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October 27,
1940 |
John Gotti is born in the Bronx, New York, into a large blue-collar family. When Gotti is 12, the family moves to a rough neighborhood in Brooklyn, where he becomes involved with local gangs. He is suspended from school in eighth grade and never returns.
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1959 |
Gotti meets Victoria DiGiorgio, the daughter of an Italian builder and a
Russian-Jewish mother. The couple weds, and their first child, Angela, is born
in 1961. Four more children follow: Victoria, John A., Frank and Peter.
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1965 |
While working under reputed members of the Gambino crime family, Gotti is
charged with attempted burglary. He spends a year in jail.
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1968 |
Gotti establishes a reputation as a highflier. He works for Aniello Dellacroce,
the underboss for the Gambino family.
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1969 |
Gotti begins serving three years in jail for a hijacking from a warehouse.
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1973 |
To endear himself to the Gambino family, Gotti takes part in the killing of James McBratney, a man who had supposedly slain a nephew of Carlo Gambino's. Gotti pleads guilty to manslaughter and begins a two-year prison sentence.
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1976 |
Paul Castellano succeeds Carlo Gambino as the family boss, angering Gotti, who supported Dellacroce for the position.
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1980 |
A neighbor accidentally kills Gotti's 12-year-old son, Frank, when the boy
rides a motorbike in front of his car. The neighbor disappears a few months
later, and police suspect he was killed.
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1985 |
Dellacroce dies of natural causes. Gotti is in line to replace him as the underboss, but Castellano instead gives the position to his chauffeur-
bodyguard, Thomas Bilotti. Three gunmen shoot Castellano and Bilotti to death
in front of the Sparks Steak House in Manhattan, and afterward, Gotti takes
power as head of the Gambino family.
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1987 |
U.S. Attorney Michael Chertoff accuses members of the Genovese crime family
of plotting to kill Gotti. The FBI warns Gotti about the planned hit, fearing it
could create a retaliatory bloodbath.
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1989 |
Police ambush Gotti in SoHo and arrest him on murder charges.
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1992 |
Gotti is convicted of murder and racketeering. He is sentenced to life in prison.
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2000 |
After pleading guilty to racketeering and extortion charges, Gotti's son, John A. Gotti, begins serving a six-year sentence.
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2001 |
Gotti, suffering from terminal cancer, is transferred from the federal maximum-security prison in Marion, Illinois, to the U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri.
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2002 |
Gotti dies of cancer at age 61.
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Melissa Etheridge
