Gene Gotti, brother of mob boss John, finishes 29-year prison term this month

The brother of John Gotti may be getting out of prison soon.

If the late John Gotti’s long-jailed brother finds the 21st-century Mafia unrecognizable later this month, he knows where the blame lies.


Twenty-nine years later, there’s little to laugh about.

Back in the ’80s heyday of his immaculately-dressed older brother and the Gambino family, FBI bugs captured Gene discussing topics from drug dealing to hiding illegal cash to changes in mob hierarchy.


The recordings of the Gambino capo and his mob associates became the first damaging domino to fall for the family in 1983, setting in motion the demise of their criminal empire.

What remains is a faint whisper of the roar that followed the ascension to boss of John (Dapper Don) Gotti, who took over after ordering the Dec. 16, 1985, mob assassination of predecessor “Big Paul” Castellano — in part to save his smack-dealing sibling’s life.

“What is Genie coming home to?” mused one long-retired Gambino family hand and Gotti contemporary. “There’s nothing left.”

When Gene Gotti started his 50-year prison bid, George H.W. Bush was in year one at the White House, an earthquake rocked the Bay Area World Series and the lip-syncing duo Milli Vanilli topped the charts.

Gene Gotti was convicted at his third federal drug-dealing trial, with jury tampering cited for a mistrial in the first one and a hung jury in the second. He and brother John were also cleared in a 1987 federal racketeering case where a juror was bribed.

Angel Gotti, Gene’s niece and the daughter of John, expects her uncle to find his footing in freedom.

“My uncle has been away 29 years so I'm sure he will be spending all his time with his wife, kids and grandchildren,” Angel told the Daily News.

Gene became one of five Gotti brothers to embrace “The Life” of organized crime. Though John emerged as the top gun, Gene earned his own spurs and became a valued mobster.

“He was a bona-fide wiseguy,” said ex-FBI agent Bruce Mouw, former head of the agency’s Gambino squad. “He wasn’t there because of his brother. He made it on his own.”
When the Dapper Don's brother, Gene Gotti, behind bars since 1989 for running a multimillion-dollar heroin ring, gets out this month, he'll come home to a faded family business.
When the Dapper Don's brother, Gene Gotti, behind bars since 1989 for running a multimillion-dollar heroin ring, gets out this month, he'll come home to a faded family business. (Peter Morgan / AP)

But bona fide wiseguys are hard to find in 2018. Big brother John is dead 16 years, and sibling Peter appears destined to die behind bars, too. John’s namesake son Junior Gotti quit the mob after doing time for a strip club shakedown; he then survived four prosecutions that ended in mistrials. The Gotti crew’s Bergin Hunt & Fish Club in Ozone Park, Queens, is gone, replaced by the Lords of Stitch and Print custom embroidery shop.

Even the Mafia “brand” is down: The recently-released movie with John Travolta playing the “Teflon Don” grossed a mere $4.3 million — hardly “Godfather” numbers.

“The American Mafia has a recruitment problem: Who the hell wants to be a member?” said mob expert Howard Abadinsky, professor of criminal justice at St. John’s.

The new generation is filled with wanna-bes “who have either seen too many Mafia movies or losers who do not have the smarts or ambition for legitimate opportunity,” he added.

The older generation was not always a Mensa meeting, either — and Gene Gotti was Example A.

By the early 1980s, Gene was partnered with pals John Carneglia and Angelo Ruggiero in a lucrative heroin operation that ignored a Mafia edict against dope dealing. Gambino boss Castellano imposed a death penalty for violators, worried that drug convictions with lengthy jail terms provided an incentive for mobsters to rat out the family’s top echelon.

Gotti and his cohorts not only ignored the decree, they were caught discussing their drug dealing on an FBI bug planted in Ruggiero’s home.

“Dial any seven numbers and it's 50/50 Angelo will pick up the phone,” a disgusted Carneglia later observed of his chatty cohort.

For Mouw, the recordings that led to Gene Gotti’s August 1983 arrest altered the landscape for the feds and the felons under their watch.

“Without those conversations, a lot of things could have changed,” he said.

Instead, Castellano was soon pressing the Gotti faction for the damning tapes turned over by prosecutors as part of pre-trial discovery. The boss’ demand was greeted with excuses and delays, until Castellano was whacked 10 days before Christmas outside a Midtown steakhouse.

Decades later, it’s too late to change anything — including Gene’s decision to reject a plea deal that might have freed him after just seven years in prison.

“His brother John said no,” recalled Mouw. “He and Carneglia, they would have been home 20 years ago.”

The past is the past. What does the future hold for Gene Gotti?

“That’s the big question,” said Mouw. “Are you going to retire and enjoy your grandchildren? Or are you going to get active, and return to jail?"

TV show!

lol

Inb4 zips all get whacked and genie takes what's his .

feech lamanna

I would guess the admin would have to reward him nicely nobody does what he did especially now.

You should show the younger generation, see ok if you take the pinch the admin is going to reward you hansomely.

When you come out you get a top spot,
You get handed some lucrative rackets right out the gate.

Otherwise what incentive do these guys have?

Plus the guy was/is legit he is a tuffguy that could earn.

Why not set the guy up?

Put him in a position to groom some younger guys

That's what's missing today you do not really see or hear much of that anymore younger guys getting groomed for top spots..

Look at detroit lcn they groomed the their top 3 guys for their positions for many many years, when the time came they were put into their respective positions and it appeared to be a very smooth transition.

Was Gene made before John became boss?

100% agree ! Great comment !
But will it happen ? I'm No quite sure...
But Cali is smart so he will probably think about it

Yes of course he was already a capo

Someone joked about Feech La Manna, but considering how money is typically top priority, I'm guessing things go for Gene the way they did for old Feech on the Sopranos, if he tries to butt into the current rackets. It's business.

I believe he was even made before John was. John was still in prison when Genie got his button.

my mistake he wasn't a Capo
He ‏was only a soldier
So ‏when john became boss he made him capo

Yeah from most accounts gene was made before john because gotti didnt get paroled until july 28 1977 then inducted sometime that fall. Not surprisingly John was pissed that gene was made before he was and was a lucky gambler whereas gotti pissed away all the crews profits on gambling

I agree with all of this. Need to show younger kids that respect is shown after a pinch and give them someone with wisdom to groom them in the life

We will hear a story from Gangland on it in a couple of months.

It's about time. Got no spleen, Gene.

Who is in charge of the Bergen now?
It was Trucchio Sr. than Trucchio Jr.

Jr. got demoted

Are all the remaining Gotti's part of that crew?

Richie Gotti still a captain?

Wasn't he demoted?

I think Monk Sassano has that crew?

Yes I believe Thomas Sassano is capo or acting capo of that crew now.

Gene still has about 20 years of parole left too. It's not like once he's out he's in the free and clear. He'd be crazy to get involved again.

Hell Feech came home to money. It was the respect and status he was after.

And shaved bushes !! Lol

I don't think State is as restrictive as fed.

I just think that if he gets jammed up with new charges they cans also violate him.

With the Feds you can't associate with known criminals

I know there are a few guys on here that have serves both they would know.

30 years is a long time to be away in an institution

What's this guy going to do come out and go work construction? He probably never worked a real job in his life.

Culture shock might kill him. 30 years away is a long time. The Ravenite is long gone, I think it may have been gone when he went away to prison. Ozone Park is totally different and even his neighbors will have died or moved away. His family has changed, many have probably died. If he goes to Mulberry Street I would think he won't recognize most of it anymore due to changes. He went away when cell phones were a new thing and cameras were not everywhere. It will take him a few months just to get used to society as it is now. When he sees two men pushing a stroller with a baby in it, and asks who the father is and gets "We both are" as a response, followed by the two men kissing and walking on, he may faint. He'll need a relative to show him around his first times out of the house.

Thanks for the news DiLorenzo. My guess is it's going to be like this movie:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1639397/

John was jealous of Gene because was made before him.

In My opinion Gene wouldn't turn to crime because if his brother Peter shold be on the street he maybe can be more than a simple soldier;now with the sicilians in charge of the family if he will be lucky,calì would give him a bag of money and a wel come back party but he is a gotti and the gotti are seen are they that ruined the gambinos.

Yeah my friend i agree with you ! So On second thought I don't think that after all that quiet time from the Gottis
That they will want them back.
but I also can't see them refusing if he will want to get back into the life so we just have to wait and see...

Yup so many things have changed since gene went away at the end of the 80's. social clubs are pretty much a thing of the past and pretty much all of the guys that gene was around are dead or in prison.

Inmates locator give the September 15 as release date. Who know how many journalists and mob fans will wait in front of prison gates?

Fact...Gene has had a guy on the Street looking out for his investments (Legit and illegitimate )..He's not going to be broke..But He should retire and enjoy his time left with Family..It's a different world..No Honor left...His Brothers are Gone..Don't think he would be welcomed back into the Gambino Family..