Carlo Gambino
Carlo Gambino was a prominent figure in Italian organized crime, born in Palermo, Italy, in 1902. He immigrated to the United States in 1921, escaping Mafia persecution, and quickly became involved in illegal activities, capitalizing on Prohibition and the post-war black market. Gambino rose through the ranks of the Mafia in New York City, initially joining the Mangano crime family and later becoming its leader after orchestrating the murder of Albert Anastasia in 1957. Known for his strategic and discreet approach to crime, he earned the title of "Boss of Bosses" and maintained a low profile, which contributed to his ability to evade legal consequences despite numerous arrests.
During his reign, Gambino's influence grew significantly within organized crime, including his involvement in labor racketeering and legitimate businesses. After his death in 1976 from a heart attack, his leadership was deeply missed within the Gambino crime family, leading to a power struggle that ultimately resulted in John Gotti's rise to prominence by assassinating Gambino's successor, Paul Castellano. Despite the controversies surrounding his life, Gambino remains a notable historical figure in the context of American organized crime.
Carlo Gambino
- Born: August 24, 1902
- Birthplace: Palermo, Sicily, Italy
- Died: October 15, 1976
- Place of death: Massapequa, Long Island, New York
Italian American organized crime boss
Cause of notoriety: Gambino, who worked his way up the chain of command of the American Mafia over several decades, eventually secured the title of Boss of Bosses and ran the notorious Gambino crime family.
Active: 1921-1976
Locale: New York, New York
Early Life
Carlo Gambino (gam-BEE-noh) was born in Palermo, Italy, the birthplace of Italian organized crime. Young Gambino needed to go no further than his own well-connected Mafia family to form his early identification with organized crime. Gambino dropped out of high school and started working for the Mafia. He earned the respect of his boss by demonstrating his efficient and brutal service to his crime family.
The Italian government’s purge of Mafia members forced many young Mafiosi to flee from certain death by using a secret escape route. They eventually found their future destination from various points of entry into Little Italy in New York City. In late 1921, the “secret society” provided an escape route for the nineteen-year-old Gambino; his first destination was Norfolk, Virginia. Eventually, family members smuggled Gambino to New York.
Criminal Career
Once settled in New York, Gambino, an opportunist, organized illegal truck deliveries of alcohol during Prohibition in the 1930’s. During World War II, he became a millionaire in the black market of ration stamps. His criminal endeavors later turned to the New York waterfront and garment industry, as well as labor racketeering and legitimate business fronts.
Gambino always managed to be on the “right side” in Mafia wars, such as the so-called Castellammarese War in 1930-1931, a bloody power struggle between two factions of the Mafia. Eventually, Gambino would rise to power alongside Lucky Luciano. Gambino joined the Mangano crime family, which, by the 1950’s, was controlled by Albert Anastasia (also known as the Lord High Executioner). Gambino had earned the rank of capo, or captain, while working under the authority of Vincent Mangano. When Anastasia assumed command of the family, he promoted Gambino to sottocapo, or underboss. However, in 1957, Anastasia was murdered in a hotel, presumably from a hit ordered by Gambino; he took over the family and renamed it for himself.
Gambino earned the title Boss of Bosses for his murder of Anastasia. His position as the Mafia’s top leader was further secured when Vito Genovese , a leading Mafia figure, died in prison in 1969. Despite being the Boss of Bosses, Gambino maintained a low profile, and his crime family became the first family of organized crime. In 1971, Gambino was suspected of ordering the murder of Joe Colombo , the head of the Colombo crime family. Wounded by several bullets, Colombo remained in a vegetative state until he finally died in 1978.
Legal Action and Outcome
The courts failed to convict Gambino despite sixteen arrests over the course of his Mafia career. He followed the principle of the “lion and the fox”: He used force as brutally as a lion and was crafty like a fox when it came to his survival and avoiding arrest. His only successful conviction was for a 1939 liquor tax evasion charge. He received a twenty-month sentence; however, the conviction was reversed on appeal because of unconstitutional wiretapping procedures. Gambino was never convicted or deported for illegal immigration.
Gambino did not attend his racketeering trial in the 1970’s because of deteriorating health. During the initial days of the trial, a television reporter tried to interview him, but the old man stood mute: He had learned the benefits of remaining silent. Gambino, the master criminal, once again avoided conviction by hiring competent attorneys. Gambino died in 1976 of a heart attack in his Long Island home while watching a ball game and still facing illegal racketeering and immigration charges.
Impact
The Gambino family missed Carlo Gambino’s leadership and quiet demeanor. The death of the most commanding Mafia leader left a power vacuum: His cousin, who was also his brother-in-law, Paul Castellano, whom Gambino left in charge of the family, failed to command the same respect. John Gotti resented Castellano’s appointment and eventually ordered the murder of Castellano in 1985, thereby becoming the new boss of the Gambino crime family.
Bibliography
Abadinsky, Howard. Organized Crime. 7th ed. Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2003. The text is an in-depth analysis of organized crime from a historical and theoretical perspective.
Davis, John. The Rise and Fall of the Gambino Crime Family. New York: HarperTorch, 1994. This popular analysis of the Gambino family examines integrated and complex crime and social relationships of America’s first family of organized crime.
Lyman, Michael D., and Gary W. Potter. Organized Crime. 2d ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2000. A comprehensive textbook, covering the essentials of organized crime theory and practice.