On December 11th 1978 the biggest robbery in US history took place, the Lufthansa Heist. It was the perfect robbery and the mastermind behind it was the Irish gangster Jimmy the Gent Burke. The Irish Mob s1e3, 2016
The basis for Robert De Niro’s character in the film Goodfellas. ibid.
Jimmy Burke was one of the richest and most powerful gangstas in New York. ibid.
Burke was sentenced to life in prison where he died on April of 1996 at the age of 64. ibid.
‘Going to his father and telling his father I’m done with the life, I’m out of it, is an irrelevant requirement – you don’t leave the mob; it doesn’t happen.’ Gotti: Godfather & Son: Kid Christmas, dude, History 2019
John Gotti without question was the most flamboyant, most colourful, most powerful, most public gangster in the second half of the century in the United States. ibid. Murray Weiss, author
He lived his life. ibid. defense attorney
It’s the charisma, the charm, the walking into the place. ibid. lady
He was on the lam for years. ibid. son
Every time I come here, guys give me money. Gotti: Godfather & Son II: A Made Man, John junior re Saturdays with the Mob
It was intoxicating. My father was very easy to idolise. ibid.
Drugs were taboo. Obviously ratting was taboo. Sleeping with somebody’s wife was taboo. But as the years went on our crew got into drugs. ibid. Larry Mazza, author
By the ’80s the boss of the Gambino family was basically the boss of the Mafia in the United States. Gotti: Godfather & Son III: Fathers & Sons
I didn’t want the fanfare … My father was having none of that. ibid. Gotti junior
When Sammy flipped, I think that was the biggest surprise to so many people. ibid. baddie
How The Feds Got Gotti. Gotti: Godfather & Son IV: Sins of the Father, New York magazine front cover
I believe that the last visit that John [junior] had he knew that that was the last time he was going to see his father alive. ibid. brother
John died a Cosa Nostra man’s man. He did not give in. ibid. Larry Mazza, author
John Gotti junior tonight is facing a new federal indictment. ibid. television news Lynda Baquero 22 July 2004
I came home December 1 2009. ibid.
The Dominican Republic is a major transit point for heroin and cocaine. From here it is smuggled into the United States. Narco Wars: The Mob s2e1: The Heroin Don, ABC 2021
In 2016 almost a million Americans used heroin. Double the number of users in the 1970s. They’re supplying a mass market created in the 1950s by one of the most powerful crime syndicates in the world: the American Mafia. ibid.
Carmine Galante was far and away the biggest heroin kingpin in the world. He developed a whole system of smuggling tons of heroin into the country. ibid.
Carmine Galante is a trusted member of one of the most brutal Mafia families in New York: the Bonanno Family. ibid.
Galante is on the brink of transforming the North American heroin trade. But in 1962 his plans are thwarted. He’s sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for drug offences. ibid.
In 1974 there are 460,000 heroin addicts in the US. Almost half are in New York. ibid.
‘They had to make an example of Galante. It was a daylight assassination to send a message that we are the ones who rule, the rules are not to be broken.’ ibid.
Two people [Castellano] gunned down brazenly just after five o’clock during Christmas shopping. Get Gotti I, Netflix 2023
Who would have the balls to kill the boss of bosses? ibid. rozzer
New York in the ’80s was the perfect time to be a criminal. You can get away with everything. ibid. woman
He came in, he was like a movie star. ibid. reporter
They’re confused. ibid. Gotti going into court
We were absolutely unprepared for the firestorm that followed. ibid. prosecutor
I, John Gotti, will sever your motherfucking head off. Get Gotti II
A veritable zoo of lowlifes. ibid. witnesses for Gotti in court
The first successful defence of a RICO case. ibid.
We had to surreptitiously install microphones, transmitters, bugs etc. ibid. ops squad
January 1989: Gotti is accused of ordering the 1986 shooting of John O’Connor, a Carpenters’ Union official. Get Gotti III
Everyone in the room including John Gotti was surprised. ibid. man
The Feds were all over the place. They were on everybody. ibid. Gangster
This will be a Costa Nostra till I die. ibid. Gotti on tape
Gotti is accused of several acts of racketeering … ibid. TV news
The Gotti trial is the hottest show off-Broadway. ibid. TV reporting
Tonight, the Dapper Don trades his pinstripes for prison stripes. ibid.
Not all Mob bosses pay attention to its lessons. I want to tell you about someone who thought he knew better. His name – John Gotti. How to Become a Mob Boss IV: Don’t Go Rogue: John Gotti, Netflix 2023
During his tumultuous six year reign over the New York’s Gambino crime family Gotti blew off the rulebook at every turn leading to an endless series of arrests and betrayals. ibid.
Fact #1: Gotti fell in with the Gambino crime family as a teen; Fact #2: Gotti had a powerful mentor; Fact 3: Gotti shot his way to the top; Tactic: Keep your head down; Tactic: Stay connected. ibid.
Albert Anastasia … First chance he gets, Albert along with three of his seven brothers, takes to sea and jumps ship in the port of New York. Scary Tales of New York s1e4: Haircut for a Mob Boss
Witnesses against Albert Anastasia can expect a very short life. ibid.
Lucky Luciano and Albert Anastasia are soldiers for Joe the Boss Masseria. ibid.
Albert Anastasia is made underboss in the Mangano family. ibid.
‘For 30 years, the 5 families, the heart of the Mafia, had a free run in America. Loan sharking, prostitution, taking over unions, they had their hands on politics. They could do whatever they wanted.’ American Godfathers: The Five Families s1e1: Death of the Old Rules, Selwyn Raab, History 2024
For half a century the Mafia stuck to this sacred oath and pillaged New York City and the greater American economy. ibid. narrator
Sicily: ‘This is when we start to name them Mafia which is a society composed of ex-criminals but they assume themselves to now be honorable. Because they don’t use violence to steal but to defend property.’ ibid. Palermo historian
These men would soon venture to New York City in search of opportunity. ibid. narrator
In the early 20th century these local criminal groups ruled across New York City. Then in 1919 they were presented with a new revenue stream, and it was bigger than any racket they had: Prohibition. ibid.
Masseria, murdered 1931; Maranzano, murdered, 1931. With the old guard out of the way and a clean slate in front of them, a younger generation of Mafioso led by Lucky Luciano established a new thing, with new rules. [Joseph Profaci, Vincent Mangano, Tommy Gagliano, Joe Bonanno]. ibid.
‘Costello like the night life in New York and so he was often seen at nightclubs.’ ibid. comment
In 1954 Frank Costello was sentenced to 5 years in prison for tax evasion. ibid. narrator
Investment in the drug trade over the next several decades would ultimately become a tremendous burden. Members would chose to overlook the threat of law enforcement in favour of increased profits. ibid.
With the death of Albert Anastasia, Vito Genovese seized even more power. ibid.
1957 was quite a year: Bonanno went big on the drug trade, Frank was forced into retirement, Al Anastasia had his last shave, and then Appalachia. The Mafia was now Public Enemy Number One. ibid.
‘The ideas of omerta are inevitably going to get lost in the American culture landscape.’ ibid. comment
Back in Brooklyn, the Gallos were starting to get a reputation. ibid. narrator
The Gallos had failed to overthrow Joe Profaci. ibid.
1962: Five years of turmoil for the five families. ibid.
‘Valachi is going to commit the greatest sin of a mobster.’ ibid. comment
Joe Valachi would die in federal custody in 1971. ibid. narrator