Michael DiLeonardo
Encyclopedia
Michael "Mikey Scars" DiLeonardo (born June 18, 1955) is an Italian-American New York mobster who formerly belonged to the Gambino crime family
and is now a government informant.
. He lived there until 1998, when he moved to Eltingville, Staten Island
. At age 10, DiLeonardo was scarred on the face by a dog attack, resulting in the nickname "Mikey Scars". His parents were second-generation immigrants, his father's parents immigrants from Bisacquino
, Sicily
. His mother was a seamstress and his father was a professional gambler. DiLeonardo had two brothers; Colombo crime family
mobster Robert DiLeonardo and James (Giovanni) DiLeonardi. Leonardo's grandfather, Vincenzo DiLeonardo, was a soldier in the Brooklyn gang run by Salvatore D'Aquila
. As a young boy, DiLeonardo met Gambino boss Carlo Gambino
several times at his grandfather's house. DiLeonardo started running with violent street gangs as a teenager.
In 1973, DiLeonardo graduated from New Utrecht High School
in Brooklyn. He attended college for eighteen months, but did not graduate. At age 29, DiLeonardo married Antoinette "Toni" Marie Fappiano, a cousin of Gambino underboss
Frank DeCicco
. DiLeonardo had one son with Fappiano, Michael DiLeonardo, Jr. After twelve years of marriage, DiLeonardo started an affair with Madeline Fischetti. He kept Madeline in an rented apartment in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
while malntaining a home with his wife and son on Long Island. DiLeonardo eventually divorced Antoinette and married Madelaine; they have a son Anthony.
In 1980, DiLeonardo opened a social club a block away from the Veterans' Club. In early 1981, he moved the club to a different location in Brooklyn. A successful venture, the club's customers included Gambino soldiers Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano and Frank DeCicco. DiLeonardo also used his club as a headquarters for his bookmaking and loansharking operations. He was successful with the business venture and became a partner in a produce market with Peter Castellano, cousin to Paul and mobster Sorbroni. During the early 1980s, DiLeonardo became a close friend of John "Junior" Gotti, the son of John Gotti Sr. Gotti Jr. eventually nominated DiLeonardo as godfather for his second son. On July 16, 1981, DiLeonardo's brother Robert was killed in a mob-related shooting. DiLeonardo want to kill the shooter, but Castellano ordered him to stay out because it was an internal Colombo business. In the 1980s, DiLeonardo maintained so-called legitimate jobs as a shop foreman for a trucking company and a driver for a concrete construction company. DiLeonardo soon opened his own construction company, Metropolitan Stone, with Edward Garofalo, a powerful capo.
in Little Italy, Manhattan
three to four times per week. After John Gotti Jr. rose to power, DiLeonardo worked for capo Jackie D'Amico
.In 1987, DiLeonardo became affiliated with New York Teamsters Union Local 282, which was controlled by the Gambinos. DiLeonardo became a Teamsters foreman and was soon overseeing the Grecco Brothers Concrete Company in Brooklyn.
On December 24, 1988, DiLeonardo and John Gotti, Jr. were inducted into the Gambino family in a Manhattan ceremony conducted by Gravano, now consigliere
. In 1989, DiLeonardo helped arrange the murder of publisher and sanitation business owner Fred Weiss. John Gotti Sr. had ordered Weiss' death because he believe Weiss was planning to testify against Gambino soldier Angelo Paccione. Gunmen from the DeCavalcante crime family
in New Jersey
shot and killed Weiss outside his apartment building in Staten Island, New York.
During the mid-1990s, DiLeonardo supervised loan sharking and other illegal activities from the Royal Crown Bakery in Grasmere, Staten Island
. DiLeonardo also received protection money from the owners of Royal Crown, who owned several bakeries and cafes in Brooklyn. In addition, DiLeonardo claimed Staten Island mobster turned Miami club owner Chris Paciello
as a Gambino mob associate. However, Colombo crime family capo William "Wild Bill" Cutolo
) claimed Paciello as a Colombo associate. In 1996, DiLeonardo met with Colombo acting boss Alphonse "Allie Boy" Persico
to settle the dispute. As a result, Paciello was allowed to chose which family to be associated with, and he chose the Colombos.
, using pump-and-dump
stock scams to earn the Gambinos money. DiLeonardo became a close associate of John Gotti Jr. and assisted him when he was promoted to acting boss. On one occasion, a member of DiLeonardo's crew, Tommy Cherubino, hid some submachine gun
s for Gotti Jr.
In 1996, DiLeonardo and Garafola sold Metropolitan Stone because the City of New York had revoked Metropolitan's operating permit due to organized crime affiliations.
on racketeering, extortion, and money laundering charges, but on August 30, 2001, was acquitted.
In 2002, the new family boss, Peter Gotti
, reduced DiLeonardo's power for allegedly hiding money from the family. Later in 2002, DiLeonardo was indicted on labor racketeering, extortion
, loan sharking, witness tampering
, and the murders of Gambino associate Frank Hydell and Fred Weiss. Finally, DiLeonardo decided to cooperate with the federal government. DiLeonardo later said that the thought of having to testify against his friend John Gotti Jr led him to an unsuccessful suicide attempt.
He provided damaging testimony against Peter Gotti, Anthony "Sonny" Ciccone
, Louis "Big Lou" Vallario
, Frank Fappiano, Richard V. Gotti
, Richard G. Gotti
, Michael Yanotti and testified at the three mistrials in which John Gotti, Jr. was charged with ordering the abduction and assault of radio commentator Curtis Sliwa
. Finally, in October 2006, DiLeonardo testified against former Colombo crime family acting boss Alphonse Persico and underboss John "Jackie" DeRoss
, who were charged with the murder of former underboss William Cutolo
. That trial ended in a mistrial.
DiLeonardo and his new family are not participating in the federal Witness Protection Program.
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...
and is now a government informant.
Background
Born in New York City, DiLeonardo grew up in Bensonhurst, BrooklynBensonhurst, Brooklyn
Bensonhurst is a neighborhood located in the southwestern part of the New York City borough of Brooklyn.-Geography:Sometimes erroneously thought to include all or parts of such neighborhoods as Bath Beach, Dyker Heights, and Borough Park, or to be defined by the streets where the concentration of...
. He lived there until 1998, when he moved to Eltingville, Staten Island
Eltingville, Staten Island
Eltingville is the name of a neighborhood on Staten Island, one of the five boroughs of New York City, USA. It is on the island's South Shore, immediately to the south of Great Kills and north of Annadale...
. At age 10, DiLeonardo was scarred on the face by a dog attack, resulting in the nickname "Mikey Scars". His parents were second-generation immigrants, his father's parents immigrants from Bisacquino
Bisacquino
Bisacquino is a town and comune in the Province of Palermo in Sicily, Italy. It is located 82 kmfrom Agrigento and currently has approximately 5,215 inhabitants. The small town rises on an inner hill zone and is 663 metres above sea-level...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. His mother was a seamstress and his father was a professional gambler. DiLeonardo had two brothers; Colombo crime family
Colombo crime family
The Colombo crime family is the youngest of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia ....
mobster Robert DiLeonardo and James (Giovanni) DiLeonardi. Leonardo's grandfather, Vincenzo DiLeonardo, was a soldier in the Brooklyn gang run by Salvatore D'Aquila
Salvatore D'Aquila
Salvatore "Toto" D'Aquila was a New York City mobster from the Mustache Pete-era and the first boss of the Gambino crime family....
. As a young boy, DiLeonardo met Gambino boss Carlo Gambino
Carlo Gambino
"Don" Carlo Gambino, was a Sicilian mafioso who became Boss of the Gambino crime family, that still bears his name today. After the 1957 Apalachin Convention he unexpectedly seized control of the Commission of the American Mafia. Gambino was known for being low-key and secretive...
several times at his grandfather's house. DiLeonardo started running with violent street gangs as a teenager.
In 1973, DiLeonardo graduated from New Utrecht High School
New Utrecht High School
New Utrecht High School is a coeducational public high school in Brooklyn, New York City, serving 3,114 pupils. It is part of New York City Region 7....
in Brooklyn. He attended college for eighteen months, but did not graduate. At age 29, DiLeonardo married Antoinette "Toni" Marie Fappiano, a cousin of Gambino 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...
Frank DeCicco
Frank DeCicco
Frank DeCicco also known as Frankie D and Frankie Cheech was a New York mobster and labor racketeer for the Gambino crime family...
. DiLeonardo had one son with Fappiano, Michael DiLeonardo, Jr. After twelve years of marriage, DiLeonardo started an affair with Madeline Fischetti. He kept Madeline in an rented apartment in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
Bay Ridge is a neighborhood in the southwest corner of the New York City borough of Brooklyn, USA. It is bounded by Sunset Park on the north, Seventh Avenue and Dyker Heights on the east, The Narrows Strait, which partially houses the Belt Parkway, on the west and 86th Street and Fort Hamilton on...
while malntaining a home with his wife and son on Long Island. DiLeonardo eventually divorced Antoinette and married Madelaine; they have a son Anthony.
Mob Life
By age 21, DiLeonardo had started working for the Gambino family. Since the 1960s, he had been running errands for tips from several Gambino associates. They would give him their spare change for running errands for them. DiLeonardo frequently visited the Veterans and Friends social club in Brooklyn run by future boss Paul Castellano. However, DiLeonardo considered capo Paul Zaccaria to be his true mentor in the family.In 1980, DiLeonardo opened a social club a block away from the Veterans' Club. In early 1981, he moved the club to a different location in Brooklyn. A successful venture, the club's customers included Gambino soldiers Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano and Frank DeCicco. DiLeonardo also used his club as a headquarters for his bookmaking and loansharking operations. He was successful with the business venture and became a partner in a produce market with Peter Castellano, cousin to Paul and mobster Sorbroni. During the early 1980s, DiLeonardo became a close friend of John "Junior" Gotti, the son of John Gotti Sr. Gotti Jr. eventually nominated DiLeonardo as godfather for his second son. On July 16, 1981, DiLeonardo's brother Robert was killed in a mob-related shooting. DiLeonardo want to kill the shooter, but Castellano ordered him to stay out because it was an internal Colombo business. In the 1980s, DiLeonardo maintained so-called legitimate jobs as a shop foreman for a trucking company and a driver for a concrete construction company. DiLeonardo soon opened his own construction company, Metropolitan Stone, with Edward Garofalo, a powerful capo.
The Gotti Era
On December 16, 1985, Castellano was killed on orders from John Gotti Sr., who became the family boss. With Frank DeCicco now becoming underboss, DiLeonardo now had Garafola as his capo. Soon after, DiLeonardo was reporting to Gotti's Ravenite Social ClubRavenite Social Club
The Ravenite Social Club was a club in New York City that was frequented and at some point used as headquarters of the Gambino crime family. It was located at 247 Mulberry St. in the Little Italy section of Manhattan. It is now a shoe store. The Ravenite was frequented by John Gotti and the rest of...
in Little Italy, Manhattan
Little Italy, Manhattan
Little Italy is a neighborhood in lower Manhattan, New York City, once known for its large population of Italians. Today the neighborhood of Little Italy consists of Italian stores and restaurants.-Historical area:...
three to four times per week. After John Gotti Jr. rose to power, DiLeonardo worked for capo Jackie D'Amico
Jackie D'Amico
John "Jackie the Nose" D'Amico is a New York mobster that served as street boss of the Gambino crime family from 2005 to 2011. "Street boss" had been the family's number one position ever since official Boss Peter Gotti started serving a life sentence in prison.-Early life:D'Amico stands 5'11" ...
.In 1987, DiLeonardo became affiliated with New York Teamsters Union Local 282, which was controlled by the Gambinos. DiLeonardo became a Teamsters foreman and was soon overseeing the Grecco Brothers Concrete Company in Brooklyn.
On December 24, 1988, DiLeonardo and John Gotti, Jr. were inducted into the Gambino family in a Manhattan ceremony conducted by Gravano, now consigliere
Consigliere
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...
. In 1989, DiLeonardo helped arrange the murder of publisher and sanitation business owner Fred Weiss. John Gotti Sr. had ordered Weiss' death because he believe Weiss was planning to testify against Gambino soldier Angelo Paccione. Gunmen from the DeCavalcante crime family
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...
in 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...
shot and killed Weiss outside his apartment building in Staten Island, New York.
During the mid-1990s, DiLeonardo supervised loan sharking and other illegal activities from the Royal Crown Bakery in Grasmere, Staten Island
Grasmere, Staten Island
Grasmere is the name of a neighborhood located on the East Shore of Staten Island, one of the five boroughs of New York City.Grasmere although crossed by major roads has retained its quiet suburban character. The area and adjoining Concord was dotted with lakes and ponds similar to the English...
. DiLeonardo also received protection money from the owners of Royal Crown, who owned several bakeries and cafes in Brooklyn. In addition, DiLeonardo claimed Staten Island mobster turned Miami club owner Chris Paciello
Chris Paciello
Chris Paciello is a convicted felon who was a nightclub owner in Miami in the 1990s. After serving a prison sentence, he is currently a restaurant owner in Los Angeles....
as a Gambino mob associate. However, Colombo crime family capo William "Wild Bill" Cutolo
William Cutolo
William Cutolo , also known as "Billy Fingers" and "Wild Bill", was a Brooklyn mobster in the Colombo crime family who committed several murders and was heavily involved in labor racketeering...
) claimed Paciello as a Colombo associate. In 1996, DiLeonardo met with Colombo acting boss Alphonse "Allie Boy" Persico
Alphonse Persico
Alphonse T. Persico, known as Little Allie Boy or just Allie Boy, is a former acting boss of the Colombo crime family from the 1980s and 1990s. He is not to be confused with his uncle of the same name, who was also a Colombo family mobster known as "Allie Boy", who died in 1989.-Background:Born in...
to settle the dispute. As a result, Paciello was allowed to chose which family to be associated with, and he chose the Colombos.
DiLeonardo's rise and fall
In late 1992, John Gotti Sr. was convicted of murder and racketeering based on Gravano's testimony. In the shakeup that followed, DiLeonardo was promoted to captain. DiLeonardo's crew was given control of the family's construction and trucking rackets. This included receiving monthly payments from Scara-Mix Concrete Company on Staten Island, which was owned by brothers Peter and Philip Castellano. DiLeonardo also moved his crew into Wall StreetWall Street
Wall Street refers to the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, or...
, using pump-and-dump
Pump and dump
"Pump and dump" is a form of microcap stock fraud that involves artificially inflating the price of an owned stock through false and misleading positive statements, in order to sell the cheaply purchased stock at a higher price....
stock scams to earn the Gambinos money. DiLeonardo became a close associate of John Gotti Jr. and assisted him when he was promoted to acting boss. On one occasion, a member of DiLeonardo's crew, Tommy Cherubino, hid some submachine gun
Submachine gun
A submachine gun is an automatic carbine, designed to fire pistol cartridges. It combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the cartridge of a pistol. The submachine gun was invented during World War I , but the apex of its use was during World War II when millions of the weapon type were...
s for Gotti Jr.
In 1996, DiLeonardo and Garafola sold Metropolitan Stone because the City of New York had revoked Metropolitan's operating permit due to organized crime affiliations.
Defection and government informant
In September 2000, DiLeonardo was indicted in Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
on racketeering, extortion, and money laundering charges, but on August 30, 2001, was acquitted.
In 2002, the new family boss, Peter Gotti
Peter Gotti
Peter Gotti, also known as "One Eyed Pete", "Petey Boy", "One Eye" , is a New York mobster who is the former boss of the Gambino crime family and the older brother of deceased Gambino boss John Gotti.-Background:...
, reduced DiLeonardo's power for allegedly hiding money from the family. Later in 2002, DiLeonardo was indicted on labor racketeering, extortion
Extortion
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...
, loan sharking, witness tampering
Witness tampering
Witness tampering is harming or otherwise threatening a witness, hoping to influence his or her testimony.-Witness tampering in the USA:In the United States, the crime of witness tampering in federal cases is defined by statute at , "Tampering with a witness, victim, or an informant"...
, and the murders of Gambino associate Frank Hydell and Fred Weiss. Finally, DiLeonardo decided to cooperate with the federal government. DiLeonardo later said that the thought of having to testify against his friend John Gotti Jr led him to an unsuccessful suicide attempt.
He provided damaging testimony against Peter Gotti, Anthony "Sonny" Ciccone
Anthony Ciccone
Anthony "Sonny" Ciccone is a New York mobster and a captain of the Gambino crime family.Anthony was born to Sebastian and Gelsamina Piccolla from Pacentro, Italy. He was one of three brothers including Joseph and Salvatore, and two sisters, Anna and Margaret. He is the brother-in-law of mobster...
, Louis "Big Lou" Vallario
Louis Vallario
Louis Vallario, also known as "Big Louie" and "Big Lou" , is a member of the Gambino crime family who was a top aide to boss John Gotti and Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano in the late 1980s.-Criminal history:...
, Frank Fappiano, Richard V. Gotti
Richard V. Gotti
Richard V. Gotti is a capo in the Gambino crime family.Richard was born in 1942 to John Gotti, Sr. and his wife Fannie. Richard's brothers included deceased Gambino boss John Gotti, capo Gene Gotti, current boss Peter, and Vincent Gotti. Richard has a son, Richard G. Gotti, who also belongs to...
, Richard G. Gotti
Richard G. Gotti
Richard G. Gotti is a member of the Gambino crime family. His father is Gambino capo Richard V. Gotti and cousins are capo John A. "Junior" Gotti, former reality television star Victoria Gotti, and Peter Gotti, Jr...
, Michael Yanotti and testified at the three mistrials in which John Gotti, Jr. was charged with ordering the abduction and assault of radio commentator Curtis Sliwa
Curtis Sliwa
Curtis Sliwa is an American anti-crime activist, founder and CEO of the Guardian Angels, and radio talk show host and media personality.-Guardian Angels:...
. Finally, in October 2006, DiLeonardo testified against former Colombo crime family acting boss Alphonse Persico and underboss John "Jackie" DeRoss
John DeRoss
John J. DeRoss , also known as "Jackie" or "Jackie Zambooka", is the former Underboss in the Colombo crime family.-Capo and control over local 100:John DeRoss is the father of Colombo family mobsters Jack J. DeRoss and Jamie T. DeRoss...
, who were charged with the murder of former underboss William Cutolo
William Cutolo
William Cutolo , also known as "Billy Fingers" and "Wild Bill", was a Brooklyn mobster in the Colombo crime family who committed several murders and was heavily involved in labor racketeering...
. That trial ended in a mistrial.
DiLeonardo and his new family are not participating in the federal Witness Protection Program.