, where he and the person he 382 00:30:53.119 --> 00:30:57.160 had to discuss something secretive. Not all Mob businesses open 383 00:30:57.240 --> 00:31:00.240 to everybody in the mob. There were times where Captain 384 00:31:00.240 --> 00:31:02.599 would have to speak with his boss. John Gotti would 385 00:31:02.599 --> 00:31:06.079 take that person and they go outside. Going outside, They're 386 00:31:06.160 --> 00:31:08.920 evading the possibility of a bug. 387 00:31:09.559 --> 00:31:12.240 No matter what agents did, it seemed the Mob was 388 00:31:12.279 --> 00:31:16.160 anticipating their every move at times, even taunting them. 389 00:31:19.440 --> 00:31:21.440 When I would sit in the van outside the Ravenite, 390 00:31:22.519 --> 00:31:25.440 they would bang on every van on the street and 391 00:31:25.519 --> 00:31:30.440 whisper we know you're in there. You get made all 392 00:31:30.519 --> 00:31:32.480 the time, and you try your darness not to but 393 00:31:32.599 --> 00:31:34.720 it happens, and you just have to stay with it. 394 00:31:43.079 --> 00:31:45.839 John Gotti ordered another hit out of range of the 395 00:31:46.039 --> 00:31:50.519 FBI bugs. This time it was Louis Melino, a Gambino 396 00:31:50.640 --> 00:31:55.599 soldier whose loyalty to Gotti was suspect. Gott He felt 397 00:31:55.680 --> 00:31:59.039 Melito was a threat to the family administration, since Milito 398 00:31:59.119 --> 00:32:02.200 had been a close buildiness associate of Paul Castellano and 399 00:32:02.359 --> 00:32:07.519 Tommy Biloti. Sammy the Bull agreed to oversee that. He 400 00:32:07.680 --> 00:32:10.920 too had little use from Alito. Sammy felt he was 401 00:32:11.000 --> 00:32:18.359