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Carlo Gambino was born in Palermo, Sicily on August 24, 1902. He would stowaway on the SS Vincenzo Florida and touch US soil in December 1921. Some speculate that Gambino had already built ties with Sicily's Mafia and was fleeing a possible murder investigation. Upon arriving in New York, Gambino settled in Brooklyn and would eventually build ties with the Mangano brothers. Gambino then went about monopolizing botlegging in surrounding states, such as Pennsylvania, Connectictut and Maryland. In 1932 Gambino married his cousin Kathryn Castellano and bring his new brother in law into "his" world. His brother in law/cousin, Paul Castellano, would rise from a butcher's assistant and become a crime boss himself. In 1937 Gambino was indicted by a Philadelphia jury and charged with tax evasion. This was primarily a result of his bootlegging activities. This would result in a 22 month stint in prison. This would be his only conviction. During World War II, with necessities in short supply, Gambino did his part to help support the war effort. He and his gang decided to buy large bulks of rationing stamps from the actual company which was undoubtedly operated by a corrupt management staff. The rationing stamps allowed a fixed amount, depending on the commodity, to be purchased by the bearer of such item. Gambino and company made untold amounts from this scam. |
 Gambino, as he appeared at the height of his power |
Gambino was slowly socking his money away from illegal rackets into legitament businesses. One such business, which actually bore his name on filing papers, was SGSAssociates. The primamry earnings were derived from "labor consulting". A gambler would lay odds down that it involved more labor racketeering than consulting. In 1957 Albert Anastasia was gunned down and all fingers pointed to Gambino. He would conspire with Joseph "Staten Island Joe" Riccobono, his future consigliere and his future underboss Joseph 'Joe Bandi" Biondo in eliminating Anastasia. In between the murder of Anastasia and the murder of his underboss Frank Scalise, Gambino was promoted to underboss. In addition, ( see Anastasia biography ) Tampa and Cuba crime boss Santo Trafficante, Jr. would be a key factor as well. In November 1957 Gambino would attend the police raided mob summit held in Apalachin, NY with at least Riccobono and his up and coming brother in law cum cousin Paul Castellano. For the record, Trafficante was in attendence. As a result of the the Apalachin fiasco Joseph Ida, crime czar to Philadelphia, is forced to leave the US and move back to Italy. Gambino helps secure the boss's spot for Philadelphia capo Angelo Bruno. Gambino was also making strong ties with Raymond Patriarca of the New England mob family. Both Bruno and Patriarca would, for some time, hold a seat on the National Commission. In 1959, Gambino and other mob higher ups possibly conspired to plant a heroin trafficking charge on his main rival-Vito Genovese of the Genovese LCN Family. Genovese was convicted and in 1969 died while incarcerated. In 1962 his son Thomas would marry Francine Lucchese, daughter to mob boss Gaetano Lucchese and this would forever bond both families-blood and crime.Lucchese and Gambino would carry substantial influence with regards to the ruling Commission board. |
 A shell of his former self, Gambino, old and dying |
In 1964 Gambino convinced the National Commission to nominate Joe Colombo as head of the old Profaci crime family. In 1971, Gambino infuriated with Colombo, convinced the National Commission to have him killed. Colombo was finished as a boss. In 1972 Gambino was thought to have conspired in the gangland rub out Genovese LCN Family Tommy Eboli. In 1965 he demoted his underboss, Joe Biondo and brought in Aniello Dellacroce from Little Italy, Manhattan to fill the spot. Biondo was found to have been involved in a waste dump side in New Jersey without his boss's knowledge. Dellacroce, a throwback to the Anastasia, was thought to have collected a percentage from all the "blue collar" crews located in Manhattan and Queens. Gambino focused more on the "white collar" rackets. The deadly duo held mutual respect for one another. Back in 1957 the picture was quite different with the Anastasia loyalist Dellacroce and Armand Rava discussing rebellion against Gambino. "Don Carlo" sent a message and Rava was dead. in September 1958. In 1969 his consigliere Joe Riccobono passed away and his replacement was the Queens based Joe N. Gallo. Paul Castellano, who was a Brooklyn capo, was assisting with the crime family operations. Gallo would operate under Castellano a decade later. By the 1970s Gambino was a fragile and frail old man, having become a widower. Gambino's crimes and life probably may be fully documented. Towards the end of his life Gambino was shown ushered in by handcuffs, with a beat up hat and a hook nose, Gambino appeared to be "grandfatherly". On Octobr 15, 1976 Gambino took his last breath, his body having been deteriorated for some time and suggesting that he may have not been in full control of his crime family for several years. His underboss was in jail for income tax evasion and Gambino requested Paul Castellanlo become the new boss of the Gambino LCN Family. His choice would leave a major tear in the crime family's design. |