Gambino captain 1969-1986. 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. Home Forums Community Related General, Off Topic Real Mob Stories Salvatore Sammy The Bull Gravano, [align=center:1ca8o8ee]Salvatore Sammy The Bull Gravano, Born March 12, 1945 (age 66)Brooklyn, New York, US, Ethnicity Italian-American[/align:1ca8o8ee], =========================================================================================================. Ten months went by. "Wow," I said. He is currently serving a 19-year sentence from Arizona courts at ADX Florence, an out-of-state prison. The feds had Gotti's headquarters bugged and had him on tape discussing hits, his people and his organization. His father ran a small dress factory and could sustain a good standard of living for the family. The Colombos relented and Greg had his son Greg Jr. kill the man. The over/under on comments before we got the first Alite joke was 6.5. Equal in his toughness, was his loyalty to Gambino. When Sammy Gravano switched from the Colombos to the Gambinos, he was placed in Aurellos crew. Everything went in slow motion. I couldnt help laughing to myself. The mafia had a longstanding presence in the Bensonhurst neighborhood. Ill tell you something else: Im a fuckin pro. Mob boss Toddo Aurello had a visitor waiting for him. Sammy also opens up about his dealings with some of the most notorious mobsters ever like Roy DeMeo, Greg Scarpa and Tommy Karate Pitera. Back then he had a following like Jesus in LCN rumour has it old Italian granny's used to say a pray to saint sammy every night before they went to bed. I didnt hear the first shot. Salvatore (Toddo) Aurello, sometimes spelled Avarello, was an extremely low key guy. Gravano was at the club at the time and was blown off his feet by the blast. And so the hit on Castellano went through and Castellano and his underboss Bilotti were both whacked on the streets of New York. guests, and 3 On weekends, my father would sometimes take me with him to "the club" in Bensonhurst. Rumor was Roy killed guys right outside his bar for the mere crimes of calling Roy an asshole or some other insult. When Gravano heard the tapes where Gotti was badmouthing him Gravano flipped for 50% he was almost sure he was going to turn to the FBI but he was having second thoughts. He requested a mercy killing; however, he died of lung cancer before this could happen. 470. They spoke and dressed differently from the dads of the other kids at school. He was first tried for assaulting a refrigerator repair man over a parking space. By the early 1980s, the Plaza Suite was a thriving establishment. Neil got the Manhattan guys and Ferrara got the Brooklyn guys like Jimmy Brown and Toddo. [2] Gravano arrived to find only Ruggiero was present. This was the life.. Sammy Gravano stated, "Even before this, we decided we had to split up and go underground. Still, I'd been confronted with the possibility that my father was "connected" before. Ecola "The Eagle" Baldelli. Gravano claimed in his book Underboss that before the Castellano hit, Milito had become much closer to Castellano and Bilotti. Copyright 2019-2022. Salvatore Gravano was born on March 12, 1945. 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. 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. After Gravano removed Simones shoes, Milito shot Simone in the back of the head, killing him. In March 1980, longtime Philadelphia boss, Angelo Bruno, was assassinated by his consigliere, Antonio Caponigro, without authorization from The Commission. Despite his fathers attempts to dissuade him, like many of his Ramper colleagues, Gravano drifted into the Cosa Nostra. [1] Gravano attempted to pull DeCicco from the wreckage but realized it was no use when he saw various body parts scattered about. [1], The attack was orchestrated by Genovese boss Vincent Gigante, with the backing of Lucchese leaders Vittorio Vic Amuso and Anthony Gaspipe Casso. on: function(evt, cb) { He also got back with the Gambino Crime Family. 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. Between November 30, 1989 and January 24, 1990 Gotti would spill enough of the familys secrets to finally bring the walls crashing down. Under Gotti the Gambino Family came under enormous pressure from the FBI and it would'nt be long or Gotti would go down. On August 9, 1990, Garofalo was shot to death in front of his home as arranged by Gravano. From that point on, he was called Sammy instead of Salvatore or Sal.. It was Milito who fired the shots that killed 16 year old Alan Kaiser on August 15, 1977. Paul Castellano, Carlos cousin and brother-in-law, would be chosen to lead. Sammy told the entire Colombo hierarchy that when he found Stymies killer, he would kill him and whoever was with him on the spot. Afterwards, I stayed with them, helped them. At the age of 14 he joined the Rampers, a prominent street gang in Bensonhurst. They discussed the incident with Sammy expressing that he didnt appreciate Scarpa damaging his business. When Sammy became consigliere in 1986, his old crew was taken over by Louis Vallario. Sammy is despised by everyone on both sides of the law, for the same reason: he double crossed them. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, http://mafiahistory.us/rattrap/gambinoinf.html. I'd have to wait to learn this angle of the business. Dellacroce, however, was rising star John Gottis mentor, and when word got back to him that Dellacroce had supported Gravano, Gotti was impressed.[2]. BothUpper and Lower Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx supported a large group ofPalermo-bred and Palermo-orientedmafiosi. Then, as Gotti grew increasingly impatient, Conte explained that the problem now was trying to corner DiBono again. Shorty Spero thus granted Gravano his official release from the Colombos after confirming the Gambino crime family would take him in.[2]. Louie Milito, Gravanos old buddy from his childhood days with the Rampers, was not pleased with this decision. At Gottis suggestion, the shooters wore long white trench coats and black fur Russian hats, which Gravano considered a brilliant idea. Gravano said Gottis underboss Frank DeCicco wanted Louie dead. [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. A close childhood friend of John Gottis, DeCicco was made underboss in December of 1985 after his involvement in the successful murder plot of the Gambino familys then boss, Paul Castellano. James "Jimmy the Duke" Basile. Frank "The Bear" Basto. Married to Sammys sister Fran, Cousin Eddie Garafola was a made member in the Gambino Crime Family. New York Citys cement industry was controlled by four of the Five Families, which made millions of dollars by manipulating bids and steering contracts. Sammy and his captain Toddo Aurello arranged for a sit down with Scarpa and his captain. In 1996, Gravano co-wrote a book about his life, Underboss. Gotti was imprisoned in May 1986 at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, New York while awaiting trial on Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) charges. Gotti was heard on tapes questioning why everyone who went partners with Gravano kept winding up dead, with Gravano always having an excuse why they needed to be killed. Guys would be playing cards and drinking coffee. Once a top hitman for Sammy, Nicholas Nicky Cowboy Mormando was present for the Fiala hit in 1982. He wore sweats and gold chains, and he had tattoos, Jesus on one arm and a rose on the other. /r/Mafia features stories, interviews, documentary and news articles about organized crime around the world. Aurello's story is written, and almost fully designed. Salvatore Aurello passed away at age 83 years old on February 22, 1998. [1] After assuring Mormando of his safety, Gravano told him to pick up Joseph Paruta on his way. Im not afraid. All trademarks referenced herein are the properties of their respective owners. Salvatore (Toddo) Aurello, sometimes spelled Avarello, was an extremely low key guy. Gravano claims he stood up for Milito and stopped the murder from happening. Gravano eventually became embroiled in a dispute with business partner Louie DiBono, who was also a member of another Gambino crew. A percentage of the money was kicked upstairs to the Family bosses who protected him. Mom was in the kitchen, and I was amusing myself by hiding some of my favorite books under their bed. Salvatore (Little Toddo) Avarello died in 1998. And so Sammy The Bull was born. [CDATA[ Fellow Gravano crew member Mickey DeBatt had also become addicted to crack and Sammy blamed Nicky for it. Eventually with Sammys help and working on his own criminal endeavours, DeBatt was able to settle his father's outstanding debts to the loansharks and bookmakers. Gravano claimed Gottis defense to consist of Gottis lawyers portraying Gotti as a peace-loving boss falling all over himself to restrain the kill-crazy Gravano, resulting in a conviction for Gravano and an acquittal for Gotti. Sammy and Louie were looking for a man named Aldo Candido who was responsible for a recent robbery one at one of Gravano's nightclubs. His Capo Aurello proposed him for membership and around 1975 Gravano became a made guy in the Gambino Crime Family. Castellano knew this but didn't care and chose to ignore it. I read it recently shut down permanently. Michael DeBatt, the son of a late friend of Gravanos, had also become addicted to crack cocaine. Sammy was already an established hitman and Colombo Family associate. Gravano attempted to lie low for nearly three weeks afterwards, during which time he called his crew together and made the decision to kill the boss if necessary. On February 9, 1990 Gotti was acquitted. [1] In any event, DiBernardos death proved profitable for Gravano, as he took over the deceased mans control of Teamsters Local 282. Its origins started in the city of Palermo, Sicily. I know Sammy was serving as Acting captain under Toddo Aurello; Sammy was big into construction rackets; Is this how he became close to Paul Castellano by being a liaison to Aurello and Castellano?? Gotti required Gravano and Gambino consigliere Frank LoCascio to be at the Ravenite social club five days a week and all of his captains to make an appearance once a week. Gravano did poorly in school due to an undiagnosed case of dyslexia. window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { Copyright 2012 by Karen Gravano with Lisa Pulitzer, 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Guys like Petey "Pumps" Ferrara, Jimmy "Brown" Failla and Salvatore "Toddo" Aurello ended up under Rizzo. I was nine years old when I began to suspect that my father was a gangster. Aurello was the son of the late Salvatore (Toddo) Aurello, a cagy Brooklyn capo who sponsored Gravano and his son to be made men. Read about Karen Gravano's interview with "20/20", Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. [7] As the hat-and-trench-coat-adorned men slipped away into the night, Gotti calmly drove the car past the front of the restaurant to get a look at the scene. Please check your browser settings or contact your system administrator. 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. The beef became too big to resolve and it was decided the men could no longer be in the same crew together. The life story of iconic Gambino Family consigliere Joseph N. Gallo. It was decided that Sammy, backed up by a team, would stake out Gallos apartment and kill him there. 15. r/Mafia 26 days ago. "I shot a second time in the same spot. Scores of other mobsters went to prison because of Gravano's testimony and he was granted a sweet deal. Gravano had been consulting a hypnotist named Halpern to deal with fears he had, and Gottis lawyers wanted to call Halpern as a witness, but the judge refused. With DeCicco dead, the Gambinos were left without an underboss. Joseph "Joe the Animal" Barboza. Gotti informed Gravano he would not be allowed to converse with his lawyers unless Gotti was present. The FBI had bugged Ruggieros house and telephone, and Castellano decided he needed copies of the tapes to justify his impending move to Dellacroce and the familys other capos. Wow, what a story. Johnson had been a childhood friend of Gottis and a longtime crew member while Gotti was captain of the Bergin crew. I know the Frank Piccolo murder didnt sit well with him and others and then the whole thing with the maid. Life was great for Gravano, he got away with 19 murders, he got away from Gotti's hitmen and he had his own drug organization which was raking in 100.000s of dollars. Sammy at the time was a Colombo associate in the crew of Shorty Spero. Everybody called Joe the 'Old Man'. During an interview Gravano gave to the Arizona Republic, Gravano claimed federal agents he had met after turning states evidence had become his personal friends and stopped by his home when on vacation. Gravano married Debra Scibetta in 1971; they had two children. Plus a bonus mini bio on his son Joseph Neil Dellacroce may have been given the name of a "lamb", but he would grow up to be one of Paulo (Paul) Gambino was the boss's brother in involved in many key rackets and businesses. This time everything was different. Gravano appeared at his drug trial missing hair on his head and eyebrows and appeared to have lost a good amount of weight. "Hey Bo, what's up?" guests, and 3 Ironically, Gravanos downfall was due to informers among his own associates. Enough was enough, Milito had long since become more trouble than he was worth in Gottis opinion. As he went to make his move, 3-4 cars full of Gallos crew pulled up, with all of them armed and ready. He died last Friday following a long bout with cancer. 2013-2023 Mafia Scene All Rights Reserved. Gotti wanted Milito killed for being a Castellano Loyalist. * Guido Mario "Dolls" DeCurtis (1914 - March . [align=center:f8vo7m63][youtube:f8vo7m63]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyzMBM9FSrc[/youtube:f8vo7m63][/align:f8vo7m63]. But he was part of Toddo Aurello and later Sammy the bulls crew and so was Paruta. They don't identify the person as an informant, they just start using the person's name and saying "Artie said ". He got a second life. Gravano chose the army thinking he wouldn't be drafted. Gambino captain 1969-1986. [9] The method had its intended effect, as Gotti and Gravano considered and dismissed the possibility that Gigante was behind the plot, reasoning, [H]e wouldnt use bombs.[9]. window.mc4wp.listeners.push( When Castellano and Bilotti were murdered, Milito was in prison. })(); Known by most as Sammy The Bull, Salvatore Gravano was born on March 12th, 1945 in Bensonhurst, a Brooklyn neighborhood with a predominantly Italian-American population to Gerry and Kay Gravano. An older version of Toddo attended Carlo Gambino's funeral in 1976. As time passed Gravano became more successful in his legitimate businesses, he could sense some jealousy from John Gotti, despite the fact that Sammy claimed he was kicking up $2 million a year to him from his dealings with the Teamsters alone. I knew my father had served in the army during the Vietnam War because I'd seen his dog tags. . He had obviously been bullshitting John. He ain't listening. Salvatore " Sammy the Bull " Gravano (born March 12, 1945) is an American former mobster who became underboss of the Gambino crime family. Milito was not pleased with this decision, and made the mistake of telling other crew members that it was he who should have been given the top spot, not Vallario. Never stopped stealing. Eventually, Gotti would name Gravano his underboss, and move LoCascio to consigliere. [8] The bomb was intended to kill both DeCicco and Gotti, who was supposed to be at the club for a meeting with Gravano and DeCicco. After 11 months alongside Gotti in prison and a total of 23 years in the mob, he decided to cooperate, formally agreeing to testify on November 13th, 1991. This meant an automatic death penalty. 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. On one occasion, they helped Sammy recover a stolen bicycle, and one of them was so impressed by Sammys fighting ability that he nicknamed Sammy the Bull. The nickname stuck. Gravano earned praise from Castellano for the killing. And back with his gang, Gravano got himself into trouble again. Dad didn't say Paul was his boss in one of New York's biggest, most blood-letting, most feared crime families, or that the construction business wasn't building somebody a little house, but more like construction racketeering, loan-sharking, and extortion. The killing of Alan Kaiser was a case of mistaken identity. According to another document I read, Ravas crew was split between Neil and Petey Pumps Ferrara. Joe and his wife and kids would stay upstairs. I felt like I was a million miles away, like this was all a dream. Paul Castellano was also wary of DeMeo and didnt think that he would stand up under the legal pressure. They destroyed everything in their path, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage to the club. That is from the FBI vault. 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. They didnt call him Cowboy for nothing, he had a serious reputation for violence, and also one as a drug addict. 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. In one of Sammy The Bill Gravanos interviews; He mentions that Toddo Aurello; who was Sammys captain asked to step down and retire after the hit on Paul Castellano. Michael (Blackie) Galgano was a Gambino Family soldier who once told an informer that Joe Valachi would be killed if Joseph (Joe Scootch) Indelicato was a Gambino Family soldier heavy into gambling before he moved to South Florida hoping to Carmine Lombardozzi was heavily involved in shylocking for the Gambino Family and was once dubbed, "The King of Wall Street.". Sammy knew that this just changed from a high risk hit to a suicide situation. His invlovement in construction grew and his capo Aurello told Gravano to take all construction dealings directly to the boss. "What does Paul do that he has such a big house?". [10] Lynda said Gravano gave her $5,000 and cut all ties to her. He was frustrated by what he felt was a snub and began branching out on his own, distancing himself from Sammy and crew. Mormando earned his keep many times in the crew. When Sammy Gravano switched from the Colombos to the Gambinos, he was placed in Aurellos crew. In April 1986 DiCicco is killed by a car bomb. It was a joke, what was going on. Gravano was released early and then entered the U.S. federal Witness Protection Program, but he left it in 1995 and relocated to Arizona. Anyone know when Toddo Aurello was made?? The conspirators considered the restaurant a prime location for the hit because the area would be packed with bustling crowds of holiday shoppers, making it easier for the assassins to blend in and escape. The high publicity generated by the incident triggered an IRS investigation into Gravano and Fialas deal for the sale of the Plaza Suite and Gravano was subsequently charged with tax evasion. Louie had been surpassed by Old Man Paruta and Stymie DAngelo as Sammys top crew members. There were no women around, ever. They are generally listed in alphabetical order. Three years after his death, DeCurtis son Gregory was shot to death while sitting in a stretched limo. Gene Gotti, John Carneglia, Louie Valario and Arnold Squitieri were present at the meeting, as was Gravano. I wouldn't even try. Louie was the triggerman on several of Sammys early murders. His captain ordered him to apologize to Sammy which Scarpa did without hesitation. He was a real old time greaser. As the years go on Gravano moves towards becoming acting capo of Toddo Aurello's crew. Gravano then went to Castellano and received permission to murder the leader of the gang. So when John called Louie in for meetings to discuss their new partnership, DiBono didnt show up. Not long after this, Gravano became the familys consigliere and his old crew was taken over by Louis Big Lou Vallario. [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. My compliments. Id like to know too. Gravano pleaded guilty to a superseding racketeering charge. After Castellanos death, a meeting of the Gambino familys capos was held, at which Frank DeCicco nominated Gotti to be the new boss. It was strange. Gravano fell into crime at an early age. Mob Fireside Chat BGs Official YouTube Channel, Joseph N. Gallo Gambino Family Consigliere, Neil Dellacroce Underboss of the Gambino Crime Family, Ippolito (Paul the Zip) Agresta Narcotics and Ziganette in Bridgeport, Thomas (Tommy the Enforcer) Altamura The Chickens Came Home to Roost, Anthony (Tony) Carubia Tony the Hoodlum, Heroin Trafficker William (Willy the Creep) Conforte, Vincent (Jimmy the Blond) Corrao The Gambinos Big Earner, Robert (DiB) DiBernardo King of Porn, Charles (Charlie Brush) Dongarra Top Gambino Assassin, Carmine (Charlie Wagon Wheels) Fatico The Czar of East New York, Daniel (Danny Wagons) Fatico An Early Mentor to John Gotti, Frank (Frankie the Wop) Gagliardi Low-Key but No Wallflower, Michael (Blackie) Galgano Gambino Family Soldier, Joseph (Joe Scootch) Indelicato Gambino Enforcer, Carmine (The Doctor) Lombardozzi Gambino Family Capo, Gennaro (Jerry) Mancuso This Hood Loved Garbage, ASicilian Blood Vendetta Amongst Mafiosi Chapter 1, The Frank Corbi Regime of Baltimore, Maryland, The Truth About Made Men and Associates. Eventually, he was named by Gotti as underboss. The Genovese family, however, was still upset that Gotti had proceeded without the full sanctioning of The Commission and cryptically announced that a Mafia rule had been broken, for which somebody would have to pay if and when The Commission, which was in disarray at the time due to the Mafia Commission Trial, met again. Ruggiero informed Gravano that he and Gotti were planning to murder Castellano and asked for Gravanos support. DeCicco gave the contract to Loborio Louie Milito and Josephy Stymie DAngelo, Sr., two associates on Gravanos crew. He had The respect and knew The Life. [2], Fialas murder posed one final problem for Gravano in the form of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). [1] He was a childhood friend of Colombo crime family associate Gerard Pappa.[1]. In Phillip Carlos book Confessions of a Mafia Boss, based on the life of Anthony Gaspipe Casso; who is housed in the same Colorado Supermax facility as Gravano, claims that Gravano only ventures out of his cell to get food and that Casso has only seen him in the mess hall a couple of times. guests, and 3 Gravano soon found himself in a great position. The conspiracy would elevate Gravanos position in the family to underboss under Gotti, a position he held at the time he turned informer. It was way fancier and more ornate. John said he would handle DiBono personally and become his partner. He requested a mercy killing; however, he died of lung cancer before this could happen. Before the transaction was completed, Fiala began to act as if he had already purchased the club. That's when I came upon the pistol Dad had stuffed beneath the mattress. He started driving Sammy around after his father was killed in a Brooklyn bar. 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. Gennaro (Jerry) Mancuso was active in the garbage industry rackets for the Gambino Crime Family for years. One of the biggest hidden gems revealed on Sammys channel was about the time he was tasked with killing none other than Crazy Joe Gallo. Milito had been put back on Sammys old crew which was now run by Big Lou Vallario. Between November 30, 1989 and January 24, 1990 Gotti would spill enough of the family's secrets to finally bring the walls crashing down. [1] By this time, Gravano was regarded as a rising force in the construction industry and often mingled with executives from major construction firms and union officials at his popular Bensonhurst restaurant, Talis. Sammy knew about many of DeMeos victims including Frank Amato, who was dating Paul Castellanos daughter until he fell out with Big Paul. The Mafias control over the citys construction industry was so absolute that it had effective veto power over all major construction projects in the city. They came to my parties. Sammy was close to Paul and Im sure their mural interest in construction was a big part of it. Everything went in slow motion. Stymie was family to us. Sammy The Bull Gravano has opened up the vault of mafia secrets. Gravano, now 23, had proven his 'skills' and 'balls' and was ready for the next phase of his career. If it dont work within a year, me and you, well kill him. The last straw came when Sammy got word that Nicky had begun recruiting some of his men for his side activities. He was prepared to kill Gallo right in front of the girlfriend and the doorman. Their prison terms will be concurrent -- served at the same time -- as whatever sentences they ultimately receive for their crimes in Arizona. Old Man Paruta would kill for me as quick as he would get me a cup of coffee. Stymie owned a bar in Brooklyn called Docks. [1] Flush with cash, he also invested in trotters to race at the Meadowlands Racetrack and started operating a popular discotheque, The Plaza Suite, in the Gravesend section of Brooklyn. [2] Castellano was flabbergasted when he learned the crutch-ridden Gravano personally took part in the hit.[2]. 3) Toddo died after Gravano cooperated, but none of that hurt his crew, which means it was part of the deal Gravano had made with the FBI. As Gravanos involvement in construction increased, he became closer and closer to Castellano, eventually penetrating Castellanos inner circle and becoming a regular at his Todt Hill, Staten Island mansion. One particular house in this fancy neighborhood belonged to Gambino family crime boss Paul Castellano. With John Gotti and the Bergin crew in hot water with the indictment of Angelo Ruggerio on heroin distribution charges, Milito feared Gravano and his crew could be in danger of being killed along with Gotti, once Neil Dellacroce died. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? But when Gotti was trying to let Gravano take the fall by claiming Gravano had run wild and started whacking people on his own accord Gravano decided to break Omerta and flip. Like his predecessor Carlo Gambino, Castellano favored emphasizing more sophisticated schemes involving construction, trucking, and garbage disposal over traditional street-level activities such as loansharking, gambling, and hijackings. They also have had many outposts in Connecticut,Baltimore, South Florida, California, and Sicily. If proved that Gravano lied about how many people he killed, appeals by people he helped put in prison could follow. He became very unpredictable. Gravano started a major ecstasy trafficking organization, selling over 25,000 tablets a week. event : evt, ); Castellano had informed Milito that Gravano should have been killed after the unsanctioned murder of Frank Fiala as well as after Gravano threatened fellow made man Louie DiBono. When Castellano was indicted for both his connection to Roy DeMeos stolen car ring and as part of the Mafia Commission Trial, he learned his own house had been bugged on the basis of evidence from the Ruggiero tapes and he became livid. The shooters emptied the cash register and left DeBatt in the bar to make it look like a robbery. I pointed the gun at the back of his head. Rumors spread all over the family that DeMeo was killing people at his bar and then dismembering the bodies in an adjacent apartment. Thanks to a good lawyer Gravano walked on that one but was soon back in court when he was arrested for a burglary. Conversely, Sammy was one of the few guys Scarpa respected and maybe had a bit of fear towards.