George DeCicco
George "Big Georgie" DeCicco (March 20, 1929 - October 3, 2014
Gotti's crew
During the 1980s, DeCicco worked as a sidewalk
Gambino capo
Toward the 1990s, John Gotti was eventually caught up to by US law enforcement, as his underboss
Indictments and trial
On January 30, 2007, more than ten mobsters from two of the Five Families were arrested and indicted on federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act charges, including DeCicco, one of the last untouched capos from the old John Gotti regime in the 1980s. DeCicco was charged with operating a multimillion-dollar-a-year loansharking operation in New York City, as well as extortion, illegal gambling, racketeering and money laundering operations. As it turns out, an associate of DeCicco had turned state's evidence, as a soldier in the DeCicco crew named Joseph Orlando had threatened to kill him over a loansharking debt. Because he thought he would be killed, the associate turned to the federal authorities for help, and provided the loansharking operation to the federal prosecutors. At the same time, much of their illegal business was recorded by hidden wires on the newly made turncoat.[2] Toward December 2007, George DeCicco's lawyer said he would seek house arrest for his client because DeCicco reputedly has heart problems and wears a nitroglycerin patch. On December 19, 2007 DeCicco pleaded guilty to racketeering charges and faced 27 to 33 months in prison.[3] He served his time at the Devens Federal Medical Center in Massachusetts. He was released on December 1, 2009.
Attempted murder of his son
On June 6, 2007, DeCicco's son Robert DeCicco, whom federal authorities identified as a 56-year-old mob associate, was shot four times as he exited a pharmacy in Bath Beach. According to the Post, the bungled assassination happened the day after another Gambino crime family mobster busted[clarification needed] with DeCicco and his father and in January he was moved into protective custody because of threats against his life. The younger DeCicco, who was indicted in January along with his father, had just got into his Cadillac Seville after shopping moments before the assassination-attempt. DeCicco managed to drag himself out of the car and stagger into a pharmacy to call for help.[4]
Reference list
- ^ "Grim Reaper whacks Big George DeCicco, longtime lieutenant of Dapper Don John Gotti". New York Daily News. 8 October 2014.
- ^ "Federal Bureau of Investigation New York Division - Press Release 2007 - Department of Justice". Archived from the original on April 8, 2009. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
- ^ Gotti crony pleads guilty to racketeering
- ^ "Alleged Gambino Crime Associate Shot Four Times - Investigations News Story - WNBC | New York". Archived from the original on 2008-10-23. Retrieved 2008-01-16.