John D'Amato
Encyclopedia
John "Johnny Boy" D'Amato (died 1992) was a New Jersey mobster and former Acting boss of the DeCavalcante crime family
. After being recruited by Gambino crime family
Boss John Gotti
to take over the family, and amidst rumors that he was homosexual, D'Amato was murdered in January 1992.
during the 1980s by Giovanni "John the Eagle" Riggi
, D'Amato became heavily involved in large labor and construction racketeering operations with prominent New Jersey
mobsters Giacomo "Jake" Amari
and Girolamo "Jimmy" Palermo
. D'Amato of the powerful Elizabeth
faction of the DeCavalcante crime family, was soon a cooperator of high-ranking members Charles "Big Ears" Majuri and Gaetano "Corky" Vastola
in illegal gambling and loansharking operations.
charges in late 1989, Vastola stepped up as the new Acting boss of the North Jersey
Mafia
while Riggi was on trial. It was around this time, rival Gambino crime family boss John Gotti reached out to several members of the family, in an attempt to gain full control of it. One of these mobsters, were D'Amato, who reportedly conspired with Gotti and his Underboss
Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano
into murdering Vastola. (Gotti was later convicted of this conspiracy.) Soon, Riggi was convicted of his charges and sentenced to 15 years in 1990, which meant that Vastola kept running the day-to-day activities. Only after Riggi's conviction, Vastola was convicted in major extortion charges and sentenced to eight years in prison. From behind bars, Riggi promoted D'Amato as Acting boss of the DeCavalcante crime family.
, who acted on prior knowledge and decided to have D'Amato murdered while informing the incarcerated Riggi. In January 1992, D'Amato was reported missing. His body has never been found, although US law enforcement recovered his car and some of his blood in it.
, Giuseppe "Pino" Schifilliti
and the reputed Consigliere Stefano Vitabile in organizing it. Reputed men involved in the murder conspiracy Vincent "Vinny Ocean" Palermo
, Anthony Capo
and Anthony Rotondo would later testify about this murder against their former associates. In 2006, Abramo, Schifilliti and Vitabile were sentenced to life imprisonment
. Riggi had another 8 years added to his sentence. He's due out in 2012.
DeCavalcante crime family
The DeCavalcante crime family is an organized crime family that controls organized crime activities in Elizabeth, New Jersey and surrounding areas in the state, despite operating on the other side of the Hudson River in New York, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the American Mafia...
. After being recruited by Gambino crime family
Gambino crime family
The Gambino crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The group is named after Carlo Gambino, boss of the family at the time of the McClellan hearings in 1963...
Boss John Gotti
John Gotti
John Joseph Gotti, Jr was an American mobster who became the Boss of the Gambino crime family in New York City. Gotti grew up in poverty. He and his brothers turned to a life of crime at an early age...
to take over the family, and amidst rumors that he was homosexual, D'Amato was murdered in January 1992.
Captain
After being promoted CaporegimeCaporegime
A caporegime or capodecina, usually shortened to just a capo, is a term used in the Mafia for a high ranking made member of a crime family who heads a "crew" of soldiers and has major social status and influence in the organization...
during the 1980s by Giovanni "John the Eagle" Riggi
Giovanni Riggi
Giovanni "John the Eagle" Riggi is a New Jersey mobster and member of the DeCavalcante crime family since the 1940s, before the family had acquired its name. Riggi was the leader of the "Elizabeth crew" in the family when he was a Caporegime. He had been the acting boss during the 1970s and has...
, D'Amato became heavily involved in large labor and construction racketeering operations with prominent New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
mobsters Giacomo "Jake" Amari
Giacomo Amari
Giacomo "Jake" Amari was the powerful Underboss and later Acting Boss of the DeCavalcante crime family.- Background :According to the testimony provided by Vincent "Vinny Ocean" Palermo, the later Acting Boss of the DeCavalcante crime family, Amari was a prominent and ruthless captain before being...
and Girolamo "Jimmy" Palermo
Girolamo Palermo
Girolamo "Jimmy Dumps" Palermo is the longtime underboss of the DeCavalcante crime family in Elizabeth, New Jersey, under the imprisoned boss Giovanni "John the Eagle" Riggi.-Murdering Al Colicchio:...
. D'Amato of the powerful Elizabeth
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
faction of the DeCavalcante crime family, was soon a cooperator of high-ranking members Charles "Big Ears" Majuri and Gaetano "Corky" Vastola
Gaetano Vastola
Gaetano Vastola is an Italian football player, who plays as defender for S.S. Lanciano.-Career:In the past he played with Scafatese, Giugliano, Narnese, Maceratese, Salernitana, U.S. Avellino, Ascoli Calcio 1898 and Gallipoli Calcio.-References:...
in illegal gambling and loansharking operations.
Recruited by John Gotti
After longtime boss Giovanni Riggi went on to be indicted for labor racketeering and extortionExtortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
charges in late 1989, Vastola stepped up as the new Acting boss of the North Jersey
North Jersey
North Jersey is a colloquial term, with no precise consensus definition, for the northern portion of the U.S. state of New Jersey. A straightforward, noncolloquial term for the region is northern New Jersey.- Two-portion approaches :...
Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
while Riggi was on trial. It was around this time, rival Gambino crime family boss John Gotti reached out to several members of the family, in an attempt to gain full control of it. One of these mobsters, were D'Amato, who reportedly conspired with Gotti and his Underboss
Underboss
Underboss is a position within the leadership structure of Sicilian and American Mafia crime families. The underboss is second in command to the boss...
Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano
Sammy Gravano
Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano is a former underboss of the Gambino crime family. He is known as the man who helped bring down John Gotti, the family's boss, by agreeing to become a Federal Bureau of Investigation informant and turn state's evidence.Originally a mobster for the Colombo crime...
into murdering Vastola. (Gotti was later convicted of this conspiracy.) Soon, Riggi was convicted of his charges and sentenced to 15 years in 1990, which meant that Vastola kept running the day-to-day activities. Only after Riggi's conviction, Vastola was convicted in major extortion charges and sentenced to eight years in prison. From behind bars, Riggi promoted D'Amato as Acting boss of the DeCavalcante crime family.
Boss and downfall
D'Amato's reign was short, as it soon became clear that he had been recruited by the Gambino crime family, although, at the time it wasn't sure to be true. Later in 1991, D'Amato came into an argument with his girlfriend, same girlfriend who captain Anthony Rotondo turned out to be involved with, who told him that when she and D'Amato were out at clubs during the evenings, D'Amato would be swinging and have sex with other men. Reportedly, Rotondo became quite upset and shared it with the current administration members Giacomo Amari, the reputed Underboss, and Stefano Vitabile, the powerful ConsigliereConsigliere
Consigliere is a position within the leadership structure of Sicilian and American Mafia crime families. The word was popularized by Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather , and its film adaptation...
, who acted on prior knowledge and decided to have D'Amato murdered while informing the incarcerated Riggi. In January 1992, D'Amato was reported missing. His body has never been found, although US law enforcement recovered his car and some of his blood in it.
Aftermath
US authorities never recovered D'Amato's body and didn't find any leads until 10 years later, when law enforcement recognized Riggi as the main conspirator in D'Amato's murder, as well as charging powerful capos Philip "Phil" AbramoPhilip Abramo
Philip Abramo , also known as "The King Of Wall Street", "Lou Metzer" is a caporegime in the New Jersey DeCavalcante crime family who was allegedly involved in security fraud and murder. Abramo was a capo of the DeCavalcante family's crew in Miami, Florida.-Early years:Born in New York, Abramo...
, Giuseppe "Pino" Schifilliti
Giuseppe Schifilliti
Giuseppe "Pino" Schifilliti was a prominent member of the DeCavalcante crime family since the 1980s, heavily involved in labour racketeering and extortion activities.- Made by DeCavalcante :...
and the reputed Consigliere Stefano Vitabile in organizing it. Reputed men involved in the murder conspiracy Vincent "Vinny Ocean" Palermo
Vincent Palermo
Vincent "Vinny Ocean" Palermo is a former de facto boss of the New Jersey DeCavalcante crime family who eventually became a government witness. Fictional mob boss Tony Soprano is said to be loosely based on Palermo.-Background:...
, Anthony Capo
Anthony Capo
Anthony "Tony" Capo is a hitman in the DeCavalcante crime family who became a government witness.- Made Man :A resident of South Beach, Staten Island, Capo became an associate of the DeCavalcante crime family during the early 1980s under powerful Elizabeth, New Jersey faction leader Giovanni...
and Anthony Rotondo would later testify about this murder against their former associates. In 2006, Abramo, Schifilliti and Vitabile were sentenced to life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
. Riggi had another 8 years added to his sentence. He's due out in 2012.
External links
- The Star Ledger Mob Story: How a crime family turned dysfunctional By Robert Rudolph