Abstract This paper discusses O'Brien's historical account of the mafia godfather Paul Castellano. It explores the focus of the book and O'Brien's motives and messages in the book. This paper also reviews the information provided about the Gambino family and O'Brien's methods of obtaining the information.
From the Paper "Because of the sensitive nature of some classified information that surfaced during the investigation, O'Brien had to curb his writing style to meet legal approval. He and Kurins had developed a relationship with Castellano while they were brining about his downfall. At one point O'Brien states, "a relationship developed between us. We were friends. It's hard to believe that." O'Brien also let's his readers know that Castellano was not an "irrational, ruthless boss" but rather a businessman. And that's one of the key points that he drives home in the book. Castellano was even against drug trafficking, which O'Brien assumes to be one of the reasons why he was gunned down. In many resects, he did not fit the image of a powerful Mafia don. O'Brien began to feel a grudging sympathy for this proud man, who tried to overcome the pressures he faced from rival mobsters."
This paper examines the history of the Gambino family and their involvement in organized crime, as well as the heads of this particular organization, including John Gotti, Sr.
Abstract This paper explores the history of the Gambino crime family which was formed as a result of a war among various New York mafias in the 1920s and which still exists today. This paper delves into the background of Carlo Gambino, Paul Castellano and John Gotti, Sr., the three main bosses who headed the Gambino organization. The writer of this paper details the organization's criminal involvement in various areas such as the Longshoreman's club which gave them access to ports from Maine to Texas, as well as the recent incident involving phone and internet fraud, which accumulated some $650 million for the Gambino organization. This paper also discusses the Gambino's involvement in illegal gambling rings as well as the legitimate businesses they were associated with that helped hide their involvement in criminal activities.
From the Paper "Castellano wanted to change the mafia image to businessmen who always got their way, from the band of ruthless killers they were once known as. The move to be more like businessmen did not work at all, and people like John Gotti, Sr. moved the family back. Castellano's views only lasted for so long until fellow gangsters saw him as weak. He would eventually be shot, and the ruthless killer, Gotti, took over. Gotti organized the shooting because his crew of gangsters were selling drugs, which was against family policy. As boss, Gotti dressed and behaved the way many believed a mafia gangster should dress. In public, he wore a $2,000 suit and $200 hand painted ties. Gotti generated large sums of money by using his blue-collar way of criminal acts."
Abstract This paper explains that, at the time of John Gotti's arrest in 1992, the Gambino family was the richest and most powerful organized crime family in the United States, operating in diverse criminal activities that included cargo hijacking, labor racketeering, extortion, drug trafficking, loan-sharking, bookmaking, pornography distribution, counterfeiting and murder. The author points out that, until his death in 1976, Carlo Gambino was the head of the family, consisting of twenty-three crews of up to four hundred members in each; he was succeeded by Paul Castellano, who remained as head, or "don", until he was assassinated by John Gotti's men and Gotti became the new head of the Gambino crime family. The paper relates that most of the men, who later formed the network of crime families known as the Mafia, came from Palermo, in Sicily, an area, which was an area of unrestrained corruption in the government and the city torn by family feuds that reached across generations.
Table of Contents
Introduction
The Beginnings
Structure, Organization and Code of Conduct
Gambino's Rise
Capo di Tutti Capi
After Don Carlo
From the Paper "By the mid-1960s, Gambino was devoting more attention to the illicit moneymaking opportunities offered by the John F. Kennedy International Airport, which had begun to replace the waterfront as the entryway for foreign imports into the United States. By 1966, $30 billion dollars in goods was passing through JFK airport. He first took control of the unions that handled the unloading of cargo from the planes. Through kickbacks to shop stewards and foremen, the MThe paper relates that most of the men, who later formed the network of crime families known as the Mafia, came from Palermo, in Sicily, an area, which was an area of unrestrained corruption in the government and the city torn by family feuds that reached across generations. was allowed free rein in lifting cargo. Securities entered the country in pouches on the flights, and fencing stolen securities soon became a rich source of profit. Gambino's heroin smuggling operation has been estimated by Federal investigators to be second only to gambling as Gambino's most profitable business."
