Three Distinct Factions Emerging In Suddenly-Uneasy Gambino Mob Ecosystem, Two From Gotti Era

March 31, 2025 — Over the past year or so, the Gambino mob has split into a trio of factions vying for money and status in the Brooklyn-based borgata; one being the ruling Sicilian branch of the crime family from the 18th Avenue “Zip” crew led by boss Domenico (Italian Dom) Cefalu and acting boss Lorenzo Mannino, one being loyal to skipper Nicholas (Little Nicky) Corozzo and still another being loyal to Queens capo Gene Gotti, according to multiple sources with first-hand knowledge of the developing situation in the Gambino borgata.

The shadowy Cefalu, 78, took power in the Gambino mob in the late 2000s, as the Gotti regime faded due to defections and general gangland attrition. Cefalu and Mannino, 66, came up in the Gambino organization during the glitzy and cohesive Gotti Era and until recently, never had any problems from the old-school Gotti camp. Cefalu’s Sicilian faction even named three ex-Gotti lieutenants, Lenny (The Conductor) DiMaria, Michael (Mickey Boy) Paradiso and Louis (Big Louie) Vallario to Gambino syndicate administration posts, as underboss and the crime family’s last two consiglieres, respectively.

However, in the last 15 months, uneasiness has crept into the Gambinos’ leadership-dynamic and tensions subsequently developed between opposing eras of the crime family, per sources on both sides of the law. And “Little Nicky” Corozzo and Gene Gotti want bigger pieces of the proverbial pie even in their old age, these sources. Two separate “LCN insiders” say Cefalu and Mannino are being pressured to step down and cede power to the remnants of the Gotti regime. They arrived as a united front at the wake and funeral for longtime Gambino button man Phil (The Professor) Modica last week, per a Gangland News dispatch. Per GR sourcing, Corozzo and Gotti also attended the wake and funeral and were each holding court in separate parts of the funeral parlor.

Corozzo, 85, vigorously campaigned for a promotion to consigliere to no avail and isn’t happy with Cefalu and Mannino selecting Vallario instead of him and excluding him from certain decision-making scenarios, sources claim. Exclusive GR sources allege Corozzo’s home was vandalized last month and Corozzo is being vocal in his displeasure with things in the Gambino mob right now. Little Nicky and his younger brother and former Gambino mob consigliere Joseph (Jo Jo) Corozzo (d. 2024) held significant day-to-day juice in the borgata during the 1990s and 2000s prior to being sent to the can. Some informants called them the de-facto bosses once John Gotti got put away for life in 1992. Corozzo’s best friend is Lenny DiMaria and DiMaria, 83 and the picture of a level-minded gangland diplomat and politician, is running interference for him with Cefalu and Mannino sources say.

Upon his release from a three-decade prison bid for racketeering and narcotics trafficking in the late 2010s, Gene Gotti, 79, was content with a low-key advisory role to “Italian Dom.” but those circumstances only lasted so long and at the same time Corozzo was lobbying for a bump-up, Gotti was expressing his own desire for more shot-calling authority, sources say. A rumor that circulated around Christmas was that Gotti would be moved into the underboss spot when Lenny DiMaria retires in the near future. Gotti, though, isn’t happy with current arrangements in the Gambino hierarchy either and is making it known. GR sources emphasize Gotti isn’t allied with Corozzo in his stance and he and his followers are a separate entity from Little Nicky despite their history under Gotti’s brothers and nephew’s regime.

Is that from that idiot Scott Bernstein?

All I know is that its fucking great that Gene Gotti is now taking the family back where it belongs. Under his leadership.

John is smiling down from Heaven.

Haha exaggeration is also a profession. But at least we see the Five Families are not dead yet.

Corozzo needs to take care of his house first before asking for administration position. Gotti has been asking for loan sharking, gambling operations, business that belonged to members and associates before they went away to prison and came back out. Not all of it but some of it for fairness. The administration is a little weary of Queens right now, and has made a couple of changes to a couple of Brooklyn regimes not too long ago, supposedly on the advice of Joe Gambino. I wonder where Caesar Gurino and Michael Riccaforte stand in all this.

It's hard to tell a Scott Bernstein story from an April Fools joke. It's like every week is April First for him,

Lol Scott Burnstein strives to be Giacomo Vicari. He wishes he had sources in every family and knows every conversation that took place since the beginning of the Mafia like Giacomo Vicari does. Both are fucking clowns telling jokes

Oh yes, I graduated from clown school back when Usher had the number one song of the year. It's not much, but a ok living. How's your journalism going?

Back to topic. No one is trying to push Lorenzo Mannino out. Rumor for a couple of years now has been Cefalu thinking of stepping down and looking to make sure there is a solid administration in place before he does so.

Lorenzo is a Mannino Cosa Nostra Royalty.