(August 24, 1902-January 5, 1976)
Underboss of Albert Anastasia (1950s)
Don of the Gambino crime family (1959-1976)
De-facto Boss of Bosses

He was short.
He had a bulbous nose.
He made a fortune off of stealing food rations from the government during World War II.
He brought tons of drugs to the United States from Sicily in Italian navy freighters.
He allegedly shot his boss Albert Anastasia to death while he was passed out in a barber's chair (1957).
He often contradicted himself and many detectives had trouble reading what his actions meant.
His nephew Manny Gambino was kidnapped and held for ransom for $350,000. He only paid them $100,000 which forced the kidnappers to kill Manny (1972).
He had Joe Colombo killed after he refused to dismantle the Italian American Civil Rights League.
He avoided going to trial for any of his crimes by feigning illness or checking into a hospital.
He was a fan of Niccolò Machiavelli.

He had a sharp business mind.
He was low-key and would often shop at the fruit stands in New York City.
After he took over the Genovese crime family, he eliminated all its connections with the drug trade.
He claimed that the FBI and the CIA offered him $1 million to kill Martin Luther King. He refused the money.
He selected Paul Castellano as his successor, whose reign almost wiped out the mafia in the 1980s.
Mario Puzo based 'The Godfather' character on him.
He managed to die of natural causes.

Credit: Captain Howdy

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