Peter Gotti

Peter Gotti
Born (1939-10-15) October 15, 1939
The Bronx, New York City, New York, United States
Other names "One Eyed Pete", "Petey Boy", "One Eye"
Occupation Caretaker of the Bergin Hunt and Fish Club, Crime boss, Criminal, Gangster, Mafioso, Mobster, Racketeer, Sanitation worker
Religion Roman Catholic
Criminal charge Attempted extortion, conspiracy, extortion, money laundering
Criminal penalty Life imprisonment
Criminal status Incarcerated
Spouse(s) Catherine Gotti (1960-2002, divorced)

Peter Gotti, also known as "One Eyed Pete", "Petey Boy", "One Eye" (born November 15, 1939), is a New York mobster who is the former boss of the Gambino crime family and the older brother of deceased Gambino boss John J. Gotti. He has been referred to as "The Dumbest Don". [1]

Background

Peter Gotti was born to John and Fannie Gotti. Peter's brothers included John J. Gotti, capo Gene Gotti, capo Richard V. Gotti, and soldier Vincent Gotti. Peter is the father of Peter Gotti Jr. Peter Gotti has a wife Catherine; they live in Howard Beach, Queens. Peter's nickname "One Eye" derives from blindness from glaucoma in one eye.[2] In Goombata by John Cummings and Ernest Volkman, they say that as a young boy, Peter was openly called "a complete retard."

Around 1960, at age 21, Peter Gotti started working as an associate for the Gambino family. In 1988, at age 49, the family inducted Peter Gotti as a full member, or made man.[3] John J. Gotti did not believe his brother Peter had the ability to belong to Cosa Nostra, which may have led to Peter's reputation as "the Dumbest Don." John J. Gotti designated Peter as caretaker of the Bergin Hunt and Fish Club, and as a driver for John and Gene. By 1989, Peter was promoted to capo.[4]

Like his father, Peter Gotti had a legitimate job as a sanitation worker for the New York City Department of Sanitation. Peter eventually retired from the Sanitation Department with a disability pension after injuring his head against the back end of a garbage truck.[5] This accident generated many jokes at the Bergin about how the accident occurred to the one part of Peter's anatomy certain to sustain no lasting damage.

Rise to leadership

Despite everyone's low expectations for Peter Gotti, he was soon fulfilling a more important role in the family. When John J. Gotti and Gene Gotti went to prison, Peter started relaying messages from the two leaders to the rest of the family. In 1999, Gambino acting boss John A. Gotti, commonly known as "Junior" Gotti, was sent to prison and Peter became the new acting boss, with assistance from capos Nicholas "Little Nick" Corozzo, a former rival of John J. Gotti and John "Jackie Nose" D'Amico, a longtime Gotti associate. The three mobsters formed a "Committee" which ran the day-to-day operations of the Family. As acting boss, Peter Gotti represented the Gambinos at a 2000 Commission meeting.[6]

Sometime in late 2001 or early 2002, with official boss John J. Gotti dying in prison, Peter became the new sitting or official boss.

Conviction and prison

In June 2002, a few days before his brother John's death, Peter Gotti was indicted on federal racketeering charges. During Peter Gotti's trial, federal prosecutors released information revealing that Peter was having an affair with Marjorie Alexander, a longtime girlfriend. Alexander then publicly acknowledged the liaison and declared her love for Peter. In response, Peter berated Alexander for causing the publicity and broke off all contact with her.[5] Alexander later committed suicide. During this time Catherine Gotti, Peter's wife of 42 years, filed for divorce.

In 2003, Peter Gotti was convicted of extortion and money laundering activities centered on the Brooklyn and Staten Island waterfronts, and for the attempted extortion of film actor Steven Seagal. Judge Frederic Block of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York also sentenced Gotti to 9 years and 4 months in prison on April 15, 2004 for the money laundering and racketeering charges.[7] Peter received over 20 years in prison. On December 22, 2004, Peter was convicted of extortion in the construction industry and for plotting to murder government informant and former Gambino underboss Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano.[8] Judge Richard C. Casey on July 27, 2005, sentenced Peter Gotti to 25 years in prison regarding those charges.[9]

Peter Gotti is imprisoned at the Elkton Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Elkton, Ohio. His projected release date, if he survives, is May 5, 2032.[10] During his last trial, lawyers stated that Peter Gotti was blind in one eye and suffered from thyroid goiter, sciatica, emphysema, rheumatoid arthritis, postconcussion syndrome, and depression.[7]

In July 2011 Gangland writer Jerry Capeci reported that Domenico Cefalù had formally replaced Peter Gotti as official Gambino boss.[11] Although Peter Gotti is still considered Official Boss of the family, he does not have authority over any family activities.

References

  1. ↑ http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/crimelaw/features/10869/
  2. ↑ Marzulli, John (June 5, 2002). "NAB NEWEST GAMBINO CRIME BOSS". New York Daily News. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  3. ↑ "Gotti's Family". Newsday. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  4. ↑ Zambito, Thomas (2004-12-17). "Dapper Don Diatribe May Doom Peter". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2013-06-07.
  5. 1 2 "The Dumbest Don" by John Lombardi New York Magazine May 21, 2005.
  6. ↑ Marzulli, John (2011-04-16). "Boss rat Joseph Massino admits to court that Mafia Commission hasn't met in 25 years". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
  7. 1 2 Newman, Andy (April 16, 2004). "Gambino Crime Boss or Not, Peter Gotti Gets 9-Year Term". The New York Times. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
  8. ↑ McFadden, Robert D.; Lueck, Thomas J. (December 23, 2004). "Peter Gotti Is Found Guilty In Murder and Racket Case". The New York Times. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Mafia boss Peter Gotti sentenced to 25 years". Mail & Guardian. Agence France-Presse. July 28, 2005. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
  10. ↑ Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator
  11. ↑ John Marzulli (2011-07-29). "Wiseguy Sicilian Domenico Cefalu takes reins of Gambino crime family, once ruled by Gottis". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2012-02-19.

Further reading

Business positions
Preceded by
John "Junior" Gotti		 Gambino crime family
Acting boss
1999–2002 		Succeeded by
Arnold "Zeke" Squitieri
Preceded by
John Gotti		 Gambino crime family
Boss
2002–2011 		Succeeded by
Domenico Cefalu
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