- Nov 19, 2001
- 27,727
- 16
- 81
Well, the Gambinos anyway. Biggest bust up in 20+ years.
(Now you know why Meadow was running full-speed into the restaurant.)
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(Now you know why Meadow was running full-speed into the restaurant.)
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The entire hierarchy of the Gambino organized crime family is being rounded up Thursday morning in what law enforcement officials are calling the biggest mafia bust in more than 20 years, WNBC.com has learned.
Investigators said powerful capos and dozens of its members and associates are being arrested Thursday morning by teams of federal, state and local investigators.
The arrests are taking place across New York City and parts of New Jersey and Long Island.
The federal charges are expected to include racketeering and extortion counts. Numerous previous unsolved homicides are also expected to be cleared in the filing of the charges Thursday.
Details of the charges contained in the federal indictments will be announced by U.S. Attorney Benton Campbell in Brooklyn later Thursday. FBI, NYPD, NY State Police as well as officials from the office of the Attorney General are also expected explain the charges.
Long one of the country's most powerful organized crime families, the Gambino family was once headed by Carlo Gambino. Gambino was succeeded by Paul Castellano until he was gunned down outside Sparks Steakhouse in 1985.
The rubout led to the infamous John Gotti taking control over the crime family.
Gotti was convicted in 1992 on federal racketeering charges. It was during that trial that Gotti's close associate Sammy "the Bull" Gravano became a witness for the government.
Following Gotti's conviction, the crime family has been led by a series of Bosses and Street Bosses including at various times Gotti's son, John "Junior" Gotti, and Peter Gotti, John Gotti Sr.'s brother.
Current and former law enforcement officials have said current reputed leaders of the Gambino family include John "Jackie the Nose" D'amico, Dominic Cefalu and Joseph "Jo Jo" Corozzo.
Law enforcement officials said Cefalu and Corozzo are among those charged.
