On December 11th 1990, FBI agents and New York City detectives raided the Ravenite Social Club on Mulberry Street in Little Italy, arresting John Gotti, underboss Sammy “The Bull” Gravano, and consigliere Frank Locascio. It was the beginning of the end for the most famous mob boss in American history.

The Ravenite Social Club

The Ravenite Social Club had been a fixture of Little Italy since the 1920s, originally the base of Neil Dellacroce, the Gambino underboss. After Dellacroce’s death in December 1985, Gotti took it over as his headquarters — a decision that would prove catastrophic. Gotti held court there every Wednesday evening, requiring made members from across the five boroughs to attend and pay their respects. The regularity of the meetings made FBI surveillance straightforward.

The FBI had been planting bugs in and around the Ravenite for years with mixed results. The key breakthrough came when agents discovered that Gotti was using a small apartment above the club for sensitive conversations, believing it to be secure. They planted a bug there in 1989 — and the recordings they gathered were devastating.

What the Bugs Captured

The apartment recordings captured Gotti discussing the murder of Paul Castellano — the hit he had ordered in 1985 to seize control of the Gambino family — in enough detail to constitute evidence of murder conspiracy. They captured him discussing ongoing criminal operations, ordering violence against rivals and enemies, and complaining about Gravano in terms that would later help persuade Gravano to cooperate with the government.

Gotti was heard on tape dismissing concerns about FBI surveillance, boasting about the family’s power, and discussing how tribute money flowed up through the organisation. The tapes were the most comprehensive record of a sitting mob boss’s criminal activities ever captured by US law enforcement.

Sammy Gravano Flips

The arrest might still not have been fatal to Gotti had Sammy Gravano not turned government witness in November 1991. Gravano, who had been Gotti’s most trusted ally and the man who had stood beside him at the Castellano murder, heard the tapes Gotti had made — including recordings of Gotti throwing him under the bus to deflect blame — and agreed to cooperate.

Gravano admitted to 19 murders in exchange for a reduced sentence. His testimony corroborated and extended the tape recordings, providing an insider’s account of the Gambino family’s operations, the Commission, and Gotti’s personal involvement in multiple murders. It was the most damaging testimony in the history of American organised crime prosecutions.

The Trial and Conviction

Gotti’s trial began in February 1992. He had beaten three previous federal prosecutions through jury tampering and witness intimidation — earning the nickname “The Teflon Don.” This time there was no escape. The combination of tape recordings and Gravano’s testimony left the defence with almost nothing to work with.

On April 2nd 1992 John Gotti was convicted on all fourteen counts including murder, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, tax evasion and racketeering. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He died in federal prison on June 10th 2002 from throat cancer, aged 61. The Teflon had finally worn through.